Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 806 Why do you still need to provide meals?
Hanyuan Hall,
When the sun was high in the sky, all the examiners woke up one after another. After a quick wash and preparation, they saw that the courtyard was empty. They thought that the Marquis had already left with his men early in the morning.

The rest of the people did not stop, took their packages, and left Hanyuan Hall and went out of the palace gate.

In the crowd, a figure ran out in a hurry, and behind him, another person followed him out in a hurry.
"Brother Feng, don't be anxious. Slow down, slow down."

It turned out that just now, Feng Yongwen walked out of the official building and saw that the Marquis had gone back. The most important thing had not been discussed yet, so there was no time to waste. In a hurry, he packed up his things and ran out of the palace. After all, the matter of his daughter had not been discussed yet.
Following behind was Lord Meng Li. He knew that Brother Feng was anxious, but there was no need to rush for the time being.
"Brother Meng, please hurry up. This matter cannot be delayed any longer."

finished,

Their pace quickened, and just like that, they trotted out of the palace gate quickly and got on the carriage. With the sound of whips waving, the carriage hurried away.

in the car,

Meng Li took a deep breath. He hadn't even had breakfast. He ran so fast that he felt dizzy and sweaty. Seeing Brother Feng's anxious face, he comforted him.

"Brother Feng, don't worry. The Marquis must have something to do when he returns. We are walking fast and will catch up with him in a few steps. The Marquis will definitely not shirk his responsibility and ask about my niece's affairs."

"Oh, it's all my fault for oversleeping. If I delay Taiying's business, how will I explain it to my wife when I get back?"

Feng Yongwen really felt a little guilty. He wanted to talk to the Marquis as soon as possible, but he didn't have time.
Both of them were a little out of breath. After talking for a few words, they kept silent and conserved their energy.
Not long after,

The carriage arrived at the street entrance of the Marquis's residence, but there were so many people surrounding it that it was extremely crowded. The nephew could not drive the carriage through, so Feng Yuancheng shouted into the carriage:
"Uncle, there are too many people in front of us. We can't get through. You should get off the car and go around. It seems that something is going on in the Marquis' Mansion."

Hearing Yuan Cheng's words, Feng Yongwen lifted the curtain and looked out. Sure enough, many people were crowded there, listening to opera. He didn't pay much attention to them. He got up and jumped off the carriage and walked towards the Marquis's Mansion.

This time,
Meng Li had no choice but to jump off the car and follow behind. The two of them leaned against the wall and walked around the back of the stage until they arrived at the gate of Luo Yun Marquis's mansion. They saw the Marquis sitting alone in front of the main gate, surrounded by many examinees. No one knew what he was doing.
The two men straightened their official uniforms, walked over together, and bowed;
"Your humble servant greets the Marquis."

Zhang Jinyu, who was standing in front of the door, was still thinking about the poetry meeting in five days, and then he thought of the eldest princess. Why was she so anxious? Could it be that she saw that the marquis was idle and wanted to find something to do?

Just when I had some ideas, I was interrupted by the two people in front of me. I looked carefully and found that they were Feng Yongwen and Meng Li. Why did they come here?

"Why are you two here instead of going back to your house to rest? Let's go in and talk."

"Thank you, Lord Marquis."

The two of them also knew that this was not the place to talk, so they followed Luo Yunhou and went directly to the west house.

Entering the courtyard,

When we got inside the house,

Zhang Jinyu extended his hand and made a gesture of invitation. The two of them clasped their fists in return and sat down one after another. Then, a maidservant came in and started serving tea and water, and then left.
Zhang Jinyu picked up the tea bowl, took a sip, and then asked,

"Master Feng, Master Meng, why are you in such a hurry? You were so tired last night, so you should get some more sleep and have a good rest."

Seeing the Marquis open his mouth, Meng Li hadn't been polite yet, when he heard Feng Yongwen sigh, his face was extremely ugly, and his official uniform was a little messy, which showed that he came in a hurry. Feng Yongwen picked up the tea bowl, raised his head and drank it all, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said;
"My Lord, these are all minor matters. I am not afraid of the hardship. As for my daughter, my Lord has promised her. Now the imperial examination has been completed. I wonder if my Lord has chosen a candidate."

This question made Meng Li, who came with him, feel a little confused. Even Zhang Jinyu was a little bewildered. How could it be her turn to choose a husband for her daughter? It didn't make sense. But thinking about it carefully, she really agreed. As long as Feng Yongwen liked anyone, she would be a matchmaker.

