In the brightly lit main hall, Xu Suying stared at her mother-in-law before her, her face darkening with anger.
Her daughter’s marriage prospects had been difficult. Two previous engagements had fallen through, and now, just as they had finally secured a passably decent match, word had somehow reached her mother-in-law’s ears. The old woman now wanted Wanyue to snatch Wanqing’s engagement away.
Xu Suying seethed with resentment.
It was like untilled land—no one cared for it until it was cultivated, and then everyone fought over it. The old lady simply couldn’t bear to see their family prosper.
No matter how unsuitable Xu Suying had previously thought the Li family was, Li Cun was, after all, the best match her daughter could currently secure. With no better options available, she had to protect her daughter’s interests and firmly prevent anyone from taking Li Cun away.
Suppressing her anger, Xu Suying addressed the old woman before her. “Wanqing is also your granddaughter. Even if she isn’t related to you by blood, she has called you ‘Grandmother’ since she was a child. I beg you, considering how difficult her marriage prospects have been, please don’t add to the chaos.”
Though Xu Suying held back her temper, her tone was stiff and unyielding, and sparks of fury flashed in her almond-shaped eyes.
This only accentuated her striking beauty and refined demeanor. Despite her simple attire and wooden hairpins, she looked nothing like someone who belonged in this small mountain village.
In fact, Xu Suying truly wasn’t a girl from this little village.
She had been rescued from the river by Chen Song, the eldest son of the Chen family.
As for Chen Song, he was the old woman’s stepson.
Though a stepson, the family patriarch was still alive, and Chen Song was generous and filial. No matter what delicacies the family prepared, they always made sure to send a bowl to the elderly couple.
Yet, despite their efforts to do right, the old woman was no easy character. Not only did she demand double the usual support money, but she also constantly found ways to provoke them over trivial matters.
Leaving aside past petty grievances, just consider Wanqing’s engagement—how hard-won it had been. And today, as soon as the old woman stepped through the door, she demanded they give the match to Wanyue.
Wanyue was the eldest daughter of the third branch and Wanqing’s cousin, one of only two girls in the entire Chen family.
Since the old couple lived with the third branch, Wanyue had been raised personally by the old woman, who doted on her as if she were the apple of her eye.
But no matter how much she doted on her, this was no way to handle things.
“Wanyue has been engaged to Zhao Jing since childhood. That boy is a good one, and his father was the only Xiucai in our ten-mile radius. Though Zhao Xiucai has passed away, Zhao Jing is talented, excels in his studies, and has a promising future. Yet you want to arrange another match for Wanyue… What are you thinking?”
Xu Suying nearly spat the word “foolish” directly into the old woman’s face.
Though Li Cun wasn’t bad either, compared to Zhao Jing, she couldn’t in good conscience say he was better.
The question arose: Was this simply the old woman finding fault with them, deliberately making a scene to extort benefits? Or did the Li family have some influential relatives, or was Li Cun truly unparalleled in his scholarly talents?
Otherwise, why would the old woman abandon Zhao Jing and try to snatch Li Cun for Wanyue? It made no sense.
Xu Suying fixed her gaze intently on the old woman. “You’ve always been shrewd, so why have you come up with such a foolish idea this time? You must remember, we live in Zhao Village now. Eight out of ten households in this village are surnamed Zhao. If you can’t provide a proper reason and casually break off an engagement, how will our Chen family ever establish a foothold in Zhao Village again?”
"Also, did you discuss with my father-in-law before coming here today? Did you consult with Third Brother and his wife? A young lady's marriage is a significant matter—how can you just change it with a single word?"
The elderly woman standing before Xu Suying appeared formidable and capable in both demeanor and presence.
Indeed, the old lady was truly capable. Not only did she manage everything inside and outside the household, but she also kept the entire family, young and old, in perfect order.
Now, this petite yet sharp-eyed old lady looked up at her eldest daughter-in-law and said, "Who said I want to break off the engagement? When did I ever say I would abandon Zhao Jing's marriage? We live in Zhao Village, and only by maintaining good relations with our neighbors can we live well. Do I need you to teach me that?"
Xu Suying laughed. "So, you can conjure up two Wanyues—one to marry Zhao Jing and the other to marry Li Cun?"
"Bah! What nonsense are you talking! My plan is to have Wanyue marry that Li family boy, and let Wanqing take Zhao Jing's place… Both are girls from our family, and both are outstanding in character and appearance. As long as we discuss it privately, neither the Li family nor the Zhao family would have any reason to object."
