There are many famous families in Hangzhou, such as the Ni family in Qiantang, with three Jinshi in one family and two Shangshu in the family, father and son.
Ni Qian, who visited China in the fourth year of Zhengtong, was promoted to Minister of Rites in Nanjing. He died after Prince Shaobao, and was given the posthumous title Wenxi.
Ni Yue was a Jinshi in the eighth year of Tianshun's reign, and was promoted to Minister of Rites.
Ni Fu was a Jinshi in the 10th year of Chenghua and served as the envoy to the right of Sichuan Province. He died of illness nine years ago while taking office.
The Ni family is getting married today, and the bride is from the Yu family, who also belongs to a prominent family in Hangzhou.
It's not that he was forced to get married by the governor, but that he had already determined the auspicious day. When the groom was fifteen years old, he was already selected as a junior student. He would be able to pass the exam in two years or so. Maybe the Ni family would have another child.
Jinshi!
When the Ni family first offered the betrothal, it caused a sensation in the whole city. Box after box of betrothal gifts were carried to the Yu family.
Today's wedding has also attracted widespread attention. The wedding queue has more than doubled in length since it came back from the Yu family. There are hundreds of people among them, specifically carrying the dowry for the bride. This is just the dowry on the surface, land deeds, house deeds, etc.
Yes, it is not conspicuous in the box.
The banging and banging was so lively that people in Hangzhou watched along the street.
Just when the bride was about to pay her respects, two uninvited guests suddenly came to the Ni family.
The person in charge of greeting the guests was Ni Chong, the second son of the Ni family. When he saw Wang Yuan and Yuan Da arriving, he immediately nodded and bowed to greet them: "I boldly sent the invitation, but I didn't expect that Mr. Wang would really come here. Come in quickly, come quickly."
Come in quickly!"
Wang Yuan smiled and said: "Yuan Er, give me a gift!"
Ni Chong quickly apologized and said with a smile: "Mr. Wang is so polite. It's a huge honor for you to come. It's really embarrassing for the Ni family to give you gifts."
Wang Yuan still kept smiling: "It's just a small courtesy, not respectful."
Yuan Da had two knives on his body, one hanging on his waist, and a wild sword slanted in his arms.
The blade of the Nodachi is only 1.45 meters long, and with the handle, the length exceeds 1.8 meters. It is very eye-catching when held in one's arms!
As soon as Wang Yuan finished speaking, Yuan Da sent the gift, which was a very exquisite piece of paper.
The chief of ceremonies thought it was a gift list, so he opened the paper and shouted loudly: "The right minister of the Ministry of War, the governor of Zhejiang, Prince Baoyuan, give a gift... a gift..."
Ni Chong was very unhappy and scolded: "Why are you hesitating? You can't even read a gift list!"
The clerk came over bravely and said in a low voice: "Second Master, Governor Wang has given me a gift...a notice from the government."
Ni Chong's expression changed drastically, and he begged for mercy: "President Wang, is there any misunderstanding about the Ni family's wedding today? Can we talk about it another day?"
"Misunderstanding?"
Wang Yuan smiled and said: "Just think about it, what is the first notice?"
Ni Chong said with a dry mouth: "Weddings and funerals are not allowed to violate the rules."
The smile on Wang Yuan's face suddenly disappeared: "In the notice, I advocate simplicity and encourage frugality. When you Ni and Yu families get married, the dowry bearers are almost lined up for a mile. Are you specifically going against the governor? Of course, this
It's just an initiative, not a mandatory order. If you really want to do something big, I really can't control it. But I can always control marriage violations, right?"
On a very cold day, Ni was sweating on his forehead and said hurriedly: "It's not against the rules, it's not against the rules."
"You yourself know whether there are any violations," Wang Yuan said with a straight face, "Give the Ni family one last chance. If there are any violations, make them all correct immediately!"
"It's really not against the rules." Ni Chong cried sadly.
The bride is about to have her wedding ceremony. Should she be sent back to her parents’ home to change into a new set of clothes? It’s unlucky!
Wang Yuan sneered: "That's shameless. Yuan Er, come with me to the wedding hall."
No one in the Ni family dared to stop the governor from doing what he was doing.
This incident quickly spread throughout the Ni Mansion and outside. People gathered at the door to watch the excitement, and guests at the banquet also heard the news and came over to see what happened.
Jin Xianmin, the admiral of Hangzhou Shipping Department, was also one of the guests at the wedding banquet. He quickly ran to stop him: "President Wang, please give me some face and don't cause trouble today."
Wang Yuan cupped his hands and said: "Admiral Jin, you have been cooperating with the sea opening affairs since you took office, and I am grateful. But you'd better leave today's matter alone!"
Jin Xianmin actually expressed his pleading: "President Wang, Duke Qingxi (Ni Yue) has been kind to me. He is an upright man with unparalleled integrity. His descendants should not be responsible for this disaster."
"I have also heard about Duke Qingxi's reputation," Wang Yuan said. "I came here today to deal with Duke Qingxi's unscrupulous descendants, so that his old man will not be able to rest in peace under the spring."
"This..." Jin Xianmin stopped talking.
The chief envoys from the left and right did not come today, but the political envoys from the left and right and the prefect of Hangzhou did. They were all standing far away at the moment, not daring to come over and talk too much for fear of getting dirty.
