Xu Mian's wedding couldn't be a big deal. The household was busy with Xu Tao's wedding recently. Xu Zhi and her sisters went to see Xu Tao and came back to tell Granny Lu that her second sister didn't seem happy at all. She and her sisters all felt that getting married wasn't a good thing.
Granny Lu asked Xu Zhi, "Did the Fourth Miss go?"
Xu Zhi said, "Fourth Sister didn't go. We haven't seen Fourth Sister for a long time. Fifth Sister said that she can't hear any noise from Fourth Sister's courtyard all day long. If it weren't for the fact that we can see people going in and out of Fourth Sister's courtyard and know that Fourth Sister is still in her own courtyard, we would have thought that Fourth Sister is no longer in the mansion."
Xu Zhi sighed and said, "Granny, I think it's really not easy to live. You see, at our age, we spend our days in the manor with a group of sisters, studying and learning together. The biggest trouble is that we have little conflicts with each other, and the teacher praises others but not me. When we reach a certain age, we will each find a husband and get married, just like dandelions in autumn, scattering to different places. Then we will each have our own families, and then, just like your parents, we will have children and continue the same life as our elders in different families."
Granny Lu said, "Isn't this how generations have always lived?"
Xu Zhi said, "But I find this kind of life very boring, Granny. I think my mother's way of life is very good. Granny, I have been with my mother for so many years. Even though my mother doesn't like to get involved in family matters, she has her own things to do, and what she does is very meaningful. It's a pity that I don't have my mother's abilities, but I also want to be like my mother, to have something I want to do, and that this thing can be useful to many people. That way, I will feel that I am also quite great."
Granny Lu smiled as she looked at the little girl, who seemed a bit lost, but whose big eyes were filled with bright light. This little girl didn't know what she wanted to do in the future, but she had planted a seed in her heart. Granny Lu believed that this seed would slowly take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree in the future.
Xu Tao's wedding arrived as scheduled.
The Marquis's mansion was bustling with activity. The eldest son of the Feng family had come to greet the bride in person, and Xu Di and a group of young masters from the mansion had blocked the gate early on.
Xu Zhi followed behind Zhang Zhaoci, watching the aunts and uncles in the mansion bustling about. It wasn't until Xu Tao and her husband, Feng Qiang, the eldest son of the Feng family, bid farewell to their parents and were carried on Xu Di's back, and Xu Tao's younger brother, Xu Bin, helped them into the bridal sedan chair, that the mansion gradually quieted down.
Xu Zhi and her family watched the wedding procession walk away quietly at the gate. Turning around, she saw her fourth aunt, Yao Shi, leaning against the hanging flower gate, tears in her eyes, silently looking in the direction of the gate. Her fourth uncle, Xu Quan, stood beside her, also looking sad.
Zhang Zhaoci and Ning Shi each supported Yao Shi. Ning Shi sighed and said, "Our second daughter will be back the day after tomorrow. Don't be sad. It's such a joyous occasion." As Ning Shi spoke, her eyes reddened. She had also married off her daughter, so she naturally understood Yao Shi's feelings.
Madam Yao wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, let out a long sigh, and said, "I longed to get married before I was married, but now that she's gone, it feels like something is missing. Raising a daughter is really not worth it."
Ning said, "Yes, it's really not worth it. It's better to raise a son, so you can bring one home later."
Yao said, "Neither of us are as good as Third Sister-in-law. Third Sister-in-law has two sons, and she will be able to marry two daughters-in-law in the future."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Let me tell you, it's actually better to raise daughters. Sons are nowhere near as caring as daughters. Even if a daughter gets married, she can still come back to visit often, right?"
Yao said, "How can a family like ours frequently visit our parents' home?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Legs are part of your own body. Isn't it easy to come back? We have to learn to be flexible and not be like those old-fashioned people. What's wrong with being someone's daughter-in-law? Does being someone's daughter-in-law mean you can't go back to your parents' home to visit them? We weren't born that way. Our parents raised us little by little."
Ning said, "I like your straightforwardness. That's how we should teach our girls."
Zhang Zhaoci said, "I can't stand seeing new brides being controlled by their mothers-in-law. Those mothers-in-law who control their daughters-in-law are despicable. They raise their daughters to adulthood and marry into your family so that they can live a good life with your son and inherit the family business. They're not here for you to show off your mother-in-law's power and control them, to set rules. If my daughter Xiao Jiu has a mother-in-law like that after she marries into your family, you'll see how I deal with her."
Ning sighed and said, "Third sister-in-law, you make it sound so simple, but if we really do something outrageous, won't we be the ones who lose face in the end?"
Zhang Zhaoci said, “Sister-in-law, you all think too much. What does face matter? What’s the point of face if you don’t have substance? We all have sons and daughters. Don’t be afraid that your daughters will be bullied in other people’s homes. Even if we help uphold justice, we will be ridiculed. You should know why we do this. It’s so that our children can have a good life. If any family that truly loves their daughters knows how we think, wouldn’t they want to marry their daughters into an open-minded family like ours?”
Upon hearing this, Yao laughed and said, "Third sister-in-law, I've noticed that you're becoming more and more fond of patting yourself on the back."
Zhang Zhaoci said, “Look, look, this is the difference between you and me. Yes, people should be bound by rules, and nothing can be accomplished without rules. But you have to see what kind of rules these rules are. It is a daughter-in-law’s duty to be filial to her parents-in-law, but shouldn’t the parents-in-law love and care for their daughter-in-law? A kind mother makes a filial son. If the mother is not kind, then the son’s filial piety is just blind obedience. No matter how fair such a person is, he is not a reasonable person.”
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