Chapter 154: Dowry

Gu Jiu returned to Gu Mansion in a carriage.

As soon as he got off the carriage, he was pulled into the front hall.

Everyone was there, and the Hou Mansion also sent someone over.

Master Gu was the first to ask: "Why did Your Majesty call you into the palace?"

Gu Jiu blessed her body and said, "Your Majesty asked your daughter if she has said her relatives?"

"this one?"

Everyone frowned.

Mrs Xie held the handkerchief in her hand and stared at Gu Jiu with fierce eyes, "It's not that His Majesty wants the second girl to enter the palace."

"Shut up! If you can't speak, don't speak." Master Gu scolded Xie Shi sharply.

Xie's face was greatly embarrassed, her face flushed, and looking at Master Gu's fierce appearance, she was immediately aggrieved.

Master Gu lowered his voice and scolded: "Even Your Majesty, you dare to arrange it, are you tired of living?"

Xie's heart skipped a beat, and said hurriedly, "My concubine is just guessing."

Master Gu snorted coldly and ignored her.

"Xiao Jiu, did Your Majesty ask anything else?"

The eldest Mrs. Zhang asked softly.

Gu Jiu glanced at everyone and thought about it. It is estimated that everyone will know the truth of the matter tomorrow at the latest.

She cleared her throat and said, "Your Majesty also asked me if I would like to marry the emperor's grandson as my wife."

ah?

The crowd was shocked.

First, he was surprised that His Majesty would treat Gu Jiu differently, and he deliberately summoned her into the palace just to ask her if she would marry the emperor's grandson?

The second is that he was surprised that Gu Jiu would marry the emperor's grandson?

It's so strange how I can't understand this more and more.

Master Gu hurriedly asked, "Has your majesty said, which grandson should you marry?"

Everyone cheered up and paid attention to Gu Jiu.

Gu Jiu shook his head slightly, "Your Majesty never said that."

Master Gu frowned,

Can't figure it out. Can't figure it out.

He asked again: "Your Majesty asked you, how did you answer?"

Gu Jiu said, "Daughter talks about marriage matters, the matchmaker's words are ordered by parents."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Gu Jiu's answer was not wrong, but it was not outstanding, and it could only be said to be a standard answer.

"Your Majesty really didn't say, which imperial grandson did you marry?" Xie Shi didn't believe Gu Jiu, thinking that Gu Jiu had a traitor in her heart, so she asked aloud.

Gu Jiu nodded, "I really didn't say it."

Before the marriage decree came down, she didn't want to cause more trouble.

She will wait for the imperial decree to come down and then talk about everything. Even if someone wants to make trouble, she is not afraid of the imperial decree anyway.

Master Gu was full of lawsuits, "Brother, what do you think about this?"

The eldest master, Gu Zhiming, shook his head slightly, "I don't understand. It stands to reason that His Majesty should not know Xiao Jiu, but he summoned Xiao Jiu to the palace, or chose a wife for the emperor's grandson. I can't figure out how to think about this."

"I can't figure it out either." Master Gu frowned, and was about to die of worry.

The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, said, "Why don't you go to the Hou Mansion and ask. The Hou Mansion is well-informed, maybe they have already received news from the palace."

Master Gu nodded, "Should I go to the Hou Mansion and ask, eldest brother come with me?"

The eldest man nodded, "Let's go together. Just in time for the New Year's greetings to the uncle and aunt, maybe you can get a red envelope."

Everyone laughed.

The eldest man is a lot of age, and he still wants red envelopes, which is deliberately amused.

The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, laughed and scolded: "No one is right. When you meet the old man, the old lady, be more respectful."

The old man nodded, "Don't worry! I know what to do."

As soon as the two masters left, the female family was left in the front hall.

Xie shi stared at Gu Jiu, "Second girl, what's going on, we can talk about it now."

The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, looked at Mrs. Xie with a strange expression, "I don't understand what my brother and sister said. Xiaojiu has said everything that should be said, but listening to her brother and sister, it seems that Xiaojiu is hiding something. What's the point."

Mrs Xie looked at Mrs Zhang with a half-smile, "sister-in-law, this is a family matter for our second room, can you please leave it alone?"

