The Prestigious Family's Young lady and the Farmer

by Usui Takumii

not mine, foxaholic, lazy bird translations wordpress and travis translations. Total: 148 chapters. Waiting for the translator to update.

3. 11 to 20

11

Yang Tiezhu was thinking about how to persuade his family and talk about his marriage all the way back to his home. He had already arrived at the gate, yet he couldn't think of any reason…

In Luoxia village, the Yang family's financial situation could be regarded as very good; one could tell that from a glance at the family house.

Directly facing the entrance was a large roof-tiled house with three rooms, flanked by a row of two houses also made of bricks and tiles, and to the right were three adobe houses along with one incomplete abode house. One of them was used as a kitchen, while the other two were used for storing the farm tools and were also used as a storeroom for grains.

The Luoxia Village was not wealthy; thus, if a family could build a large tiled house, they could be regarded as a family with very good financially.

The Yang family's courtyard is very large; the courtyard walls were made up of mud bricks. The chicken coops and cowsheds were in the front yard, while the pigpen and vegetable garden was in the backyard.

Yang Tiezhu walked into the courtyard; the house was unusually quiet.

The eldest brother's young son, Yang Erlang, appeared out of nowhere and shouted, "Second Uncle, Grandpa, and Grandma have something to tell you, they are waiting for you in the main room." After saying that, he disappeared again like a wisp of smoke.

Yang Tie Zhu nodded, raised the curtain, and walked into the main room.

Everyone in the family seemed to be present.

Old Father Yang was sitting cross-legged on the kang, as he smoked dry tobacco, Yang Tie Zhu's mother He Shi was sitting beside him while glaring at him. His younger sister Yang Ermei was snuggling at her mother's side, his elder brother Yang Tieshuan and eldest sister-in-law Wang shi were sitting at the edge of the kang. His fourth brother Yang Xuezhang was sitting at the corner of the kang with a calm face, while his third younger brother Yang Tiegen and third sister-in-law Yao Shi were standing alongside.

As Yang Teizhu entered, he was faced with such a scene where everyone was waiting for him; he suddenly felt uncomfortable in his heart—his third younger brother Yang Tie Gen looked at him meaningfully, full of worries…

Yang Tiezhu had long expected that the family might not be calm when they found out, but he didn't expect that he would be faced with such a situation upon returning back.

It can be reckoned that the people who went to the market together said something to the family when they came back….

"You unworthy damned child, people are saying that you spent twenty taels of silver to buy a vixen. You tell me, is it true or not?" He shi took the initiative to ask him as soon as he came in, pointing at his nose.

Yang Tie Zhu was simple, honest, and candid by nature. As couldn't think by himself of how to tell his mother, when his mother asked him, he simply confessed. He wasn't going to hide it from his family, not to mention the fact that this matter couldn't be hidden.

"Yes."

As soon as his voice fell, a coarse teacup flew towards him.

The tea bowl hit his shoulder, slid down his shoulder, fell to the ground, circled around, and rolled to the side.

The crisp sound of the tea bowl rolling on the ground seemed exceptionally abrupt in the quiet room-

Yang Tiezhu knew that his mother would definitely not give him a good face when he came back, but he didn't expect it to be like this.

As soon as they heard Yang Tiezhu's admission, the whole room suddenly exploded. The eldest son Yang Tieshuan, his wife Wang shi, He shi, and Yang Xuezhang all looked at him in ire, as if itching to eat him.

"Second brother ah, you're not stupid, are you? Spending 20 taels of silver for a woman? Which woman is worth twenty taels?" This was the eldest sister-in-law's voice, Wang shi, who was stunned.

Twenty taels of silver were indeed quite a lot, enough to buy two acres of good land!

"Second one, can you give your brother a little more money to buy a woman back?" This was Yang Tieshuan's eccentric tone.

Although old father Yang didn't utter any word, however, he had disapproval written all over his face as he sat there whilst tapping tobacco pipe. A farmer could only have twenty taels silvers of savings after not eating and drinking for a few years.

"You unworthy child! You still have the guts to admit it!" He shi slapped the Kang table in anger, picked up another teacup on the kang table, and smashed it over.

This time Yang Tiezhu didn't dodge it; thus, the teacup directly hit his head, and the tea spilled down his head. The tea foam, which country folk usually drink, spilled all over his head and face, cutting a sorry figure. Fortunately, the tea was cold long ago, and it didn't burn him.

He shi didn't give Yang Tie Zhu a chance to explain things, as she slapped her thigh while sitting on the kang and started howling. "You ought to be struck by lightning and hacked into two, this jinx ought to be decapitated. You spend so much money to buy a vixen back. You want to infuriate your mother to death…"

He shi felt distressed to the death; it was twenty taels of shining white silver. At the thought of twenty taels, He shi's heart dripped with blood, and her curses became even more fierce.

Wang shi sighed beside her as she pretended to be very concerned. "Oh dear~ Second Brother, look at you, you really angered Mother."

Yang Tieshuan put up the stance of a big brother, "Second one, you see you've made mother angry, why don't you quickly kneel down and admit your mistake to her?!"

Yang Tiegen also looked at Yang Tie Zhu worriedly, "Second brother, you should hurry up and admit your fault to our mother…" lest she continues to make more trouble. The remaining half of the sentence, he didn't dare to say.

Every time his mother makes a fuss, she would keep on making a fuss until you soften up and admit your fault.

Footnotes

Among four of them, only Yang Xuezhang had an elegant and scholarly name. For instance, Yang Teizhu's name means stong piller literally.

棺材本(guāncai běn): Means some money saved by old peole in their later years to buy their coffin

Kill a thousand knives (shā qiān dāo) In ancient china, criminals were punished by thousand cuts before killing them, but now it's used to curse or abuse someone.

He shi once again started howling as she sat on the kang. When she started howling, the people beside her didn't dare to interrupt her, as the crowd listened to her crying out loudly without tears.

Yang Tiezhu's face became more and more unsightly, he finally couldn't listen to it anymore, and with a shriek, he kicked the teacup at his feet against the wall.

'Pa', the sound of the teacup shattering was clear and loud.

"Okay, Mother, have you had enough?" His fists clenched; his unsightly complexion frightened the people.

His voice was so loud that He shi was startled by him, and her howling abruptly stopped just like a hen whose neck was pinched.

"Mother, how can you do this? The silver this son gave you is still not enough? What's wrong with finding a wife for myself? Why does it seem like I have violated your taboo? Each and every one of you is itching to eating me, is it?" Yang Tiezhu shrieked.

These words, at once, stabbed the heart of the people present on the scene, apart from Yang Tiegen and his wife Yao shi, everyone's face became unsightly.

Everyone in the family understood the meaning behind his words; there were also some people with discerning eyes in the village who had already noticed it at an earlier time. They merely didn't say on their face, but it didn't stop them from discussing it behind their backs.

Outside, who does not say that the old Yang family was not kind and honest in handling family matters? Look at the second son, he was honest and strong, but every day he was treated by his family like a cow; he was in his 20s already, yet they were not willing to get a wife for him, fearing that if he married and had a wife, he would forget his mother, and all the silver that he earned would not be handed over to them.

However, it would be inevitable for the people to be embarrassed if it was at once jabbed nakedly in this manner, or if the person involved jabbed it out.

The eldest Yang Tieshuan, who had been all along letting He shi sit there and curse, without trying to stop her, this time stood up with a forced smile and said, "Second one, what are these words. How could you have violated our taboo by marrying a wife? If outsiders listen to these words, what would they think of us."

Yang Tiezhu's face turned green; he didn't utter a sound. Was it true? The family members knew it in their heart, so does he, and some people in the village with discerning eyes knew it too. Usually, he merely didn't wish to speak out these matters.

Eldest sister-in-law Wang shi also laughed and opened her mouth, "That's right, second brother, how can you think of your family like this? It hurts everyone's hearts. We didn't think there's anything wrong with you buying a wife; we merely heard that you spent twenty taels of silver… and thought that it was a bit too much. After all, we can't spend so much silver on a wife." She rubbed her hands awkwardly.

