Chapter 162

When Yingxiang saw the women of the Yang family again, Yang Xun's wife looked at her with a complicated expression. After not seeing her for many years, her impression of Yingxiang had become somewhat vague, but upon seeing her today, she suddenly realized that Yingxiang really hadn't changed at all.

Back then, she sat calmly and composed at the front desk of the teahouse.

She still sits at the head of the table, smiling. She is dressed in fine clothes, impeccably groomed, and exudes confidence and vitality. When Yang Xun's wife thinks of herself, she feels somewhat inferior.

Despite their similar backgrounds, Yingxiang's life has indeed improved significantly.

"Madam now has two sons, that's wonderful. Is the older one old enough to get married?"

Old Mrs. Yang sat beside Yingxiang. She had a full head of white hair and looked very old, but she seemed to be in good spirits. From what she said, it was clear that she still remembered things.

"Not yet, studying is the priority right now. How are you feeling?"

“I’m doing well. It’s been so many years since we last met in the capital. It seems we are destined to meet again in Jiangzhou.”

Yingxiang had also heard that Yang Xun was different from before; he now had concubines in his harem and even illegitimate children.

Madam Yang remained seated firmly in her position as the principal wife, currently sitting below Yingxiang, dressed in a very simple and plain manner.

She had a smile on her face, but upon closer inspection, the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"We are destined to meet again, let's try this tea and pastries."

"well."

In the past, Grandma Yang thought Yingxiang was capable and could earn money to supplement the family income.

Looking at Yingxiang sitting there, and then at her daughter-in-law, she suddenly felt that Yang Xun's wife was even less presentable.

They weren't magnanimous at all, their smiles were forced and insincere, as if they were afraid people wouldn't see through them. Deep down, they were still timid and hesitant. In terms of background, both of them were peasant girls.

Yingxiang has changed a lot compared to before, but she still looks the same. Looking at her granddaughter sitting below her, Old Mrs. Yang pursed her lips. She really is almost identical to her mother.

Yingxiang glanced at Chunyu beside her, and Chunyu immediately understood. She took out the prepared gift and presented it directly to Yang Xun's daughter.

"Madam, how could I possibly accept this?"

Looking at the several bolts of fabric with good colors, Old Lady Yang immediately spoke up.

"She's not young anymore."

Yang Xun's daughter even stood up abruptly, looking somewhat at a loss.

"I like this child. It's just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it and I'll make him some new clothes later."

"Man'er thanks you, Madam."

The little girl I remember, so thin and small, has grown up now. She has an older brother and later a younger brother, not to mention her siblings who weren't born to the same mother.

At first, Yingxiang felt sorry for this girl. Upon closer inspection, she realized that she probably hadn't had a good life over the years. She was thin and had shifty eyes. Looking closely at her hands, they weren't as fair and delicate as those of a typical young lady from a wealthy family; there were still some calluses visible.

She dressed very simply, holding her hair up with only a silver hairpin.

Yang Xun also had a rank, but he probably valued his son more. In this era, Yingxiang sighed inwardly and said nothing more.

"Children of this age are like flower buds; if they were dressed up properly, they would be incredibly beautiful."

"yes."

After the Yang family left, Bai Mama, who was standing next to Yingxiang, was the woman who had worked in the palace and was hired by her to learn etiquette. She couldn't help but say, "Madam, the position of Tongpan is not low, but the family members of this Tongpan are not respectable. That young lady looks to be of age, but she is timid and can't even stand up straight. She doesn't look like a proper young lady of an official family at all."

Yingxiang believed that the boys in the next generation of the Yang family would definitely not be like this.

But there was nothing they could do. Their family was poor, and the head of their family was out of touch with reality. Deep down, they were sexist, and this was Yang Xun's own daughter.

"If he has foresight, he should be properly raised; perhaps he can be of help to the family in the future."

“Every family’s situation is different. Marrying up doesn’t necessarily guarantee happiness, and marrying down doesn’t necessarily guarantee a comfortable life. Marrying someone of equal social standing is naturally the best.”

Yingxiang picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

Ultimately, it's a family matter. What Mrs. Bai said wasn't wrong; she knew about the Yang family's situation before.

"What you say is true, madam. It's best to marry someone of equal social standing. That way, you won't suffer or be mistreated. And when a woman marries into such a family, she'll have more confidence."

In terms of age, this girl is two years older than Leqian, and she's also of marriageable age.

Yang Xun slowly made his way up the mountain. Yingxiang wouldn't underestimate him; he must have his own ideas.

At night, the couple sat on the bed. After listening to his wife finish speaking, Wen Shi put down the book in his hand and gestured for her to sit in his lap.

He embraced Yingxiang for a long time before saying, "A lot has happened over the years, and Brother Yang is not as pure as before. I can understand him. In the future, when we work together, we should just do our job well."

Yingxiang understood; people change, after all, different experiences will inevitably lead to very different personalities.

