The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law arrived at the village chief's house with generous gifts. After explaining their purpose, Old Qin agreed without hesitation.
She declined the generous gifts offered by the Jiang family.
Jiang Yue was unwilling to take the gift she had given away back home, so she persuaded Aunt Qin to accept the generous gift after much persuasion.
If you've accepted someone's gift, you should be obligated to fulfill their obligations.
After some discussion, to the astonishment of Old Zhou and Old Qin, Jiang Yue revealed her plan to use twenty taels of silver as a betrothal gift for Da Xue.
"Have you thought this through? This amount is unprecedented in our Wu Family Village!"
Old Qin reminded her, "With this number, you could marry two, three, or even four wives, let alone one!"
"I've thought it through. It wasn't easy for Sister Liu to raise Da Xue and her children, not to mention she also has two elderly people to support, and she's cut off all contact with her own family."
The graceful figure that emerged from the heavy snow, and the thrifty way she managed the household, were all thanks to Sister Liu.
I'm getting a wife for my son, Da Niu, but I've also gained a daughter to love!
Please make it clear when you propose marriage: I, Jiang, will cherish Da Xue and treat her like my own daughter.
Jiang Yue's words came from the bottom of her heart. She sincerely wanted to find a wife for Da Niu and hoped that Widow Liu's family could feel her sincerity and feel at ease giving their daughter to Da Niu.
"Alright, I've got your matchmaker on my side!"
Old Madam Qin was deeply moved. If she had met a mother-in-law as sensible as Madam Jiang back then, how comfortable she and her husband would have been!
Perhaps it's because I've been caught in the rain myself, and I just want to offer an umbrella to someone else.
Without a word, she packed her things, took the betrothal gifts, and went to Widow Liu's house to propose marriage...
Jiang Yue escorted her mother-in-law back to the old house and took the opportunity to check on the medicinal herbs in the clan's land.
These thriving medicinal herbs are her "treasure trove"!
After weeding, she returned home and quietly awaited Aunt Qin's reply...
Meanwhile, Widow Liu's house was bustling with activity.
Cuihua's mother, accompanied by strangers, came to propose marriage before Old Madam Qin.
In fact, to put it nicely, it was a marriage proposal; to put it bluntly, it was forced marriage!
"It's your family Daxue's good fortune to be favored by the young master of the Xu family!"
"Five taels of silver as a betrothal gift is quite a lot; you should be secretly happy!"
"In my opinion, we should set the engagement today and get married in three days!"
Cuihua's mother was no longer the pathetic figure she had been beaten yesterday. Today, she was arrogant and haughty, leading two servants from Master Xu's household, carrying two loads of betrothal gifts, and forcefully trying to force him into marriage!
"Heh, I already told you yesterday that my Daxue is already engaged. Are you deaf or something? You even brought people to cause trouble. Do you have no respect for the law?!"
Widow Liu is not someone to be trifled with. Don't let her gentle and mild-mannered demeanor fool you; even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone a widow and her orphan!
She cannot fall, she cannot be afraid, she cannot back down!
Widow Liu's parents-in-law both carried shoulder poles and stood behind their daughter-in-law to encourage her.
Wu Daxue and Wu Xiaoxue hid inside the house, protected by their elders and not allowed to come out.
At this moment, Wu Daxue noticed that things were not going well and pulled her younger sister aside, saying:
"Xiaoxue, do you know where Brother Da Niu lives?"
"Yes, I know him. Brother Da Niu's house is the most beautiful house in the village!"
Wu Xiaoxue nodded. Besides, Brother Da Niu would be her brother-in-law in the future, how could she not recognize him!
"Xiaoxue, I'll open the back door for you. Run out through the back door and find Brother Da Niu, Brother Er Gou, or Aunt Jiang. Tell them bad guys have broken into the house and ask them for help!"
Wu Daxue remained calm and clearly instructed her younger sister.
"Okay, I got it, big sister~"
Wu Xiaoxue nodded. The wicked aunt from the courtyard brought bad guys to bully her mother and grandparents. She wanted to find Brother Da Niu and the others to drive the bad guys away!
Wu Daxue gently pushed open the back door, let her younger sister go, then closed the back door. After thinking for a moment, she grabbed a wooden stick and went to help her mother and grandparents...
"Widow Liu, stop bragging. With your family's circumstances, what young man would dare to come and propose marriage?"
"Even when you speak, you should at least write something down!"
"Let me make this clear: apart from the Xu family, who can afford a dowry of five taels, no one else can offer a higher dowry!"
Just as Zhao Cuihua was feeling smug and triumphant, a cold snort came from behind her, followed by a familiar cold laugh:
"Cuihua's mother, you're really something, helping outsiders bully the people of Wu Family Village!"
"Oh, it's the village chief's wife! What did I do? I was just acting as a matchmaker for the Xu family's son; I never mistreated Widow Liu's family. It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"
Upon seeing the person who had arrived, Zhao Cuihua quickly bowed her head and lightly slapped her own mouth.
As Old Qin arrived, the villagers who were busy with farm work gradually gathered around, quietly putting down their carrying poles to support Widow Liu and her family.
The village chief's wife is right. The Liu widow's family is from Wujia Village. It's unreasonable for Zhao Cuihua to bring outsiders to bully the people of their village!
Old Qin walked up to Widow Liu and her family, and patted Widow Liu's hand reassuringly to comfort her.
Then he turned around and said sternly:
"You just said that apart from the Xu family, who can afford a dowry of five taels, no one else can offer a higher dowry?"
"I... I said it... I didn't say anything wrong~"
Zhao Cuihua stubbornly insisted that she didn't think she had said anything wrong.
"Hmph, good, very good. Today, Zhao Cuihua acted as matchmaker for the young master of the Xu family, offering five taels of silver as a betrothal gift. Did everyone hear that?"
As soon as Old Madam Qin exuded her imposing aura, no one dared to act rashly, and everyone nodded involuntarily in response to her question.
"Today, I, Qin Wu, am here to act as matchmaker for Wu Daniu, the eldest son of the Jiang family. The Jiang family is willing to offer twenty taels of silver as a betrothal gift. Liu, you and your parents-in-law, would you like to discuss whether you are willing to accept Zhao Cuihua's marriage proposal or my matchmaking?"
These words shocked everyone present!
Is Ms. Jiang willing to offer twenty taels of silver as a betrothal gift?
Good heavens, this is four times the amount of Master Xu's family!
For an ordinary person, getting married only costs two or three taels of silver!
Moreover, the Jiang family even invited the village chief's wife to act as matchmaker!
Even a fool knows which one to choose!
Sure enough, Widow Liu accepted the village chief's wife's matchmaking offer without hesitation—
"After discussing with my parents-in-law, I, Liu Wushi, am willing to accept your matchmaking services, Mrs. Village Chief!"
This was the result of their discussion with the Jiang family, but they never expected that Zhao Cuihua would suddenly appear and propose marriage on behalf of the Xu family!
In contrast, their whole family favored Jiang's son!
As for this Master Xu, he's a notorious skinflint, and his son is even lame. He's hardly a match for the snow!
"Widow Liu, have you thought this through? That's the son of the Xu family!"
Zhao Cuihua, unwilling to let the matchmaker's money slip away, resorted to further threats and intimidation.
To my surprise, Old Madam Qin was still here!
"Zhao Cuihua, you wicked woman, are you trying to force this old woman to ask my husband to open the ancestral hall?"
"The village chief's wife~"
......
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