Chapter 138 Matchmaking

Although Lord Jiang holds an official position, it is not a lucrative one.

When Shen Yuanzhu arrived at the Jiang family with her gifts, she noticed that the two jujube wood doors were slightly faded, unlike when she had visited as a child when they were brightly colored.

Now it looks rather worn and faded.

As the Jiang family's servant opened the door, Shen Yuanzhu smelled a faint scent of mugwort, mixed with some indescribable aromas if you smelled it closely.

Above the entrance hall hangs a plaque inscribed with the words "Passing Down the Family Tradition of Farming and Reading." Moss grows in the cracks between the blue bricks in the corner, as if the servants haven't tended to it for a long time.

Shen Yuanzhu looked back at the jujube wood door behind her; it had faded considerably compared to her memory.

Further inside, an old cloth curtain hung on the side room door. The cloth was rough, and the pattern and texture were not in the style preferred by the locals.

Shen Yuanzhu tightened her grip on the bow, realizing something was amiss.

It's likely that these worn-out, exotic items were the work of another concubine of the Jiang family.

Perhaps she wanted Lord Jiang to constantly think of the two of them relying on each other in the harsh cold, their deep affection like that of a devoted couple.

But seeing all this every day, Madam Jiang doesn't know how she feels.

Chen Yuanzhu lowered her eyes, her stomach churning.

"Yuanzhu, you're here? Come and sit down."

The servants of the Jiang family led her to a small courtyard. A string of copper bells hung under the eaves of the courtyard, and there was a large vat under the window, in which bowl lotuses were grown.

The calamus grows freely on the ground, giving it a wild and natural feel.

Zhou He wore a pale white half-sleeved top adorned with silver buttons, over which she wore a long-sleeved short jacket and skirt. Her hair was casually styled in a bun on top of her head. She stood under the eaves with a gentle and loving expression, waving to her with a smile.

Suppressing her heartache, Shen Yuanzhu tilted her head back and grinned broadly.

"Aunt Zhou."

She took a few quick steps, as if acting coquettishly, and handed the prayer gift in her hand to Zhou He.

"I've picked out some food and supplies for you and your sister, please don't find them offensive."

Zhou He touched Shen Yuanzhu's cheek, her eyes filled with joy: "Why bring any gifts? I'm already very happy that you're here."

After she finished speaking, she raised her hand and beckoned to the little girl who was hiding inside the house, revealing half of her body.

The little girl wore a carnation-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with light blue brocade trim around the collar and lapels. A plain long sash was tied around her waist, with a copper bell hanging from the end, jingling with every movement.

Shen Yuanzhu glanced at the little girl's slightly damp, starched ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and understood.

This mother and daughter's lives were probably not very happy.

"Jiang Zao, come over and pay your respects to your sister Yuanzhu."

The young girl had a light blush on her face, wore sterling silver osmanthus earrings, and looked shy.

She quietly bowed to Shen Yuanzhu.

"We're all family, please have a seat."

The servants set up a table in the courtyard, laden with the young lady's favorite foods. Shen Yuanzhu noticed that there was also a dish of sweet lotus root with osmanthus.

This was her favorite food when she lived with the Jiang family when she was a child, and Zhou He still remembers it now.

Shen Yuanzhu looked at it and her heart softened.

Fine, fine, even if Zhou Hezhen has some ulterior motives, let her have her way. As long as it's something I can do, I'll give it a try for this plate of sweet osmanthus lotus root.

The three of them ate and drank. Jiang Zao was shy and quiet, while Zhou He and Shen Yuanzhu were quite friendly.

After dinner, Zhou He brewed a pot of Lion Peak Longjing tea, and the three of them sat in the courtyard, enjoying the summer evening breeze and talking in hushed tones.

After a while, Zhou He said, "Actually, I asked you to come here today because I need your help with something."

Her hand tightened around the teacup, and Shen Yuanzhu said coquettishly, "If there's anything you need me to do, just tell me. Why are you saying you're helping me?"

Zhou He bent over, her gaze gentle, her face carrying a hint of teasing.

She pointed to Jiang Zao, who was fiddling with a bowl of lotus flowers, and winked.

“Young lady, you’ve reached the right age, and I’d like to arrange a marriage for you.”

"Didn't I just hear that the Xie family matriarch is asking the third son of the Xie family to choose a wife? That's why I came looking for you."

"Huh?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuanzhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

So that's all there was to it.

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she felt a pang of guilt for her petty thoughts.

My mother's best friend, Aunt Zhou, who came to her door to take her back to the Jiang family when she was a child, has never changed.

very nice.

Shen Yuanzhu raised her head and whispered in Zhou He's ear, "Why have you taken a liking to Xie Jingyuan?"

Zhou He followed her example and whispered, "I think he's quite handsome, and I've inquired about him before; his character seems alright."

"I haven't noticed any major flaws yet. Even if I can't be with my Jiang Zao for the rest of my life, I don't think I'll embarrass her too much."

"Moreover, the Xie family is considered wealthy, although they are merchants, but..."

Holding Chen Yuanzhu's hand, Zhou He sighed, "It's better than a life of poverty."

Her words revealed a hint of sadness.

Shen Yuanzhu didn't ask too many questions, but said, "My third uncle is rarely at home, and I haven't seen him much, but he is indeed a polite and filial person."

"But he's the old lady's darling, and Sister Jiang is going to marry him..."

Thinking about Xie San Niang's standards for a daughter-in-law, Shen Yuanzhu felt that even if Jiang Zaozhen married into the family, she would probably suffer for a while.

However, one advantage is that although she is not optimistic about the future of the Xie family, the third branch of the family should be able to support their wives and children.

Zhou He squeezed Shen Yuanzhu's palm with a rare gesture: "To be honest, I had no other choice. It was a bit awkward for Jiang to propose marriage so early."

"Although his father is an official, his rank is not high, and he doesn't care much about Jiang Zao. They can't find a good family among officials, and they can't find a family that is too low-ranking either."

"Being stuck in the middle, neither good enough nor bad enough, is really giving me a headache."

"I've thought about quite a few people over the past two years. Apart from being a bit too old, Xie Jingyuan is fine. If we keep wasting time, it will be even harder to find someone suitable when Jiang Zao gets older."

After saying that, she carefully looked around and lowered her voice: "I heard that the old lady of the Xie family is not in good health. Your mother-in-law is not a mean-spirited person and will not interfere with the third branch of the family."

"So even if the old lady is a bit harsh on her daughter-in-law, it's only for a year or two."

"And I was thinking that since you're also in the Xie family, you and your sister can help each other out in the future."

"It's just a difference in generation. If you really marry into the family, she'll become your third aunt."

After saying that, Zhou He chuckled softly.

The old lady of the Xie family had told her that she didn't have many days left to live, so Shen Yuanzhu had no reason to refuse.

Besides, the other party is Zhou He. Even if she wanted Jiang Zao to marry Xie Jingyuan, or even Xie Qi, she would still make plans for her.

After thinking for a moment, Shen Yuanzhu said, "Grandma Xie also wants to find a girl from an official family..."

"I'll go back and sound out the Xie family's opinion on this matter, and I'll definitely find a way to make your wish come true."