Yang Xun's wife was, after all, the wife of a prefectural magistrate. When Yang Xun came to take office, many wealthy and powerful families in the city knew about it and secretly began to inquire about her children.

As a sub-prefect in the prefectural government, one was considered an official with a name and a surname. Children born out of wedlock were not as good as children born out of wedlock. Some families would raise their children together, but some families would raise them separately.

Yang Xun's wife later attended some banquets and social events. She also wanted to be presentable and glamorous, but she couldn't achieve it.

She even had to borrow jewelry from her mother-in-law when she went out to socialize, which made her feel even worse, but she couldn't go out without makeup.

Deep down, she envied Yingxiang. Her in-laws were never around, so the couple was free and unburdened. In contrast, her in-laws controlled everything and constantly complained about her.

"Today I took Man'er to the Xu family for a banquet, and Old Mrs. Xu praised Man'er a few times."

Yang Xun sat inside the house, and upon hearing this, his mind raced. Sometimes he was very tired, but he couldn't ignore this family.

“We won’t consider merchants; at the very least, we’ll consider officials.”

"You don't need to worry about the money at home. Your mother will take care of everything. Just tell her if you need anything."

“You all use your salary to subsidize the eldest son’s children. We haven’t spent much on food and lodging over the years. Man’er is, after all, a daughter of an official, but when I take her out, we don’t have many decent jewelry or clothes, and we are looked down upon.”

“In other families, the mistress of the house manages the accounts. My mother is getting old. You don’t care about us at all.”

“Our family is poor. If Man’er can marry into this famous and wealthy family, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. The dowry they send will definitely be more than enough. We can take some of it to her and keep the rest. Our family won’t have to live a tight life anymore, and we’ll be much better off.”

Hearing this, Yang Xun was too lazy to refute. As his daughter grew up, some merchant families were willing to marry her, but he didn't agree, and his family couldn't make the decision.

He disagreed with his wife's words.

"Brother Wen's wife is very capable. You should visit her more often and learn from her. You should also bring Man'er with you."

"Why would I want to see her? I'm not that lucky. Even now, I still can't manage the household or the money."

Madam Yang Xun looked aggrieved as she said this.

“When I first met her, she was already doing very well, and she’s doing even better now.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Xun frowned without making any attempt to hide it.

"With your mother alive, you should be respectful and obedient. What are you saying? You are my wife, and Man'er is my legitimate daughter. Have you been wronged in this family?"

“My mother is troublesome and has a bad temper. She still clings to the power of managing the household and saves the good things for her grandchildren.”

“Back then, my eldest and third brothers supported my education, so we can’t just abandon them.”

“Husband, if you ask me, why don’t we just do what we did before and let them all go back? At worst, we can just send half of your annual salary back home.”

"Half of it is enough for us. The other day when I went to see Madam Wen, her clothes and the decorations in her house were much better than ours."

"That won't do."

There was no other way before, but Yang Xun doesn't want to be talked about behind his back now.

"The children will grow up eventually and move out. Don't say anything more. Just do what I tell you to do."

“He’s a higher-ranking official than you, yet he doesn’t have a single concubine in his harem.”

"And you?"

"Those were all gifts from my boss. Tell me, can I refuse them?"

After saying that, Yang Xun flicked his sleeves and left. He was also very angry. In his family, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was clear, and he never favored his wife over his concubines.

Yang Xun's wife felt even more wronged, and she immediately burst into tears, but no one saw it.

In the summer, the weather was hot, but fortunately, ice had been stored up from last winter, so Yingxiang sat in the house where it was relatively cool. The ice blocks were placed on a bronze cauldron in the middle of the room, emitting wisps of cold air. Yingxiang sat not far away, flipping through Buddhist scriptures.

Two maids stood not far away, and the room was very quiet.

Yingxiang studied with the two for a while and has changed quite a bit.

She knows how to brew tea, taste tea, and burn incense, though she's not particularly skilled, but she's been practicing. She also knows a bit about housekeeping and management, and she has people constantly watching over her daily etiquette and reminding her if she's not doing something right.

In the front hall, after Wen Shi finished processing the official documents, he saw Yang Xun enter and gestured for him to speak frankly.

"Brother Wen, I have something I'd like to ask you."

Yang Xun felt a little embarrassed as he said this, but he had no choice. He felt that his wife wouldn't listen to anything he said, but he couldn't let the children suffer.

"Tell me then?"

If it's about borrowing money, Wen Shi felt he could lend a little, since they still had a relationship. Besides that, there shouldn't be anything else.

“I heard that you have two mothers, one from the palace and the other from a wealthy family in the capital. I have a daughter and I would like her to learn from them.”

The two women Yingxiang hired were quite famous in Jiangzhou City. Some wealthy families had hired them to tutor their children, and many families saw them that day.

It's understandable that Yingxiang would have such thoughts, given her different status compared to others.

