The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

"Oh? Who is it?" Ruan San asked with great interest after hearing it.

"She is the daughter of Mr. Huang, and the second daughter of the legitimate wife," Zhang Pingan did not keep the secret.

He continued to explain, "However, Mr. Huang's first wife passed away a few years ago, and his current wife is his concubine. I have some understanding of his family situation. It is because Miss Huang is too plump that a marriage has never been settled."

"Ah, there are still people who don't like fat people?" Ruan San was very surprised and couldn't understand it. He thought that women looked better when they were fatter!

"Everyone has their own preferences. What's so surprising about this? Besides, after all, your current wife is a concubine, so it's normal for you to neglect the marriage of your previous children. Maybe you don't care that much about it. That's why Miss Huang has been delayed until now. She should be fifteen or sixteen now, which is the right age," Zhang Pingan said with a smile.

"If you agree, I'll write a letter to Mr. Huang and then arrange for a matchmaker to take you to Huai'an Prefecture to meet someone. There's no need to be so deliberate, lest it be embarrassing for both of us if it doesn't work out. We can just arrange for you to look at each other while burning incense in the temple, okay?"

Ruan San was moved by what he heard, but also felt a little inferior. He said anxiously, "This... is good, but Mr. Huang is already a high-ranking official of the fourth rank, and I'm only a seventh-rank lieutenant with an ordinary family background. How can he look down on me?"

"You don't understand this," Zhang Pingan said with a smile, "Master Huang has six daughters, five sons, one wife and four concubines. He's a very shrewd and selfish man. Daughters are not that valuable to him. As long as the son-in-law has ability, potential, or a good family background, there's nothing wrong with him. Besides, he himself came from a humble family and climbed up all the way, so he doesn't care that much about family background!"

Liu Sanlang also advised earnestly: "Yes, I think Ping An is right. Besides, the current situation is not stable yet. You can still make great achievements in the future. It is not impossible for you to climb to the sixth or fifth rank like Lao Tu. How can you be so self-deprecating?!"

"You are now of marriageable age. If you don't get married, you will become a bachelor. Anyway, we are just writing a letter to test it out. If he doesn't agree, he won't let the matchmaker take you to meet him. We won't lose anything. It's better to just keep this matter to ourselves," Zhang Ping'an stood up and patted Ruan San on the shoulder.

He was really worried that Ruan San would be stuck in the middle and not be able to settle for a high or low position. The daughter of Mr. Huang was a good choice and happened to fit Ruan San's aesthetic taste.

Listening to the two people's persuasion and encouragement, Ruan San instantly regained some confidence. He scratched his head shyly and smiled foolishly, "Okay, then I'll listen to you. Please write a letter for me and ask. If it works out, I'll treat you to a matchmaker's drink and give you a matchmaker's red envelope, hehe!"

"Let me tell you, you're really lucky. Mr. Huang's family rushed over from Lin'an before the New Year after the establishment of the new dynasty. Otherwise, there would be no suitable candidates to introduce to you. You'd better seize the opportunity!" Zhang Ping'an said gently with a smile.

"That's for sure!" Since it was a matter of life and death, Ruan San vowed.

So, Zhang Ping'an wrote a letter to Mr. Huang that day to mention this matter.

He estimated that he had a 70% chance of success.

Firstly, Mr. Huang loves talented people, and secondly, he also climbed up from humble backgrounds. His children's marriages are in an awkward position. This is what it means to be neither high nor low.

What's more, his first wife has passed away, and it is up to his second wife to help with the arrangements. Those ladies from good family backgrounds will not even pay any attention to him.

Thirdly, Miss Huang is not young anymore and can’t delay it for too long.

Therefore, he felt that Ruan San was a decent choice.

Although his family background is not very good, he has good character, is ambitious, and is tall, brave and handsome.

Judging from his appearance and character, he is a good match for Miss Huang.

More than ten days passed in a flash, the ice and snow on the earth began to melt slowly, and the temperature gradually began to warm up.

The number of people doing small businesses in the streets of Runan Prefecture also gradually increased.

But Zhang Ping'an never received any letter from Mr. Huang.

Ruan San was extremely disappointed, and he became visibly depressed!

He forced a smile and said, "It's okay. A man should have a wife!"

Zhang Ping'an felt quite embarrassed and was thinking that he had to find him a good girl no matter what.

Unexpectedly, just when everyone thought that this matter was hopeless, a letter from Mr. Huang arrived two days later, stating that he agreed to let Ruan San go over to see him.

His words did not imply that he looked down upon Ruan San's background; instead, they were filled with a certain sincerity.

This is also in line with Mr. Huang's usual style. If he agrees, he must either not agree or win over people's hearts.

When Ruan San heard the news, he was immediately excited and seemed to come back to life.

He was a man who never cared about what he wore, but he rarely went to a clothing shop and asked a tailor to make him a few nice clothes with good materials, so that he could wear them to Huai'an Prefecture.

Liu Sanlang was also happy for him, and together with his brother-in-law Zhang Ping'an, he sent him to the pier to take the boat.

The matchmaker smiled and helped to guarantee the outcome, and accompanied them.

Six days later, Ruan San returned on a boat with the matchmaker, looking very happy.

As soon as Zhang Ping'an and Liu Sanlang saw each other, they knew that the matter was done.

Ruan San respectfully bowed to Zhang Ping'an and thanked him for being the matchmaker.

Zhang Ping'an took this gift for granted.

He couldn't help but shake his head and jokingly said, "I didn't expect I had some talent as a matchmaker. I've been a matchmaker for another close friend of mine before. This is your second time!"

Ruan San said shyly, "Hey, thank you anyway. I'll keep this in my heart!"

"When are you going to propose? Then we'll go together to help you with the occasion!" Liu Sanlang was very happy to hear that the wedding was successful.

"I'm grateful for your kindness," Ruan San said with a smile, bowing.

Then he replied, "I'll propose marriage in a few days once the betrothal gifts are ready, and we'll get married in a month."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Zhang Ping'an asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, by the way, there is something I forgot to tell you. Look at my pig head," Ruan San patted his head when he heard this.

He said, "My future father-in-law, Mr. Huang, said that he would probably be transferred to the front line in Kaifeng soon to be the grain supervisor, in charge of the frontline grain and fodder. That's why he was hesitant about this marriage before."

"Grain Supervisor?" Zhang Ping'an pondered after hearing this and said, "That's considered a lateral transfer. His rank hasn't changed. I guess Lord Huang heard about it from somewhere."

"Maybe," Ruan San didn't understand either.

No matter what happens later, the happy event must be held first.

A few days later, Liu Sanlang accompanied Ruan San to present the betrothal gifts.

A month later, he brought the bride home.

As Zhang Ping'an knew, the bride was very plump and her waist was thicker than Ruan San's.

But her advantage is that she is young, has good skin, and dresses neatly, so she doesn't look greasy or ugly, and she does have an air of wealth.

In the next three years, she gave birth to two more children, and in total she gave birth to eleven children for Ruan San. Ruan San never took a concubine in his life, and the family lived in harmony and had many children and grandchildren.

When he was old, Ruan San often talked to his descendants about how good Zhang Ping'an was as a matchmaker.