novelaction Chapter 938 Little Fish's Marriage
Chapter 938 Little Fish's Marriage
Xiaoyuer had clearly thought a lot on the way, and upon hearing this, he blurted out his thoughts without hesitation: "The Li family's intentions were quite obvious today. I guess Cousin Zhuzhu also noticed. I noticed that she didn't subtly pass me any messages while we were eating, which means that Miss Li's character and appearance are probably quite good."
However, on the other hand, she is now a daughter-in-law of the Li family, and her position is different. There are some things she can't say too much, otherwise she'll be disliked by both sides. In addition, Miss Li is the daughter of a wealthy and powerful family, so there are many things she needs to be careful about when inquiring.
In my opinion, it would be better to have my aunt invite the women of the Li family to the mansion under the guise of flower viewing, so that Grandma can personally assess the situation before considering anything else.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping'an understood. "So, you also think that a marriage alliance with the Li family would be a good idea?"
"Mmm," Little Fish nodded.
He made no attempt to hide anything from his family, saying, "I've reached the age where I should be getting married. The Li family is on the rise, so marrying into their family would be a good option."
Seeing the thoughtful expressions on her family members' faces, Xiaoyuer paused before continuing, "Marriage has always been arranged by parents and matchmakers. Although I haven't met Miss Li, the most important thing for the future mistress of the Zhang family is to be talented and capable in handling affairs, and to be able to manage the household well. Other things are not so important. And frankly speaking, I don't plan to be like you, Father, and insist on being with one person for life."
The implication is that it's not necessarily required to have a deep relationship with Miss Li or for her to be exceptionally beautiful.
He has always been clear about what he wants; all he needs right now is a suitable and virtuous wife.
Zhang Lao Er and Xu Shi didn't interfere much when they heard this. They knew the Li family well, and they were even related by marriage.
Hearing this, she said kindly, "The situation is different now than when your father got married, and it was even more different when your grandmother and I got married. Your grandmother and I can't be of much help, and we don't know the current situation, so we won't interfere. You two can decide this matter, and your grandmother and I will just cooperate."
"Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma!" Little Fish said obediently. "I know what I'm doing."
Zhang Ping'an had long known that his son was ambitious and scheming, so he wasn't too surprised by this statement.
He confirmed, "Aren't you going to think about it some more? I've always been quite open-minded about your marriage. I don't necessarily require the other person to have a good family background. In my opinion, being compatible and having a tacit understanding is very important."
Xiaoyuer waved her hand, her eyes firm, "Timacy can be cultivated. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. As long as the other party is a sensible and tactful woman who knows when to advance and retreat, that will suffice!"
“Alright, since you’ve thought it through, I’ll talk to your uncle tomorrow. He’s a man of principle and knows how to handle this. But even if our two families are interested in each other, we’ll have to wait a while. The national mourning period isn’t over yet, so this matter can’t be settled so quickly.”
"Hmm, no rush," Little Fish knew that such matters were very complicated and was not in a hurry.
Pengpeng watched from the side with some envy, secretly marveling at his cousin's good fortune, and thinking that he might also benefit from it in the future, which wouldn't be bad either.
So this matter was considered officially approved within the Zhang family.
The next day, Zhang Ping'an took some time to tell his brother-in-law, Qian Ying, about it.
Qian Ying was somewhat surprised by this, but upon further reflection, it seemed to be within expectations. Although she felt a little uncomfortable at first, upon careful consideration, she felt it wasn't so bad. At their level of status and position, their actions were no longer entirely driven by emotions, but rather by a weighing of interests.
“This is a powerful alliance between you two. Okay, I’ll talk to my wife about it. But I’m a little curious, why didn’t you choose the Cui family? As far as I know, the Cui family also has daughters of marriageable age, and they even have some connection with Xiaoyuer in Yangyuan County.”
"You even know that? You're very perceptive!" Zhang Ping'an joked, half-jokingly.
Qian Ying smiled and said, "In the capital, nothing stays hidden forever, especially since neither of your families has deliberately kept it a secret."
"To be honest, I think that some things, especially marriage, are also about fate. Maybe Xiaoyuer and that Miss Cui are not destined to be together. Last time I visited the Cui family, I felt that they seemed to want to send their daughter to the palace."
Qian Ying raised an eyebrow. "Enter the palace? Heh, it seems Cui Ling has quite the ambition. It's just that the chaotic times gave someone of his humble origins the opportunity to rise to power, otherwise..."
“Forget it, we’re all colleagues, let’s not talk about this anymore. In officialdom, who doesn’t have ambition?” Zhang Ping’an said.
“That’s right,” Qian Ying nodded.
Then, changing the subject, she spoke of the palace banquet on New Year's Eve, saying, "This year's New Year's Eve banquet in the palace is probably not going to be very good!"
Zhang Ping'an looked over after hearing this, "Are you talking about the discord between the Emperor and Empress?"
"Yes, ever since the Second Prince caused trouble and His Majesty returned to the throne, I feel that his temperament has changed a lot. He has become somewhat cold and unapproachable, and is not as gentle as before," Qian Ying sighed.
Zhou Pu's behavior when the eldest prince was seriously ill left a deep impression on him.
Zhang Ping'an had also sensed this, and he vaguely felt that it was related to what happened in Yangning Palace that night.
However, he casually agreed, saying, "Perhaps people change after sitting in that position, and there is a proper balance between ruler and subject."
"Maybe!" Qian Ying's eyes darted around, but seeing that she hadn't found out anything, she gave up.
He was always very efficient, and the next day he sent someone to tell Zhang Ping'an that the time had been set for plum blossom viewing on the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, and told Xu to prepare in advance.
Upon hearing this, Madam Xu immediately began preparations. As this was a major life event for her grandson, she took it very seriously.
In the past few days, Zhang Ping'an finally managed to find some free time and took the opportunity to visit Green Bean Eyes' residence.
After hearing the whole story, Green-Eyed Man became even more convinced that he disliked officialdom, but being caught up in it, he felt helpless.
At the same time, I feel fortunate for Zhang Ping'an, "Fortune favors the bold, and after this ordeal, you will surely have a smooth and successful future."
"Now that I'm middle-aged and have reached this position, I'm no longer so attached to these things," Zhang Ping'an said with a faint smile.
"Only when I come here to drink tea and play chess can I relax. Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, Xiaoyuer has reached the age to get married."
The man with the beady eyes casually placed a piece on the board and said with a smile, "What? From what you're saying, you've found someone suitable?"
"Yes, she's the eldest daughter of the Li family's main branch. It's still far from certain, I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic!"