Liu Laosan narrowed his eyes seriously, "Girl, who told you these words?"
Su Tai shook her head, "No one told me, I read it myself. I have never studied before and I don't have any ideas. I followed Mr. Tang's enlightenment and listened to some stories about scholars who have empty ambitions but are unable to use them. I just have some feelings." .
Let me tell you! The emperor should bypass the aristocratic families and do what Mr. Tang gave the test to his children. All scholars who want to be officials will take the test. Whoever gets good grades will get the upper hand. At least it will be fairer than now, and the emperor will not have to be controlled by the aristocratic families. ”
Liu Laosan thought Su Tai's idea was ridiculous and shook his head: "You, you, you don't understand! If only things were that simple!"
Su Tai shrugged, "I really don't understand. Anyway, I know that Mr. Tang's method of testing children is very good. Children who do well in the test are rewarded, and children who do not do well are rewarded and will not blame others. After all, they have no family." Have the ability.”
Liu Laosan didn't continue the topic, but he didn't know that Shen Tian on the side had already listened to Su Tai's words and had an idea.
In order to prevent everyone from noticing her strangeness, she suppressed her racing heart and lowered her head, looking as if she was drowsy.
An ordinary conversation ended, and from the next day, Shen Tian went to Su Tai to drink tea and chat whenever she had time, telling her some things that she couldn't figure out or confused, and listening to Su Tai's opinions.
Some of her problems were related to living in the house, some related to getting along with mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and ways to make money. Occasionally, they were mixed with some issues that had something to do with political affairs.
Su Tai did not doubt his presence and expressed her opinions one by one.
Shen Tian felt more and more that Su Tai was different and truly admired her.
In a blink of an eye, it’s the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
After running all the way, Suchuan and others finally returned to Shenjiazhuang.
Chen Mu eagerly expected his son to bring his daughter back, but he didn't expect that his daughter didn't come back and he even lost his wife. His expression changed instantly.
Shen Dagou hurriedly explained and told the whole family that Shen Tian was granted a marriage by the emperor.
The entire Shen family was shocked.
Chen Mu licked the corners of his dry mouth and tugged at the corners of his lips dryly, "What nonsense are you kidding! You can't make such a joke!"
"Yes, husband, we are just ordinary people in a remote place like Lizhou. How could the emperor suddenly grant a marriage to the second sister-in-law?" Wei Erya also felt that Shen Dagou was teasing them.
Shen Dagou was about to cry but had no tears. He simply explained the situation and sighed again and again, "Sister Su Tai and my mother are in the imperial capital to help prepare for the wedding. Although the queen has prepared a dowry for my sister, our family cannot give nothing, dad. , Daughter-in-law, let’s see what we do together.”
The person Shen Tian married was not an ordinary person, and she definitely couldn't be judged by ordinary marriages. This was also the reason why it was difficult for him to make up his mind.
Chen Mu didn't understand this, so he immediately panicked and hurriedly asked for help from my mother, "Mom, you have eaten more salt than I have eaten food. What do you think?"
Mrs. Chen trembled and opened her mouth, "How do I know this! I, I know in my whole life that the greatest official is the county magistrate, and this belongs to the emperor, queen, and prince. I, I, I, I'm scared!"
Mrs. Chen showed her timidity for the first time, which made Shen Mu even more panicked.
Fortunately, Wei Erya reacted first, "Dad, why don't we ask Shen Yi? He has a lot of knowledge and may be able to give us some advice."
"Yes! Find Shen Yi! Find Shen Yi!"
Shen Mu hurried out of the house. When he arrived at Shen Yi's house, he found that Suchuan and the others had not left yet, so he hurriedly asked his questions.
Shen Yi scratched his head and said, "Uncle, I think we can just do what we can, and we can't compare with those noble ladies."
"What do those noble girls' dowries look like?" Shen Mu asked eagerly.
Suchuan had no choice but to tell what he knew.
When Chen Mu heard that it was furniture, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and several thousand taels of stuff at the bottom of the box, his eyes darkened.
He really doesn't have the strength. Shen Yi comforted and said: "Since my godfather accepts Tiantian as his goddaughter, and Tiantian is also my goddaughter, I will help pay for part of her dowry, uncle, don't worry."
"How can this be so embarrassing!" Shen Mu's face turned red and he was very embarrassed.
Shen Yi persuaded him a few more words before he staggered back.
The family discussed it carefully for two days. When Shen Dagou was about to leave, Shen Mu gritted his teeth and took out a thousand taels.
"Son, don't blame dad for being partial. The main reason is that your sister is marrying so well. Our family can't afford to give her less, which will make people look down upon her!"
Shen Dagou breathed a sigh of relief when he got one thousand taels, "Dad, don't worry, if I add a little more here, our family will definitely be able to make my sister marry well."
He went to the caravan so many times and got more than 10,000 taels of silver. This time he and his wife discussed giving Shen Tian 5,000 taels to put in the bottom of the box. Shen Mu gave 1,000 taels, and they gave out 4,000 taels. Two, this is not a small amount of money.
The caravan set off and arrived at the imperial capital with a hundred carriages of goods.
The boxes on several of the carriages were filled with miscellaneous items, which Su Tai requested by name.
The things were sent to Yong'an Hou Mansion.
Su Tai immediately asked people to move it to the backyard, and replaced the contents with two boxes of exquisite silver jewelry and some precious jade. After taking out a three-ton piece of mutton-fat white jade, Liu Laosan was completely shocked.
Su Tai said: "This piece of jade is carved and polished. It will definitely shock the scene when placed in a dowry. There are other jade stones that can be used to make jade pendants, jade seals, hairpin bracelets, etc. Please help your godfather find a reliable master."
Liu Laosan immediately asked the housekeeper to do it.
In addition to these, there are items such as cotton cloth and several thousand taels of silver.
By piecing together here and there, they themselves can put together a messy and decent dowry.
Mixed into the dowry given by the queen, Shen Tian's dowry became much richer.
The final dowry list was received in the palace.
The queen was very happy.
"Mother, it seems that the Shen family is not as difficult as we thought."
The jewelry and jade alone were worth tens of thousands of taels, and there was also the silver at the bottom of the box. Even without the dowry she gave, these things were enough.
The Queen Mother deeply agreed, "I heard that Shen Tian's eldest brother is in business. Naturally, his family's wealth will not be that bad, but it is not as good as that of aristocratic families."
At first she thought Shen Tian was of low status, but now the more she looked at it, the more she felt that this girl had a good family background.
On the eighth day of March, Shen Tian got married from the Yong'an Marquis Mansion.
Shen Dagou's family of three burst into tears.
Ever since Shen Tian got married, the family of three has been in a state of disbelief. It wasn't until Sanchao returned home and saw the sixth prince Murong Chen accompanying Shen Tian to the Yong'an Marquis Mansion that the family felt a little more at ease.
The matter in the imperial capital was settled, and it was time for the family of three and Su Tai to set off back.
Before leaving, Su Tai earnestly told Liu Laosan, "Godfather, I've left ten thousand taels for you. You can use it first. You don't have to live so frugally. It will be fine when the shop starts to make a profit."< br>
Liu Laosan refused to take anything, but Su Tai kept the money and walked with the caravan. (End of chapter)