Ningshou Village. The Tang Family Old Residence.
“Eldest girl, your cousin wants to swap marriage arrangements with you. Do you agree or not?”
The patriarch Tang Fugui sat at the head of the room, with his second wife Mrs. Yang beside him. The elderly couple looked at Tang Yiren, the eldest daughter of the first branch, standing before them.
Tang Linglong, granddaughter of the second branch, stood beside Tang Yiren, a shy expression on her face. “Sister, yesterday I fell into the water, and it was Brother Wen who saved me. We’ve already had physical contact. If I marry someone else now, who knows what gossip will spread in the village. After discussing it with my parents, we think swapping marriages is the safest option.”
Mrs. Zhang, the daughter-in-law of the second branch, said with a smile, “That Song boy has skills—he’s the only hunter in our village. Just look at their big house, it’s unmatched in our village! If you swap marriages with your sister, you’d actually be getting the better deal. But it’s fine, your branch can just contribute a bit more dowry later.”
When Mrs. Zhang mentioned the “big house,” her eyes were filled with regret.
The Song family’s conditions were truly good. Among the villages for miles around, theirs was the largest house.
Song Lichuan was handsome and strong. If he became their son-in-law, they could rely on him for tasks like the autumn harvest.
However, her daughter had bumped her head a few days ago and, upon waking up, gained the ability to foresee the future. She said Wen Shuyu would become a high-ranking official in the future, while Song Lichuan was short-lived and had only a year left to live.
She hadn’t believed it at first, but after her daughter accurately predicted two village events in a row, she couldn’t help but trust her daughter’s ability.
“I won’t swap marriages,” Tang Yiren said, throwing herself into the arms of Mrs. Tang beside her. “Mother, I don’t want to swap marriages.”
Mrs. Tang patted Tang Yiren’s back, comforting her. “Alright, no swapping marriages, no swapping marriages. If my daughter doesn’t want to swap, then we won’t swap.”
“Sister, why must you be like this?” Tang Linglong, seeing Tang Yiren’s refusal to cooperate, said unhappily, “Brother Wen has promised to marry me. If we don’t swap marriages, won’t that ruin my reputation? Our family has several brothers who haven’t married yet. If I tarnish the family name, it will affect the Tang family. Who would dare marry them then?”
A flicker of mockery passed through Tang Yiren’s eyes.
If she hadn’t been reborn, she would have truly been fooled by this woman Tang Linglong. Unfortunately, it was just her luck—she had been feverish all night and, upon waking up just now, had regained memories of her past life.
Tang Linglong had also been reborn, returning a few days earlier than her.
In her past life, she had just become the wife of the prime minister and hadn’t yet had the chance to enjoy her good fortune when she was stabbed to death at a banquet by Tang Linglong, who had returned to her maiden home after being widowed and was consumed by jealousy.
Now, upon waking up again, Tang Linglong wanted to become the prime minister’s wife and had schemed to take over her marriage arrangement. This actually suited her intentions.
“Eldest branch’s wife, eldest girl, marriage is a matter that requires agreement from both families. The Wen family sent someone earlier and also brought up this matter, saying they wanted to marry the second girl. Although your sister’s fall into the water was an accident, and the Wen boy saving her was out of kindness, the two of them were indeed seen embracing by villagers. Our family doesn’t just have you two girls—your third uncle’s family has one, and your fourth uncle’s family has another. Reputation is important; we can’t leave a stain on it.” Mrs. Yang advised kindly and affectionately.
Listening to this gentle and caring voice, Tang Yiren rolled her eyes in Mrs. Tang’s embrace.
Her step-grandmother was always putting on an act. In her previous life, Tang Yiren had been fooled by her. If not for the many events that later unfolded, revealing her true nature, she would have continued to believe this step-grandmother was a kind-hearted person who truly treated her father—the son from the first wife—as her own, and treated her, the granddaughter, as her own flesh and blood.
In reality, she was a cunning old fox, adept at quietly securing benefits for her own children. For example, while her own elder and second brothers were unable to attend school, the cousin from the second branch could go. She also arranged for the third and fourth uncles to become live-in sons-in-law, and those two sons lived very comfortably, so much so that even she herself looked plump and prosperous.
