Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 1204 Epilogue : Marrying a princess also requires a gift

Local officials cannot leave their jurisdiction at will.

The imperial court sent a telegram to the Hubei Provincial Government, giving Xie Yiqin a two-and-a-half-month vacation. He first went to the Hubei Provincial Government to handle the formalities, and the first thing he did when he arrived in Beijing was to report to the Ministry of Personnel.

"It's back again!"

Xie Yiqin took a horse-drawn carriage and viewed the street scenes of Luoyang along the way.

The last time he came was to report to the capital. At that time, the coup had just ended and the city of Luoyang was in a state of panic. The ministers of the cabinet and the government had been replaced, and many officials even had vacancies or were still on their way and had not yet returned.

At that time he came and went in a hurry and did not dare to stay in Luoyang for long.

After showing his official badge, Xie Yiqin went straight to the Ministry of Personnel's Honors Inspection Department, which was responsible for the honors, names, mourning, and retirement of civil officials.

For example, if a civil official was in mourning for his parents, he would report to the Inspection Office after returning to the capital. If a local civil official came to the capital for some reason, he would also report to the Inspection Office.

The person who received Xie Yiqin was a senior clerk: "Why did you come to Beijing?"

Xie Yiqin took out the document from Hubei Provincial Government: "Leave."

"Vacation?" The clerk was quite surprised.

Officials on vacation usually go back to their hometowns and return to their place of work before the end of the vacation. Even if their hometown is in the capital, they do not need to report to the Ministry of Personnel.

He checked the documents carefully and felt that Xie Yiqun's name sounded familiar.

Tongpan of Huangzhou Prefecture?

Last name Xie?

The clerk stood up and bowed respectfully, saying, "Are you the father of young scholar Xie?"

Xie Yiqin was stunned: "My son is so famous in Luoyang?"

He hooked up with the eldest princess, often went in and out of the princess's house, and was even taken by the princess to meet the empress dowager and the emperor. How could he not be famous?
Maybe some people don’t pay attention to these, but that certainly doesn’t include the officials of the Ministry of Personnel, especially the Jixunsi, which is in charge of civil servant archives!

The clerk was enthusiastic and said with a smile, "Thank you, Judge Tong, please take a seat."

He found a thin book, recorded Xie Yiqin's visit to Beijing, and stamped the document from Hubei Provincial Government.

While the clerk was busy, he asked, "Did Judge Xie come to the capital to visit your son?"

"Yes." Xie Yiqin didn't dare to show off in Luoyang.

The clerk basically guessed what was going on, so he introduced himself to make himself known: "I am Ding Ang, a clerk in the Ministry of Personnel, with the courtesy name Fenzhi. If you come to the Ministry of Personnel to do business in the future, please let me know if you have any instructions."

"I'll remember. Thank you, sir." Xie Yiqin responded quickly.

Although he is just a clerk, he is a clerk in the Ministry of Personnel. It may be useless to make friends with him, but if you offend him, who knows what trouble may happen.

The clerk deliberately delayed the time and chatted for a while to deepen his impression in Xie Yiqin's mind.

After leaving the Ministry of Personnel, Xie Yiqin felt a little unreal.

He never expected that one day he would be called "the father of Mr. Xie" in Luoyang.

Besides, isn't the title of son too big? Any clerk, just by looking at his position and name, can associate him with Xie Yan's father.

After feeling dizzy for a while, Xie Yiqin became happy again.

My son is awesome!
After returning to the inn, Xie Yiqin told his wife about his experience.

Wang Yitong was also very happy: "This is what it means to be famous in the capital. Any clerk I meet will know it!"

Xie Yiqin said: "I usually teach well."

"When did you teach him to read? When Liulang was a child, he practiced calligraphy. You became impatient if he couldn't write well after practicing a few more." Wang Yitong started to bring up the past again.

Xie Yiqin said: "I didn't teach him how to study, but how to behave in society."

"I'm too lazy to argue with you." Wang Yitong thinks she is born beautiful.

The couple left the inn and headed to Li's house in the southern suburbs.

Xie Yan was teaching two little girls to read "Three Character Classic". He was a pure and innocent little boy in the princess's house, but he turned around and became very affectionate with his own maid.

Scumbag!

Hearing that his parents were coming, Xie Yan hurried out to greet them.

Xie Yiqin took out the letter of appointment and said, "It has been revised for you. When are you going to visit the old president?"

Xie Yan said: "I have sent Wang Xing to the old chairman's home to send a visiting card. When he comes back, we will know when the time is right."

"What about the gift?" Xie Yiqin asked, "If it's too expensive, the old president might not accept it. If it's too ordinary, it will make us look shabby and rude."

Xie Yan took out a gift box: "It's ready. The princess just sent someone to deliver it."

Wang Yitong felt that it was inappropriate: "How can the woman pay for the gift that the man gives to the matchmaker? After the marriage, you will be even more ashamed in front of the princess."

Xie Yan smiled and said, "The old president is not only the matchmaker for the man, but also the matchmaker for the woman. By the way, the princess also said that she would like to invite you two to visit her manor."

"Isn't this bad?" Xie Yiqun said.

Xie Yan said: "We are just going to the suburban manor, not visiting the princess's house."

The couple said no more.

But Wang Yitong was wondering, the princess was in a hurry to see us, was she trying to show us her power? Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are born potential enemies!

In the afternoon, Wang Xing came back to report that he could visit the old president the next day.

The next day, the family of three went to Jiangzuo Village, fifty miles away.

The old president was in poor health, so his youngest son Zhu Changbai went out to greet him.

The old president had six sons. The eldest and second sons had been outlived by him. The third, fourth, and fifth sons were all officials or teachers in other places.