Zhang Shi laughed, "Brother and sister, I'm sorry, I really have to take care of this matter. The second girl is indeed the child of your second family, but if she marries the emperor, this matter is not just a matter of your second family and your family. It's a big matter related to the whole mansion, and even the Hou mansion. As the head wife of the mansion, do you think I should be involved in this matter?"

Mrs Xie was so angry that she fell backwards. She didn't bother to bother Mrs Zhang, so she asked Gu Jiu directly, "Second girl, what is the reason for His Majesty's summoning to you?"

Gu Jiu said calmly, "Reporting to Madam, that's what I said before. Your Majesty asked me if I had said kiss, and if I wanted to marry the emperor's grandson as a wife. Other than that, there is nothing else."

"Why did Your Majesty invite you into the palace? There are so many famous ladies in the capital, how can you get His Majesty's special opinion?"

Xie Shi was full of anger, and asked Gu Jiu sharply.

Gu Jiu frowned, "The question that my wife asked is exactly what I wanted to ask. I also want to know why His Majesty called me into the palace?"

"you……"

Xie was about to die of anger.

The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, waved, "Xiao Jiu, you've been tired all day, hurry up and rest."

"Thank you auntie."

Gu Jiu turned around and left.

Mrs. Xie wanted to stop Gu Jiu, but was stopped by Mrs. Zhang.

"Brother and sister, I know your thoughts. Xiaojiu is not your own, so of course you don't want to see her marry the emperor's grandson and force Yue'er, Shaner and the others."

Xie's face was stern and frosty, "Sister-in-law, don't talk nonsense."

Zhang Shi pursed his lips and smiled, waved his hand, and all the maids withdrew.

She said to Mrs. Xie, "Brother and sister, today I'm going to tell you a few heartfelt words, so you can listen to it for now. How about it?"

"Sister-in-law, please speak."

Mrs. Zhang's face, Mrs. Xie still wants to give.

Mrs Zhang took a sip of tea, moistened her throat, and said, "Although Xiao Jiu was not born to you, in name, you are her mother and she is your daughter.

Brother and sister, you can't always pick on Xiaojiu's fault. You have to think about it the other way around. Xiaojiu really wants to marry his grandson. Let's not talk about the future, let's talk about the two years. Is it good for the elder sister who is the wife of the emperor's grandson to say kiss to Shan'er?

Even if you go out by yourself, when people hear that you are the mother-in-law of the emperor's grandson, will others look at you highly? "

Xie Shi had a blank face, "Sister-in-law said so much, what do you want me to do?"

Mrs. Zhang looked at Mrs. Xie with a half-smile, "In the end, it won't hurt for you to have a good marriage for Xiaojiu.

Even if Yue'er and Shan'er are not as good as Xiao Jiu, it doesn't matter.

The younger siblings can't just see the scenery in front of Xiao Jiu and ignore the sadness behind her.

Marrying a grandson as a wife is not an easy thing. When it is good, it is endless glory and wealth.

But if you are unlucky, you will die, and it will only be a matter of blink of an eye. "

Xie frowned.

Mrs. Zhang continued to whisper to her, "This time, the emperor's grandson chose his wife, and everyone in the capital avoided it. Do my younger siblings know the reason?

It is because the risk of marrying a grandson is too high. There is only one seat, and only one person can sit on it.

In other words, most of the princes and grandsons are not destined to end well.

Everyone doesn't have the life to gamble, so in order to save the family, they can only avoid it. Brother and sister understand? "

Mrs Xie frowned and looked at Mrs Zhang, "Sister-in-law is not optimistic about the East Palace?"

Mrs. Zhang raised her eyebrows and smiled, "How can I, a woman and a Taoist family, understand important matters in the courtroom. Don't talk about it, don't talk about it."

As she spoke, she waved her hand, obviously not wanting to talk about the East Palace.

Xie Shi gritted his teeth, "So, the second girl will really marry the emperor's grandson?"

"Maybe. If the imperial decree is really issued in the palace, the younger brother and sister will quickly prepare a generous dowry for Xiao Jiu."

Xie Shi laughed at herself, "Prepare a dowry for the second girl, but it's not my turn."