"I was spending my own money. Did I ask even a penny from eldest brother and sister-in-law?" Yang Tiezhu was already jittery because of all the fuss made by his mother; thus, his words were unexpectedly harsh.

Hearing these words, He shi was unhappy again.

"Your silver? I, this old lady, am still the one who gave birth to you!" He shi screeched, "What's wrong? Just because you are intimate and close with Yang Chunhua, you think this old woman did not give you birth? You unfilial thing…"

When Yang Tiezhu heard his mother making trouble and dragging his eldest aunt Yang shi into it, his face became even more unsightly, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

The eldest Yang Tieshuan saw that Yang Tiezhu was really angry this time. He was also unable to deal with the second brother's prickly words. Fearing that with more trouble, more embarrassing it would get for him, he quickly stood up and pacified his old mother.

"It's alright, mother, why are you bringing up the past events again? How long had that been?! Second brother has already spent money to buy him a wife back, is it possible to return it? You should also speak in a low voice lest the other people might hear it and laugh at us."

"Laugh? What's there to laugh? Let the other people come and try to laugh in front of this old lady?" He shi shrieked as she appeared to be fierce while being cowardly at heart1, "I'm admonishing my own son who crawled out of my stomach, what's wrong…" saying so, He shi watched as the blue veins on her second son's forehead bulge, and her voice became smaller and smaller.

Yang Tiezhu's sudden anger really scared her a bit, like a dog that had never barked but suddenly bit you. The ones that were unguarded were startled in their heart; they looked calm but were nevertheless frightened.

Don't look at the fuss He shi normally makes, truly speaking, not looking at He shi's usual troubles, to be honest, she was also afraid that her second son would cause trouble, and the income in the future would become less. After all, most of the family's income was earned by the second child, this He shi was still aware of it.

Yang Tiezhu really didn't feel like facing such a scene at this time, thus without saying anything, he turned around, raised the curtain vigorously, and walked out.

Inside the main house, after Yang Tiezhu walked out, the house at once became quiet.

Wang shi broke the silence and said, "Did second brother really bring a woman back to get married?" The voice was full of astonishment.

Yang Tie Shuan's face shrunk, and shoved her. "You stinky woman, what are talking drivel for!"

Wang shi was a bit aggrieved and continued, "I was just asking, what's the matter?" To go as far as to treat her like this?

Yang Tieshuan was so angry that his fingers and hands trembled. Why did he marry such an unclear woman? Can this kind of matter be said on the face.

He shi's curled her lip and said: "Even if he has a wife, he is still this old woman's son!" In order to emphasize that she was right, she deliberately spoke the last sentence a bit louder.

Wang still wanted to explain the implication, and said anxiously: "Mother, if the second brother gets married, then…"

Footnotes

(pinyin is sè lì nèi rěn) meaning that the appearance is tough but the heart is weak

Yang Tieshuan hurried up to cover this foolish woman's mouth; Wang shi struggled to remove his hand.

"Alright!" Old father Yang knocked on the smoking pot on the kang table heavily, and said loudly, "No one is allowed to talk about this matter of the second child in the future!"

Yang Tieshuan hatefully let go of his hands from the woman, and it was only then Wang shi realized that it wasn't that everyone didn't understand the implication; rather, no one wanted to speak out about it.

Old Father Yang felt uncomfortable in his heart at this moment. What Yang Tiezhu said a moment ago really embarrassed him.

Some matters people always tend to turn a blind eye to it as if it was non-existent. In fact, it was merely deceiving others and deceiving oneself. Everyone understood it, but the person involved never said, and the other people regarded it as none of their business.

Now that the person involved had spoken out, it indeed stabbed many people, making it both embarrassing and awkward.

It was not that old father Yang doesn't know what his wife's idea was. It was just that a few years ago, their family was extremely destitute, and with great difficulty, the second one earned a little bit of money back, then the family built a new house and added a few acres of land, which gave birth to greed in the old woman's heart. Thus she always wanted the second child to make more money for the family for a few years, especially when the family also had to provide for a scholar…

However, it's not a good idea to just drag this matter in such a manner. Over the past two years, many people in the village have had some had speculations in their hearts. But they merely didn't want to make him lose his face. Thus none of them spoke in front of him. He had also wanted to mention it to his wife several times, but every time she would change the subject intentionally; consequently, this matter ended up with nothing definite.

Now thinking about it, he, as a father, was really incompetent. He always had the idea of letting the second one work hard for two years, not considering the child's major lifelong event1… Now that the child has brought it up, Old father Yang was heartbroken…

The human heart was really complicated…

Old father Yang smacked his lips as he sat on the kang, and smoked tobacco, his aged face became indistinct behind the smoke.

After a long while, he once again opened his mouth and said to He shi, "In the future, don't mention my elder sister's matters again. How many times have I told, to not to hold on those former matters and to put them aside, and treat second child better."

"Where am I holding on and not putting aside? My own son is not close to me and is close to that Yang Chunhua, yet I'm not allowed to talk about it?" He shi retorted with her saliva spraying all over the place. "Also, where did I treat him badly? Did I not give him enough food to eat, or did I not give him enough water?"

"You're thinking too much, Tiezhu was breastfed and raised by my elder sister when he was young, it's normal for him to be close to her. All-day long you are narrow-minded, that child's nose is not nose, and his face is not face2 At that time, he was young, how would he know all those stuff? All-day long you don't give him good face, for that child to be like this isn't he not forced by you?"

Old Father Yang exasperatedly tapped the tobacco pipe in his hand, feeling that he truly couldn't talk to this woman. "Also, you're good to him, only in terms of food and water? The child doesn't work for himself and didn't try to get any money from you? Don't you get all the silver money he earns?"

"I'm his mother, if he doesn't give me the silver he earns, who will he give it to? To that, Yang Chunhua?" He shi once again became unreasonable, as she shouted whilst sitting on the kang.

Old father Yang was so furious that she shook his head.

Seeing the old couple disputing again, Yang Tiegen felt that his head swell. He didn't want to get involved with these things, so he hurriedly pulled his wife, bowed his head, and said in a low voice, "Father, mother, eldest brother, eldest sister-in-law, we are going back to the room first."

In this family, this husband and wife couple are a little transparent. They had never spoken out of line. They always had merely worked and never uttered a word. Even though he wanted to say a few words to his second brother just now, but Yang Tiegen had always been a dumb-mouthed and didn't know how to talk.

"Father, mother, we're also going back to the room." The eldest Yang Tieshuan also pulled his wife and hurriedly escaped after the third left, fearing that his old mother's fury would burn them.

"Furthermore, saying I forced him, where did I force him? You tell me…"

"You… you really don't understand anything, your matters are unclear…" Old father Yang roared, as he pointed his trembling finger at He shi's nose.

He shi saw the old man pointing at her, and also was scolding her that her matters were unclear and also said that she was unclear. Suddenly she became furious again, and rushed forward, pounced on Old father Yang and, tore apart his clothes.

"…You went as far as to say my matters are unclear. What about you? Do you know everything?… I, this old lady, gave you children and raised them, managed the family for decades, and you say that my matters are unclear…."

"That's enough, Xuezhang is still here. What are you making a scene for, do you act as a mother?!" Old father Yang trembled from head to foot from anger by He shi's endless pestering, as he held her and pushed her onto the kang.

As soon as Yang Xuezhang was mentioned, He shi at once softened.

She sat up straight on the kang, rolled her eyes, and resentfully said, "Only you have a mannerism of father!"

Yang Ermei, who had shrunk to the side all along and didn't utter a word, at this moment pleasingly cuddled up to He shi's side and pulled her arm. "Alright, mother, don't be angry with father."

When the old daughter tried to persuade her, He shi became even more infuriated.

"Then what about my shuxiu3?" Yang Xuezhang, who was sitting at the side, asked, "Day after tomorrow is the due."

