I Have No Qualifications, The System Asked Me To Marry A Wife To Practice
Chapter 21: Determining The Candidates For The Concubine Room
Natural disasters and man-made calamities, along with economic downturns, always lower people's bottom line by a lot.
Sell a daughter?
As long as one can endure the difficulties, selling a daughter can ensure wealth and prosperity for the family. Why not do it?
After Chu Shen looked through the portrait scroll, he had a more pessimistic expectation of the overall environment in Nanping City.
"What virtues and abilities do I, Chu Shen, possess that can attract so many families to offer their daughters in marriage?"
He closed the portrait scroll and put on a show of false modesty with Yu Yazhi.
Although Yu Yazhi was a newcomer in the dental profession, he was an expert at observing people's words and expressions. Of course, he could see that Chu Shen was actually a little proud. "I wonder which young lady Mr. Chu has set his sights on?"
Chu Shen thought for a moment. "Then it would be Miss Hu from the Hu family, as well as Miss Zhao from the Zhao family."
He had carefully considered this.
The path of cultivation consumed a great deal of resources. He must have a legitimate source of wealth, otherwise anyone could see that his wealth was of unknown origin, leading to covetousness and causing many troubles.
So he was still very focused on the operation of the Chu family's cosmetics shop. However, lacking a solid foundation, it currently only had a superficial appearance of prosperity, and the actual sales volume was not ideal.
But it was different from forming an alliance with Yuanxiang Hall. Yuanxiang Hall, which lacked a source of goods, had channels and foundations in Nanping City that far surpassed the Chu family's shop. The Chu family's shop, on the other hand, had no shortage of goods and could make up for this deficiency of Yuanxiang Hall. The combination of the two could have a significant impact on the local rouge and powder market in Nanping City.
That's what true wealth and prosperity meant.
Moreover, Miss Hu from the Hu family was very beautiful, with delicate skin and a refined appearance. He liked her very much.
Zhao's fourth daughter is the granddaughter of the household division of the Nanping City government.
In the Dazheng Xian Dynasty, local government offices were divided into two levels: county and prefecture. The head of the county was called the county magistrate, while the head of the prefecture was called the prefect. These were all officials.
Nanping City was a county-level administrative region, and the head of the household was the county magistrate of Nanping City. Following the central government of the Xian Dynasty, there were six divisions: administration, household, punishment, military, ritual, and labor. The main official in each division was called a "cao." For example, the main official in the household division was called the "hucao." These were all officials.
The position of "fencao" was the deputy of the cao official and also an official. It was considered the lowest level within the official system of the Dazheng Xian Dynasty.
At first glance, it may seem insignificant and not a prestigious position of power. However, if we compare it to a similar position in Chu Shen's memory, it would be equivalent to the deputy director of a city bureau at the Earth Grade level.
For most ordinary people, the fencao was still an "official," wielding a power that ordinary people could not contend with.
There is a saying that goes, "A county magistrate can ruin a family, and a prefect can exterminate a clan." Little did people know that many times, it was these officials who were the instigators behind these ruinous events.
Because officials were temporary positions that often changed every few years, while the local officials (li) were deeply rooted in the area and held the power closest to the people, they were the ones who could directly threaten the people.
Since Zhao Fencao "humbled himself" and shamelessly included his granddaughter as a concubine candidate, indicating his desire to collude with him, Chu Shen had to consider the troubles that refusing could bring. In the absence of other unfavorable factors, accepting became the inevitable choice.
Fortunately, Miss Zhao was not bad-looking. Apart from her slightly androgynous temperament, she had the appropriate qualities and characteristics that Chu Shen could accept.
As for the other candidates, they were far inferior to these two, not only in terms of family background but also in terms of appearance. Therefore, they were not considered.
Seeing that Chu Shen had made his choice, Yu Yazhi praised him for having good taste and such. He respectfully took the portrait and left the Chu family.
Chu Shen also began to prepare for the related ceremonies.
This time, rather than calling it taking concubines, it is more like a collaboration. It is different from when Ning Xiangyue and the Chen sisters entered the family, not only does it need to be lively, but also some ceremonial rituals need to be held to announce this information to the outside world.
Ning Xiangyue and her three daughters also understand the difference, so they are not making a fuss. Instead, they carefully protect the pregnant woman while starting to arrange things.
Chu Shen looked at the busy women and then at the courtyard, sighing.
The family is expanding a bit too fast, and this house is too small. They need to get a bigger courtyard. When Yu Yazhi comes over tomorrow, he will be entrusted with this matter.
...
When the Chu family was preparing to take concubines, the two families who received Yu Yazhi's reply had mixed feelings.
Miss Hu from the Hu family accepted her fate. She was originally a concubine-born child and had no status in the family. Her character was also obedient, or to put it bluntly, weak. She had long been mentally prepared.
She was well aware of the difficulties in the Far Fragrance Hall. Seeing her father in distress, her stepmother's gloomy face, and her own mother's worry and fear, she knew that the situation in the Hu family was much worse than the rumors outside.
Before the news of Chu Shen taking concubines came out, her father even planned to give her to a wealthy businessman in his sixties as a concubine in exchange for financial support. This made her biological mother shed tears and repeatedly lamented her unfortunate fate, leaving her pale and overwhelmed with fear.
The thought of being pinned down by a man old enough to be her grandfather made her feel nauseous, but she had no other options.
Now, if she can be exchanged for a young and promising man, she should not be too dissatisfied, right?
In comparison, Miss Zhao from the Zhao family had a much more intense reaction.
When she learned that she had been promised to someone by her grandfather, and as a concubine at that, Miss Zhao became extremely angry. She stormed into the study and shouted at her grandfather and father who were discussing something, "I won't marry! Why should I become someone else's concubine? Just because I am a concubine-born child, am I not as noble as the main branch?"
The Zhao family remained calm and did not speak, but Miss Zhao's father was furious. "You wicked child, is this how you speak to your elders?"
Miss Zhao Si has a strong personality and disdainfully said, "You all want to sell me off. How am I supposed to talk to you?"
"You are my biological child, raised by me. Without your father, would you even have the opportunity to throw a tantrum here? Go back to your room and obediently wait to get married!" Mr. Zhao is not a good father and doesn't treat this illegitimate daughter as his own. His attitude is very bad.
Zhao Hu Fencao sighed, held Mr. Zhao back, and only then spoke to Miss Zhao Si, "Chulu, your marriage has been arranged by your grandfather."
This grandfather is much better towards Chulu than her father. Of course, this doesn't mean Chulu is grateful, because Zhao Hu Fencao is essentially manipulating and favoring whoever among the grandchildren is more capable.
Clever Chulu realized this and has been trying hard to prove herself, which is why she now has the capital to speak loudly in the Zhao family.
"Grandfather, why are you treating me like this? Haven't I done well enough?" Chulu asked.
Zhao Hu Fencao shook his head, "No, Chulu, you have done very well. Among the younger generation of the Zhao family, you are the most diligent and hardworking one, which is why grandfather is arranging your marriage as a reward."
Chulu was almost infuriated and raised her voice, "Being a concubine is a reward?"
Zhao Hu Fencao laughed, "Then tell me, if you give up this opportunity, who do you think you will marry in the future?"
Chulu was stunned. As an illegitimate child, if she wanted to become a legal wife, she would either have to marry those spoiled young masters or marry into families lower than the Zhao family. In any case, she would never be able to marry those truly capable and promising scions.
"But I don't want to become a merchant's concubine either," Chulu said.
Zhao Hu Fencao patted her head, "But you forgot, that merchant is an 'outsider'."
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