Two people who had just met for the first time had, in this back-and-forth manner, settled their marriage as if conducting a business deal.
After leaving the Xie household, Eldest Uncle Huang kept glancing at Pei Yuan, his mind brimming with words yet unsure where to begin.
He wanted to tell Pei Yuan that his niece was actually a kind-hearted girl, but the words felt too feeble. Though true, when he thought of his niece’s rigid and uncompromising nature, even he doubted their sincerity.
In contrast, Pei Yuan was in high spirits. On the way back, he spotted an old man selling goods by the roadside and walked over with interest. Pointing at a few slender branches beside bundles of vegetable shoots tied with straw ropes, he asked, “Old sir, how much for these branches? Are they for sale?”
“Young master, if you want them, please take them.”
The branches were long and thin, appearing at first glance like a handful of withered twigs. Huang Hai examined them closely before recognizing them as Snow Willow.
Commonly found along streams in local forests, they seemed unremarkable now. But if taken home and nurtured for a while, they would bloom with white flowers covering the branches like snow—truly a beautiful sight.
While these plants were indeed abundant in the countryside and outskirts, the old man had taken the effort to carefully prune and arrange them, indicating he had put thought into them. Even if he hadn’t intended to sell them, he surely planned to take them home for his own use.
Not wanting to haggle with the old man, Pei Yuan simply picked two extra bundles of cabbage shoots and paid a few extra copper coins, treating it as a combined purchase. One copper coin could buy two eggs, so exchanging four eggs for a bundle of common roadside branches was a deal the old man gladly accepted.
“Eldest Uncle, when Snow Willow blooms, it’s like a withered tree greeting spring. I’ll share half with you to take home. When the elders see it in bloom, they’ll surely be delighted.”
Delighted? Delighted indeed. Huang Hai returned home carrying a large bundle of branches and immediately bumped into the family’s hired laborer, who, under the direction of his wife Madam Chang, was weeding the flowerbed in the front yard.
Huang Hai’s wife, Madam Chang, came from a family of sub-officials for generations, making them local powerholders in Rong County.
Such families might seem unremarkable, but their foundations ran deep. As the old saying goes: “The yamen is iron, the officials are flowing water.”
No one could say for sure how many county magistrates had come and gone in a county town, but the yamen and its sub-officials remained constant.
Especially the sub-officials—families that took root, grew, intermarried, and flourished in one place were like a great tree. Outwardly, they might appear ordinary, but their hidden roots were not easily shaken.
Madam Chang was the youngest daughter of her family. Back then, she had taken a liking to Huang Hai’s sturdy build, thick eyebrows, and bright eyes, insisting on marrying him. It was only after marrying Madam Chang that Eldest Uncle Huang entered the yamen and became a clerk in the Hu Fang.
As the eldest daughter-in-law upon marriage, she often spent time with Huang Juan, who was still young then, playing with her newly arrived elder sister-in-law.
Later, Xie Jiujiu’s grandmother often remarked that her daughter had only learned the eldest daughter-in-law’s fiery temper but not Madam Chang’s tact and shrewdness—she simply wasn’t a clever person.
Now, the shrewd and capable Madam Chang looked at the branches in Huang Hai’s hands, then at the weeds, withered twigs, and branches the laborer had just removed from the flowerbed. Her expression was nothing short of spectacular.
“Well? Did Young Master Pei catch Jiujiu’s eye?”
In the backyard, a small plot of land had been reserved specifically for planting everyday vegetables like radishes, cabbage, pumpkins, and eggplants—crops that required little care once the seeds were sown.
After the New Year, spring arrived. Though the weather might still carry a chill, the vegetable seedlings in the fields grew more vigorous with each passing day. At home, even just eating the tender hearts of the greens felt overwhelming—so why had they brought back such a large bundle of Chinese cabbage shoots from outside?
“Vegetables are one thing—at least they can be eaten. But what are you planning to do with all these branches you brought back?”
