Chapter 130 Second Sister-in-Law Becomes a Second Mother
Yin Mingfu stood on the stone steps, looking at the man who walked in. He was momentarily dazed. Five years ago, he could never have imagined that Du Min would become his son-in-law.
"Your son-in-law greets Your Majesty." Du Min, thick-skinned as ever, changed his address as soon as he arrived at the door.
The matchmaker paused, her eyes wide with astonishment. It was the first time she had ever seen a man personally present when proposing marriage, and the first time she had ever seen someone call someone "father" so soon after the marriage was even in the works.
Prefect Yin: "..."
He should neither agree nor disagree.
Meng Qing smiled and joked with Madam Yin, "Auntie, this son-in-law is in such a hurry to marry into the family, don't you mind?"
"I don't mind at all." Madam Yin smiled broadly. Her husband and son were both serious people, and she quite liked Du Min's unpretentious manner.
"Lord Du, why don't you change your address?" The matchmaker realized what was happening and joined in the teasing.
Du Min strode up the stone steps and headed into the hall. When Madam Yin saw this, she instinctively wanted to run away, but she smiled and waved her hand, saying, "Take it one step at a time, don't rush."
Du Min smiled and bowed, saying, "This junior greets Auntie."
Madam Yin breathed a sigh of relief. "Please take your seats, everyone. Have some tea."
"Big brother." Du Min bowed to his brother-in-law, who was not even as old as him.
Yin Zhenchuan returned the greeting and invited him to take a seat.
Du Min invited Prefect Yin and his wife to take the seats of honor, then invited his brother and sister-in-law and the matchmaker to take their seats, and finally sat down at the very end.
"Your Excellency, I have been entrusted by Lord Du to propose marriage to your daughter. Are you pleased with this marriage?" The matchmaker sat down and began the formalities. "Lord Du is twenty-four years old this year. Both his parents are alive, and he has a loving family. He is young and promising, and has a good reputation for filial piety. He serves as the magistrate of Heqing County, and the people of Luoyang have all heard of his reputation for filial piety. If your two families become in-laws in the future, your daughter will certainly not suffer any hardship or injustice."
The two families had already met and were mutually interested. Yin Mingfu, without putting on airs or making things difficult, readily nodded and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you to make this trip, matchmaker. I'm grateful for your help in arranging this marriage, and there will be many troubles to come. My family is preparing a feast, so if you're not busy today, I hope you'll stay for dinner."
The matchmaker readily agreed.
Madam Yin led the matchmaker and Meng Qing to the small hall next door for tea and snacks, leaving Prefect Yin and Du Min to discuss official business.
"Chen Canjun's second son has found you?" Yin Mingfu began the conversation.
Du Min moved two seats forward and sat down. He nodded, "My second sister-in-law and my second brother took them there. They left a few days ago."
On such a day, Prefect Yin did not want to talk about such matters. He nodded and then asked, "Is the Heyang Bridge under construction?"
"We'll start construction next month; we haven't even assembled all the ships yet," Du Min replied.
"Do you need my help?" Yin Mingfu asked.
Du Min waved his hand, "Qi Zhenjiang is in charge of building the bridge. I will only assist and not interfere. Uncle, there is something I need your advice on. I plan to rebuild the dike on the north bank of the Yellow River and try to build a dike that is thirty or forty miles long and ten feet high during my term of office to prevent floods. Do you think it is feasible?"
Yin Mingfu immediately sat up straight. “Heqing County is in an important position, guarding Luoyang. If you build such a dike, it may provide some defense in times of war. With the resources of your county alone, it may be difficult to complete it in two or three years by relying solely on corvée labor. Go and unite with the garrison commanders of the three towns and have them contribute as well.”
Du Min revealed his plan to raise funds from wealthy merchants and gentry, intending to use the money to hire farmers to repair dikes during his spare time.
Yin Mingfu saw that he wanted to claim all the credit for himself, and he shook his head disapprovingly: "You not only need to unite the generals of the three towns, but also persuade the magistrate of Heyin County on the other side to build a dike. Both banks need to build it together and start construction at the same time. If you only build the dike on the north bank, the dike will stop the water, but if there is no protection on the other side, won't the flood all rush to Heyin County? You are protecting one county while harming another. Is this the way of an official?"
“Uncle, you misunderstand. I revealed the plan to the magistrate of Heyin County, but he had no intention of participating. His term will end next year, and he will be promoted for his achievements in suppressing extravagant funerals. He is unwilling to bother with this matter. I am trying to persuade the magistrate of Heyin County, but I will wait until the new magistrate takes office before I speak to him. I have no intention of protecting one county at the expense of another,” Du Min explained.
Yin Mingfu's anger subsided slightly, and he said, "Then you can proceed according to your plan. When the new magistrate takes office next year, with you repairing the dikes on the other side, the new magistrate will follow suit as long as he doesn't want to be beheaded because of the flood."
Du Min nodded.
"Have you finished your business? The food is ready," Madam Yin asked as she came over.
Yin Mingfu nodded. "Let's prepare to take our seats."
After lunch, the matchmaker left first. Du Min's family also wanted to leave after sitting for a while. When they said goodbye, Du Min held Wangzhou's hand and said, "Uncle, elder brother, I will take Wangzhou back to Heqing County tomorrow. I'm sorry to have troubled you to teach him these days."
"Thank you, Uncle and Grandpa, for teaching me to read. Thank you, Grandma, for playing with me. I hope you'll come to visit me again when you come to Luoyang," Wangzhou said.
