After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 722: Regret
Jin Jiashu walked into the house openly, as if he didn't notice Haitang's suspicious look. He showed a bit of shyness on his face and smiled at Ma very innocently: "Grandma Hai, please forgive me. I wanted to go straight into the house just now, but I heard you and Sister Hai chatting about family matters in front of the door. I was worried that it would be too abrupt to enter the house rashly, so I thought of waiting for you to finish chatting before knocking on the door..."

Ma had always liked Jin Jiashu, and she didn't think much about what he said. She was just talking to her granddaughter about choosing a grandson-in-law in the future, and what they talked about before was the family affairs of the third branch of the Zhou family. Jin Jiashu was such a polite and sensible child, and he was a stranger, so it was really inconvenient for him to interrupt or eavesdrop. She smiled and said, "We are all family, so what's the point of being abrupt? Just come in when you come home."

Jin Jiashu responded with a smile, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "If Grandma Hai wants to find out about someone's children in Chang'an, I can help."

This meant that he could help Ma find out who would be the future grandson-in-law. Although this was not what he wanted, it would at least help him get involved in the Hai family's selection of grandson-in-laws. Otherwise, he was an outsider and Hai Jiao, his best friend, was not at home. He would have no idea how to ask for the girl from the Hai family.

Of course Ma wouldn't really ask him to help: "It's okay. Tangtang is still young, it won't be a big deal for her to stay at home for two more years." In fact, she and her husband had discussed it long ago. Since they were planning to move the whole family back to Zhili, they couldn't arrange a marriage for their granddaughter in Chang'an. Otherwise, the family would be separated in the future and might not see each other for ten or eight years. If their granddaughter was wronged in her husband's family, they would be too far away to protect her. How could they bear to let her go?

But she didn't need to say too much about these thoughts in front of Jin Jiashu.

She only asked Jin Jiashu: "Why haven't I seen you come home these past two days? What are you busy with?"

Jin Jiashu replied, "It's nothing, actually. Madam was a little unhappy these past two days and couldn't take care of the family, so I helped her share some of the burden. Now that she's fine, I'm naturally relieved."

Ma asked hurriedly, "Sister Ma is sick? Why didn't you tell me? I could go see her so I could go see her!" These two days she had been busy discussing with her daughter-in-law about who to buy to bring home. Also, thinking that Ma Shangyi had been very busy lately and had to go to the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion every day, she didn't ask much. How could she know that Ma Shangyi was sick?

Ma suddenly became restless: "Is she okay now? Let's go check on her now!"

Jin Jiashu hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Grandma Hai. After taking the medicine, Mammy has recovered from her illness and left early this morning. You won't be able to see her if you go there now."

Ma frowned, "She just recovered from her illness, why is she going out again? No matter how important the matter is, it can't bypass her health. She is old, why doesn't she know how to take care of herself?"

Of course, Jin Jiashu would not tell the truth. Ma Shangyi went to the Dusi Yamen today to look for the imperial guards from the capital. Guard Lin had not returned from Yunyang Prefecture yet. If she wanted to send a letter to the capital, she could only contact the messenger in person. As for Jin Jiashu himself, in order not to attract attention, he would never take the initiative to go to the Dusi Yamen to look for someone. Only the messenger came to the Jin family to look for him.

So he said to Ma, "I have advised Madam, but she seemed to have something urgent to do and refused to listen to my advice. I was afraid of delaying her work, so I didn't dare to say anything more. But she went out today and brought Chunyu with her. Zhou Xiaojian drove the car himself, so I think nothing will happen. Madam will be back after she finishes her work. When I went out, Aunt Lu was boiling medicine for Madam."

