Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 582: Exploring the matchmaker’s truth
Beijing,

In front of the gate of Luoyunhou Mansion,

Zhang Jinyu didn't even think about riding in a carriage. It would be too effeminate for a man to ride in a carriage without riding a horse, and sitting inside would make him feel bored. He might as well go for a ride on horseback, take a look at the bustling markets of the capital, and see what's new. Something happened, and I actually had expectations in my heart.

I turned around and waited for Feng Yongwen to get on the carriage.
Following the driver, Feng Yuancheng shouted loudly,
"drive."

The carriage moved slowly.

Seeing people leaving,
Zhang Jinyu waved his hand, clamped the horse's belly, and followed with his soldiers.

Although the speed was not fast, no people dared to stop him on the road, so it was not difficult to walk.

The vehicle continues to go east, hey! Isn't that the direction of Ningrong Street?

"Master Feng, where does the matchmaker live? I think the direction you are walking in seems to be towards Ningrong Street. Could it be at Shifang in the East City? That's right."

"The Marquis is still wise. This direction is the street of Rong Guofu, but it is not in the East Market. When you reach the east corner, you have to turn south. Diagonally opposite is a large house facing the street, which is quite beautiful. , everyone calls him Honglou in private."

"Hey, who else could it be? I heard that Marquis Luo Yun in the capital is a lover. He has many beautiful wives and concubines. His wives and concubines must be sitting there. Who else could be there?"

In the car, Feng Yongwen sneered,
"Mr. Marquis, that was just a rumor from outsiders. Who has seen the inside story? As far as I know, not long after the eldest princess left, Princess Yongcheng and her consort also left the capital together. However, five years later, they returned to the capital without permission. , even though he concealed it, he was still found out by the cabinet elder. At that time, Xianguan was on duty in the cabinet as Sikyong, so he knew something about it. It is said that the prince consort of Yongcheng is in love with the eldest princess."

Cao, what a mess, another Yongcheng prince-in-law jumped out of nowhere. He thought about the age of the Supreme Emperor now, and he should have so many children. He also thought about those vassals, there are so many of them, it is a mess. If they all want to be, Emperor, Emperor Wu probably can't sleep during the day.

Feng Yongwen sat in the car, shook his head, and replied,

Feng Yongwen sat on the side of the car, opened the curtain, and pointed to the southeast seat with his hand, which was where the matchmaker lived.

"Why don't you know that I heard that Su Yuankui, the Marquis of Jingnan, died tragically and she had to go out? Why didn't you mean it that way?"

After saying that, he smiled slightly and showed off his words.

"It's him. Who is in this carriage?"

"Ahem, what the Marquis said is absolutely true. However, the two princesses have been away from the capital for many years and will never come back again. It is useless to think too much."

Zhang Jinyu looked again and again in the direction he was pointing at. The distance was not close. It was blocked by a neighborhood restaurant and could not be seen clearly. She thought about it for a moment. The place she lived in was considered very close to the capital. How could she say that she was so beautiful? The mansion is also said to be beautiful. The Red Mansion. When I heard it, I thought it was a dream of Red Mansions. Gee, it couldn’t be a brothel!
"Master Feng, what did you just say? The mansion you live in is quite beautiful. Forgive me for being ignorant. If you want to say which woman or woman is beautiful, I will understand. How can you call the house beautiful? What can you say?"

The voice was low, and he was afraid that outsiders would hear it. The people in the car were stunned, thinking about where the Marquis and he were going, and thought about it carefully.
After ten years, many things have been forgotten. The eldest princess Zhou Xiangxue and the Marquis of Jingnan Su Yuankui were a perfect match. The marriage at that time caused a sensation in the capital for a long time. Unfortunately, God did not fulfill his wishes and ended up like this.
"Master Hou, it's been too long and I can't remember many things clearly. However, the official believes that the eldest princess is mainly interested in men, no less than the former prince. Although she lives in seclusion in Maple Leaf Valley of Jingxiang Temple in Beishan, outsiders have never known the inside story. It is estimated that the eldest princess is a man. The princess has other means,"

Zhang Jinyu was a little confused after hearing this. Isn't this the so-called secret? Why did Feng Yongwen say something different.

Fan Wenhai, King Zheng's military advisor, was dressed in a green robe and a bamboo hat. His eyes flashed. He looked up and looked out the window. He saw Marquis Luo Yun leading the soldiers and protecting a carriage heading south. The soldiers behind him were always there. Wearing armor and holding a blade, be careful.

But Zhang Jinyu didn't think so in her heart. If she doesn't come out sooner, she won't come out later. Now that the capital has the tentacles of the eldest princess, how can Princess Yongcheng lag behind others? Besides, the incense burning at Jing'an Temple presided over by the Queen Mother must be related to her. Returning to In the blink of an eye, the capital would not know whether the Queen and His Majesty agreed or not.

Zhang Jinyu suddenly became interested and became more and more interesting. Thinking of the eldest princess, she couldn't help but ask,
"Master Feng, do you know the situation of the eldest princess?"

