The playboy county magistrate

Zhang sat to one side, quietly listening to the chatter of the crowd.

She spent half her life trapped by the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, enduring the bitterness of social hierarchy.

In the past, I was most afraid that my son's marriage would be manipulated by others and controlled by the Earl's family.

Now that my son has started his own business, I originally thought that as long as he was happy, that was all that mattered, and that his marriage was entirely his own decision. He wouldn't have to worry about anyone else's opinion or compromise his principles.

But now, thinking about Li Xuanzhi's situation and those unresolved worries, Zhang suddenly realized that she had oversimplified things.

She does hope her son can make any choices he wants, but if that freedom comes at the cost of his future and life, then he doesn't necessarily need to be too free.

Moreover, the women in the inner quarters always need to be kept in check. The risks Xuanzhi will face will only increase in the future. No matter how good Gu Pan'er and Liu Yunrou are, their vision is ultimately limited.

"The matter of the principal wife is indeed not something to be taken lightly." Madam Zhang looked at Li Xuanzhi with affection. "The principal wife must be of upright character, kind-hearted, and from a respectable family. She must be able to manage the household affairs and keep order in the inner quarters. She must also be tolerant and maintain harmony in the family. In addition, she must have the ability to help you, as well as certain social skills and a network of connections, so that you can have no worries and uphold the dignity of the Censorate."

Seeing that Zhang was clear-headed and reasonable, the group of aunts were immediately relieved.

I'm really worried that she'll spoil the child too much, completely neglect the marriage, and let Li Xuanzhi do whatever he wants.

"The most important qualities for eligible young ladies from noble families in the capital are their character and family traditions. They will not marry those who are arrogant, domineering, or scheming. Otherwise, it will cause unrest in the household, disturb Xuanzhi's mind, and ruin his future."

"A daughter from a scholarly family is ideal, and one from a family of upright character is best. She shares the same values ​​as Xuanzhi, is knowledgeable and courteous, and thus they can be a harmonious couple with a virtuous family tradition."

"Ideally, she should be a daughter from a family that is not affiliated with any political party or faction, so as not to get involved in court disputes and thus ensure peace and quiet."

The crowd meticulously reviewed the eligible young ladies in the capital, screening them layer by layer and comparing them one by one.

They knew that Li Xuanzhi's current situation was extremely special, and he was most wary of being implicated by his maternal relatives and having family ties.

Therefore, when choosing a wife, he did not seek someone with immense power or wealth.

I only seek women from families with a clean and honest reputation, a kind and generous nature, good character, and who are not affiliated with any political party or faction.

After careful screening, only three of the most suitable candidates remained from among the many noble ladies of the capital.

The eldest aunt gently touched the tea lid, slowly opened her mouth, and spoke first, her tone full of praise.

"The first one I would recommend is Pei Qingyuan, the younger sister of Pei Yuting, the Hanlin Compiler."

"The Pei family has been a scholarly family for generations, deeply rooted in the literary world for a century. They never meddle in court factional struggles, nor do they curry favor with the powerful, much less form private cliques. They are a family of impeccable integrity, one of the most clean and upright families in the capital."

"The Pei family has a deep-rooted literary tradition, and its members are upright, refined, and dedicated to scholarship. Miss Pei has been immersed in poetry and literature since childhood, possessing a strong Confucian character, and is well-versed in classical texts, calligraphy, and painting. She is gentle, quiet, dignified, and possesses none of the spoiled or willful traits often associated with aristocratic families."

"What's even more remarkable is her insightful and generous nature, and her calm and magnanimous character. From a young age, she was raised by the Pei family to distinguish between public and private matters and to know how to conduct herself appropriately."

All the aunts nodded in agreement, expressing their complete approval.

The Pei family held no real power, no military authority, and no faction. Their only foundation lay in their century-old literary reputation and upright family tradition, which would not hinder Li Xuanzhi's future in the slightest.

They will not use their maternal relatives' influence to interfere in public office or cause trouble. They are the safest and most suitable match.

My second aunt then took over the conversation and mentioned the second candidate.

"Lin Lingyi, the eldest daughter of the Lin family, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, is also quite good."