The Zhao family needed a capable wife to manage the household, and Wanqing, being competent, was perfectly suited. As for the Li family, the mother-in-law was formidable and demanded obedience in all matters. Wanyue, having been raised delicately since childhood, was not cut out to be the head of a household and could get along well with her mother-in-law.
Xu Suying felt dizzy from the shock, wondering if she was hallucinating.
So, the old lady wasn’t trying to snatch a marriage—she wanted to swap them?
Wait, such a major matter—can the two of us just decide it like this?
Have you asked the Zhao family for their opinion?
Have you asked the Li family for theirs?
What do you mean by "they have no reason to object"?
Old lady, if you’re so capable, why don’t you just ascend to heaven!
Before Xu Suying could speak, the old lady continued, "Didn’t you just say that Zhao Jing from the Zhao family is a good match with a promising future? In that case, if we give Wanqing to Zhao Jing, won’t she also be able to live a good life with him?"
"Is this about living a good life or not? This is about whether it’s proper, whether it follows etiquette, and whether it’s even decent. There’s no room for discussion on this matter, Mother. Please say no more. Instead of pursuing a proper marriage, you want to 'snatch' a cousin’s betrothal—wouldn’t those who don’t know the truth think Wanqing has terrible character?"
Upon hearing this, the old lady grew displeased.
She pulled a long face and glared at Xu Suying. "I’m not here to discuss this with you today—I’m here to inform you. Whether you agree or not, you must comply. I’ll go to the Zhao family later to discuss this matter. Since Zhao Jing will soon be out of mourning in a few days, you should hurry and make arrangements to marry Wanqing off."
Xu Suying, having reached the peak of her anger, suddenly calmed down. Her mind worked quickly, and seeing the old lady’s determination to achieve her goal at all costs, several suspicions immediately formed in her mind.
"Is there something wrong with Zhao Jing, or is the Li family about to prosper?… You must have discussed this with Wanyue—could it be that Wanyue has taken a liking to Li Cun and wants to marry him…"
"Bah! You’re her aunt—how can you think such things about the girls in our family! Wanyue is the most proper, never stepping out of the inner courtyard. Unlike Wanqing, who’s always running around outside all day."
"You're being unreasonable, old lady. What's wrong with Wanqing going out? When has she ever gone out alone? Her father and I always accompany her. Our family has a shop in the county town—if we don't go out to do business, how are we supposed to survive, just sitting at home drinking the northwest wind?"
"I can't argue with you; you always have a point. But I am the elder, and this time you must listen to me."
"Sister Zhao, has Dean's fever gone down today?"
While the argument inside the room remained unresolved, a clear, youthful voice suddenly came from outside. Both women turned to look.
In truth, Xu Suying didn't even need to look—just hearing the voice, she knew who had arrived.
It was Zhao Jing from the Zhao family.
It was a matter of fate, really. Zhao Jing was about the same age as her second son, Dean, and their temperaments matched well. They had always been the closest of playmates.
Earlier, when Scholar Zhao was still alive, he ran a private school at home. Dean had begun his studies under Scholar Zhao's tutelage.
After Scholar Zhao passed away from a sudden illness, Dean transferred to a private school in the county town, while Zhao Jing remained at home to observe the mourning period.
Though separated, whenever Dean returned home on his days off, the two would inevitably get together to discuss their studies, learn from each other, and complement one another's strengths.
Moreover, in recent days, Dean had caught a cold with a high fever and was resting at home on leave. Zhao Jing had been visiting frequently.
However, Dean's illness was severe this time, and he showed little improvement for several days. It wasn't until last night, after taking a strong dose of medicine and sleeping through, that his fever finally broke and hadn't returned since.
Xu Suying had just been about to leave when the old lady grabbed her arm. The old lady wanted her consent and wouldn't let her go until she agreed.
Naturally, Xu Suying wouldn't agree to such an unreasonable demand, so she simply decided not to leave.
She looked out through the window into the courtyard and saw that the thick fog had dissipated without her noticing, with the morning sun breaking through the clouds and mist.
Shards of golden sunlight spilled over the elegant and refined young man, making his already striking appearance even more radiant.
He greeted Wanqing politely, his features handsome and his stature tall and slender. Though dressed simply in a blue cotton robe and wearing only a scholar's square cap on his head, his spirit was clear and his bones refined, with bright, expressive eyes. He resembled a young bamboo shoot growing against the wind—just looking at him brought joy to one's heart.
Then she looked at Wanqing, who stood facing him.
Wanqing wore a moon-white jacket with bamboo-patterned embroidery and a lake-blue thin cotton skirt. A pale blue silk ribbon cinched her slender waist, so delicate it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand.
