"Mother, it's a young lady. She says she needs to see you." Dazhuang quickly closed the door and answered loudly.
Matchmaker Zhen ignored her son.
Instead, he looked at Xiaoqing and asked, "Miss, what brings you here?"
As she spoke, she looked Xiaoqing up and down. She noticed that although Xiaoqing was wearing cheap clothes, the fabric was new and hadn't faded at all. It was obviously newly bought. A family that could afford to make new clothes for their daughter often couldn't be too poor. Plus, the girl was quite pretty.
Her smile is like a peach blossom bud about to bloom.
As a professional matchmaker.
She even wanted to ask Xiaoqing to be her matchmaker.
“Auntie, my name is Bai Xiaoqing. I’m from Ningzhou City. I’m 20 years old this year. My parents passed away early due to illness, and my uncle took over the house they left behind. He even wanted to sell me to a widower in his forties. So I came to Shuangqiao Town to stay with my sister with just a few clothes. Unfortunately, my sister and brother-in-law have already moved to Jiangnan County. I have very little money left and don’t know the address of her new house. I really can’t keep going back and forth. So I was thinking of finding a matchmaker to marry me off. Anyway, marrying anyone is better than marrying a widower in his forties, don’t you think?”
After Xiaoqing finished speaking, she handed the pastries in her hand to Matchmaker Zhen.
She smiled ingratiatingly.
When the matchmaker heard about her background, she frowned. She wanted to drive her away, but she couldn't bring herself to hit someone who was smiling. Besides, Xiaoqing's bag of pastries cost one string of cash, so she was a good person.
She took the pastries, smiled, and then pulled Xiaoqing to sit in the main room.
“Young lady, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but marriage is all about matching social status. Look at you, you’re old, an old maid, you’ve brought death to your parents, and you don’t have any money to your name. Who would marry you? Every decent man in town considers a woman’s background, right? You’re only good-looking; you have nothing else to offer. If I introduce you to someone, they’ll curse me to death…”
Blunt words are always too unpleasant to hear.
Xiaoqing's face turned pale. She suppressed the urge to curse, swallowed her anger, and forced an ugly smile as she replied.
“Auntie, I know my circumstances are too poor. There’s nothing I can do. I’m just unlucky. Auntie, I don’t ask you to introduce me to a wealthy family. I just need someone kind and honest. Even if it’s a second marriage, I’ll accept it as long as the first one didn’t have any children. Auntie, I only have one tael of silver left. It’s all the money I have. If you can introduce me to someone, I’ll give you this one tael of silver after the engagement.”
Xiaoqing took out a tael of silver from her purse, waved it in front of Matchmaker Zhen, and then put it back in.
One or two ounces is nothing to a merchant.
But for Matchmaker Zhen, that was three months' worth of expenses.
Matchmaker fees are usually around three strings of cash, and it's common for generous families to give half a tael of silver. With some gifts, the total will never exceed one tael.
She arranges about ten marriages a year, earning at least five taels of silver.
We can eat meat at home quite often.
Matchmaker Zhen was incredibly confident at home.
Even her husband doesn't dare to boss her around.
Upon seeing the silver tael, Matchmaker Zhen's expression instantly changed.
Her eyes crinkled with laughter as she chuckled, gently stroking Xiaoqing's hand and praising her as she did so.
"Auntie was just teasing you. Your name is Xiaoqing, right? It's a nice name. Look at you, you're as beautiful as a flower. You could marry anyone! Don't worry, leave this to me. I'll make sure you get a good husband. By the way, why is your sister married while you're still single at your age?"
"Auntie, I was seriously ill before and had been recuperating. One day, a monk came to my door asking for water. To repay his kindness, he told my fortune and said that if I survived past the age of 19, I would be rich and powerful for life. So my sister got married before me. Coincidentally, my illness really did get better last year, and I'm perfectly healthy now..."
Xiao Qing made it up on the spot.
She spoke so convincingly that even the matchmaker, Zhen, believed her.
After all, who would dare to make fun of a monk?
"Wow, that's so accurate! Looks like it's not you who's bad luck for your parents, it's your parents who're bad luck for you. Cough cough, let's not talk about that. Where do you live now?"
Matchmaker Zhen continued checking the household registration records.
“I’m staying at an inn, Auntie. It’s very expensive to stay a night. So, Auntie, I have a small request. You know, I don’t have much money left. So please help me find someone quickly, preferably someone I can marry within four days. Otherwise, I’ll have to spend money every day at the inn, and my wallet can’t take it.”
Xiao Qing didn't expect that the bracelets would only sell for such a small amount.
I originally thought I could sell it for two ounces.
After deducting the cost of buying pastries and the promised commission to the matchmaker, there was no further information.
She bought another set of clothes, and only had two strings of cash left to spend.
Although the room she booked was cheap, it still cost 45 coins a day.
Including meals.
At most, it can last for four days.
Xiaoqing was very anxious.
Upon hearing this, Matchmaker Zhen's eyes darted around.
"Inns are too expensive. Why don't you stay at my house? You can just pay me the inn fee, and I'll provide you with two meals a day. Then you can say you're my distant niece, and I can even help you find a husband. How about that?"
The cheapest inn in town costs at least 30 coins a day, and the rest are all dormitory-style rooms, which this girl definitely wouldn't stay in.
Therefore, based on 30 coins, if she stays for four days, that would be 120 coins.
120 coins is enough to buy groceries for the family for seven or eight days.
The girl had only eaten a few bites of food. Matchmaker Zhen took a sip of sweet water and looked at the thin and frail Xiao Qing.
They came up with an idea.
"Sure, Auntie, you're so kind! I've come to the right person. Come on over, Auntie. The inn is 35 coins a day, and you can stay for four days. I'll give you 150 coins. Sorry to bother you, Auntie..."
Xiao Qing was overjoyed.
She pays 45 coins a day to stay at the inn.
Food and drinks are not included.
If you stay at the matchmaker Zhen's house, you'll not only save money, but you'll also have a good family background to help you find a spouse.
She didn't want others to look down on her just because she had no relatives or friends and was from out of town.
Xiao Qing lied about the inn's price and took out 150 coins from her purse and handed them to Matchmaker Zhen.
I was afraid she would change her mind.
Both of them achieved their goals.
That day, Xiaoqing returned to the inn, checked out, and bought a piece of fatty meat on the way before staying at Zhen the matchmaker's house.
Seeing that she was very cooperative, the matchmaker Zhen originally wanted her to live in the woodshed, but instead let her live with her daughter-in-law. As for her son, Dazhuang, he slept on the floor in his two grandsons' room.
Matchmaker Zhen has only one son, Jiang Dazhuang, who is 32 years old this year. He and his daughter-in-law, Lanhua, have given her two grandsons.
One is fifteen, and the other is thirteen.
The older one is already looking for a spouse.
The Jiang family of six lived in a three-bedroom, one-living room, one-kitchen, one-bathroom, one-woodshed, and one-yard house.
Although it's not big.
It was very cozy.
In the afternoon, Matchmaker Zhen took Xiaoqing out to meet potential partners.
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