"Come, come, sister-in-law, have a bowl of poached eggs. Please say a few kind words when we're betrothing!"
"Please, Aunt Qin, I'm counting on you!"
"Grandma Qin, have some!"
........
Old Madam Qin didn't put on airs; she nodded with a smile, overjoyed to be treated as an honored guest.
The others ate multigrain porridge with pickled vegetables, which was quite delicious.
Just as they finished eating, Grandpa Wu arrived with his children and grandchildren to join them.
Old Qin wiped her mouth with a handkerchief; now that she was full, it was time to get back to work.
Jiang Yue put away the bowls and chopsticks, telling them not to wash them, as her sisters-in-law told her not to get her clothes dirty and that they would wash them!
With everything memorized, Jiang Yue began to get busy.
The eight main parts, especially the four parts from the pig, are the heaviest!
One pig leg, half a pig carcass/ribs, ten pounds of pork belly, and one pig's head!
They weigh about 70 or 80 pounds together – a very generous gift!
Grandpa Wu handed over the carrying pole, tied the four large items tightly, and gestured for his two sons to lift them.
Light candies and cakes were held in front of Da Shi and Er Gou's chests.
Da Niu was instructed to stay by Grandma Qin's side, carrying a tray containing the marriage certificate and betrothal gifts...
With her mother, elder sister-in-law, and second sister-in-law helping to look after things, Jiang Yue followed at the back with her youngest daughter and nephew, Xiao Shi.
Along the way, Little Grass slipped a candy to Little Stone, and the two siblings followed behind the adults, chatting and laughing...
There was no fanfare, but the whole family worked together with great sincerity.
The commotion was seen by everyone in Wujia Village who hadn't gone to the fields. They found out that Old Master Wu had brought his whole family to help Jiang's eldest son, Da Niu, propose marriage.
This really is the heavy snowfall at Widow Liu's house!
The team grew from about ten people to dozens, with more and more people joining.
When everyone saw that the betrothal gifts prepared by the Jiang family consisted of eight items, especially the four items from the pig, they began to whisper among themselves and discuss the matter.
Jiang Yue ignored the sour-tongued older women and thanked those who offered genuine blessings politely.
Soon, the group arrived at Widow Liu's house.
At this moment, Widow Liu's parents-in-law had been eagerly waiting.
When they saw the betrothal gifts behind Old Qin, their excitement and joy were beyond words!
It really is eight items!
Chiang Kai-shek kept his word and did not deceive them!
Widow Liu wiped away her tears, thinking to herself, "Husband, did you see that?"
Our Daxue is getting engaged, and the groom is Renyi, who is giving Daxue a lot of face!
"In-laws, please come in and rest for a while."
Wu Damao hurriedly entertained Wu Yongfu. He hadn't expected the Wu family to make such a grand gesture for his granddaughter's engagement. He thought that he would be related to the other party by marriage, so he quickly entertained the group.
"In-laws, please come inside and have a seat!"
Granny Li gestured to her daughter-in-law not to stand there like an idiot, but to quickly pour some water.
"Thank you, in-laws!"
After the chaos of war, Old Qin sat in the first seat, followed by Old Master Wu, with Jiang Yue sitting below her father-in-law, and her daughter and nephew Xiao Shi standing obediently behind her.
Wu Dalang and Wu Erlang each had a stool, forming a protective circle in front of the betrothal gifts to prevent anyone from stealing them...
Da Niu was sitting on a stool below his mother, with his younger brother standing behind him.
Sitting opposite them were Mr. and Mrs. Wu Damao, and below them sat their beloved daughter-in-law, Widow Liu.
Wu Xiaoxue was still a little girl. Seeing such a serious scene, she didn't dare to act recklessly. Instead, she followed Xiaocao's example and stood behind her mother.
Changjun was studying at the academy and had not yet taken a break, so there were no men present at Widow Liu's house.
Wu Daxue was asked to come out and serve tea to the elders. After serving the tea, she stood shyly behind her mother with her eyes lowered.
Seeing that both families had "arrived," Old Qin began to speak eloquently about the betrothal ceremony, telling the parents of both families that Da Niu's birth date and time were compatible with Da Xue's, and then she sang lyrics and talked boastfully.
Finally, let Da Niu present the grand prize: twenty taels of betrothal money!
The red cloth was lifted, revealing two silver ingots.
Ordinary farmers work hard their whole lives and never see so much money!
The villagers who immediately gathered around exclaimed in admiration, and many women from families with daughters of marriageable age sighed with regret!
If I had known, I would have arranged for my daughter to marry Da Niu from the Jiang family!
Isn't this pure silver tempting?
Money can be a powerful motivator, and for a moment many people's eyes fell on Er Gou.
Like a wolf eyeing meat, all green and glistening!
These days, what ordinary people fear most is the government, lest they go to the yamen and end up in jail.
Therefore, although they were envious of the twenty taels of betrothal money, most people calmed down and had no other thoughts.
No one dares to gamble with their future and their family's reputation, so who would dare to steal money?
Going to jail? No way!
"This betrothal gift is too expensive; we can't accept so much. Sister Jiang, you still have two sons who aren't married..."
The reason why Widow Liu raised her child alone, chose to remain a widow and sever ties with her family, was fundamentally because she had backbone, could endure loneliness, and upheld her principles.
She could empathize with how difficult it was for her to support her family and make a living, and she could understand how hard it was for the Jiang family.
Under such difficult circumstances, to still maintain the dignity of the eight major items of the snow-covered house and offer twenty taels of betrothal money is too much!
"Sister Liu, believe me, I can grow medicinal herbs and bring in income. When it comes to getting married and marrying off your daughter, I can't let your Daxue suffer. We're in the same boat, and I know your feelings. But don't worry, once Daxue enters my home, she won't eat fish and meat, but she'll definitely not eat coarse food!"
"Of course, as for the betrothal money, it's up to your family to decide whether to keep it or not. Whether it's given to Daxue as dowry or not, I don't care. After all, my Da Niu has plenty of strength. Money can be earned again, but there's only one Daxue!"
Jiang made his statement sincerely, without the slightest hint of looking down on Widow Liu.
On the contrary, she respected Widow Liu and Da Xue.
Upon hearing this, Da Xue's eyes gradually reddened.
Since her future mother-in-law treats her so sincerely, she must treat her like her own mother after she marries Da Niu!
Wu Damao and Granny Li moved their mouths, but ultimately didn't say anything.
To be honest, they did consider stopping their daughter-in-law from refusing the dowry. Their eldest grandson, Changjun, was in school, a time when money was scarce. With the dowry, their daughter-in-law wouldn't have to work so hard, and the family could have a break...
They met Old Wu's gaze and lowered their heads in shame.
Seeing her grandparents' appearance and the heartfelt affection between her mother and Aunt Jiang, Da Xue was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken, but her mother and Aunt Jiang were on her side, which warmed her heart and made her feel much better.
"With your words, my Daxue will be your wife, Jiang Meizi. Don't be shy. After she comes into the family, you can discipline her however you like if she does something wrong or says something wrong."
Widow Liu stood up and handed her daughter's hand to Madam Jiang.
Compared to Da Niu, she believed more that Mr. Jiang always kept his word!
......
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