When I returned to Jingshi, I got the news that the first assistant Zhang Juzheng was ill by accident and was recuperating. But he was told that he had prepared a small courtyard for me not far from the mansion as a reward for me. In addition, there is another appointment in the position, so let me wait.

With the steward of Zhang's mansion, I arrived at this set of courtyards that Zhang Juzheng had prepared for me outside the front door. The yard is not big, but it is very exquisite. There are three main rooms in the courtyard with two entrances, six side rooms, and other configurations.

Lord Shoufu also gave me a special care of servants, maids, etc., which made me feel very warm. But here I have to complain about the salary system of the Ming Dynasty.

As a dignified court official from the fourth grade, my monthly salary is only twenty-one stones! According to modern purchasing power, my monthly salary will be about 10,000 yuan a month...... In a modern big city, especially a metropolis like Jingshi, renting a house is tight, not to mention the huge courtyard houses and groups of servants and maids.

What if there was some more communication? That's almost impossible. It will definitely make you doubt your life.

Why is this so? This starts with Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty. This guy is an authentic peasant, and he has a deep understanding of the corruption of the officialdom system of the former Yuan Dynasty, and he also hates it.

Therefore, after he became the emperor, the governance of officials reached an unprecedented harshness, and specially formulated laws and regulations to restrict the words and deeds of Ming Dynasty officials, in addition, Zhu Yuanzhang himself lived a relatively frugal life, and has always maintained the true character of a peasant, and his judgment on the cost of living of Ming Dynasty officials was conservative, which directly led to the extremely low salary of Ming Dynasty officials.

Such a system is, of course, good and bad. On the bright side, the overall official general expenditure is low, and the pressure on fiscal support is low, which is also promoting the style of frugality. But on the other hand, this kind of Yulu is by no means attractive, or makes people willing to be poor and do the cause of the court.

Therefore, objectively speaking, after the death of Zhu Yuanzhang, the wind of greed for ink in other stages of the Ming Dynasty was quite serious, and in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, this style of greed for ink has formed a tradition. It can be said that even heroes like Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang are not exempt from vulgarity.

The only exception, Hai Rui, can only say that he has too many ways to survive in the cracks, and his fate is quite stable.

Therefore, to support such a large family business, it is impossible to rely on the income of the imperial court alone. However, I still have the foundation of overseas trade to support, so I will not be stretched.

In my new home, Shoufu sent me a housekeeper named Qiao Hansheng, a native of Jincheng, Shanxi. He is not tall, slightly bearded, and his eyes are not big, but he shows shrewdness. I am very satisfied with the first assistant arranging for me to manage the family business, so that I can save a lot of worry, very good!

I handed over the responsibility of managing the mansion to Qiao Hansheng, and when it came to economic matters, I asked him to contact Lan Shu directly, after all, Shu was the CEO and wealthy owner of my Sun Family Chamber of Commerce.

In terms of accommodation allocation, the main courtyard is, of course, where I live with a few henchmen. The backyard has been transformed into a gathering place for shadows, and of course it will definitely expand in the future, but not now.

According to Mr. Feng Shui, it was an auspicious day, so I moved in. According to the rules, I asked Mr. Feng Shui to cook the food and clean up the house. Actually, I really don't value this very much, but the big housekeeper of the Zhang Mansion said that this is indispensable, so he did it.

That night, I had a banquet for my subordinates and friends in the front yard, and set up eight big tables in a group! Accidentally, it turns out that I already have so many people from it! Of course, it's only a follower, and the real followers are probably still in one hand.

I drank a little bit of alcohol, which is also my habit, never drink too much, for safety reasons. I don't know why, but I always feel uneasy living here. Thinking about it carefully, I think it's because I don't have a sense of belonging, and I always feel that I will leave at any time, and I don't know where my home is!

After the feast, I quietly leaned on the soft couch in the bedroom and sipped tea. I don't have a lamp because I'm afraid that the brighter it is, the more lonely it will be. It's so dark, but I feel steady.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and I could hear it being a kite. Hearing my answer, she pushed the door open and entered. By the moonlight, I saw that she was dressed in white, with a beautiful stride and long hair tied behind her head.

She approached, sat down gently beside me, and didn't say anything, just resting her head lightly on my shoulder. I smiled silently, stretched out my left hand, and took her into my arms. That's it, quietly.

The moonlight is shining brightly, and the trees are swaying.

I thought that my life would continue to be stable like this, but the next morning, my peaceful life was completely destroyed - before nine o'clock, someone came to see her, and her identity was - matchmaker......

I am both a stranger and not a stranger to matchmakers. is not unfamiliar, because in the film and television works of the previous life, especially the film and television works with rural themes, the matchmaker is a common role. And to say that it is unfamiliar, it is because it is my turn, but it is a solid first time!

The matchmaker who came to me was surnamed Qin, and it is said that she was an old matchmaker in Dongcheng, and it became a countless happy event. I can't help but be in awe. To put it bluntly, they rely on a clever mouth, and they can say that the black is white, the ugly is handsome, the stupid is a thief, and the bad is good.

Due to the ancient tradition of not seeing each other before marriage, how many young men and women have come together under the prodding of matchmakers. So much so that on the wedding night, when the groom lifts the bride's hijab, the first line of dialogue is often like this:

"Ahh You...... Aren't you a famous beauty in the south of the city? How did it grow like this? ”

"When was it disfigured?"

"How are you?"

"Liar!"

"Said that the skin is white, the appearance is beautiful, and the temperament is good, but the work is not sticky?"

"Didn't you say you're eight feet tall? Why is it not as tall as a coffee table when you stand up? ”

"Where's your leg?"