Only the youngest son, Zhu Changbai, was responsible for managing the manor and taking care of his old father.

Zhu Changbai was responsible for running around as a matchmaker this time, as the old president was in poor health and could not withstand the hassle.

"Greetings, old sir (old president)!" The family of three entered the house and bowed.

The old president was sitting on a chair, teasing some of his great-grandchildren, and said with a smile: "Please sit down. I'm sorry that I can't stand up to greet you."

"I dare not." Xie Yiqin said quickly.

The old president said, "Although the late emperor and I are of different generations, we grew up together and are as close as brothers. To be frank, the late emperor's daughter is my daughter. I was also responsible for the princess's previous marriage, and I have long wanted to find her another ideal husband. You have taught your son well, and he is a good person and scholar, so I am taking advantage of my age to act as a matchmaker."

Xie Yiqin said, "Thank you for your trouble, old man."

The old president added, "I have already contacted the Zongzheng Temple, and His Majesty will grant the marriage soon. You should prepare the betrothal gifts. If the money you bring is not enough, you can wait for the 10,000 strings of cash after the marriage is granted."

In the Song Dynasty, after the marriage was granted, the prince consort would be given 10,000 strings of cash to avoid the situation where the prince consort was poor and could not afford the betrothal gift.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Taizu and Taizong advocated frugality and called on officials not to be extravagant when marrying their daughters and daughters-in-law. Naturally, the royal family had to set an example.

At that time, even the prince's wedding did not cost much money. The cash gifted to the prince consort was also reduced from 10,000 strings of cash in the Song Dynasty to only 2,000 strings of cash.

After several emperors, various expenses were rising, and finally returned to the level of the Song Dynasty.

Even if Xie Yiqun and his wife did not bring a penny, they could prepare a gift list first, then go to the market to purchase, and then pay after the reward of 10,000 strings of cash arrived.

Marrying a princess also requires a gift, but the gift money is paid by the royal family in disguise. Hehe!
However, the prince consorts from wealthy families usually prepare more betrothal gifts, in order to show their strength and to improve their status after marriage.

After having lunch at the old president's house and chatting for a while, the three members of the Xie family bowed and said goodbye.

Halfway through the journey, in the carriage, they began to discuss the betrothal gift.

Wang Yitong said: "We can't just use the 10,000 strings of cash to prepare the betrothal gift. First, it won't sound good if it gets out, and second, Liu Lang will be easily offended."

"Mom, I won't stand it." Xie Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Wang Yitong said, "You are still young and don't understand these social customs. The royal family gave you 10,000 strings of cash as a guarantee. But if you only give 10,000 strings of cash as a betrothal gift, what will the princess think? She will think that we don't spend a penny and everything in the house belongs to her."

Xie Yiqin said: "Your mother is right. I didn't give enough betrothal gifts at the beginning..."

"Hmm?" Wang Yitong looked at her husband.

Xie Yiqin quickly explained: "I am just talking about the facts, don't make random associations."

Wang Yitong said unhappily, "Do I need to make any connections? You've already said it clearly! Liu Lang, please judge for yourself. Have I ever made your father angry?"

Xie Yan said seriously, "No. You two are very loving and affectionate. Dad has never been angry with you. You treat each other as equals and you are a model for couples in the world."

Wang Yitong was happy then: "Did you hear that? You said I was being unreasonable, but my son always speaks fairly, right?"

"Fair, especially fair." Xie Yiqin sighed secretly.

Xie Yan winked at his father, indicating that there was nothing he could do.

Xie Yiqin had no choice but to change the subject: "Let's not talk about this. I brought 5,000 strings of banknotes with me when I came to Beijing this time. Your grandfather is also on his way here, with 8,000 strings of banknotes. Together with the 10,000 strings awarded by the emperor, we will use 23,000 strings to prepare the betrothal gifts this time."

Xie Yan thought to himself, you, a man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, are actually a corrupt official. You were able to take out five thousand strings of cash without making any noise!
Xie Yiqin was indeed corrupt, but compared with the power he held, he was considered relatively clean in the Ming Dynasty officialdom.

Alas, in the thoroughly corrupt officialdom, there are few truly honest officials.

Xie Yan had no choice but to explain: "There is really no need to make such a big show. I don't need so much betrothal gifts to save face, and the princess is not that kind of person. The Xie family can just pay 2,000 strings of cash, a total of 12,000 strings of betrothal gifts."

"People like to save face," Xie Yiqin said, "Our Xie family only offers 2,000 strings of cash, and the princess may not say anything. But if the Xie family offers 13,000 strings of cash, the princess will definitely be happier and will respect you more in the future."

Wang Yitong said, "What your father said makes sense. Besides, your betrothal gifts are to be moved into the royal treasury. If they are too shabby, what will the royal family think? What will the clan members think?"

Xie Yan felt very tired.

Forget it, let it be whatever it is.

Xie Yiqin added, "I didn't know you were in such a hurry to get married. I'm not prepared at all. I'm not familiar with Luoyang either, so I need to find out more about the situation. Mr. Li is a local and has a rich family background. It should be appropriate to ask him to help with the betrothal gifts."

"No need to trouble the Li family, the princess will send someone to help." Xie Yan said.

Wang Yitong was angry at him for not fighting back: "We haven't even gotten married yet, and you listen to the princess in everything. Won't she have the final say after we get married?"

Xie Yan asked: "Mom, don't you have the final say at home?"

"I'm different. I'm reasonable," said Wang Yitong.

Xie Yiqin turned his head away and rolled his eyes quietly.

Xie Yan smiled and said, "When you meet the princess tomorrow, you will know that she is just like your mother, a reasonable person."

After hearing this, Xie Yiqin began to worry.

(End of this chapter)