Half in the river wind, half in the clouds

At this time in the main house, Jiang's father and mother were indeed shocked by the "big thing" their son said. Jiang Zuo was usually honest and steady, but today he was fidgeting, his face was red, and his words were stuttering. Jiang's father held the kang table, stretched his neck and said in disbelief: "Zuo, you didn't misunderstand me, did you?"

Jiang Zuo blushed and said stubbornly, "It will not go wrong. Aunt Shen said that Master Zhang...Master Zhang meant that my father and mother should come forward to propose the marriage, which is in accordance with etiquette..."

Jiang Zuo looked at his father. The seventeen-year-old boy still felt uncomfortable talking about his marriage.

After thinking for a while, he handed Mrs. Shen's letter to Jiang's father with both hands. Jiang's father took it and quickly confirmed the content of the letter, then handed it to the anxious Jiang's mother.

Jiang's mother also had a face full of lawsuits, and asked anxiously: "Zuo'er, what is going on? Why is the daughter of the Minister's family going to marry into our family? This... this, what is going on?"

From Jiang Zuo's stumbling narration, Jiang's father and mother understood the general situation. The one who was going to marry into the Jiang family was the fifth daughter of Zhongshu Shilang Zhang Shuo, named Zhang Yuyue, and the youngest daughter of the Zhang family. That day, Miss Zhang went to the temple with her mother to worship Buddha, and met Jiang Zuo and Shen Guxing accompanying Madam Shen to worship. It happened to be raining heavily, and the two families were intercepted on the mountain, and they had to communicate. Madam Zhang liked Jiang Zuo very much. After some inquiries, she found out that he was just the child of a ninth-rank official in Liangzhou City, so she gave up the idea.

Later, Jiang Zuo passed the imperial examination and was appointed an official. In addition, Miss Zhang fell deeply in love with this young man whom she had only met once. Zhang Shuo and his wife had to make some inquiries. After investigation, they found that this young man had good soft and hard conditions except for his average family background: he had a good character, was calm and steady, had a handsome appearance, passed the imperial examination once, was promising at a young age, and had a promising future. Zhang Shuo was also born into a poor student family. He actually felt a sense of sympathy for Jiang Zuo. Later, he became more and more satisfied with him, so he asked Mrs. Shen to act as a matchmaker.

Jiang's mother always felt like she was listening to an opera, not very real. Thinking of the Zhang family's wealth, she felt uneasy and said hesitantly, "The Zhang family is a fourth-rank official, with a high position and power, and the whole family is rich, but I don't know how their daughter is educated. I'm afraid..."

Jiang's mother was afraid of marrying a Hedong lion, whose family was too powerful to beat or scold her, and her son would suffer in the end. Jiang's father also had this doubt, but it was inconvenient to say it, so he waited anxiously for Jiang Zuo's answer.

Jiang Zuo cleared his throat and said, "That Miss Zhang... is quiet and polite. Aunt Shen also said so..." This conversation was as stressful as an imperial examination, but when he thought of that beautiful girl with a sweet smile, he gritted his teeth and withstood the pressure.

Jiang's father and mother trusted their eldest son very much, and after listening to him, they had already agreed with him about 70% of the time. They immediately wrote a letter to Chang'an, saying that Jiang's mother and Jiang Zuo would come to Beijing to discuss the matter soon - they still had to see it in person.

As soon as the matter was settled, Jiang Zuo added another sentence in a nod. The couple's mouths, which had just closed, opened again in shock.

"Shen Guxing has feelings for Afeng?!" Jiang's mother's voice trembled. After thinking for a while, she said, "How old is Afeng! Besides, didn't Princess Cheng'an say that she had already set her eyes on Yiye?"

"That's exactly what I said. Princess Cheng'an is the seventh daughter of His Majesty. Although she is not the Queen's biological daughter, she is very favored by the Queen... Why didn't Yiye even become a consort and marry our daughter!" Jiang's father looked at his son suspiciously, and said sternly: "How did our family offend the person that Her Royal Highness the Princess likes? My son, don't talk nonsense!"

The Jiang family was doing well, but Jiang's father remained clear-headed. Shen Guxing was young and promising, elegant and handsome, and Jiang's father liked him very much, but he never dared to work hard on his children's affairs.