Wang Yuan took Yuan Da and went straight to the wedding hall.
The servant had already rushed over to report the news, and crawled into the wedding hall: "Master, Master, it's not good!"
Ni Chuan, the head of the Ni clan, is an old man in his 60s or 70s and the grandfather of today's groom. He held his crutch and shouted: "It's a great day today, don't say taboo words!"
The servant handed over the notice: "Governor Wang is here, and this is a gift from him."
Ni Chuan's expression changed drastically after seeing the notice, and he quickly asked: "Where are the others?"
"It's almost here!" the servant said.
Ni Chuan immediately walked out of the door quickly on crutches, and the others followed suit, leaving only the newlyweds standing there stupidly.
Not long after, Wang Yuan came over with Yuan Da.
When Ni Chuan saw the two knives on Yuan Da's body, his face suddenly turned uglier. He stepped forward to salute and said, "President Wang Zhi is here. I'm sorry to hear you come from afar. Please atone for your sins!"
Wang Yuan smiled and said: "You don't need to ask me to atone. You should ask the deceased elders of the Ni family to atone."
Ni Chuan said: "I'm so old and stupid, please ask Mr. Wang to speak clearly."
Wang Yuan had already made full preparations and immediately said: "The Duke of Qingxi is a famous official of his generation. He opened up the road, liberalized taxes and servitude, was careful about punishments, deposed corruption and corruption, promoted loyalty and uprightness, eliminated redundant personnel, stopped fasting and festivals, saved construction, and stopped excessive rewards.
He has served the country well and benefited the people, and I deeply admire him."
Ni Chuan forced a smile: "My late father has made outstanding achievements. We, the unworthy descendants, are ashamed that there are no more Jinshi to inherit his legacy."
Wang Yuan said with a smile: "I heard that the regret left by Duke Qingxi to Duke Donggang is that he must remember that he should only be honest and loyal to one official throughout his life."
Ni Chuan smiled apologetically and said, "This is also Ni's family motto."
Wang Yuan added: "I also admire Duke Donggang very much. He died of illness nine years ago on his way to his post. I heard that when the local officials collected his burial, he had nothing to offer. He is so clean and honest. It is admirable and admirable!"
Ni Chuan quickly said: "My uncle has been an upright official all his life. If he is unworthy, his descendants should obey him."
"Qiang!"
Wang Yuan suddenly turned around, pulled out the wild sword from Yuan Da's arms, and shouted: "It has only been nine years since your uncle died, are the Ni family already so 'incorruptible'? A wedding caused a sensation in the city, and the queue to welcome the bride was half a queue.
Hangzhou city. Get out of my way!"
The sword flashed, and Ni Chuan was so frightened that he backed away repeatedly.
Wang Yuan forced everyone away with a knife, walked straight into the wedding hall, and used the spine of the knife to pick up the bride's hijab, scaring the bride into panic and screaming.
Wang Yuan stared at the bride and said: "The Ni family's house is illegal, so I won't talk about it today. In the notice, I advised the officials and people of Zhejiang to practice strict frugality. I can't stop your family from having a grand wedding. I'm still here.
The notice says that weddings and funerals are not allowed to violate the rules, so you should be obedient, right? Hum hum, Feng Guan Xia Pei. Is the Yu family marrying a royal concubine, or is there an emperor in the Ni family?"
This statement was extremely serious, and it was almost as if he directly pointed out that Ni was conspiring to rebel.
Ni Chuan knelt on the ground and explained: "General Wang, that is a sparrow crown, not a phoenix crown."
Wang Yuan was furious: "I can't tell whether it's a phoenix or a bird. Do you think the governor is blind?"
In the Ming Dynasty, the bride's wedding outfit could be called "Fengguanxiapei", but that was just a lucky way of saying it. Only the empress and concubines could wear the real Fengguanxiapei.
But by the middle of the Ming Dynasty, many gentry and wealthy families used real phoenix crowns and harems for weddings.
Wang Yuan added: "I will follow your statement that it is a bird crown, but Xia Pei will never admit her mistake again, right? Does this bride have a royal decree? If not, who gave her the courage to wear Xia Pei to worship in the church!"
If she wants to be a royal concubine, I will send her to the capital immediately!"
The bride fainted instantly, and everyone else was in chaos.
Ni Chuan hated Wang Yuan so much that he could only beg for mercy: "Please give Mr. Wang a way to survive."
"The way to survive has been given to you a long time ago. Go read the notice yourself." Wang Yuan put the nodachi back into its sheath. "Either the house will be confiscated and adjudicated, or 90% of the Yu family's dowry will be returned, and the bride will be asked to change her clothes and worship again.
! The trend of extravagant weddings in Zhejiang was started by you and other gentry and wealthy merchants. It has made it difficult for many civilian families to get married. This trend should be killed!"
Ni Chuan finally breathed a sigh of relief, collapsed on the ground, knelt down and kowtowed: "Thank you, Mr. Wang, for your kindness."
Wang Yuan knew that this would not stop the trend of extravagance. At most, he could only manage it within the city of Hangzhou, but he would not be able to control it outside the city.
But this is just the beginning. The next thing to do is to change the concept and get rid of those feudal superstitions.