At the mention of the silver, He shi's teeth ached. But it couldn't be helped; it was her dear son who opened his mouth and requested her to do something. Yang Tiezhu's silver had already been spent. She had no choice but to fish it out from her own pocket.

"Mother will help you pay for it, don't worry about it, and study hard in the academy."

Yang Xuezhang received a satisfactory answer, and turned to the west room, went back to his room to review his homework.

Footnotes

Lifetime events, a Chinese idiom (pinyin: zhōng shēn dà shì) which refers to the matters that are related for a lifetime, and generally refers to marriage

His nose is not nose and his face is not face means to flare up or to be in a foul temper.

shù xiū: In ancient times, when students and teachers met for the first time, they must first present gifts to show their respect, which was called "shuxiu".

marriage(pinyin: yíng qǔ), the bridegroom personally escorts the bride in a sedan chair and holds a wedding banquet with wine

He shi happened to have found an excuse. Thus she opened her mouth and criticized in an upright manner: "When your eldest brother got married, it took less than eight taels for the betrothal price and wine combined. And a few years ago, when your third brother got married, at that time, also we didn't spend more than ten taels of silver. Whereas yesterday you spent twenty taels of silver merely to buy a vixen, and today you still want me to fish out money to set up a marriage?" She pointed her finger at the eldest who was sitting aside whilst watching the play from the side-lines and at the third brother, who was all along having meal quietly.

"What's more, your younger brother needs to study, which also require silver."

This was the main reason. However, Yang Xuezhang, who had left for the academy early this morning, couldn't hear his old mother doing her utmost to save money for him in this way.

Yang Tieshuan smiled ingratiatingly, "Yes, second child, you look at your few nephews, their pants are unable to cover their ankles completely. If you have the money, you can make clothes for your nephews."

The third eldest, Yang Tiegen, silently ate his meal, seemingly all of this had nothing to do with him.

Old father Yang at first wanted to say a few words, but then he saw his wife was determined not to scoop out any silver. He reckoned that as soon as he opened his mouth, he would stir up trouble once again, so he didn't utter a word.

What's more, Old father Yang also didn't approve. The peasant families bought a wife to save silver from betrothal gifts. Why would one buy a woman and again go all the way to marry her? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse1?

Unfortunately, they couldn't comprehend Yang Tiezhu's thoughts, and they underestimated his determination regarding this matter.

Yang Teizhu wiped his face and said in an exceptionally resolute manner: "I didn't ask you all to pay for me, I will think of a way to earn money by myself. I am merely letting you know." Yesterday night, he had already psychologically prepared himself for He shi's denial to pay for the marriage.

"These two days, I will go up to the mountain. It will take a few days for me to come back."

He quickly finished the bowl of rice, put down the bowl, turned around, and at once left the door, ignoring He shi's unsightly complexion.

…

When Yang Tiezhu entered the door, Yang shi and Lin Qingwan had just finished their breakfast.

Yesterday night, after finishing the dinner, Lin Qingwan slept. After passing over, this was the first time she had smooth and steady sleep. Thus she had a very pleasant sleep.

Early in the morning, after getting up and freshening up, Ling Qingwan at once started helping Yang shi to the best of her abilities in a few things.

Lin Qingwan was not inconsiderate; thus, it was impossible for her to sit there and let people serve her like some young miss from an affluent family.

Yang shi was very much satisfied with this girl's attitude. She also had the intention to teach her. In the countryside, it was unlikely for young married women to sit at home and do needlework. Otherwise, when the moment comes, it would indeed invite mockery from the people.

"Tie Zhu, come in, did you have breakfast?" Yang shi saw that Yang Teizhu ran over here first thing in the morning, and his face also didn't look good. So, she guessed that there was certainly havoc raised in the Yang family's house yesterday.

This day, Lin Qingwan was wearing the clothes left by Yang shi's daughter-in-law in the home. From head to toe, she was dressed in a lush green colored ruqun2.

The green-colored garments against her skin made her skin look even fairer, such that one could even faintly see blue-green colored veins under the sunshine, adding a touch of extremely delicate mien.

Yang Tiezhu blankly stared at her as he entered the door. Hearing his eldest aunt greet him, he hurriedly looked away.

"Eat… I've eaten, aunt." When he came across Lin Qingwan, Yang Teizhu felt his hands and foot weren't working properly and couldn't open his mouth, appearing extremely clumsy.

Yang shi raised her eyebrows, "What? Was there trouble at home yesterday?"

Yang Tiezhu found a stool and sat down and bowed his head in grace.

"Your mother does not intend to pay for your marriage?" Have to say, Yang shi's eyes were like a torch3, and knew the people from the Yang family best.

Yang Tiezhu was silent, neither confirming nor denying.

"Eldest Aunt, I am planning to go up to the mountain once more."

Yang shi puckered up her brows, "You just went there, and yet you want to go again?"

Others thought that the Yang family's Teizhu was good at hunting, and it was for him to make money for him. She had been with Yang Teizhu for a long time, thus she knew how it was.

Humans want to hunt the wild beast, while the wild beast wants to eat you. If you are unlucky, then you will have to fight with your life on the line. A few years ago, Tiezhu used to always return with injuries. Although they were all not any serious injuries, Yang shi was still very distressed. Thus she had always disapproved Yang Teizhu from going into the mountains for hunting to supplement the family.

"It's nothing, I'll make more preparations. This time, I intend to go for a few more days."

This time he was planning on going deeper into the mountains. Usually, he would always wander outside around the mountains, the preys there were not few, but they were also not very valuable.

Ever since the days in the family became better, he seldom went into the mountains. He was also very well aware that going deeper into the mountains once again was dangerous. A pack of wolves lived in the Luoxia mountain. If he ran into a pack of wolves, even if he didn't lack in experience and skills, it would still be a narrow escape for him.

"Don't worry, I'm familiar with the terrain in the mountain, I will take care, it's all right. What's more, Dahei and Erhei will also be with me." He had said these words to persuade Yang shi, and also to Lin Qingwan, who had been all along looking at him worriedly.

"Alas…you boy…" Yang shi sighed, knowing that it was unlikely for Yang Teizhu to change his decision. Moreover, Dahei and Erhei would also follow him, which made her feel a bit relieved. She no longer tried to persuade him against it. Rather she once again told him to pay attention to his safety.

Yang Tiezhu sat there as he listened to various instructions from his eldest aunt. It warmed his heart.

It was the same hunting. His eldest aunt would dissuade him all various ways. If she were unable to dissuade him, she would worry about his safety. Whereas his family members were never concerned about his safety, they couldn't wait for him to go to the mountains every day and earn more silver for the family

Both of them were as different as sky and earth

This was also the reason why Yang Tiezhu was close with Yang shi, not only because his eldest aunt breastfed him, but also because this kind of care from one's close relatives, he had never experienced from his family.

Footnotes

Putting the horse before the horse is a Chinese idiom( pinyin: běn mò dào zhì), which literally means inverting root and branch.

It's a type of Han Chinese clothing worn primarily by women. Cuffs and sleeves on the upper garment may be tighter or looser depending on style. A short skirt or weighted braid (with weight provided by a jade or gold pendant) is sometimes worn to improve the aesthetics or comfort of the basic ruqun

Eyes like a torch(Pinyin: huì yǎn rú jù), an idiom, it describes the eyes that can illuminate and see-through dark places like a beacon. It is used to describe a person with clear thinking and unique eyesight

After finishing listening to Yang shi's instructions, Yang Tie Zhu saw that it was not early in the morning anymore. He still had to prepare a pile of stuff for going up the mountain tomorrow. Thus he hurriedly got up from his seat.

"Eldest Aunt, I have to go home to make the necessary preparations. I will leave tomorrow. You and Wan'er stay at home and help me properly take care of her. I, I will come over to see you as soon as I come down from the mountain." In the end, he looked at Lin Qing Wan, then turned around and left.

Yang shi still couldn't stop herself from worrying and sighed.

While Lin Qing Wan remained in her sitting position in a daze, after staring blankly for a while, she abruptly stood up and chased after him.

