The first dozen or so pretty young women, each with their own little schemes in their clothing and makeup, were trying to get married in one go.
A daughter who cannot get married is considered a burden if she stays at home. She will suffer discrimination both at home and in the village. Therefore, every wedding procession is full of beautiful women vying for attention.
Meanwhile, two people were moving lazily like snakes at the back of the line. One of them, with a face full of dark spots, was looking at Blackie with a pitying expression.
"Sigh, I guess neither of us will be able to get married this year."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Quchi's nerves twitched.
Are we that close? Just the two of us?
Besides, this is her first time participating in a matchmaking event of this class-based nature, okay? What makes her so sure that she won't be able to get married?
Dark-skinned Zheng Quchi secretly grumbled to himself, but asked aloud, "Why?"
This slightly chubby girl... she must be quite old, probably around twenty. Her face is covered in dark spots and freckles, so she might not be easy to marry off, but what does that have to do with her?
The woman with dark spots scrutinized her for a moment, then sighed, "There are so many good-looking newcomers in this batch. The competition is fierce. You're as black as coal. What man would want his child to be born black?"
Zheng Quchi glared.
Hey, are you being polite?
She wasn't born with dark skin; it's just that "Brother Qing" used to have charcoal powder on her face for a long time, and the color couldn't be washed off with water in a short time. Given enough time, she would naturally regain her fair skin... right?
Bar?
Thump thump—
My heart suddenly started racing uncontrollably.
Zheng Quchi began to panic and began to doubt himself.
...What if it gets all dyed? Will she really be black like coal for the rest of her life?
"What are you thinking about? Your face looks even darker."
Zheng Quchi glanced sideways and said bluntly, "Aren't you the one who couldn't get married for several years and whose family had to sell all their assets to avoid being arrested and imprisoned... the woman with black spots?"
Come on, let's hurt each other, who's afraid of who?
The woman with black spots gritted her teeth: "...Who's called the woman with black spots? My name is Jin Duobao."
"I heard that even the silly girl from the next village has someone wanting her, so why can't you get married?" she continued to provoke her.
However, Zheng Quchi was genuinely curious.
Although Jin Duobao's face has many dark spots, he is a hardworking person who picks mulberry leaves and works in the fields. In truth, he values practicality more than appearance.
Those who are sick, weak, or disabled in the village are the long-staying guests in the wedding procession.
These families who have difficulty finding husbands or wives are considered to be unmarried due to non-voluntary reasons. Therefore, the county provides a 50% or exemption from the unmarried tax based on the actual situation.
Jin Duobao proudly raised her double chin: "I, Jin Duobao, want to marry someone who is literate and good-looking. Do you think just any peasant can marry me? I only hope that I can meet a man with discerning eyes who can see my inner qualities this year."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Quchi looked on with admiration.
Putting everything else aside—"Your family... must all have very good tempers, right?"
You should know that there are so few literate people in the countryside that you can't count them on five fingers. What's the difference between her requirement and modern men who are all talented and good-looking but insist on being handsome men from top universities?
How did you know?
Is that even a question? Jin Duobao has been able to act so arrogantly for so many years without compromising his criteria for choosing a partner. Besides his family being rich, he's also been spoiled rotten.
"Just a guess."
"Oh, and what about you?"
Zheng Quchi adjusted the curve of her skirt. Having grown accustomed to wearing trousers, she always felt that a narrow skirt restricted her movement.
"Let it be."
She doesn't want to marry anyone.
But in order to avoid paying the unmarried tax, she plans to check if any of the men she's going on blind dates with are poor men who have no relatives, no house, and are burdened with heavy taxes.
Generally speaking, those who pay increasingly higher unmarried taxes are either inwardly resistant to marriage or unwilling to marry due to some hidden illness.
These kinds of people are exactly like her.
More importantly, he must have been very poor himself, and he certainly wouldn't have come if he hadn't been forced into it.
It's impossible for her to marry into a man's family. If the man has no relatives or property, she can take the opportunity to find a live-in son-in-law and then enter into a contract marriage with him that will not interfere with each other.
In short, she not only explained the marriage arrangements to the Sang family, but was also free to do what she wanted.
She believed that men like that shouldn't be hard to find... Yeah, right!
When the three-wheeled wedding procession gathered at the designated location—the marriage square in Fuxian County—many villagers and women, especially children, had already gathered outside the fence on the flat, spacious ground to watch the spectacle.
This time, over thirty eligible men registered, while more than fifty women did.
This unequal number of women has suddenly made the competition for a partner extremely fierce.
No way.
Standing among the beauties, Zheng Quchi was completely inconspicuous. She seized the opportunity to ask Jin Duobao, "Is this a case of men choosing women, or women choosing men?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Duobao was speechless: "If women could choose men, would I still be unmarried after all these years?"
That makes a lot of sense.
Zheng Quchi's eyes were vacant.
She just did a quick calculation and realized that her Sang family might, possibly, probably... face imprisonment this year.
——
The day before the wedding procession began, Wang Zebang stood guard on the city wall early in the morning. He saw the yellow sand in front of him tremble more and more, and the dust kicked up by the trampling turned into mist. A cavalry troop broke through the strong wind and returned safely to camp in the autumn twilight.
"Open the gate and welcome the general!"
Wang Zebang looked delighted.
"General, is everything alright?"
Yuwen Sheng and his cavalrymen nimbly dismounted, removed their dusty helmets, and followed behind a woman wearing a hood who was being pushed along, stumbling forward.
"Congratulations, General! This time you have returned with a full harvest. With this weapon, our army will be even stronger and more powerful."
Wei Yao also took off his helmet and held it to his waist. He gave Wang Zebang a strange look.
He laughed and said, "Have you lost your mind? How can you say such flattering and sycophantic things?"
Wang Zebang's ears turned red, and he angrily said, "If you can't speak properly, then shut up."
Wang Zebang glared at him, then immediately left him behind and chased after Yuwen Sheng, who had already entered the camp ahead of him.
Yuwen Sheng took off his scarlet cloak, and someone immediately stepped forward to take it from him and then helped him remove his armor.
He glanced at Wang Zebang, who seemed hesitant to speak, and asked, "Do you have something to say?"
Wang Zebang quickly said, "General, tomorrow is the day for the whole county to send off brides. The county magistrate is registering the information of unmarried men door-to-door. What about you..."
Due to its long history of war, the State of Ye placed great emphasis on increasing its population, as population equates to national strength. This is why it had policies that mandated early marriage and encouraged having many children.
Throughout the entire Ye Kingdom, from royalty and nobility to commoners, everyone must abide by this law.
Yuwen Sheng smiled indifferently: "Then let him ascend."
Wang Zebang could tell what the general was thinking at a glance.
"General, your unmarried tax has accumulated to an incalculable level. Even if our General's Mansion can afford it, why bother?"
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