Chapter Eighteen
Mu Jin spoke up at the right moment, saying, "Aunt Mu may not know, but if this marriage without a matchmaker goes to the county government, it won't just be a matter of five taels of betrothal money."
Aunt Mu was stunned for a moment, "The county... the county government?! It's a matter in our own village, why do we need to go to the county government? It's not that shameful, and it would be too much trouble for the magistrate."
Farmers are all afraid of seeing officials; just hearing about it fills them with dread.
Aunt Mu's tone immediately softened considerably, and her eyes and brows became kinder.
Hibiscus was speechless. You know this is a shameful thing, don't you?
"Hey, I'm just worried about Si-ge'er. Jin-ge'er, you're young and naive. We brothers and sisters value our reputation the most. I'm afraid Si-ge'er won't be able to find anyone better than my Er-liang in the future. Don't you think that makes sense?"
Mu Jin chuckled and glanced at Zhou Wu Shi. "I said from the beginning that this matter is none of your concern, Auntie. This five taels of betrothal money is compensation for Si'er's two years of hard work. When he gets married, my mother dotes on Si'er, so how could she possibly keep it? Even if we don't give him five taels as a dowry, we'll give him three taels, and the remaining two taels will be a token of my mother's kindness in raising Si'er over the years. Si'er is a good boy, and there will surely be plenty of good men who want to marry him."
"You think it's thirty taels of silver?! There's plenty more, aren't you afraid of losing your mind?"
Zhou Wushi paused, "Three taels of silver, and they won't even kill me?" Her rebuttal was drowned out by Aunt Mu's loud, enraged voice.
Zhou Laosan pulled her aside. It was understandable that he didn't break off the engagement before, because he was thinking of Zhou Si.
Let's not even talk about whether the Mu family would still take those two taels of silver if they agreed now.
With Mu Jin's words, she immediately decided that the five taels of silver would be compensation to Zhou Si. It was only right to give him some as a dowry when he got married.
Since Mu Jin married into the Zhou family, she has openly and subtly emphasized how important reputation is to scholars.
Zhou Laosan listened to this every day, and it inevitably took it to heart.
They were extremely concerned about their family's reputation, fearing that they might inadvertently ruin their youngest son's bright future.
If Zhou Wushi were to refute this at this point, the little reputation her son had previously restored would inevitably be lost.
"Sigh, the marriage must be called off. My Zhou family is not short of a few taels of silver. As my eldest son's husband said, my son is so good that he is not afraid of not being able to get married. Even if he stays at home, my family can afford to support another son."
These words were spoken with such grandeur and authority that they commanded respect, but few present actually believed them.
Honestly, no one wants to support an old man who can't get married.
However, since the Zhou family stood up for their son, most of the villagers sided with them, and their opinion of the Zhou family changed again.
Zhou Wu hesitated, but once Zhou Laosan spoke, his words were like nails, leaving her no room to say anything more.
Seeing that they had stopped arguing, the village chief said, "According to the village rules, Qian Tong should be drowned, and Mu Liang should be flogged fifty times and driven out of the village. But it's the New Year, and I don't want to see bloodshed. Mu family, what do you want to do? Cancel the engagement and keep the betrothal money for Si Ge'er as compensation, or do it according to the village rules?"
Aunt Mu hurriedly said, "Village chief, we'll pay, we'll pay! If my Erliang gets fifty lashes, will he still be a whole person?!"
Qian Mu was still crying, her eyes swollen. Upon hearing this, she said, "Village Chief, my son has no other way to make a living except by marrying Mu Liang. Please preside over the wedding. Let's settle it today. We don't need much for the dowry, just two taels of silver will do, my lord?"
Old Man Qian nodded, agreeing with his husband's statement.
"Pah! We wouldn't dare take a chaste boy like that! Besides, so many men have seen his body; there are plenty of men who have defiled your boy's purity!"
These words were ruthless and cruel, and the men who went to the mountains to hunt "wild boars" all glared at Aunt Mu.
They don't want to be turtles or tortoises.
Qian Tong couldn't take it anymore and fainted.
The eldest brother of the Qian family, who was still angry about his younger brother's shameful act, suddenly became anxious.
Even though I'm angry, I don't want anything to happen to my younger brother whom I've doted on for over a decade.
Mu Bai pulled Doctor Mu, who was watching the commotion in the crowd, over and made him stand next to Mu Jin.
Doctor Mu stroked his beard and said in a deep voice, "Tong Ge'er is already more than two months pregnant."
A thunderclap suddenly sounded from the ground, causing an uproar among the crowd.
Mu Liang stood there, stunned.
"Goodness, this guy has a hard time getting pregnant. I wonder how long he's been hooking up with her."
"Poor Si'er, how did she end up with such a fiancé?"
"That's for sure. If they get married, he'll become a stepfather in a few months."
They already have a child; it wouldn't be right not to marry her, and the village chief couldn't agree to it.
The elderly couple in the Mu family still don't have a grandchild. Although Mu Liang's elder brother is married, his husband is not conceiving and there has been no sign of a child for two years.
Qian Tong was carrying Aunt Mu's long-desired eldest grandson, and Old Man Mu immediately made the decision, and the marriage was arranged.
The wedding banquet is off; because of this scandal, probably not many families will attend.
After some haggling, the Mu family gave him one tael of silver as a betrothal gift. When Qian Tong woke up that day, he was already inside the Mu family's door, which was considered to have fulfilled his wish.
Mu Liang felt as if his soul had flown away, and he returned home in a daze.
