Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 338 Discussing the Dowry
Regardless of whether it is a wealthy family or a small family, marriage is a major event. Regardless of the man's family or the woman's family, a marriage will have to be broken for more than ten years.

Especially in the Song Dynasty, when the commodity economy was highly developed, the dowry and dowry were more valued. The man's family gave the dowry, while the woman's dowry.

Improper door, wrong household, first of all, getting married is a big problem. One party gives a shabby dowry, but the other party offers a generous dowry. This marriage is unacceptable no matter what.

Some people say that as long as the woman looks like a flower and jade, it doesn’t matter if the dowry is shabby, and the man will also come up with a generous gift to marry.

Most of the couples in the Song Dynasty were equal, and the basis of equality was equal economic and financial resources. The right family is a guarantee of economic and financial resources. The idea of ​​​​a poor family marrying their daughter into a wealthy family to obtain equal status has been the same since ancient times. An unrealistic fantasy.

Especially for the rich and powerful, marriage is more of a maintenance or exchange of political interests, and marrying a wife and daughter will be more cautious.

Although the Fan family can only be regarded as a middle-class family in terms of financial resources, it is far from being on the same level as the richest man in the Pingjiang Mansion, but in the eyes of many people, the daughter of the Zhu family marrying Fan Ning is a tall order.

You must know that Fan Ning's current reputation and status can marry the princess or the county master. Of course, marrying the princess is not close. Marrying the princess usually requires the descendants of the founding fathers, such as the Cao family, the Guo family, and the Gao family. , the Pan family, etc. Historically, the eldest princess of Zhao Zhen married Cao Shi.

Although Zhu's family is wealthy, their political status can only be regarded as third-rate.

But even if they are foreign relatives, the status of the Zhu family is far inferior to that of the Zhang Yaozuo family. The Zhu family is only the concubine of the late emperor, and they belong to outdated relatives. Zhu Yuanjun was gradually squeezed out of the circle of power, which is directly related to this reason, and of course it is also related to him. It had something to do with being on the wrong team back then.

Fan Ning is No.1 in the Boys' Division and No.4 in the Jinshi Division. He is favored by the emperor. He was promoted to a high-ranking official at the age of 19. He was appointed as a secretary and a junior supervisor. He is famous all over the world. If he is willing, even if there is no suitable princess or county master, at least the Cao family is willing to marry his daughter-in-law to him.

This is why Zhu Yuanfu would rather turn against his brother than give up this marriage.

In the back hall of the Zhu Mansion, Zhu Yuanfu, his brother Zhu Yuanfeng, and Zhu Pei's father Zhu Xiaoyun were finalizing Zhu Pei's final dowry.

Generally speaking, the woman’s dowry list should be presented at the same time when the man’s family gives the wedding gift, but both parties are well-matched, or know the bottom line, so it’s okay to give the dowry list at the end. The only thing the Zhu family can get when they marry a daughter is wealth. , so the Zhu family is very cautious on this point.

Zhu Pei's dowry list is a thick stack, not to mention the gold and silver jewellery, jewels and emerald jade, silk and satin, there are at least a few hundred boxes, the key is real estate, which is the big one.

"Did father always plan to live in Mudu Town?" Zhu Xiaoyun asked in a low voice.

Zhu Yuanfu shook his head, "I am the patriarch of the Zhu family and the eldest son. Naturally, I will live in the old house and guard the tomb of my parents. The reason why I moved to Mudu back then was because your grandmother believed in Lingyan Temple. After Ape got married, I plan to move back to Wujiang."

"In that case, why not give Ape the house in Mudu Town?"

The house in Mudu Town covers an area of ​​[-] mu. It is Zhu Yuanfu's other house. He intends to leave it to his second grandson Zhu Yi. Zhu Yuanfu has four sons and two daughters, and the four sons have given birth to more than a dozen grandchildren. , Zhu Pei ranked third among his granddaughters, but she was his favorite granddaughter, who was always with him.

Zhu Yuanfu's eldest grandson, Zhu Zhe, was born with hypoxia, which caused his brain to be not very good, so he could only be raised in the mansion.

The second grandson, Zhu Yi, was also born to Zhu Xiaoyun, but he is the de facto eldest grandson. He has finished studying in Taixue, received the grace of the Son of Heaven, and was born as a Jinshi. In Changzhou County, his wife was the daughter of the rich Gu family in Wu County, so Zhu Yuanfu wanted to leave him the mansion in Mudu Town.

Zhu Yuanfu took two steps and asked Zhu Yuanfeng, "What do you think?"

Zhu Yuanfeng pondered for a moment and said: "Mingren Mingli has been using that warehouse. As far as I know, most of the items in it belong to Aning. I agree with Xiaoyun's opinion. Besides, Yi'er is an official in Changzhou County. If you can’t go to Mudu, the house was given to him, and in the end it was also given to the Gu family, what do you make the Fan family who live in Mudu Town think?”

