concubine leisurely

Chapter 41

Before going to Beijing this time, Mrs. Gu had discussed with Meng Yun, "The old lady is too old. We can't serve her left and right. It is really unfilial. If the old lady is taken over, how can we compare with the second room, regardless of food, clothing, It’s useless, the old lady will be wronged; besides, brother Kuan should hire a good husband, we should live in Beijing permanently, so that we can serve the old lady and cultivate our son.”

Meng Yun thought about Gu's words for a while, and the more he thought about it, the more reasonable he felt. There was only one difficulty. He hesitated and said, "We have never bought a house in Beijing. It would be inconvenient if we lived in the second's house."

Mrs. Gu smiled and said, "The house where the second room lived was originally the ancestral property of the Meng family." But he didn't even mention that when the family was separated, the first room and the third room divided the houses in Tai'an and Jinan, and the second room only had the ancestral house in the capital. Big, after Zhong passed through the door, he bought the attached garden with his dowry, so the second room has the current atmosphere.

Meng Yun was still a little hesitant in his heart. The three brothers had already separated. If they lived in the second family forever, the second child would definitely be willing. Would the second family be willing?Don't let the second child be in a dilemma for your own family affairs.Mrs. Gu gently advised him, "When we get to Beijing, we will see the situation and make sense. If the old lady really wants us to stay, are we willing to hurt the old man's heart?" Meng Yun let out his wife with a long sigh.

Before coming to Beijing, the husband and wife planned to find an official position in Beijing. Given what the second child can do now, it would be a piece of cake. If he became a Beijing official, he would be able to serve his elderly mother every day and find a good teacher for his son in the capital. Wouldn't it be the best of both worlds?Unexpectedly, after entering Beijing, Meng Lai said that now that Yang Shoufu is in power, the bureaucracy is very clear. If a civil official wants to be promoted, he must either have a professional background and qualifications to get promoted, or he will be promoted with outstanding political achievements. It is extremely difficult to get promoted.

Even the little girl Youran said so, and cited Han Chi as an example, it seems that there is no hope for staying in Beijing as a petty official.I want to marry the old lady Chenghuan, and I want to find a good husband for my son, but there is no hope.

For a moment, Meng Yun's expression became a little dazed. He had been busy for half his life, but he had accomplished nothing!
Mrs. Gu looked thoughtfully at You Ran in Meng Yun's arms. The second room is a little concubine, she is quite interesting. Seeing her calm and composed appearance nestled in Meng Yun's arms, people who don't know think she grew up beside Meng Yun since she was a child.It's rare for a concubine born to a maid not to be wretched and shy, but she's still generous, talking and laughing at Yan Yan, she is indeed the favorite daughter of the second child. It's just that her upbringing is still poor, and she only tried a little harder, but she started to cry, and even went to Meng Yun's place to complain about acting like a baby.

Mrs. Gu looked at the leisurely Youran, and then looked at Weiran who stood upright with willow eyebrows, and secretly sighed in her heart. Sister Wei is a year or two older than Youran, but she is not as sensible as Youran. It's just that if you strictly discipline your daughter, like yourself, be a lady from a young age, and become a virtuous woman when you grow up, what good is it?The only beloved daughter, let her be more unrestrained, why be too restrained; even myself, from now on, I have to do whatever I want, and I can't be restrained anymore, so that I'm stretched.

Since Wei Ran came to the capital, she has seen the bustling and bustling capital, the richness and elegance of the Meng Mansion, and has hated the fact that she has returned to a remote mountain county. Han Chi has been the county magistrate for 20 years, and it is impossible for her father to be like him!Wei Ran concluded, "Then Han Chi must be someone who has no family background, and no teachers and friends to help him, so he is so miserable."

"Runan Han family, sister Wei, can you say that? A generation of civil servants with a clean and upright family style, there are many talents. There are three officials from the first rank to the second rank, and countless officials below the fourth rank. Such a family background is considered prominent, right? Mr. Han is only from a Jinshi background, so it is difficult to get promoted at the beginning of his career, and when he is famous all over the world, he will have a chance to be promoted, but he is reluctant to leave the people in the corner, that's why he is like this." You Ran only said She would not say the real reason for some peaceful words.Except for Meng Lai and other friends of the same age, few people in the world know that Han Chi is not only an honest and capable official, but also an infatuated man.He married Yingchuan, the daughter of the Zhao family, and the Zhao family didn't like the remoteness of Yu'an, and refused to go with him. They only sent a beautiful girl, Tang'er, to serve her personally. This Tang'er followed Han Chi in Yu'an with peace of mind. , was willing to be poor, managed the well mortar by himself, and gave birth to Han Chi's sons and daughters. After a long time, Han Chi fell in love with this Tang'er, and he would rather stay with her in Yu'an than return to the capital and let her be under the Zhao family. ask for life.

