Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 313 Formal Proposal
Zhu Yuanfu paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. He seemed to be talking to himself, but also seemed to be teaching Zhu Pei.

"Zhu and Liu's two families have known each other for nearly a hundred years. After a hundred years of friendship, they will turn against each other because of a bad marriage? I will never believe that the root cause lies in Zhu Tui and Liu Jin in the past two years."

Zhu Pei nodded, "I heard from my father that the Zhu family's official career has not been going well in the past two years, which has greatly affected the status of the Zhu family. Second grandfather is very worried about this."

"Hmph! That's because he was stupid. He hugged Ding Zhi's thigh in the early years, and the Ding party's mark was branded on him. If the emperor didn't miss the old concubine's love, he would have been demoted long ago.

The Zhu family’s failure in official career in the past few years is still due to your second grandfather. His mother passed away. It should be Ding You for three years. Now, although the emperor didn't say anything, he was definitely not happy in his heart, and it was reasonable that he was gradually not being reused. "

After a pause, Zhu Yuanfu said again: "The official career of the Zhu family is not going well, and the Liu family is doing well because of holding Zhang Yaozuo's thigh. Liu Yun has been promoted to be the servant of the official department. Turned into Liu Shang Zhu Xia, Liu Zhuo hasn't visited me once this year, thinking I don't understand what he means, isn't he just waiting for me to visit him?"

"So that's why the Liu family insisted that their granddaughter come into their Liu family?"

"It's always been the Liu family's concubine who married to the Zhu family, and the Zhu family's concubine married to the Liu family. This is a common practice. If I marry you to the Liu family, the nature will change. When Liu Zhuo made this request, I refused. Zhu and Liu It’s fine for the family to break up with the Liu family, but it’s a dream to have the Zhu family submit to the Liu family!”

"But the second grandfather gave in."

Zhu Yuanfu couldn't restrain the anger in his heart, and said coldly: "He only cares about his official career, trying his best to please the Liu family, how has he considered the dignity of the Zhu family?"

The second step in the six rituals is to ask for names, that is, the man’s family will test the horoscopes of both parties. If it is a sign of good luck, then the third step is to formally propose and set up the marriage.

Asking the name is just a formality, and there has never been a case of inconsistency. Any fortune teller who receives money will be greatly complimented, a match made in heaven, etc., so that the folks of the Song Dynasty have skipped this step directly to save a little money for fortune-telling.

But for the eunuchs of the big family, this step is indispensable. Fan Tiezhou and Zhang Sanniang went to Lingyan Temple to ask eminent monks to measure their horoscopes. Of course, it was also a good relationship.

Immediately, Fan Tiezhou performed the ceremony of sacrificing the geese, and took gifts such as wild geese tied with colored silk and the results of the fate test by the eminent monks of Lingyan Temple, and personally sent them to Zhufu in Wujiang.

This is the third step in the six rituals, Najib. It is not only to tell the woman the result of the marriage made in heaven, but also to make a formal marriage proposal. Once the Zhu family accepts the gift and the two parties exchange fixed notes, the proposal is successful, and the marriage is considered a success. It's basically settled.

Of course, at this time, you can still go back on your word. Both men and women have to meet each other. On this point, the Song Dynasty is worthy of praise. It fully considered the wishes of both parties in the marriage. What is it like.

At this time, both parties thought that the other was not as good as they wanted. They clearly said that the man looked older, but now he looked like a bad old man, and they clearly said that the woman was a beautiful girl, but now she turned into a woman. Either party can regret it if they are dissatisfied.

Moreover, the man has to compensate the woman for two bolts of silk and satin, which is regarded as mental damages.

If the man takes a fancy to the woman at this meeting, the man needs to take a gold hairpin and insert it into the woman's crown bun. This is called "inserting a hairpin", which means that the man agrees, and it is much cheaper for the woman to agree. The head will do.

It is precisely because Najib can go back on his word in the future, so the wedding proposal given by Najib should not be too expensive, otherwise disputes will easily arise.

Apart from wild geese, the gifts Fan Tiezhou sent were fixed posts and a gold hairpin.

Zhu Pei and Fan Ning are very familiar with each other. They don't need to meet again, so they sent Nobile directly. The so-called fixed post is a statement of the situation, name, age, place of origin, how many acres of land the family has, how many rooms are there, How much savings, what job I do, what position, salary, etc., must be clearly explained in the designated post.

The woman's post must clearly state the amount of dowry.

People in the Song Dynasty were very honest. Marriage should not only consider the marriage, but also consider the property situation. Generally speaking, there are rules for the man's betrothal gift, dowry gift and financial gift, so you don't need to write it down, but the woman's dowry gift must be clearly written.

This is the difference between the Song Dynasty and the present. Married daughters have to give a generous dowry, so the Song Dynasty has a little disadvantage in giving birth to daughters.

Fan Tiezhou came to Zhu's mansion and waited at the gate for a while, when Zhu Yuanfu got the news, he came out to greet him in person, and said with a smile, "Mr. Fan, you are a rare visitor!"