"Don't panic, father and mother." Jiang Zuo was much calmer when talking about his sister's bad luck in love. He thought for a moment and organized his words and said, "Yi Ye's father has passed away, and now he only has his widowed mother and younger brother. Aunt Shen just worships Buddha and doesn't care about other things. His younger brother is studying now, and he will graduate next year. I think he will be very good. Although his uncle helps a little, Yi Ye is the one who supports the family in the end. He is good at everything. Not only is he knowledgeable, but he is also talented in music and painting. Because of this, he made friends with the Prince of Baling by chance, and then got to know Princess Cheng'an. It is true that the princess married him..."

"That's not the case!" Jiang's mother interrupted.

Jiang Zuo paused, hesitating in his words: "The princess has been spoiled since she was a child, so it's inevitable that she is willful. Yi Ye doesn't like it very much. She came to Liangzhou last year for two reasons: one was to visit her uncle, and the other was..."

"Hiding from the princess?" Jiang's mother added helpfully.

Jiang Zuo nodded gently upon hearing this, inwardly admiring his mother's wisdom, and said without changing his expression, "But I didn't expect that the princess was so deeply in love with Yi Ye that she would not marry anyone else but him. Upon seeing this, Yi Ye has submitted a letter of resignation."

"Yi Ye wants to resign?" Jiang's father was surprised. This kid is so foolish. After marrying the princess, he will be a royal relative, which is an honor that others can't even ask for. He would rather resign than marry the princess?

"It's just that His Majesty has not yet agreed. Also, before I returned to Liangzhou, the Queen ordered that the princess be married to Wu Yanji, the legitimate son of Prince of Wei, Wu Chengsi."

Jiang Zuo calmed down, looked at his parents who were already in a daze, and continued, "Yi Ye saw that the imperial edict had been issued, and he told me the whole story when he was walking with me. He said that he fell in love with A Feng at first sight since he met her last year, and wanted to marry A Feng. Now that the big thing is about to be decided, he told me, which shows his sincerity."

You could hear a pin drop in the room. Father Jiang was deep in thought, but he felt that his brain was not enough. His wife thought of the royal majesty and raised questions first, saying anxiously: "Although the imperial decree has been issued, how can the princess be willing to accept it? I'm afraid this matter will not end well."

This was also what Jiang Zuo was worried about, but Shen Guxing was not afraid. When he gave this analysis to Shen Guxing, he saw that the young man was unrestrained and open-minded, and said loudly: "Why fear!"

His mother was pure and simple, and she had been living a secluded life since his father passed away. His younger brother had his own way to study. He was a passionate man and had vowed to serve the court, but he would not exchange his seven-foot body for wealth and glory. Jiang Zuo judged himself by others. If he had encountered such a thing, he might have surrendered and become the emperor's son-in-law.

His admiration for Shen Guxing increased a little more, and he looked up and said to his parents: "Father, mother, no matter how difficult it is to be perfect in this world, you have to choose one side. I know mother wants to marry my younger sister to Yuanhe, but that is not a perfect marriage. Yuanhe is mediocre, my aunt is strict, and my uncle is weak..."

Jiang Zuo looked at the sorrowful expression on Jiang's mother's face and continued, "I also secretly guessed what my mother was thinking. After all, I still have a blood relationship with my aunt's family. Even if your family is unreliable after a hundred years, Yuanhe will definitely not let my sister down. But let me tell you something, as a brother, am I going to sit back and do nothing about my sister?"

What mother in the world doesn't love her children? Jiang's mother insisted on marrying Jiang Feng to Yuan He, just to add an insurance policy to her daughter's marriage.

Jiang's mother believed that Jiang Zuo was a true gentleman who kept his word and a good brother who loved his sister. However, she was still worried.

It is true that once bitten by a snake, one will be afraid of ropes for ten years!