To be a concubine and reach the level of Tang'er, is it successful or not?She doesn't have any material comforts. She eats ordinary food and dresses like a peasant woman. When Han Chi was in the fields, she even delivered the meals herself. When they returned home, the two of them were like a couple of the most ordinary civilians, gossips , raise children, work at sunrise and rest at sunset.Han Chi was originally a child of a noble family. Although Tang'er was born as a girl, she was appointed as a dowry by default because of her good birth. In the future, she would help the Zhao family to be a favorite in her husband's family, so she was spoiled and spoiled. Being able to stay together for a long time to live together in Yu'an, You Ran really thinks that both of them are wonderful.

Wei Ran was stunned for a moment, Han Chi came from a family of officials and eunuchs, and he has been a county magistrate for 20 years, so is it possible that his father will also be the county magistrate of Shan County again?No, no, I can't leave the capital, I can't leave my second uncle's house, my parents can't leave either, the capital is so prosperous, my family has to take root in the capital.Wei Ran shouted capriciously, "I don't care, Dad wants to stay in the capital! You are not allowed to go back to the mountain county! It was agreed when you came here, and you are not allowed to change your mind!"

Mrs. Gu sternly said, "What nonsense! You're getting used to it and you don't look good!" Meng Zhengkuan looked at Weiran being reprimanded distressedly, and dared not make a sound. Meng Yun said gently, "What are you scolding her for? Children have to teach her slowly." That's good." Wei Ran ran to Meng Yun's aggrieved side, and Meng Yun took her hand to comfort her, "We originally had this plan, but now it seems that it won't work, Sister Wei, don't be sad, let's go back to Shan County. "

With tears in his eyes, Wei Ran shook his head and said, "I'm not going back to the mountain county, I want to stay in the capital." Meng Yun smiled wryly, "Good boy, listen to daddy." He said with a leisurely smile, "What's so difficult? Sister Wei stays with the old man. Madam is well." Wei Ran glared at Youran, "No, I will not leave my parents."

Seeing that nothing had happened, Mrs. Gu felt relieved and said with a smile, "If you don't obey me again, your father and I will go back to the mountain county and leave you to the old lady to discipline you." , Mrs. Gu held Wei Ran in her arms and comforted her softly.

Wei Ran squinted at Youran, "Yourran, you seem to know a lot about the officialdom." You Ran nodded, "Yes, I was released with my father for three years, and my father often took me by his side. .”

Wei Ran felt uncomfortable for a while, a little concubine, the second uncle actually raised her personally, and taught You Ran to have extraordinary views, and she was compared to her own concubine.Wei Ran asked provocatively, "Do you really know the affairs of the officialdom? For example, if a civil servant wants to be promoted, what should he do?"

Both Meng Yun and Meng Zhengkuan laughed, "Sister Wei, Xiao Wu is younger than you, how does she know such a thing?"

Gu Shi just watched coldly, smiled and said nothing.

Lei Ran said slowly, "If a civil official wants to be promoted, he must first pass the examination by the Ministry of Officials' Examination of Merit. The best comments are excellent or good, and then he must issue a promotion order from the Ministry of Officials' Literature Selection."

Wei Ran was not convinced, "That's not true, as long as the Department of Wenxuan issues a promotion order, it will be fine. Even if the Department of Examinations gives a bad review, the Department of Wenxuan really wants to promote someone, and he can still be promoted."

Meng Yun, father and son, and Mrs. Gu were on the side, watching the two girls bickering amusedly, and seeing the two girls making a fuss, they were worthy of being the daughters of officials and eunuchs, and they had a lot of experience at a young age.

Leisurely asked slowly, "Do you remember the eleventh uncle of the direct branch of the clan? Why was he dismissed from office?"

