Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World

She came from the Yongyi Marquis's family and had also served in the palace, so she was definitely well-informed.

But the more this was the case, the more clearly Old Madam Sheng understood just how rare such a person was.

“Logically speaking, it would be difficult for someone like you to be chosen.” Since both grandmother and granddaughter knew this, Old Madam Sheng had no reservations and wasn't afraid to discourage her granddaughter: “The Sheng family is a scholarly family, while the Earl's mansion is a military family. You are the eldest daughter, and you could barely qualify as the second son of the Earl's mansion, but Jiang Dalang is different.”

Is there a big difference between Jiang Dalang and the second son of the Earl's family?

It's huge!

Firstly, there is a significant difference in their family backgrounds.

Military officers and nobles could inherit their titles and honors indefinitely, sharing the fate of the nation and enjoying generations of wealth and prosperity. Civil officials could do the same.

A local tyrant, a powerful figure in the region!

This refers to the hereditary and perpetual rule of civil officials, who share the fate of the nation.

A region whose ancestral home is not under the emperor's jurisdiction can be considered a local tyrant.

However, even local bullies have their differences.

Local bullies are in one tier, while those in prosperous areas are in another.

Ordinary local bullies are naturally no match for the Earl's Mansion, but the local bullies in Yangzhou are different.

The Huai River region has always been prosperous, and this can be seen from the composition of high-ranking officials in the three major families of Yangzhou throughout the ages.

When the three families were combined, the number of officials of the third rank in the capital was continuous, often consisting of one official of the third rank and two officials of the fourth rank.

Even in this generation, Jiang Zhao's grandfather, Jiang Zhi, was a figure who was firmly in the third rank.

What is this concept?

Both are powerful local families of civil officials who live and die with the nation, and they are prosperous and powerful. How can they be compared to the impoverished earl's mansion in the mere capital?

Even earls and marquises are divided into those who are down on their luck and those who are rich, but none of the local bullies are poor, nor are any of them truly down on their luck.

Or rather, the poor and down-on-their-luck have long been replaced and are no longer local bullies.

Secondly, there is the inherent difference between Jiang Dalang and the Earl's second son.

One was a renowned scholar from Huaizuo, while the other was a nobody among the noble sons of Bianjing. The difference between them was too obvious.

Furthermore, there is a difference between civil officials and military generals; civil officials are of a higher rank and are more powerful than military generals.

Furthermore, there is a difference between the eldest son and the second son. Jiang Dalang will be able to inherit the family business in the future, while the second son of the Earl's Mansion, to put it bluntly, has no right to inherit the title. At most, he will only get a small share of the family business when the family is divided.

This is why the eldest daughter of a sixth-rank official in the Sheng family was able to marry into an earl's household.

The reason is simple: the one who married into the family was not the eldest son, but the second son, neither of whom could be considered a core figure in the Earl's mansion.

This is also a common method of marrying up: the core children of a small family marry the non-core children of a large family.

The difference between the two is enormous, involving every aspect!

"Hua'er, this is a matter of fate." Old Madam Sheng said earnestly, "Originally, with Jiang Dalang's talent and family background, his first choice for marriage should have been the eldest daughter of one of the six ministers or a cabinet minister, in order to gain the support and assistance of his wife's family. However, a few years ago, when Lord Han was demoted and fell into disgrace, Jiang Dalang had the opportunity to become his apprentice, and thus a master-disciple relationship was formed."

Now that Lord Han has been reinstated, it's best not to rely on two families, and Jiang Dalang shouldn't associate with other high-ranking officials. The daughters of the Six Ministers and Cabinet ministers are actually unsuitable for him.

"Moreover, Jiang Dalang's mother was a noblewoman from the Hai family of Jiangning. The Hai family rule was that a husband could only take a concubine if he had no children by the age of forty. This meant that Hai had lived a life of pampering since marrying into the Jiang family, with a loving husband and successful children. Such a pampered person must have never suffered hardship, and would certainly be broad-minded and not the kind of mother-in-law who would make things difficult for her daughter-in-law," said Old Madam Sheng.

Sheng Hualan nodded.

Suddenly, she became quite nervous again and asked, "Then how does one assess someone?"

