Li Rouniang was beaten to death by her husband. After carrying a child for ten months, she died with her baby. Her two other unfortunate daughters also met tragic ends: one was married off to a sic...
A cry of "Mother!" interrupted the flower-viewing banquet for the nobles. Everyone looked over and saw three exquisitely beautiful girls running over and surrounding Liu Rou Niang. Everyone was astonished.
Clearly, they misunderstood. Rou Niang is already married; what does her husband's family do?
Liu Rou Niang introduced her three daughters to everyone in a generous manner. Hearing that they all had the surname Liu, everyone understood that it was probably because their husbands' families were not prominent that they all had the surname Liu, or perhaps her husbands had already passed away.
So she's a widow raising a child!
Thinking about it this way, those who were initially interested lost some of their enthusiasm. Although they wanted to cultivate a relationship with the Liu family, it was probably not feasible for Liu Rou Niang to marry one of their unmarried nephews or nieces.
Meanwhile, a shrewd and ambitious person set their sights on these three little girls, since their surname was Liu. The Liu family then adopted the three children.
The younger one, Liu Yujin, is too young. Yu Rong is the right age and can be betrothed. She will be married in two or three years. Yu Yan is a bit younger, but she has been betrothed early. However, she seems to be a bit too lively and outgoing, not as steady as Liu Yu Rong. So most people have to focus their attention on the well-behaved and composed Liu Yu Rong.
Those families with sons of marriageable age would take the initiative to strike up a conversation.
In the Feng family, Madam Feng, the wife of the wealthy official, stepped forward and struck up a conversation with Liu Rou Niang, asking, "Do these children have the surname Liu because they took their father's surname?"
We need to clarify this, otherwise, it would be a mistake to cause a misunderstanding.
Li Rouniang shook her head and said carefully, "No, that's not it. My husband's family has no one left. My maternal grandmother took pity on us four daughters who had no one to rely on and was afraid that we would be bullied, so she changed our surnames."
Madam Feng nodded in understanding, then smiled and took Liu Yurong's hand, saying, "This girl is so well-behaved and adorable, I wonder how old she is?"
Liu Yurong answered seriously, not understanding why. Liu Rou Niang was also attending such a banquet for the first time, and she didn't quite grasp the ladies' thoughts. She originally thought it would be like casual conversation at the village entrance, just polite exchanges.
So he politely asked the young man beside Madam Feng, who looked about the same age as Yu Rong, and said with a smile, "Your young master looks to be about the same age as my Yu Rong."
What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Madam Feng immediately seized the opportunity. Her husband was a man who had been rising and falling in the officialdom of the capital. If he had a marriage with the Liu family, it would be a great help. So she quickly said, "Yes, yes, my son Feng Shi is about the same age as Yu Rong. They usually play together."
She tugged at Feng Shi and said, "Shi'er, be good. Take your sister over there to play for a while. If the two of you get along well from a young age and develop a good relationship, it will be easier for him to manage you in the future!"
Rou Niang didn't think much of it, so she asked Yu Rong to take Feng Shi to wander around elsewhere. Yu Jin and Yu Yan walked around hand in hand, looking at things. When they got bored, they saw that their sister had brought a little boy, so they ran over as well. The three of them surrounded Feng Shi and chattered away.
Although Feng Shi was young, he was remarkably precocious among the nobles of the capital. Therefore, he immediately understood his mother's meaning. He thought about it for a moment and realized that while Yu Rong was indeed well-behaved and adorable, she wasn't as beautiful as the girls in the capital.
After all, she was taken back by Madam Liu. Even though she now lives a life of luxury, she did live a rougher life before. Her skin is darker and rougher. As for her facial features... well, her facial features are just so-so, Feng Shi thought to himself.
Yu Rong politely introduced the general landscape of the garden to Feng Shi. Feng Shi responded perfunctorily, clearly indicating that neither of them had any other feelings for each other.
Liu Yuyan was a restless person. Seeing that the two were chatting in official jargon and it was boring, she pulled Yujin away again.
Zhou's family also sent people, chatting with Old Madam Liu. The Wu family was far away on the frontier and naturally couldn't come to help. Zhou's wife said, "Rou Niang seems like a good girl. Who is her husband's family?"
Old Madam Liu said with a smile, "Her husband's family is gone because of the war."
Madam Zhou sighed again, but in her heart she began to make plans.
Privately, he pulled Zhou aside and said, "Your sister-in-law's daughter may have a hard time finding a husband. Judging from Old Madam Liu's attitude, once she went to the ancestral hall, all three children would have the surname Liu. I'm afraid they'll have to divide up our Qingfeng family property in the future."
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou hurriedly said, "Mother, you must not say such things. If outsiders hear this, it will seem as if we are eyeing the family property."
Madam Zhou tugged at her daughter's hand and said, "Silly daughter, only you are so foolish. Can't you see? This widow Liu Rou Niang has three children. Which noble family in the capital would marry her? She will probably grow old and die in this house. When that time comes, won't the good things that Old Madam Liu has be left to Liu Rou Niang for protection? There's quite a lot of that. Our Qing Feng is the eldest son and grandson. If anything is to be left, it should naturally be left to him!"
Madam Zhou sighed and said, "You can't say that. Think about it, your husband is, after all, born out of wedlock!"
"Nonsense! He was raised under the care of Old Madam Liu since childhood; he is the eldest grandson!"
Zhou stopped talking. That's just how her mother was. She was raised by her grandmother and didn't follow her mother's example. Because her grandmother and Old Madam Liu were close friends, she was married off to her. But her mother still had her eyes on the family property. It was really helpless!
She understood her husband's intentions; he was now a general, capable of creating a bright future for their children. It wasn't necessary to insist on clinging to Old Madam Liu's dowry and other assets. Besides, she herself believed that even if Old Madam Liu's assets were to be given, they should go to Liu Fufeng. And if there was no rush, leaving some for Rou Niang was also appropriate.
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