"Niannian, where are you taking me?" Jiang Xiaomai asked as Jiang Nian pulled her toward Tanghua Village.
"I heard Auntie arranged a marriage for you. We need to learn about this man beforehand. If he has poor character or some flaw, we can cut our losses in time."
Jiang Xiaomai's cheeks flushed, and she turned away shyly. "What kind of girl goes to investigate her prospective husband's family? If people found out, I'd never live down the shame."
"Marrying the wrong man would be even more shameful!" Jiang Nian produced two black Veil Hats. "Just wear these, and we'll go to Tanghua Village to ask around."
"Alright!" Jiang Xiaomai put on the Veil Hat, and the two sisters took an ox cart to Tanghua Village.
Tanghua Village had a large locust tree where idle women and children liked to gather. There wasn't a piece of gossip they didn't know.
Jiang Nian pulled Jiang Xiaomai to sit there and listen carefully. A narrow-eyed old woman said mysteriously:
"The pretty widow in the east end has a man at her place—quite sturdy. The widow hasn't left her bed for three days."
"How would you know? Were you hiding under her bed?"
"Hahaha!"
Jiang Xiaomai's face burned red. These women spoke too… too boldly.
Jiang Nian steered the conversation toward Yan Ruyu. "I heard there's a man in the village named Yan Ruyu, who's as beautiful as a celestial being. I wonder if it's true."
A wizened old woman cracked melon seeds and rolled her eyes. "Of course it's true. He's prettier than a girl, but…"
The old woman paused. Jiang Xiaomai asked curiously, "But what?"
"But his preferences are just like a girl's," another old woman chimed in eagerly.
Jiang Xiaomai didn't understand and looked at Jiang Nian in confusion.
"What preferences?" Jiang Nian asked for her.
"He's a Tu'erye! He's involved with men." The old woman laughed after speaking.
"He's twenty-five and still unmarried. Everyone around knows about this. Who would dare marry their daughter to him? I heard a matchmaker found him a girl from the neighboring village. That poor girl!"
Jiang Xiaomai staggered, nearly collapsing. Jiang Nian supported her, and the sisters took the ox cart home.
"Cousin Xiaomai, this is good news. Now you don't have to marry him. Our family has many members—we'll go together to confront the matchmaker and break off the engagement!"
"Okay!" Jiang Xiaomai buried herself in Jiang Nian's embrace. "Luckily we found out early. If I'd married him, everything would have been ruined."
When Jiang Xiaomai told her family what happened, the Jiang household erupted.
"The Yan family is utterly despicable!"
The eldest grandson, Jiang Yu, slammed the table angrily. "With their son like that, why are they seeking a bride? They should find him a man!"
Jiang Xiaomai's mother hugged her daughter tightly. "I was foolish to arrange the marriage without checking properly. I almost ruined my daughter's life."
Jiang Old Grandfather said with a dark expression, "Eldest Son, take your brothers and nephews to Tanghua Village. Go to the Yan family and break off the engagement!"
"Yes!"
Meanwhile, Qi Heng, following his father's orders, rushed to Yong’an Village carrying five thousand taels of silver.
Only Jiang Old Grandfather and the women of the household were home. Seeing the chest of gleaming silver, the Jiang family's eyes lit up. Jiang Old Grandfather repeatedly declined, but Qi Heng said calmly:
"Please accept this, Old Sir. It is my father's wish. If I bring it back, he will surely reprimand me for failing in my task!"
"Father, don't make things difficult for him. Just accept it," said Jiang the Fifth's wife ingratiatingly, while the others watched with eager eyes.
Jiang the Fourth's wife also urged, "Father, our house isn't big enough for everyone. Old Sixth will soon marry, and Feng and Gu are growing up—they can't keep squeezing into one room forever."
With this silver, each child could have their own room built, no longer crammed together.
Jiang Old Grandfather sighed. "We accept the silver. Please convey our gratitude to your father."
Qi Heng nodded calmly. Good—once accepted, he could report the task completed.