……

And so on and so forth. In ancient times, they paid more attention to marrying chickens and dogs, so alas, they were all tears.

Therefore, I am quite respectful and polite to this matchmaker. Sitting in the side room, I listened to the vernacular of this matchmaker in her fifties, dressed in red, with hairpins on her head and a mole on her face.

This Qin matchmaker took a hard puff of dry smoke, squinted his eyes, and looked at me with a smile through the smoke he spewed. I don't think I'm handsome, but with continuous exercise, I can be considered sturdy and have good facial features, but I was slightly nervous by this matchmaker.

Mrs. Qin spoke: "Master Sun!"

This voice made the hairs on my body fall down the tree!

It's clearly an owl!

Mrs. Qin didn't care, she shook off her cigarette gun and said in a squeaky voice: "I'm the matchmaker for Wu Dingquan, the governor of the political affairs!" If you want me to say, Lord Sun, you are really blessed! Lord Wu's golden age is twenty-eight, that looks! Gee! ”

She slapped her thigh hard and said exaggeratedly: "It's just a loss that Lao Sheng is a woman, if Lao Sheng is a man, and he is thirty years younger, he will marry her home if he sells the old house!"

Excited, she choked on the smoke she was spitting and coughed violently. After coughing for a long time, she picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and smacked the cigarette pouch a few times, before she continued excitedly: "Master Sun!"

For some reason, every time she called me, I felt a chill, and my neck shrinking was seen by the kite behind me, covering her mouth and snickering.

Mrs. Qin continued: "Lord Wu's official residence is the second grade, and he is also a member of Zhongshu Province, marrying her daughter, and not dishonoring you, Lord Sun!" What's more, people say that Lord Wu's daughter is a flower in Dongcheng, and that the matchmaker is about to break the threshold of the Wu family! If it weren't for you, Master Sun! I'm afraid that this girl has already been hired away by a royal house! ”

I hurriedly took a sip of tea to suppress the shock, and my heart flickered! You keep fooling! Who knew that the matchmaker really continued to fool!

She put down her cigarette pouch and mysteriously took out a piece of cloth from her bosom. Pink, stacked, unfolded is estimated to be a quadripartite. Mrs. Qin leaned closer and said to me mysteriously, "Master Sun! It is said that husband and wife cannot meet before marriage, but in order to reassure you, I also quietly brought a portrait of the daughter of the Wu family"!

As soon as I heard it, yo! A recent bareheaded photo? Is the Meitu App a good one? Am I just looking good? But I saw the matchmaker smile crookedly, and sent the pink handkerchief in front of me, and unfolded it quite reluctantly! There really is a portrait!

When Mrs. Qin unfolded the veil completely, I took it and took a closer look!

"Poof!" Spit out a mouthful of blood!

Actually! It's actually embroidered by TM! If you want me to say, even if I can't tell the difference between good and bad embroidery, but then again, whoever embroiders is good at it? You can't see beauty and ugliness at all, okay? If you use this to fool me, won't your conscience hurt?

I was holding the handkerchief, my hands trembled slightly, and Mrs. Qin understood that she was excited! I...... Thrill your mother! She smiled crookedly, withdrew her veil, covered her mouth and smiled: "Master Sun, look at the soul you see is gone!" I've got to take it back! Don't break the rules! ”

My head shook for a moment, and I couldn't tell whether to nod or shake my head, and Mrs. Qin thought I was happy, and then said, "Master Sun, then this family affair is settled?"

At this moment we are completely awake! I wiped the cold sweat from the corners of my forehead, turned my head, and came up with a solution, so I said to Mrs. Qin: "That's the case!" My daughter's family is first-class, and I have no objections! It's just ......"

The Qin matchmaker leaned forward and asked, "It's just what?"

I said: "Marriage is a lifelong event, the life of parents, and the words of matchmakers should not be hasty!" My parents died young, and I was raised by my uncle, and I have always been like a father! Now, my uncle's trade at sea has not returned, and I can't make a hasty decision myself! When my uncle-in-law returns, I will report it truthfully and make a decision as soon as possible! How is it? ”

When Mrs. Qin heard this, her heart was also in line with the rules, and the old face with a thick foundation immediately smiled into a flower, bared her teeth and pouted, "Then according to Lord Sun's words!" The old student retired first! ”

As he spoke, he twisted his waist and walked out, and I hurriedly got up to send him off! When she was about to walk to the door, she suddenly turned around and smiled: "Lord Sun has to urge your aunt, otherwise this good girl will end up in another family!"

Yes, yes! Ok, good, good! Okay, okay! I promised for a long time, but I said in my heart, this uncle, I'm afraid I won't return to the Ming Dynasty in this life! Just wait!

Finally sent the matchmaker away, I let out a long breath, and the kite behind me smiled: "Master Sun, a beautiful woman like a flower and jade, when will you marry home!"

I reached out and knocked on her head, and was about to sneer at her, when the housekeeper Qiao Hansheng suddenly reported again: "My lord! Someone asks to see you again! ”

Who? What the! Matchmaker again?

So, I started the long reception work. In three days, I received 17 door-to-door matchmakers! The suspected in-laws also cover most of the leaders of the yamen in Beijing.

And in the mouth of the matchmaker, which daughter is not a sinking fish and a goose, and a shy flower in the closed moon? Which head of the family is not the right person and has a bright future? It only makes me feel that it is a sin to give up on anyone! The unpardonable sins!

I just feel that dealing with a matchmaker is far more difficult than going to war! And to them, I always responded: the elders in the family are not there, so I can't rashly agree! So, it's barely passing!

I shouted in my heart countless times: "Shousuke-sama! You'd better get better! Qilan is guilty! You can tell me to do anything! ”

In addition to meeting the matchmaker......