Chapter 183: Chapter 178: Ingratiating
Zhao Hanzhang immediately stood up and said, "I will return with Uncle. I will go to pay respect to Fifth Uncle." She turned her head and whispered to Fu Tinghan, "My mother is here too. I’ll go fetch her back."
Fu Tinghan also stood up upon hearing this, "Then I’ll go with you all."
Zhao Hanzhang instructed Ting He, "Send someone to the barracks to bring Erlang back."
Ting He bowed and left.
Zhao Ming was silent for a moment before saying quietly, "You’re quite at ease, letting your mother return to Wu Castle alone."
Due to the supposed judgment of the high monk, Mrs. Wang wasn’t very welcome at Wu Castle, especially by the elders.
Their attitude directly influenced the ladies of the castle, so every time Mrs. Wang returned to her hometown, she was depressed.
Zhao Hanzhang urged, "Then let’s hurry to pay respect to Fifth Uncle."
The implication was to quickly go to bring people back.
Zhao Ming pursed his lips, stood up, and went out with Zhao Hanzhang.
Xiping County wasn’t that large, and the barracks weren’t very far from the county government. Zhao Erlang soon came running, covered in sweat, with nine sturdy young fellows following him.
Zhao Ming looked him up and down, feeling that he seemed even darker, though he wasn’t sure. He turned to Zhao Hanzhang and asked, "Has he grown taller again and darker?"
Zhao Hanzhang was very pleased with Zhao Erlang and praised, "He has grown taller. He’s only twelve now, eat more, and people will definitely praise him as a handsome young man in the future."
Zhao Ming was speechless, feeling she might have misunderstood the concept of handsome.
Zhao Ming advised Zhao Erlang, "Get less sun exposure; you’re too dark."
Zhao Hanzhang held a different opinion, "It’s not intentional sun exposure, just normal training. He’s still young, if he’s a little dark, it doesn’t matter. He’ll lighten with time. The important thing now is to learn skills."
"Turning thirteen after the New Year, almost ready for engagement, is this still young?" Zhao Ming said, "So dark, who would choose him as a groom?"
Already with a reputation of being foolish, if he’s not even good-looking, which family would want him?
Zhao Ming looked more and more upset, shifting his gaze away, "After noon, don’t let him go out, first nurture him, teach him some etiquette,"
He paused and asked, "Do you have a tutor there? If not, send him back to Wu Castle to study with the clan’s children. Has he memorized the family tree and teachings? Although he has no chance to meet the sovereign, he still needs to know the etiquette of greeting superiors, elders, and clan worship."
He said, "Winter Solstice is coming, when there will be many banquets. I will take him out and if there is a suitable young lady, we will decide on it."
Zhao Hanzhang was stunned, Zhao Erlang is only twelve, is he to be engaged already?
She quickly remembered and said, "Uncle, we are in mourning, we cannot go out for banquets or get engaged."
Zhao Ming glanced at her and said, "If not going out, people will visit us. When that happens, won’t he need to serve alongside without etiquette? These two years we can’t get engaged, but first look, choose a good person, and decide once you’re out of mourning."
"The good young ladies from each family are usually engaged before reaching adulthood. If you wait until he’s out of mourning to discuss marriage, what good proposal can you get?" Zhao Ming hinted, "He is already naturally disadvantaged; if not hurry, how can he have descendants?"
Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan listened, dumbfounded, both turned to look at the bewildered Zhao Erlang.
Though the child now looks tall and strong, he really is just twelve years old, and with the impact on his intellect, he is effectively an elementary school student.
Having to worry about engagement now...
Zhao Hanzhang swallowed and asked him, "Erlang, do you want to marry a wife?"
Zhao Erlang nodded without thinking, "Yeah, I do."
Zhao Hanzhang was stunned, "You want to?"
Zhao Erlang nodded, "Yeah, I do."
Fu Tinghan joked, "Do you know what marrying a wife means?"
"Yes," Zhao Erlang said naturally, "A wife can play with me and have babies. Mom said once I marry a wife and have babies, I won’t need to learn anymore since she’ll teach the kids and won’t have time for me."
Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh, Zhao Hanzhang directly said to Zhao Ming, "Uncle, let’s not trouble other families’ young ladies anymore; let’s wait until he grows and understands more."
Zhao Ming didn’t expect Zhao Erlang’s reason for marrying, and was speechless for a moment before saying, "As you wish, as long as you can convince my father."
Thinking of the worried Fifth Uncle, Zhao Hanzhang fell silent.
She didn’t mind much, considering her thick skin, but feared Mrs. Wang might not handle the pressure well, as Zhao Erlang’s marriage would definitely require her consent.
"Let’s go, we will fetch Mother."
Zhao Erlang followed them cluelessly.
By the time they returned to Wu Castle, it was already evening. Mrs. Wang had already paid respect to the clan elders and returned to the old house, which was lively now, with many aunties, elder sisters, sisters-in-law, and cousins present.
When Zhao Hanzhang entered with Fu Tinghan and Zhao Erlang, she heard laughter erupting from the main hall and stood mystified, not daring to approach.
A servant noticed her and hurried up to greet, "Young lady, you’re back."
Zhao Hanzhang curiously asked, "Who’s at home? How come it’s so lively?"
The servant smiled, "The old ladies from the fifth and sixth houses brought their children over to play; they are all young lady’s sisters, and the madam is entertaining them."
Zhao Hanzhang hesitated for a moment, looking at Fu Tinghan.
Fu Tinghan smiled, "You go ahead, the madam seldom returns to her hometown, she’s bound to socialize."
Zhao Hanzhang then had the servant bring Fu Tinghan to the backyard, while she led Zhao Erlang to the main hall.
The main hall was filled with women, not only the old ladies from the fifth and sixth houses but also other aunts and mothers from various houses, although the group was centered around these two.
Currently, a group was surrounding Mrs. Wang in conversation.
When Zhao Hanzhang entered, the noisy main hall quieted, and the young ladies playing inside instinctively stood up, looking at Zhao Hanzhang.
Even the aunts and mothers sitting beside Mrs. Wang stood up, realizing it was inappropriate but feeling too conspicuous to sit back down.
In that moment of hesitation, Zhao Hanzhang had already smiled and led Zhao Erlang to greet everyone, "Mothers, aunts, greetings, sisters, greetings."
Mrs. Wang laughed and chided, "Look at what kind of ceremony you are performing, it’s laughable."
She turned and apologized to everyone, "This child has been worried about outside affairs, her etiquette is lacking, I’ll have her pick it up and relearn."
The old lady of the fifth house laughed, "She didn’t make a mistake in the ceremony, it’s just for the young men. I think it suits her."
The old lady of the sixth house also laughed, "Indeed, Third Lady is now acting boldly outside; following her brothers in ceremony isn’t wrong."
Mrs. Wang was shocked. If it were before, Third Lady performing such a ceremony would have led to her being reprimanded, for failing to educate her daughter would be her fault.
But now...
Despite the many shocks she had faced, she was still overwhelmed by their tolerance and flattery, taking quite a while to recover.