“Your new nephew-in-law said that when these branches bloom, they’ll look like snow-covered branches. He bought them specially and gave me half. Here, take them to the old lady’s room, find a vase, and arrange them to cheer her up.”
She should indeed be happy. Finding a son-in-law to marry into the family—one who is capable, shrewd, and well-read—is certainly a good thing, though not an exceptionally rare one.
But these branches brought particular satisfaction to the Huang family. A prospective son-in-law who had decided to marry into the family yet still had the heart to indulge in such leisurely, refined pursuits—either he was broad-minded and truly didn’t mind marrying into the wife’s family, or he harbored greater ambitions and paid little attention to trivial matters.
Either way, he was a hundred times better than those who wanted to marry into a family for the sake of gaining the girl’s property, yet were petty and resentful, always feeling that becoming a zhuixu was a disgrace to their family’s reputation.
During dinner that evening, the third son, Huang He, was especially delighted upon hearing this. He quickly finished his meal and announced he was going to visit his sister, disregarding the fact that it was already dark outside.
Huang He was the youngest in the family, and Huang Juan was the only daughter. If there was a serious matter, Huang Juan would naturally turn to her eldest brother first, but when it came to persuasion, Huang He was the one to rely on.
Huang Juan, who had been reluctant all along, was coaxed by Huang He with crispy fried small yellow croakers and a jar of rice wine brought from her parents’ home. By the next day, she had changed her tune. During breakfast, she even took the initiative to ask Xie Jiujiu whether the betrothal gifts should be prepared in advance.
First-degree relatives, second-degree cousins—even though the blood ties were not distant, in terms of closeness, Pei Yubo’s branch no longer had any other relatives. Pei Yuan’s marriage was something he could decide for himself.
Xie Jiujiu was eager to reclaim Yun Ke Lai from the clan, and with Huang Juan finally giving her genuine consent to the marriage, the Xie family joyfully began preparing the items needed for the betrothal.
After Pei Yuan removed his mourning clothes and emerged from filial mourning on the third day of the third lunar month, Huang Juan asked Eldest Uncle Huang to invite Old Master Chang. Accompanied by Xie Jiujiu and Xie Wenji, and with Granny Tian serving as the matchmaker, they set off for the Pei family.
“Young master, should we really not tell the concubine about this? If she asks about it later, she’ll surely scold me.”
“No, don’t tell her.”
Since he had been adopted, he was now the heir and grandson of Pei Yubo’s branch. If Madam Guan were a proper concubine of the Pei family, it might be different, but she still lived in a small courtyard outside and had never set foot in the main Pei residence.
Her status was too awkward. Rather than letting her worry from afar in Fu City, it was better to keep it from her for now.
Pei Yuan’s status as an illegitimate son had always been the thing Madam Guan cared about and resented the most—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so willing to send her son away for adoption back then.
When Pei Yuan first came to Rong County, Madam Guan had assumed that Pei Yubo had a solid family foundation. Pei Yuan’s letters home also said everything was fine, so she had no idea what kind of life her son had been living in Rong County all these years.
“But does the Xie family know about the concubine? They’ll have to meet her during holidays and festivals eventually.”
In this dynasty, adoption was quite common. According to the law, an adopted son no longer had the right to inherit property from his birth family, nor was he responsible for the care and funeral arrangements of his birth parents.
But that is the law, and beyond the law there is human sentiment. In terms of human sentiment, aside from children who were adopted out from birth, how could any child simply cut ties with their biological parents?
Among the common people, sons who have been adopted out still maintain some contact with their original families during festivals and holidays. Moreover, the young master hasn’t been adopted out of the Pei family—he still shares the same ancestral hall and ancestors—so how could he possibly sever all connections?
When the time comes to go to Fu City, he would surely visit his aunt first, and then this matter could not be kept hidden.
“Cao Yong, I’ve noticed you’re becoming more and more long-winded lately.”
