The girl from the Cen family went to the town with other girls. There were not as many things in the town as in the provincial capital, and it was not as lively.
As they walked along, they saw Sui Xin Shop again.
They all knew that Sui Xin Shop was opened by Princess Rongning, who often sold some new things.
"Do you want to go over and take a look?" someone asked Miss Cen.
"Let's go and take a look." Miss Cen thought to herself that since these people asked her this, how could she say no?
When Miss Cen and the others went over, they found that many people were asking for tricycles. And outside the store was a tricycle with an open top.
“This isn’t much like a bicycle.”
"Something very strange."
“They also sell it in the city.”
…
Those girls just looked at it, they couldn't possibly buy it because they were not from the small town.
"They're all sold out," the clerk said. "Girls, take a look. This one's right here."
These things in the shop sold very quickly. Some people knew that tricycles were good, so they bought two or three at once. I guess they were bought by a family, not just for one family.
"..." Miss Cen thought she hadn't said anything else yet.
"Girls, you can try it out," the waiter said. "But it's mainly used for carrying things. It can also carry a few customers at market time. You just have to use some strength to go uphill."
Some slopes are quite steep, so forget it.
The clerks also mentioned these things when they were selling them. Liu Yulian had instructed them to explain the details clearly. You have to know that a tricycle costs almost three taels of silver, and some families may not even save one tael of silver in a year, so it is better to explain clearly.
Miss Cen looked at it and didn't move much, but the other girls took a few more glances at it.
"Let's go somewhere else." One girl looked at Miss Cen and she felt that Miss Cen probably didn't like these things.
Miss Cen really didn't like these things. They were clearly sold to ordinary people. There was really no need for them to stand here and watch. There were other people around watching.
Miss Cen was quite disgusted by this, as they were not from the same class, so she picked up a round fan to cover her face.
Those girls weren't stupid. Seeing Miss Cen like this, they all left and didn't stay any longer. They didn't buy anything, so it wouldn't be good to stay here.
Liu Yulian didn't know what happened in Suixin Shop. She was shocked by what her mother said. "How could it be?" Liu Yulian felt like she was about to stutter. "Aren't we from the same family? How could you say that? Isn't she her biological daughter?"
"Maybe they think they're doing it for their own daughter's sake," said Mother Liu. "It's hard to say. The Cen family's daughter will probably tell her the same thing later. After two or three generations, other girls won't be like the Cen family's daughter."
Liu's mother thought that most people would not do such a thing as asking their newly married daughter to take a concubine for their son-in-law. Liu's mother did not like the Cen family girl. She had never wanted her son to marry a Cen family girl before.
The daughter of the Cen family is actually easy to control.
Liu Yulian couldn't help but think that such a woman seemed to have no thoughts of her own and was just living for the three obediences and four virtues.
"Don't get together with Miss Cen. You two are not of the same kind." Mother Liu said, "In the eyes of others, you are not a good girl."
"I know." Liu Yulian certainly understood. Miss Cen's behavior at Princess Zhaoyang's house was enough to explain the problem. Liu Yulian couldn't get too close to Miss Cen, so she just greeted her when they met.
"The other girls are basically just foils in front of the Cen family's daughter." Liu's mother said, "They are also arrogant."
"I know." Liu Yulian nodded. She didn't care whether she was a foil or not, but it was always right to pay attention to both.
"You two have met, and if nothing happens, that's fine." Mother Liu said, "The Cen family girl isn't the type to talk about other people's affairs."
There's a reason why the Cen family girls are so popular. If they look down on you, they simply look down on you and won't say too much about your faults. They have their own rules, and people who talk too much are easily annoying.
“…” Liu Yulian didn’t say anything.
"There was once a family that broke off an engagement just for a girl from the Cen family," said Liu's mother. "The man's mother liked the girl from the Cen family, thinking she was filial and knew how to support her husband and raise children. In reality, the girl from the Cen family had a crush on the man, and since the two families were related, she would visit more often. That's how it went on."
Mother Liu gently patted her daughter's hand. The Cen family girl was generous to the maids and servants, and behaved dignified and virtuous, outshining many others. However, there were also people who didn't buy into the Cen family girl's tricks, and some families simply avoided her.
"I am ignorant." Liu Yulian whispered. If her mother hadn't told her these words, she would not have understood.
