The Mei family's dealings were limited to merchants, and they always felt inferior to the wealthy. Knowing no one would dare take on such a relationship, she resolutely summoned a matchmaker and laid out her three marriages and three rejections.

The three rejections were: first, marry an official; only an official could redress her family's past.

Second, marry into a family with more than three generations of aristocracy; she feared nouveau riche might be superficial and inexperienced. She wasn't afraid of a weak and incompetent husband, but only of a shallow background, unable to discern the true value of wealth. Even if the son of a family with more than three generations of aristocracy was incompetent and the couple wasn't harmonious, the elders in the family always had a discerning eye, and she could always become the head of the household, providing a secure place to live. Third, marry a scholar; scholars were more reliable. The three rejections were not to marry a merchant, not to marry a poor family, and not to marry an only child.

Merchants lacked power, the poor lacked influence, and neither could offer emergency relief. Her only son's family, eager to continue the family line, delayed her from managing the shop after marriage.

Her words were arrogant, but they had reason to be. Upon opening the boxes, she saw that the matchmakers in the capital were dazzled by the gold. She promised a large sum of money to find a suitable family: five taels of gold, and a thousand taels of silver to secure the marriage. Matchmakers, always enamored by money, were naturally tempted.

This immediately caused a sensation in the city. One had only ever seen men choosing wives, never seen unmarried women choosing husbands in this way. Yet, casting such a wide net, she actually found one.

The second master of the Lou family was a gentle scholar, born out of wedlock, sandwiched between two legitimate brothers. The eldest brother, a high-ranking official, had been admitted as a Jinshi at a young age. He married the second daughter of the Imperial Academy's chief academic officer, and their marriage was harmonious. The third brother, a capable man, was betrothed to the daughter of Lord Feng. Both husband and wife were renowned for their outstanding talents.

The second master, Lou, was outmatched. Unfortunately, he only cared about studying and neglecting everything else, and Old Lady Lou didn't pay much attention to him, so he was delayed until he was twenty. Even on the day of the engagement, the matchmaker had tricked him in, claiming there was a fan with a beautiful poem on it, but the author was unknown. She asked the second master to help her find the right one. But when he arrived, the fan was indeed there, but it was held by a girl in her twenties. The girl smiled at him, and the second master was so distraught that he lost his appetite for days. Even when the matchmaker arrived and the marriage was finalized, he was still in a state of confusion.

Some also say that the second master's wife was quite capable, having already met Old Lady Lou once before. It was Old Lady Lou who first chose the bride, but Second Lady Lou didn't want the first or third master, only the second master, so she decided to betroth him. This claim was naturally vehemently denied by Third Lady Lou. "Our Third Master isn't desperate for money. Why would a son of a scholar marry a daughter of a merchant?"

The title of "daughter of a merchant" was a label Second Lady Lou couldn't shake. No wealthy family would marry a daughter to an official, especially an only daughter. Officials wouldn't look down on them, and merchants couldn't bear the humiliation.

While the Lou family's wealth wasn't among the highest in the capital, it provided them with plenty of food and clothing. But things had come to a point, and Second Lady Lou, after getting engaged, returned directly to Yangzhou.

This time, however, her return was different. Although Second Master Lou held a low position, his family had been in the officialdom for three generations, surrounded by fellow students, disciples, and close friends. She sailed aboard official vessels, carrying Old Master Lou's letter to Yangzhou. She then litigated the case, overturning the previous verdict, driving out the heir, and disgorging the entire family fortune.

Second Lady Lou donated a small portion of her wealth to the clan land, settling the dispute. She then cared for her mother for six months until her death. Once her mourning period was over, she sold all her family property, and using three ships, carrying two generations of Lou family wealth, she traveled to the capital to marry.

But to be honest, Second Lady Lou suffered great injustice within the Lou family.

The Lou family was large and strict. Second Master Lou had three brothers, many sisters-in-law, and two sisters-in-law who were not easy to get along with. Second Lady Lou was already inferior to her husband when she married into the family, and after giving birth to two daughters, she endured countless indignations.