Today, she did not stop Tang Linglong and Mrs. Zhang from swapping the marriage arrangements, clearly because she had known about it all along and agreed with their decision.
Tang Yiren leaned against Mrs. Tang, crying, and tugged at her sleeve. Mrs. Tang immediately understood her meaning.
Recently, the men of the eldest branch were not at home, leaving only the mother and daughter to rely on each other. So, today’s situation had to be faced by the two of them alone.
“Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, this is unfair. This marriage was arranged three years ago. Over these three years, seeing that the eldest son of the Wen family was studying and leaving behind two women at home, we helped with the farm work whenever we could, almost taking care of everything every year. Sister Wen is in poor health, and their daughter is also frail, so we even helped with their household chores. Our family did all this so they would remember our kindness and treat my daughter well after she married into their family. Now, if it’s switched to Linglong, how do we settle this account?”
“Mother, there’s also the Tuition Fee—one tael of silver every year, three years makes three taels. That doesn’t even include the cost of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, nor the clothes for all four seasons, or his socializing with classmates… Our family contributed both money and effort, all because he was supposed to be my future husband. Now, wanting to swap marriages is absolutely impossible.”
“But the Song family’s conditions are better. Switching over would be a great advantage for you. What’s there to be dissatisfied about?” Mrs. Zhang still tried to gloss over the issue.
“Sister is so unwilling to marry into the Song family. Could there be something wrong with the Song family?” Tang Yiren looked up, casting a suspicious glance at Tang Linglong.
“There’s nothing wrong. It’s just because of yesterday’s incident. Oh, you’re saying all this because you feel you’ve been shortchanged, right? How about we compensate you with silver?” Tang Linglong didn’t want to cause more trouble and hoped to settle the terms quickly.
“How much are you offering to compensate?” Mrs. Tang asked. “Don’t try to brush us off with one or two taels. We’re not beggars. If you’re not sincere, there’s no need to discuss this.”
“Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, listen to what the eldest sister-in-law is saying. We’re all one family—why be so nitpicky?” Mrs. Zhang said. “If they went to help the Wen family, that was their own choice. Why are they asking us for compensation?”
Tang Fugui looked at Mrs. Tang. “Eldest daughter-in-law, how much do you want?”
“Fifty taels,” Mrs. Tang gestured with a five.
Tang Fugui spat in disgust and said irritably, “You really have the nerve. Alright, both are my granddaughters, and as their grandfather, I’ll make the decision. Second daughter-in-law, you compensate the eldest branch with fifteen taels of silver. The two marriages will be swapped, and the betrothal gifts sent by the grooms’ families will belong to each of you separately—no need to hand them over to us.”
“Since Father-in-law has spoken, we juniors have no choice but to agree,” Mrs. Tang said, putting on a reluctant expression.
“Grandfather, since we’ve come this far, Mother and I can only accommodate my sister. In front of both of you, let Second Aunt pay the silver now! As soon as she pays, Mother will immediately hand over the Wen family’s Birth Chart to her. From then on, the Wen family and their affairs will have nothing to do with us.”
“Mother, give it to her!” Tang Linglong urged.
Mrs. Zhang hesitated for a moment, then turned and went back to her own room.
Although the Tang family’s branches had already divided the household, they still lived under the same roof. The central main room belonged to the elderly couple, the three rooms on the left side and the kitchen were for the eldest branch, and the three rooms on the right were for the second branch. Previously, they shared a kitchen, but after constant quarrels between the two branches over cooking matters, Tang Fugui had the men from both families build a new kitchen for the second branch.
While Mrs. Zhang went back to fetch the silver, Mrs. Tang also returned to get the Birth Chart. When both returned, they exchanged the silver for the Birth Chart, finalizing the matter.
Tang Linglong, holding Wen Shuyu’s Birth Chart, looked triumphantly at Tang Yiren: “Sister, why don’t we get married together? That would double the joy.”
She couldn’t wait to see Tang Yiren tormented and suffering by the Song family.
As for the Wen family—a kind mother-in-law, an enthusiastic and adorable sister-in-law, and a gentle, talented husband—all of it would now be hers.