Chapter 121

During the conversation between the two, the kind-faced Lady Qin served snacks such as fresh dates, cherries, and red water chestnuts.

Qin Ye said that he knew that Lady Qin was from Jin Ling, and her family had always liked these Jin Ling snacks. This time, Lady Qin and the young lady were taking the opportunity to follow Qin Ye back to Jin Ling to visit relatives.

Qin Ye was quite talkative, and the topics involved court anecdotes, official yamen affairs, and old friends in the city.

Jia Cong just listened with a smile. The ship voyage was boring, and having someone to chat with could also pass the time, during which he would also say a few of his own thoughts.

It made Qin Ye feel surprised in his heart. Although he was not yet weak, his words and sentences often had profound words, strange ideas, and were thought-provoking, making people feel refreshed.

Qin Ye came from a poor family. Although he obtained an official status by studying hard for the imperial examination, it was not easy to live in the Divine Capital, and it was even harder to be a capital official.

He was a person who sought to manage and calculate, exhausted his family assets to operate in all directions, and actually climbed to the position of Construction Director of the Ministry of Works by relying on his ancestral construction skills. Although it was a great luck, the family foundation and inner pocket were already empty.

On the surface, he was a Lang official with some decency, but inside he could only rely on a few salaries to live, but his ambition was hard to extinguish.

This daughter was not born to him, but was adopted by his wife from the nursery. It is said that his wife saw her in swaddling clothes and she was so jade-snowy and beautiful, so she insisted on adopting her.

"The eldest brother Xianzhu, and the old master of the East Prefecture, etc., they were able to become scholars and successful candidates, and they were not in the clan school, but were successful in the Imperial Academy or the academy."

Now Jia Cong, this top candidate of the provincial examination, gave such a low-quality review of the Jia family's clan school, which was really a head-on blow.

If he still insisted on stuffing his son into the Jia family's clan school in the future, wouldn't it be obvious that he had other plans, and the face would be too embarrassing.

He was fine, but his wife loved this daughter like her life, treating her no differently from her own, and this daughter was a natural beauty, and she was already stunningly beautiful when she was more than ten years old.

Qin Ye originally wanted to marry his daughter over and then push his son Qin Zhong to study in the Jia family's clan school, so that both children could establish a relationship with the Jia family.

Qin Ye saw Jia Cong's scholarly demeanor, so the topic turned to the Jia family's clan school, saying that the Jia family's clan school was extraordinary, and could produce a top candidate of the provincial examination like Jia Cong.

"Forty-year-old scholar, didn't go further in the examination field, you taste what color it is yourself."

It was because of this that the Ningguo Prefecture's Master Zhen took a fancy to her and hired her as a daughter-in-law. You know, that Rong-ge'er was the legitimate grandson of the Ningguo Duke. Originally, his family status could not climb up to this.

"The old scholar Dai Ru, who has been sitting in the clan school for decades, is still a scholar from the Hongxuan period. I later received the teachings of Master Liu and studied hard at the Qingshan Academy for several years before I had some accumulation."

He didn't know what Jia Cong said, but it was completely out of good intentions, saving him from pushing his son into the fire pit of the Jia family and ruining a young man in vain.

At this time, Jia Cong suddenly noticed that the sliding door in the inner cabin was pulled open a little at some point, and the hem of a plain-colored dress could be vaguely seen.

Jia Cong held back his laughter, how could he not hear Qin Ye's meaning.

He said that the place was only suitable for recognizing a few words, and it was always playful. The one sitting in the school was a scholar from the Hongxuan period, which was a scholar forty years ago, because Hongxuan was the reign title of the current Emperor's grandfather.

He said: "Although I studied in the clan school for a few years when I was young, I only recognized a few words there. The children of the Jia family are all like this since they were young, and it is very playful there."

Jia Cong's words left Qin Ye stunned. Although Jia Cong said it lightly and couldn't pick out any faults, he actually belittled the Jia family's clan school to nothing.

Jia Cong saw that it was getting late, so he took his leave of Qin Ye.

Today the ship would stop in Baoying County for one night. He was also planning to go to the city in the evening to grab a few herbal medicines for Wu'er. Wu'er had been seasick for the past two days and had blown the river breeze, and her body had been uncomfortable.

