"How co Aunt Wang is here today?" Ye Qiu got up to greet her, a glimr of darkness flashing in his eyes.
"It’s good news, I’ve co to bring good tidings." Mrs. Wang said with a chuckle, her plump cheeks squeezing her features together. Usually holding herself as the future village chief’s wife, she carried an air of dignity in public and managed to appear sowhat respectable with a stiff face, but her ill-intentioned smile was rather hard to bear.
Ye Qiu had a hunch about her intentions and gave a dry laugh: "Aunt Wang must be mistaken, what good news could there possibly be for our family?"
"Oh my, isn’t it a joyous event that soone has taken a liking to you and your sister Xiuya?" Mrs. Wang made herself at ho on a chair and instructed Ye Qiu’s Attendant Student to pour her so tea.
"Qiu, your business of selling flowers isn’t too shabby, hiring Attendant Students, maids, and old servants. You must have earned a decent sum these last two years!" Mrs. Wang’s eyes swirled as she spoke.
"It’s all luck. Any money we make is soon spent. We’re no match for Aunt Wang’s household," Ye Qiu replied politely and tactfully.
Mrs. Wang’s interest peaked on hearing this, and with a pretense of concern for Ye Qiu, she said, "How can you not save money at ho? I say, you’re all too young. It seems that my visit today is truly tily."
She took a hefty gulp of tea and gave a suggestive grin, "A house without a woman just isn’t right. Your parents passed early, and it’s normal for Xiuya and the others to be inexperienced. My maternal family just so happens to have a niece of a similar age to you, excellent at managing dostic affairs. With her, you’re guaranteed to enjoy warm and satisfied days with your wife and children."
"Aunt Wang, I..."
"Don’t be hasty in your refusal. My niece’s looks are decent too, and everyone around says she’s good for child-rearing. How about this, I’ll have my brother and sister-in-law bring my niece to your place tomorrow to et. If you two hit it off, once the mourning period is over, you can get married. That way you can focus on the imperial examination undistracted, assured that your ho affairs are taken care of."
Mrs. Wang had it all figured out, considering that if her niece married over, wouldn’t she be thanked as the auntie? With authority over the household like a mother, the marriage affairs of the three maids, including Xiuya, would also fall into her hands. Not ntioning the advantage she’d get, acquiring the technique and rare species of flowers would suffice.
In her view, since she had brought up the matter, it was as good as settled. Could Qiu really refuse? What reason would he have to refuse? She refused to believe that a vigorous young man could do without a woman. Therefore, after delivering her spiel, Mrs. Wang waited with full confidence for Ye Qiu to agree.
However, Ye Qiu had long seen through her thoughts, and he had never considered marriage for himself, so he rejected it outright.
"Aunt Wang, there’s no need for you to worry about this matter. My sisters manage the household affairs, everything is in perfect order. Moreover, my mourning period is not yet over, and I have no intention to marry for the ti being. Even after the mourning period, taking the imperial examination is my priority. How can I establish a family without first achieving success? So, I do not plan to consider marriage for the next few years."
"Can your two sisters manage your ho for a lifeti? Don’t they need to get married too?" Mrs. Wang asked impatiently.
"After Xiuya and Xiutong are married, there’s still Xiuying."
"Xiuying has grown up too?" As soon as Mrs. Wang asked this question, she realized her slip of the tongue. By the ti Ye Xiuying ca of age, Ye Qiu would be well over twenty years old – surely he wouldn’t still be unmarried by then!
"But it’s not easy to get married at an older age!" Mrs. Wang gently coaxed, "One should first establish a family then a career. Without the worries of family matters, one can focus on their career, right? Listen to Aunt Wang, could I possibly harm you? Wait until tomorrow when I call over my niece, you might change your mind after seeing her."
"Aunt Wang, there’s no need to waste your effort. I have sworn over my father’s grave that I will not marry until I have established my career," Ye Qiu declared decisively.
Mrs. Wang beca frustrated: "By the ti you pass the exams, you’ll be older; where will you find a girl of a suitable age then?" What she didn’t say out loud was, could her own niece wait that long? If she waits too long, she’ll end up an old maid.
Ye Qiu smiled: "Once I’ve established my career, good marriage proposals will naturally co."
Mrs. Wang’s face darkened, interpreting this as a slight against her niece, and thus she snorted coldly: "What if you never pass the exams?"
"That won’t happen. My teacher said my studies are not bad, just need to work harder. There will be a day when I pass. Otherwise, I would have no face to see my parents in the afterlife," Ye Qiu replied.
After hearing Ye Qiu’s words, Mrs. Wang was seething with anger. She had thought it would be a sure deal with a guaranteed profit, yet she was rejected before it even began. She had already promised her maternal family; what face would she have if Ye Qiu didn’t agree?
But this Ye Qiu seed to have been muddled by books to the point of being obstinate. Why was he so stubborn?
No, if Ye Qiu wasn’t suitable, there was still Xiuya. Ye Xiuya was fourteen this year; for girls, it’s different than boys – if their marriage is delayed, even with the best conditions they may end up marrying below their status.
Her maternal family had not only a niece but also two nephews, whose status was among the top in Wang Family Village. They would be more than a match for Ye Xiuya, but her habits would need so changes. What kind of rural woman still keeps a little maid? Always reading and writing in the house isn’t proper – after getting married, she should be well taught by her sister-in-law.
Mrs. Wang inwardly regretted that her husband’s family and Qiu’s family were related by blood and could not marry each other. Otherwise, how good would it be if her son married Ye Xiuya, instead of giving that advantage to her sister-in-law.
But now, the only family she was close to was her maternal family. If not helping them, who else could she help?
Therefore, Mrs. Wang rolled her eyes and continued with a smile: "Qiu, it’s good to have ambition, and Aunt Wang won’t force you regarding marriage. But when you’re aiming for academic honors, can Xiuya afford to wait? She’s fourteen this year. When I was fourteen, I was already married to your Uncle Ye Ming. Look at the girls in our village; which one of them hasn’t been betrothed by the age of fourteen?"
Fine, so she can’t get benefits from and now she’s targeting Xiuya? What a well-laid plan, Ye Qiuxin contemplated cynically.
Actually, Xiuya’s marriage prospects were already taking shape. No, it was more accurate to say that an understanding had been reached with Wang Po’s house. Over the past two years, Ye Qiu had observed that Wang Zhaoxing was truly devoted to Xiuya. The man was of good character, learned, and last year even surpassed Ye Qiu to beco the top scorer in the Provincial Examination. At just sixteen years old, if he focuses, an Advanced Scholar title is within reach, and perhaps he could even secure an Imperial Decree for Xiuya in the future. Most importantly, when Ye Qiu brought up the marriage proposal, Xiuya did not object, which clearly indicated her approval.
Compared to soone like Wang Zhaoxing, a young and promising man wholeheartedly devoted to Xiuya, how could Ye Qiu consider anyone else? Especially not the relatives from Mrs. Wang’s side of the family, who had previously shown little concern for his family and had been loitering around their house frequently in recent years. If anyone said she didn’t have an ulterior motive, they’d be fooling themselves.
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