Madam Yin smiled, "You little rascal, you're quite polite."
Du Min put his hand on Wang Zhou's shoulder and said, "Uncle, Aunt, elder brother, I'm leaving now. If I'm too busy to come before the end of the year, my brother and sister-in-law can take care of the name-asking and auspicious date selection for me."
Yin Mingfu nodded in agreement. He had been thinking about it all afternoon and found his son-in-law increasingly capable. He encouraged him, saying, "You should do your job well and try to take my place when your term is up."
Du Min couldn't help but laugh. "Do you think I'm qualified for your position?"
Yin Mingfu nodded, “In the past ten years, the Emperor has frequently traveled between Luoyang and Chang’an, relying on waterways for his journeys. He has paid close attention to the water conservancy situation. If you do not ask the court for money and rely solely on private fundraising to complete the dike construction project, it will not be difficult for you to take my position.”
"I believe in you, I will definitely get this done." Du Min said with great enthusiasm.
"If you encounter any trouble, send me a letter, and I'll help you find a solution," Yin Mingfu promised.
Du Min was overjoyed and bowed deeply, saying, "Your son-in-law thanks you, Father-in-law."
Yin Mingfu helped him up and said, "I cannot accept this title yet. If you wish to change it, you must do so after the betrothal ceremony."
Du Min smiled sheepishly. After leaving the government office, he belatedly realized, "Second Sister-in-law, is Magistrate Yin implying that I should speed up the process of the Six Rites?"
“I think so.” Meng Qing also sensed this meaning. “You are not young anymore, and you have made up your mind about this marriage. Let’s not delay any longer. I will give you three hundred strings of cash. Before the end of the year, you can complete the procedures of asking the name, accepting the auspicious omen, and presenting the betrothal gifts. After the betrothal, set the wedding date and choose an auspicious day to get married in the first half of next year.”
Du Min hesitated.
"Is there anything else you don't like?" Du Li asked. "Lord Yin's family is quite nice, and he is also a good official. You are lucky to have such a father-in-law."
“There’s nothing I don’t like.” Du Min looked at Meng Qing and said awkwardly, “Not only did I take your dowry, but you’re also expected to pay for the betrothal gifts? That’s shameless.”
"Have you done enough shameless things? I didn't expect you to have any sense of shame. What's this little bit of money? The strategy I gave you is worth more than three thousand strings of cash." Meng Qing laughed.
“These two things are different. You give me advice because you are my strategist, we are partners. If I benefit, you will benefit too.” Du Min insisted, “I have never heard of a strategist giving betrothal gifts to his partner to help him get married. What benefits will you get from giving this betrothal gift?”
"The old saying goes that the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother, so am I, the second sister-in-law, like a half-mother? In that case, it's perfectly legitimate for me to pay for the betrothal gifts." Meng Qing suppressed a laugh as she took advantage of him.
Du Min gritted his teeth, and the next moment, he readily accepted: "You can think of it that way too."
"Shameless again now?" Du Li asked. "How dare you? Your second sister-in-law is only four years older than you."
Du Min glanced at him. What did age have to do with this? Even if she was forty years older than him, would he really call her "Mother"?
Wang Zhou let out a long sigh.
All three looked at him, and Du Min asked, "Why are you sighing?"
"I don't know, I can't explain it." Wang Zhou shook his head. "It's too complicated."
Du Min looked embarrassed.
Meng Qing and Du Li burst out laughing.
*
"Madam, please visit Meng Qing a few more times. Now that the marriage is settled, urge them to set a wedding date as soon as possible to avoid any changes," Yin Mingfu instructed as he went back to his room to change his clothes.
"You're still fighting over a silly son-in-law?" Madam Yin joked.
“He’s not stupid.” Yin Mingfu shook his head. “If this were my own son, I wouldn’t be after my own promotion; I would spend the next ten years paving the way for him.”
“I see that he treats Wangzhou the same way you treat him, always holding his arm and leading him around, even more so than Wangzhou’s own father.” Madam Yin thought to herself, “He is also very close to his brother and sister-in-law. After Caiwei married into the family, her second sister-in-law is more like a mother-in-law than a sister-in-law.”
“Then treat her as a mother-in-law. It’s her good fortune to have a mother-in-law as rich and capable as Meng Qing.” Yin Mingfu chuckled. “A fake mother-in-law is always easier to serve than a real one. Tell her to live a good life after she marries into the family, to be devoted to her husband, and not to have any other thoughts.”
Madam Yin was displeased with his words. Her daughter, a daughter of an official, had to live under the thumb of a merchant's daughter.
"My lord, a yamen runner from the front office has come to report a case." A maidservant came to deliver the message.
Yin Mingfu straightened his official robes and strode away.
After he left, Madam Yin went to the next courtyard to find her daughter. "Your father is very satisfied with Du Min. Judging from his intentions, the wedding date is estimated to be set for the first half of next year."
Yin Caiwei was embroidering her wedding dress when she heard this. She said, "There's still time. The wedding date is set for next spring. If we hurry up, my wedding dress can be finished too."
Madam Yin glared at her, "You're so carefree. I've worried for nothing. Your second sister-in-law is quite shrewd."
"How could she manage such a mess if she wasn't shrewd?" Yin Caiwei shook her head. "Although she comes from a poor background, she has a lot of skills. What's wrong with that? With Lord Du's family background, isn't it better to have a shrewd and capable relative than an incompetent and cowardly one?"
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Author's Note: There will be another update at 12 o'clock.
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