Coincidentally, he remembered a few prescriptions for dispersing wind and driving away evil from his previous life, which were very effective.

After Jia Cong left, Lady Qin came in and said: "Master, listening to Jia Young Master's words, the Jia family's clan school seems to be somewhat unbearable. Master still intends to let Zhong'er go there to study, wouldn't it delay him?"

Qin Ye frowned: "What do women know? I have my own ideas. He also studied in the academy. If the Jia family's clan school is really good, why would he have to study outside? He said that the clan school is only suitable for recognizing a few words, so why bother to let his brother go?"

The sliding door in the inner room was pushed open, and the beautiful young lady as beautiful as a rose petal walked out. She said: "Father, I heard it all behind the door just now. That Jia Young Master's words had a sincerity, as if it was a good intention."

"He himself also studied in the academy. If the Jia family's clan school is really good, why would he have to study outside? He said that the clan school is only suitable for recognizing a few words, so why bother to let his brother go?"

Qin Ye frowned: "What do women know? Father has his own ideas. Aren't you uncomfortable from blowing the river breeze? Why don't you go and rest yourself."

The young lady hummed unconvinced, folded her waist, and returned to the inner room in a fit of pique.

Lady Qin said: "Master, Keqing's words are not unreasonable. Also, I always feel that Keqing's marriage is somewhat improper."

Qin Ye frowned again: "What is improper?"

Lady Qin said: "A few days ago, I was drinking tea with several official wives in the capital and heard some rumors about the son-in-law, saying that he didn't study peacefully, played with horses and chickens daily, and often frequented places of smoke and flowers."

"Keqing is going to marry over next year. My heart is really not at ease."

Qin Ye's face changed when he heard this, but he was silent.

Lady Qin said: "Today's Honorable, he is only so young and was appointed as the top candidate, and was granted an official rank by the Emperor. And this appearance is also rare in the world. They are all Jia family children, why is the difference so big?"

Qin Ye's eyes flickered: "This Jia Cong studied outside for the past two years, silent and soundless, and suddenly emerged like this. Who could have thought of it? Even the Emperor looked at him with favor. The younger generation is to be feared."

Lady Qin said: "This youth is clear and upright, and looks pleasing to the eye. His age and appearance are all well-matched. If we had discussed marriage for Keqing with him back then..."

Qin Ye was naturally moved. How could that Jia Rong be compared with a figure like Jia Cong? It's just that now the wood is already a boat, and it's a fixed number.

"Madam, what's the use of saying these words now? The Geng tie has been exchanged, and the four gifts of the betrothal letter are all ready. Keqing is already a person of the Ningguo Prefecture, and she will marry over next year."

Lady Qin sighed with worry. She only blamed the Master for only looking at the prominent family status of the Ningguo Prefecture before discussing marriage, and didn't investigate the son-in-law's character well. By the time she found out, it was already too late.

In fact, what she said about Jia Rong's behavior was already reserved, because some words were really hard for a woman to say. That Jia Rong actually liked men and mixed with the actors in the brothel.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have had the whimsical idea of mentioning Jia Cong. It was also a case of being sick and seeking medical advice.

But the Master was right. The four gifts were all ready, and it was a fixed number. Breaking off the marriage was a taboo for official families, and it was absolutely impossible. This was also the daughter's fate.

The couple discussed in a low voice for a few words and then stopped talking. Marry a chicken and follow a chicken, marry a dog and follow a dog. Things were already like this, what else was there to say.

They didn't notice that the cabin door in the inner room had been pulled open a little. It was hard to notice if you didn't look carefully. The beautiful young lady behind the door was full of tears.

The husband she was going to marry was actually a dissolute son who frequented smoke and flowers and was ignorant and incompetent. If it weren't for her father coveting the family's wealth and status, how could she have reached this point?

Did she have to spend her life with such a person? But the answer was obvious. She couldn't escape at all. For a time, her heart was in a mess, and her whole person was dazed.

I don't know how she thought of what her mother said just now, and a palpitation arose in her heart. She thought of the youth who stood at the bow of the ship, his clothes fluttering, like a banished immortal.

(End of chapter)