"I have said this, and I will never break my promise. As long as Brother Feng thinks it is okay, I will make the decision for your daughter."

As soon as he agreed, before he could say anything else, Feng Yongwen suddenly bowed deeply, catching Zhang Jinyu off guard. Meng Li, who was sitting next to him, quickly reached out his hand to stop him.

"Brother Feng, you must not do this. This will embarrass the Marquis."

Zhang Jinyu also wiped the sweat off his face. It was not a dilemma, it was just forcing him to do something.

"Master Feng, Master Meng is right. You are welcome. For now, all the candidates who have made it to the Hanyuan Hall are on this list. Please decide which one is better and we can discuss it later."

After saying that, he handed over a copy of the list that he had copied in the morning. Feng Yongwen took it with both hands with excitement.
took a seat,
I opened it impatiently to see that there were not many people, only about ten people on the list of the top. Although there were children of nobles, most of them were children from poor families in the academy. I remembered what my wife had told me, that nobles were not necessarily good or bad. It was really hard to make a decision.
"My Lord, I have never seen so many people before. Please make the decision for me."

I kicked the question back.

Zhang Jinyu also felt helpless. Looking at the entire court, the only one who could treat his wife and daughter like this was Lord Feng. Think about the story in the Red Mansion, at Rongguo Mansion, Jia She actually sold his daughter Yingchun for five thousand taels of silver. Who did he sell her to? I remember his surname seemed to be Sun. I don't know where he came from.

"Since Lord Feng has said so, I will not refuse. This year, there are more than ten people on the first list of the special examination, and a few of them are from noble families. They are Song Xingjun, the illegitimate son of the Marquis of Chengyi, Li Chongwen, the illegitimate son of the Marquis of Anping, and Yue Mu Ning, the illegitimate son of the Marquis of Changyong. These three have better family backgrounds."

What is meant by better is that these three people come from noble families. Although they are all illegitimate children, even if the family is divided, they can still get a lot of family property, and they can live a peaceful life in the future.
Feng Yongwen thought for a moment and hesitated. The family of the nobles was too complicated. There were many dirty things going on in the capital. Everyone knew about it. The backyard was even more chaotic and restless. This was not good.
"My Lord, I just want to find a decent family for my daughter. I don't want to be rich or powerful."

Once these words came out, it was considered disdainful, Meng Li was anxiously stamping his feet and trying to persuade him;

"Brother Feng, why are you unwilling? These three people are at least from noble families. With the guarantee of the Marquis, the marriage will naturally be successful. Why are you refusing?"

Meng Li was really anxious this time. If it weren't for the trap set by Jia Zhen of Ningguo Mansion, none of this would have happened. With such a good opportunity, Brother Feng was still unwilling to do so.
Zhang Jinyu was also a little puzzled. Could it be that they wanted to recruit a son-in-law from a poor family? Although the daughter of the Feng family was somewhat involved in the affairs of the Ningguo Mansion, no one dared to say anything because they wanted to be the guarantor.

But living in the inner world still requires two people to go through it, and it is unknown whether it is good or not, so it is right not to look for it.

"Since these people are not good enough, we can just replace them. The remaining ones are the children from poor families. The top three people in this year's special examination are Xu Changwen in first place, Gao Wen in second place, and Jia Lan from Rongguo Mansion in third place. However, the third person is too young and is related to the Jia family, so I didn't mention him just now."

It's not right for a kid who hasn't even fully grown yet to be talking about a wife so soon, he muttered to himself.

Feng Yongwen's eyes lit up when he heard this. On the way here, he also knew that the court had issued an imperial decree that the top three would be granted official positions. As long as this person was humble and reasonable, he might not be a bad person.

"May I ask, sir, do these two have wives who have lived with them through thick and thin?"

"Well, really not. I still remember these two people. They are both talented people, especially Xu Changwen, who is ranked first on the A list. He is a man who can do great things."

Zhang Jinyu did not speak nonsense. He had met this person twice. He was bold and daring, and his talent was beyond words. If they could become a couple, it would be a good story.
Feng Yongwen and Meng Li looked at each other and felt that what the Marquis said was right. Otherwise, it would be him. The title of the first case would still increase his status.
"Okay, it's Xu Changwen. I'd like to ask the Marquis to be a matchmaker. If that doesn't work, could you ask my daughter after the Luming Banquet tonight and settle the matter?"

