After Yuan Jia received Zheng Chi's invitation, he was of course happy to go to Zheng Mansion to meet Zheng Chi's father. He was the left minister of the Ministry of Rites. Leaving a good impression on him will bring many benefits to the future.

When Yang's father learned that his son was going to visit the home of the Left Minister of the Ministry of Rites, he jumped up in shock and hurriedly took out the money to prepare a gift for Yuan Jia to visit.

Yuan Jia stopped this, and it was suspected of bribery for giving generous gifts. Moreover, the Yang family is not well-off, so paying off the family to give gifts may not be worthy of the Zheng family. It would be better to paint one by himself to give it to him, which would be more satisfying.

I heard from Zheng Chi that his father loved calligraphy and painting, and Yuan Jia had to be good at this.

Yuan Jia took a painting and other gifts he had painted before and went to Zheng's house to visit. Zheng Chi Zao was waiting for him early. When he heard that he was coming, he hurried out to greet him: "Brother Yang!"

Yuan Jia followed Zheng Chi into the mansion and went to the study to pay homage to Zheng Chi's father, Mr. Zheng.

Zheng's father is a middle-aged man who looks very elegant and square. He looks at least six points similar to Zheng Chi, but compared with Zheng Chi's youthful spirit, Zheng's father is more calm and steady.

Yuan Jia bowed to Zheng’s father: “Student Yang Yuanjia, pay homage to Lord Zheng!”

Zheng's father stroked his beard and smiled and said, "No need to be polite." He looked approachable and had a gentle and friendly tone, making people unconsciously relax.

Yuan Jia presented the gift.

Zheng's father didn't look at those ordinary gifts, but only looked at the scroll and asked, "What kind of painting is this?"

Yuan Jia replied: "Students listened to Brother Zheng's words. Lord Zheng loved calligraphy and painting, so the student drew a picture of a horse to give to the adults. I hope he would not dislike him!"

Zheng's father originally thought that Yuan Jia would give him some famous calligraphy and paintings. After all, it was no secret that his preference was. Those who visited him would basically choose famous calligraphy and paintings to give gifts. Although he felt that Yang Yuanjia, a poor student, was deliberately trying to please him and was too versatile, he was still looking forward to what kind of paintings he was doing.

As a result, Yuan Jia said that it was painted by himself. Zheng's father glanced at Yuan Jia's young face, and his expectation disappeared. He opened the scroll casually. However, as the scroll slowly unfolded, his carelessness turned into shock: "This... was it your drawing?"

I saw five horses in the painting raising their heads and neighing, lifelike, as if they could rush out of the scroll at any time. The galloping artistic conception of the horse can be felt by anyone with eyes.

Yuan Jia responded with a smile: "It's the student's malicious work!"

Zheng's father was overjoyed: "The nephew is too modest, he is so easy to draw! so easy to draw!" He also wrote a word on the side, which was also very good, which made him love it very much.

Zheng Chi saw that his father, who was used to being happy and unconscious, stared at the painting with a smile and obsessed look. He was very curious. He stretched his neck and wanted to see what the picture of the horse that made his father lose his character. However, just after he glanced at it, Zheng's father carefully rolled up the picture of the horse and refused to show it to him.

Then Zheng Chi found that he had been ignored by his father...

Zheng's father pulled Yuan Jia to discuss calligraphy and painting, and shouted "Nephew" intimately, asking Yuan Jia not to be polite and just call him "Uncle Zheng".

Yuan Jia naturally climbed up the pole, as if the two were close uncles and nephews, but Zheng Chi, the son, was treated coldly by the side.

Zheng Chi has outstanding talent in poetry, but his calligraphy and painting is mediocre. He is neither as talented as his father, nor his love for calligraphy and painting. Therefore, listening to the two people discussing calligraphy and painting, he couldn't get into it.

Zheng's father drove his son away with disgust: "Go and go, don't get in the way of trouble. Go and ask your mother to prepare a luncheon. Today, I want to have a good drink with Yuan Jia!"

Zheng Chi left the study helplessly and went to see his mother.

"Son greets my mother!"

Zheng Chi saw a girl with bright eyes and kind eyes sitting beside his mother, and smiled and said, "Why are sisters there too?"

Zheng Xiang teased in a light tone: "Why are you here with your mother, don't you allow me to come?"

Zheng Chi quickly apologized: "No, no, I'm just wondering why my sister didn't go to the teacher where to attend class today."

The mansion invited a female teacher to teach Zheng Xiang. Every day, Zheng Xiang would learn piano, chess, calligraphy, painting and female red from the female teacher.

Zheng Xiang pursed his lips and smiled slightly: "Sir, I've had a vacation for me today, so I'll talk to my mother."

Zheng's mother looked at her children with a smile, then turned her eyes to Zheng Chi, and asked, "Didn't you say you want to bring your friends back today?"