"This is something your father will have to decide on," said Old Madam Sheng, shaking her head. The specifics still needed to be discussed between the two families.

"Let's discuss marriage through hairpins." The speaker was a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance and an air of authority and refinement, who was walking into the hall.

“Father.” Sheng Hualan quickly stood up and bowed.

Sheng Hong stopped what he was doing and bowed to Old Madam Sheng, saying, "Mother."

"All sit down."

Sheng Hualan asked in surprise, "Father, is this a marriage proposal?"

“Exactly.” Sheng Hong nodded with a smile.

The so-called "marriage proposal by hairpin" means that the two families gather together under the guise of a meal, and the man and woman who intend to get married take the opportunity to meet, talk politely, and ask some questions, accompanied by their adults.

If the woman is satisfied, she will have someone bring a plate to the man, on which either a hairpin or a hair ornament is placed.

If the man is satisfied at this point, he will take out a hairpin or hair ornament and insert it into the woman's hair.

If one party is dissatisfied and the marriage cannot take place, consider it as a gathering, a social obligation, and it won't damage the relationship.

At least it looks presentable.

"What should my daughter do?" Sheng Hualan was very nervous.

She wasn't an ignorant person, and naturally she knew she had to set a good example for her younger siblings.

The Jiang family of Huaizuo is a prominent clan in Huainan. Marrying into their family would definitely be considered a high-status marriage.

Jiang Zhao, on the other hand, is an extraordinary person.

Such a marriage would surely bring her a life of wealth and prosperity, and she naturally wanted to seize the opportunity. However, women are expected to be reserved and virtuous, and she didn't know how to leave a good impression on others.

Grandma Sheng smiled and said, "I raised you myself. Apart from your humble origins, your manners and upbringing are no less than those of the noble ladies in the capital. You will naturally behave the same way when it comes to marriage negotiations."

Sheng Hualan nodded slowly, still nervous.

Grandma Sheng smiled peacefully, but did not offer any reassurance.

Women, this day will come eventually!

Yangzhou, riverbank.

The setting sun casts its slanting rays, and twilight gently envelops the scene.

Merchant ships docked at the shore, and people came and went.

One of them stepped forward; he was tall and had an extraordinary bearing.

Jiang Zhao looked around, his eyes filled with nostalgia: "Five years!"

"Big brother."

A joyful exclamation rang out, drawing the attention of many.

It was a seven or eight-year-old child, dressed in a brocade robe, running quickly toward the riverbank.

Behind the child was a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy in a brocade robe, also looking delighted. The two looked quite similar.

Two people, one big and one small, were running towards them.

"Second brother, third brother."

As the sun sets, the three of them gather together.

Chapter 13 Hua Lan!

October 23rd, noon.

The main gate of the Sheng residence was wide open.

A horse-drawn carriage drove by and slowly came to a stop.

Sheng Hong and his wife, Wang, hurriedly went to greet them.

"Oh, Brother Jiang!" Sheng Hong stroked his beard and smiled, then stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting: "It is an honor to have such a distinguished guest at our humble abode."

In recent years, Jiang Zhong has risen to the rank of fifth grade official. His official position has been promoted from sixth grade official (Censor and Judge) to fifth grade official (Supervisor of Criminal Justice), responsible for supervising officials in a certain area, handling the investigation and impeachment of officials in that area, and managing the performance evaluation of officials.

The weighting is beyond doubt!

Regardless of whether a marriage can be arranged, proper etiquette must be observed, and no offense should be taken.

"Yes, yes!" Wang Ruofu smiled.

"Haha, Brother Sheng!" Jiang Zhong returned the greeting with his hands clasped, and casually extended his sleeve: "This is my son, Jiang Zhao."

Jiang Zhong took a half step back, and Jiang Zhao stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Uncle Shengshi, Madam Wang."

Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu quickly looked him up and down.

Jiang Zhao was dressed in a white brocade robe with fine silver floral patterns, a crimson and white jade belt around his waist, and a delicate white jade pendant hanging from his waist. He was handsome, with slanted sword-like eyebrows, dignified appearance, and upright posture. Every move he made exuded the elegance of a scholar, and he also had a calm and reserved demeanor that came from years of holding a high position, making him very imposing.

So majestic!