"The Court of Imperial Sacrifices is in charge of rites, music, sacrifices, and rituals. It has always stayed away from court intrigues and power struggles. The Lin family has strict rules and has adhered to etiquette for generations, passing down its traditions of integrity. There has been no corruption, no misconduct, and no factional entanglements in the family for generations."

"Miss Lin is beautiful and gentle. She is well-versed in family rules and etiquette, and is especially skilled at managing the household. She has been helping her grandmother manage the internal affairs of the Lin family since she was a child, and she has managed the affairs of this large household in an orderly manner. She is calm, meticulous, and thorough. She is most skilled at organizing the inner quarters and harmonizing interpersonal relationships."

Compared to Pei Qingyuan's scholarly demeanor, Lin Lingyi excels in practicality and household management.

"The best thing about this woman is that she is well-behaved, polite, and neither competitive nor jealous."

The second aunt slowly added, "The Lin family are all humble and courteous people. Their daughter will surely understand the proper etiquette and know how to behave appropriately. After entering the mansion, she will definitely treat the old servants well and maintain harmony among everyone. She will never be jealous or cause any infighting within the family. She will be able to steadily uphold the dignity of the Censorate."

Zhang listened quietly and nodded slightly.

She spent half her life entangled in the scheming and intrigues of the inner quarters, enduring the bitterness of power struggles within the household.

What I hope for most is that my son will bring peace and quiet to our home, free from disputes and troubles.

Lin Lingyi's gentle, well-mannered, and understanding nature perfectly avoided all the hidden dangers within the household, which suited her perfectly.

Finally, the third aunt whispered the third candidate, who also had unique advantages.

"There's another one, Shen Zhiwei, the eldest daughter of the Shen family, who is in charge of the Personnel Selection Department of the Ministry of Personnel. As for my monkey-like daughter, forget about her, she's still immature and causing trouble."

"Although the Shen family is not a top-tier aristocratic family, it is a truly pragmatic and upright family. Chief Shen has been in charge of the selection and verification of officials for many years, and he has always been fair, impartial and incorruptible. The family style is upright, pragmatic and insightful. He understands the rules of the court and the proper etiquette in officialdom the best."

"Miss Shen is intelligent, quick-witted, and insightful. She has a broad perspective and is efficient in handling affairs. Unlike pampered young ladies who are sheltered in their chambers and unaware of the world's affairs, she has been personally taught by Master Shen since childhood. She is well-versed in the political situation of the court and understands the difficulties faced by officials. In the future, she will surely be the one who can best understand Xuan Zhi's hardships in running around the court, understand the difficulties he faces in upholding justice, and know his upright and incorruptible nature."

The three noble ladies were all of marriageable age, outstanding in appearance and character, and from respectable families.

Looking across the entire capital, they are all top-tier marriage candidates.

After screening all the candidates, the aunts began a new round of careful comparison.

"The Shen family is too closely involved in the practical affairs of the Ministry of Personnel. Although they do not belong to any faction, they deal with officials and personnel matters every day. In the future, they will inevitably be involved in court politics and personal relationships."

"The Lin family has strict rules and regulations, and their inner quarters are peaceful and stable, making them an excellent choice for managing the household. However, their temperament is still a bit too soft."

"The Pei family is a family of scholars and has an excellent family tradition. However, the Pei family has never had a concubine before. I'm afraid that if Miss Pei knew that Xuanzhi had two concubines, she might not be able to tolerate the old servants in the household..."

"No rush," Zhang said with a smile, interrupting her sisters-in-law. "First, secretly investigate their true character and observe their family's values. Then, get to know them slowly and see if they are compatible and destined to be together. The most important thing in marriage is stability and longevity."

Hearing this, Li Xuanzhi remained calm.

He knew that his maternal elders were being very considerate, all for his own good.

For him, there was one thing they really said that was true.

He did not marry for the sake of climbing the social ladder or for appearances. If that were all he wanted, he could have asked His Majesty to grant him a royal daughter as his principal wife.

Having a good partner is a blessing.

If no suitable person is found, it would be a satisfactory life to raise two kind and sensible concubines to protect the mother.

The discussions about marriage behind closed doors, the secret selection of the best match, seemed discreet. However, the powerful families in the capital were deeply entrenched, and news spread extremely quickly.

In just half an hour, a faint rustling of wind began to spread.