That night, Zheng Xiu did not sleep very well.
When she got up in the middle of the night, she saw Zheng Ren standing in the yard with his hands behind his back.
"Dad, it's cold at night. Why don't you put on more clothes?"
Zheng Ren said softly, "It's okay, Dad just can't sleep, I'll stand for a while and then go back."
Zheng Xiu couldn't sleep either, so she just stood over and said, "Anyway, I can't sleep either, I'll stand with Dad for a while."
When she stood closer, Zheng Xiu could see clearly that her father's eyes were full of tears under the bright moonlight.
"When your mother was still alive, you were only two or three years old, and we were still living in the capital. Your mother said she wanted to buy you a dowry, and I laughed at her for thinking too early. She said how could it be too early? A girl would get married in her teens, and it would take several years to prepare. It would take one or two years to make a good step-out bed..." Zheng Ren seemed to think of his late wife, and his face became very gentle. "So many years have passed, and I would buy some things for you every year and store them in the shop in town. Later, your marriage never took place, but Dad still bought them for you, thinking that even if you didn't use them, giving you these things would not let you live a hard life..." "
Dad..." Zheng Xiu suddenly choked up, not knowing what to say.
Zheng Ren paused for a moment, then asked again: "Don't you regret marrying Xue Zhi? It's not for this family, nor for repaying a favor. Dad just wants to know, just from the bottom of your heart, do you really want to marry him?"
Zheng Xiu became more and more speechless, and said: "I think Xue Zhi is not a bad person, he is capable, and he is kind to others. I don't hate him."
Zheng Ren was silent, and then suddenly smiled bitterly, "I didn't expect that I would be proud of my life, but I can't even protect my own daughter."
Zheng Xiu knew that this was not the case. The rumors about her were so bad outside. If she were in someone else's family, she might have been caught and put in a pig cage, or married off hastily. Her father has given her the best protection he can.
The father and daughter stood quietly for a while.
"Go back to bed quickly, don't catch a cold." Zheng Ren said.
Zheng Xiu wiped her eyes, "Well, then Dad should go to bed early too."
Zheng Ren nodded, but didn't agree. Zheng Xiu guessed that her father probably couldn't sleep that night.
The next morning, Zheng Xiu was awakened by the noise in the yard.
It was not the voice of a few people talking, but seemed to come from a group of people.
Zheng Xiu put on her dress and tied a simple bun.
When she went out of the house, she saw Zheng Ren, old lady Zheng, and old man Zheng had also come out. Zheng Yu, with his hair loose and his clothes in a mess, came out last, kicking and pulling his shoes.
The yard door was slammed with a "bang bang" sound.
Zheng Ren went to open the door, and Zheng Xiu waved to Zheng Yu to her side.
When the gate was opened, there were more than a dozen people standing outside, all of them were strong men. The leader was an elderly man with a beard, his hair and beard were completely white, his body was hunched, and his face was full of wrinkles. Next to
the old man stood a tall and pointed-faced woman, who was none other than Zhu.
Zheng Xiu only recognized Zhu, and was wondering why Zhu brought such a group of people home so early in the morning.
Zheng Ren, however, bowed to the old man and said, "Uncle, why are you here?"
Zheng Xiu then remembered that he still had relatives in his family. When there was a famine, after Old Man Zheng's parents died, he took Old Lady Zheng and his two sons to settle down in the relatively more prosperous Huaishu Village. In fact, the Zheng family's main home is in Batou Village, more than ten miles away. However, they don't visit each other very often. Only before the Chinese New Year every year, Old Man Zheng and his two groups of children and grandchildren go back to worship their ancestors. Zheng Xiu hasn't been back to her family for so many years, so naturally she doesn't recognize them.
Zheng Ren called that man uncle, so he should be the younger brother of Grandpa Zheng Xiu - the current patriarch of the Zheng family.
The old patriarch nodded, put his hands behind his back, and led his people into the house. Zheng Ren naturally couldn't stop him.
When Old Man Zheng saw him, he also called him "Second Uncle".
The old patriarch said "hmm" and led people into the house with an expressionless face. He glanced around the yard and asked, "Is this your girl Xiu?"
Old man Zheng said, "It's my girl. I wonder why my second uncle came here so early this morning..."
The old patriarch snorted coldly, "The good deeds done by your girl Xiu have spread all over the country now. I thought that your family was not the kind of rude family and would always do something to shut others up. If your daughter-in-law hadn't come to report it, I wouldn't have known that your family was going to keep such a girl who would ruin the family reputation!"
All the Zheng family members in the yard glared at Zhu fiercely.
Zhu subconsciously shrank back, then thought about why she came today, and said bravely: "Uncle, you don't know, Mr. Feng in the town said that he didn't mind the rumor and was willing to marry her to a famous family. But my uncle's family refused to give in no matter what I said, and even now they look down on her... In my opinion, Xiu girl is already in such a state, it's rare that there are such a good family willing to marry her, she should be married off as soon as possible!"
Her fanning the flames made the old patriarch's face even more unhappy. After seeing it, he said to old man Zheng: "I also brought people from various families today. What is the matter of Xiu girl? Please give me an explanation. There are many girls waiting to get married in the clan. We can't ruin the reputation of the whole family because of this girl!"
Old man Zheng didn't know what to say for a while. He was in a panic. Zheng Ren said: "Uncle has come from a long way. I think he must be tired. Come in and sit down and have a drink of water."
Zheng Ren's status as a nobleman makes him have a say wherever he goes.
The old clan leader nodded and led people into the main hall.
Zheng Ren tried a look at Zheng Xiu and asked her to take Zheng Yu back to the house first.
Zheng Xiu took her brother back to the house to comb her hair and change clothes.
Zheng Yu sat obediently on the stool and let his sister tie his hair into a small bun.
"Sister, I don't like the great uncle who just came."
Zheng Xiu asked him why he said that.
He said, "Every year when I go back to worship my ancestors, my great uncle always has a stern face. I also secretly heard him tell my father to remember the family and take care of the people in the clan. Don't forget your roots when you have a good life outside."
Although Zheng Xiu didn't understand the grudges of the previous generation, he could guess that when the years were difficult, if the family couldn't stay, Old Man Zheng wouldn't have moved to other places with his wife and children. If there was help from the clan to support Zheng Ren's studies, Old Man Zheng and Old Lady Zheng wouldn't have suffered so much. Later, when Zheng Ren became successful, these people wanted to take advantage of him...
Zheng Yu combed her hair, jumped off the stool, and said, "Sister, I want to find Uncle Xue, what do you think?" In her opinion, Xue Zhi was the most powerful, and with him around, no one would be able to bully her sister.
Zheng Xiu nodded, the old patriarch and his men had come with bad intentions, and the family really needed Xue Zhi's help.
Zheng Yu quietly opened the door, walked along the wall and left the house.
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