It was the second watch of the night, a pink flush sought in the sky.
***......***
Lian Manman looked around, with Lian Yeye, Er Ya, Chun Yan and Chun Ni—the sisters—nearest to her, while the other young girls were either talking among themselves or had run off to pick wildflowers, paying them no mind.
Er Ya was a relative of the Lian Family, and Chun Yan and Chun Ni were close neighbors. They were all quite familiar with the Lian Family’s affairs.
"It hasn’t been settled yet," Lian Manman whispered in response.
Since Lian Zhizhi’s engagent, Lady Zhou had beco even more attentive and anxious about Lian Xiuxiu’s marriage prospects, having already announced her intention to find a suitor. Once Lian Shouren had donated for the Jiansheng title and there were talks of an imminent official position, suitors began to co forward for Lian Xiuxiu.
A current Jiansheng with a future as an Official Master, a sister with a considerable dowry, at the pri age for betrothal—to many, these attributes combined to make a very favorable match.
"Even the one from Liu Family Village won’t do?" Er Ya asked further.
The day before yesterday, Matchmaker Wang had co to propose a match for Lian Xiuxiu, from a wealthy family in Liu Family Village. That family also owned so two hundred acres of land, had a residence as large as the Lian’s, with three sons and four daughters. The eldest son, aged seventeen, was purported to be handso and of good character.
"Your second grandmother said it’s not suitable," Lian Manman shook her head.
Er Ya’s second grandmother was Lady Zhou. The Liu Family from Liu Family Village lived quite comfortably, and everyone there was known to be honest and simple. Old Master Lian was extrely supportive of this match, and even Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang thought the match was very good. But Lady Zhou disagreed.
"The mother-in-law is too young, and below her, there are two younger brothers and four sisters. If you were to marry into that household, you would be worked to the bone... they have plenty of land, yes, but they’re still peasants. Worse, they might make you work the fields," Lady Zhou said behind closed doors to Lian Xiuxiu, and Lian Manman had accidentally overheard it.
Their own daughter was not one to serve a mother-in-law or help siblings, but the daughter-in-law they brought in was expected to be firmly under their thumb, to toil away without a thought spared for how she was soone else’s precious daughter as well.
Tsk, tsk, Lian Manman couldn’t help but shake her head when she heard it; Lady Zhou’s double standards really were speechless.
"Er Ya, didn’t your mother just ntion another one to my aunt yesterday?" Lian Manman remarked to Er Ya.
"Yes. But my mother ca back saying it won’t work out either, as my second grandmother was not willing," Er Ya replied.
Er Ya’s mother, who was Wife of Wu Yuchang, had proposed a match from a Scholar in town for Lian Xiuxiu. The Scholar, twenty-two years old, had been married before but his wife had passed away, and he was looking to remarry. His family consisted of his elderly parents, a brother, a sister-in-law, and a younger brother and sister, with only the siblings married. His household sustained itself on a few ager acres of land and the Scholar’s earnings from writing and teaching in the private school.
When Wu Yuchang’s Wife broached the subject, she indicated that even though the Scholar was married, he had no children from his first wife, so Lian Xiuxiu marrying him would be nearly the sa as marrying a bachelor. Moreover, his literary talent and character were exceptional, and there was a high probability of him passing the higher examinations in the future.
Old Master Lian was very pleased with this prospect, and Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang, upon hearing it, thought that Lian Xiuxiu marrying a Scholar would be quite a step up.
However, Lady Zhou was dissatisfied and almost showed it in front of Wu Yuchang’s Wife.
"My Xiuxiu is a pure and untouched maiden, as if she lacks anything and must marry as a secondary wife to soone? What is he, a re Scholar, and my eldest son is a Jiansheng already," Lady Zhou declared, after Wu Yuchang’s Wife left.
Of course, that was not the only reason she dismissed the proposal. Lady Zhou disdained the marriage because the Scholar’s family was poor.
"That large family, almost ten people, what can few acres do? Just relying on his teaching wages, their life is tight and frugal. He still needs to study, take exams, all of which require no small amount of money. Xiuxiu at ho may not have lived a life of luxury, but she’s never suffered. Why should she go through such hardship with him? As for the idea that she’ll beco a lady after he wins in the examinations—that’s wishful thinking; there are plenty of Scholars who never make it through their whole lives," Lady Zhou argued.
Several suitors had co forward, all turned away by Lady Zhou for various excuses. Word got out that Lian Xiuxiu’s standards for a match were high, and the number of suitors diminished.
"What kind of match is our lady trying to find for Xiuxiu?" Lady Zhang said in private.
"I think my grandmother is eyeing the match the Wu Family found for my aunt, wanting to find sothing superior to the Wu Family’s," Lian Manman declared.
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