Chapter 177 The County Magistrate Proposes Marriage
"Grandma Dashan has no complaints; this feast is one of the best in our village."
"If Aunt Dashan is willing to treat us to wine, we should also be willing to put in our best effort, and be careful when laying the tiles."
"You don't even need to tell me that, we'll definitely work even harder than we would at home."
"Come on, let's have a drink first."
"I can't drink anymore, this food is too delicious, let me eat more first."
The courtyard was filled with joy.
Cheng Wanwan's face was full of smiles. She handed over the task of entertaining the guests to Zhao Dashan and Zhao Ergou. The two of them took turns toasting the guests at each table and chatting with them. They did a very professional job.
Several women from the Zhao family did not attend the banquet; instead, they simply set up a table in the kitchen, serving the same dishes.
"Sister-in-law, your lives are getting better and better." Sun's eyes were full of envy. "I heard that Er Gou has made a lot of money selling braised food. He should also help his third uncle. His third uncle is strong and can do a lot of work."
Cheng Wanwan asked in a low voice, "Is it because Third Uncle feels that building houses for our family is too tiring, so he wants to change jobs?"
“No, of course not!” Mrs. Sun shook her head vigorously. “The new house will be finished once the tiles are laid and the floor is paved. I need to find a new job.”
“Then help us plow the fields,” Cheng Wanwan said, a smile spreading across her face. “Autumn planting is just around the corner, we can’t afford to delay.”
Sun: "..."
Their family also needed to do autumn planting, which required tilling and preparing the land. It involved twenty or thirty acres of dry land, which was extremely tiring. She wanted to find an easier job for the man and leave the tilling work to her second brother, but in the end, she couldn't avoid tilling the land.
“Sister-in-law, your family is here.” Madam Wen looked up and said, “Old Mrs. Cheng doesn’t look too good. Could they be here to cause trouble?”
Cheng Wanwan looked up and saw Grandma Cheng standing at the entrance of the new house's courtyard with a dark expression.
Everyone in the courtyard was eating, drinking, and laughing, completely unaware that there was someone outside the door.
Grandma Cheng wasn't alone; a man followed behind her. The man had a large mole on his face and was the new man she had found for Cheng Wanwan.
She came to Dahe Village this time to settle this matter, but when she arrived at Cheng Wanwan's house, there was no one there.
She called a child over and asked, only to find out that today was the day Cheng Wanwan's family was raising the roof beam, and they were having a feast in their new house.
She couldn't believe that her daughter had built such a big house, but then she remembered that the county magistrate had given her a hundred taels of silver last time, so it was only natural that she could build such a big house.
What she couldn't accept was that her own daughter hadn't invited her family from Chengjia Village to the house for such an important house-raising ceremony.
Cheng Wanwan put down her chopsticks and went out to greet them, saying with a forced smile, "What wind blew Old Madam Cheng here? The seats are already full, so I won't invite you to take a seat."
Grandma Cheng was furious; she wished she could slap Cheng Wanwan to death.
However, with countless people silently watching her from the courtyard, she could only try her best to maintain her image. She took a deep breath and said in a kind voice, "We're family, so let's not talk about such formalities. I'm here today to bring you double the joy."
When Cheng Wanwan saw the man who followed her, she understood that this old lady was still harboring evil intentions. After causing such a commotion last time, she actually dared to use this matter to make trouble again.
She smiled and said, "Isn't this a coincidence? I also have some good news to tell the old lady. Zhao'er, come here."
Cheng Zhao was being pulled aside by some villagers to offer them drinks and couldn't leave for the time being; otherwise, he would have come over much earlier.
As soon as Cheng Wanwan spoke, the villagers released Cheng Zhao, and he quickly walked over and stood subtly in front of Cheng Wanwan.
He spoke softly, "Grandma, what brings you here?"
Grandma Cheng was furious when she heard this. She wondered why her own daughter hadn't invited her, her own mother, to the banquet. However, the other party was her beloved grandson. They hadn't seen each other for over a month, and she couldn't bear to get angry at him. She had no choice but to suppress her anger and said with heartache, "Zhao'er, you've suffered."