By the time Ling Qing Wan caught up with Yang Tei Zhu, he was already outside the courtyard. Upon seeing Lin Qing Wan, Yang Tei Zhu stopped and looked at her with surprise, and was unable to conceal his happiness as he looked at her.

"You… why did you come out…" His tone seemed to be nervous as well as joyful.

Ling Qing Wan lowered her head and pulled at the corner of Yang Tei Zhu's hem of the clothes. She tugged so tightly that her fingers turned white.

After a while, she raised her head, took a deep breath, and looked at him.

"…I…I know it would certainly be very dangerous, but I don't know how to persuade you against it… let alone help you…" The tone seemed to be awfully dispirited, along with a little bit of trembling that couldn't be concealed, "…I only wanted to say…you must pay attention to your safety, and you must come back. I'll be here with auntie waiting for you to come back…."

After saying so, she turned around and ran into the courtyard like a gust of wind…

For a good while, Yang Tei Zhu remained standing there as he foolishly giggled before turning around and leaving.

Lin Qing Wan didn't want to cry, but her tears couldn't help but trickle down.

This man, this man had over and over again, moved her from the bottom of her heart….

He wasn't wealthy, and was even quite poor… he could neither afford to give her brocade garments and jade meals1 nor could he give her an honorable status…

However, however, he had given her his all…

From Yang shi's words, she was able to understand the market conditions a little bit in the countryside. Lin Qing Wan understood what those silver he had spent on her yesterday meant for the ordinary people in the countryside.

It meant that it would take several years for them to save the same amount of silver, without eating or drinking anything. It meant that some peasant families would have to sell their house, land, and even people to gather 20 taels of silver…

This honest man from the countryside was able to give her his all!

For her, he even had to face embarrassment and scolding from the whole family. And now for her, he was once again going into the mountains, where he would have to fight with wild animals for his life so that he could officially marry her.

In her previous life, she remembered reading a multiple-choice question: One man had one million, but he was only willing to spend ten thousand on you. There was another man who only had ten thousand, but was willing to give you his everything. If you could choose one among these two men, who would you pick?

At that time, when she read this multiple-choice question, she thought it was quite senseless.

But it was only at this moment that she was truly able to understand the real meaning behind that multiple-choice question.

Especially in this society, in ancient times, where survival was very challenging in the countryside, the sense of impact and shock to the soul was extremely fierce….

Lin Qing Wan leaned her back against the back of the kitchen door, as her tears fell like rain, she felt her heart churn, making it difficult for her to endure, as if someone was stirring her insides incessantly with a stick…

It was only at this moment did Lin Qing Wan truly make a decision … a decision that she had no regrets at the least at this moment…

She wants to marry this man and have a good life with him.

Even if he was quite poor, and possessed nothing but bare necessities, even if her days in future might be challenging…

But with a husband as such, what more could a woman even ask for?

…

After that day, Lin Qing Wan's outlook towards peasant life became distinctly positive. She began to learn everything from Yang shi's teachings actively.

Fetching water, feeding chickens and pigs, washing pigpen, lighting a fire and cooking on the stove…. She rushed to do all the work at home. She was not as delicate as she appeared to be. At first, she was flustered and clumsy. But after several days, her progress was significant.

But this body was too delicate. As soon as she started doing any work, she would be out of breath. Still, Lin Qing Wan clenched her teeth and persevered, considering it an exercise for the body.

After all, this sort of work would be the most basic necessity for survival in the future.

Yang shi's son was usually away from home. From what she had heard from Yang shi's words, her son worked as a second shopkeeper in a store under a merchant family in the county town. Yang shi lives by herself in this old house.

Yang shi's son was afraid that his mother would be tired by working hard, so he had leased all the family's land to the other people for cultivation. All Yang shi had to do was collect the rent from the farmers, and his son would also, from time to time, show filial piety. All in all, her days in life could be considered as comfortable.

This day in the afternoon, Yang shi began to teach Lin Qing Wan how to make shoes.

In the village, families worked in the field all day long. Thus the most expensive thing was precisely shoes. The women in the countryside were skilled in making shoes.

They make several shoes, all big and small shoes in the family were made by them. Thus their skills were exquisite, making the shoes both sturdy and comfortable to wear.

Shoes were 'thousand-layered soles'. As the name implied, several layers were used to make a sole of the shoe. Of course, it was not that exaggerated. Yang shi had said that taking 24-25 layers was also pretty good.

Footnotes

a chinese idiom(pinyin: jǐnyīyùshí), a life of luxury.

Under the guidance of Yang shi, Lin Qing Wan began to make one by herself.

The first step was to paste the sole of the shoe.

Spread a white cloth on the table, then boil a cup of rice and simmer it until a thick rice soup is formed. Then apply it evenly on the white cloth with a brush, making sure that it was applied on every inch of the white cloth. It needs to be applied appropriately, not too much, or not too little.

After finishing applying on the first layer, immediately add another layer of white cloth on the top of it and again apply the paste on the second layer. This time, while applying the rice soup, a little bit of pressure needs to be applied, making sure to make the first layer and the second layer was perfectly adjusted closely.

Similarly, the above actions need to be repeated more than 20 times. Of course, one need not past these many layers, but Yang shi had a habit of pasting 24 layers, so she also taught Lin Qing Wan to paste 24 layers.

After pasting the shoe's sole, Yang shi gently lifted the glued cloth board with both hands and took it to the kitchen. She then placed it on the stove side and lit the stove with the fire to let the paste dry quickly. If one had to put it under the sun, it would take several days to dry completely.

She then returned to the room and began to teach Lin Qing Wan how to make the upper part of the shoe.

There are two parts to the instep of a shoe, the vamp and the upper. Not only do you have to cut the inner as well as the outer lining of the vamp and the upper, but you also have to glue both the linings of the upper with paste and dry it. The vamp, however, doesn't need to be glued. It just needs to be cut and ready for use…

Of course, some people would especially embroider designs such as flowers, grass, and so on on the upper part of the shoe.

Lin Qing Wan cut the inner and outer linings, glued it to the upper, and took it to the kitchen to dry it over the stove along with the sole.

After finishing this set of shoes, Lin Qing Wan found that she didn't feel unfamiliar at all. She was a bit flustered in the beginning, but after doing it, she seemed to have become extremely skilled.

She tried to rummage over the original host's memories in her mind and found that the original Lin Qing Wan also has a 'craftsmanship'. She was pretty good at doing embroidery.

Embroidery was a skill which all the young ladies from the noble families must learn. Many noble families would even invite a few embroidery masters to teach their daughters this skill.

Even though former Lin Qing Wan was a little transparent in the Lin family, Liu shi also never specifically hired masters to teach her any of the skills that a young miss from noble families should have. But learning to read and write, and embroidery were nevertheless essential, the former for copying Buddhist scriptures when punishing her, and the latter is necessary for women in this era.

Previously, Lin Qing Wan used to make some clothes and shoes for her elder brother Lin Qing Ting. Later, as she grew, her craftsmanship gradually progressed, and all the clothes Lin Qing Ting wore were handmade by Lin Qing Wan…

Thinking of these, Lin Qing Wan was extremely surprised…

This is also a craft, isn't that so?

Some of the things she had learned in modern times were of no use here. However, she hadn't expected the original owner would leave her with some useful things.

Picking up the vamp on the table, Lin Qing Wan eagerly began to thread her needle.

A small dragonfly appeared on the black vamp, looking vivid and lifelike with merely a few stitches, with its wings trembling slightly, as if it were alive.

Yang shi saw that Lin Qing Wan was embroidering something there. After embroidering for a while, she saw her holding and the vamp and carefully scrutinizing it, so she also glanced over.

With just a glance, she was surprised.

"Aiya, Wan'er, girl, you are pretty good at embroidering." Yang shi glanced at the embroidery on the shoe upper and exclaimed while stroking the stitches on it.

"The stitches are smooth; your skills are amazing. For you to be able to stitch without tracing its shape, it's amazing. Look at the little dragonfly; the embroidery is truly a living spirit, living image1."