The Cen family girl was really amazing. Liu Yulian thought that the Cen family girl was so bold. Which woman could take a concubine for her husband right after getting married? The Cen family girl could do it. Other women couldn't do it. It was hard to compare.
"But there must be people who don't like it." Liu Yulian said.
"Yes, he married her, but he doesn't like her. We're just as respectful as guests," said Liu's mother. "At most, he's a little cold. He only sees her two or three times a month. When he goes out on official duties, he doesn't take his wife with him."
Mother Liu said this to her daughter, firstly to let her daughter have less contact with the daughter of the Cen family, and secondly to prevent her daughter from doing something stupid.
They couldn't say these things outside, so they had to say them behind closed doors.
If a mother does not educate her daughter, her daughter will become stupid and it will be difficult to deal with her in the future.
Miss Cen and the other girls walked around the town and soon returned to Princess Zhaoyang's house. The town's ruffians were not fools. They could see that Miss Cen and the others were wealthy, so they naturally didn't dare to provoke them.
Nothing major happened to Miss Cen and the others outside. Miss Cen was about fourteen years old this year and was at the age to get married.
There weren't that many people from the northwest who came to the Cen family to propose marriage, and the Cen family's daughter was indeed very famous in the capital. People from the northwest didn't like her very much, and they always felt that there was something different about the Cen family's daughter, which made them feel uncomfortable.
Madam Cen had no intention of marrying off her daughter casually. She had her eyes on Liu Yanjing from the Marquis of Jingning's mansion. She was hoping that Liu Yanjing would become the crown prince in the future. If Liu Yanjing hadn't been divorced once, Madam Cen wouldn't have considered it.
Liu Yanjing was divorced and had a pair of children. Which young lady would be willing to marry him? Those young ladies from high-ranking families would definitely not be willing to marry him. Madam Cen believed that her daughter was a good choice and that she could help Liu Yanjing take care of his children if she married him.
Madam Cen still believed that her daughter was so young, and her willingness to marry her into the Jingning Marquisate was a gesture of respect to the Marquisate. In the capital, countless people were seeking to marry the Cen family's daughter. When her daughter returned to the capital, there would surely be even more proposals.
The next day, when Miss Cen returned home, Mrs. Cen asked her what she thought.
"They are not a family that follows rules," said Miss Cen, "and they don't follow the rules for women."
Miss Cen doesn't like Liu Yulian. Women like Liu Yulian are not good at all. If Liu Yulian hadn't become a princess, how many women would be willing to get together with Liu Yulian?
"What if I let you marry her brother?" Madam Cen said, "If she doesn't behave well, I'll teach her a lesson when you marry her."
Mrs. Cen thought this was not a problem. When the time came, her daughter would teach Liu Yulian more, and the Liu family would thank her.
Mrs. Cen didn't know whether the Liu family would be willing, and she thought that since the Cen family's daughter was so popular, the people in Jingning Marquis' Mansion would definitely not be willing.
"I will listen to mother." Miss Cen had no objection, but she thought that she would have to teach Liu Yulian more when the time comes. She couldn't let Liu Yulian read too many messy books, and she still had to read more rules and regulations for women.
Some of the people who returned to the city with Miss Cen told the story of Princess Zhaoyang giving Miss Cen female precepts and rules.
"Perhaps the Cen family still considers this a reward."
"The Cen family has many rules. You don't have to follow the Cen family girls. I think Princess Rongning is very good."
"You can't do what the Cen family girl did."
…
The mothers of those girls heard what they said and naturally gave them some advice. Those noble ladies did not like Madam Cen very much. Madam Cen did not seem to like what they did, thinking that they had no manners, and she often taught them how to do things.
How could those noble ladies be happy about this? They are not from the capital, so don't always tell them about the rules of the capital.
Some people are willing to have more contact with Mrs. Cen, while others are not.
Madam Cen wanted to settle the matter between her daughter and Liu Yanjing long ago, but she couldn't tell him about it, nor could she go to his house in person. She had to ask someone from the Jingning Marquis's mansion to come. Otherwise, others would think that the Cen family was trying to climb up the social ladder and that they were sending their daughter to be a concubine in order to do so.
So Madam Cen went to Madam Xu, the wife of General Xu and the aunt of Princess Rongning's fiancé. Madam Cen thought it would be better for Madam Xu to go and check out the Marquis of Jingning's mansion, as she was determined not to go directly there anyway.
