Early the next morning, after Meng Hao sobered up, he rushed to the office to be busy, leaving his wife and son at home.

At noon, Zhang's house sent a housekeeper to discuss the matter of making a marriage contract. Mrs. Meng could only send the housekeeper of Zhang's Mansion back first, saying that it was Meng Hao's decision on this matter, but now that Meng Hao was busy with official business, it would not be too late to talk about it later.

On the one hand, Mrs. Meng lamented that her man was out of tune, and on the other hand, she could only send someone to the yamen to urge him to go home early after leaving the yamen.

On the other hand, the housekeeper of Zhang's Mansion went back to restore his life, and was about to relay Mrs. Meng's words word for word, but before he finished speaking, he was stopped by Mrs. Zhang, and she said angrily: "What do you mean? Our Zhangfu is a big family, and it is their honor to be able to look at their county magistrate's home, and they dare to shirk it like this, it is really unbelievable......

"Alright. With a low shout, Zhang Jingzong slowly walked out of the back hall and scolded: "No one else refused, but they just said that it would be later, so what's the matter." ”

"Master, you have also stepped down from the position of squire, how can you fall in love with this low-ranking man?" said Mrs. Zhang with a disdainful face.

"What do you know? Zhang Jingzong glared at Yan Niang, and then said: "Don't look at the Meng family as illustrious as my Zhang family, but the Meng family is a scholarly family, although Brother Meng's official position is low, but he is talented and learned, I don't know how many people in the court and the middle school." It's just that the opportunity hasn't come now, and I can't fly into the sky, otherwise, hum ......"

"I inquired before I came, that Meng Hao is straightforward, he has offended many officials, and if he wants to soar into the sky, I'm afraid it will be more difficult. With such a family, I'm not afraid that Xue'er will be wronged in the future?" Mrs. Zhang looked at Zhang Jingzong with a disgusted expression.

Zhang Jingzong smiled coldly and said, "I don't know your mind yet?" As long as Xue'er can be stable and happy in the future, why should she care if she is rich or not!"

When Yan Niang heard this, her face instantly turned cold, and she thought hatefully in her heart: "Old thing, I only know how to be good to your daughter, I have really married you for nothing for the past few years." It's just that in the future, I'm not in charge of this family?

Zhang Jingzong didn't care about Yanniang's face, and said directly to the housekeeper: "You go to Meng's mansion for the next post, and invite Brother Meng and his wife to come over to the mansion at night." ”

The housekeeper went to handle it, and only the husband and wife were left in the living room.

After Mrs. Meng received the invitation, she was even more anxious, so she had to send someone to take the post to the yamen, and told the servants to go and return quickly.

In this way, he finally suffered from Meng Hao's office.

Seeing her husband's tired look, Mrs. Meng was full of distress, but she could only urge him to clean his face and change his clothes so that he could go to Zhang's mansion for a banquet.

Meng Hao didn't care much about his clothes, and just when he was about to express his impatience, he was nagged by Mrs. Meng: "Since you have promised to make a marriage contract with Zhang's mansion, you naturally want to pay a solemn visit." If you don't even want to do the dough kung fu, what do you want Brother Zhang to think in his heart? Since you have made a promise, then do it well, don't let people look down on you. ”

Meng Hao had no choice but to be obedient, change into new clothes, and get ready to go out.

Before the sun disappeared, Meng Hao went out with his wife.

When I arrived at Zhang's Mansion, it was already twilight.

Meng Hao held the invitation card and was invited to the front hall by the servants of the Zhang Mansion. As soon as the tea came up, Zhang Jingzong also came out, and said with a smile: "Brother Meng, I thought that you would come later, so I was going to wait for you at the door later. ”

Meng Hao waved his hand, indicating that he didn't care about this. Then he said: "There is something going on in the Yamen today, so I went to the Yamen early in the morning. As for the matter of Steward Zhang going to my house at noon, although I have heard about it, there are still some trivial things to deal with in the afternoon, so I couldn't come in time, Brother Zhang forgive me. ”

After Meng Hao finished speaking, he made a deep snort at Zhang Jingzong.

Zhang Jingzong hurriedly stretched out his hand to help, muttering: "What's so strange about this? When I was busy before, I didn't even have time to go home, let alone other things. Why is it strange that he is busy with official business?"

Speaking of which, Mrs. Zhang also came to the front hall and invited Mrs. Meng to go to the back hall with her to chat about some private conversations between women.

After Mrs. Meng left, Zhang Jingzong began to chat with Meng Hao about the past.

After a while, Zhang Jingzong couldn't sit still, so he began to pull the topic on the child, and said a little nervously: "Brother Meng, what you said last night still counts?"

Meng Hao was slightly stunned, and then said, "Brother Zhang is talking about the children?"

Zhang Jingzong nodded and said, "Yes." I wonder if this child's in-laws can do it?"

Meng Hao smiled slightly and said, "Of course, count." Just ......"

Before Meng Hao could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Zhang Jingzong and asked, "Brother Meng, what troubles do you have?"

