After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

Chapter 654 Top Scholar's Red Hot Pot with Two Sides

"Thirty years of top scholar red? Why didn't you say so sooner? Your elder brother from the clan is here, so as his master, I naturally have to meet him. After all, he's an elder, isn't he?"

"Yes, that's right. Things like the 'Top Scholar's Red Wine' are not important. What's important is that Master wants to meet my family brothers."

"You brat, all you do is make fun of your own master."

Jiang Xiaoqi smiled slyly. He knew that if he sent out Zhuangyuan Hong, his master would definitely come out to eat hot pot with him.

No matter how delicious the hot pot is, it can't compare to the allure of Zhuangyuanhong!

After leaving Ouyang Zheng's courtyard, Jiang Xiaoqi turned around and went to Lin Yueniang's courtyard.

My mother and I will definitely have dinner together in the evening, but the men and women will sit at separate tables. My mother, grandmother, and sixth sister will sit at one table.

After all, there was a man from outside the family present. If it were family, there would be no need for this. Jiang Weier was an unmarried woman, and even her own family members had to avoid danger.

In this era, there was nothing that could be done. No matter how enlightened Landlord Jiang and his wife were, they were still within certain boundaries. They wouldn't be as open-minded as their elders in later generations.

Jiang Weier is now nineteen years old, which is considered an old maid in the Great Zhou Dynasty. However, she is not worried, and no matter how anxious Old Madam Jiang is, it is useless.

Jiang Xiaoqi had also observed that several of the scholars who had been sponsored by Lord Qiu were now all Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

Among these people, there were one or two who were of suitable age and good-looking.

However, one of them was already married, and after passing the imperial examination, he sent a letter to invite his wife and parents to the capital.

The other one isn't married yet, but is engaged.

Jiang Xiaoqi couldn't bring herself to steal a bride, so all of them were rejected.

He then turned his attention to the newly recruited scholars of the Hanlin Academy, but after looking them over, he found none who satisfied him.

It's either that I feel our personalities clash, or I feel that his character is questionable.

Of course, there were also those who took the initiative to befriend Jiang Xiaoqi, knowing that he had an older sister who was about to get married, and some even had the idea of ​​proposing to him.

However, Jiang Xiaoqi's sixth sense was too accurate, and she could immediately recognize that those people were not sincere and just wanted to curry favor with the Jiang family.

With many members of his family holding official positions, he has become a powerful, albeit not insignificant, patron.

Especially for those in Na who have no family background or support, and whose entire family or even the county has only produced one successful person, the Jiang family is like a big tree under which they can take shelter.

Jiang Xiaoqi refers to this type of person as an ancient "phoenix man" (a man from a poor background who achieves success), not because he's afraid of being exploited and having no descendants, but because he'll protect his sisters.

Such people are not necessarily malicious, but Jiang Xiaoqi still believes that marriages between people of similar social standing are more likely to last.

This is also the biggest influence he has received since he traveled to ancient times; his way of thinking is slowly becoming organically integrated with the people of this era.

Discard the dross and retain the essence.

He only truly understood many truths that had been passed down for thousands of years a thousand years ago.

These old sayings are not all dross, nor are they all garbage produced by feudal ethics.

The wisdom of the ancients in their daily lives far exceeds the imagination of later generations.

In short, Jiang Weier's marriage is now a huge weight on the hearts of everyone in the Jiang family, even though Jiang Xiaoqi thinks that nineteen years old is just the age of a freshman in college.

However, in the Great Zhou Dynasty, nineteen years old was synonymous with an old maid.

As for Jiang Weier's own suggestion, Jiang Xiaoqi rejected it without even thinking about it.

Becoming a concubine to the Second Prince? Forget it!

Supporting one's own people is one thing, but involving the harem makes things complicated.

Once nepotism or the offspring of the imperial harem are involved, it becomes difficult to remain a loyal and upright official.

Even if you have no ambition, your surroundings and everything around you will force and push you to become a tool in the struggle for power.

Jiang Xiaoqi didn't want herself and her family to become like that, just like Minister Tong and others.

They already possess so much, yet they might have to give up everything for a grandson with royal blood, using the blood of the entire clan to nourish and nurture him.

Ugh~ Just thinking about it makes my hair stand on end and my back break out in a cold sweat.

It was as if the unseen silver blade had just grazed my neck.

I can't think about it anymore. Let's think about the 30-year-old Zhuangyuanhong wine and the tomato and spicy hot pot!

After a burst of wild, unrestrained thoughts, Jiang Xiaoqi had already arrived at Lin Yueniang's courtyard.

I adjusted my expression and simply said that we'd have hot pot for dinner.

"Why didn't you say so earlier that Jiang Lin and Jiang Yan were coming today? There's no time to prepare a gift for them now."

"No need, no need. Everything that needs to be prepared for them has been prepared. If Mother is too polite to them, it will put pressure on the cousins."

Jiang Xiaoqi brought up the matter of Zhuangyuan Hong again, and Lin Yueniang laughed and said, "You child, you only know how to use this trick to coax your master."

It's fortunate that Mr. Ouyang has a good temper and is lenient with you.

As the two were talking, Jiang Weier also arrived at Lin Yueniang's courtyard. Jiang Weier always respected this mistress.

After all, once I arrived in the capital, I realized what kind of lives other women from concubines lived, though most of them only appeared glamorous on the surface.

As the mistress of the house, Lin Yueniang was already extremely tolerant and generous, not bothering with trivial matters.

"Sixth Sister is here."

"Greetings to Mother. This is a piece of stationery that I made in my spare time. Mother, please use it for fun."

"It's so exquisite, and it's even my favorite flower. You've put a lot of thought into it. Your brother said we'd be having a hot pot with two broths together tonight, so we're in for a treat."

"Is it the tomato hot pot from last time? That was better than the mushroom hot pot."

"Sixth Sister has such good taste! The tangy tomato broth and the spicy broth go perfectly together!"

The two came out of Lin Yueniang's courtyard together, and Jiang Weier seemed to have something to say.

"Sixth Sister, just say what you want to say. Let's not be so distant with each other."

Jiang Weier smiled. She doesn't smile often, and when she did, it was as if an iceberg was melting.

"Seventh Brother, don't worry too much about my affairs. Fate is something that can't be rushed."

Jiang Xiaoqi said seriously, "Sister, I'm not in a hurry. It's Grandpa and Grandma who are in a hurry. I don't want you to settle for less."

Jiang Wei'er sighed softly, "Seventh brother, I know you mean well. But marriage is predestined and cannot be forced."

I don't want to get married just for the sake of getting married. If I can't meet the right person, I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life.

Wouldn't it be good to travel around and do business like my mother? I'm not a weak woman who can't even kill a chicken.

I'm good at financial management and accounting, and I also have some basic skills, so I can protect myself even when I'm out in the world.

"Sixth Sister, I know you are very outstanding, but you can't be sure about fate."

It might suddenly come one day; just seize the opportunity and don't miss it.

If you still feel that marriage isn't as fulfilling as your own freedom, then I'll arrange for you to leave the capital and live the life you want, everything will be done according to your wishes.

"Really?"

"The goods are even more genuine than those at Liuxiang Pavilion!"