Her beauty was striking—her peach-blossom complexion and captivating, shimmering eyes were both soft and stunningly beautiful.
But such a standout young woman had no place in a small village. For self-preservation and to avoid unnecessary trouble, Wanqing often wore plain, elegant colors to tone down her natural allure.
At this moment, she smiled and said to Zhao Jing, "Dean's fever has gone down, but he's still not feeling very energetic… I tried to get him up for breakfast earlier, but he refused. He's been sleeping for quite a while now, Brother Jing. Why don't you go in and see him?"
Zhao Jing hesitated slightly. "Repeated fevers are most taxing on the spirit. Since Dean is resting, I'll wait until noon—"
Before he could finish, the window of the east room was pushed open from the inside.
Chen Dean's voice pierced through the dazzling sunlight and reached everyone's ears.
"Is that Brother Jing? Brother Jing, come quickly! I've been dreaming about writing essays, and it's exhausted me. I happen to have some academic questions I don't understand—come and explain them to me. Otherwise, after missing so many days of classes, I won't be able to keep up with the teacher's lessons when I go back."
Zhao Jing looked over, and Chen Wanqing stepped aside to make way. "Brother Jing, please go in quickly… just don't mind Dean's chatter. I never thought he was particularly fond of studying before, but after being sick these past few days, he's finally showing some diligence."
"Sister, you jest. Dean has always been diligent and hardworking in his studies."
"There's no need to praise him in front of me. I know exactly what kind of person he is, as his older sister. Go on in quickly, I'll bring you some tea."
"Please don't trouble yourself, Sister."
"It's no trouble. You won't stay for a meal, but at least a cup of hot tea shouldn't be refused."
"Then I'll trouble you, Sister."
"It's no trouble…"
From inside the room, Chen Dean's voice rang out again, "Sis, is there any food at home? Bring me some, I'm starving."
"Yes, it's warming in the pot. I'll bring it to you once I finish these chores…"
After the siblings exchanged a few words, Zhao Jing gave Chen Wanqing a slight nod with a smile and entered the room on the east side.
Chen Wanqing gathered up the dried branches and fallen leaves she had swept together.
All of these would be used to make compost fertilizer in the family's private plot.
The family still had five mu of farmland—not much, but it provided the entire household's food supply.
Although the family's income was considerably higher than that of other households in the village, supporting two boys in their studies came with significant expenses. Daily life had to be frugal wherever possible, and nothing that shouldn't be wasted could be discarded.
Chen Wanqing bustled in and out, soon lighting the fire to warm the food and boil water.
Seeing this, the old lady in the main room felt envious of her eldest granddaughter's capability.
In the past, she would have made sarcastic remarks about how the mother didn't care for her daughter, but now, not daring to upset Xu Suying, she only spoke pleasant words.
"Look how well-matched Wanqing and Zhao Jing look together. I'm not exaggerating—it's hard to find a girl in the entire Zhao Village more proper and well-mannered than Wanqing."
Xu Suying retorted, "You didn't always say that. Before, you said Wanqing didn't look proper, while Wanyue was virtuous and graceful, the kind who could bring prosperity to the household. How is it that after just a few days, you've changed your mind?"
The old lady felt as if her heart, liver, and lungs were all aching from the rebuke, but she stubbornly refused to admit it.
"Wanqing is also my own flesh-and-blood granddaughter. Even if I favor Wanyue, deep down, I still care for Wanqing. Don't you sow discord between us!"
Her words were sharp, but the old lady felt uneasy inside.
Who had told Xu what she had said before?
After thinking it over, it could only be the third daughter-in-law.
The old lady thought to herself that she would have to make the third son discipline his wife when she returned home! For someone her age, she was still so indiscreet. With her big mouth around, the family could forget about accumulating any wealth!
As for Wanyue and Wanqing's appearances, Wanyue wasn't bad-looking—she had a delicate, pretty charm, appearing elegant and lovely. In a small village, she was considered one of the top girls.
But compared to Wanqing, she fell short.
Even though the old lady didn't like this eldest granddaughter, she had to admit that Wanqing looked exactly like her mother—both radiantly beautiful and dignified, with an air of grandeur that even the wealthy ladies and madams in the county couldn't match.
And she was already an eighteen-year-old young woman, her figure fully developed—a slender waist, a full chest, and well-defined hips.
Although she usually dressed simply and plainly, standing there, she naturally drew attention.
Comparing Wanyue to Wanqing was like comparing the glow of a firefly to the brilliance of the moon, as the operas sang—how could they even be compared?