Wei Ran frowned and thought for a while, "Didn't Uncle Eleven study politics in Hubei? It seems that the scholars in Hubei were dissatisfied with him, so he was dismissed from office."

Leisurely said with emotion, "Uncle Eleven was successful at a young age. He won the second-class Jinshi when he was less than 20 years old. He was promoted to such an important position as Hubei Xuezheng in his early thirties. He has a prominent family background and outstanding talents. Who doesn't say that his future is limitless?! But It is because Uncle Eleven was dismissed from office and returned to his hometown by an ordinary scholar with the surname of Sun in Hubei.” During the ancient imperial examinations, the examination papers were returned to the person after the admission was completed.There are two papers that are returned to me, one is the ink scroll written by the examinee himself, and the other is to prevent the examiner from recognizing the handwriting, the examinee's name is pasted on the ink scroll, and the special staff uses red pen to transcribe it, which is called Zhujuan , The examiner marked on the Zhujuan.The scholar surnamed Sun in Hubei received his test paper and found that the examiner had only marked four sentences in his test paper, and the rest were not. In the end, Uncle Eleven was dismissed from office.

Wei Ran was dumbfounded, and said leisurely, "Officials have their own rules, and whoever violates the rules must bear the consequences. The position of the Department of Wenxuan is important, and a person who can secure the position of the Department of Wenxuan, how can he be an idler? What's the matter?" What can be done and what can’t be done, there are all calculations. If the examination department gives a bad comment to someone, but the literary selection department wants someone to be promoted, what will be the consequence? How many eyes are staring at Qingliu Shilin.” Don’t think that your authority lies There are so many scholars in the world, but official positions are limited. No matter whether it is the selection of materials from the imperial examination or the appointment of officials, if there is a big mistake, no one can cover it. Just go round.

Wei Ran thought that only the mountain county can be promoted if it is well governed as a father, and she felt unwilling. No, wouldn't my father also want to be a magistrate for many years like Han Chi?

"Isn't there a guard?" You Ran was puzzled.

Seeing his daughter's confused face, Meng Yun answered with a smile, "There is a hundred-household house whose surname is Lu. He is very airy, and he doesn't care about ordinary things. We can't do anything about him."

Meng Zhengkuan's heart moved, "If your uncle is willing to help..." As soon as he said the words, he thought that Youran was a concubine, and she must have no relationship with the Marquis of Ji'an's mansion, so he couldn't help but blush.You Ran didn't mind at all, and said with a smile, "Master Zhong has a lot of people in the army, so he will be able to speak up." But Lord Zhong will definitely not care about it. The House of Marquis of Ji'an is the head of Mrs. Tai, and Mrs. Zhong obeys orders from Mrs. Tai.You have left the old lady in the second room for all these years, and you can't breathe under other people's precious daughter, and you can't stop getting angry with other people's precious daughter, what is the Zhong family doing to help you?
Mrs. Gu felt bitter when she heard Meng Zhengkuan mentioning the Marquis of Ji'an's mansion. Her second younger brother and sister were very ordinary, but her mother's family was too powerful. Mrs. Zhong went back to the Marquis Mansion to ask for help, Mrs. Zhong readily agreed, but there was no news after that.Mrs. Zhong is innocent and straightforward, she probably didn't do it on purpose, nine out of ten it's because the Marquis of Ji'an refused to help, it's really annoying and hateful.

Wei Ran only thought about the comfortable life in the capital, so she blurted out and asked Youran, "Youran, that bronze ornament in your room looks interesting, where did you get it?"

She shook her head leisurely and said, "I don't remember, it's just a decoration."

Wei Ran saw that she didn't care about it, it was obvious that this ornament was nothing more than ordinary to her, she felt jealous and hated, and sneered, "But it's far worse than the purple jade ornament in sister Yueran's room."

Leisurely said: "That's natural, the eldest sister is the eldest daughter, no one can surpass her."

Wei Ran said strangely, "Sister Yue Ran's dowry is really red, and you won't be able to compare it then."

Meng Yun was listening to the two little girls talking with a smile, but now he frowned. Whose reason is the little girl talking about the dowry?
Leisurely smiled and said, "There is a saying in Cantonese, a good son doesn't care about the land, and a good girl doesn't care about the clothes when she gets married. As long as the girl can afford it, it doesn't matter how much the dowry is."

(End of this chapter)