Sheng Hong, being an official in the literati, was certainly startled, but remained completely calm on the surface.

Wang Ruofu, however, was different.

"Oh my!" Wang Ruofu practically wore the word "satisfied" on his face, beaming with joy: "Quickly, quickly, please come in."

Sheng Hong glanced at his wife subtly, then gestured and said, "Haha! Please!"

"Please." Jiang Zhong also extended his hand, and the group walked inside.

Upon entering the guest room, one sees an elderly woman with silver hair tied in a bun and piercing eyes, accompanied by a young girl in her prime and a boy of about twelve or thirteen.

Sheng Hualan, Sheng Changbai!

"Honorable guests, I am not very mobile and have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me." As she spoke, Old Madam Sheng rose and slightly bowed.

The girl slightly bent her knees in a squatting salute, while the boy bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"You're too kind, ma'am," the three returned the greeting.

After the formalities were completed, the group took their seats.

"Haha!" At this moment, Sheng Hong pointed at the two and said, "My daughter is Hua Lan, and my son is Chang Bai."

This clearly indicates that the intention is to introduce this concept to young people.

Jiang Zhao stood up and said calmly, "Jiang Zhao, I am honored by the name bestowed upon me by my teacher, Zichuan."

As he spoke, he observed Sheng Hualan's appearance.

He had been behind his parents the whole time, and in order not to be impolite, he hadn't had a chance to look at the girl properly.

Even Jiang Zhao was taken aback upon seeing this.

The young girl had fair and delicate hands, moist red lips, and jet-black hair that cascaded down her back, tied with a ribbon. She wore a lotus-colored satin jacket embroidered with gold butterflies, and a light blue double-breasted long skirt with a soft, woven waist. A jade pendant with two fish was hanging from her waist. A hint of childishness could still be seen between her brows, but her gentle, virtuous, knowledgeable, and dignified temperament overshadowed everything else.

Knowledgeable and reasonable, dignified and poised!

To avoid being impolite, Jiang Zhao sat down naturally and stopped looking at him.

Before long, Jiang Zhong and Sheng Hong were chatting animatedly. Both were figures who had made their way in the officialdom, so they couldn't possibly let the conversation fall flat.

Hai and Wang chatted about their daily lives, their eyes occasionally glancing at Sheng Hualan and Jiang Zhao, both growing more and more satisfied with their appearance.

Hai was a worldly woman, and she specially wrote a letter asking her eldest son to come home for a blind date, so she had naturally met Sheng Hualan long ago.

The girls raised by the only daughter of the Marquis of Yongyi are just as outstanding as the noble ladies of Bianjing.

What's even more remarkable is that Sheng Hualan came from a humble background and had suffered hardships in her childhood. She is content and sensible, without a trace of arrogance, which is truly rare.

Wang need not say more; Jiang Zhao’s brilliance is too obvious, yet he shows no arrogance whatsoever. How could she be dissatisfied?

Jiang Zhao would occasionally chat with Sheng Changbai about reading and studying.

The group chatted amongst themselves, and the atmosphere wasn't too cold.

A moment later, seeing that the time was right, Sheng Hong stroked his beard and smiled: "Brother Jiang, I recently acquired a piece of calligraphy by a famous Tang Dynasty calligrapher. Would you like to go and take a look together?"

"Alright, alright." Jiang Zhong nodded, and the two walked towards the study.

"Oh dear! A few days ago, some fresh flowers were sent from our hometown of Youyang. Would you like to go and choose some, Madam?" Wang said.

Hai nodded repeatedly: "Then we really benefited from this!"

The two walked out.

"Changbai, help me to take my medicine." As soon as Old Madam Sheng spoke, the last two people in the hall also left.

Thus, only Jiang Zhao and Sheng Hualan remained, sitting on either side of each other.

The place suddenly became much quieter.

Sheng Hualan's ears turned red, her hands were on her lap, and she lowered her head, too nervous to speak.

Jiang Zhao was not surprised. She straightened her posture and asked calmly, "I have long heard that the Sheng family is a scholarly family. The old lady comes from the Yongyi Marquis's Mansion, and Madam Wang comes from the Grand Tutor's Mansion. May I ask what Miss Sheng studies in her spare time?"