Da Suining

Chapter 238
Worried about Xiangyan's affairs, the end of the year is approaching, but there is no Chinese New Year atmosphere in Xiang's family.

At this time in previous years, Zhuangzi would definitely send cartloads of boxes and cages, including venison, mutton, beef, sausage, bacon, ham, chickens, ducks, geese, all kinds of live fish, red meat and white meat. some.All kinds of vegetables are also complete, lettuce, kale, cabbage, water chestnut, potherb mustard, shallot, sprouts, basket after basket with fresh frost flowers on top.

The waiters on the Zhuangzi moved live poultry, aquatic products, meat, and vegetables into the kitchen, and the entire Xiangjia kitchen was piled up. There was enough food for a whole year, and they were all fresh and tender. The smell should last until the first month.

Xiangyan's matter is still pending, how can the mansion have the time to fix it.

The people in Zhuangzi sent these things according to the old routine. In previous years, they had to show Xiang Daying a long list, but now they didn't even see Xiang Daying, and they were driven back to Zhuangzi after unloading the things.

Because of the matter of Guo Kai's wife, Xiang Yan often gave Xiang Suining the wrong look.

The family sat down to eat together, Xiangyan stared at Xiang Suining to eat, saw Xiang Suining drinking duck soup, and used a goose leg, she put down her chopsticks and cried: "Second girl is in a good mood, ready to be the second prince's main room?" .”

"Don't talk nonsense." Mrs. Xiang put down the porridge in her hand: "If the emperor really has this intention, he will not let the eldest princess come to lobby, but will directly issue an order. Since the princess said it, the matter has not yet reached a conclusion. What do you mean by Suining?"

"Grandmother is eccentric, and now I'm like this..." Xiangyan stroked her belly: "Could it be that I'm anonymous?"

"At the beginning you decided to have a title with that second prince, but he didn't tell you?"

Xiang Yan was devastated.

The food can no longer taste good, so I even put down my rice bowl.

"The eldest princess is here." The person at the door ran to report.

Xiang's family hurriedly withdrew their meals and came out to greet them.

The eldest princess wore a dark purple fox fur cloak, and took off the cloak when she entered the door. Inside was a gray brocade dress wrapped with silver thread and embroidered with peonies.

"Has the princess eaten?" Mrs. Xiang said: "Princess, please take a seat."

The eldest princess and Mrs. Xiang sat next to each other in the small table, and the maidservant of Xiang's family had already brought up all kinds of fruits.

Xiang Yan personally picked up the fruit and put it on the small table, and picked a grape, peeled it and handed it to the princess.

Being so humble, Mrs. Xiang was a little embarrassed.

"I entered the palace early today, and had dinner with the emperor." The eldest princess smiled and picked up the grapes. As soon as she ate them, Xiangyan hurriedly handed over her exquisite small hand stove: "Princess came all the way, her hands are cold, Hurry up and warm up."

"Third Miss is so discerning, it's no wonder he likes it." The eldest princess patted Xiang Yan's hand, "You've always kept the clouds open to see the moon, I'm afraid you don't know that the emperor has sealed you off two days ago. You are the king of Lu, and you are pregnant with the prince, so you have a high status. Naturally, you want to marry him, and if you marry him, you are not a little woman, but a serious princess of Lu. Now that the new year is approaching, the emperor’s It means that the marriage was arranged a year ago."

When Xiangyan heard this, she couldn't help but be overjoyed.

But Tang Xiaoniang said: "Since you know that Yan'er is pregnant with the prince, why did you say that the second girl should be the wife before, wouldn't it be slapping Yan'er in the face?"

The eldest princess was embarrassed.

Xiang Daying said: "It's a happy thing for everyone to marry, so why mention those?"

"Time was very tight a few years ago, and I was going to marry suddenly, and I was afraid that I was not ready for anything. Wouldn't it be wronged Yan'er to say that?"

"The prince's marriage was naturally supervised by Qin Tian. Let's prepare for what the palace says." Mrs. Xiang said.

Finally, news came from the palace that Guo Kai was willing to marry Xiangyan.

At this time, pick and choose, if there is a change in the palace, it will be the Xiang family who will cry.

The eldest princess explained with a pleasant face: "What the old lady said is very reasonable. Qin Tianjian has read it, and said that the young year is 23, suitable for marriage, and it is Shangshangji. The wedding date is set on that day. Because the third girl's body is also It's serious, tossing back and forth, fearing that it will be useless to raise a baby, one should accept Nacai, ask names, Naji, Nahui, three books and six rites. If you can save it, you can avoid it. As for the marriage, Lu Wang, Lu Wang The concubine lives in the palace in the east of the city. It is not too far from the prime minister's house. It takes only one stick of incense to go back and forth in a carriage. Now the palace is starting to buy things. On that day, the king of Lu will come to ask for marriage. I also hope that the relatives will make preparations early."