Before leaving, the village chief instructed, "This matter is best kept to ourselves in our village. Don't spread it outside. This isn't just a family matter. For the sake of your brothers and sisters, you have to keep your mouths shut."
Everyone nodded, understanding the implications. Even the gossipy woman and her husband only chatted with the villagers for a few days.
The farce came to an end, providing the villagers of Mujia Village with fodder for gossip for several days.
As the crowd dispersed, Zhou Si, carrying Mu Jin and the others on her back, shed tears.
It's better not to see each other; seeing each other inevitably stirs up some emotions.
How can a two-year relationship be broken up in just two days?
A handkerchief came into view, followed by a large hand with distinct knuckles.
"Don't cry, it's not worth it."
Zhou Si took the handkerchief. "Thank you, Brother Lingyun."
Seeing that his emotions had calmed down, Mu Lingyun turned around and limped away.
"Brother Lingyun, your handkerchief... I've washed it and am returning it to you."
Mu Lingyun smiled. He had a rugged appearance, but when he smiled, the sharpness on his face disappeared, and he became much gentler.
"This was originally yours; it's just being returned to its rightful owner."
Zhou Si paused for a moment, then remembered that Mu Lingyun had injured his leg when he happened to be passing by.
I've never seen such a bloody scene in my life, and I was so frightened that I didn't know what to do.
After a while, I used a handkerchief that wasn't very useful to tie up his wound, and the bleeding stopped. Then I rushed down the mountain to call for help.
That same time, Ben, a hunter who, like his elder brother Mu Lingqiao, was unrestrained and flamboyant, lost a leg.
He was no longer the carefree man he used to be, hunting in the mountains, drinking and eating meat.
It's been over a year, why did it take you so long to remember to pay him back?
Zhou Si thought about asking something, but Mu Lingyun had already walked away, leaving only his back view.
Mu Jin, who was standing to the side, took in everything. Her eyebrows curved into a smile. She said that her third brother couldn't find a good man, but now his good man has come.
However, he didn't say much. Zhou Si's matter was something he had to figure out himself.
Mu Bai talked with Mu Jin for a while, and then Zhou Ling called him home. He reluctantly left with his father.
When they got home, Mu Qing said to Mu Jin, "Big brother, there are some dirty clothes piled up at home. I'm pregnant and my body isn't easy to clean. When you're doing your laundry, could you please wash mine too? Thank you for your trouble, big brother."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Okay, you can leave it there for now. I'll go there when I'm done."
As the sun gradually set and the night deepened, Hibiscus lay in her warm and comfortable bed.
He sighed, "To be honest, I really admire those two. In this freezing weather, they're out here under the open sky, aren't they cold at all?"
Mu Jin hadn't had a chance to speak to Zhou Lin all day, and was unaware of the secluded spot where the two were having their tryst, a sheltered place with a blanket.
Zhou Lin held her husband in her arms, her body heat flowing over him continuously.
Mu Jin soon felt hot and tried to move away, but Zhou Lin carried her back.
After Zhou Lin finished speaking, Mu Jin's eyes widened. "Don't you find it troublesome?"
Zhou Lin sighed. Hitting someone might feel good for a moment, but Zhou Si's marriage prospects are really a worry.
“Ah Jin, do you know any men who have many brothers, are not yet engaged, and are suitable for Si’er? Keep an eye out for them for him.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Jin's eyes lit up. "There really is a suitable one, a guy I get along well with, named Mu Mian. Do you remember him?"
Zhou Lin nodded. He had a deep impression of that young man; during the wedding procession, he was the one who treated him the most fiercely.
“Her husband is Mu Lingqiao, a hunter in our village. His younger brother is also single. He is three years older than Si’er, which is just right.”
Zhou Lin thought for a moment, "But he..."
Mu Jin knew what he wanted to say. "So what if he's a cripple? The most important thing is that he can support his family and treat his husband well. I heard that he's not only good at hunting, but also good at butchering pigs. Even if he can't hunt, he can still support his family as a butcher."
Zhou Lin was immediately tempted. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that it was Mu Lingyun who had reminded his third brother that Mu Liang had been cheating on him.
The wooden head spun around three times. "Could it be that Mu Lingyun has feelings for our third brother?!"
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Don't tell anyone. Let them get to know each other first, and we'll see what kind of person he is."
Zhou Lin never expected that Zhou Si's marriage would be settled before a day had even passed.
My heart settled down, and I became sleepy. I hugged the hibiscus and fell into a deep sleep.
Mu Jin was lost in thought. Zhou Laosan was becoming increasingly adept at protecting his family's reputation, even though it was all part of his deliberate guidance for the sake of convenience.
But if he were to propose dividing the family property, the villagers would not stand on his side.
During this period, Zhou Wushi did not cause any trouble.
He wants to separate from the family and live independently, but he still needs to figure out a way to do so.
It seems we still need to rely on Zhou Wushi to write a new work.
The moon was bright and the stars were few. A cold wind was blowing outside. Mu Jin, who was already asleep, unconsciously moved closer to Zhou Lin.
He reached out and hugged the large stove next to him.
Zhou Si couldn't sleep and wanted to call Mu Jin out for a chat, but unexpectedly heard these words.
For a moment I was surprised and at a loss, but a hint of barely perceptible joy welled up in my heart.
Zhou Si shook his head, unable to quite explain his feelings for Mu Lingyun. Perhaps his older brother was overthinking things.
With these thoughts in mind, I finally managed to fall asleep in the early hours of the morning.
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