The floor heating in Cixin Hall burned more vigorously than elsewhere. As Jiang Ancheng entered and removed his outer coat, he still felt warm.
“Mother, why did you summon your son?”
Madam Feng chided, “Of course, I have a reason, but shouldn’t you greet your cousin first?”
Jiang Ancheng looked at Cousin Dou in surprise, “Oh, Cousin is here too.”
He hadn’t paid much attention to the people in the old madam’s room, assuming at first glance that she was a newly added maid.
Reminded by Madam Feng that this was his newly arrived cousin, Jiang Ancheng suddenly recalled yesterday’s incident where his daughter was harassed. His face immediately turned cold, and he took a step back.
Cousin Dou curtsied to Jiang Ancheng, “Elder Cousin.”
Jiang Ancheng nodded coldly.
Madam Feng was immediately displeased at the sight.
For so many years, her eldest son had been infatuated with that vixen Su, and even though Su had been dead for so long, he wouldn’t even glance at other women. Was he still a normal man?
Although questioning her own son’s masculinity was somewhat embarrassing, Madam Feng couldn’t help but overthink.
She glanced sideways at her niece and sighed again.
She was beautiful and dignified, so why wasn’t he moved in the slightest? He was even so cold!
At this moment, Cousin Dou spoke up, “Aunt, if you have matters to discuss with Elder Cousin, I’ll take my leave.”
Watching Cousin Dou walk out, Madam Feng’s lips moved, but she didn’t end up asking her to stay.
It was still early, and it wouldn’t be good to be too obvious. Her niece was perhaps a bit too honest…
Madam Feng felt conflicted. On one hand, she despised women like Su who bewitched men, so she quite approved of her dignified and beautiful niece. On the other hand, she was anxious that her niece didn’t know how to captivate men, being too naive.
There were no perfect solutions in this world. Simply put, it was still her son who frustrated her.
After Cousin Dou left, Madam Feng’s face fell, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening.
“Mother, what’s the matter?”
“After this New Year, Zhan will be eighteen, right? And the Fourth Miss will be sixteen. As their father, don’t you have any plans?”
Jiang Ancheng was stunned at first, then smiled dismissively, “Cang hasn’t married yet, so there’s no rush for Zhan.”
Regarding his only son, he didn’t have high expectations. Currently, being able to enter the Jinwu Guard was already a pleasant surprise. In the future, as long as he could serve steadily, he would be content.
As for his son’s marriage, he was waiting for the day when that foolish boy would open his eyes and tell him what kind of girl he fancied. As long as the girl had a decent character and came from a respectable family, he would send a matchmaker to propose.
In one’s lifetime, without a throne to inherit, why put so much pressure on oneself? Being able to spend a lifetime with someone you love, that’s when life becomes flavorful.
Yes, life becomes flavorful… Thinking of this, Jiang Ancheng’s eyes stung a little.
His flavorful life was gone.
“How can the brothers be the same?” Madam Feng blurted out.
Jiang Ancheng snapped back to reality and asked, “How are they not the same? Cang is the eldest brother, there’s no need for Zhan to marry before him. Moreover, it doesn’t matter if boys marry a few years later. By then, their temperaments will be more stable, and they might even be more harmonious in marriage.”
Madam Feng picked up her teacup and took a sip, glancing sideways at Jiang Ancheng, “Cang will be taking the imperial examinations in three years. He’ll only discuss marriage after becoming a Jinshi. Does Zhan have to wait until then?”
Jiang Ancheng slightly pursed his lips, “It doesn’t have to be exactly three years, but there’s no need to rush. We need time to observe. Marrying a wife is about marrying a virtuous woman, don’t you agree, Mother?”
Madam Feng raised her eyebrows and said irritably, “What about Fourth Miss? Don’t tell me you’re taking that bet I made with her seriously?”
Jiang Ancheng’s eyes flickered.
He absolutely couldn’t take it seriously.
