Footsteps sounded outside; it was Jia Zhen from the Ningguo Mansion, arriving with his wife, Madam You.
Behind them followed his son, Jia Rong, and his wife, Qin Keqing. Qin Keqing was graceful and delicate, with a charming personality, gentle and serene demeanor, and a beautiful face that could attract a man's attention at first glance. She possessed the gentle elegance of a well-bred young lady, even earning praise from Grandmother Jia.
"It's Zhen-ge'er! Come, sit down. We can talk now," Grandmother Jia gestured for Jia Zhen and the others to sit. Although the Jia family was divided between the Rongguo and Ningguo Mansions, there wasn't much of a distance between them.
They were all from the Jia family lineage; blood was thicker than water!
After Grandmother Jia explained the matter, Jia Zhen seemed somewhat surprised. He sat down and pondered for a moment, then asked for the opinions of the others, wanting to see what they thought.
Forced into a corner, Jia Zheng could only grit his teeth and say, "I agree to marry Tan Chun to Lu Ming."
"What! That's a wolf in sheep's clothing! Second brother, don't be foolish! Just thinking about Ying Chun's fate brings tears to my eyes. It's all my fault!" Jia She shouted, even squeezing out two crocodile tears. It was a truly heartbreaking sight, enough to make anyone weep. It would be a shame if it weren't included in Beijing Film Academy textbooks!
No one believed Jia She's behavior was genuinely out of compassion for Ying Chun. Absolutely not. They knew Jia She all too well.
This old scoundrel had no good intentions. Now, by preventing Tan Chun's marriage, he might be plotting something else entirely.
"If Tan Chun can ensure the Jia family's safety, then I think this marriage is worthwhile," Jia Zheng said, seemingly gaining confidence. "Besides, marrying Lu Ming isn't a bad thing. I recently heard he's newly established three departments: besides the Education Department, there's the Department of Education, the Department of Medicine, and the Department of Textiles, all staffed with women. With her abilities, San Ya'er's future might not be bad."
"Uncle, what do these three departments do?" It was none other than the newly arrived Qin Keqing who asked the question. She seemed gentle, but her question hit the nail on the head.
If they didn't have much power, then it was just a side job, greatly diminishing their significance.
"The Department of Astronomy is responsible for sacrifices and exorcisms. It not only helps the government but also exorcises evil spirits for the people. The Department of Medicine treats the people, mainly responsible for women's illnesses, childbirth, and postpartum care. The Department of Textiles weaves clothing, supplies, and daily necessities—it's a considerable responsibility." Jia Zheng's expression was somewhat strange, because this talk of postpartum care didn't sound like something a man would say.
"Postpartum confinement?" Qin Keqing's heart skipped a beat for some reason. She was a very sensitive woman and had seen many men.
And her own health wasn't very good, so she was particularly drawn to this kind of caring and warm-hearted man.
Not only Qin Keqing, but the other women were all more or less curious about what was going on.
Jia Zheng didn't know either, and he wouldn't ask such a question. "I don't know the specifics, but Lu Ming's behavior is very bold, specifically appointing people from poor families. I think it's not advisable to antagonize him; it won't do us any good."
Grandmother Jia nodded; she was still considering the interests of the Jia family.
"If there's a precedent for women holding official positions, it wouldn't be a bad choice. In any case, we need to decide now whether to let Tan Chun and Xi Chun marry into the family. Zheng'er, Tan Chun is your child; you and the Second Madam can discuss it. Zhen'er, your uncle is gone; as the eldest brother, you decide whether Xi Chun marries or not. Xi Chun can also express her thoughts. If you want to marry, then marry; if not, we'll find you another good family."
After the meeting, everyone couldn't help but start discussing it. Some thought Lu Ming was a good choice, while others disagreed.
In less than half a day, the whole of Chang'an knew that the Jia family's two Chun sisters were going to marry Lu Ming as concubines. Whether it was true or not, the gossip had to spread!
"Have you heard? The Governor of Liangzhou said he's going to appoint women as officials!"
"What?! Such a thing! Outrageous! Even sages wouldn't dare do that, so why would he?!"
"Women as officials? Interesting!"
In a tavern in Chang'an, the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
This is a restaurant opened by Lu Ming in partnership with Zhao Hou and Zhang Rang, serving special drinks.
One particularly fragrant, high-proof liquor is considered a top-tier delicacy by many avid drinkers.
Besides this, they also offer grilled lamb skewers, hot pot, and offal dishes like pork and beef offal, unlike those in regular restaurants.
The first floor is bustling with customers, catering specifically to commoners.
The second floor is reserved for prominent merchants and scholars, while the third floor is exclusively for high-ranking nobles and powerful figures; others are not permitted entry.
Because of Zhao Hou and Zhang Rang's connections, no one dares to cause trouble.
Anyone with a modicum of sense knows Zhao Hou. Even the most naive young man knows better than to offend a eunuch. Those eunuchs, once they hold a grudge, can't erase it even after ten years.
A girl with a single ponytail stood with an acquaintance at the door of a private room on the second floor, having overheard the gossip below.
The girl was fair-skinned and beautiful, with bright, expressive eyes. Her demeanor was elegant yet composed; such qualities were somewhat unbelievable for a girl in her early teens.
"Second Brother, this Lu Ming seems a bit interesting."
"Shh! Keep your voice down! Little Sister, don't call him by his name directly. Address him as Governor Lu, or Your Excellency Governor!" Mi Fang looked around nervously, as if afraid of being discovered.
Mi Zhen made a face, went straight back to her seat, picked up her wine glass, and took a sip. This was a special osmanthus wine for women, with only a trace of alcohol—sweet and fragrant, but with very little taste of alcohol.
"What's there to be afraid of? They invited us this time!"
Mi Fang wiped her sweat, annoyed. "Little sister, it wasn't Governor Lu who invited us, it was Registrar Zhang."
This time, Zhang Chun, in order to open up trade routes beyond Guandong, sent invitations to merchants from Hebei, Puyang, Xuzhou, Jiangdong, Jingzhou, Yingchuan, and Yizhou, among other places.
With Liangzhou under his control, the Silk Road reopened.
Just using tea alone, they could exchange it for many goods from herders and neighboring Western Region kingdoms.
This time, they invited other merchants to sign trade agreements with Liangzhou to strengthen ties.
Selling local specialties from other places to Liangzhou, and Liangzhou's specialties to their respective territories, achieving a win-win situation.