Mrs. Zhang was a little confused, "I don't understand what my brother and sister said. Does Xiao Jiu have to prepare her own dowry?"

Xie snorted coldly, "Don't my sister-in-law know that Sister Su's dowry has been in charge of my master all these years. From beginning to end, I have never touched it.

Before Sister Su passed away, she said that her dowry would be shared equally by Saburo and Eryatou.

With the half of the dowry left by Sister Su, and the second girl's marriage, I don't need to worry about it. "

Listening to Mrs Xie's resentful words, Mrs Zhang smiled contemptuously.

She didn't know what to say about the Xie Shi, but her heart was as big as the tip of a needle. Gu Jiu was about to get married, and she was still preoccupied.

No wonder Master Gu was very dissatisfied with the Xie family after the Erfang family returned to Beijing.

Xie's temperament, when Master Gu let go of the local parental official, had no effect on Master Gu.

The surrounding wives and wives, the Xie family has the highest status, everyone should hold the Xie family, as long as the Xie family does not go too far, everyone will tolerate it.

But now in the capital, the third-rank officials are walking all over the place, and the nobles are not as good as dogs in the capital. Master Gu has 100,000 mountains on it.

Xie shi still acted as always, thinking that it was in a local place, and everyone else would hold her.

Doing this, doing it, the first person who can't stand it is Master Gu.

Master Gu has already adjusted to deal with the situation in the capital with a new mentality.

However, Xie's mentality is still stuck in the past. The old lady is the biggest, you all have to listen to my state, sooner or later you will offend people and cause accidents.

Unfortunately, Mr. Xie didn't know it, and was still confident.

Gu Jiu's marriage was replaced by someone else in Xie's position. Even if Gu Jiu was not biological, others would be generous and happily prepare for Gu Jiu.

Gu Jiu married well, and the whole family had a good face.

Even if you can't ask Gu Jiu directly for help, you can still get some light indirectly.

Just like what Mrs Zhang said before, when Gu Shan talks about marriage, with Gu Jiu's name, he will definitely be able to talk about a better marriage. Erlangs can also marry better-born girls.

Mrs. Zhang herself was planning to wait for the imperial decree, and she would use Gu Jiu's name to tell her two sons two better marriages.

No matter how much everyone resists marrying the emperor's grandson, if someone in the family really marries the emperor's grandson, before the battle for succession is settled, it will always be a good thing for a family like the Gu Mansion.

Of course, for a family like Houfu, the harm outweighs the benefit.

Because they are forced to participate in the struggle for succession.

The Gu Mansion is an ordinary official family with limited abilities. If you want to participate in the battle for succession, the princes and grandsons may not like it.

The reasoning that should be said has been said, and Mrs. Xie is stubborn and does not listen to the advice, so Mrs. Zhang is too lazy to continue to waste her words.

Mrs. Zhang took a sip of tea, "If Xiao Jiu is really accused of marrying the emperor's grandson, the dowry will be at least 120, and 30,000 taels. It's better for my younger siblings to make plans earlier."

Xie's face turned green when he heard about 120 sets and more than 30,000 taels of dowry.

"Sister-in-law isn't joking. Thirty thousand taels? I don't believe that the dowry left by Sister Su can be thirty thousand taels. Even if there are thirty thousand taels, it is impossible to give all of them to the second girl, half of which will be distributed to Gu Jun."

Zhang Shi smiled, "This matter is discussed by the younger brother and the younger brother, and I will not participate."

Xie's face was stern, "Our family is not separated, the second girl gets married, how much money can the Gongzhong make?"

"According to the rules, the daughter of the direct descendant is 3,000 taels, and the girl of the concubine is 1,500 taels. Don't my younger brothers and sisters know about this? A few days ago, you sent someone to ask me for Gu Yue's dowry money. I said that on the tenth day of the first month. Five for you, did you really forget?"

Mrs. Zhang looked at Mrs. Xie with a half-smile.

Xie's heart was annoyed, "What can three thousand taels be enough for? It's not enough for the bottom of the box for the girl."

Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, "I can't help you with this. Even the Hou's mansion, the daughter of the first daughter, and the public servant will only give 5,000 taels of silver for the dowry, and the rest will have to be paid by the head of the house.