Mrs. Xu was speechless after hearing Mrs. Cen's explicit and implicit words.
Princess Zhaoyang was divorced and she even lived in the town where Marquis Jingning and his family lived. Didn't Madam Cen feel anything?
"I'm afraid it's not appropriate." Mrs. Xu said bluntly.
"Why?" Madam Cen was puzzled. "My daughter is innocent and knows the rules."
"You'll know after a while," said Mrs. Xu.
"Who has their family set their sights on?" Madam Cen frowned. Who could possibly compare to her own daughter? "They probably haven't seen my daughter yet. Let them see her first. Maybe they'll be interested."
"Princess Zhaoyang lives over there." Madam Xu looked at Madam Cen with a smile. Did you understand?
"Yes, Princess Zhaoyang is staying there to relax." Madam Cen nodded. "My daughter has been there before."
"..." Madam Xu suspected that Madam Cen was pretending to be stupid. Did this person really have to make her words clear and explicit?
Since the emperor had not issued an edict to grant the marriage, it was not appropriate for them to say such things.
Mrs. Xu thought it was ridiculous. Did Mrs. Cen think Miss Cen was a delicious bun?
"Princess Zhaoyang got divorced." Madam Xu said again.
"..." Madam Cen was about to say something, but when she saw that Madam Xu's face was not very happy, Madam Cen thought about it for a while, and then she understood what Madam Xu meant, that is, the royal family intended to arrange a marriage between Princess Zhaoyang and Liu Yanjing of Jingning Marquis Mansion.
Mrs. Cen left in disgrace. When she returned, she could only tell her daughter that she and Liu Yanjing were not suitable for each other.
Miss Cen had never wanted to be someone's stepmother. If her mother hadn't said Liu Yanjing was okay, she wouldn't have wanted to. But her mother actually told her no, so why was it no longer okay?
"But Princess Rongning is dissatisfied?" asked Miss Cen.
"That... I guess so." Madam Cen didn't mention Princess Zhaoyang. The Emperor hadn't yet granted her and Liu Yanjing their marriage, so it was better for them to keep their mouths shut. Otherwise, if something went wrong, the royal family would blame them, which would be difficult to deal with.
Therefore, when Miss Cen asked that question, Mrs. Cen answered that way.
Miss Cen twisted the handkerchief in her hand. She really felt that Liu Yulian had no manners at all. As a younger sister, she actually interfered with her brother's marriage. People like Liu Yulian were really not good. Sooner or later, Liu Yulian would harm her brother.
Someone like Liu Yulian is unlikely to take good care of Liu Yanjing's children. I'm afraid that once Liu Yanjing's wife comes home, Liu Yulian will come up with other things to do.
In the main room of the Liu family, Liu Yulian sneezed twice. She thought it might be because it was too cold outside. She couldn't sit outside all the time. She was sneezing. If she didn't go inside, she would catch a cold.
"Auntie." Little Liu Jia ran to Liu Yulian and asked, "Do my clothes look good?"
"It looks good." Liu Yulian nodded. "Are you wearing new clothes today?"
"Yes, a new wool sweater and a new down jacket." Xiao Liujia was very happy. "They are warm."
Little Liu Jia rarely went out, mostly playing with the maids at home. Father and Mother Liu would occasionally take their granddaughter out to play, but it was rare, especially when the weather was cold. They would stay home whenever possible and rarely go out.
Liu Yulian thought this was normal. It was too cold to go out and play.
"As long as you don't go playing in the water, you'll be warm." Liu Yulian said, if your clothes get wet, you'll be cold.
"I don't want to play with water. I'm a big kid now." Xiao Liujia said.
"Okay, then you should also study. Next year, you should start learning." Liu Yulian pinched her little niece's face.
"To become as good as my aunt," Xiao Liujia gestured, "I need to know so many things."
"Then you have to learn to read from the teacher. Be good and study hard to learn more characters." Liu Yulian said with a smile, "In a few years, you will be able to read those books. If there are any that you don't understand, your aunt will teach you."
"Auntie, are you going to get married in the future?" Xiao Liujia asked. "If you get married, will you no longer live at home?"
"..." Liu Yulian didn't expect her niece to ask this. She was stunned for a moment, "Even after you get married, I can still teach you."
Liu Yulian had no ambition to become a female teacher, nor did she know how to be a good teacher. If she were to become a teacher, she would probably just conduct some small experiments in pinhole imaging, let the students learn, and teach some simple math, physics, chemistry and other knowledge.