Ma sighed, "Well, it's really hard for you to stop what Sister Ma has decided to do. But when she returns home, you have to persuade her to take care of herself when she is sick, and not just try to hold on. If she really ruins her body, she won't be able to do anything she wants to do, what's the point?" Jin Jiashu responded, and followed Ma's lead and talked about Wu Ke's dating. Of course, he would not honestly tell the obstacles that Wu Ke and the Xin family are currently facing in their marriage. He simply said what day and place the dating was set, and then led Ma to talk about the famous scenic spots inside and outside Chang'an City. As they chatted, half an hour passed. Aunt Cui came to report that Ma Shangyi's carriage had returned home, so Ma urged Jin Jiashu to go back, and asked him to say hello to Ma Shangyi on her behalf, saying that she would go over to visit the patient in a while.

After sending Jin Jiashu away, Ma asked Aunt Cui why she let him enter the main courtyard alone without anyone coming to inform him in advance?

Aunt Cui blushed and said, "I was negligent. Just now, Second Madam asked me to ask her to buy medicine, and then Young Master Jin came. I thought that Young Master Jin often came to visit our house and no longer cared about courtesy, so I asked him to come to the inner courtyard by himself. I first asked Second Madam what medicine she wanted to buy and why she wanted to buy it. If she or Xiao Shitou was not feeling well, we should ask a doctor to come to our house to check their pulse first. I was thinking about this matter in my heart, and for a while I didn't have time to greet Young Master Jin. I didn't expect him to be standing outside the door..."

Haitang had been silent the whole time, but now she explained a few words for Jin Jiashu: "The situation just now was indeed a bit awkward. He heard what grandma and I said, so how could he have the nerve to knock on the door? But he was also wrong. He should have greeted people as soon as he entered the yard. How could he shout at the door? If he had shouted in the yard, grandma and I would have shut up long ago. It would be impossible for him to hear all this nonsense..."

Ma said angrily, "It's good to know! I just chatted with you. Normally, I would not discuss these things with an unmarried girl like you. You are shameless. You dare to say anything just because you are at home!"

Haitang smiled and hugged Ma: "Why should Grandma and I be ashamed? I must tell you clearly what I want, otherwise what if I don't like the person you and Grandpa choose in the future? This is a lifelong event, I will not ask for trouble just because I am shy!"

Ma rolled her eyes at her granddaughter, then said thoughtfully: "To be honest, actually, Brother Jin is also a good candidate. He is handsome, well-educated, and has a good character and temperament. He is familiar with our family and knows everything about them... He has no elders above him, and no brothers and sisters to worry about. He only has an aunt who is rarely seen because she is in the palace all year round. Any girl who marries him can directly become the head of the family, which is very easy. Although there is also Sister Ma in his family, Sister Ma is not difficult to get along with. She can also help the young couple and give them advice on anything they don't understand..."

Haitang smiled and tilted her head to look at Ma: "Since grandma thinks he's good, why didn't you mention it just now? Anyway, he happened to hear what we said."

Ma felt that her granddaughter had grown up and had become more shameless: "Shut up! You are becoming even more shameless now! If Brother Jin hears, how will he miss you?!"

Seeing her granddaughter just laughing, as if she didn't think there was anything to be ashamed of, Ma couldn't help but roll her eyes: "Sit up straight! Stop leaning on me! It's hot!"

Aunt Cui thought about it and felt that this marriage was worth considering: "Madam, Master Jin is really good! He has a good family background, a good temper, and has always gotten along well with my sister. If my sister really marries him, she will be the head of the family. Besides, although his family has no elders to take care of them, there is a queen in the palace, which is better than many people! The queen in the palace gave birth to a prince! Master Jin's future is not to be worried about! His family is different from the Wu family. The Wu family's sons can't take the imperial examinations after they have titles, but Master Jin can continue to take them!"

"Don't I know his merits?!" Ma couldn't help but sigh when she thought of it, "No matter how good he is, it's useless! Sister Ma told me before that the Empress in the palace has found a marriage for him. It's the daughter of a famous family. How could it be the turn of a small family like us?!"

(End of this chapter)