Hui Niang said indifferently, "Thirty taels is not much. Bring the person here for to see. If I’m satisfied, they can stay."
The matchmaker readily agreed, "Okay, I’ll bring the person for madam to see tomorrow."
Mrs. Chen had already heard that the matchmaker had co, but it was inconvenient for her to go over. After the matchmaker left, she called Hui Niang over, "Is there any news?"
Hui Niang nodded bitterly, "The matchmaker said she’ll bring the person over tomorrow."
Mrs. Chen pondered for a mont, "When the person arrives tomorrow, I’ll take a look too. Although we’re looking for soone clever, we also need to see if the girl’s heart is pure. We mustn’t bring in a troublemaker."
The next day, the matchmaker indeed brought a girl over.
The girl wasn’t ugly, with big eyes and fair skin. She looked like a city girl who hadn’t done manual labor before. Mrs. Chen saw that the girl’s eyes weren’t wandering around, and she kept her head down, looking honest.
However, the girl wasn’t tall and seed a bit frail. Mrs. Chen was worried she might struggle with childbirth and was not very satisfied.
Hui Niang, on the other hand, thought she was quite good. This girl looked like she ca from a modest family, was timid, and didn’t dare to lift her head. Such a girl would be easy to manage in the future.
She smiled at Mrs. Chen, "Mother, I think she’s quite good. She has fair skin and looks pretty too."
Mrs. Chen was thinking about buying her as a concubine to bear children. She pulled the girl aside and asked softly, "Has your nstrual cycle started?"
The girl blushed, "Yes, it has."
Mrs. Chen repeated the questions Gu Yunjiao had asked Hui Niang that day, "At what age did it start? How often, and for how long each ti?"
The girl blushed even more, "Thirteen, it started when I was thirteen."
"Once a month, for three to four days each ti."
Mrs. Chen breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. The cycle was normal, so there should be no issues.
However, she was still a bit skinny.
Mrs. Chen assud it was because of poor living conditions at ho. Once she married in and ate well every day, she’d naturally gain weight.
Seeing that Hui Niang was willing, Mrs. Chen couldn’t object, so she nodded at her.
Hui Niang then went inside, took out thirty taels of silver, and gave it to the matchmaker, along with two more taels as a thank-you fee.
Hui Niang picked up a pen to write a contract of sale, and the girl pressed her fingerprint on it, marking the purchase complete.
The girl went back ho with the matchmaker, who handed thirty taels of silver to the girl’s family, smiling, "Your Little Bowl is lucky."
"She’ll be a concubine for an official," she said, covering her mouth with a laugh, "Though they say it’s the master, he’s still quite young, just over twenty, and the family is simple, with only an old mother and the mistress."
"In the future, as long as Little Bowl’s belly delivers, good days are ahead."
Little Bowl’s mother thanked the matchmaker profusely.
Little Bowl quietly went inside, packed a small bundle, and ca out.
She first went to her father’s room and kowtowed to him as he lay in bed, then did the sa to her mother.
Little Bowl’s mother held back her tears, "This is a blessing. Go and live well, be filial to your elders, obey your husband, and respect the mistress."
Little Bowl acknowledged, and left the room in tears.
The matchmaker then took Little Bowl back to the Jiang Family, chuckling, "You just settle in here. Aunt Chen and Hui Niang are both kind people."
Little Bowl nodded silently, and the matchmaker walked away with a smile on her face.
Hui Niang waved at Little Bowl, pointing to a room in the eastern wing, "You can stay in that room."
"There’s bedding in the chest inside, water in the kitchen, and a rag and broom. Clean it up nicely before settling in."
Little Bowl bowed and went in to tidy up.
Mrs. Chen called Hui Niang over, "Since we’re taking in a concubine, do you think we should hold a small banquet or sothing?"
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