There's also a theory that she was originally meant to be the head of the Lou family. Old Lady Lou had promised her that during the marriage negotiations, but Third Lady's family was powerful and influential, and Old Lady Lou reneged on her promise, giving the position to the third wife. Second Lady Lou's talents were prevented from being fully utilized. The strict rules for wives of officials meant they were forbidden from appearing in public or engaging in business, leaving her feeling suffocated.

Fortunately, Second Master Lou was able to rise to the occasion and even pass the imperial examination. He was originally only a minor official in Beijing, living a middle-class life under the protection of his family.

But Second Wife Lou was cruel and took a large sum of money from her dowry to secure a post as a county magistrate in a remote area. Without even considering the climate and customs of Jiangnan, she immediately followed him with her family, a journey that lasted fifteen years.

After the couple enjoyed fifteen peaceful years in Jiangnan, Second Master Lou was transferred back to the Ministry of Rites.

Now that his daughter had grown up, she too was returning to Beijing to discuss marriage.

This immediately alarmed all the wives of officials in Beijing, who regarded the Second Branch of the Lou family as a formidable rival.

Originally, the Third Branch of the Lou family had a pair of daughters, both beautiful and charming, fifteen and sixteen years old, both of whom were of marriageable age.

The third grandmother of the Lou family, surnamed Feng, was a prominent family in Beijing. The old man of the Feng family passed away last winter. The current head of the family, the eldest master of the Feng family, was a full-blooded brother of the third grandmother. The Feng family's title was originally intended to end with this generation. Unexpectedly, upon hearing the news of the old man's passing, the emperor unexpectedly declared, "Feng Guolu has been prudent throughout his life. Since the Feng family has a large population and financial difficulties, let's pass the title on to another generation."

With these words, the Feng family, upon receiving this unexpected surprise, was filled with joy.

Even the status of Lou Yuzhu and Lou Bizhu, the third daughters of the Lou family, rose dramatically.

According to tradition in Beijing, marriages are often arranged in spring. When the grass grows green and the birds sing on Leyouyuan, the capital's twenty-four flower-signaling banquets begin. Outings to gardens, flower viewing, and temple visits are all opportune opportunities for young women from prominent families to make themselves known. For families with many young men of marriageable age, such as the Li family and the He family, the head mistresses of each household reserve a table at the flower-signaling banquet. While the intention is to invite the ladies of each family to enjoy the flowers and gardens, in reality, they seek to secure a seat at their own banquet to see more clearly, fearing that attending others' banquets might not be enjoyable.

Some wives of noble families, possessing high status and wealth, possess their own gardens and private residences. Thus, they annually host a flower-signaling banquet, inviting female guests to their gardens to admire the flowers. This isn't for matchmaking, but simply for the sheer excitement of the occasion. This is known as a garden festival, and each year they compete to outdo each other in banquets, flower arrangements, and overall presentation. It's a lively and exciting occasion.

Therefore, the young ladies of marriageable age in Beijing began preparing a whole winter in advance. They competed for the most exquisite clothing and jewelry, and even hired a nanny to carefully teach them etiquette and communication. They were afraid that if they mishandled the situation, word would spread and they would miss out on their life's most important event.

With the return of Second Lady Lou, the ladies and young ladies of Beijing had a new rival. The Lou family had not returned to Beijing for fifteen years.

So all we know is that there were four girls, but nothing is known about their appearances, personalities, or personalities.

But on the day they disembarked from the dock, a government ship was nearby, and rumors spread that a young lady from the second branch of the Lou family was incredibly beautiful, graceful, and elegant true beauty. Young men from prominent families on the ship caught a glimpse of her and were deeply concerned.

This rumor, while seemingly impressive, was actually less than flattering. Some wives criticized it, saying, "It shows the second branch of the Lou family doesn't know how to raise their daughters. How could a young lady from an official family be allowed to be seen in public?"

Some who had a grudge against the third branch of the Lou family said that the second branch wasn't to blame. It was simply the Third Lady of the Lou family who had gone too far. She was now in charge of the household, and while she herself lived extravagantly, she had only sent two carriages and two sedan chairs to pick up the second branch's people. The master and his wife rode in sedan chairs, and the second branch's four daughters, naturally, rode in carriages. The ups and downs were unstoppable, and inevitably revealed their presence. This was a show of force from the third branch. It can be seen that Grandma Lou San is mean.