The agreed-upon time had arrived, and Pei Yuan could already hear faint sounds of the front gate opening from the courtyard. If he didn’t go out now, it would be impolite. “Miss Xie is quite an impressive person. My aunt will surely like her.”
In some families, when arranging a marriage, if they value the bride’s side, they bring their son along during the marriage proposal to show respect. Now, with the Xie family proposing to the Pei family, Xie Jiujiu naturally had to accompany them.
Old Master Chang was, in private, a relative by marriage to the Xie family, and in public, he was the Head of the Constables’ Squad at the County Yamen. Having him present demonstrated that the Xie family took this marriage seriously and did not look down on the Pei family simply because it was a marriage where the groom would marry into the wife’s family.
Moreover, this matter had already been agreed upon by both families. The entire proposal process was harmonious, and Xie Jiujiu was in particularly high spirits, casting no fewer than a dozen flirtatious glances toward Pei Yuan from start to finish.
Huang Juan had no choice but to position herself mostly in front of her daughter. If this continued, she feared her unruly child might scare the other party away first.
Both sides presented their birth characters for Granny Tian to match on the spot. Naturally, there was no reason for the characters to be incompatible in such a marriage arrangement. Granny Tian showered them with endless compliments, and thus the marriage was settled.
Pei Yuan was a thoughtful person. With the marriage settled that day, he took the opportunity to present the marriage contract he had prepared earlier.
“Miss Xie wishes to reclaim Yun Ke Lai as soon as possible. I believe this marriage contract will be useful.”
The marriage contract clearly listed, point by point, the oral agreements he and Xie Jiujiu had made that day. Since he was marrying into the wife’s family, the contract could be submitted to the yamen for filing, preventing any future disputes or misunderstandings.
Useful? Of course, it was useful! Eldest Uncle Huang personally took the marriage contract to the Hu Fang. Afterward, the clerks from the Liufang all congratulated Huang Hai with clasped hands. Even Pei Yuan, who had accompanied them, noticed a sudden increase in warmth and familiarity from everyone after they left.
After all, he was now Huang Ye’s nephew-in-law—one of their own. Having a son-in-law who was both shrewd and capable was a good thing. Gone were the days when people spoke of Pei Yuan as if he were some unknown outsider with hidden motives.
As for how Pei Yuan benefited from the settled marriage, Xie Jiujiu had no time to inquire for now. The next day, she took the marriage contract that had been reviewed and filed by the Hu Fang at the yamen and headed straight to Yun Ke Lai with her entourage.
She arrived at Yun Ke Lai just as the lunch crowd was beginning to gather. Xie Jiujiu had only brought her maid Chun’er and the long-term laborer Cheng Ping with her. Cheng Ping had worked for the family since childhood and had also learned bookkeeping and abacus skills from Xie Dechang. If there was any accounting to be done today, he would be the one to handle it.
“Manager Pan, how has business been lately?”
“Boss, why didn’t you send word ahead of your visit? My apologies for the lack of preparation.”
Before Xie Jiujiu even stepped through the door, her cheerful greeting rang out. She not only greeted the manager but also welcomed the customers entering behind her.
In small towns, most shops are family-run, and while it’s not common for women to be out in public running a business, it’s not unheard of either. Xie Jiujiu’s decision to take in a husband had become a topic of idle chatter in the town over tea or after meals.
Seeing Xie Jiujiu, most people didn’t find anything amiss. Two men who followed her in even chimed in cheerfully, “Manager Pan, when the boss comes to her own shop, there’s no such thing as being neglectful or not. You’re wrong to say that—you should slap your own mouth.”
“Little Jiu’er, what fresh ingredients are in the kitchen today? Stir-fry two meat dishes and one vegetable dish, and warm up a pot of sorghum liquor—no diluting it with water.”
“Ah, Uncle Fang, please take a seat. I’ll go check the dishes in the kitchen right away.”