Chapter 886 My family is not short of money, we can pay this tax!
Li San Niang learned the next day that Qiu Niangzi had led her own Hui Niang to the Li family's door to beg for help.
Today, the Imperial Medical Bureau is demonstrating the bone-setting and massage technique, and tomorrow it will be the incantation and prohibition technique. Both demonstrations will be overseen by the Guining Medical Chief.
Therefore, Li San Niang was not so busy, and that's how she had time to meet with her mother and sister-in-law during her lunch break.
The past few days have been blessed with bright sunshine and wonderful weather, with not a cloud in the sky.
Li San Niang led Song Fu Ling and Qiu Xiang to sit down in the lobby of a teahouse on the street outside Chongwen Hall. After a short while, Li's mother and sister-in-law came in with Jiang Sheng Nan carrying large and small bags.
Since they were all family, they skipped the pleasantries and Li San Niang was about to raise her hand when Song Fuling very consciously picked up the soup pot on the table and poured a cup of sweet soup for each of the three people sitting opposite Li San Niang, including Li's mother.
Song Fuling didn't forget to pour a cup for Li Sanniang and the others as well. Li Sanniang felt sorry for her disciples, so she raised her hand and called the shopkeeper to order two more plates of pastries. With the two plates of pastries that were already on the table, now there were four plates of pastries.
"Good Poria cocos, you like this salty flavor, eat it with it, sit down and rest."
Li San Niang pushed the plate of savory pastries toward Song Fuling and beckoned her to sit down.
The six people sat down facing each other, and then Li's mother began to tell the story of how Lady Qiu and Lady Hui had come to visit yesterday.
Looking at Li San Niang across from her, whose only hairpin was tied up with a jade hairpin, whose face was thin and whose eyes were full of fatigue, Li's mother felt very sorry for her and said, "I know you've been very busy these days, but no matter how busy you are, you still need to eat and get a good night's sleep!"
Li San Niang nodded in agreement, "Mother is right. I'll be able to relax for a few days and definitely get some rest."
Li San Niang then continued, "As for the matter of the young lady from the Qiu family, Mother did the right thing and just told them what we agreed on beforehand."
I believe that many people have already taken note of what I said at the conference yesterday, which is a good thing and will benefit our obstetrics and gynecology clinic in the future.
"After you go to your mother's house, if Madam Qiu comes to visit again, just tell her that in a few days," Li San Niang lowered her head and thought for a moment, "a notice will be posted at the entrance of the maternity ward on the 18th, explaining every detail of this matter. She can then bring Hui Niang there to see for herself and understand."
Li's mother nodded in agreement, and then immediately began to talk about the second matter.
"I sent my leg with a message today that I must see you, and that is really because of this matter."
Upon hearing Li's mother's words, Li San Niang was very puzzled. Looking at Li's sister-in-law sitting next to her mother with a worried expression, she asked in confusion, "Mother, what's wrong? Has something happened at home? Why is sister-in-law like this?"
Li's mother, who had been frowning, turned to look at her sister-in-law Li, who looked anxious and agitated. Her expression softened, and she gently patted her sister-in-law Li's forearm, which was resting on the table, twice.
Seeing her mother's reaction, Sister-in-law Li could no longer contain herself and said directly, "Mother, how can I not be anxious?"
Sister-in-law Li turned to look at Third Sister Li: "Third Sister, I've been holding this in for the whole journey."
Then, Sister-in-law Li glanced around the table where they were sitting. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, she turned around, leaned down, and whispered to Li San Niang and the others what had happened in the main hall of the Li family that morning.
It turned out that at 3:45 AM today, someone came to the Li family that surprised everyone. It was the wife of Li Lingxiao, the direct descendant of the Li family in Chang'an, who was also Li San Niang's cousin-in-law. She came with four gifts.
Logically speaking, Uncle Li's family isn't the kind of family that would suddenly show up at your door.
Although Li's father had not had any contact with Li's eldest uncle's branch of the family for a long time due to the events of the previous generation, the Li family resumed its ties with Li's eldest uncle's branch of the family after Li's third aunt decided to divorce.
Whenever Uncle Li's branch of the family wanted to send someone to deliver New Year's gifts, or if they were invited to the Li family, they would always send someone to let them know in advance.
This time, Li Tangsao's sudden visit with gifts was quite unexpected.
Sitting in the main hall, Sister-in-law Li exchanged pleasantries for quite a while before getting to the point of her visit.
Upon hearing what Li's sister-in-law said, Li's mother's expression immediately changed, and she became very angry.
Li's father's face also darkened, while only Li's second brother glanced at Li's sister-in-law with a mocking expression.
Seeing this, Li's sister-in-law felt helpless, but remembering her father-in-law's stubbornness, she could only smile ingratiatingly at Li's mother and continue with a forced smile: "...I have also met Zhou Sanlang. He is only two years younger than Wang Xiaoniangzi, so their ages are just right."
Zhou Sanlang also comes from a family that has been studying since childhood, and he is currently preparing to take the imperial examination for the Imperial Academy.
Father's suggestion is that, if Li San Niangzi is willing, perhaps we could arrange for Wang Xiao Niangzi to meet with Zhou Sanlang at some point?
Li's cousin smiled awkwardly, and before she could say anything more, Li's father, who was sitting at the head of the table, stood up and said to her, "Dewdrop is only ten years old. It's really too early to talk about marriage at this age."
Li's mother stood up as well, and she spoke less harshly than Li's father. She knew in her heart that Li's sister-in-law's visit today must have been at the behest of Li's eldest uncle, and as a daughter-in-law, she had no choice but to comply.
Li's mother didn't make things difficult for Li's sister-in-law. She went over and pulled Li's sister-in-law, who had also stood up, saying, "Good child, I know your difficulties."
Dewdrop is indeed young. Even if the emperor had issued an edict allowing a young woman to remarry after the age of eighteen, or even if he had not, how could my family possibly have the money to pay taxes?
My third aunt only has one child in her life, and she will definitely keep her for a few more years.
I'll keep this gift; just go back and tell the truth.
Li's sister-in-law, who was awkwardly put on the carriage by Li's mother, complained to her trusted old woman after leaving the gate of Changshoufang: "Coming to the door at this time, wouldn't that confirm that our family is flattering the powerful and belittling the weak?"
My father-in-law is really something. Even though we've been separated for so long, he still wants to interfere in other people's marriages!
Even disregarding the eldest son's family, Li Sanniang herself is an official, and a higher one at that than the eldest son. How dare my father-in-law send me to his door?
After saying that, Aunt Li started to ponder again: "But then again, it's obvious that this family is about to rise up."
If we could seize the opportunity to become in-laws at this time, it would indeed be a good thing.
Alas, it's just that my son is too young, otherwise I would really like to become in-laws with Li San Niang.
The father-in-law went to see the son-in-law's maternal uncle's son; it was a way of keeping the good stuff within the family.
Thinking back to what Li's mother had said, Li's father's dark face, and Li's second brother's mockery in the main hall of the Li family, Li's sister-in-law smiled bitterly again: "What's the use of us being so enthusiastic all by ourselves?"
The second wife's family doesn't want anything to do with the first wife's family.
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