That's very simple, about the level of junior high school. As for high school, it's too complicated, and Liu Yulian can't remember so much.
"Then Auntie must teach me." Xiao Liujia said, "Pink pinky promise."
Liu Yanqing, the fourth branch of the Liu family, has been going to town more often recently. He just wants to see what the third branch has become. Do the third branch think they can live well in town? Haha, the people in the third branch just want to cause trouble for the first branch from time to time and try to gain benefits from it.
Are you stupid? The third wife is doomed and can't get any more benefits from the first wife.
The business of the third shop was a little worse, after all, many people saw Aunt Chai being dragged back.
"What are you gloating over?" Lin Xiaowan found that Liu Yanqing was particularly happy recently.
"Nothing, I just went for a walk in town." Liu Yanqing said, "The shop run by the third house is not doing very well."
"Whether their business is good or not, what does it have to do with you?" Lin Xiaowan was puzzled. Why did Liu Yanqing run to the town to see whether the business of the third room shop was good or not?
"How can it not matter? They used to laugh at me for being incompetent." Liu Yanqing said.
"Do you have the ability?" Lin Xiaowan raised her eyebrows.
"No... I don't have any abilities, but I am still your husband and their brother. How can they laugh at me like that?" Liu Yanqing said, "I don't eat their food, I don't sleep with their family, and I don't hold them back. Why do they laugh at me like that?"
Liu Yanqing found the people of the Third House quite annoying. Even if they were a little better off, they would act like the Second House. They all thought they were who they were, and they themselves weren't that good, yet they still had the nerve to criticize him.
"Just remember that they laughed at you." Lin Xiaowan said.
"Yes, do you think they're trying to persuade me to move forward?" Liu Yanqing said, "I'm old enough, how could I not understand the meaning behind their words? They're clearly mocking me. They even said there's no need for us to farm or buy culture medium, and that opening a shop is better than farming."
Liu Yanqing had no idea how to run a shop, and he suspected that the second and third wives wanted to take his money.
"If I knew how to run a shop, I would have gone there long ago," Liu Yanqing said. "If I don't go, it means I don't know how. The second wife still relies on the second sister-in-law to cook, and the third wife and husband have both learned, but it's not much better, and they don't make that much."
"It's true that you can make money by opening a shop," said Lin Xiaowan.
"If you don't know how to count and sell things, you won't make money." Liu Yanqing still had some self-knowledge. He thought it would be better for him to gamble than to open a shop. "You can't cook, and neither can I. If we want to sell other things, we have to buy them. How about we go to my little sister to buy them? My little sister doesn't make much herself. She can sell it herself, why should we make money?"
Liu Yanqing thought he was not stupid. It was not easy to open a shop. If he opened one and lost money, whose responsibility would it be?
"..." Lin Xiaowan couldn't help but look at her husband again. When did Liu Yanqing have such awareness?
"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not a fool." Liu Yanqing said, "Do you think I'm still smart? Let me tell you, I've always been this smart since I was a child, but you guys don't know it. You..."
"Stop talking. If you continue, it will be really stupid." Lin Xiaowan twitched the corners of her mouth. How could a smart person say this to herself?
Widow Zhang rode the tricycle back home. She had already thought of how it would be used in the future. If someone wanted to borrow it for a wedding, she could borrow it for a fee. It could be used to pick up people at the market, or to pick up scholars going to school. They could also use the tricycle to transport goods for business.
"Everyone, be careful," Widow Zhang said. "Don't ride your bikes out all the time. Do you think you can just ride them casually? You don't even know how to turn around, and you almost got hit today."
Widow Zhang thought, thankfully, a tricycle is primarily pedal-powered, with a steering wheel that can be turned, making it quite simple. She figured she knew how to do it just by listening to the clerk's instructions, but her family members were just too clumsy to learn so quickly.
But Widow Zhang was a woman and not that strong, so she still had to teach her family how to ride a tricycle.
"Send the things from the fourth branch of the Liu family over." Widow Zhang hadn't forgotten the culture medium the fourth branch of the Liu family had bought. "Be careful, don't drop it."
Widow Zhang's son was speechless when he heard this. They weren't going to deliver it, so there was no way they'd dropped it. A jar cost fifty cents. If they dropped it, they'd have no dinner, and Widow Zhang would chase them and beat them.
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