"I have learned for a few years previously."Although Lin Qing Wan was quite happy in her heart, her words were very reserved.

"It's truly pretty good, better than auntie's handcraft." Yang shi said as he took out a needlework basket from the kang cabinet.

The basket was filled with many things, such as a few bundles of embroidery threads of various colors, thimble, scissors, and so on. There was also a more than half finished purse.

Yang shi handed the purse to Lin Qing Wan to look at.

The purse was green-colored, and most of it was finished. Just the holes needed to be punched, and the string need to be put. It was a very simple drawstring purse. But to her surprise, it didn't have any embroidery done on it. In Lin Qing Wan's impression, all the purses need to have embroidery on them…

Lin Qing Wan looked at Yang shi in confusion.

Aunt Yang slowly explained to her, "This purse is from an embroidery workshop. Upon making a simple purse like this, one would get a four wen. Needles, thread, and cloth material are all provided by the embroidery workshop. We merely have to do some handwork."

This can also make money? Lin Qing Wan was very surprised.

"In the past, when auntie's husband died early, that child was still very young, and we had only a few acres of barren fields. Life was very tough, so I relied on these small handicrafts to supplement the family expenses until my son grew up."

As Yang shi recalled those hardships after her husband's demise, her heart filled with sorrow.

Orphans and widowed-women had to rely on the heavy labor work to feed themselves. Life was pretty challenging.

"…Fortunately, the child grew well with good future prospects, which made worry in my heart less. However, I did not stop doing these handicrafts, thinking that it's good to have extra income." Yang shi wiped the corners of her eyes and smiled, "But auntie is getting old, and my eyes are becoming weak, so I only take the works back that doesn't require embroidery."

Upon listening to her words, Lin Qing Wan's heart moved, "Can I do this work?"

"Of course you can, auntie was also thinking similarly. Your workmanship is very good. It would be such a waste not to use your skills when you're so good at it. First, you can try taking a few simple jobs back to practice your skills, then you can think of making some big embroidery pieces."

Yang shi's idea was to find Lin Qing Wan, a job that could earn her some silver money so that she could have an extra income when she gets married.

Rural people depend on the heavens for their livelihood. Silver money was what they lacked, so if they could save, they would do so.

"Auntie happens to be going to town tomorrow to hand over the finished work, why don't I take you over there?"

"Okay." Naturally, Lin Qing Wan wouldn't refuse. With this work, she could earn a living on her own.

No matter what, let's try it first. If she could do it, she could stand on her own feet in the future.

Footnotes

living spirit, living image (pinyin: huó líng huó xiàn) true to life.

15

The next day, early in the morning, Yang shi took Lin Qingwan along with her to go to the town.

As Luoyun Town was almost an hour away from Luoxia Village, they got up very early in the morning.

After having breakfast, both of them left the house.

At this moment, the sky was slightly brightened. Not a single person could be seen on the village path.

This day, Lin Qingwan was dressed in an old cyan-colored dress that Yang-shi specifically had found for her. When she put it on, at first glance, she looked like an ordinary rural married woman.

Lin Qingwan understood Yang shi's meaning. It wasn't proper for an unmarried woman to walk outside too conspicuously. Thus, this day, she didn't comb her hair in a bun; instead, she casually tied her hair and wrapped with a green coarse cloth headscarf like many young married women.

After walking to the outskirts of Luoxia village, both of them walked even further for a while until Yang shi stopped under a willow tree.

"An ox cart will arrive in a moment. Let's wait here for a while." Yang shi said to her.

The early morning fog hadn't cleared yet and was lingering at the tip of people's nose.

When Lin Qing Wan took a deep breath, her lungs seemed to have become entirely alive. The air here was excellent, fresh, natural, and pollution-free.

They haven't stood there for even a quarter of an hour when a chime of little bells was heard from far away.

After a moment, an old man appeared in front of them in an ox cart.

"Sister Yang, going to the town." The old man greeted Yang-shi. Although both of them weren't from the same village, every time Yang shi went to the town, she would take his ox cart. Thus, after a long time, both of them became familiar with each other.

"I am taking my niece to the town for her to take a look." Yang-shi gave him a copper coin before taking a seat in the ox cart along with Lin Qingwan.

There were a lot of people sitting in the ox cart. However, none of them seemed to be from Luoxia Village, as Lin Qingwan didn't see Yang-shi greeting anyone. Lin Qingwan couldn't help but put her heart at ease. After all, her identity at this moment was still quite awkward.

"Hai, all of you sit tight." As the old man lashed his whip in the air, the ox cart slowly started to move.

By the time they reached the town, the sun had already risen.

After getting off the ox cart, Yang-shi, akin to an old horse who knew the way, took Lin Qingwan and shuttled through the town.

T/N: an old horse knows the way (idiom); an experienced worker knows what to do / an old hand knows the ropes

After walking for a while, they finally stopped at the entrance of an embroidery workshop called 'Jinxiufang' before walking in.

The embroidery shop was not very big but had all kinds of stuff. The shelves were densely packed with various fabrics of different sizes. Some shelves were also filled with embroidery products, purses, and all kinds and sorts of Laozi.

T/N: [pinyin: lào zi] It is a traditional Chinese handcraft, similar to the Chinese knots. I have included a picture below…

"Auntie Yang has come…" The lady boss standing at the front desk was very young. She appeared to be in her 30s and seemed to be very familiar with Yang-shi. When she saw Yang-shi coming in, she greeted her with a warm smile.

"Hello, shopkeeper Su." Yang-shi also smiled cordially as she put the baggage in her hands on the front desk. "I'm here to hand over the work, shopkeeper Su, please check it."

After Lin Qingwan entered the shop, she wandered around and looked at the fabrics and the embroidery products on the shelves.

The embroidery products were very beautiful, colorful, and festive, but Lin Qingwan could see that the embroidery skills of these embroideries were not quite good.

How to say? One could simply say that these embroidery products were merely embroidery patterns. They were embroidered without appeal. Moreover, some stitches were also wrong.

She could practically feel an innate sense of familiarity. When Lin Qing Wan saw these embroidery products, at once, the embroidery method and stitches used in these embroideries appeared in her mind. To the extent that even how these embroidery products could be improved, make them even more perfect and exquisite, appeared in her mind.

After watching it for a while, Lin Qingwan became determined, thinking that she should be able to receive work here with her own craftsmanship. Thus, she turned around and went to Yang-shi's side again.

Shopkeeper Su took the bundle, opened it, and started counting the purses inside whilst casually chatting with Yang.

"Auntie Yang, it has been quite a while since you have come here. I missed you."

"I have become old, my eyes are no longer good, and the work is getting slower and slower. Fortunately, you don't disdain me for slow work, and don't rush me." Yang-shi replied with a smile.

It could be seen that Yang-shi had quite a good relationship with the shopkeeper Su, as she casually spoke, without being reserved.

"Look what you're saying. For how many years have we been friends." Shopkeeper Su checked the purses and settled Yang shi's account. "Auntie Yang, there are forty purses altogether, four wen for one purse, totaling 160 wen."

T/N: Wen was copper cash used in ancient china.

Shopkeeper Su bent over and took out two strings of copper coins from the drawer. She then handed them over to Yang shi after counting them.

"You don't need to give me the money. I still have to buy some fabrics from you. Oh, by the way, I also wanted to ask you for some help…" Yang-shi didn't take the copper coins; instead, she turned around and pulled Lin Qingwan.

"Wan'er, come, let me introduce you–this is shopkeeper Su, she is Jinxiufang's owner."

"Hello, shopkeeper Su." Lin Qingwan smiled and slightly greeted shopkeeper Su.

"This is my niece Qingwan. I wanted you to give her some work for her to take back home. Do you think it's okay?" Yang-shi was afraid that the shopkeeper Su would not be at ease, so she added a few more words. "My niece's craft is really good. I guarantee you."