After Qi Heng left, Jiang Nian emerged from the house and gazed at the chest of silver. In her past life, she hadn’t asked for money, and the Qi family hadn’t sent any. This time, with five thousand taels, they could stock up on grain and medicinal herbs ahead of time.
"Is this real? I’ve never seen so much silver in my life!" Jiang Sui exclaimed, biting hard on a silver ingot.
Jiang Old Grandfather carried the chest inside and cautioned the family, "Wealth should not be flaunted. None of you speak a word of this to outsiders. These are troubled times, with bandits running rampant—misfortunes never come singly. It’s best to exchange this silver for grain as soon as possible."
Having lived most of his life, Jiang Old Grandfather valued grain above all. Gold and silver mountains were no match for having food.
"Grandfather, we should also buy more medicinal herbs," Jiang Nian reminded him.
She remembered that in two years, chaos would engulf the land. Bandits would loot and kill, rebel armies would sprout like bamboo shoots, and Ruyang Commandery, where Prefect Qi was stationed, would suffer the worst banditry.
Prefect Qi, ordered to suppress the bandits, also faced rebel troops seizing grain everywhere. He recruited soldiers to resist the rebels but was slandered before the emperor, accused of raising an army to rebel, warranting execution of his entire family. In the end, Prefect Qi was forced to rise in rebellion.
He would eventually seize the throne. A thought struck Jiang Nian—why not have her uncles and brothers enlist in Prefect Qi’s camp? They might even become generals someday.
In her past life, as chaos erupted, Jiang Nian had moved the entire Jiang family to Qi Heng’s estate for protection. For this, she was long reprimanded by Madame Qi, who never missed a chance to mock her, calling the Jiangs cowards who relied on others.
This time, she would have nothing to do with Qi Heng but wanted to secure a better future for the Jiang men. Instead of joining Prefect Qi’s army after he pacified the realm, why not go when he needed them most? Prefect Qi trusted and valued those who fought alongside him from the start.
Jiang Old Grandfather continued muttering, "In a couple of days, we’ll hire workers to expand the house. Old Sixth and Feng are of marrying age, and the girls will need dowries prepared someday."
The women watched expectantly. Jiang Old Grandfather sighed.
"Over the years, you’ve married into our Jiang family, borne children, supported your husbands, and raised them well. You’ve all worked hard. Take an ingot each to town, buy some cloth, and make yourselves new clothes."
"Thank you, Father!" The five daughters-in-law rejoiced.
"Grandfather, what about us?" The children looked up, eyes full of hope.
In the Jiang family, clothes and shoes were passed down from the eldest to the youngest. The first and second children wore new items, then handed them down to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. Patches were added over patches until the garments were unwearable, and even then, Jiang Grandma saved them for mending.
"Prepare new clothes for the children too, and buy a pair of hair ornaments for the girl." Old Master Jiang smiled warmly, and the children cheered with joy.
Old Grandfather Jiang reminded them:
"But you can't wear them now. Keep them finished for the New Year. Wearing them now would be too conspicuous and might arouse suspicion."
"Understood!" The Jiang family members were all excited, as happy as if it were New Year's. With this chest of silver, they would no longer have to worry about going hungry.
"I want to eat eggs at noon!" Jiang Sui shouted.
"Alright!" Jiang Feng's wife went to the backyard to gather eggs, and Old Mistress Jiang didn't object. With silver on hand, they could always buy a few more egg-laying hens if needed.
At noon, the men of the Jiang family returned home. Jiang Feng emotionally recounted the events of his trip to Tanghua Village.
"The Yan family is utterly shameless! They turned the tables and accused us of slandering them and ruining their son's reputation. What kind of reputation their son has out there—don't they know it themselves? Why would we need to make up stories about him?"
"So what happened? Was the engagement called off?" Jiang's third daughter-in-law asked.
Fifth Uncle Jiang said, "It's off! We made such a scene that the whole village came to watch. The Yan family couldn't bear the humiliation and took the initiative to break off the engagement."
Jiang Feng's wife's expression softened. "It's good that it's off. If she had really married into that family, it would have ruined our Xiaomai's life."