It's no wonder Feng Yongwen is anxious. After all, his daughter is getting older, and he's afraid that gossip will spread out. By that time, how can she find a good family?
"Well, don't worry about this matter. I will take care of it. Hey, something is wrong. What's going on with the Luming Feast tonight?"

Zhang Jinyu took the responsibility and agreed immediately, then asked casually, what is the Luming Feast for?

Meng Li and Feng Yongwen were a little surprised that the Marquis didn't even know about the Luming Feast. Could it be that it hadn't been prepared yet? Seeing this, Meng Li quickly said;

"My Lord, you are not prepared. The Deer Singing Banquet is a rule of the imperial examination. All those who pass the exam will gather together in the evening to celebrate. The chief examiner, the patrol examiners, and the deputy examiners will all go there to receive the students' greetings. It has always been like this. The next day, they will greet the master and recognize the master-disciple relationship and determine their status. Those who have official positions can go to the Ministry of Personnel to choose official positions, or the master can arrange them."

Meng Li explained the rules after the imperial examination. Although he didn't explain it in detail, he made it clear in general. Zhang Jinyu was a little confused. After all this time, he still had to take care of the food. No wonder the people outside who had already become his disciples didn't leave and were waiting for the feast to start.

"How are the Luming Feasts at the Imperial Examination Hall prepared?"

"My Lord, of course it was prepared in the Imperial Examination Hall, but my Lord is the chief examiner in the palace, so we can't have this banquet in the Imperial Examination Hall."

Meng Li was also careful. Although his words were unpleasant to hear, they made sense. How could the dignified Marquis of Luo Yun not be able to take care of a meal? "It almost ruined the whole thing. So, you two go back and take care of it first. Come back to the mansion later. Lord Feng, don't worry. Your daughter's marriage will be settled tonight. The Luming Banquet will be prepared in the Marquis's mansion. I will go and give the order."

"This is the Marquis, I obey your orders."

The two stood up and bowed again, then left with a happy look on their faces, leaving Zhang Jinyu alone with a headache. Who would pay for the Lu Ming Banquet? It turned out that the position of the master was not for nothing.

"Come here, tell the mansion to prepare for the Luming Banquet tonight. Send someone to notify the students who have made the list to come on time in the evening."

"Yes, sir, I will go right away."

There was an echo, and the sound of distant footsteps came from outside the house.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

There was a knock on the door,

There was a loud knock on the door of the courtyard west of Rongguo Mansion. Li Wan, who was still having dinner in the house, frowned.

"Suyun, go over and see who is so ignorant of etiquette,"

"Yes, grandma."

Su Yun responded, turned around and walked out of the attic, wearing a green silk skirt tied around her body, which gave her a unique charm. She walked into the yard and shouted as she walked;
"Who is it that is so rude as to knock on Grandma's courtyard door like that?"

Arriving at the gate,
When I opened the gate, I saw a group of people standing outside, looking respectful.

"what's up?"

Suyun asked impatiently,
at this time,

Behind the many servants, the doorman came over with a smile and bowed his head and replied;

"It's Miss Suyun. May I ask if Grandma and Lang'er are in the house?"

"Of course I am. Tell me what you want to say."

Suyun was a little impatient. The grandmother had been sleeping restlessly and had a poor appetite for the past few days. She and Biyue were so anxious that they didn't know what to do.
The steward was choked and smiled bitterly.
"Miss Suyun, this is a great piece of good news. Brother Lang ranked third on the list of top scorers. Not only did the court come to announce the good news, but they also gave him a ninth-rank official title. Don't you think this is great news?"

"Humph, is this true or not? You just know how to coax me, a girl. You can be granted an official position if you pass the provincial examination. You can't even tell a lie."

Su Yun was already a little upset, and after hearing these lies, she became even angrier and spoke more harshly, causing the servants outside the door to look at each other in bewilderment. The steward saw that Miss Su Yun did not believe him, so he reached out his hand and asked the servants behind him to bring the trays over.
"Miss Suyun, look, the silver, official uniform, documents, and even the badge are all here."