"Yes, I will obey the emperor's order." Mrs. Xiang gave tea to the eldest princess.

The eldest princess did not sit for long, congratulated the Xiang family, then got up and left.

Xiangyan happily hugged the hand stove, pinched a piece of fruit and chewed it in her mouth, and asked Chunyu to open her jewelry box for a while, and arranged them one by one. Xiang Yan smiled and looked radiant, as if she had turned back to the former number one beauty in Qingcheng.

Tang Xiaoniang was tossing and turning, the more she thought about it, the more angry she became.

"Master is a dignified second grade

"Since the emperor asked to marry Yan'er as Princess Lu, why didn't he even mention the dowry?" Xiang Daying went to the palace to pay the gift early, and Tang Xiaoniang rushed to Dongkua courtyard to complain to Mrs. Xiang.

It was so easy that someone wanted Xiangyan, Mrs. Xiang was relieved, she wanted to snooze for a while in the morning, but she couldn't.

Xiang Suining was waiting on the side, seeing Mrs. Xiang got up, twisted the hot towel and handed it over, turned around and prepared the salt water for gargling.

"If the palace doesn't give a betrothal gift, you won't marry your daughter?" Old Mrs. Xiang asked Su Momo to dress her clothes casually.

"That's what you say, you have to marry, but how can royal marriages be so hasty?" Tang Xiaoniang muttered: "The old lady said so, could it be that the second girl is getting married today, and the old lady is willing to treat her like this?" Push it out?"

"Second girl has never been pregnant, everything can be discussed under conditions, if there is no suitable one, she is willing to be raised in the mansion, is Yan'er in a hurry?"

"This..." Tang Xiaoniang blushed.

Xiangyan was pregnant, so she had no choice but to give in.

"The palace only said that it would be exempt if possible, but it didn't say that it was not at all. You can just wait in the mansion, don't bother thinking about it, and you are not happy."

"Yes." Tang Xiaoniang swallowed hard.

"Everything has its own destiny. Back then you passed through the door in a hurry, but now the master loves you very much? It is also a life of silk and satin, big fish and big meat."

"Yes."

After being ridiculed by Mrs. Xiang, Tang Xiaoniang felt wronged.

When Prime Minister Daying came back from the palace, she waited for him to change his clothes, frowned and sighed: "It's also about marrying a daughter, ordinary people also talk about three letters and six rituals, will there be a letter of engagement? Will there be a letter of engagement? Will there be a letter of engagement?" Is there any? When it comes to gift money, although wealth and thrift are left to others, but the emperor’s house, Guo Wei was named King of Lu to marry Yan’er, so why don’t they give a few thousand taels of gold and silver jewelry, gold ingots and silver tickets? Why is that so? Shabby, don't even have a ritual book?"

"It's not bad to be able to marry Yan'er to be the Princess of Lu. Gold and silver are foreign objects, so don't say more." Matters will be handled by the etiquette department. Don't worry about it."

Tang Xiaoniang frowns.

After all, marrying a prince is a very glorious thing, but now it's like stealing a dog.

Xiangyan laughed, since she found out that she was going to be Princess Lu, she drank three bowls of chicken soup and ate two fat chicken legs. Her mouth was full of oil, and she had to instruct Xiang Guoxin to spread the paper Write a list for her: "One makeup box, rosewood, and one Babu bed, also made of rosewood, the dull household cabinet, camphor wood box and treasure bucket for children and grandchildren are all available, dragon and phoenix quilts, dragon and phoenix bowls and chopsticks Not less, speaking of insiders and outhouses, painting tables, piano tables, and Eight Immortals tables are best made of agarwood, I like the smell, although I can’t marry a thousand acres of fertile land, ten miles of red makeup, but bracelets, jade, Down to makeup, lotion, hairpin combs and other things, you can't be negligent. Don't let others look down on me, after all, I am the upright Princess Lu, and my dowry must be thoughtful."

"Third sister, you want a dowry. I've already written about ten sheets of paper. My hands are sore. Please let me rest for a while." Xiang Guoxin put down the brush and rubbed his wrist.

Xiangyan picked up the written list and looked at it carefully, and added: "I still need to write, no bank notes, but a box of cash, and I need to gather enough 120 to carry the dowry."

"My little ancestor." Tang Xiaoniang took the dowry details from Xiangyan's hand and pressed it on the table, slapping Xiangguo's heart: "You dare to do whatever she tells you to do. Writing such a thing is to evacuate the house." Is it?" He grabbed Xiang Yan again: "Ancestor, are you going to move all the pots and pans of Xiang's family to Lu Wang's mansion? The bride price has not been seen yet, but your dowry is so well written, you... ...I am raising a loser. How can I marry the prince and pay for it myself."

"Mother, why are you so confused." Xiang Yan rubbed the little mother's legs: "Mother is from here, don't you understand my thoughts?"

