Xu Er’s wife didn’t want to offend the Gu Family People, so she imdiately had the maids bring tea and snacks, and she specially served five bowls of cubilose to Third Grandma, Mrs. Cui, Ms. Chu, Gu Daya, and Mrs. Chen, these five female elders.
Xu Er’s wife smiled and said, "I know you’re tired from the journey. We just happened to have so cubilose, please have so to restore your energy. There’s no need to be polite with us."
The Xu Family’s shop was a fabric store, so claiming the cubilose had just been prepared there was a bit outrageous. Thus Xu Er’s wife used this excuse to cover the specially prepared cubilose.
As for Gu Jinli and the others, they didn’t receive such good treatnt. After all, cubilose is expensive, and with so many of them, the Xu Family couldn’t afford to be too generous.
Third Grandma and the others were very surprised. This, this was cubilose, and the Xu Family actually used it to entertain them.
"This is too valuable, Second Mrs. Xu, you should keep it for your family," Third Grandma had never eaten sothing so precious and dared not take a bite, quickly declining.
Xu Er’s wife smiled and said, "Third Madam Gu, the cubilose is already served; we can’t take it back. Besides, these weren’t specially prepared for you. I just brought so of my maids to the shop to pick fabrics, and the shopkeeper bought it from Futai Building. Please rest assured and enjoy it."
Mrs. Chen had been drooling and upon hearing this, imdiately picked up a bowl of cubilose, laughing heartily, "Yes, Third Aunt, don’t be polite, it’s Second Sister-in-law Xu’s kind gesture. If you don’t eat it soon, the cubilose will get cold."
After speaking, she slurped down half a bowl of cubilose.
Xu Er’s wife was a bit startled but quickly reacted and smiled.
She had always lived in the county, and since her husband managed the Xu Family’s affairs, they had t many farrs. They were accustod to such farr won as Mrs. Chen, so it wasn’t difficult for them to accept.
But Xu Ling was different. The Xu Family’s first branch had been managing shops in Jiangnan for many years, and Xu Ling spent most of her ti there, witnessing the deanor of Jiangnan’s wealthy families. Seeing Mrs. Chen eating cubilose was as unbearable as watching a pig eat swill, so she sarcastically remarked, "Ha, Aunt Gu’s slurping is louder than the black pig we have at our manor."
Mrs. Chen asked Xu Ling, "Who is Black Pig?"
Xu Er’s wife was frightened, quickly saying, "Gu Family’s sister-in-law, try this dessert, it’s Futai Building’s new Six-colored Fortune Cake, very delicious."
Saying this, she imdiately had the maid bring a plate of pastries to Mrs. Chen, blocking her questioning.
If Mrs. Chen found out Black Pig was an old sow, the Gu Family People would be furious and leave imdiately.
Mrs. Chen was shrewd, knowing not to press on certain matters, so she played along, picked up a pastry, and ate while watching Xu Ling, asking, "You’re the daughter of Xu Family’s first branch, Xu Zhao Ming is your brother, right? Your brother and my nephew are good friends. Do you know my nephew? His na is Gu Dexing, a na given by his maternal grandfather, said to an ’virtue and prosperity,’ a wonderful na."
Mrs. Chen, although she found Xu Ling pampered and a bit spoiled, wasn’t afraid of such behavior, thinking she could manage a spoiled child if married into the family. Hence, Mrs. Chen fancied Xu Ling for her nephew Gu Dexing.
For no other reason, but because the world values the legitimate eldest branch, in family divisions, the legitimate eldest branch usually receives the most. Moreover, Xu Ling had a brother Xu Zhao Ming, who was sure to pass the scholar exam. Mrs. Chen thought, if Gu Dexing married Xu Ling, he would not only have a wealthy Yue Family, but also a capable brother-in-law, a great deal indeed.
After deciding, Mrs. Chen continued to praise Gu Dexing, even concocting a story about auspicious birds flying from the mountain when he was born.
Third Grandma couldn’t take it anymore and reprimanded her, "What nonsense are you spouting? How can you make up such auspicious affairs?"
Speaking without restraint, making anything up, aren’t you afraid of offending God?
Mrs. Chen was unfazed, holding a bowl of cubilose in one hand and a piece of pastry in the other, cheerfully asking Xu Ling, "Sister Ling, are you engaged? If not, Aunt has a good match for you."
Xu Ling was shocked, she knew countryside won were crude, but never expected such crudeness to the point of publicly matchmaking.
Was Mrs. Chen a matchmaker?
How could she lack even basic manners!
Mrs. Chen didn’t see a problem with it; in the countryside, adults often discussed children’s marriages during chats and then started introductions.
If both parties were agreeable, they would arrange a eting. If the eting went well, they would proceed with a formal matchmaking ceremony, finalizing the engagent, and soon they would have a large child the following year.
Mrs. Chen saw Xu Ling stunned and asked again, "Sister Ling, why are you daydreaming? Aunt is asking you sothing. If you’re not engaged, what do you think of Aunt’s..." nephew?
Before she could finish, Xu Ling went mad, imdiately standing up, pointing at Mrs. Chen, saying, "Stop it, you stop it! Who wants to marry into your family? What kind of family are you, and what kind of family is mine? My brother will be an official in the future, and I am an official’s daughter, destined to marry into a noble family or the descendants of high-ranking officials and nobles, I will never enter your mud-plastered gates even if I die!"
She continued to drive them away: "Get out, get out of my shop!"
After speaking, she burst into tears like she had suffered a major grievance.
Xu Ling’s words left the room in silence, Third Grandma and Mrs. Cui were extrely embarrassed, and Mrs. Chen was dumbfounded, not expecting this well-bred daughter to drive them out publicly.
Xu Er’s wife was also deeply shocked. She knew Xu Ling looked down on the Gu Family and was unhappy about coming today, but didn’t expect her to lose control and say such irreparable words.
Her father-in-law had specifically said today’s intention must succeed, but now it not only failed but also offended the Gu Family People.
Xu Er’s wife almost cried, wanting to drag Xu Ling over and slap her. If you don’t like the Gu Family, that’s fine, but our second branch doesn’t mind. Now, the Gu Family People are all offended.
"Shut up, you ignorant girl, what nonsense are you spouting?" Xu Er’s wife imdiately scolded Xu Ling and then instructed the maids, "Hurry, take your lady to wash her face, crying in front of guests takes what shape?"
The maids were also frightened, hurriedly taking Xu Ling away.
Xu Ling was also spirited, yelling back before leaving, "I will never marry into a farming family, give up!"
Mrs. Chen originally had a bad temper. Hearing this, she couldn’t hold back, shouting at Xu Ling: "Rest assured, with such an unruly and unmannered girl as you, we won’t marry you. Our Brother Xing has so skills, he’ll marry a girl ten tis better than you, then you’ll have to cry!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Ling was so angry she couldn’t catch her breath and fainted.
The maids were panicking, shouting, "Second Miss, Second Miss, wake up."
User Comments
0 comments from readers