Looking at the things in front of him, there really was an official uniform, with the document on top. He reached out and took it. It was clearly written on it that it was a ninth-rank official, Jia Lan. It turned out to be Brother Lan. He was shocked, but also happy. He took out the purse from his waist and directly poured out a handful of loose silver, a full ten taels.
Then he stuffed it into the steward's hand, put away his purse, and took several trays directly.

"Thank you, Steward. This money is the wedding money. Please accept it. Grandma has not been feeling well these days and cannot see guests. Please go back now."

Without waiting for them to speak, he kicked the gate and closed it, leaving the steward and the servant outside in shock.

Seeing that they couldn't get in, the manager nodded to everyone.

"What are you still standing there for? Hurry back and sweep the ground outside the gate. Leave the money with me first. Let's have a good meal tonight and I'll give it to you later. Let's go."

The group reluctantly followed the way they came, and a servant couldn't help but ask;
"Butler, let's go back like this. In the past, she."

"Shut up,"

Before he could finish his words, he was coldly rebuked by the concierge;
"If you want to live a good life, you have to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. This is not the first time I've told you this. Remember, today is different from the past. Grandma is a very blessed person."

The many servants were so frightened that they said nothing and went back all the way.

inside the hospital,

Suyun ran back to the attic with great speed.
"Grandma, grandma, Lang'er won, won,"

As soon as she entered the attic, she heard loud shouting. When she heard that it was Lang Ge'er who was hit, Li Wan's face lit up with joy and excitement. She was about to get up and go to greet him, but was stopped by Wang Po.
"Grandma, don't get excited. It's important to take care of your health. It's not surprising that Langge got sick."

The person who spoke was Nanny Wang, who came from the Marquis's residence to serve Li Wan. It was just a matter of passing the provincial examination. With her own master supervising the examination, it was just a matter of a word.

After hearing the nanny's words, Li Wan sat back down, as if what the nanny said was true. The Marquis really ordered Lan Ge'er.
Before I could think for a while, Su Yun's hurried footsteps came into the inner hall, her face full of joy, she walked closer, put a few trays on the table, and said excitedly;

"Grandma, Brother Lang ranked third in the high school list and was granted a ninth-rank official title. Please check and see if this is true."

Hearing Suyun's words, Li Wan was half-believing and half-doubting. How could he be granted an official position after just a provincial examination? However, the official uniform in front of her had a document badge, so it couldn't be fake. She reached out and took the document to take a look.
"Jia Lan, the ninth-rank official,"

The document actually said that the Imperial College Library Supervisor was still a clerk. Obviously, with Lan Ge'er, he could at most make the list. To be in the top three must be the work of the Marquis. He finally made it. Thinking back to the various precautions he had taken in the past, he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

"Put away the things, wash Brother Lan, and change him into new clothes. We have to attend the Luming Banquet in the evening. Do you know where the candidates in the palace will attend the Luming Banquet?"

Li Wan's eyes were slightly red, but her face was full of joy. She asked on behalf of Lang Ge'er where the Lu Ming Banquet was. Unexpectedly, Su Yun blinked her eyes, looked confused, and shook her head.

"Grandma, the person who came didn't say anything,"

Li Wan couldn't help laughing when she saw this silly look. Wang Po, who was beside her, also laughed out loud when she saw this.
"Don't worry, grandma. Since this is the list selected by the Marquis, the Luming Banquet will naturally be held at the Marquis' Mansion. Just let Brother Lan go there in the evening."

"That's true, Suyun, go find some clothes, and remember to ask him to get up and wash up later."

"Got it, miss."

After the small building in the west yard was arranged,

But in Rongguo Mansion,

Supported by Yuanyang and Amber, and led by Lady Xing and Wang Xifeng, Lady Jia went back to Rongqing Hall to rest. When they entered the house, they saw only the maid Sanchun, and the Second Lady was nowhere to be seen. It was obvious that she was still angry.

The group entered the house and sat down. Wang Xifeng quickly asked the maid to serve tea and cakes, and said something to persuade them.
"Madam, no matter what, today is a great joyous event for our family. Who would have thought that Lang'er would win the third place and be given an official position? He will be a young official in the future, and it is worth celebrating."

Wang Xifeng had a smile on her face as she muttered to herself, "With this, my elder sister-in-law has secured her position in the Ningguo Mansion, and Lang'er has become an official. Although his rank is low, he has the care of the old relatives in the Duke's Mansion and Marquis Luo Yun. When he grows up, he may be promoted even higher!"

(End of this chapter)