"What's on your mind? I'm afraid you don't like that... after King Lu... you're out of your mind, right?"

"Mother, you also know that the dowry is not only my dignity, but also the guy who will be next to me in the palace in the future. This dowry is also used by me. If I have children in the future, or I am gone, these things are also my children. Inheritance will not make it cheaper for outsiders. Besides, the second prince is a royal family, and he can't use up his own property, let alone our family. If you don't give it to me as a dowry, is it possible to make others cheaper? "

Tang Xiaoniang was speechless by Xiangyan's words, and she just repeated: "I always feel that our family has lost money by marrying you this time."

Regarding Xiangyan's dowry, Xiang Daying took Tang Xiaoniang to discuss with Mrs. Xiang in person.

Tang Xiaoniang is used to selling miserably: "Yan'er is like this, and she doesn't need to be near her dowry anymore. She is afraid that outsiders will look down on her if she laughs at her, and she will be looked down upon by the second prince. Her dowry is more generous. Mother shouldn't have any objections, right?"

"Have."

"This……"

"You are the master of the mansion, I only tell you." Mrs. Xiang said solemnly, "How much dowry is given to Yan'er, it will be the same for Suining in the future."

"Mother, Yan'er is pregnant after all."

"Being pregnant is a matter of glory to the ancestors? Do you need to give more dowry rewards?" Mrs. Xiang asked.

Xiang Daying kept his mouth shut.

Tang Xiaoniang was also speechless.

"Yan'er's dowry uses the money from the public. It is said that it is the money from the public. Over the years, how much has Suining's mother's dowry helped? These are not calculated carefully. Suining's mother's dowry must be reserved for Suining. The public The money, the dowry is divided equally, how much you want to give Yan'er is up to you, I am old, and I can't stop it."

The money from the public is used to add a dowry to Xiang Yan.

Since then, not to mention Tang Xiaoniang, even Xiang Daying feels pain: "In recent years, the government has spent a lot of money, and the old lady has intentionally or unintentionally protected Suining's mother's dowry, and the money from the father-in-law is used as a dowry for Yan'er. Save yourself some money, you can’t marry a daughter to Guo Kai, and we’ll pay half of the Xiang’s family to get in.”

Consensus courtyard.

Because it was decided to marry Xiangyan on the 23rd of the new year, the day was getting closer and closer, and the people from the Ministry of Rituals came to ask for instructions from the concubine with documents, saying that the emperor had already confessed that because of the plague, the previous There are droughts and floods, and the people's lives are difficult, and it is not appropriate to make a fuss about Princess Lu's marriage. Other matters, let the Ministry of Rites discuss with Concubine He.

When it comes to the three media and six engagements, not only the amount of the betrothal money and the amount of the betrothal gift must be determined, but also all the corresponding items must be prepared, such as the acceptance, the use of geese, and the use of geese, etc.

Concubine He put her makeup on in front of the mirror, and inserted a hibiscus flower in her hair at an angle, and said listlessly: "What kind of geese are like geese, petty, like selling animals. The amount of the betrothal money? Isn't she looking for life and death to marry me?" My son has a great future, married a concubine, and it would be ridiculed if he said it, so let's keep everything simple as the emperor wants, anyway, she is already pregnant, just carry her into the mansion, what do you spend the extra money on?"

"There are rules for princes to get married, and there is no flower here..." The person in the Ministry of Rituals held the bill and said, "Give it to the Xiang family girl, and in the future... it will probably be brought into the Lu Palace. The concubine and empress think twice."

This is the cleverness of the Ministry of Rites.

There are many princes in the palace, Guo Kai doesn't want to pay money when he gets married.

Concubine He had an idea, and inserted a gold hairpin on her temples: "The gold and silver ingots for the ceremony, as well as gems and jewelry, were all brought to the Heyi Courtyard. I will take a look and pick them out, so I can count them in my heart."

Sure enough, the people from the Ministry of Rites brought all the gold and silver utensils, jewelry and hairpin rings as usual, and there were quite a few boxes full.Pearl necklaces, agate bracelets, jade ruyis, at least three or four boxes.

Although everything is kept simple, but as a prince, there are still half a room full of large and small items of etiquette.

Concubine He directed the servants to gather up valuable things and put them into her small storeroom, and packed up those worthless things, such as combs, rulers, and wishful scales, and packed them up and sent them to the relatives, because the wedding was urgent, so it was different. Same came.

Two long-necked white geese called "cuckoo" in Heyiyuan.Like two dung-spreading carts, they can be pulled wherever they go.After a while, half of Heyiyuan was covered with goose droppings, and Concubine He covered her nose with a handkerchief in disgust: "Isn't this hiring a goose? Go, go, let the people from the Ministry of Rites send them to the Xiang's house, and let them go to the Xiang's house." pull."

The two walking and pulling geese and those worthless items were carried into the Xiang's house like this.

(End of this chapter)