Zhou Xi's family drank a bowl of mung bean soup and went to Guo Changshi's mansion.

Before leaving, she went to Cheng Yuanniang's small tent first, holding a pair of gold bracelets and two gold hairpins, small things, inconspicuous to hold, but valuable enough.

The Changshi Mansion is in the southeast corner of the Yanwang Mansion and belongs to a part of the Yanwang Mansion. There is a separate kitchen, monthly rice grain, clothes for the four seasons, and the subordinates who are called, all of which have regulations.

It is not divided according to the head, but only according to the total amount, under normal circumstances, it is enough for three generations of grandparents and grandchildren, and the daily use of 20 people.

However, the current Changshi Mansion is not a normal situation.

The gold jewelry was put into the purse, and Zhou Xi's family walked quickly to the Changshi Mansion.

Four into the compound, two black lacquer gates, two doorkeepers at the door standing. Although it is a little less magnificent than the high-ranking families outside, the momentum is enough.

"Isn't this Sister-in-law Zhou, why are you here on such a hot day, please come in." The doorkeeper looked at Zhou Xi's family and hurriedly greeted him,

Zhou Xijia said with a smile: "I was ordered by the princess to come and see Mrs. Guo." ”

Sure enough, there are no weak soldiers under the strong generals, there are so many people in the Yanwang Mansion, Cheng Yuanniang married not long ago, and the time she entered the Yanwang Mansion was even shorter.

This is the first time she has come back to Guo Changshi's mansion, and it turns out that even the little guy guarding the door knows her.

"Ouch, it's really a misfortune that you're old, Mrs. Guo is not in the house." The little guy said with a look of pity.

Zhou Xijia looked surprised and said, "On such a hot day, the old lady actually went out?" ”

The little girl smiled knowingly, but diverted the topic and said, "Although the old lady is not there, the wife is in the house." ”

"Then it's the same when I meet Mrs. Guo." Zhou Xijia said with a smile, but there was a little pity in his heart.

Guo Changshi is a filial son, and he is obedient to Mrs. Guo's words.

It is most appropriate to give a gift to Mrs. Guo. It's a pity to give it to Mrs. Guo.

"Please come with me." The little guy said, leading the way.

Zhou Xi's family followed the little maid inside, and asked with a smile: "Isn't Lord Changshi at home?" ”

"Not there." The little guy smiled and said, "At this time, the master is in the office." ”

"When do you usually come back?" Zhou Xijia asked.

The little girl smiled and said: "This is not accurate, if my sister-in-law has something, you can go to the front to find the master." ”

"That's the office area over there, I'm a housewife, how can I go there." Zhou Xijia said with a smile.

The little girl smiled and said, "Sister-in-law went to find it on purpose, there must be something, why can't I go." ”

During the chat, the little maid took Zhou Xi's family into the backyard. Without waiting for the little maid to pass the word, he heard the woman's cry inside: "How am I going to live, sister, how am I going to live." ”

Zhou Xijia's footsteps couldn't help but pause, and the little maid showed embarrassment, and said, "Sister-in-law, wait a minute, I'll go and report." ”

"I don't have anything important, let's wait and see." Zhou Xijia said.

Generally speaking, such movements will not end for a while and a half. And there is something in her heart, but I am afraid that Mrs. Guo is not in the mood to talk to her.

"Sister-in-law, wait a minute." The little maid said, called her mother-in-law, and asked her to arrange for Zhou Xi's family to sit down.

The mother-in-law took Zhou Xi's family to sit down, poured tea for Zhou Xi's family, and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, wait a minute, my wife's sister is here and is talking." ”

"Is it Miss Nian?" Zhou Xijia said.

Guo Changshi is a filial son, and he is very obedient to his mother's words, even marrying his wife.

Mrs. Guo is Mrs. Guo's maiden niece, and the Guo family at that time was already broken, and Mrs. Guo married in Gaopan.

Now that Mrs. Guo's sister is here, it must be Miss Nian.

However, her niece came, but Mrs. Guo was not at home, and most of them went back to her parents' house.

There are some rumors in the house, saying that Mrs. Guo is subsidizing her mother's family too much. moved all the money earned by his son back to his parents' house.

Thanks to Guo Changshi's ability and filial piety, otherwise if he were an ordinary person, the mother and son would have fought a long time ago.

"It's Miss Nian." The mother-in-law said, with a little sympathy in her words, "Miss Nian, she is also a poor person. I don't know what to do with such a brother and sister-in-law in the future. ”

Zhou Xijia asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Miss Nian has reached the age of leaving the cabinet early, but her brother did not give a dowry, and she dragged on until she was twenty-two years old, and she has not been able to get married." The mother-in-law said, "Originally, Miss Nian planned to be an old lady at home, but Uncle Nian said that there were no idlers at home, so Miss Nian would either marry or become a monk." ”

"Huh?" Zhou Xijia was a little stunned when he heard this, "How can there be such a ruthless brother." ”

The Nian family is considered to be a broken family in the rich and noble, relying on the Guo family's family affairs to fight the autumn breeze, and it is also a wealthy family of the people.

It is common for such people to not be able to afford a dowry for their daughters because they don't have enough money. But these young ladies are miserable, and they want to marry to the right family, but because they don't have a dowry, they don't want it very much.

In the matter of getting married, while paying attention to the right family, the amount of the woman's dowry is also very important to the man.

Like Miss Nian, who can't give a dowry in the family, even if she is born beautiful and has a better personality, she is not as competitive as a woman with a dowry of two thousand silver.

