The playboy county magistrate

Li Xuanzhi was granted permission by His Majesty to establish his own household, and was also granted a residence and an imperial title for his mother.

Furthermore, with the emperor's favor firmly established, he had long since transformed from the once-prosperous second son of the Cheng'en Earl's Mansion into the most sought-after and important minister.

Now, though he is not yet twenty, he already holds the important position of censor, has no factional ties, and the position of principal wife in his household is vacant.

Such a perfect marriage partner is probably unmatched in the entire Great Yong Dynasty.

Therefore, the news of their private discussion about choosing a spouse quickly spread throughout most of the noble and important officials in the capital.

Each family watched intently, secretly weighing their options.

The Pei family, who were initially considered the top choice, were the first to learn of the news.

Inside the study of the Pei residence.

Pei Yuting stood by the window of the study, holding an ancient book in his hand, but he did not turn the pages for a long time.

His wife, whom he had married less than six months earlier, spoke softly, recounting the rumors she had heard.

"They must be eyeing our little sister Yuan'er. I heard that Li Xuanzhi's maternal grandparents carefully selected all the noble ladies in the capital, and finally only three families remained, with our little sister Yuan'er being the first choice."

Madam Pei had gentle features and a soft voice. "It's just that Censor Li is young yet powerful, and his integrity is too rigid. As the person in charge of the Censorate, he is known for his impartiality and incorruptibility, so I can't help but have some concerns."

Pei Yuting slowly closed the book, his expression calm.

"It is precisely because he distinguishes between public and private matters that he is such a rare and virtuous person."

"The world only sees his promising future, but I see his true heart. Back in the Chengen Marquis's mansion, Li Xuanzhi endured cold looks and mistreatment from his clan, yet he never harbored resentment or acted rashly. Instead, he always upheld propriety and filial piety. After breaking free from the shackles of his clan, he did not seek revenge, nor did he abuse his power. He is all the more admirable."

"A person with such a resilient character and upright conduct is a hundred times more reliable than those scions of noble families who rely on their family background and are impetuous."

"Li Xuanzhi's maternal family was also a family of upright character. With a family like that, it's no wonder that Madam Zhang raised such a son. Li Xuanzhi's future career in the court will only become more and more stable."

Madam Pei nodded slightly upon hearing this and turned to look in the direction of the embroidered tower.

Pei Qingyuan was grinding ink by the window on the second floor, dressed in a plain-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her figure elegant and serene.

Although she had heard some rumors about her marriage, she felt neither shy nor flustered.

Although his parents were ordinary people, he grew up relying on his older brother's care and guidance.

However, she was also well-read and knowledgeable in etiquette. Moreover, her brother was not the type to impose rules and etiquette on her, nor did he subscribe to the traditional view that women should never leave the house.

Therefore, Pei Qingyuan had a slightly broader perspective than women from ordinary aristocratic families, and she had already heard about Li Xuanzhi's various deeds.

I know he suffered hardship in his youth, walking a path fraught with difficulties. I know he defended his family in court, protecting his mother from harm. I also know he was upright and honest in court, not shying away from powerful figures.

For her, this was not a marriage of convenience between social classes, but a match made in heaven where they were evenly matched and compatible.

At the same time, the Lin family of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices also received word of the matter.

The Lin family is known for its strict rules and conservative nature.

Hearing that Li Xuanzhi's choice of marriage was primarily the Pei family, with his own family as a secondary option, he felt both hope and caution.

Lin Lingyi sat quietly in her room listening to her elders' discussions, and she was also clear about her own strengths and weaknesses.

She was good at managing the household and harmonizing the inner quarters, but she lacked some of Pei Qingyuan's scholarly demeanor and open-mindedness.

In terms of family background and compatibility of temperament, the Pei family is indeed superior.

The Shen family in the Ministry of Personnel also talked about this matter all night long.

Master Shen was well-versed in the rules of the court and understood the advantages and disadvantages of officialdom. He spoke frankly:

"Censor Li is now upright and without any affiliation, and he is most afraid of others binding him with personal feelings or social status. My Shen family has been involved in personnel selection for many years, which makes us easy to arouse suspicion. This time, I'm afraid we are out of luck."

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhiwei smiled calmly.

She was intelligent, quick-witted, and insightful. She understood the power dynamics in officialdom and naturally comprehended Li Xuanzhi's desire for stability and purity.

Hearing her father say this, she felt no regret. What is meant to come will come; she only needed to sit quietly in her room and calmly observe and wait.

Aside from these three selected families, other noble families and official residences in the capital also turned their attention to the matter.

Those who used to look down on Li Xuanzhi as a spoiled brat from a family disliked by their clan now completely conceal their contempt and secretly regret their past shallowness.

Who could have predicted that the child discarded by the Earl's family would so quickly gain a foothold in the court, receive the emperor's extraordinary favor, and establish his own noble and distinguished family?

Many noble families with daughters of marriageable age secretly inquired about the matter and even asked others to act as matchmakers, hoping to gain a place in this competition for a good match.

However, upon hearing that the Zhang family only sought a clean family tradition and a non-partisan standard for choosing a spouse, they all sadly gave up.

The numerous noble families were entangled in factional conflicts, with deeply intertwined social positions.

They finally realized that Li Xuanzhi's illustrious family background and power were not an asset at all.

On the contrary, the entanglements of the imperial court are burdens and shackles.

For a time, the eyes of half the prominent families in the capital were subtly drawn to the new Imperial Censor's residence in Qinghefang.

Some are envious, some are regretful. Some covet it, some are watching from the sidelines.

Meanwhile, inside the new mansion at the center of the turmoil, everything remained peaceful and normal.

To outsiders, Li Xuanzhi's marriage might seem like just an ordinary match.

But the powerful families and court officials caught in the middle of it all knew perfectly well what was going on.

This was not a simple marriage; it was the establishment of a new and prominent official's family.

Li Xuanzhi's influence is now vastly different from what it used to be.

The marriage of such a man to his principal wife was enough to make half of the eligible young ladies and elders of prominent families in the capital yearn for it and ponder it over and over.

The next morning, at the Pei residence.

Madam Pei was busy helping her husband, who was preparing to go to court, change his clothes. She frowned and spoke softly, telling Pei Yuting about the bits and pieces of information that the nanny had gathered that day.

"My lord, many families in the capital are eyeing this marriage. It's not just the Lin and Shen families. Several noble families and mid-level civil officials are also secretly asking around, hoping to get involved."

Her tone was somewhat urgent and anxious, "Censor Li is currently too powerful and has offended quite a few people. If our little sister Yuan'er really marries him, she will become the mistress of the censor's mansion. Although it is glamorous, she will be in the eye of the storm every day. I am really worried that she is too quiet and will not be able to handle it."

Last night I thought Li Xuanzhi was perfect in every way, but this morning I started having second thoughts.

He knew in his heart why his wife thought that way; it was simply because Li Xuanzhi's criteria for choosing a wife were too similar to his own six months ago.

His wife was also one of the best chosen from among a group of noble ladies. Originally, she didn't have a lot of close friends, but she was very popular. However, because she married the lover of countless noble ladies in the capital, wherever she went, people would nitpick and make things difficult for her.

Pei Yuting found it somewhat amusing and gently patted his wife's hand.