After the wedding banquet, close relatives stayed to help clean up the leftovers, tables, chairs, and pots and pans in the courtyard, washing them clean and returning them to their respective homes.
The guests didn't leave until very late.
The Jiang family settled into the side room on Qingsong's side. The eldest uncle and cousin helped fend off the drinking and got drunk themselves. Amidst the laughter of his younger siblings, Qingshan entered the bridal chamber, lifted the veil, and poured out his heart to his bride…
However, he remembered his mother's words that they should consummate their marriage after the New Year, so the young couple blew out the candles, took off their outer clothes, and lay down together without actually going through with anything.
Jiang Yue was in a good mood today, and with the guests' hospitality, she drank a few cups of wine. When she returned to her room, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
"Phew~"
Soon, snoring could be heard in the room.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking.
The soft sound of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen in the courtyard, followed by wisps of smoke rising from the chimney...
Jiang Yue woke up naturally, feeling a little dizzy; the hangover was unpleasant.
Looking around, I realized it was my own room. Then I looked at my clothes, which were all wrinkled. I had been lazy last night and had gone straight to bed without taking them off.
After thinking for a moment, she remembered that her brother and sister-in-law were still at home, so she couldn't stay in bed any longer. She got up, found a clean set of clothes in the closet, went to the bathroom to change, and then washed up before getting ready.
Just as she finished tidying up, she heard a gentle female voice calling her:
"Mom~ Your daughter-in-law has made breakfast, come and eat."
"Hey, here I am."
Jiang Yue realized that it was the sound of heavy snow.
With a smile on her face, she walked out of the bathroom carrying a basin of dirty clothes.
The new bride wore a peach-colored dress with a pink lotus flower embroidered on the front. Her hands were nervously clasped in front of her abdomen, revealing her bare wrists. The dress was emerald green, and she wore simple cloth shoes beneath the hem...
Suddenly, Qingyao appeared out of nowhere and came to Daxue's side, saying playfully:
"Mom, my sister-in-law looks so beautiful!"
"Tell me, how much candy did your sister-in-law give you? Is that why your little mouth is as sweet as honey?"
Jiang Yue noticed Da Xue's nervousness, and tried to relax by laughing and joking with her daughter.
After putting down the basin, she looked around and, not seeing her brother and sister-in-law's family, asked curiously:
"Oh, by the way, where are your uncle and aunt's family?"
"Reporting to Mother, my uncle and aunt finished breakfast early this morning and took my second cousin and his younger cousin back to the village by car."
She said she was worried about leaving her younger cousin at home to look after the ducks, so she left first.
Da Xue explained, and quickly ladled out chicken soup and noodles for her mother-in-law.
Jiang Yue nodded in understanding, acknowledging the difficulty her brother and sister-in-law had faced.
Taking the bowl and chopsticks from Daxue, her brows relaxed, and she casually asked:
"What about Aoyama and the others?"
"My lord has taken my second and third brothers to the fields to weed. They said they'll be back around noon."
Da Xue blushed and said that she was a little embarrassed by the title of "husband," but she couldn't help feeling sweet inside.
"That brat, he didn't know he was supposed to offer you tea. He ran off so fast. Fine, I'll skip the red envelope and save some money."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yue muttered something and then finished her chicken noodle soup.
After finishing her meal, she went to her room, retrieved the red box, and beckoned to her daughter-in-law who was washing the dishes:
"Hey, don't rush to wash the dishes. Let Qingshan and the others go home and wash them. Wash your hands, Mom has something good for you."
"Hey, I'm here."
Upon hearing this, Da Xue temporarily put down what she was doing, hurriedly washed her hands, dried them, and then stood in front of her mother-in-law.
Although she knew her mother-in-law was a kind person, she was still nervous on her first day as a daughter-in-law, afraid that she might do something wrong.
“Good child, you have now entered the Wu family and will be the eldest daughter-in-law of the Wu family from now on. Qingshan has many faults and you will need to discipline him in the future. Don’t be afraid, your mother will support you, and your grandparents in the old house will also support you.”
Jiang Yue smiled and gestured for Da Xue to come closer. She opened the red box, inside which were a pair of silver bracelets and a pair of silver cloves.
"Rules are rules, but people are flexible. Forget the tea ceremony. I just hope you two will have a harmonious and healthy life together, and that you'll consummate your marriage later and have children later—that's better for your health."
As she spoke, Jiang Yue adjusted the size of the bracelet, took Da Xue's left hand, and slipped one on.
Then take your right hand and slip one on.
When Da Xue saw how her mother-in-law treated her, personally putting an expensive bracelet on her wrist, her eyes welled up with tears.
Thinking back to last night, my husband said that his mother told him to be patient and not consummate the marriage yet, and it seems that it is true.
"Mother, don't you want my husband and I to have a child so soon?"
Da Xue mustered her courage and tentatively asked, "My grandmother told me when I got married that I should get pregnant as soon as possible and give my husband a son, so that my position would be more secure."
Her mother-in-law is telling her that for her health, she should postpone consummating the marriage and having children. She is a little afraid that her mother-in-law might not like her.
“Silly child, I was about your age when I gave birth to Qingshan and his brothers, and my health has been poor ever since.”
The older she gets, the less agile she becomes. Later, my mother asked the doctor at Huichuntang, who said that women shouldn't have sex too early, as early childbirth is bad for their health!
Jiang Yue made up a story, saying that it was a pity they couldn't delay it too long, otherwise she would have liked to wait until the children were eighteen before they consummated their marriage.
According to the laws of Tianyao Kingdom, men can marry when they are fifteen years old and women can marry when they are fourteen years old. If they are still unmarried by the age of eighteen, they will be fined or even conscripted into the army!
Alas, there was no other way; she could only tell her son that they would consummate their marriage when he turned sixteen.
If we delay any longer, the villagers will be spitting at Daxue to death!
These days, if a girl doesn't get pregnant within six months of marriage, she gets all sorts of strange looks and gossip...
Don't use the advanced civilization of later generations to challenge the outdated customs of this time; it's out of date and doesn't apply!
"So that's how it is. It was my fault, daughter-in-law. I almost misunderstood Mother's good intentions."
The heavy snow bowed its head, like a child who had done something wrong, waiting for the elders' criticism.
"Squat down."
Jiang Yue smiled and didn't take it to heart.
Holding a silver clove in his hand, he squatted down in the heavy snow and personally put it on her.
One on the left and one on the right, shining brightly, beautiful.
"Mother~"
Da Xue bit her lip. The silver bracelet and silver cloves that her mother-in-law had put on her were quite heavy and must have cost a lot of money. As a new daughter-in-law, she felt unworthy of such treatment!
"We don't have many rules in our family. You'll be responsible for washing Qingshan's clothes. You don't need to worry about the others. As for the meals, you'll have to do the cooking. Qingshan and his brothers will take care of the farm work, so you don't need to go to the fields. Just bring them some water and food occasionally..."
Jiang Yue comforted Da Xue, then explained all the household matters, big and small, to her one by one. Under her guidance, it was only a matter of time before Da Xue gradually integrated into the family...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com