Shopkeeper Su smiled but looked displeased, "Look what you are saying, are we friends or what? When you are the one introducing the person, would I still not be at ease."

After saying so, she turned her head and asked Lin Qingwan, "What work does this young sister wish to do?"

Lin Qingwan was a little embarrassed and looked at Yang shi. At the moment, she was unclear about the situation. How could she even pick up work?

Seeing Lin Qingwan's embarrassment, shopkeeper Su clapped her hands in sudden realization.

"Look what I am saying unclearly! Pardon me." Shopkeeper Su slowly introduced it to Lin Qingwan, "I'd better introduce it to you. My shop is small, and there are only a few jobs which can be taken back home. One is making of Laozi, which is one yen per piece, if the pattern is complicated, the price might range from 2-3 wen, but it depends on the work. Then there is the embroidery purse, one kind is just like the one aunt Yang had done. We will also provide the fabrics and embroidery thread; you merely have to make a good embroidery purse. This one would be 4 wen. There is also another kind, in which you would also have to embroider on it. This one would cost 12 wen. If the work is good, the price could be increased."

After the introduction, shopkeeper Su thought for a while and once again opened her mouth to say, "Of course, we also collect a few large embroidery products, but the price can only be bargained depending upon your work."

Shopkeeper Su knew that Yang-shi was not the one to boast about a person. This being the case, if she said that her niece's embroidery skills were quite good, then it indeed must be good. Thus Shopkeeper Su also didn't want to miss this unexpected opportunity to collect few good embroidery products for the shop.

Lin Qingwan thought for a while and said to shopkeeper Su: "I want to take up a few embroidery purses to make and two purses to embroider to go back and try my hands. After all, I haven't touched these for quite a long time. As for the big embroidery product you mentioned, I can't do it at the moment, I can only put off this discussion for the future."

Shopkeeper Su was also aware that the large embroidery products cannot be obtained easily. Without a few months or a half-a-year of effort, how can they be embroidered? She also didn't care about them much.

She said in this way to Lin Qingwan to merely attract a few more potential customers to herself. After all, if she received a large embroidery piece and then resold it, the profit would definitely be high.

"Okay." Shopkeeper Su agreed very straightforwardly, "You wait for a moment, I'll go and pack the materials for you." After saying so, she turned around and walked into the room.

After a while, shopkeeper Su came out with two packages; she gave one package to Lin Qingwan and the other one to Yang-shi.

"Since you are Auntie Yang's niece, I will not take any deposits from you. When you finish the work, you can directly come to me and settle the accounts."

"Thank you, shopkeeper Su."

At this moment, Yang shi suddenly spoke, "Shopkeeper Su, In a few days my niece is going to get married, so I want to buy a few chi of fabric to take back home to make a bridal dress for her."

Lin Qingwan was utterly surprised as she gazed at Yang shi," Auntie—"

Yang-shi patted her hand as if placating her.

Lin Qingwan lowered her eyes, concealing the gratitude in her eyes.

Shopkeeper Su was aware of the financial conditions of the rural people; thus, she also didn't show them any expensive fabrics. She took out a red-colored cotton thin silk fabric from the top of the shelf and showed it to them.

"How about this one? Originally it is 38 wen per chi, but I can give it to you for 35 wen." Yang-shi touched the fabric before nodding with satisfaction and showed it to Lin Qing Wan.

T/N: The chi is a traditional Chinese unit of length. Although it is often translated as the "Chinese foot", its length was originally derived from the distance measured by a human hand, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the forefinger, and is similar to the ancient span. In the People's Republic of China, chi has been defined since 1984 as exactly 1/3 of a meter, i.e., 33 1⁄3 cm (13.1 in).

Lin Qingwan was grateful to Yang shi in her heart. Even though this fabric was not first-rate, it was more than enough for the rural people.

She looked at it and nodded.

When Yang-shi saw her nod, she asked shopkeeper Su to cut a few chi. She then pulled Lin Qing Wan to look at a few other fabrics; she chose cyan-colored and peach red-colored fabrics for her and took a few chi of each.

Afterward, she had shopkeeper Su pack them and had accounts settled. After taking the remaining copper coins, both of them left with their things.

Along the way, Lin Qingwan expressed her gratitude to Yang-shi, but Yang-shi denied saying that she ought to buy a wedding gift for her nephew and his future wife. At this, Lin Qingwan set her heart at ease.

Yang-shi also took her to the town's market and bought some pork, salt, and other daily household items. Seeing that it was almost time, both rushed to the place where they got off from the carriage in the morning, with big and small bags in their hands.

Nevertheless, by the time they arrived, the ox cart was already waiting for them. It was the same ox cart they had taken in the morning.

After waiting for a while, when all the seats in the carts were filled by the people, the old man drove the ox cart to the outside of the town.

After sitting down, Yang-shi pulled her hand tightly. Lin Qingwan guessed that she must have come across an acquaintance from the village.

As expected, a middle-aged married woman started talking to Yang-shi.

"Oh, Sister Yang, who is this girl, so pretty?

Lin Qingwan glanced at Yang-shi and remained silent. Although she was a little awkward to meet people from Luoxia Village, she knew that this moment had to come; thus, she wasn't flustered.

"This is a niece of mine. She came to live at my house for a few days. "Yang shi succinctly replied.

The woman rolled her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

A niece? In Luoxia Village, who doesn't know if you have a niece. Her parent's family is in Luoxia Village. Her dead husband was a refugee who had escaped from a famine-stricken to settle in Luoxia village, and both his parents and brothers were all dead.

She had a niece, and a few of them from the Yang family; they were all familiar with each other. But this one appeared to be unfamiliar, tender, delicate, and fair-skinned and completely different from the young girls from the peasant families…

It was only then that the woman recalled the recent rumors in Luoxia Village. Her eyes shined and fell on Lin Qingwan's body.

She carefully sized her over, appearing quite rude. She looked at her from head to foot, inch by inch, as if she wanted to pry her open, making Lin Qingwan feely uncomfortable.

Lin Qingwan slightly leaned against the Yang-shi. Yang-shi stoked her hand, comforted her, and meaningfully glanced at her as if saying to ignore her.

At this, Lin Qingwan finally set her heart at ease and sat there with her eyes looking at her nose and head hanging down, appearing bashful.

Upon seeing the ambiguous smile on the women's face, Yang-shi understood that the family wouldn't be calm in the upcoming days.

They cannot hide the matter for a long time. Lin Qingwan was living in her house. In the village, many people come and go, and all of them were aware of the relationship amongst each other. In a few days, the matter would spread throughout the village. And sooner or later, they would associate this matter with Yang Tiezhu buying a woman.

T/N: The original phrase used here was '躲得过初一躲不了十五'which literally means one could hide on the first day of the lunar month, but cannot hide on the 15th, meaning that even if one hides the matter for now, it would be revealed later and the matter cannot be hidden for a long time.

Especially this woman was famous in the village for chewing her tongue!

T/N: chewing her tongue is a phrase used to describe the people who like to gossip.

Yang-shi darkly glared at the women.

However, Yang-shi had also thought over. Rather than hiding it, they might as well be just and honorable and let people see. Anyway, there wasn't anything shameful.

All the way, there weren't any more words spoken.

16

At last, there were whereabouts of the woman Yang Tiezhu bought two days ago. She was residing in his aunt, Yang-shi's house…

This news rapidly spread in the Luoxia Village.

No wonder! Say how would that woman abruptly disappear; they also didn't see Yang Tiezhu taking her back home. Those people who had witnessed the entire incident occurred in the market that day muttered in their hearts.

Yang-shi's small courtyard was suddenly bustling with noise and excitement. There were always some or the other women and young married women dropping by to borrow some stuff; this one came to borrow scissors, while that one came to borrow salt, with innumerable reasons to mention individually.

Yang-shi was also fully aware and let them come by to borrow stuff, pretending not to know anything.

Lin Qingwan was even pulled out to meet a lot of people.

Lin Qingwan was clear in her heart what these women had come for.

