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

Chapter 692 Questioning
When Haijiao arrived at the Jin family, Jin Jiashu had just returned from his teacher Xie Wenzai's place. Seeing him coming, he asked with concern, "Have you packed your luggage? It's better to bring more things than to not have them when you need them on the road. You should also bring more money. A poor family is rich on the road. When you arrive in the capital, there will be many places where you will need money.

Hai Jiao said: "Don't worry, I know everything."

He turned his head and looked at Ma Shangyi's room a few more times, and lowered his voice: "What has Ma Ma been busy with these past two days? Isn't she at home now?"

Jin Jiashu looked at him with some doubts: "No, Nanny went to the Zhenguo Mansion. She hasn't been at home much these two days. Not long after she came back from your house, she went to see the wife of the Zhenguo Duke." Jin Jiashu was also curious about what Ma Shangyi was busy with these days and why she was always out. However, Ma Shangyi asked him to concentrate on studying and preparing to enter the mansion school, and not to worry about other things. From the occasional words that Chunyu revealed, he guessed that Wu Ke was preparing to propose marriage, and Ma Shangyi was probably going to consult the wife of the Zhenguo Duke about the candidate, so he didn't ask more questions.

Because the emperor wanted to block his path to the imperial examination, Wu Ke lost the opportunity to study at the Imperial Academy. Jin Jiashu felt very sorry for his classmate. If Wu Ke could marry a beautiful woman with outstanding family background, talent and appearance, he would be happy for her.

He casually said his guess, and saw Hai Jiao's face showing a meaningful expression, and he couldn't help but feel moved: "What's wrong with Brother Hai? Wu Ke wants to see me... Is there anything wrong with this?"

"Of course there is nothing wrong with it." Hai Jiao curled his lips and said, "It's just that I didn't expect that Mammy Ma actually helped the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo to choose a man! No wonder she came to our house specially and told my grandma that this marriage with the Wu family has many advantages." He told Jin Jiashu that his younger sister was included in the list of candidates for Wu Ke's marriage by the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo. "In fact, my grandfather and my younger sister don't care much about this marriage. They think that Qi Da is not a good match, and my cousin uncle doesn't agree. But because Mammy Ma told my grandma a lot of benefits of marrying into the Wu family, my grandma is a little reluctant, and now she is persuading my younger sister at home. I actually think there is nothing wrong with Wu Ke, but my younger sister doesn't want to, so forget it. I am sure I can convince grandma, but if Mammy Ma always says something nonsense in front of grandma, this matter will not end well."

He casually sat down on a chair beside the table, not noticing that Jin Jiashu had a shocked expression, as if he had been struck by lightning.

However, when Hai Jiao turned around to look at Jin Jiashu, the latter had regained his composure: "How could such a thing happen?! Mammy never mentioned it to me and told me not to care! But Sister Hai is your biological sister, Brother Hai, and I have known her for many years. How can I ignore her marriage? This matter... Mammy Ma is really... too abrupt!"

Hai Jiao smiled and said, "I don't understand what Ma Ma is thinking. She said before that Tu Jinbao is a good match and advised my grandmother to marry my little sister to him. Now she says Wu Ke is a good match and advised my grandmother to recommend my little sister to the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo. It's not that I have any prejudice against Tu Jinbao and Wu Ke, but the Tu family and the Wu family are both high-ranking families that our Hai family dare not associate with. Even if Ma Ma has always loved my little sister, there is no need to introduce such mismatched marriages to her, right? Even if our family shamelessly associates with her, I'm afraid there will be no good results. My little sister is not unmarriageable, why bother asking for trouble?"

Jin Jiashu carefully looked at Hai Jiao for a few times, pretending to smile casually and asked, "Perhaps Mammy is hoping that Hai sister will marry a good husband because she loves her dearly? Tu Jinbao is fine, General Tu is indeed the emperor's confidant, and the Tu family will only get better and better in the future; as for the Wu family... although they are temporarily down and out now, they will definitely be able to return to the capital and make a comeback in the future. The good days of these two families are yet to come, and Mammy hopes that the young generation she likes can marry into such a good family, so that they can be rich and honorable in the future and everything will go smoothly. It is also a good intention."

After that, he paused and said, "As for the difference in family background... Tu Jinbao and Wu Ke both have their shortcomings, and Sister Hai is more than enough to match them. If any of them can really marry Sister Hai, it will be the blessing they have accumulated in their previous lives. If they dare to be picky about family background and miss a good girl, it is because they are unlucky, not because Sister Hai is not good."

Jin Jiashu spoke from the heart, and Hai Jiao was happy to hear it. He laughed and said, "You have always been familiar with our family, and you see my sister as your own sister, so you naturally think she is good. People outside may not know the good points of my younger sister, so they are picky about the family. But it doesn't matter. My younger sister doesn't care about these two people. She herself is not happy, and no matter how good Tu Jinbao and Wu Ke are, it has nothing to do with our family. As long as I convince my grandmother, no matter who the lady of the Zhenguogong wants to choose for Wu Ke, it has nothing to do with our family anyway." Jin Jiashu blinked and asked nervously, "Sister Hai is not happy herself? Did she say so herself?"

"Of course she said it herself." Haijiao laughed, "She just acted coquettishly with me, saying that she was impatient to marry into a wealthy family. No matter how glorious and respectable it is, she doesn't like it because it's troublesome. She prefers the leisurely life of a small family." He repeated Haitang's description of her future life and laughed, "She is so old now. She reached the age of marriage last year. She looks smart, but her temperament is still so naive. Where in the world is it so simple? She wants the respectability of being an official, but doesn't want to be involved in the troubles of fame and fortune. It is because she is used to the comfort at home, with grandpa, grandma, second uncle and me supporting her in everything, that she can live such a leisurely life!"

Jin Jiashu was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "This is not a difficult matter. If she wants to marry a high-ranking official or a nobleman in the future, we may not be able to do it, but how difficult can it be for a small family to live a leisurely and quiet life? As long as you and I work hard, achieve a career, and support Sister Hai, we can naturally let her live a peaceful life and do whatever she wants."

Haijiao's eyes lit up when he heard this: "What you said is interesting, it shows that we are family. I just told my little sister that since she just wants to live a simple and quiet life, then as her brother, I will definitely satisfy her. Is there anything more important in the world than my little sister's happiness?"

Jin Jiashu looked at Haijiao and smiled even more deeply: "Brother Hai is right. We just need to be more attentive."

Hai Jiao didn't understand the deep meaning of Jin Jiashu's words, and just focused on the business: "When Ma Ma comes back, you can tell her about this. Although she is very optimistic about Wu Ke, except for grandma who listens to her, no one else in our family has the intention of marrying into the Wu family. Please don't talk nonsense in front of the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo."

Jin Jiashu nodded, and then asked tentatively: "Brother Hai, do you know which girl the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo chose for Wu Ke?"

Haijiao had just heard something from Haitang, so he spoke casually. Jin Jiashu listened thoughtfully and remained silent.

He didn't say anything, but Haijiao was still thinking about what his younger sister Haitang had just reminded him of: "By the way, hasn't Guard Lin come back yet? He's been in Yunyang Prefecture for several days, right? Is there no news?"

Jin Jiashu came back to his senses: "Yesterday I received an urgent letter saying that he had seen my cousin Jin Wu. The butcher's family has already chosen another son-in-law for their daughter and only uses him as a long-term worker. The son-in-law is even more harsh on him and wants to kick him out of the house. Guard Lin is discussing the money for my cousin's redemption with the butcher. I think he will be able to bring him back to Chang'an in a few days."

(End of this chapter)