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

Chapter 742 Foresight
Ma Shangyi was silent for a long time before she said in a hoarse voice, "Brother, don't make random guesses. It was Nanny who acted on her own and made you unhappy. This matter has nothing to do with Madam Xu! She doesn't know that you have someone in your heart. She just wants to pave the way for you, hoping that you can live a good life immediately after entering the capital in the future. You have no family or career, and you don't even have an elder who can help you. She is also afraid that you will suffer in the rich and prosperous place of the capital, so she wants to find a good in-law for you. Even if you are unhappy, you shouldn't question her good intentions. If you are really unhappy, just tell Madam Xu nicely, don't throw a tantrum. Madam Xu may not be unwilling to agree with you. But if you make a big fuss, she will not bother with you because of the relationship between flesh and blood, but the Empress Dowager and the Emperor will think you are ignorant."

Jin Jiashu looked at her and raised his lips slightly. He knew it, it had only been a few days? It was impossible to send a letter from Chang'an to the capital, even if it was a single person riding a fast horse, to run a round trip. It was impossible that the "aunt" was unhappy after reading the letter he wrote, and wrote back to instruct Ma Shangyi to instigate the Hai family to marry their granddaughter off. What happened today must have been Ma Shangyi's own decision.

He didn't care whether Ma Shangyi was simply intervening out of concern that the Hai family would get into trouble, or whether she had other intentions and was deliberately acting under the banner of Concubine Xu. He just couldn't tolerate it anyway.

If the Hai family didn't know his thoughts and found a good marriage for their granddaughter before he had the confidence to ask for marriage, then he was unlucky and had nothing to say. But if the Hai family didn't have such plans and changed their plans because of other people's slander and decided on their granddaughter's marriage in advance, then he would fight for it no matter what!

However, Hai Meimei's age and the fact that the Hai family would be moving to Beijing next year did not allow him to plan slowly. He had to think of a way to ensure that his wish came true.

Thinking of this, he said to Ma Shangyi, "I don't care whether Nanny is acting on her own initiative or not. You are not the kind of person who loves to stir up trouble for no reason. You must have a reason for repeatedly advising Grandma Hai on Sister Hai's marriage. You mentioned Tu Jinbao to Grandma Hai before because you thought his family's marriage was favorable; you mentioned Wu Ke to Grandma Hai a month ago because he just wanted to get married, otherwise you wouldn't have thought of it at all; but this time, you mentioned the descendants of the Wu family to Grandma Hai again, just to stop me from proposing marriage to Sister Hai, right? Why did you do this? Even if you don't think highly of me and Sister Hai, you should at least wait until there is a reply from the palace. You don't seem like someone who would interfere in other people's affairs. The reason for this... is it because you think that Madam Xu is very determined on my marriage and will never give in?"

If Ma Shangyi believed that Concubine Xu would never change her mind, and that he, the "nephew", was powerless to compete with his "aunt", and could only give up Haitang, then all this would make sense. Ma Shangyi had a good relationship with Ma, so he naturally hoped to help the Hai family avoid this "trouble".

After hearing Jin Jiashu's question, Ma Shangyi hesitated to speak, and answered after a long while: "Empress Xu started planning your marriage a few years ago. She was far-sighted to choose that family. This marriage will only benefit you, not harm you. The other party has a clean family background, noble status, and a good reputation, but it is not as prominent and decent as before. I also hope to use your status to get closer to Empress Xu and the Eighth Prince. However, few of his descendants are promising. They are only honest and dare not get into trouble. Even if they get married, they will not hold you back. Moreover, his family is also a royal relative, and they will not be picky about whether they are relatives or not. On the contrary, because they are related to the royal family, they often walk in the palace. It will be more convenient for you to enter the palace as his son-in-law. During festivals, you will also have the opportunity to participate in the family banquet of the palace, so you will not be stranded outside and celebrate the festival alone."

Although Concubine Xu Xian had a younger son who could guarantee her wealth and glory, she was still very concerned about her eldest son who had suffered since childhood. During the New Year's reunion, she also hoped that her eldest son could also be by her side, and love and support each other with her younger son. On the surface, they were just cousins ​​and could not get too close, but if he used the identity of that in-law, the eighth prince would have more reason to take care of Jin Jiashu, a "cousin" he had never met.

Jin Jiashu vaguely guessed which family Concubine Xu had chosen for him. It was indeed a very prominent family, but he did not think that this marriage would only benefit him: "What is my status? Putting aside the relationship with my aunt, I am just the son of a country scholar, living in Chang'an. My parents are both dead, I have a small family background, and I only have a scholar title. I wanted to take the provincial examination, but I only made the second place. How could a daughter of such a prominent royal family have trouble finding a husband? What kind of young talent can't they get? Why must they choose me? When Concubine Xu was planning this marriage, I was afraid that I didn't even have a scholar title, let alone other things. Why did they choose me? Just because I am Concubine Xu's nephew? If they just want to have a closer relationship with Concubine Xu and the Eighth Prince, they might as well choose another candidate for marriage! Wouldn't it be better to let his girl be the Eighth Prince's consort?"

Ma Shangyi sighed, "You think his family doesn't want it? It's because they don't have a suitable candidate! Besides...his family has been married to the royal family for generations. This generation has already produced a prince consort, so it's impossible for them to produce another queen. My brother was the most suitable candidate. Although his family doesn't know the inside story, they also know that Madam Xu's family has no one left, and only my brother is her nephew. Madam Xu will definitely help you. If they take care of you after this marriage, Madam Xu and the Eighth Prince will repay his family for your sake."

Now the Eighth Prince is about to be appointed as the crown prince. He may have to wait another year or two before he can ascend the throne. By then, if Jin Jiashu passes the imperial examination, he can go to Beijing without any worries and reunite with Concubine Xu under the pretext of taking the imperial examination. But she is afraid that Jin Jiashu has no roots in Beijing and will be bullied by the powerful. After all, she is an "aunt" and even if she becomes the empress dowager, her words may not be effective. What if a powerful official dislikes them and vents his anger on Jin Jiashu? If Jin Jiashu becomes the son-in-law of the Zhang family, the Zhang family will protect Jin Jiashu and keep him from being harassed and harmed by villains. Most importantly, the Zhang family is happy with it!

Ma Shangyi told Jin Jiashu: "The Zhang family is also very smart. They were afraid that if they did it too obviously, people would gossip about it, so they decided to marry an orphan girl from the side branch to me. But after seeing that girl, Madam Xu preferred her to the daughter of the Zhang family's main branch. This girl lost her father when she was young and lived with her widowed mother. She is very smart and capable. She is a good seedling for a mistress who can support the family. She is more suitable for me than the daughters of the main branch. Madam Xu really has foresight for me!"

Jin Jiashu asked her, "When did Madam Xu decide on this marriage?"

Ma Shangyi didn't understand why he asked this, but she told him honestly: "It should have happened after the Dragon Boat Festival this year. During the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, Madam Zhang brought her niece to the palace to attend the banquet and met Empress Xu."

Jin Jiashu smiled coldly: "Madam Xu has indeed made long-term plans for me. I just don't know... what will the emperor think of her efforts? Will he think that while he is still in power, Madam Xu has already planned for the new emperor's accession to the throne and wants to pave the way for her nephew to come to the capital? Could it be that the emperor is resentful because of this and deliberately sent an order to Prefect Xin to have me removed from the list of honors so that I don't have to go to the capital and satisfy Madam Xu's wishes?"

Ma Shangyi was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed.

(End of this chapter)