Aunt Xue looked surprised and asked puzzledly: "What did he mean when he said this suddenly? Did he make it clear?"
Xue Pan nodded and repeated: "For a big event like entering the palace, you should make full preparations in advance. At the very least, you should thoroughly understand your own situation. Are there any stains that may hinder your sister from entering the palace?
?”
Xue Baochai was also sitting on the side. Hearing this, he was surprised and said: "Does Brother Cong know something, or is it that my brother's case has not been completely solved?"
"impossible!"
Aunt Xue said categorically: "I handled this matter through the relationship between your aunt and my second uncle. It is impossible for them not to try their best!"
Xue Pan shook his head and said with some confusion: "Boss didn't say there was any problem inside, he just reminded me that no matter what, it is best to sort out all the places that may have been overlooked or missed before. If there are no problems, it is best!"
Having said this, he glanced at Xue Baochai again and said: "The boss also said that there may only be one chance to enter the palace, so you can't be too cautious!"
"Brother Cong, what you said is quite right!"
Aunt Xue nodded and said thoughtfully: "Our previous preparations were full of loopholes. We couldn't even find a way to register. Now I think it's too hasty!"
It’s not that there is really no way to sign up, but that without the help of powerful people, you can save a lot of troubles and traps in layer-by-layer screening, and directly enter the final selection stage in one step.
The imperial merchants of Daqing's Ministry of Internal Affairs are not my servants of the Qing Dynasty. The reason why Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai have a strong desire to enter the palace is to raise their own status.
Imperial merchants were also merchants. As the daughter of an imperial merchant, Xue Baochai, in the era when Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was prevalent, no matter how powerful she was, she could not reverse the disadvantages brought about by her birth.
As they are well matched, it stands to reason that it would be best for Xue Baochai to marry the legitimate son of the family who is also an imperial merchant. Unfortunately, neither she nor Aunt Xue, nor Xue Pan would be willing to do so.
Especially after staying in the capital for such a long time and meeting the children of top nobles, Xue Baochai naturally did not want to marry a business woman because her social status was too low.
And by entering the palace and becoming the princess's attendant, she had the best opportunity to raise her own status. At that time, she was a high-class female official.
In the palace, with the protection of the concubine Yuanchun, life will not be too bad.
Wait two or three years and find an opportunity to leave the palace. Although you may be a little older, it is not difficult to marry a promising official's son.
After all, the Xue family is very wealthy and one of the four major families in Jinling. It has close relations with the Rongguo Mansion, the Wang family and the Baolinghou Shi family, and is still highly valued by some middle-level official families.
Aunt Xue not only hopes that her daughter will marry a good family, but also has the intention of helping her daughter and son-in-law take care of her son Xue Pan in the future.
As for Xue Pan, he was much simpler and didn't think too much at all. Following Jia Cong, the boss, he had traveled all over the world and experienced the world. He was not worried about his future future at all. The only thing he cared about was that his sister could marry a good family.
Based on Xue Pan's personal connections at this time, he actually didn't care whether his sister entered the palace and became a female official. He was confident that he could find a good marriage partner for his sister.
It's just that the world is like this. If a woman's status is too low, she will inevitably be wronged unless she marries someone worse. Obviously Xue Baochai doesn't want to suffer the grievances caused by the status gap at all.
Then we can only do it properly...
"By the way, mother, sister, in a few days the boss's wedding banquet will be held. You all should go then!"
With a slap on his forehead, Xue Pan hurriedly took out an invitation card from his arms and said with a smile: "I have to give the boss a good compliment!"
"I won't go. You are the same age and have some fun!"
Aunt Xue waved her hand and said with some hesitation: "Brother Cong is really doing well outside?"
"Mother, you may have been influenced by some people in Rong Mansion again!"
Xue Pan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Boss's life is quite comfortable. To put it bluntly, leaving the house and setting up a household is like a dragon entering the sea. From now on, you can completely let go of your hands and feet and do whatever you want. Who in the capital dares to look down upon you?"
"Didn't the mansion say that if it weren't for the Rongguo mansion's signboard protecting him from the wind and rain, he would have been swept away by the wind and waves outside!"
Aunt Xue smiled and said: "I'm worried that Brother Cong is arrogant and unwilling to speak out when he encounters difficulties..."
"Mom is too worried!"
Xue Pan said disapprovingly: "Do you know what Prince Zhongshun is most afraid of now? The boss wrote that even the court officials are also afraid of it!"
Speaking of this, Xue Pan's eyes shone brightly and he said proudly: "And the Crown Prince of Chu is helping to cover it up. As long as he doesn't commit suicide himself, no one in the capital has to be afraid!"
"Look at my memory, I have forgotten about the Prince of Chu!"
"Not only is the Crown Prince of Chu, but because of his unique farm management method, the boss has connections with many noble families of average strength in the capital. As long as the farm management method yields results, the boss will have a lot of allies!"
"I can rest assured that!"
Xue Pan chuckled, turned around and said to Xue Baochai: "Sister, please dress up well. When the time comes, the boss's house will be filled with talented people!"