"I'll settle for it now. I don't think too much about it. The Princess Yongcheng you mentioned, I guess, she must be as good as the eldest princess. Otherwise, that consort can be honest."

"Your Majesty, you don't have to be self-effacing. You haven't seen such a beautiful woman. The talk about the beauty of the house is not based on mere speculation. When you get there, please take a closer look at it, Your Majesty."

The Crown Prince Zheng was dressed in white, sitting on the throne, drinking tea, a little mocking, and a little jealous in his heart. There was a rumor that Marquis Luo Yun was very beautiful, and he was lucky enough to see Qin Keqing's appearance in Ningrong Street. His peerless beauty made others envious. My heart aches, why did I marry so early?

Feng Yongwen shook his head, it was all a matter of old sesame and rotten millet. No matter how entangled it was, it had already settled. People can't go back, and people can't be resurrected after death.

Zhang Jinyu was curious, if a civil servant could have such praise, could it be that there was something else going on in the house, or that there was something mentioned in it.

As the two of them were talking, they turned at the street intersection and headed south. By chance, in a wine shop on the corner of the street, a group of people were sitting around a table by the window, drinking tea in silence.
The spy standing by the window suddenly spoke,
"Mr. Fan, look at the street corner. Isn't that Marquis Luo Yun?"

The expression of the captain of the guard beside him changed, and he whispered a reminder,
"Your Majesty, these words must not be passed on. Marquis Luo Yun is extremely petty. He and his wife, the head of Chang'an County, are engaged in marriage, and he resists the Jia family of Ning Guofu. Now that Jia Zhen of Ning Guo has ended up like this, it may not be without his secret hand."

Zhou Zhengbai shuddered and realized that his beauty had indeed deceived the world, and they had all forgotten his own situation.

"Thank you, Uncle Liu, for reminding me that this prince is in trouble."

"Now that you know the prime minister, don't do it again in the future. Marquis Luo Yun is not one of those nobles in the capital. He is actually a feudal lord within the Pass. He has many elite soldiers under his command. As far as I know, the cavalry outside the Pass in Pingyao City are already When it reaches more than 40,000, including the garrisons of other cities, it is comparable to the strength of the Beijing camp."

Fan Wenhai spoke at this time, looking solemnly at the motorcade passing by slowly outside. He couldn't help but sigh. King Zhongshun was really useless. He had taken advantage of Marquis Luo Yun in vain. Thinking of the situation in the capital, the wrinkles on his face deepened.

"Liu Zushan, can you find out how the Emperor is doing?"

Liu Zushan's face darkened and he whispered,
"Mr. Hui, we can only find out that the Supreme Emperor has woken up, but we don't know how his body is. Except for Prince Shuirong of Beijing and King Mu Shi of the East, the other nobles in the capital have not seen the Supreme Emperor yet."

"Well, I can't wait any longer. Send the news back to Nanzheng immediately and tell the prince that I want to go to the capital to pay my respects. I also want to keep an eye on the whereabouts of the King of Han and the King of Song. I think they have all arrived."

Fan Wenhai was quite helpless. According to the previous agreement, some courtiers proposed and then went to Beijing in the name of worship. However, when something like this happened, he had no choice but to advance.
"Yes, sir. According to reports from my subordinates, in addition to the Crown Prince of Han and the Crown Prince of Song, even King Chen and King Wu have sent people to the capital. The two newly opened Youlai Inns are the places to stay."

"Hmph, they all have the same idea. There are more and more opponents, and the place chosen is also luxurious. It is hidden in the city, and there are experts." Fan Wenhai snorted coldly. It was easy to say it, but he had something in his heart. There was a lot of pressure. Xu Liangcai, the military advisor of the King of Han, and Xu Zigong, the military advisor of the King of Song, were both scheming people. If there were too many people playing chess, it would be difficult to leave.

When the eldest son Zhou Zhengbai heard that so many people were coming to the capital, he immediately put aside his jealousy of the beauty of Marquis Luo Yun's wives and concubines. His father's matter was the key, and asked anxiously,
"Sir, then what I have done before is useless,"

Looking at the frustrated scholar, Fan Wenhai comforted him,

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, everything is under control. Some things cannot be rushed. We have taken so many steps, and we still need to wait for them, otherwise they will be destroyed by the wind."

Zhou Zhengbai nodded as if he understood.

"Everything depends on sir!"

"Drive, drive, call"

The intersection facing the street on the south side,
The carriage stopped, and the coachman shouted,

"Uncle, Lord Marquis, here we are."

Hearing the voice, Zhang Jinyu hurriedly looked forward. There were shops on the street, where was the house?

"Where are you? Why don't you see the mansion?"

Surrounded by two-story shops, it's an antique street that must be rich or expensive, but there are no alleys in the house.

"Master Marquis, don't be in a hurry, look at the red loft in front, that's it."

Feng Yongwen got off the carriage and pointed to the street-facing attic in front of him on the left. It has two floors, and its appearance is a bit strange. It is covered with red paint and has an antique log building. It really shines in front of your eyes. This is a red building. .

