Chapter 16: A Fire Pit
"What did Big Brother say?"
"My husband...doesn't agree..." Liu Yu Niang tugged at her handkerchief.
Lu Qingyao sighed, "Sister-in-law, why do you think this is a good marriage?"
"Isn't it good? Brother Liu is the only son in the family. The Liu family will definitely be passed down to him in the future. If Qiaojie marries him, she will be the mistress of the family in the future."
Liu Yu Niang has really been tired of being poor these years.
If her family was a little richer, she would not want to marry Qiaojie to a fool.
"But Miss Qiao is only twelve. She's still many years away from coming of age."
Lu Qingyao couldn't understand it. It was said that girls from the countryside got married early.
There are even child brides.
But this is too early, they are still just children.
Liu Yu Niang patted her daughter's head. "She's not young anymore. In Qingshi Town, there are many girls who are engaged at the age of twelve or thirteen. Miss Zhang San is only one year older than Qiao Jie, and she has already started looking for marriage."
Lu Qingyao was a little helpless about this, as this was the local custom.
She can't change it either.
But the Liu family is not a good destination no matter how you look at it.
Landlord Liu is so arrogant that he would like Qiao'er.
I'm afraid it's because Qiao'er can read and wants to reject Miss Zhang San from their family out of spite.
Secondly, it would not be easy to find a good marriage for his son given his condition.
Thirdly, he must be attracted by the relationship with Jiang Yunze.
Even if they have no intersection, he can still use his connections to bully others.
"Sister-in-law, everyone says that the Liu family's son is a fool. Are you really so cruel as to entrust Qiaojie's life to him?"
Speaking of this, Jiang Qiaoer cried even more sadly.
Looking at her mother, she said with a determined look, "Mom, Aunt, I won't marry...I won't marry even if I die. If you force me again, I will go to the temple and become a nun."
"If you don't marry, do you still want your father and I to support you for the rest of your life?"
Liu Yu Niang didn't expect that her daughter, who had always been well-behaved and sensible, would say such a thing.
He was so angry that he habitually reached out to twist Jiang Qiaoer's ear.
"Little bastard, have you grown wings?"
"Sister-in-law, let's talk it over nicely. Don't use violence." Lu Qingyao was also surprised by the girl's stubbornness.
She pulled the person to the other side and placed herself between them.
She asked Jiang Zifeng to bring her a cup of tea.
"Sister-in-law, the girl is older now, and she's also quite nice..."
Only then did Liu Yu Niang suppress her anger.
Jiang Miaomiao lay in her mother's arms, babbling.
She was praising her aunt a few days ago.
Turns out he's a fool.
I hope my mother can wake her up with one blow.
Lu Qingyao: "Sister-in-law, let me ask you, how much betrothal gift did the Liu family give you?"
"One hundred taels of silver!"
Liu Yu Niang felt that it was a lot, as there were not many families in the surrounding area who could give such a betrothal gift.
No other family can afford so much. Twenty or thirty taels is the most an ordinary family can give.
When Jiang Yunhu married her, he only gave her five strings of cash as a betrothal gift.
The main reason is that Sister Qiao married into the Liu family, which is close to home and she can help the family in the future.
She also gets to see her daughter often.
Of course, she couldn't tell these to her younger siblings.
Lu Qingyao didn't know the customs in the countryside, but if her sister-in-law wanted to marry her daughter off just for the hundred taels of silver.
She absolutely could not agree with this.
"Sister-in-law, how much do you know about Landlord Liu's family? Have you ever thought about why he was willing to give such a large betrothal gift?"
I know.
He had ten concubines and fifteen daughters...
Jiang Miaomiao cried out in a babbling voice.
It was Jiujiu who said that.
Jiujiu has a strong bird network here.
There are always a few birds flying around and jumping up and down in front of and behind the eaves of every household.
Do you think they are playing?
No.
They are all chirping spies and peepers.
Liu Yu Niang thought that her sister-in-law wanted to help her with advice, so she counted on her fingers for her.
"More than half of the farmland in Taoxi Village, as well as the canal on the hill behind the Liu Mansion, also belong to him. He also owns a cloth shop and a grain store in the town..."
Of course there are many things she doesn't know.
Otherwise, why would she be so moved?
"I'm not talking about these, I'm talking about the situation in the Liu family's backyard." Lu Qingyao is a person who has experienced this.
I know better than anyone that for a woman, the most deadly thing after getting married is the struggles in the harem.
The fact that she and her son are still alive today is a lesson learned through blood.
Liu Yu Niang was speechless.
She knew that the Liu family had many concubines and daughters, but she had never asked exactly how many there were.
Lu Qingyao: "Sister-in-law, you might as well go and ask around."
"I know." Jiang Qiaoer's weak voice came from beside him.
There was an older sister in the village who played best with her, and she was Mr. Liu's tenth concubine.
It was sold by her parents for twenty taels of silver.
He often complained to Jiang Qiaoer.
"Aunt, Master Liu has ten concubines and fifteen daughters, five of whom are already married. There are ten daughters left, the oldest is ten years old and the youngest is only one year old. Liu Si Niang's husband is a poor scholar, and he is almost entirely supported by the Liu family."
Lu Qingyao felt her scalp tingling when she heard this.
Three women make a play, how many plays will that be?
The fool's mother must be a weak person.
Otherwise, how could they allow the family to keep a married concubine's daughter and her husband?
"Sister-in-law, you've heard it too. The situation in the Liu family's backyard is so complicated. Where there are so many women, there will definitely be conflicts..."
"What's more, the Liu family has ten unmarried daughters, so they need to prepare ten dowries. If the Liu landlord and his wife pass away early..."
Of course, she didn't mean to curse anyone.
But it's always good to plan ahead.
"Sooner or later, these things will fall on Liu's new wife. In the future, she might even have to help her sisters-in-law arrange their weddings..."
Having said this, the anticipation in Liu Yu Niang's eyes had completely disappeared, and her expression was extremely ugly.
It seems that spending so much money to marry a daughter-in-law means that she will work like a slave for the whole family!
Lu Qingyao continued, "Sister-in-law, don't you think about it? How can Qiaojie, a girl in her teens, control those concubines? If she has no one to rely on, how can she sit firmly as the mistress of the house?"
Liu Yu Niang's face turned pale: "I...I really haven't thought about it so much, nor have I thought about it so far..."
No wonder my husband didn’t agree.
Now it seems that no matter how rich the Liu family is or how much betrothal gifts they give, it is still a hell for Qiaojie.
"I won't force her..." Liu Yu Niang murmured, "It's just that Aunt Zhang said that if she doesn't marry, she will ask her husband to pay back the money she owes within three days."
If it were in the past, some of Lu Qingyao's hair would be visible between her nails.
But she bought too much cloth and rice and flour a few days ago.
I really can't lend it to them right now.
"Sister-in-law, how are the sales of the sachets and handkerchiefs you embroidered?"
"I embroidered more than a dozen handkerchiefs and earned one string of silver. Adding the hairpin you gave me and the remaining silver, the total is only ten taels of silver, which is far from enough..." Liu Yu Niang counted on her fingers for a long time.
Jiang Miaomiao didn't expect that money was so hard to make in ancient times.
She rolled her eyes and glanced around the room.
His eyes flicked to the wall.
A field of green bamboo comes into view.
hehe……
Jiang Miaomiao looked at the painting and started babbling.
The calligraphy and paintings of the scumbag dad...
According to her observation, calligraphy and paintings of this era are very expensive.
A copy of "Three Character Classic" costs so much, not to mention that this painting was drawn by her scumbag father who is a high-ranking official.
It should sell for at least ten taels.
…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com