Li Lai'er's Adventures and Future
After returning from her parents' home, An Hongdou told Wu Linglong about Li Pan'er.
Although Wu Linglong had a lot of opinions about Li Pan'er and Li Lai'er, she couldn't bear to stand by and watch.
That day, the two men sought out Li Pan'er and asked her if she had a family she wanted to marry into.
Li Pan'er looked at her two sisters-in-law, who hadn't returned for a long time.
"Don't repay kindness with enmity!" Wu Linglong realized and quickly said.
Li Pan'er did feel that marrying into the An or Wu family would be her best option at the moment, but she also understood that her two sisters-in-law would not agree.
She thought for a moment and said, "I don't know anyone suitable. I'll have to trouble my sisters-in-law to help me find someone. I don't ask for much, I just hope the other person is healthy and normal, and that their family is harmonious."
Remembering what Li Zeli had said before, An Hongdou did not agree to it.
"I sympathize with you, but I can't decide your marriage. Who you spend the rest of your life with is up to you. I'll give you a suggestion; you can use it to negotiate with your mother."
After informing Li Pan'er about Chen Zaoting's falsification of accounts and embezzlement of the Li family's public funds to support Li Tianci, An Hongdou added, "Linglong and I keep the account books; you can borrow them if necessary. As for the subsidies to Li Tianci, I'm sure you can find evidence if you keep an eye out. I've given you leverage; how you use it is up to you. Here's my advice: to avoid any unforeseen complications, hurry up and choose a husband for yourself! This world is unfair to women; they can only rely on marriage to secure their future. But once you're married, your mother won't be able to control you anymore. What happens after that depends entirely on your own efforts."
Li Pan'er nodded in agreement. She was Chen Zaoting's first child, the eldest daughter and granddaughter in a family that favored sons over daughters. Compared to her younger sister, Li Lai'er, she had endured more malice. She was the first to witness her mother being bullied and was used to suppressing her own feelings out of love for her mother, but this time she would never back down.
After receiving the news from An Hongdou, Li Pan'er had a private talk with her mother.
After the conversation, Li Pan'er began visiting matchmakers to learn about eligible men, while also frequently contacting her mother's family to maintain family ties.
One day, An Hongdou dragged Wu Linglong to Li Zeying's room to play with her. The three of them were learning how to embroider the latest popular patterns when they suddenly heard Li Pan'er and Li Lai'er arguing.
The three of them fell silent and listened intently.
"Fine! You really are my good sister. I even cared about you and let you plan for yourself, and you end up scheming against me!" Li Lai'er shouted angrily.
“Come on, listen to me, this has nothing to do with me.” Li Pan’er’s voice rang out, but was interrupted.
"Who would believe that! If you hadn't done something, why would Mother suddenly change her mind and want me to marry Liu Fulai! There's an order of seniority, and you're not even married yet!"
"I've already met my cousin from my aunt's side, and if all goes well, someone will come to propose marriage soon."
"You're really something, marrying so casually just to avoid Liu Fulai! Your aunt's whole family are just ordinary farmers, not even one of them went to school. You're planning to go to his house and farm for the rest of your life, relying on the weather every year? And then let your children continue to make a living from the fields? I think you'd be better off marrying Liu Fulai, at least the Liu family is rich, even if life isn't easy, you won't have to worry about food and clothing."
“Li Lai’er, don’t be too arrogant. Being ambitious but lacking ability will only lead to a big loss sooner or later. I don’t covet wealth and status. I just want to find someone who understands me and can support me and live a peaceful life together. I’ve inquired and found that my aunt’s family are honest and kind people. Their disadvantage is that they are not as well-off as the Li family, but it is also my advantage. With the Li family backing me up, no one will dare to treat me badly after I marry into the family.”
"You've gotten a good deal and you're lecturing me? Since you're satisfied, you should hurry up and marry him. If things don't go well in the future, don't blame me for laughing at you," Li Lai'er said.
"Come on, I'll postpone my marriage for a while so you can make plans in advance," Li Pan'er comforted her.
"I don't need your fake kindness, I have my own plans! Even if you get married tomorrow, I will not marry Liu Fulai." After saying that, Li Lai'er slammed the door and left.
An Hongdou and the other two looked at each other, barely daring to breathe, afraid of missing the important point.
After Li Lai'er left, An Hongdou went out to see Li Pan'er.
Seeing An Hongdou arrive, Li Pan'er sighed, "I'm sorry you had to see this."
"Have you really decided on someone?"
"Yes. I've inquired about my cousin from my aunt's side. He seems like a very honest person. Although he's not very ambitious, I think I can handle him. Once I marry into the family, I can run a household according to my own wishes."
"Then I wish you happiness. I'll give you a dowry when you get married." An Hongdou was happy for Li Pan'er, whose matter had been settled.
One evening, An Hongdou was discussing with Wu Linglong and Li Zeying where they would go for a spring outing to relax. Suddenly, Li Zeli returned home.
After passing the provincial examination and becoming a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), Li Zeli studied even harder, devoting himself entirely to preparing for the metropolitan examination, and never leaving the academy unless absolutely necessary. Li Zeren usually took care of all the daily chores.
An Hongdou quickly came out to greet them and asked what had happened.
Li Zeli said, "Li Lai'er had a secret rendezvous with Xie An at the academy. The two were in love but did not restrain themselves, and they were seen by many students. Second brother stayed at the academy to take care of Li Lai'er, and I came to find father."
After a while, the sound of things being smashed came from the main house. Then Li Haikuo and Li Zeli hurriedly left.
An Hongdou was shocked by Li Lai'er's audacity. She and Wu Linglong were stunned by the news and didn't know how to react. Li Zeying seemed even more bewildered.