Zheng Chi remembered the serious matter and said, "My friend was left in the study by my father to discuss calligraphy and painting. My father sent me out. He said he would have a good drink with Brother Yang for lunch today."

Recently, Zheng Xiang often heard his brother praising Mr. Yang, but he didn't care much. Now that he heard that even his father valued him, he asked curiously: "Brother, is this Mr. Yang very good at calligraphy and painting? Can you still discuss calligraphy and painting with your father?"

"It should be very powerful!" Zheng Chi recalled the change in his father's attitude before and after seeing the picture of the horse in the study, and nodded repeatedly, "If I hadn't discussed friendship with Brother Yang first, I'm afraid my father would not have recognized Brother Yang as his 'nephew' now, but as a friend who forgot his age!"

Zheng Chi has a deep understanding of how deeply his father was obsessed with calligraphy and painting. When he was a child, he flipped through his father's collection of calligraphy and paintings in the study, and was discovered. He never hit him and never hit him. His father was so angry that he hung up and beat him up. As he hit him, he felt that the saying "There is a filial son under the stick" still made some sense, and then he became sad.

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"What?" Yuan Jia almost doubted his ears when he heard what Zheng's father said.

Just now, Zheng's father asked his family in a chatting tone, and Yuan Jia had nothing to hide, so he told the truth. Then Zheng's father knew that he was still a single dog at this time, so he proposed to betroth his daughter to him.

Yuan Jia was shocked. Is it really appropriate for us to recruit me as a son-in-law when we meet for the first time today?

Zheng’s father’s attitude of begging his daughter was too easy to make Yuan Jia a little suspicious. Could it be that the Zheng family’s daughter could not get married because of the reason why Zheng’s father couldn’t wait to find someone to betroth his daughter?

Of course, Yuan Jia didn't think he was 'anyone', but he couldn't stand his first visit to Zheng's family today. Zheng's father probably didn't know him yet, so he just spoke up to betrothed his daughter. Yuan Jia felt that Zheng's father's attitude was very casual.

Yuan Jia said blankly: "Uncle Zheng, we met for the first time today, aren't you afraid that the students are not good people?"

Zheng’s father laughed: “Just say this to you, you are worthy of my betrothal of my daughter to you!”

Of course, Zheng's father was not the one who married his daughter so easily. He had investigated the situation of the Yang family when his son Zheng Chi and Yang Yuanjia met. Today he met Yuanjia and had a detailed chat. He observed Yuanjia's behavior and character in his words and deeds. He also had a great conversation with Yuanjia on calligraphy and painting. He met too late, so he decided to tie this talent to his Zheng family.

Anyway, the Zheng family doesn’t need a daughter to marry, so what’s wrong with letting the younger generation they like to be their son-in-law?

Zheng’s father thought it simple, but Yuan Jia was a little stunned.

The detailed situation of the Zheng family quickly emerged in Yuan Jia's mind. The Zheng family has a profound background for generations, but the Zheng family is not the kind of clique to make private interests, and there is nothing to avoid. After thinking about it, he felt that it seemed that he was the juren who had taken advantage of marrying Miss Zheng, and he had no reason to refuse.

But it wasn't that true if you just agree casually, so Yuan Jia replied: "Marriage matters should be decided by parents, and students should go home to report to their parents!"

Zheng’s father nodded: “It should be so!”

In Zheng’s father’s opinion, Yuan Jia did not refuse, which was equivalent to agreeing. After all, it would be a good thing to be his son-in-law of the Zheng family. A poor student without any foundation. How great is it to help marry a lady from a famous family!

After attending the luncheon in Zheng Mansion, Yuan Jia said goodbye and left.

Then Zheng's father told Zheng's mother about recruiting Yang Yuanjia as her son-in-law.

Zheng's mother was shocked immediately, and her inner thoughts were the same as Yuan Jia: "Master, how could you decide on Xiang'er's marriage so casually?"

Zheng’s father said, “How can I be casual? Yang Yuanjia is very talented. Although his family is a little bit poor, he has the ability and the support of my Zheng family. It will be no problem to earn a royal for Xianger in the future!”

Zheng's mother was so angry that although this dynasty still had the custom of catching son-in-law below the list, those families also used concubines' daughters to bring new Jinshi. As a result, their master was better, and he just betrothed the only legitimate daughter to a juren! It is still unknown whether Yang Yuanjia can be in high school in this session!

But Zheng’s father had already said something, so what could Zheng’s mother do? If she regrets it at the beginning, Yang Yuanjia only needs to pass it on and her daughter’s reputation will be completely ruined!

Zheng's mother was so angry that her face looked ugly. When she went back to hug Zheng Xiang, she cried: "My Xiang'er! Your father is so confused!"

After Zheng Xiang learned about the situation, her face suddenly turned pale. Although she had become curious about her brother's poor friend, she never thought of marrying into a dilapidated house!