Meng Hao smiled and said casually, "It's not a big deal. It's just that the second son is still young now, and when the second son is a little older in the future, it will not be too late to make a marriage contract. ”

Zhang Jingzong sighed, and said in a low voice: "Brother, I also want to watch Xue'er grow up and put on a wedding dress, but ah, my body doesn't allow it." You and I took the same exam, and if I remember correctly, you were only 19 years old that year, and I was 28 years old. Sixteen years have passed since now, and you are thirty and five, and I am forty and fourteen. ”

Meng Hao also looked nostalgic, as if he was nostalgic for the past dozen years and reminisced about his youth.

Zhang Jingzong then said: "I was the left servant of the household department before I became a servant, and as long as I survived for a few years, the household department was still very promising. It's just that when I went to visit a friend in Guanli in July this year, I asked the person to call the pulse, saying that it was a lung disease contracted a few years ago and now it has become a serious disease, although it has not yet broken out, but once the wind and cold enter the body, it will be sick like a mountain. I listened to the danger, so I found a doctor with a good personal relationship afterwards, but I never thought that the result would be the same. I was disheartened and handed in my resignation. When His Majesty heard about my request, he didn't force it, and gave me some pills so that I could have a good life. I thought that there were still a few years left, so I simply went back to live in peace for a few days, and I spent a lot of time with Xue'er. ”

After hearing this, Meng Hao expressed great regret, but he was able to understand, and said: "Although Your Majesty is mediocre today, he can still be considerate of his subordinates, which can be regarded as a ......."

Before Meng Hao finished speaking, he was stopped by Zhang Jingzong, only to see him say: "Brother, don't talk too much, it's a big crime to talk about Your Majesty." This is no longer the time when the first emperor reigned. Don't talk like this in the future, don't bring disaster to your Meng clan. ”

Meng Hao's expression froze, he stood up, looked at Zhang Jingzong deeply, and said, "Junior brother, remember, you should be cautious in your words and deeds in the future." ”

Zhang Jingzong pulled Meng Hao to his seat and said with a little reproach: "Brother, you and I are talking, why bother like this." Besides, I know that you are a human being, so I will remind you why you are so solemn. ”

Meng Hao's face softened, and he said softly: "I know my brother's love, so I should pay attention to it in the future." ”

Next, the two gossiped about the bureau. I don't know if it was intentional or not, the conversation was turned back to the children again.

Meng Hao said: "Brother, although you are not in good health, you can at least last a few years, why rush at this time?"

Hearing this, Zhang Jingzong's face was a little ashamed, and he said in a choked tone: "When I was young, I was enthusiastic about studying and gaining fame, so I got married later. When we entered the first rank, I was still alone. Later, he went out to fill the vacancy and took office in Xuzhou. In office, he met Xue'er's mother.

It was a sunny afternoon many years ago, and I was taking a nap, so I wandered around, I don't remember how much I walked, but I remember that I met a young girl at the corner of an alley, where she was buying rock sugar gourds, followed by a little maid.

I don't remember the first time we met, whether she smiled at me or was expressionless, I just remember that my heart was beating fast in the hot breeze. I thought, this is the woman I should marry. ”

As soon as the words fell, Zhang Jingzong was still immersed in good memories. After a while, Fang Zhuan woke up.

Then he said: "Her surname is Chen, the Chen family is a local wealthy family, but she has no power in the court, it just so happens that I am a new branch jinshi, plus our Zhang family has some power in the court." Everything became clear and we were soon engaged and married.

It's just that later, after the first emperor died and the new emperor ascended the throne, in order to stabilize his power, he degraded some family forces, including my Zhang family, and then my Zhang family gradually declined. For more than ten years after that, I have been up and down, and in the end, although I was a servant of the left of the household, I did not leave a foundation in the court.

As for the Chen family, they were also affected by that time, and they were not spared.

During the period when Xue'er and her mother followed me as an official in various places, she was overworked and injured her roots, and she never got pregnant.

Later, my fortune suddenly improved, and my position rose all the way. Gradually, he returned to the capital and served as an official in the center.

So far, my wife has been persuading me to take a concubine, and some old people in the family even asked me to divorce my wife and marry another. After a while, no one cared anymore.

It wasn't until I was thirty-nine years old that my mother became pregnant with Cher.

It's just that her health has been bad, and in order to keep the baby safe, she secretly took some tiger and wolf medicine from me, so that she died before Xue'er was full moon. ”

Speaking of this, Zhang Jingzong could no longer control his emotions, and tears ran down his cheeks, wetting his mottled beard.

Meng Hao could only reach out and pat Zhang Jingzong's shoulder to show sympathy.

Slowly, Zhang Jingzong's mood regained his calmness, so he continued: "After that, the old man in the family arranged for me to continue, saying that there was a woman in the family who could at least take care of the children and me. At that time, I was a little sad and excessive, so I agreed, that is, the beautiful lady you saw.

I thought that she could at least be more sympathetic to her from a scholarly family, but I never thought that her bones were more cold. That's why I thought about setting up a marriage for Xue'er while I was still there, so that I could protect her well, so that she would suffer less harm and be happy in the future. ”

When Meng Hao heard this, he suddenly realized that he finally understood his friend's hard work.