Wu Linglong comforted her, saying, "Don't be afraid, Li Lai'er won't affect your reputation. With me and Hongdou as guarantors, if you take a liking to either of our brothers, we'll make sure you marry smoothly."
The next day at noon, Li Haikuo took Li Lai'er home.
Li Haikuo's expression was very bad, perhaps because he was wary of her not being his biological daughter and did not take action.
Seeing Chen Zaoting come out to greet him, he angrily said, "What a fine daughter you've raised! Running off to a school to embarrass herself! Did she think her tricks were enough? And what was the result? Did she get what she wanted? Once she leaves this door, don't ever come back. I, Li Haikuo, disown her as my daughter!"
Li Lai'er's eyes were red, her face was pale, and she looked extremely haggard. She didn't react to these words and silently walked towards her room.
Chen Zaoting asked her what had happened, but she didn't answer and just walked back on her own.
Chen Zaoting grabbed her and slapped her.
Li Lai'er suddenly shouted, "What happened? Why don't you ask yourself! If you hadn't forced me to marry Liu Fulai, why would I have been so hasty in resorting to this drastic measure? Now look what's happened, Xie An wants to take me as a concubine! Are you satisfied now?"
After saying that, Li Lai'er ran away. Chen Zaoting stood there stunned for a moment, then hurriedly went to find Li Haikuo.
Li Lai'er didn't show up for lunch or dinner.
Li Pan'er secretly went to the kitchen and took some multigrain cakes back to Li Lai'er.
The next day, An Hongdou and Wu Linglong went to visit her together and learned that Li Pan'er had been kicked out long ago and had slept with Li Zeying the night before.
Li Pan'er stopped An Hongdou, who was about to knock on the door, and said, "Second sister-in-law, third sister-in-law, let's not disturb her. Li Lai'er is still stubborn. What she's sad about right now isn't that she has to become Xie An's concubine, but that she originally had the opportunity to marry Xie An as his principal wife, but now she can only be a concubine."
The two were dumbfounded; Li Lai'er really thought too highly of herself.
At this moment, Li Lai'er opened the door and shouted to everyone in the courtyard, "Li Pan'er, you are wrong. I am not sad at all now. Today I am a concubine, but tomorrow I may not be a concubine. I, Li Lai'er, will earn what I want little by little by myself. You just wait and see whether you will be better off marrying a farmer or I will be better off in the future!"
After speaking to Li Pan'er, she pointed at Li Zeying and said, "Mother doesn't even spare the two of us, do you think she'll let you off the hook? I'll just watch, with your own brother and sister-in-law around, what kind of marriage can they arrange for you! I'm afraid that among the three of us, I'll still have the best life in the future!"
After saying that, Li Lai'er closed the door and went back inside.
Wu Linglong received news from her family that the Xie family was urgently looking for a wife for Xie An. According to the Xie family's rules, a concubine could only be brought in after the principal wife had entered the household.
“Li Lai’er’s situation will probably be difficult after she enters the family. She schemed against Xie An without any strategy, and Xie An’s parents probably hate her to the core. In addition, with the legal wife now in the family, the young couple are still newlyweds, deeply in love. Just thinking about it makes me feel awkward for her,” Wu Linglong said to An Hongdou.
But unexpectedly, Li Lai'er was no pushover.
Two months later, Li Lai'er told everyone that she was pregnant with Xie An's child.
Two days later, the Xie family sent a doctor from their clinic to their home for a consultation.
Two days later, the Xie family sent a message that they would be bringing Li Lai'er to their residence on the fifteenth of next month.
Before leaving the mansion, Chen Zaoting went to see Li Lai'er, intending to sever ties with her.
Li Lai'er scoffed, "Mother, I advise you not to speak too soon. The Xie family is a noble family. If I become successful in the future, I'm afraid you'll come begging to me again for Li Tianci. You don't need to feel ashamed of me. Didn't you also seize the opportunity to remarry into the Li family? The family that Grandmother arranged for you wasn't here."
"You!" Chen Zaoting was furious and wanted to slap her again, but this time she was stopped.
“Once I step out of this door tomorrow, I won’t be controlled by you anymore. You only care about your son. I treat you like a mother, but do you ever treat me like your own flesh and blood? Now that things have come to this, stop putting on airs as a mother. Everything I know now is something you taught me through your own example.”
Li Lai'er was quietly picked up by a donkey cart. Li Pan'er received the betrothal gifts from her cousin on her maternal aunt's side as she had hoped.
However, An Hongdou and Wu Linglong had no time to care about these things.
Li Zeli is going to Beijing to prepare for the imperial examination, and Li Zeren will accompany him.
An Hongdou and her companion have been preparing for their trip and have even rushed to make new clothes to make them presentable.
Before leaving, Li Zeren had a late-night talk with Wu Linglong.
"My wife, do you think I'm a useless husband who has brought shame upon you?"
"What are you up to today? Just say what you mean, don't beat around the bush."
“My wife, I am no match for my third brother in terms of scholarship. When my third brother was a scholar, I was a scholar; when my third brother became a provincial graduate, I was still a scholar; now I am accompanying my third brother to the capital to take the imperial examination, and when we return, I am afraid that he will pass the imperial examination and I will still be a scholar.”
Li Zeren rarely spoke with such a solemn tone. Wu Linglong patted his shoulder to comfort him: "To tell you the truth, my father once said that you are hopeless when it comes to studying. In his opinion, you only passed the imperial examination because of good luck. He agreed to let me marry you because he thought that since you are so lucky, you might become successful in the future, and I could live a good life with you. So you don't need to feel burdened. Enjoy your trip to the capital, and don't forget to bring me back some new things."
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