Just as Yang-shi said, the women in the countryside usually had nothing to do; thus, they would form groups to gossip and chew their tongues. However, they also don't have any ill intentions and were merely fond of gossiping and chewing their tongues about other family matters to take part in the fun.

Thus, she also went along with 'when entering a country, follow the local customs. If she saw an older woman, she would call them 'Auntie', and if she saw younger women, she would call them 'elder sister'. If she came across anyone asking about her past, she would also narrate little by little with a bashful and pained smiling expression on her face, gaining sympathy and affection from many older aunties and young married women.

When you enter a country, follow the local customs(pinyin: rù jìng suí sú): It is a chinese idiom, which translates into english through an equivalent phrase 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do", meaning when you are in a foregin place, you ought to follow the local customs.

She had narrated her past in such a manner: She was a personal maid working under a madam from rich family. She was sold in this place because she hadn't done an errand well and had offended the master.

She was intending to say similarly to everyone, including Yang Tiezhu and Yang-shi.

As for Lin Qingwan's 'past', just let it slowly and silently sink into the torrent of history. She didn't intend to go back to that home and also couldn't go back. Her only worry in her heart was her 'older brother '…

As for whether both the brother and sister can meet again in the future, it could only be determined by fate…

Thereupon, about Lin Qingwan's past, it was spread throughout Luoxia Village by the mouths of these aunts, young married women, and so on.

It was said that this female appeared beautiful, gentle, and magnanimous…

It was said that this female was good at work, and her embroidery skill was amazing…

It was said that this girl had a quite miserable past and was all alone…

Some busybodies even ran to the Yang family to let He-shi listen, deliberately angering her.

Upon hearing this, He-shi immediately became crazy with anger as she rained curses on her second son, Yang Tiezhu, for being unfilial and going as far as to put the women he bought by spending their money in Yang Chunhua's place, for which reason and such.

So much that she was even willing to break her own claim 'to forever not to step on the Yang Chunhau's family gates', intending to go Yang-shi's house to cause havoc. But in the end, she was stopped by Old father Yang.

At this, He-shi's anger rapidly shifted, and had a huge fight at home with the Old father Yang. Usually, it was He-shi entirely hitting, and Old father Yang trying to block. Only when Old father was annoyed, he would hit her back a little bit.

For a time, the Yang family was jittery, as several outsiders were mocking as they watched the show.

However, everyone in the Yang family was aware that people in the village were watching for them to see a joke. Contrary to their expectation, they also didn't go to Yang-shi's family gates to see the 'vixen' bought by spending 20 taels of silver.

….

At night, under the lamp, Lin Qingwan was making her bridal dress.

Yang-shi was already asleep, but she was feeling somewhat restless and couldn't sleep. Thus she lit a lamp in the room and started making her bridal dress.

These past few days, there were many people dropping by to pull her for her a chat. Thus, she was unable to take out time to make it. Only in the evening was she able to find the time to stitch a few stitches.

It was said to be a bridal dress, but actually was a set of ordinary red-colored female clothing. In the countryside, most of the wedding dresses were as such, without any embroidery on them, just a simple red dress.

Lin Qingwan was also intending to go with 'when entering a country, follow the local customs'. And not making it too fancy, as to avoid being criticized by the people.

But after all, it was her first time getting married and wearing a bridal dress in both lifetimes. In her previous life, she was a leftover woman and didn't have a chance of wearing a wedding gown3. In this lifetime, she couldn't wear a wedding gown, but she could wear a bridal dress. She had always wanted to have something different to satisfy her own dream of a wedding dress.

Leftover woman is a term used for a single woman with successful career.

In this context author had used two terms, one 婚纱(hūnshā), and the other 嫁衣(jiàyì). 婚纱 refers to the white wedding gown which we usually see in the Christian marriages, while 嫁衣 refers to the bright red wedding dress usually seen in the Chinese traditional marriages. A s both the words when translated into English seemed to be synonymous, I tried using 'wedding gown' for western wedding dress and 'bridal dress' for traditional Chinese wedding dress. If there is an even more appropriate wordings for these terms, do correct me in the comment box below.

She didn't embroider much on the dress but merely embroidered some dark red wave-shaped patterns on the edge of the sleeves and skirts. Apart from this, she also intended to embroider a strip of the red and black patterned belt as a decoration.

With her head lowered, Lin Qingwan was silently doing the needlework.

In the countryside, the night was awfully quiet. From time to time, one could hear the dog barking from far away, and then it would become quite once again.

He still hadn't returned…

This was already the seventh day since he left.

Lin Qingwan couldn't hide the anxiety in her heart. In these past two days, she could see that Yang-shi was also somewhat anxious.

Though Yang Tiezhu said that he would merely be away for a few days and didn't mention when he would return, but as the days gradually passed by, without him returning, Yang-shi, who was always calm, couldn't help but showing a worried expression from time to time.

Lin Qingwan was feeling uneasy and anxious as she gazed at the flickering flame of the oil lamp in front of her in a daze…

Suddenly a burst of the sound of knocking on the door came from outside, making the sound especially distinct in the stillness of the night.

Lin Qingwan was startled entirely, such that the embroidery needle in her hands pricked her finger.

She raised her head and looked out the window. As there wasn't a moon tonight, it was pitch black outside, rendering her from seeing anything outside.

Once again, a burst of knocking on a door came from outside…

Yang-shi ran out whilst draping clothes over her shoulders. Lin Qingwan also hurriedly put down the embroidery work in her hands and stood up.

"Who is it?" Yang-shi opened the main room door as she asked the person outside.

"Aunt, it's me…" A man's voice was faintly heard from outside, followed by a bark of a dog.

Yang-shi hurriedly picked up the oil lamp from the table and walked out. Lin Qingwan also followed after her.

"Is it Tie Zhu?"

"Aunt, it's me.

Yang-shi opened the courtyard gate and welcomed the person in.

Under the dim lights by the side, Lin Qingwan could see the person outside the dim lights.

It was indeed Yang Tiezhu!

He cut a sorry figure, with an unshaven beard and dust and mud all over his face. There were even a few bloody gashes.

Those thin-shaped bloody gashes had already formed scabs and appeared to be injuries caused by branches. His clothes were also torn and tattered, and the shoes were covered all over by mud.

He was carrying bags in both hands; he was carrying a bag on his back with one hand, and with the other hand, he was also holding something.

Suddenly two black things rushed into the yard, frightening Lin Qingwan.

Yang Tiezhu hurriedly shouted at them to stop, "Da Hei, Er Hei, don't scare people!"

Lin Qingwan looked at them carefully, only to find that they were two big black dogs.

Both the dogs were lofty and mighty, with strong and healthy bones and sleek hair from head to foot. Under the lamp, their hair seemed to be shining faintly. They looked spirited, with their tails wagging, and appeared to be quite familiar with Yang-shi. Without needing to call them, they simply rushed in, appearing to be in a cheerful mood upon returning home.

Yang Tiezhu said to Yang-shi, "I didn't go back home with all the stuff on me…" he didn't complete saying that if he went back home, there would be nothing left out. Thus, as soon as he got down from the mountain, he ran to Yang-shi's home.

"Quickly come in, come in." Yang-shi hurried to take the stuff from Yang Teizhu's hands, but Yang Tiezhu refused to give to her, fearing that her hands might get dirty.

He walked into the yard and, in passing, threw one under the eaves.

The three of them then together went into the main room. The two big black dogs did not follow them and skilfully found a place under the eaves outside and lay on their stomach.

Lin Qingwan looked at Yang Tiezhu's appearance, and without speaking, she turned around and went into the kitchen.

Soon, she came back with a big bowl of piping hot noodles.

The bowl had a clear noodle soup, with two poached eggs nestled on top of the noodles. There weren't any leftovers in the house in the middle of the night, so she could only randomly make something from him to pad his stomach first.

Yang-shi was in the midst of asking Yang Tiezhu about his trip to the mountains.

