Mozi got to know Gao Zhuang and thus became familiar with Gao Damao.
Gao Danni, although a matchmaker, was not a bad person and was not greedy. She made two trips to the capital every year, and for the rest of the time, she stayed in various small towns and villages in Luozhou, helping wealthy families find maids, servants, and miscellaneous workers. She didn't casually accept recommendations from others, often wanting to personally visit and inspect before making a decision about someone's character. As a result, her reputation was very good, even the wives of officials would invite her to find servants for them.
"Madam, you often go up there these years, I'd like to ask some things." Mozi got straight to the point.
"Just ask and you'll see, you've helped our family a lot." Gaodan's mother tied up her apron and started scooping water to cook rice for both herself and the guests. She steamed the rice and flipped over the chili beans that were drying in the courtyard.
For ordinary people like Gao Jia's family, there was rarely any free time before sunset.
Mei Zi helped out in front, she was originally clumsy, but soon became similar.
The tall girl looked at her with a smile and said, "Now you look like a young lady."
"Big sister, I've never said that I'm a man. Dressing like this is just more convenient for traveling." Mozi didn't intentionally hide her female identity from people she was familiar with. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have asked me and I would have admitted it, right?"
Gao Danniang was either a matchmaker or a fortune teller, but her eyes had already thoroughly examined the purple-robed girl from head to toe.
"It's just that silly big guy in our house, Mo Laoxiong. He calls out to you so earnestly." Ga Damao rubbed her temples, "Every time I see him patting your shoulder, I'm afraid his brute strength will shatter the bones of a good girl like you."
"Then you go tell him, I don't care."
"That foolish kid won't understand even if it's staring him in the face, he'll never find a wife and I'll never get to hold my grandkids. So, I won't say anything, let him figure it out himself." Gao Damao had been in and out of luxurious mansions for years, earning the trust of noblewomen with her straightforwardness. "Right, what do you want to ask?"
"Shàng Dū Jìng Wáng Fǔ." Mò Zǐ wèn dé lóng tǒng.
Translation:
"The Upper Capital Respectful King's Mansion." Mozi asked vaguely.
The tall and majestic woman looked over, sizing him up from head to toe, "Mo Ge, you're quite good at picking things to ask about."
Mei Zi didn't understand, "Big wife——"
"You want to pry into other people's homes, but I'm not even sure. But this Jing Wang Fu, I have to go back every year, and I have to bring back 20 or 30 letters." That means she has already selected many servants for the Wang Fu.
"The Jing Wang Fu belongs to the Xiao family. The current 80-year-old Old Master Xiao is the only foreign surname king in our Great Zhou dynasty within a hundred years, with hereditary succession of the throne. Twenty years ago, Old Master Xiao petitioned the previous emperor to grant the title to his second son, Xiao Su. Xiao Su and Queen Xiao have three legitimate princes: Xiao Ting, Xiao Wei, and Xiao Yong. The Xiao family has been renowned for their military achievements since Old Master Xiao's time, with many men joining the army and making a name for themselves, while the women marry into royal families of high status."
"Everyone knows about these things, Madam," said Mozi, flipping over the red peppers one by one. But to her, it was a very fresh piece of news, "Xiao Yong is the third prince of Jing Wang Fu?"
"It's him, the only young master in the Jing Wang Fu who didn't join the army. He's talented in poetry and painting, with exceptional skills. Cao Cao's son could compose a poem in seven steps, but he could write an essay in just three steps. If it weren't for..." Madam Gao suddenly stopped talking.
"What if it wasn't something?" Mozi wouldn't let it go.
"This kind of thing can't be casually told to others, otherwise I won't be able to be a matchmaker anymore." Gao Dama shook her head and bent down to brush the bean rolling sieve with her hands. "Unless you tell me why you asked about Xiao San's young master, then I'll see whether or not I should say it."
Mei Zi thought for a moment, and felt that she should tell the truth. "Auntie, you only know that I'm a maid from a wealthy family, but secretly, I want to tell you that I'm actually here on behalf of my mistress. Recently, some guests came to our estate, and between their words, they were trying to arrange a marriage for the Third Young Master of Jing Wang Fu. Of course, my master and mistress liked the idea, but my mistress is extremely intelligent. Even if we don't mention that they are far apart in terms of social status, just saying that they are equal in family background is still somewhat different."
Gao Danni heard this and sat up again, a strange expression appearing on her face. "Someone is proposing a marriage between Xiao San Gongzi and your family's young lady?"
"It's just that." Mozi gave her a strange look, "Auntie, this concerns my young mistress' lifelong happiness, please tell me, I absolutely won't say it was you who said it."
"Moh Ge Er, if I were you, I'd advise your young lady not to marry." Gao Da Niang sighed and continued, "Actually, this matter isn't even a secret in the upper class. I'm hesitant because I don't want to speak ill of others behind their backs, especially since Old Wang Fei and Wang Fei have been quite good to me, entrusting me with the task of finding servants every year."
"Alright, alright, Miss Gao, don't be too hard on yourself." Mozi knew that there were still many people who wanted to keep their reputation intact and had a conscience.
"It's mostly rumors from the streets. Alright, I'll say my part and you listen to yours." Gao Da Niang nodded at Mo Zi before continuing, "The Third Young Master of Jing Wang Fu is indeed a talented individual, even the current Emperor has praised his knowledge and literary skills, but this 22-year-old has already married two official wives."
"Are you saying he has married two legitimate wives?" Mu Zi heard something unexpected.
"Not a single one is good, and yet he married two within four years and divorced two." Ga Dama looked at Mo Zi, "Otherwise, why would I say let your young lady not marry?"
"Married two, divorced two?!" Mozi was shocked and repeated what Gaodama said. Suddenly, she asked anxiously, "What's the reason? Could it be that he married ugly women, tigresses, or families with mismatched social status, and the elders didn't like them?" In this era, men having three wives and four concubines was not unusual, but divorcing one wife after another was extremely rare.
"Absolutely not. Both are young ladies from prestigious families, one of whom is even the matchmaker for Li Wang Wu Cheng Wanbao. They are absolutely well-matched and outstanding in appearance. Besides, would we choose an ugly or vicious wife for the young master of Jing Wang Fu?" Hearing Mozi's words were a bit over the top, Gao Dama hurriedly explained.
"What's the reason for that? The Third Master is only twenty-two years old, and he won't divorce his wife just because she has no children." Having no children is one of the most commonly used clauses among the Seven Outs.
"I'm not sure what the specific reason is, but there are rumors. It's said that the first one was immoral and had an affair with another man, which led to a conflict with Third Master. The second one was unscrupulous and poisoned something that Third Master's eldest son ate, fortunately, it was discovered by the princess, or else it would have been an innocent life lost." Old Lady Gao emphasized again, "Although these words are credible, when I was in the Duke of Jing's mansion, no one ever mentioned them to me."
Indeed, it was a rumor that had spread far and wide. In her heart, Mei Zi thought, were these three young masters unlucky to have encountered two women of questionable character? Or was there more to the story?
"Madam, you just mentioned that the eldest son of the Third Master was born to the first wife. She thought it might be a very important matter."