"Grandma Cheng, you're being too kind to me. Zhao'er isn't suffering at all staying with us," Cheng Wanwan said with a smile. "Apart from the slightly cramped sleeping quarters, Zhao'er is exactly the same as my four sons in every way. The uncles and aunties in the village also take good care of him. By the way, several aunties in the village want to marry their nieces to Zhao'er. I thought Zhao'er is eighteen years old now, which is indeed the age for marriage, so I agreed..."
"What did you say?!" Old Mrs. Cheng's eyes widened. "What right do you, a whore, have to interfere in Zhao'er's marriage?!"
Cheng Zhao pursed her lips and said, "I will follow my second aunt's arrangements."
“You, you!”
Grandma Cheng was so angry she vomited blood.
Her precious grandson is destined to become an official, and once he becomes an official, he will marry a wealthy family's daughter. How can he marry a village woman?
The old woman roared, "If you dare to interfere with Zhao'er's marriage, I'll never forgive you!"
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "I am the daughter-in-law of the Zhao family. If Grandma Cheng can interfere in my marriage, why can't I interfere in my own nephew's marriage? This is the principle that you taught me, Grandma. I am just following your example."
Grandma Cheng was stunned.
Cheng Zhao spoke up: "Grandma, please, I'm begging you, please stop making arrangements for this matter."
Old Mrs. Cheng opened her mouth and said, "The Cheng family has already received two taels of silver as a bride price. Once the money is received, the matter is settled."
“Then return the betrothal gifts.” Cheng Zhao looked at the man. “I will return two taels of silver to you plus two hundred copper coins. From now on, don’t come to Dahe Village with my grandmother again.”
"How can this be!" the man said discontentedly. "I gave the betrothal gifts more than a month ago and kept making me wait. I've waited so long, my patience has run out. Stop nagging and you have to come with me today!"
The man rushed in from the courtyard gate, shoved Cheng Zhao aside, and suddenly tried to grab Cheng Wanwan's arm.
The men at the table closest to the courtyard entrance had been watching the commotion. When they saw that the outsiders dared to make a move, they all stood up in unison, forming a human wall in front of Cheng Wanwan.
"Coming to Dahe Village to cause trouble, they must be tired of living."
"The patrol team has taken a good look. If this person comes again, just kick him out."
"With such a big mole on his face, he's not good enough for Dashan's mother at all. He's like a toad trying to eat swan meat."
The man was furious at being insulted, but he didn't dare to fight so many people alone, so he could only resort to verbal attacks: "You guys are all so protective of a widow, you must have already slept with her, right? I don't even look at her, ptooey!"
The four Zhao brothers grabbed their weapons and rushed over, smashing a stick into the man's back.
Just then, a carriage suddenly appeared at the entrance of the new house courtyard. The curtain was lifted, and a festively dressed old woman stepped out of the carriage.
"Oh, how lively!" the old woman said with a beaming smile, waving her handkerchief. "Excuse me, is this the home of Zhao Chengshi in Dahe Village?"
Cheng Wanwan stepped out from behind a wall of people: "It's me, may I ask who you are?"
"Oh my, I thought Zhao Chengshi was an old woman with faded beauty, but I didn't expect her to be so young. No wonder the magistrate is so fond of her." The old woman covered her mouth and laughed. "I am Huang, the matchmaker from Ping'an Town. I've come to propose marriage on behalf of the magistrate today."
Shen Zheng, who was outside the crowd, suddenly stood up straight.
He used to think his father didn't like him, but this time, he deeply felt his father's love.
In order to find him a stepmother, his father actually sent a matchmaker to propose marriage. He saw the servant carrying boxes out of the carriage, with red silk ribbons tied to the boxes, which should be the betrothal gifts.
Shen Zheng couldn't help but grin; he would soon be able to openly call Aunt Zhao "Mom."
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