The current Fan Tiezhou is no longer the little doctor who just washed his feet and went ashore in the past. He is very famous now, and he also has the rank of sixth-rank Xiaoqi Lieutenant.

Fan Tiezhou clasped his fists and said with a smile: "I came here today for Najib, I hope I didn't cause any trouble to the officials."

"Where! Where! I've been waiting, please! Let's go to the living room and talk."

The two walked into the mansion and came to the living room. The housekeeper brought in the gifts brought by Fan Tiezhou. There were three main items, which were placed on three plates. Supporting a gold hairpin is a ceremony for inserting a hairpin. If both men and women have met each other, the hairpin will be given directly, followed by a fixed post.

These three are all necessary wedding gifts, and the man's family can also give some other gifts, mainly to express sincerity.

In addition to the nobile hairpin, there is also a small silver lock on the plate. This is the longevity lock that Fan Ning wore when he was born, until he was three years old. This is for Jupe, not a gift, but this Yinsuo expressed the Fan family's sincerity for this marriage.

"This is a gift from Najib, and I hope that Mr. Zhu will accept it."

Zhu Yuanfu smiled slightly, took out a thick booklet from his arms, and handed it to Fan Tiezhou, "This is my granddaughter's post, please accept it!"

Fan Tiezhou was taken aback. This post was at least half an inch thick, which meant that the woman's dowry would be extremely generous, so he hurriedly followed it respectfully.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhu, for your love for Gouzi!"

Zhu Yuanfu sighed slightly, "The first time I saw Aning, I thought he was different, and he was in the same class as Pei'er. This is fate! To be honest, I have been waiting for this day for a long time."

Fan Tiezhou also laughed and said: "Zhuo Jing is especially fond of A Pei, and often says that if my family Ning'er can marry Zhu Pei, it will be his good luck in eight lifetimes, so we have been looking forward to this marriage for a long time."

Zhu Yuanfu laughed loudly, "That's called the predestined relationship in the previous life, and the marriage in the present life. I hope this marriage will make our two families truly become one family."

"that's for sure!"

Fan Tiezhou asked again: "I wonder if Zhu Pei's parents want it."

Zhu Yuanfu waved his hands and said with a smile: "Ape's parents, Fan Yuanwai, don't worry, I brought up Ape since she was a child, and I will be in charge of her marriage. I have an agreement with Pei'er's parents on this point. A rare talent in a hundred years, he has become a military and political chief of a state at a young age, opened up the territory for the Song Dynasty, and it is also the blessing of Pei'er's parents to have such a good son-in-law."

Fan Tiezhou let go of his heart, and said: "There is also the wedding date. The officials also know that Aning is overseas and will work in Kunzhou for three years. He said in his letter that he will return to Beijing to report on his work in March next year. Can we take advantage of his return to Beijing to arrange their marriage?"

Zhu Yuanfu nodded, "We want to go together!"

Zhu Yuanfu ordered the servant girl to call Zhu Pei. After a while, Zhu Pei walked into the living room quickly. Zhu Yuanfu said with a smile, "This is Fan Ning's father. You should have seen him. Show Fan Ningwai his respect!"

Zhu Pei was full of shyness, and Yingying saluted Fan Tiezhou, "Pei'er has seen uncle!"

Seeing that Zhu Pei was pretty and dignified, Fan Tiezhou was very happy, and quickly picked up the silver lock and handed it to her, "This is the longevity lock that my family, Aning, wore when she was young. I will leave it to you for safekeeping!"

"Thank you Uncle Fan!"

Zhu Pei blushed even more, and took the silver lock timidly.

Zhu Yuanfu smiled again: "We will also move to Mudu Town in a few days. We will be very close by then, and Ape will go to accompany Aning's mother when he has time."

Fan Tiezhou was overjoyed, "This is the best."

Zhu Pei didn't dare to say more, so he bowed again and left.

Seeing that it was not early, Fan Tiezhou made an appointment with Zhu Yuanfu to accept the levy, that is, the date of the dowry.

In the Song Dynasty, the man’s betrothal gift had to be given three gifts, which were called the lower betrothal gift, the lower betrothal gift, and the lower betrothal gift. The betrothal gift was usually given on the second day after the proposal was successful, including a jar of wine and eight-color silk, but the most important thing was the betrothal gift. Well, once the woman's family accepts the dowry, the marriage will be officially settled.

After the betrothal gift was given, it was followed by the dowry gift, and there was no idle moment.

After the three ceremonies are finished, it is time to welcome the relatives, but because of their special situation, Fan Ning is overseas, so the three ceremonies are given first, the marriage is finalized, and the wedding will be held at a later date.

After Fan Tiezhou left Zhu's mansion, Zhu Yuanfu personally sent him on board. Just after Fan Tiezhou had gone less than a mile, a fast boat came towards him, and Fan Tiezhou was stunned by the people on board.

(End of this chapter)