Moreover, there are so many Juren who participated in the examination, how many of them could pass the high school Jinshi? How many poor Jinshi can make a fortune after passing the Jinshi? Zheng Xiang didn't want to stay for more than ten years and was still a young official wife. After seeing him, he would bow his head and bow his head to salute him.

So Zheng Xiang begged his mother to help find a way to turn off the marriage.

Zheng’s mother didn’t know what to do. The marriage was promised by Zheng’s father, and Zheng’s father would not be able to be pushed away if he didn’t let go.

Zheng Xiang suddenly had an idea: "Mother, my father only said that he would be betrothed his daughter to Yang Yuanjia, but he didn't say that he was a legitimate daughter or a concubine!"

Zheng's mother was stunned and then reacted, yes, her husband also has a concubine!

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Yuan Jia returned home and discussed with his parents about Zheng's father's proposal to marry his daughter.

After hearing this, Yang's father immediately said excitedly: "Of course you have to agree! This is a great thing! I'm useless to you, my father, and I can't help you, but if you have such a father-in-law, someone will help you when you enter the officialdom in the future."

Yuan Jia didn't care about marrying a wife. In ancient times, it was impossible to fall in love freely. He was blind and mute, and he didn't even know how to meet before marriage. He was the only son of the second wife of the Yang family. If he said he could not have a child, he was afraid that Yang's father and mother, who valued Xianghuo, would be angry to death.

Since you have to marry a wife, it would be great to marry a wife who would help him when he first entered the officialdom.

Therefore, Yuan Jia asked his parents to come forward and ask the matchmaker to come to Zheng's house to propose marriage.

At this time, Yuanjia didn't know that there was a big chaos in the Zheng Mansion.

Zheng's father looked at Zheng's mother in anger: "It's ridiculous! It's ridiculous! I believe you so much, you're still hiding such a big deal from me!"

Zheng's father actually found out today that he had a teenage daughter in the village. It was because his wife was unwilling to let the daughter marry the candidate he liked and proposed to marry the concubine's daughter out, so that he knew about it.

Zheng's mother knew that she would be furious after she told the matter, but for her daughter's happiness, she could do nothing.

"Master, I found out later that the slaves in the village bully their superiors and conceal their subordinates, making me think that the child died of illness, so I told the master about her death. Later, I found out that she was still alive. The slaves in the village were afraid of being punished, so they hid the news..."

"So you are also afraid that I will blame you, so you hide it from me and don't let me know that I have another daughter alive?" Zheng's father asked angrily.

Zheng's mother dared not speak.

In fact, she was not afraid of Zheng's father's reproach, but she hated the concubine's daughter and was unwilling to let the concubine return to the mansion before hiding the news.

Zheng Lan, the concubine of Zheng's father, was quite favored at that time. Later, he got smallpox at a young age and was sent to Zhuangzi for recuperation. He fell into a state of false death due to serious illness. The servants in Zhuangzi thought that Zheng Lan was dead, so they died.

Later, when he found out that Zheng Lan had a breath again, the servants in the village quickly told Zheng's mother about this.

At that time, Zheng's mother was angry that Zheng Lan had taken away her daughter Zheng Xiang's favor and wanted her to fend for herself. She thought Zheng Lan was dead, but she didn't expect that Zheng Lan would survived with great luck.

But Zheng's mother had already told Zheng's father Zheng Lan's death, so she moved her heart and hid the matter, so Zheng Lan, the concubine of Zheng's mansion, died of smallpox.

Zheng Lan has been living in the village for many years, and the lady is not treated as a lady. Zheng’s mother just waited for her to get over it. She didn’t expect that she had not died for so many years. But Zheng Lan really had no sense of existence, so gradually Zheng’s mother forgot about her.

It was not until Zheng Xiang reminded that Zheng's mother remembered that there was a concubine like Zheng Lan who could marry her baby daughter.

Zheng's mother didn't care about being blamed by Zheng's father. Anyway, she had both children, so even if Zheng's father was in danger, he would not be able to do anything to her.

Zheng's mother insisted on marrying Zheng Lan to Yang Yuanjia. Anyway, her daughter is the legitimate daughter, so she cannot marry a poor scholar with an uncertain future.

Of course, Zheng's father refused. He said in front of Yang Yuanjia that he would be betrothed his daughter. At that time, he thought he had only one legitimate daughter, so he naturally betrothed Zheng Xiang to Yang Yuanjia.

It’s unreasonable that I have replaced the legitimate daughter with the concubine now. Although I didn’t make it clear at the time, I could do this, but my father Zheng couldn’t get through the hurdle in his heart.

Zheng's mother's words were useless. When Zheng Xiang was anxious, she cried to Zheng's father himself, and even used a hunger strike to force Zheng's father to compromise.
To be continued...