Good guy,
"Master Feng, this is the first time I have seen such a stunning attic. Please tell me what kind of business this matchmaker does. There are many people in it."

Zhang Jinyu looked down at the attic. There were quite a few people coming in and out, and they were even more glamorous in their clothes. Don't ask, they all came from wealthy families, and they looked wealthy. The eldest princess had good skills.

"Back to the Marquis, you also said that the business of a matchmaker is to draw red threads to bring about marriage."

Feng Yongwen was a little puzzled. He got off the carriage and replied, which made Zhang Jinyu stunned. It was true that it was natural for a matchmaker to protect the matchmaker, not to mention that the business of matchmaker protection was already started. It opened his eyes.

"I made some omissions. Don't mention it. I think there are a lot of people coming here, and the business is going well."

Feng Yongwen smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"Master Marquis, let's put it this way. Young ladies from high-ranking families in the capital come here if they want to find a marriage partner. The lower official just wants to find a quick husband for his daughter, so that's why he got married to Ningguo Mansion. Things I never thought about.”

"I never thought that Chenglong's husband-in-law could not be found, but he would cause trouble for his daughter. By the way, they don't meet each other, so how can they get along with each other."

Zhang Jinyu was suddenly curious. How did ancient people, especially young ladies from wealthy families, know what they looked like if they never left home? Could it be that they guessed the blind box? Feng Yongwen looked embarrassed and replied,

"Master Marquis, don't you know that if you entrust a matchmaker in the Red Mansion to arrange a match, no matter whether you are a man or a woman, they will have to be drawn by the painter in the Red Mansion at your house, made into a booklet, and shown to the blind date. This is not right. You can also get a rough idea when you meet."

Zhang Jinyu's eyes widened immediately. It was amazing. Now it has the function of taking photos. It is comparable to the beauty of the draft girls in the palace. She is worthy of being trained by the eldest princess. No, she is someone from the palace. In this way, she keeps the matchmaking process. The network of connections in the capital has been spread out, not to mention those who have successfully secured matchmaking, leaving a trace of incense. Moreover, Jia Rong of Ningguo Mansion is indeed not bad looking. It should be said that after three generations of improvement, the appearance of the men of the Jia family has improved. There’s nothing to say about this. Draw a more abstract portrait. Who wouldn’t be fascinated by it?
"Tsk, tsk, Master Feng, if you put it this way, I'm afraid those painters will be given a lot of money when they come to the house to paint portraits of young ladies."

Zhang Jinyu could understand at a glance that the portraits were painted by people, and there were no cameras or other equipment. How to know how the painting was done had to rely on imagination, which was difficult. One more stroke would look ugly, and one less stroke would be uncoordinated. I can only use money to clear the way.
Feng Yongwen looked ashamed. It was true. At that time, he spent a lot of money on the painter to make his daughter look better.
"To be honest with the Marquis, when the female painter came to the door, the subordinate could not avoid such vulgar gestures. He gave the painters a lot of money just to add a little more color to the little girl when they painted, but the general result is still the same. Yes, it’s just a little more polished.”

Seeing the old man's embarrassed look, Zhang Jinyu smiled;
"You, it's just human nature. What's vulgar? I can even say that regardless of men and women, they are all painted like immortals. Then Jia Rong of Ningguo Mansion must also be painted with jade trees facing the wind, with extraordinary bearing. Otherwise, Mr. Feng I won’t agree to it either, I am right.”

"Oh. The Marquis is wise, that's true. The portrait the matchmaker took that day was the armor that Jia Rong wore when he was on duty. How could he not be a good candidate?"

Feng Yongwen had a look of remorse on his face, and Zhang Jinyu immediately thought of Jia Rong being on duty as Long Jinwei, and the clothes added a lot of color.

"Okay, let's go in together and see why this red building is so red."

"Yes, Lord Marquis, please come this way."

The two of them led people one after another to the red building at the corner of the street. When they got to the bottom of the building, they looked inside and saw a large landscape screen blocking it. It was difficult to see the inside clearly from the outside, but it was bustling with people and there were The noise showed that there were many people. Feng Yongwen made a gesture of invitation at the door, and then Zhang Jinyu stepped in.

After bypassing the landscape screen, I entered the front hall. There was a counter in front of me. Many stewards were there to receive reception. I looked up and looked around. I saw that the surroundings were surrounded by screens. There were elegant seats with tables, chairs and benches inside, just like entering a coffee shop. Generally speaking, what a good idea. Looking up again, the second floor is sealed tightly, and I don’t know what to do.

"How to find her."

"Master Marquis, please wait for a moment. We still need to make an appointment. The big matchmaker is also the boss of the Red Mansion. His name is Yu Lan. It's not easy to meet him."

Zhang Jinyu curled her lips, put her stuff in her hands, raised her legs and walked to the counter, shouting directly,

"Anyone who is in charge of things in the Red Mansion will come out and talk to me. If there is no one in charge of things, call out that shopkeeper Yu!"

"Hey, who has such a loud tone?"

(End of this chapter)