"You're right. I was careless. Then this house will be included in Pei'er's dowry, and the [-] mu of land and a few shops I bought in Mudu Town will also be given to Pei'er."

Zhu Xiaoyun looked at the dowry list and said: "Father really intends to use the Zhu's money shop in the capital as a dowry?"

Zhu Yuanfu glanced at his son, "This is a matter that has been settled long ago. I have already told Aning's father. What do you think?"

"My child thinks the dowry is too big, but my father has five granddaughters and twelve grandsons!"

It's not that Zhu Xiaoyun doesn't care about his daughter. It's because Zhu Pei is his daughter that it's difficult for him to be a man. He has three brothers under him, and more than a dozen nephews and nieces. The father gave such important assets to his daughter , the other three brothers will definitely be dissatisfied.

Zhu Yuanfu sneered and said, "Zhao Zongshi wanted to promise his younger sister to Fan Ning, but Fan Ning didn't agree. Mr. Cao wanted to promise his granddaughter to Fan Ning, but Fan Ning didn't reply. I will not be stingy if my granddaughter can reach such a height."

Zhu Yuanfu said to Zhu Xiaoyun again: "You don't know! Ah Ning's token of love for Pei'er is a luminous pearl, not a fluorite, but a real luminous pearl. This is the only luminous pearl outside the royal family. It can be called a priceless treasure. At that time, Pei'er was still the daughter of my Zhu family, and Aning was so arrogant, could I, Zhu Yuanfu, take back what I said, you don't care about face, I still want this old face!"

Zhu Xiaoyun was so scolded by his father that his face was flushed red, and he bowed and said, "I know my mistake!"

Zhu Yuanfu snorted heavily, "You are short-sighted and can't do great things!"

Zhu Xiaoyun felt bitter in his heart, how could he not understand?His son-in-law's official position is almost catching up with his own, how could he care about the little property he gave his daughter as a dowry, the key is that those money shops are not Zhu Xiaoyun's property, but his father's property!

My father has four sons, and he is the eldest son. How can he not make a statement? You must know that the most valuable property of his father is Zhu's money shop, and the essence of Zhu's money shop is the twelve money shops in the capital. He gave his daughter to him with a wave of his hand, so what do other brothers think?
Zhu Yuanfeng laughed beside him and said, "Xiaoyun's worry is understandable, it's best for the eldest brother to call a few nephews to explain, so that everyone can reach a consensus so that there will be no estrangement between the brothers in the future."

"What is there to discuss!"

Zhu Yuanfu glared and said angrily: "Is the Zhu family very poor? There are 86 money shops in the whole country, and there are more than 100 real estates in various places. There are seven mansions in Beijing alone, tens of thousands of hectares of fertile land, and millions of copper coins in stock. Gold and silver are countless, and there are so many precious things, so much property is not enough for them to divide? My decision this time, who dares to say a word, I will cancel his inheritance right, and I will not give him a penny!"

Zhu Yuanfeng couldn't say anything more. In fact, his heart was like a bright mirror. Why wasn't he like this? The gift he gave Zhu Pei as a wedding gift was twenty thousand stone ships. Where Zhu Pei needed this thing, he borrowed it from Zhu Pei. The reason of getting married was given to Fan Ning, and Zhu Yuanfeng was also optimistic about Fan Ning, betting heavily on him.

"Then it's finalized. In addition to the dowry for Apei, there are also the house in Mudu, three shops, five thousand acres of land, and twelve money shops in the capital. That's it!"

Zhu Xiaoyun hurriedly said: "Father, A Pei's mother and I also plan to give Pei'er [-] yuan."

Zhu Yuanfu waved his hand, "That's your own money for your daughter, not a dowry."

"Then what I gave to A Pei is not considered a dowry." Zhu Yuanfeng said with a smile.

"That's not counting. Put twenty ships in, so you don't make people laugh? Fortunately, you can think of it and send twenty ships."

Zhu Yuanfeng smiled and said, "It was Aning who told me that the three brothers were going to do overseas trade, and I wanted to support them."

Zhu Yuanfu's heart moved, and he quickly asked, "Why didn't I know about this?"

"Maybe they just decided! Brother, our Zhu family should not get involved in this matter."

Zhu Yuanfu knew Fan Ning very well, just like Fan Ning wanted to do Tian Huangshi back then. Who would have thought that Tian Huangshi, which was worthless at the time, would turn into a treasure. Fanning had a good talk.

At this time, the butler said anxiously outside the door: "Master Qi, the Fan family has brought a makeup gift!"

(End of this chapter)