"Oh my, you've taken the kids shopping?"
As Li Rouniang led the children to the village entrance, they encountered Li Dazui from the same village. At that moment, Li Dazui was chatting with a few village women about this and that, and he spotted Li Rouniang at a glance.
"Da Ni, take your younger sister home and wait for your mother," Li Rou Niang said to Da Ni.
Seeing Da Ni carrying San Ni and pulling Er Ni away, Li Rou Niang smiled and went to greet them.
This left Zhao Dazui at a loss. She had thought that Li Rouniang would just lower her head, ignore her, and walk away as before.
“Aunt Zhao,” Li Rouniang greeted her.
"Rou Niang, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but your husband just came up the mountain and you're already wandering around town. That doesn't sound good!" Zhao Dazui continued to smear Li Rou Niang.
Li Rou Niang wasn't angry; she simply said humbly, "Thank you for reminding me, Auntie. Rou Niang understands. I will definitely be more careful with my words and actions in the future."
"Okay, just be more careful in the future. I didn't necessarily have to say anything to you." Seeing that there was no way to gain any advantage, Zhao Dazui changed the subject with someone else.
But while she wanted to change the subject, Li Rouniang didn't want to. Originally, Li Rouniang couldn't think of a way to deal with Granny Zhao and her daughter, but seeing Zhao Dazui gave her an idea.
Zhao Dazui's downfall lies in her mouth. She spreads rumors and gossip about everyone, causing tragedies for countless families because of her, yet she shows no sign of restraint.
"Aunt Zhao, I heard that my son Dayou and your son Daniu are the same age, so why isn't Daniu married yet?" Li Rouniang asked, feigning curiosity.
"Li Rouniang, what do you mean by that?" Zhao Dazui immediately became displeased upon hearing this.
Perhaps it was God punishing her for speaking without restraint, as her only son was born with a slight intellectual disability.
Actually, that's a nicer way of putting it. To put it bluntly, he's just a simpleton, or what people commonly call an idiot!
Of course, he's not completely stupid, just half-stupid.
In the early years, matchmakers did come to the door, but they introduced girls with defects. Zhao Dazui was unwilling to marry such a daughter-in-law, so he kept delaying until now.
This is why Zhao Dazui always targets Li Rouniang.
Zhao Dayou and his son were born in the same year, but look at Zhao Dayou, he's had three children in a row, one after another.
How could Zhao Dazui not be jealous? Because of his jealousy, he always brought up the fact that she had given birth to a girl, which caused Li Rouniang to suffer as a result, and she was beaten countless times.
"Auntie, don't misunderstand, I didn't mean any harm. I just wanted to ask what you think of our Dahua?" Li Rouniang quickly explained when she saw Zhao Dazui's expression.
"What? What did you say? Li Rou Niang, are you joking with me?" Zhao Da Zui couldn't react and asked angrily.
"How can you interpret it that way, Auntie? I'm serious." Li Rouniang's expression was as serious as could be.
"Oh, that's hilarious. I don't know where you got that idea from, but everyone in the village knows that your Zhao Dahua is always chasing after Wu the Scholar." Zhao Dazui replied coldly.
“How can Scholar Wu compare to Da Niu? Aunt, we all know that Scholar Wu has lost both his parents, and he still has to take the imperial examinations to obtain official rank. This process is extremely difficult and expensive, and my mother-in-law doesn’t want to spend so much money on it. That’s why she wanted me to sound you out,” Li Rou Niang said sincerely.
"Is that really true?" Zhao Dazui asked seriously upon hearing this.
"Of course I mean it," Li Rouniang replied with utmost sincerity, nodding in agreement.
“I think your mother-in-law’s considerations are correct. After all, although that Scholar Wu is handsome, as the saying goes, a scholar is useless. He has no parents, and in the future, he will have to rely on his in-laws for a living. Going to school is very expensive,” Zhao Dazui said quickly, as if afraid that the other party would change her mind.
“Auntie is right, that’s what my mother-in-law thinks too,” Li Rou Niang said with a smile.
"It was because our clan chief considered the bond between clansmen that Wu Xiucai's mother and young Wu Xiucai were driven out by their husband's family. I heard that his father died early and his husband's family was ruthless and could not tolerate the mother and son, so they came to our Zhao Family Village to seek refuge."
Poor Wu Xiucai's mother, she supported Wu Xiucai's studies with her embroidery skills, but in the end, she ruined her health and passed away at a young age.
"Fortunately, this child lived up to expectations and passed the imperial examination, becoming a scholar. His future is bright, though the path was certainly paved with money." A village woman who was on good terms with Zhao Dazui quickly chimed in.
Hehe, her family also has daughters. If Zhao Dahua and Wu Xiucai don't get together, her daughter might become an official's wife.
“That makes perfect sense. So, Aunt Zhao, what do you think of our Dahua?” Li Rouniang continued the conversation.
"Of course, that goes without saying. Your Dahua is beautiful, lively, well-behaved, and eloquent. I'm naturally delighted with her." Zhao Dazui quickly showered Zhao Dahua with compliments.
“Since Auntie is satisfied, that’s good. Why don’t we pick a good day and finalize this matter?” Li Rou Niang said, seizing the opportunity.
"Why bother looking for a good day? I think today is a good day. Why don't I write the marriage certificate today and send it over? What do you think?" Zhao Dazui was even more anxious than Li Rouniang. As long as the marriage certificate was signed, his silly son would finally have a place to settle down.
“That would be great, let’s go to the clan chief now.” Li Rou Niang nodded naturally.
"I have no problem with that, but I wonder if your mother-in-law has any other conditions?" Zhao Dazui was also afraid that his mother-in-law would ask for too much, as his family couldn't afford such a large dowry.
“Just prepare like a normal village wedding. My mother-in-law is marrying off her daughter, not selling her,” Li Rou Niang said understandingly.
"Alright, let's go get the marriage certificate from the clan chief, and then I'll prepare the betrothal gifts and go to their home." Zhao Dazui was really afraid that the matter would fall through, so he urged them on.
“Okay, let’s go now.” Li Rouniang nodded with a smile.
Things went smoothly after that. Since it was a mutually agreed upon arrangement, Zhao Youtian was happy to see it happen, and they easily obtained the marriage certificate. All that was needed was for the elders of both sides to sign it, and it would be done.
Zhao Dazui discussed that tomorrow they would invite a matchmaker to bring the betrothal gifts to the bride's home, and Li Rouniang would take the marriage certificate back to have Zhao Pozi sign it, and then the matter would be settled.
As for why no one suspected it, after all, such a lie is easily exposed, so naturally no one suspected that it was a lie!
Not to mention Zhao Dazui's side, who was overjoyed and busy preparing to go home,
Li Rouniang returned home, happily took the marriage certificate to the woodshed, waved it in front of Granny Zhao, and said with a smile:
"Grandma, I have good news for you."
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