Xiao Yan said with a wronged expression
"But he already has a wife and children! If I go, I'll just be a stepmother, and what will people say about me!"
"A joke? Who's making a joke?"
Let's not talk about anything else, just take Xie Yushu. Your second brother, that spendthrift bastard, spent ten taels of silver to marry her as his stepmother. Look at her now? Everyone laughs at him. Doesn't everyone say she's lucky and took charge of the household as soon as she entered the house?
How many people are envious and green with envy?
Thinking of this, Old Mrs. Xiao felt unwell again and started grumbling.
"That spendthrift woman lives like an empress after marrying into the Xiao family. Xiao Yi is a useless good-for-nothing. He gives all his money to that spendthrift woman and doesn't even send any to his parents!"
Xiao Yan listened and said
“My second brother is a coward, but he’s a cripple. He’s given you all the land, and you’ve searched for his money countless times. Where would he get any more money?”
It was just that Xie Yushu, that vile hussy, sold the medicinal herbs and kept the money for herself!
That's why I can spend money so freely! What does it have to do with whether or not I'm someone's stepmother!
"I don't know how to earn money myself, how can I compare to Xie Yushu?"
Old Mrs. Xiao glared at her, saying with a look of disappointment and frustration.
"How can it be nothing? Although your second brother is lame, he has served in the army for several years and must have survived by the skin of his teeth. If he really wanted to control Xie Yushu, he could easily do so. A couple of beatings would make him behave!"
Even if Xie Yushu knows a little bit of martial arts, can she compare to soldiers who have been on the battlefield? It's just that your second brother is blinded by that little vixen and can't bear to hit her!
What man doesn't love a young and beautiful woman?
You are more than ten years younger than Cao Chengan, so why would he care about dying?
Furthermore, there's an old saying: the first wife is smelly, the second wife is sweet, and the third wife becomes the empress. Cao Cheng'an's first wife was a short-lived ghost who died early. His second wife was a concubine, and they've been together for several years now. She's probably tired of her. Isn't it the perfect time for you to go? You'll get whatever you say then.
This is what it means to be born an empress!
Think about it: would you rather be a servant, living a life of luxury and ease, or would you rather be a poor peasant, eating coarse food and chaff?
You know the ones I mentioned to you a few days ago. The one with the best conditions said he would give three taels of silver as a betrothal gift, plus a few feet of cloth and a few pounds of cotton. That's the highest level of courtesy in the village. His family isn't much better off than ours!
Look at our family's life. I love you so much that I can't bear to see you work. All the chores are done by your sister-in-law. Now that Liu Shi has come, you are finally able to enjoy life. If you were married off, would your mother-in-law let you work if you didn't do any chores?
But it will be different if you marry into the Cao family. You will be the young mistress, and there will be plenty of servants to do your work and serve you. Even if you want to do something, they won't let you get involved. What are servants for if the master does the work?
That's the difference!
Your fourth brother gave you three days to think it over. You decide for yourself! Let me warn you, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
When Grandma Xiao saw that Xiao Yan had stopped crying, she knew that she had persuaded her daughter, so she went back to wait with peace of mind!
Indeed, as the saying goes, no one knows a daughter better than her mother. How could a mother not know her own daughter's character?
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan had been weighing the matter in her mind ever since Old Madam Xiao told her, and she barely slept all night.
The thought of Xie Yushu wearing a casual outfit on one side and a dress on the other, and how she had been refused twice despite being neither gentle nor firm, made her liver ache with anger!
Although Xie Yushu had given her fabric and copper coins in front of everyone, two sets of clothes were certainly not enough to satisfy her love of beauty. Seeing Xie Yushu change into several outfits herself, she was so angry that her teeth itched, but there was nothing she could do!
She unconsciously imagined herself as the young mistress of the Cao family, dressed in fine clothes, trampling Xie Yushu under her feet. She imagined Xie Yushu groveling at her feet, and she would give her a few copper coins to show her how powerful she was!
Then she thought about marrying a peasant, spending all day feeding pigs and chickens, cooking, doing endless housework, wearing tattered clothes, and eating corn porridge. She got angry and didn't want to live like that for even a day!
So be it, I'll be a stepmother! So be it, I'll remarry! Whoever dares to laugh at me then, I'll tear their mouths apart!
Having made up her mind, Xiao Yan couldn't wait to go find Old Man Xiao and Old Mrs. Xiao as soon as it was dawn the next day.
When Mr. and Mrs. Xiao heard this, they were overjoyed. Although they had already decided to agree to the marriage, Xiao Yan herself was happy to have everyone happy!
Considering the Cao family's wealth and fearing they might look down on them, Old Man Xiao and Old Lady Xiao called Zhao Dayong's family over early in the morning, telling them they wouldn't be working today or tomorrow, and were preparing to receive the Cao family.
Xiao Dayong was puzzled
"Fourth brother hasn't sent a letter yet! They haven't set a date for the meeting, so why don't we finish the work in the fields first!"
Old Mrs. Xiao scolded
"What do you know! Although the Cao family is rich, our family is still a scholar's family! Even if we are getting married, we can't let them look down on us!"
The day after tomorrow, when your fourth brother comes back, send a letter to the other side. The matchmaking will take about two days. Today, everyone should clean the house. Eldest brother, fix the collapsed part of the chicken coop! Everyone else, clean the inside and outside of the house!
You all have new fabric on hand. If anyone hasn't had their clothes or shoes made yet, hurry up and finish them. Tomorrow, everyone should stay home and wash up. Put away all your old clothes. On the day of the wedding, everyone should be dressed neatly and standing at attention!
Li, go tell the second son's wife to bring the carriage over tomorrow. I'll take Yanzi to get a new outfit and some jewelry. Yanzi is going to be a young mistress, so we can't let her be subservient before she's even married into the family!
As for these clothes and jewelry, you two sisters-in-law, each of you should contribute money for one piece! Consider it a token of your appreciation!
Li rolled her eyes inwardly: I have no feelings for her!
Xiao Dayong also spoke with difficulty.
"Didn't the second brother's family give Yanzi a hundred copper coins a few days ago to buy her a printed dress?"
"It's good that I saw through that!"
What's so great about it? It's just the most ordinary fabric. The Cao family is a wealthy household. How could you possibly wear that outfit in front of them?
Li Shidao
"Should we all wear satin too? Otherwise, wouldn't we lose face in front of the Cao family?"
"Bullshit! You think you're worthy of wearing satin? It's not like you're going to marry into the Cao family, what kind of disgrace are you making?"
When Old Mrs. Xiao heard that Li dared to ask to wear satin, she started to scold her.
"Go and inform the second son's wife!"
Li remained unmoved, gritting her teeth as she spoke.
"Go find the second son's wife, that's fine, but I don't have the money!"
These words struck a nerve with Old Mrs. Xiao, who jumped up and slapped Li across the face.
"You've gone too far! You dare talk back to me! Don't think I don't know you've been hiding money!"
I'm telling you, you're paying for either jewelry or clothes! If I don't see the money by tomorrow morning, you're fired!
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