In the name of a rich lady, she has no dowry, and her mother's family has no help, so it is completely by luck if she wants to marry into a rich family. More often than not, it is to marry low, or not to marry.

If you marry too low, you will suffer hardships in the past, so it is better not to marry, live in your mother's house, at least you don't have to worry about eating and drinking. Otherwise, marry a poor ghost and suffer hardships for the rest of your life.

But to be an old girl, there is a father and brother who are willing to raise it all the time. Like the old man of the Nian family, he didn't give his sister a dowry, and he didn't plan to raise it, and the fate of the young lady that year was either to find someone to marry casually, or to become a monk.

Then it's no wonder that Mrs. Guo went back to her parents' house, probably for her niece.

"Alas, my wife is also pitiful." The mother-in-law said.

Zhou Xijia didn't dare to answer, because Mrs. Guo was on top, and Mrs. Guo was more like a transparent person.

has no dowry, ordinary appearance, ordinary personality, neither knows how to manage money, nor has any ability, and more importantly, has no children. Such a woman married Guo Changshi, and Guo Changshi was aggrieved.

However, recalling that not long ago, Guo Changshi and the county lord of Anhua came out......

Guo Changshi is not idle, and no one says anyone.

The two chatted without a word, and listened to the little girl say, "Mrs. asked Sister-in-law Zhou to come over." ”

Zhou Xijia hurriedly stood up and followed the little girl's main room last year.

The three main rooms are spacious and bright, but the layout is very ordinary, and there is no trace of a man's life.

It is said that Guo Changshi and Mrs. Guo have been separated for a long time, and Guo Changshi sleeps in the study all the year round. However, between husband and wife, they are still respectful.

"I've kept my sister-in-law waiting." Nian said with a smile, and did not get up to greet him.

Seeing this, Zhou Xijia stepped forward to salute and said with a smile: "I've seen Mrs. Guo." ”

The chief historian is a five-rank official, and Nian is the wife of a five-rank official. This slave should salute, but the so-called dog beating to see the master, since she is the confidant of the princess, Nian should get up to greet her.

It's like Hu Pozi is here, does Nian still dare to accept her courtesy.

"Sister-in-law, hurry up." Nian said with a smile, and said to the girl: "Bring a chair for Sister-in-law Zhou." ”

The little girl brought a round stool, but Zhou Xi's family did not sit down, but presented the gift, and said with a smile: "A few small things, the princess gave it to his wife to play with." ”

Nian took it, weighed the weight, the smile on his face became more cordial, and said, "Mom is here for the matter of the princess's concubine." ”

"Mrs. knows about this?" Zhou Xijia was surprised.

The princess is a concubine, and with the relationship between Guo Changshi and Nian, he should not mention business to her.

Nian Shi smiled and said, "Of course I know such a big thing as choosing a side concubine." ”

"Choose?" Zhou Xijia's doubts.

Regardless of what Xiuzhu said, or what Cheng Yuanniang said. They are all candidates drawn up by Han Xiao and plan to marry.

How to get here in Nian's place, it's a choice.

"yes." Nian said with a smile, "The son of the world is empty under his knees, although he has the eldest son, but his mother is from a humble background. should accept a well-born side concubine and extend the heirs. ”

Although the prince has two wives, as we all know, neither of them is pleasing to the prince.

The prince has lived in the study for a long time, and now he accepts new people into the house, not only for the sake of his heirs, but also for himself.

“…… Is it according to the rules of the house, is it selected among the women of the official family? Zhou Xijia asked.

Whether it is the prince or the prince, the concubine, and the side concubine all have strict requirements. Just like Princess Cheng, she was born in the Plains Hou Mansion, and she has no choice in the Qingyang realm.

Another example is Concubine Chen, her mother's father and brother are all Qingyang officials, although the official position is not large, but they are also from official families.

"I guess so." Nian Shi was not sure about it, and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law also knows, the side concubine is not as serious as the main concubine." ”

Although the side concubine has a high status, she is also a concubine. There are all the girls who pamper the side concubines, and there are a few girls in the official family who are not so high, as long as the background is fine, they can do it.

Just like this election, she wants to mix her sister Nian Ruolan in the list.

I know there's no hope, but I have to fight. 's own sister, you can't watch her marry a poor ghost casually, or become a monk.

"The old slave understands." Zhou Xijia thought in his heart, and asked again: "Then who should choose this choice?" ”

Generally speaking, choosing a concubine for her husband is the job of the main house.

Otherwise, it is the choice of the elders, which is considered to be given by the elders. Otherwise, the man will end up in person, and he will inevitably be called lustful.

"This ......" Nian Shi paused for a moment and looked at Zhou Xi's family: "I said that my sister-in-law doesn't like to hear it, the princess of the county and the princess don't like it very much." The prince took the initiative to accept the concubine, but I was afraid that he wanted to pick a favorite one by himself, and most of them would choose by himself. ”

Zhou Xijia nodded when he listened, but he became more and more sure in his heart, Nian's tone and situation were really not high.

"However, since they are all going to be widely selected, in addition to the position of two side concubines, maybe two more lovely concubines will be selected." Nian said.

The standard configuration of the prince is that one concubine, two concubines, and two ladies can all be on the jade plate.

And the prince is a concubine, two concubines, and three can be on the jade plate.

But they are all sons of the world, and sooner or later they will be princes. Now choose two concubines with good backgrounds, and they will always be able to become wives in the future.

If Nian Ruolan can become a concubine, she will be at ease.