Chapter 280 Matchmaking for Cao Yingying
The mountains around Dahe Village are continuous, and the trees in the deep mountains are hundreds or even thousands of years old.
For generations, the villagers have been cutting down trees on the mountain for firewood, but this firewood is only a drop in the ocean compared to the forest.
Nowadays, Cheng Wanwan is buying firewood in large quantities. Considering the potential for soil erosion, she specifically instructed that trees be cut down intermittently, and that newly grown saplings should not be cut down. Only with vegetation to protect the land can the forests not be destroyed.
There are mulberry trees on this mountain, all of which grow wild.
However, due to a lack of technology, no one in the village specializes in raising silkworms.
“As everyone knows, there are many villages in Quanzhou that have raised silkworms for generations and have even set up special spinning and weaving shops, which support many women,” Cao Yingying said slowly. “However, the people in Quanzhou are complicated. This time, my father was tricked. In a moment of carelessness, he almost lost tens of thousands of taels of silver.”
Tens of thousands of taels of silver… The village head clutched his chest, his breathing unsteady. The Cao family was truly too rich!
"I was thinking of planting mulberry trees myself, raising silkworms myself, and then finding someone to spin yarn to make the cloth that the Cao family needs," Cao Yingying said, explaining her plan. "Mulberry trees can be planted in winter, and we can start raising silkworms next summer. We can see the profits by the end of the year. If it works, my dad won't be cheated by others anymore. If it doesn't work... we'll see."
Hearing this, Cao Defu's eyes welled up with tears: "Yingying, you've really grown up and become sensible. You've even started to share your father's burdens... I'm so happy, sob sob, how could I have such a sensible daughter... Old Sun!"
Steward Sun immediately stepped forward and said, "Master, please give your orders."
"You'll be in charge of assisting with this land purchase and mulberry tree planting!" Cao Defu slammed his hand on the table. "Also, send someone to Quanzhou. No matter the cost, make sure they acquire the silkworm breeding technology..."
Manager Sun nodded: "Yes!"
The village head's hands trembled.
If the Cao family starts raising silkworms in Dahe Village, they will definitely hire people to help, and then the women in their village will have work to do.
Moreover, raising silkworms is not a physically demanding job, but a technical one; some girls in their early teens should be able to do it...
“Miss Cao, I’ll measure the land for you when I get back today and bring the land deed tomorrow morning.” The village head patted his chest. “You have to clear the wasteland to grow crops, but you can plant trees directly. Leave this to the men in our village, and they can plant them all in less than a month.”
Cao Yingying nodded with a smile: "Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Lizheng."
That's how it was settled.
The adults chatted happily, while Zhao Dawang and Zhao Tiezhu ate with their mouths full of grease, wishing they had another mouth...
Zhao Ergou had drunk a little bit of wine and felt a bit dizzy. When he looked at Cao Yingying, he felt that she looked exceptionally beautiful today. He really wanted to say a few words to her, but with several people in between, he really didn't know what to say and could only silently cast his gaze at her.
Cao Yingying's gaze swept over as well.
Their eyes met briefly in mid-air before quickly looking away, both blushing deeply...
In short, everyone enjoyed the meal.
After finishing their meal, the group left the restaurant and were about to part ways.
"Oh, isn't this Boss Cao?" A woman walked over, laughing loudly. "Boss Cao's been drinking; it seems something wonderful has happened. This must be Miss Cao; she's very beautiful. She must be fourteen this year?"
Cheng Wanwan looked over and recognized her. It was Huang the matchmaker. A long time ago, she had wanted to arrange a marriage between her and Magistrate Shen.
She shifted her position, placing herself behind the village head and his entourage, mainly to prevent the matchmaker from bringing up the old story if she saw her...
Cao Defu proudly said, "My daughter is fifteen."
"Then he'll be sixteen after the New Year, we need to hurry up and arrange a marriage." Matchmaker Huang, never missing a beat, continued, "Yesterday a lady asked me to arrange a marriage for her son. He's seventeen this year, incredibly handsome and dashing, and a scholar at the Southern Academy. The headmaster says he'll definitely pass the imperial examination next year. If we wait until next year, the Cao family might not be a good match. If we arrange the marriage this year, we can get a scholar as a son-in-law for free, isn't that perfect…?"
Cao Defu was immediately intrigued: "Are you sure he's a perfect son-in-law?"
"Of course!" Matchmaker Huang patted her chest and assured her, "I've seen that child. He's exceptionally handsome, tall, and academically gifted. He's definitely got the makings of an official. He and Miss Cao are a match made in heaven..."
"Alright, alright!" Cao Defu nodded. "I'll have this child come to the Cao family tomorrow so I can take a look. If it's really as you say, then this marriage can proceed..."
"father!"
Cao Yingying cried out in disbelief.
Cao Defu looked over and then noticed that his daughter's face had turned completely white.
"Yingying, are you feeling unwell? What's wrong?"
Cao Yingying clutched her handkerchief tightly and said, "Father, I don't want to get married yet!"
If she weren't there, her father would have just arranged her marriage without even asking if she wanted to.
How is this any different from the behavior of the stepmother, Lady Qi?
Her eyes reddened, and she turned and ran away.
Zhao Ergou clenched his fists and chased after him without saying a word.
"Er Gou." Cheng Wanwan pulled him back and whispered, "It's not appropriate for you to chase after them. Just stay here and keep Boss Cao company."
The man was unmarried and the woman was unmarried; if they chased each other in the street and someone saw them, who knows what rumors would spread.
In this dynasty, if a man and woman secretly established a relationship without their parents' knowledge, it was considered a private engagement, a scandal that would bring shame upon the family.
Therefore, only she, as an elder, could step forward.
Cheng Wanwan looked at Cao Defu: "Brother Cao has drunk too much. Er Gou, help him into a private room at the restaurant and let him sit for a while."
The matchmaker, Huang, smiled and said, "That would be great. Let's sit down and discuss this marriage in detail."
"Let's wait until Master Cao sobers up before Matchmaker Huang comes," Zhao Ergou said, subtly blocking Matchmaker Huang. "Uncle Village Head, come and lend a hand."
The village head was completely bewildered and had no idea what was going on. He immediately stepped forward, grabbed Cao Defu's arm, and pulled him inside.
Zhao Tiezhu and Zhao Dawang blocked the doorway to the private room from the left and right, respectively. Huang the matchmaker had no choice but to leave first, waving her handkerchief.
Meanwhile, Cheng Wanwan chased after Cao Yingying.
During this time, she also started going for a run after getting up early, which improved her physical fitness a lot, so it wouldn't be difficult for her to pursue a young girl.
The difficulty lies in how to open up to a young girl.
She had been single for so many years in her past life, never even having a relationship, so she really didn't know how to bring up this topic...
"Auntie, don't worry about me. I just don't want to get married right now," Cao Yingying said sullenly. "My father said before that he would never force me to do anything. How come he's making decisions for me about my life's most important event like this?"
Cheng Wanwan coughed and forced herself to speak: "Do you not want to get married, or do you not want to marry the person that Matchmaker Huang mentioned?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