Without waiting for Xue Baochai to ask in detail, he said cheerfully: "If nothing else, let's just say that none of the talented students under the boss who have succeeded in the imperial examination will be absent!"
"They are just a bunch of talented students. What kind of talents do they count?"
Aunt Xue said disdainfully: "Whether it is in the south of the Yangtze River or in the capital, there are many such guys, and there are not a few who live in poverty!"
Although Xue Baochai said nothing, he showed an expression of approval.
Xue Pan said with a smile: "My mother doesn't know that these guys are now receiving professional training. The boss plans to send them all to the government offices through connections. As long as they can successfully establish themselves as officials, it will not be difficult, and their future prospects will not be any worse."
go!"
"That's a dozen people. How capable is Brother Cong?"
Aunt Xue didn't believe it, but Xue Baochai paid attention in her heart. Wouldn't she really know it after waiting for a while?
If they were all assigned to government offices, they would really be able to achieve great success once they had official status. But I don’t know how Jia Cong would do it?
She also understood the implication of her brother's words. If there was a talented person that she liked, it would not be too late to make a note of it and get married after leaving the palace.
Although he is a little shy, his brother's move is much more reliable than his mother's idea.
I don’t know who blew the wind, but my mother actually thought about achieving a ‘good marriage’. Maybe she had some thoughts before, but now she is afraid to avoid it.
Whenever she thought of Baoyu's close relationship with Prince Zhongshun's favorite actor, she couldn't help but shudder.
At the same time, except for a few people who knew Jia Cong's situation very well, everyone who received the invitation was not very calm.
But no matter what, they all promised to attend the banquet.
Time flew by, and soon it was the day when Jia Cong set up his house and had a banquet.
There was a commotion in the backyard of Rongguo Mansion. Li Wan and his son Jia Lan met with the Sanchun sisters at the second gate. Miraculously, Phoenix Egg did not follow.
Li Wan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She really had nothing to do with Phoenix Egg, this 'not particular about' uncle, and didn't want to have too much contact with him at all.
It was a rare trip for the Sanchun sisters to leave the house. At this time, all of them looked energetic and happy. Even Xichun, who had always been cold-tempered, couldn't help but chatter non-stop.
They were curious about Jia Cong's residence outside and who he had invited, and they laughed happily from time to time.
When the young man and his mother-in-law arrived in the carriage, the group got on the carriage and left the house, heading straight for Jia Cong's residence.
After exiting Ningrong Street, we walked along the busy and noisy street for a while before arriving at the end of the field.
"You are all here, come in quickly and help me!"
At the gate of the backyard, Wang Xifeng greeted the group to get out of the car, and did not politely ask Sanchun for help. As for Li Wan, who was inconvenient, he did not come forward.
Jia Lan said something to her mother and hurried to the front yard. Far away, she heard Xue Pan shouting loudly, and a smile suddenly appeared on her little face.
There were only four tables in the front yard. At this time, Jia Cong's subordinates had all gathered, a total of fifteen or sixteen people, and the two invited ethnic scholars, occupying two tables.
There were a few old men from different generations sitting at another table. Jia Dairu was also among them, unable to act like an elder or a gentleman.
Xue Pan greeted Jia Cong, his younger brother, and two ethnology gentlemen, and the atmosphere was lively and joyful. Even the elders at the next table looked content and content.
Soon after, Jia Cong, Lian Er and Jia Rong, who were personally greeting the guests at the door, personally sent Lin Ruhai, who was red-faced and smiling, to the chief.
As for Lin Daiyu, her maid and mother-in-law personally sent her to the backyard, where she was received by Wang Xifeng and Qin Keqing.
Wow, when they saw Lin Ruhai coming in person, whether it was Jia Cong's younger brother or a generation of old men, they all stood up to say hello.
But before anyone could sit down, Wangcai, the young man who was still staying outside, rushed over and announced, "Young Master, the Crown Prince of Chu and the Crown Princess are here!"
After saying that, he took a breath and continued: "In addition, Lieutenant Qiu and his wife are also here, and they are at the door!"
As soon as these words came out, even Lin Ruhai couldn't help but look sideways. He had long heard that Prince Chu and Brother Cong had a close relationship, and now he had seen it.
In addition, the so-called "Qiu Jinwei" is Qiu Liang, the commander of the Wucheng Army and Horses Division who had cooperation and contact with Jia Cong when he cracked the big case of flower-making in the capital.
This person is the best among the noble disciples. He has made great achievements in the past and with the help of his family, he entered the Imperial Guard system and became the Dragon Imperial Lieutenant.
But it is different from the Long Jinwei that Jia Rong spent money to buy. It is considered as a peripheral member of the Ouchi Guards. After that, whether he takes the route of the palace guards, or joins the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion, or goes to the Beijing Camp to take up a position, it can be said that
The future is promising.
Even Lin Ruhai had heard about it, but he didn't expect that he still had friendship with Brother Cong. Even his wife brought him to the banquet to establish a household, which was incredible when he thought about it...