Chapter 2 Marrying into the Zhou Family
On the day of Lichun (the beginning of spring), the two daughters of the Du family got married together. One was led away by the matchmaker with a bundle in a cold and lonely manner, while the other was married in a grand wedding with eight sedan chair bearers.
Everyone congratulated the Du family, saying they had found a good match.
However, none of them knew how the marriage between the Du and Li families came about.
A month ago, Magistrate Li was returning from the prefect's residence when he encountered a fortune teller on the road.
The gossip says there's a simple-minded girl in Xiangtan Village, but she's a reincarnation of a blessed woman. If your son marries her, he'll surely enjoy great fortune and lasting wealth and honor.
Magistrate Li refused to believe it. "Absurd! Absolutely absurd! Throughout history, marriage has always been about matching social status! How could I, a dignified magistrate, allow my son to marry a foolish woman!"
Xiao Dao laughed: "That girl became foolish and confused because she lost one of her souls. Once her soul returns, she will definitely not be foolish anymore."
Magistrate Li still thought he was talking nonsense.
Seeing his reaction, Xiao Dao continued with a smile, "Lord Li, it's better to believe it exists than not to believe it doesn't."
Magistrate Li tossed him a copper coin, then turned and left.
After returning home, Magistrate Li became increasingly suspicious and eventually actually believed the gossip, sending his wife to find the foolish girl.
Madam Li dared not let her son marry a fool, so she conspired with Madam Liu to secretly marry Madam Liu's second daughter without Magistrate Li's knowledge.
That day, Magistrate Li left in a hurry and missed a sentence: "After that blessed girl gained a soul, she was protected by her heavenly parents. She is born with both good fortune and misfortune. If you treat her well, she will naturally have endless good fortune. If you treat her badly, she may suffer endless misfortune."
Of course, no one would believe such a fantastical statement.
It takes about half an hour to walk from Xiangtan Village to Changliu Village, but fortunately the Zhou family sent an oxcart to pick up the bride, and Du Wanchun and the matchmaker arrived at the village gate in less than fifteen minutes.
Inside Changliu Village, the sky, which had been covered with dark clouds, suddenly cleared up, and strands of golden light, like fine sand, slowly shone down through the clouds.
Du Wanchun walked to the Zhou family's door under a dazzling ray of sunlight.
The Zhou family's house was a small mud house surrounded by a fence. The house was not big, with probably only two or three rooms at most.
Looking at the scene before her, the matchmaker sighed deeply, turned her head and took Du Wanchun's hand, saying, "Chun'er, your father is really heartless. He won't let you marry into a perfectly good county magistrate's mansion, but insists on making you marry into this poor village. You're going to suffer in the future."
Although Du Wanchun used to be mentally challenged, she was very cute, with a round face and round eyes, and was an adorable little girl.
The matchmaker, surnamed Liu, felt a certain pity for the young girl.
Du Wanchun looked up at her and smiled, "Thank you for your concern, Aunt. Since I have chosen to marry into the Zhou family, I will naturally not look down on him for being poor."
When the matchmaker heard her words, she just shook her head and said, "You are really foolish."
Du Wanchun did not argue, but continued to smile.
Just then, the Zhou family's gate opened, and a faint fragrance of flowers wafted in.
A woman dressed in gray linen came out. Her hair was as black as ink and tied with a brown headscarf. Her skin was slightly yellowish and there were a few faint lines at the corners of her eyes, but this did not affect her delicate eyebrows and eyes, or her flawless features.
"Oh, I was just about to go to the village gate to meet you. Why are you here so early?" Aunt Zhou said, wiping her hands as she strode forward, her face full of joy.
Her eyes crinkled into crescents as she smiled, seemingly sparkling with stars. Even though she deliberately walked with a slightly rough tone, Du Wanchun still saw a dignified air about her that seemed out of place in this dilapidated courtyard.
This dignified demeanor seemed to be innate, and no matter how hard she tried to get rid of it, she couldn't.
“Aunt Zhou,” Du Wanchun called softly to her.
Aunt Zhou turned her gaze to Du Wanchun, and her clear eyes suddenly showed surprise. She strode forward and held Du Wanchun's hand tightly in her palm. Looking at her thin wrist, she said in a slightly hoarse voice, "How did this child become so thin? She's almost skin and bones."
The matchmaker, Liu, said from the side, "This child has suffered a lot. That stepmother is no human being. Look, the original wedding time was noon, but her stepmother was in a hurry to get rid of her, so she had me send her here first thing this morning."
Aunt Zhou looked up and thanked Matchmaker Liu, "Thank you so much, Aunt Liu."
Matchmaker Liu said with a smile, "Alright, today is a joyous day, let's quickly welcome them in!"
Aunt Zhou nodded. "Yes, come on in."
After she finished speaking, she pulled Du Wanchun into the house, her face and heart filled with joy.
The Zhou family is dirt poor and has no money to marry a wife, so they are lucky to have this marriage with the Du family.
The Liu family of the Du family found a matchmaker to find a husband for their daughter. The matchmaker found an old widower in his forties in Changliu Village. How could it be proper for a young girl in her teens to marry a widower?
When Aunt Zhou learned about this, she felt sorry for the young girl, so she asked Matchmaker Liu to go to the Du family first to inquire whether they would be willing to marry their daughter to them.
However, her family was poor and couldn't afford the bride price.
Liu was eager to send Du Wanchun away, so she agreed without thinking.
When Aunt Zhou found out, she took the only money she had and bought two new cotton quilts and put them in her eldest son's room.
Even with such meager resources, Aunt Zhou still bought some red paper and pasted a "double happiness" character in front of the house.
When Du Wanchun entered the room, she looked up and saw the large red "double happiness" character.
Strangely enough, the small, dimly lit room came alive with the presence of the "double happiness" character.
Aunt Zhou hurriedly called into the house, "Feng'er! Zhao'er! Come quickly and greet your sister-in-law!"
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