Zhulan knew the girl from Wang De’s family. The thirteen-year-old girl was really good-looking. Zhulan had met a few people who are not bad, but it was a pity that Wang’s surname was not good, especially since she and Wang Ru were from the same family. My family doesn’t want to have anything to do with the Wang family. “I understand my sister-in-law’s intentions,” she said, “but my son Chang Lian will be taking the provincial exam next year. We hadn’t planned on arranging a marriage for him so early. His father and I think he’s still too young, waiting for another year or two won’t be too late.”
If Wang Ru hadn’t been there, she would have wanted to tell her that she would get engaged after the age of eighteen. Scholars in this dynasty all got married late, usually between seventeen and eighteen. Zhulan said that there would be no problem with waiting for a year or two, of course. The most important thing was that she didn’t like the Wang family girl.
Matchmakers were all shrewd people, and the matchmaker did not want to continue persuading her. She also understood that waiting for a year or two meant that she had not fallen in love with the Wang family’s girl. The little girl from the Zhou family was an example. She got engaged early, so everyone could understand that it was just an excuse, “That’s it, I won’t bother you, I have to go back first. The Wang family is still waiting for a reply!”
Zhulan got up to see her off and said, “Thank you for making the trip, Sister-in-law. This is just a small token of appreciation, so please don’t be too polite.”
The matchmaker felt the weight of the purse, understanding that Zhou Yang Shi wanted her message to spread that they wouldn’t consider it for the next year or two. “Well then, I won’t hold back,” she replied.
Zhulan cheerfully saw the matchmaker off, and once the woman was out of sight, she returned inside. The matchmaker, on her way to the front street, discreetly checked the purse in her sleeve and counted thirty coins. She was pleased; she hadn’t expected to earn a good sum for her trouble in making the trip. She hummed a little tune as she made her way to the Wang residence.
Previously, Zhulun and Zhou Shuren hadn’t seriously considered the matter of marrying off Chang Lian. The main reason was that in their minds, the child was still young. However, when the matchmaker came to visit, they began to pay more attention to it. After discussing the matter, they concluded that the Zhou family was about to move to Pingzhou, and it wouldn’t be suitable to arrange a marriage for Chang Lian in the nearby villages. It wasn’t that they looked down on rural girls; it was more about aiming higher. In ancient times, good relations between two families were mutually beneficial. They hoped that Chang Lian’s future in-laws would not need to provide substantial support, but at the very least, they should have a strong family background that wouldn’t hold them back for generations.
The Wang family wasn’t pleased by this and believed that their daughter was the best. They thought that the Zhou family had high standards, but they didn’t dare to confront the Zhou family directly. Instead, they resented Fourth Wang’s family, believing that it was the actions of Fourth Wang’s family that had tarnished the reputation of the Wang family’s daughter. As a branch of the Wang clan responsible for managing the family genealogy, the Wang family even considered the idea of removing Fourth Wang’s family from the family tree once more.
Zhulan was unaware of all of this, and even if she had known, she would have thought that she and Zhou Shuren’s interference had only added to the plot, making the story veer further off course.
After school in the evening, Chang Lian knew that someone had come to match him, so he became the calmest. This was all because several classmates asked about his news. He knew it in his heart. If there had been no changes in the family before, Wang De’s girl would have made him extremely happy. But things were different now, he hoped to find someone who was literate.
Chang Lian believed that his parents shared this sentiment. Their confidence stemmed from the fact that both his older sister and second sister were literate. He was certain that his parents wouldn’t arrange his marriage lightly. Now, hearing his mother say they should wait for two years, and considering that their family was moving, he felt more assured. After dinner, he diligently went to study. He felt a great deal of pressure, as his younger brother was a few years behind him but taking the exams in the same year. He didn’t expect to pass on his first attempt, but he didn’t want to perform worse than his younger brother. It was not just a matter of pride; he also didn’t want his father to shift all his attention to his younger brother.
The matchmaker’s visit didn’t cause any waves in the Zhou family, but it did stir up a lot of talk in Zhoujia Village. No one said that the Zhou family was in trouble, but it made the Wang family’s daughter famous again.
When Zhulan heard the news, it was Li Shi who came back to tell her, “Mom, the Wang family opened their genealogy and crossed out Wang Laosi’s family from the genealogy.”
Zhulan asked, “What’s the reason?”
Li Shi was well aware that Wang Laosi’s family had stirred the anger of the entire Wang clan. “The reason given was that educating girls was acceptable, but it had tarnished the family’s reputation and shown disrespect to the elders.”
Zhulan was surprised, “How do you know so clearly?” It was as if she was at the scene!
Li Shi chuckled, “Because when it was over, I heard it from one of the Wang family’s wives.”
Zhao Shi let out a sigh, “The Wang family is truly ruthless. Not only did they not keep it a secret, but they also spread it everywhere. Who would dare to marry any of the girls from the Fourth Wang’s family now?”
