As soon as Xiao Nianzhi said this, Zhou Libai also laughed and said: "Yes, yes, I just returned to the capital at the beginning of the month, and I was in my hometown before."
There were lots of weddings and funerals in her hometown. After she went back with her eldest aunt, she stayed there for a long time and only recently came back.
Xiao Nianzhi had heard the news before, but it was only from a side branch of the Zhou family.
Therefore, it will not affect Mr. Zhou's side.
After talking for a while, the banquet almost started.
After separating from Zhou Libai, Yan Changxia whispered to Xiao Nianzhi: "Think about it, do you know? Miss Zhou has proposed a marriage."
Xiao Nianzhi:?
Ever since Zhou Libai broke off her engagement with the Lu family, there has been no news about the marriage negotiations.
Probably because I stopped paying attention to it, but now I finally have news.
Xiao Nianzhi was a little surprised, turned his head and asked softly: "Who are you following?"
Ah, we are all gossips, who doesn’t gossip?
Yan Changxia quickly smiled proudly and said: "Hey, my uncle was approved by both families about this matter, so I know a little bit about it. He is the eldest son of Zhang Chi and Zhang's family in Hanlin Academy. I have met him and he is a straight-laced person.
An upright young master, just listen to what my uncle says and say very little."
Yan Changxia's uncles were mostly scholars and kept a low profile in the capital.
It's the kind that Xiao Nianzhi doesn't pay attention to every day.
Now when I think of it, she is still unfamiliar.
However, Mr. Zhang Chi from the Hanlin Academy...
Why?
Why does this sound so familiar?
Probably guessing what Xiao Nianzhi was thinking, Yan Changxia smiled and said: "You have thought of it? You have thought of it? Yes, it is Mr. Zhang who lives next door to Mr. Xiao's house."
Is it Uncle Zhang next door?
Zhang Hanshan’s father?
Xiao Nianzhi didn't have much impression of him, he only remembered him as a somewhat old-fashioned little old man.
The family education is very strict, but they don’t know what’s going on inside.
However, the uncle once praised him, saying that he had good knowledge and good conduct.
Except for sometimes being too stubborn, other times he is actually pretty good.
Although he did not have a high official rank in the Hanlin Academy, he taught many students, had many powerful colleagues, and made many friends.
So, my family background is actually quite good.
My uncle once joked that even though we live on the same street, his family's wealth is much richer than that of the Xiao family.
After thinking about it, Xiao Nianzhi nodded: "It turns out to be the uncle of the Zhang family."
Yan Changxia nodded lightly: "Well, although the official rank is not high, the family tradition is very good. The Zhou family probably took a fancy to this."
In fact, it is far more than this, there is also a more important political factor.
That is, after the fall of the Song family, His Majesty does not need Concubine Rong to compete with the Song family.
Therefore, how the Zhou family wants to deal with themselves depends on them.
If he continues to go up against the wind, he will be questioned by the prince's faction. After defeating the Song family, will he still have to fight with them in the ring?
The Zhou family was willing to be His Majesty's pawns in the first place, so most of them were probably smart people.
At this time, it is not advisable to rush in. It is actually safer to show weakness and retreat appropriately, and it can also allow the family to continue better, so that their generation will not fall behind the Song family directly because of political struggles.
’s footsteps.
Of course, there may be something in the middle of this: Zhou Libai once broke off the engagement, and instead of marrying high, she let her future husband's family focus on this and keep talking about this and that.
It is better to choose a family with good character and marry at a lower price.
In fact, it is not a low marriage in the complete sense.
After all, Uncle Zhou Libai is very powerful, but her father's official rank is not that high, not much different from that of the Zhang family.
After thinking about it for a while, Xiao Nianzhi didn't say anything more.
The two people soon separated. Xiao Nianzhi still needed to socialize and greet people, and then he also needed to invite people to the table.
Today's banquet will be fine with the help of the imperial chef.
The first dish after the cold appetizer was the crab meat lion head that Xiao Nianzhi thought was delicious before.
It's soft and tender, with a great texture. Although it doesn't melt in your mouth, it does make you feel happy when you eat it.
The feeling that it can pass through the throat and enter the stomach with just one sip, coupled with the delicious aroma of the food, makes people unable to help but immerse themselves in it.
After finishing the delicious and refreshing Crab Lion Head, the next dish, the rich and mellow Buddha Jumping Over the Wall, was also served.
Each table is based on one person. It is not a big meal, so you can enjoy delicious food without being too much to eat and causing too much waste.
The soup base of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall has been simmered for a long time, so the taste is particularly rich.
In addition, the precious ingredients, whether it is abalone or sea cucumber, taste very good, and are soaked in the flavor of the soup. One bite will leave people with a long aftertaste.
Xiao Nianzhi was very satisfied with this dish and felt that the chef's skills had improved a lot.
Therefore, it is true that royal chefs have new surprises every day!
The third dish is sika deer tendon with a richer taste.
This dish was specially prepared by Xiao Nianzhi after communicating with the imperial chefs before. We all tried it several times and thought it tasted good.
Venison has always been mainstream in Beijing.
Therefore, collecting deer sinew is not a problem.
The deer tendons that have been simmered with apples and radish have no fishy smell and retain more deliciousness and mellowness.
In addition, deer tendon is good for the intestines and stomach, and it also has a certain effect on rheumatism. After all, it is warm in nature and nourishing.
Therefore, as soon as this dish was served, everyone was both curious and satisfied.
…
The subsequent dishes were all a combination of meat and vegetables, and the taste was mellow and light. They were served in a staggered manner, making everyone extremely satisfied.
After you have eaten and drank enough, you can play games or listen to a play without any worries.
Young people can't sit still and would rather play games, throw pot and the like. It's great when everyone is lively.
Many noble ladies still need to pay attention to their image, so most of the time, they still wear it.
Therefore, if they like to listen to operas, even if they listen to an afternoon opera, they need to sit upright for a long time, which is also a test of etiquette for them.
However, everyone else was sitting well, and they couldn't admit defeat.
Therefore, the ladies got involved inexplicably.
Compared with their various static activities, Xiao Nianzhi was busier.
On the one hand, I need to accompany the young people and play a few games from time to time.
Occasionally, I need to go to your lady's place for a little socializing.
Throughout the afternoon, she had almost no time to spare.
The conclusion drawn is...
Socializing is more tiring than working!
In the past, it was much easier to study cement without feet touching the ground than this!
When the sun went down, many people stood up and left one after another.
Xiao Nianzhi, together with her aunt and cousin, began to send the nobles to the carriage, and had to adjust the carriage to avoid traffic jams.
By the time everything was done, the sun had not entered the sky, leaving only a fiery red glow shining on the earth, bringing with it a rich sense of beauty.