“First Miss and Second Miss both have unhappy marriages. Third Miss has her parents to make decisions for her. Are you going to let Fourth Miss run wild with her marriage?”
Jiang Ancheng fell silent for a moment.
“Choosing a marriage partner for a girl isn’t so simple. You, as a man, will inevitably overlook some aspects. I’m getting old and have less interaction with suitable families in the capital, so I’m not sure either. Do you want to see Fourth Miss encounter the same troublesome situation as her eldest sister?”
Jiang Ancheng’s expression changed slightly.
“In my opinion, there’s a solution right now.”
Concerning his daughter, Jiang Ancheng became more serious.
Madam Feng raised her hand to rub the corner of her eye, speaking earnestly, “Why don’t you take a second wife? Then there will be a mother to worry about the daughter’s affairs, wouldn’t that be much easier?”
Jiang Ancheng was shocked.
What was wrong with his mother today? First, it was about the children’s marriages, and now it had come to him?
Jiang Ancheng’s face turned cold, and he said directly, “No.”
“Eldest son!”
“Mother, there’s no need to say more. You persuaded me about this years ago, and my answer remains the same: I will not marry again in this lifetime. I don’t want anyone else’s tablet besides mine and Su’s after we pass away.”
“You fool!” Madam Feng was extremely angry.
Jiang Ancheng frowned at his mother, “Mother, why are you so angry? I have sons and daughters; not remarrying doesn’t make me unfilial.”
Madam Feng pointed at the door, “Get out of here!”
Jiang Ancheng stood up, “Then your son will take his leave. Please don’t take offense, it’s not worth damaging your health over this.”
Watching coldly as Jiang Ancheng hurried out, Madam Feng was so angry that she couldn’t catch her breath for a while.
This unfilial son!
Madam Feng silently consoled herself that there was still time, but she was still angry and threw her teacup to the ground.
Mama Feng tried to comfort her, “Old Madam, don’t be anxious. We need to take it slowly.”
Madam Feng wiped her hands with a handkerchief and nodded slightly.
Indeed, it couldn’t be rushed. Let’s wait until after the New Year when Fourth Miss’s bet becomes a joke. According to the agreement, she would be at her mercy then, and at that time, she could manipulate her eldest son.
With how much her eldest son doted on Fourth Miss, she didn’t believe he wouldn’t yield!
The mansion quieted down for a while, and in the blink of an eye, it was the Winter Solstice.
The Winter Solstice was a major occasion of the year.
In the Great Zhou, there were three major festivals: New Year’s Day, the Emperor’s Birthday, and the Winter Solstice. On these three days, the court would hold grand court assemblies, and all civil and military officials, princes, and nobles had to attend in full regalia.
On the day of the Winter Solstice, the Emperor would lead civil and military officials to the outskirts of the city to perform the Heaven Worship Ceremony, praying for favorable weather and national prosperity in the coming year. The state banquet would be held at noon in the suburban palace, while the family banquet would take place in the evening after returning to the palace.
Among the three major festivals of the year, Emperor Jingming’s favorite was the Winter Solstice. The reason was simple: the Winter Solstice allowed him to leave the palace for some fresh air.
Yes, you heard it right. What the ruler of the country looked forward to most was the once-a-year opportunity to get out of the palace.
Except for this day of worshiping Heaven, the Emperor had no chance to leave the palace. As for traveling incognito, well, that could only be a beautiful dream in storybooks.
Emperor Jingming had resisted when he was younger, but then he was impeached by the censors for half a year as if they had cornered a dog. After that, he behaved himself.
There was no choice; who told him to be a wise ruler? Otherwise, he would have killed all those bastard censors and pickled them in a wine pool.
Being a wise ruler always meant having to endure grievances.
After the routine Heaven Worship Ceremony, Emperor Jingming was in a good mood. Sweeping his gaze across the officials waiting for the banquet to begin in the hall, he quietly asked Pan Hai, “Which one is the Earl of Dongping?”
Well, he had been curious about this unfortunate fellow for a long time.