Zhulan knew the girl from Wang De’s family. The thirteen-year-old girl was really good-looking. Zhulan had met a few people who are not bad, but it was a pity that Wang’s surname was not good, especially since she and Wang Ru were from the same family. My family doesn’t want to have anything to do with the Wang family. “I understand my sister-in-law’s intentions,” she said, “but my son Chang Lian will be taking the provincial exam next year. We hadn’t planned on arranging a marriage for him so early. His father and I think he’s still too young, waiting for another year or two won’t be too late.”
If Wang Ru hadn’t been there, she would have wanted to tell her that she would get engaged after the age of eighteen. Scholars in this dynasty all got married late, usually between seventeen and eighteen. Zhulan said that there would be no problem with waiting for a year or two, of course. The most important thing was that she didn’t like the Wang family girl.
Matchmakers were all shrewd people, and the matchmaker did not want to continue persuading her. She also understood that waiting for a year or two meant that she had not fallen in love with the Wang family’s girl. The little girl from the Zhou family was an example. She got engaged early, so everyone could understand that it was just an excuse, “That’s it, I won’t bother you, I have to go back first. The Wang family is still waiting for a reply!”
Zhulan got up to see her off and said, “Thank you for making the trip, Sister-in-law. This is just a small token of appreciation, so please don’t be too polite.”
The matchmaker felt the weight of the purse, understanding that Zhou Yang Shi wanted her message to spread that they wouldn’t consider it for the next year or two. “Well then, I won’t hold back,” she replied.
Zhulan cheerfully saw the matchmaker off, and once the woman was out of sight, she returned inside. The matchmaker, on her way to the front street, discreetly checked the purse in her sleeve and counted thirty coins. She was pleased; she hadn’t expected to earn a good sum for her trouble in making the trip. She hummed a little tune as she made her way to the Wang residence.
Previously, Zhulun and Zhou Shuren hadn’t seriously considered the matter of marrying off Chang Lian. The main reason was that in their minds, the child was still young. However, when the matchmaker came to visit, they began to pay more attention to it. After discussing the matter, they concluded that the Zhou family was about to move to Pingzhou, and it wouldn’t be suitable to arrange a marriage for Chang Lian in the nearby villages. It wasn’t that they looked down on rural girls; it was more about aiming higher. In ancient times, good relations between two families were mutually beneficial. They hoped that Chang Lian’s future in-laws would not need to provide substantial support, but at the very least, they should have a strong family background that wouldn’t hold them back for generations.
The Wang family wasn’t pleased by this and believed that their daughter was the best. They thought that the Zhou family had high standards, but they didn’t dare to confront the Zhou family directly. Instead, they resented Fourth Wang’s family, believing that it was the actions of Fourth Wang’s family that had tarnished the reputation of the Wang family’s daughter. As a branch of the Wang clan responsible for managing the family genealogy, the Wang family even considered the idea of removing Fourth Wang’s family from the family tree once more.
Zhulan was unaware of all of this, and even if she had known, she would have thought that she and Zhou Shuren’s interference had only added to the plot, making the story veer further off course.
After school in the evening, Chang Lian knew that someone had come to match him, so he became the calmest. This was all because several classmates asked about his news. He knew it in his heart. If there had been no changes in the family before, Wang De’s girl would have made him extremely happy. But things were different now, he hoped to find someone who was literate.
Chang Lian believed that his parents shared this sentiment. Their confidence stemmed from the fact that both his older sister and second sister were literate. He was certain that his parents wouldn’t arrange his marriage lightly. Now, hearing his mother say they should wait for two years, and considering that their family was moving, he felt more assured. After dinner, he diligently went to study. He felt a great deal of pressure, as his younger brother was a few years behind him but taking the exams in the same year. He didn’t expect to pass on his first attempt, but he didn’t want to perform worse than his younger brother. It was not just a matter of pride; he also didn’t want his father to shift all his attention to his younger brother.
The matchmaker’s visit didn’t cause any waves in the Zhou family, but it did stir up a lot of talk in Zhoujia Village. No one said that the Zhou family was in trouble, but it made the Wang family’s daughter famous again.
When Zhulan heard the news, it was Li Shi who came back to tell her, “Mom, the Wang family opened their genealogy and crossed out Wang Laosi’s family from the genealogy.”
Zhulan asked, “What’s the reason?”
Li Shi was well aware that Wang Laosi’s family had stirred the anger of the entire Wang clan. “The reason given was that educating girls was acceptable, but it had tarnished the family’s reputation and shown disrespect to the elders.”
Zhulan was surprised, “How do you know so clearly?” It was as if she was at the scene!
Li Shi chuckled, “Because when it was over, I heard it from one of the Wang family’s wives.”
Zhao Shi let out a sigh, “The Wang family is truly ruthless. Not only did they not keep it a secret, but they also spread it everywhere. Who would dare to marry any of the girls from the Fourth Wang’s family now?”
