Another year later, Li Qin's term as county magistrate expired and he returned to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to report on his work.
This year is the 19th year of Jianye. The Crown Princess Sheng Luo is twenty-two years old and has two sons and one daughter. Li Qin is one year older than Sheng Luo and is twenty-three this year.
At this age, in the capital, he is considered an unmarried older man. Li Yu is already the father of two children. Li Qin has not even married a wife yet, which is really pitiful.
Seventeen-year-old Xie Zijin is still the most outstanding girl in the capital. However, because the four conditions for choosing a husband are quite harsh and prohibitive, very few people now come to the Xie family to propose marriage.
At this point, the sincerity of the Li family can be seen.
In this year, Fang Ruomeng personally visited Xie's house three times. Each time, he sincerely mentioned the marriage.
Mrs. Sun was already moved, but her daughter was stubborn and refused to let go. Mrs. Sun could only apologize: "Zi Jin was so willful at a young age that he didn't want to make an appointment early and insisted on waiting until he was eighteen years old. I'm really sorry."
Fang Ruomeng didn't take it seriously and said with a smile: "What's wrong with this? Marriage is a good thing for two surnames, and it is also a lifelong event for a young man and a woman. You must be cautious. If it were not like me, I have Zijin.
Daughter, I have to pick and choose."
"My son, I think he is very good, but in the eyes of others, he may have many shortcomings."
Mr. Sun is an honest person. When he heard this, he immediately said: "I think Mr. Li is very good. It's Mr. Li who is so stubborn that he doesn't nod."
In other words, Mrs. Sun has actually fallen in love with her son-in-law.
This marriage is more than half done.
Fang Ruomeng felt at ease and said with a smile: "Just follow Zijin's wishes and wait a little longer!" Then he tactfully hinted that Li Qin would return to Beijing as soon as his term was over to find a job in the Sixth Department.
Mrs. Sun felt even more satisfied.
Li Qin is away from home, and if Xie Zijin marries him, he will either have to leave the capital with him, or the couple will be separated for a long time, which is not a good thing after all. It is best that Li Qin is willing to return to the capital to seek an official position.
Li Qin served as the county magistrate for five years, and his performance evaluations were all top-notch every year. The Li family was involved, and he soon found an official vacancy and joined the Ministry of Rites as an errand. His official position was promoted by one rank, and now he is a sixth-rank official.
The twenty-three-year-old sixth-rank Beijing official can truly be said to have had a smooth official career.
However, he is far behind Xie Zijin.
Xie Zijin is now promoted to the post of Prime Minister of Zhanshifu of the East Palace. A serious official of the fifth rank of Daqi and a confidant of Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess, he is in charge of the seal of the East Palace. His popularity has made all the young talents feel inferior to him.
Li Qin was not one of those people who disliked women with outstanding talents and higher official positions than himself, and his admiration and liking for Xie Zijin deepened.
Marrying a gentle and loving wife, settling down in the inner house, caring for her husband and raising her children is certainly a good marriage. It is even more desirable for a husband and wife to walk side by side with like-minded people.
…
East Palace Zhanshi Mansion.
In the past two years, the emperor has intentionally or unintentionally handed over most of the government affairs of the DPRK to the East Palace. The East Palace is busy with affairs, and it is common for Sheng Luo to be busy until dark. Officials in the Zhanshi Mansion rarely leave on time.
when.
Sheng Luo sympathized with her subordinates and ordered the imperial dining room to prepare dinner every day. Six dishes and one soup, four meat and two vegetarian dishes, were rich and delicious.
Xie Zijin and Zhao Siqing Shu Yao were sitting together. Just as they were about to raise their chopsticks, a palace maid came and whispered a few words in Xie Zijin's ear.
Zhao Siqing sat close and vaguely heard Li Qin's name, and couldn't help but smile knowingly.
After Li Qin returned to the capital, whenever he had free time, he would wait outside the East Palace, waiting to see Xie Zijin before he left after finishing his errands. Occasionally, he would shamelessly send Xie Zijin back home.
Xie Zijin looked cold on the surface.
If he was really unwilling, he would have kicked him out a long time ago. How could he allow Li Qin to show his courtesy?
Sure enough, Xie Zijin looked indifferent again and told the maid: "Go and tell him that His Highness will review the memorial tonight, and I will be waiting on the side to write and ink. I have no time. Let him go!"
The palace maid responded and retreated.
Zhao Siqing smiled and joked in a low voice: "I have been waiting here for a long time just to see you. Are you so cruel that you don't even see me?"
Xie Zijin responded coldly and ruthlessly: "I'm very busy today and don't have time to see anyone."
Yes, just be tough!
Zhao Siqing smiled secretly and said no more.
Xie Zijin was not only hard-tongued, but also had a hard-hearted heart. He didn't go out to see Li Qin. He was busy until the moon was above the willow trees and it was almost Hai hour before he left the palace gate.
The figure of a slender man came into view leisurely.
…
The moonlight is bright and the palace lanterns shine softly.
The young man's handsome and calm face came into view. He had been waiting all night, but he didn't seem anxious at all. He came over with a leisurely and calm attitude.
Xie Zijin raised the corner of his mouth invisibly and stopped. When the young man came forward, he pretended to be cold and asked: "Why haven't you left yet?"
This young man is none other than Li Qin.
Li Qin looked at the awkward girl, a smile flashed in his eyes, and said in a low voice: "You are too busy to do anything else, and I have a lot of free time. It doesn't hurt to wait here for you."
The moonlight is so beautiful, and the young man under the moonlight smiles particularly handsomely, with a seductive light shining in his black eyes.
Xie Zijin took a breath and looked away uncomfortably: "I didn't ask you to wait for me."
Li Qin smiled silently: "Yes, yes, no matter how late it is, I am willing to wait."
The girl noticed her own awkwardness, and for some reason she felt unspeakably depressed. Her bright eyes stared at her: "Li Qin, I really don't want to get married, so don't come to me again."
After thinking about it, he added: "Don't write to me again."
The pile of letters in the study room is almost half the height of the person.
Li Qin suppressed his smile and stared at Xie Zijin: "If you don't want to get married, I'm not forcing you to marry me. If you are not willing, I will wait until the day you are willing."
Xie Zijin: "..."
Xie Zijin was finally annoyed, and said with a sullen face: "At your age, what's wrong with you, waiting for a woman who doesn't want to get married? I haven't nodded my head, so do you want to keep spending time with me?"
"Li Qin, let me tell you clearly. My thoughts are all on the court. I want to be the most outstanding and responsible official in the Qi Dynasty. I have no time to marry and have children, and I have no energy to deal with the trivial matters at home with my parents-in-law and sisters-in-law.
"
"You should stop thinking about me as soon as possible and go find a noble lady with both talent and virtue as your wife!"
No matter how ordinary a man is, who can bear such sarcastic remarks?
Li Qin was not annoyed at all, but laughed in a low voice: "You can balance getting married and having children with being an official. Your Highness, the Crown Princess, is much busier than you, so we still got married. We are loving husband and wife, and we have three children."
"Zijin, whatever Lu Tianyou can do for the Crown Princess, I, Li Qin, can do the same for you."