Brother and sister, we are not as good as the Hou Mansion, but three thousand taels are not a lot. It is more than ten times stronger than many officials and eunuchs in the capital. Thanks to the ancestors, let us enjoy Zumeng. "

Mrs Xie was blocked by Mrs Zhang so she couldn't speak, and her face turned blue.

Mrs. Zhang stood up, "Aiya, there are still many things to prepare for the banquet in the mansion tomorrow. Brother and sister, you are busy, I will go first."

Mrs. Zhang left with her maid and Mrs.

Mr. Xie picked up the teacup and was about to smash it on the ground.

As a result, her hand was in the air, and she remembered that it was Gongzhong's property. If she dared to smash the teacup, Zhang would dare to make her lose money.

Mr. Xie gritted his teeth and put the teacup back on the table.

She stood up, and Chun He, who rushed in, said, "Let's go back."

...

In Weiyang Palace, Fang Shaojian stood in front of the bed to report the situation.

The Queen Mother closed her eyes as if she was asleep.

But after Fang Shaojian's report was finished, the Empress opened her eyes instantly.

Her eyes shone bright as stars.

"Liu Zhao wants to marry Gu Jiu? Is this true?"

"It's absolutely true. Your Majesty summoned Gu Jiu. It is said that Gu Jiu behaved very well. His Majesty basically approved the marriage. It is estimated that tomorrow will be an order to confer marriage."

The Empress laughed, "Do you think Liu Zhao chose Gu Jiu, is he really stupid or pretending to be stupid? Or is he hiding something else?"

Fang Shaojian thought for a while, "The lady has seen Gu Jiu, what kind of girl is that?"

The Queen Mother recalled the process of seeing Gu Jiu and said, "She is a stable girl."

Fang Shaojian looked strange, "There are so many famous and noble women in the capital, and the young master chose Gu Jiu, who is not well-known. It's really strange."

"Exactly! This person Liu Zhao has a traitor inside. He took the initiative to provoke a dispute and gave Jin Wuwei an excuse to investigate the East Palace. If Ben Gong had not noticed it in time and caught the worms in the East Palace one by one, he would have almost succeeded. Ben Gong really underestimated him."

Fang Shaojian said: "In the past, I really underestimated Young Master Zhao. But he chose to attack at this time, which is a bit strange."

The Empress sneered, "It is estimated that Ben Gong is dying. I can't hold it any longer, and I want to jump out and say the weight of Dong Gong. I also took this opportunity to test Ben Gong's ability and see if Ben Gong can hold down Dong Gong."

"Niangniang can naturally hold down the East Palace."

"But the prince couldn't hold back the East Palace. Once Ben Gong left, the East Palace would be in danger with the Crown Prince alone. Liu Zhao clearly saw this. He chose Gu Jiu as his wife just to dispel Ben Palace's suspicions of him. Hmph, how could this palace be fooled by him?"

"What should I do next?"

The Empress frowned, a thousand thoughts flashed in her heart.

"Niangniang, do you want to fulfill the son's order? After all, the Gu family is not as noble as the honorable man. The son's marriage to Gu Jiu means that he will not get help from his wife's family. Maybe he will be held back by the Gu family."

The Empress asked, "How could you be held back?"

Fang Shaojian smiled and said: "Master Gu's current wife is a concubine Fuzheng, and it is said that she doesn't like Gu Jiu very much. Niangniang doesn't remember, Xie Mao, an official of the East Palace, is the elder brother-in-law of Master Gu."

The Empress suddenly realized, and finally remembered.

"Recently, my brain is stupid and my reaction is slow, and I forgot about it."

"My lady should take good care of her body."

The Empress waved her hand, "I don't have a few days left in this palace. If I die sooner or later, it's a death. I just want to arrange things properly before I die."

After a pause, she said, "Xie Mao seems to be useful."

"Exactly. Xie Mao can't do anything else, but he's a good player when he goes sideways."

The empress smiled sarcastically, "When the limelight passes, tell the crown prince to let Xie Maoguan resume his post and create trouble for the Gu family. Liu Zhao wants to marry Gu Jiu, and this palace will fulfill him. At that time, he will be held back by the Gu family, and he will blame himself."

"My lady is wise!"