Jiang Zuo saw that his father had softened. Although his mother's face was covered with tears, she remained unmoved. She said helplessly, "What my son just said were all the intimate words that Yiye told me. He has never told anyone else. First, considering his deep love for Afeng, I hope you will think carefully about it. Second, Afeng is still young after all. It won't be too late to make a decision after seeing how the situation develops. Yiye didn't formally propose marriage, and I think that's what he meant. Things are not yet complete, and he is afraid of complications that will implicate Afeng, so he dare not propose marriage at this time."

The room was quiet again. Jiang's father was still in shock. Jiang's mother had already noticed something, but she didn't expect Shen Guxing to actually reject the princess! Jiang's mother supported Shen Guxing with one hand, thinking carefully and loving him deeply, and supported Shen Guxing with the other hand, being timid and not daring to make a decision. She had to think long and hard. But before making a decision, she still ordered Jiang Zuo to keep it secret and not to tell Jiang Feng a word. She wanted to write a confidentiality agreement and let Jiang Zuo sign it.

The next day, everyone in the Jiang family knew that Jiang Zuo was looking for a wife, and that the wife was the daughter of the Minister of Works. Soon after, the wives of the governor and the commander also came to visit. Madam Dou slapped her thigh and said after realizing it, "In the early spring, the wife of the censor asked about your Dalang. I was surprised at the time, but now I think she must be asking for the Zhang family. Sister, I told Madam Su at the time that Jiang Zuo is the incarnation of Wenquxing. Hey, his writing is so good that even my grandfather praised him. He is also handsome, steady and motivated, and Madam Su was so praised that she exclaimed, 'There are such good young men in the world!'"

"Sister, you are too kind. The child is not that good. It is all because of your kindness." Jiang's mother replied politely and warmly, taking the governor's wife's hand.

"Mrs. Dou is right. Your young master really deserves these words! Speaking of which, I envy you like crazy. My evil boys get a headache just by looking at books. They love to play with guns and sticks all day long. Yesterday, my second son came back with injuries all over his body. I am really worried about him." The captain's wife successfully shifted the focus of the gathering to praise Jiang Zuo and focus on her son's safety education.

Jiang Fei stayed behind to serve tea. When the ladies gathered, there would always be girls serving in front. First, they were good-looking, good-tempered, and could bring honor to their parents. Second, it was to show their favor, and to show off their precious jade. Third, it was a means of education and improvement. In the 21st century, it was called seeing the world. Among those ladies, there were royal wives and noble ladies. Some were good at tea making, and some were good at managing the household. After a round of communication, they would always gain something.

Such a thing was not Jiang Feng's turn. She withdrew, returned to the bedroom, and took out the brocade box from the deepest part of the cabinet, which was handed to her by Jiang Zuo.

The lid of the brocade box is carved with a picture of apricot blossoms and drizzling rain. A girl in a light pink dress is swinging on a swing, her dimples filled with smile.

Did he really refuse the royal marriage for her? Could he really abandon everything and retire to Nanshan?

Opening the brocade box, there was a thick stack of letters. She took out the top one, and her slender fingers stroked the vigorous signature. Her heart followed the pair of yellow swans flying over mountains and seas to the prosperous Chang'an.

Look at the young man bending over the desk carving a small portrait of a girl, occasionally smiling knowingly, as if the girl with a smile is right in front of him. The young man tasted the sweetness of love for the first time, but also tasted its bitterness and torture. His sweetheart was thousands of miles away, and the nobles in the royal family were pressing him step by step. Every night when it was quiet, he thought bitterly that one day he would marry her with a phoenix crown and a red robe, and he would hold her face in his hands, look into her eyes and ask her: "I have suffered so much for you, how are you going to repay me in this life?"

Missing her so much, I put my thoughts into writing. Jiang Feng's thoughts flew, and I recited the lingering love poem over and over in my heart.

A pair of yellow swans came from the heavenly road.

Flying on the clouds and staying on the water,

Caress the wings and sing the whole feather tribe.

As a last resort, they suddenly separated.

My home is in Yujing, facing Ziwei.

The host saw the general off by the water.

The sad sound of the flute makes the dancers' clothes fall.

The guests want to disperse but they stay together again.

I have traveled back and forth to the extreme shore several times,

Still lingering in the setting sun.

The fire on the shore greets us,

The night is coming to the border town.

The horses return and the beauties disperse.

I am sad and alone.