At her age, she hasn't given up on herself, and many people still look at her with admiration. Some things are not so easy to learn. For a long time, many people have had a stereotypical view of Yingxiang, thinking that Wen Shi is capable but didn't marry a good wife, and that a country bumpkin is the most vulgar.

But looking at it now, they were wrong. Although the person didn't come from a privileged background, he never gave up on himself, was able to run a business, and was even willing to spend money to learn the rules.

Wen Shi rose through the ranks, and she also made progress.

Over time, Yingxiang learned to imitate the mannerisms quite well, and she looked almost indistinguishable from a married woman.

I'll talk to her about it later.

"Man'er is well-behaved and sensible, Brother Wen, you can rest assured."

Before leaving, Yang Xun added a sentence. Wen Shi nodded. He couldn't make the decision for his wife; ultimately, she had to agree herself.

When Yingxiang found out, she didn't refuse outright. After thinking about it for a long time, she finally agreed.

After she spoke with her two mothers, they were very willing. After all, she was a daughter of an official, so it wouldn't hurt to teach her a thing or two. If she performed well in social situations in the future, it would bring them honor, and they might even be able to earn more money in the future.

Before sending Yang Man over, Yang Xun personally found his daughter and spoke to her at length.

He does value his son more, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about his daughter at all. Yang Man nodded repeatedly, indicating that she would study hard and be obedient.

Yang Xun's parents were initially reluctant, as was Yang Xun's wife. She always felt that this made her inferior to Yingxiang, but she was never the one in charge of the family.

After hearing that it was free, the two elders agreed, and the matter was settled.

Yang Xun couldn't let his daughter learn for nothing. Even if they didn't mention money, he should at least give her something in return. Before Yang Man went, he secretly gave her some money and told her to buy some gifts for Yingxiang. The gifts didn't need to be many, but they had to be good.

In recent years, he has given all his salary and money to his parents. As for the rewards, he keeps them all for himself after receiving them each year. Even if he can't sell the goods, he keeps all the money for himself.

He did not live a wasteful or extravagant life. His concubines were all gifts from others, and their salaries of several hundred taels of silver were enough to support the family without paying rent.

After my eldest nephews got married, they all returned to their hometown to study and live, and they no longer lived together.

On the one hand, he also has to socialize and entertain. On the other hand, he is also thinking about his children. After the old couple passes away, the family will still need to be divided. Right now, everything depends on him, and he wants to leave more things for his son.

Yang Man listened to her father's words and took the thirty taels of silver he gave her to go shopping. In the end, she bought a beautifully crafted rose gold hairpin in a jewelry store. The hairpin was small, delicate, and very beautiful.

She really liked the hairpin, and her father was right.

She looks more like her father. Although she is somewhat timid, she is still young and listens to what he says.

"Help me find a nice box to put it in."

Giving a pure gold gift would be more prestigious, and she couldn't afford anything more expensive. After paying, she took the gift back to the government office and went to find Yingxiang without saying a word.

at the same time

In Ping'an Village on the outskirts of Beijing, Yuqin was at home counting the wine and liquor. Jinyu was also getting married soon, and now all of their children were scholars.

"Son, write the letter and send it to him as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, Mother."

"After you get married, you need to work even harder. Your wife and I have no objections. You two should live a good life together from now on."

Jin Yu's fiancée was neither the daughter of an official nor the daughter of a merchant, but the daughter of a wealthy farmer from a nearby village.

This family owns a lot of land, and the marriage was arranged by a matchmaker. The second son and his wife have already sent the betrothal gifts. They are very satisfied with the dowry that will come with the girl.

“Your father said that your grandparents will be back in a few days, and the sons of your eldest uncle and third uncle will also be coming. I will definitely arrange a respectable marriage for you.”

"Thank you, Mother."

"Of course, your mother and father are counting on you in the future."

Yuqin left the house in a very good mood. After her son got married, she was looking forward to holding her grandson.

She was very satisfied with this daughter-in-law. Wealthy families aren't necessarily good; just look at the eldest son's family—they have quite a few problems.

She understands her son's temperament, so she feels that this marriage is a good match.

Her family now owns five acres of land, and they are just waiting for Wen Shi to return so that the land can be transferred to the children.

Jin Yu's marriage was not kept secret from the old couple at first, and Xiao Wu also knew about it. Old Man Wen had no objection to it. With the eldest son's family as an example, having money is not necessarily a good thing. You have to be able to gain an advantage.

Xiao Wu thought that a good match was good, but more importantly, the two children were compatible and could live together. Jin Yu was a sensible and obedient child, quite different from the eldest son's two children. Marrying a wife from the village might not be so bad.

He is diligent in reading and studying, and doesn't have many ulterior motives.

Even if you marry him a shrewd woman, he still won't be able to handle her.

It's better to choose something that's decent, as long as it doesn't drag you down.

Wen Shi doesn't know these things yet, so the letter can't be sent immediately, but he'll find out sooner or later, and Xiao Wu thinks he definitely won't object.