Lin Qingwan handed over a bowl of noodles to Yang Tiezhu. With a smile on his face, Yang Tiezhu took the noodles, feeling quite happy. He then quickly and effortlessly gobbled up, bottoming out the noodles, within a few minutes.

Yang-shi affectionately looked at him, "Eat slowly, eat slowly, is it not enough, do you want more."

Yang Tiezhu put down the bowl and stroked his stomach contentedly. "I'm full. I ate too much, Wanwan…. Noodles made by Wanwan are really delicious." He didn't forget to praise Lin Qingwan.

Lin Qingwan smiled and glanced at him, "I have boiled the water in the kitchen. You can go and have a bath."

Yang Tie Zhu nodded happily and looked at Lin Qingwan with bright eyes.

Under his gaze, Lin Qingwan felt a bit embarrassing and slightly turned her face.

Yang Tiezhu was aware that Wan Wan was embarrassed by his gaze; thus, he couldn't help but look at her and smile.

After smiling for a while, he suddenly seemed to remember something as he picked up a bag from the ground and showed it to them.

"Eldest Aunt, Wanwan this time, I had a stroke of pretty good luck going up the mountain. I came across a tiger. After following it for several days, I was able to kill it."

Inside the bag, there was a tiger skin. One could see that the handling was a bit rushed, as there were still a few chunks of flesh attached to it. As soon as the bag was opened, a whiff of a fishy smell assaulted their senses.

Yang-shi was also happy but still hit him angrily, "You brat, your guts are too big, you went as far as to go and fight with a tiger."

Yang Tiezhu gave a silly smile and said, "It was all right, I was quite cautious, also didn't I take Da Hei and Er Hei with me? It was unlikely for me to lose."

Lin Qingwan was quite surprised. She didn't expect Yang Tiezhu to go as far as to kill a tiger.

It was a tiger, ah! In her last life, she had seen Tigers on TV. She had never thought that a tiger could be killed by manpower alone. Was it possible for this seemingly simple-looking man to be a second Wu Song?

Wu Song (Chinese: 武松; pinyin: wǔ sōng), also known as Wu the Second (武二郎; wŭ èrláng), is one of the well-known characters in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. He was able to kill a tiger with his bare hands.

Yang Tiezhu saw Lin Qingwan's surprise and smiled as he explained to her: "I had shot it with bow and arrow. This way, the tiger's skin wouldn't be injured."

Lin Qingwan's mouth was slightly opened. He can even kill the tiger without injuring the tiger's skin?!

Feeling Wanwan gazing at him with adoration in her eyes at first, Yang Tiezhu was quite proud of himself. But when he saw Lin Qingwan having this kind of expression when looking at him, he at once felt embarrassed.

"It was all luck, it was all luck." After all, his natural disposition has always been honest and straightforward. It was also unlikely for him to blow his own trumpet. Thus Yang Tiezhu spoke quite modestly.

to blow his own trumpet: a Chinese idiom (pinyin: zì chuī zì léi) used as a metaphor for bragging oneself.

'Pfft' Lin Qingwan was amused by his foolish experience.

She had never seen such a man. It goes without saying that his hunting skills were excellent, but he had to say that it was all due to luck, as if a tiger fell from the sky, lying there waiting for him to kill it.

Smiling, she gazed at the man who cut a sorry figure.

His hair was in a mess, and his whole face was covered by mud, dust, and fragments of grass leaves. Furthermore, there were also tiny blood gashes, and his clothes were also torn and tattered, appearing like disaster victims…

Actually, it could not have been as easy as he said it was… he had to stay in the wilderness of the mountains for several days, and also had to think of how to get valuable stuff and sell them for silver, maybe he was also in life-threatening situations….

Lin Qingwan's eyes darkened.

Yang Tiezhu saw Lin Qingwan's eyes darken and thought that his dirty and disordered appearance had scared her, so he hurriedly stood up from his place embarrassingly, saying that he would go to the kitchen to take a bath.

After Yang Tiezhu went into the kitchen, Yang-shi looked at Lin Qingwan with a smile and teasingly said, "Now it's fine, Tiezhu is safely back, you don't have to worry."

Lin Qingwan blushed in embarrassment and stomped her feet.

"Auntie, I'm going back to the room to rest."

Yang-shi's laughter came from behind.

As soon as Tiezhu returned, her anxious old heart was finally at ease.

17

DǍYÁJÌ* means a sumpteous meal, which people usually had on 1st and 15th of the month.

As she slept late last night, the next day, Lin Qingwan got up very late.

Upon waking up, she found that Yang Tiezhu had disappeared. It was only after asking Yang-shi she got to know that he had gone to the town early in the morning.

Yang-shi had put breakfast aside for her.

After simply eating a few bites, Lin Qingwan washed the dishes and then helped Yang shi with peeling the pea pods.

Those two big black dogs were still in the yard. They were lying under the eaves of the main room and basking under the sun, with their chin on their paws and tails wagging behind, as they lazily squinted at her.

Seeing Lin Qingwan looking at those two dogs, Yang shi said with a smile, "These two dogs were raised by Tiezhu since childhood. Usually, they're able to understand human body language. Every time Tiezhu goes to the mountains, he would take them along with him. They had helped him several times."

Yang-shi pointed at the one with a bigger build, "This is Da Hei," and then pointed at the one with the smaller build, "This is the Er Hei."

Upon looking at them under the sunlight, Lin Qingwan found that these two dogs were very big, quite similar to those wolf-dogs she had seen in her previous life, not a bit like the native guard dogs she saw in the village.

In Luoxia Village, most households raised dogs, but all of those native dogs had a thin body and a drooping tail. Usually, they could be used as guard dogs but were not fit for hunting.

"It is said that their mother is a wolf descendant. Do they appear a bit similar to a wolf?"

Lin Qingwan looked at them and nodded her head. In her previous life, these sorts of dogs were called wolf dogs and were said to have both wolf blood and dog blood in them. But she hadn't expected that these sorts of dogs to be present here too.

"Rest assured, they don't bite people. It would be fine once you are familiar with them in the future." Yang-shi thought she was sacred, thus she explained to her with a smile.

As they were talking, Yang Tiezhu pushed open the courtyard gate and walked in.

"Aunt, Wan'er, I'm back."

"You've returned? How was it? Did you sell it at a good price?" Yang-shi put down the pea pods in her hands and asked him.

This time, Yang Tiezhu didn't bring any large preys to sell but merely brought a tiger skin along with a few hares and peasants.

The tiger skin was peeled on the spot in the mountains and brought back, as the distance was very big, and the prey was too big for him to bring it back. Thus, Yang Tiezhu focused only on the valuable thing on the tiger's body, its skin. Its meat was too sour for people to eat.

"En, the selling price was very good." Yang Tiezhu said quite excitedly: "The skin wasn't tanned, but a boss from someplace happened to be looking for this item, so as the skin was intact, he also didn't decrease the price, and gave me a selling price of 50 taels. And the tiger's whip was sold for 10 taels."

Tael (pinyin: liǎng) unit of weight equal to 50 grams

Tiger whip refers to the dry penis and testicles of cats. In traditional Chinese medicine, a tiger penis (Vietnamese: Pín hổ; Chinese: 虎鞭; pinyin: hǔ biān) is said to have important therapeutic properties. However, there is no scientific proof that the tiger penis can be used to treat any medical disorder. Due to wildlife protection and several other studies, it is no longer used in medicine.

Naturally, Yang Tiezhu was happy. Even hunting a few wild boars would not fetch the same price as a tiger skin.

Yang-shi was also very happy upon hearing this.

Now everything was good, the child could get lavishly married. Initially, she had said that she would give a little bit of her private savings for his marriage, but he adamantly refused.

"Good, good, good, that's good. Then without further ado, take advantage of this good weather and get married."

"Okay, aunt. In these two days, I will start preparations." Saying so, his eyes circled around and fell on Lin Qingwan at the side.

Lin Qingwan, who was swatting there and peeling the pods, felt a pair of hot eyes falling on her, and when she heard Yang shi say them to get married without further ado, her drooping face turned red at once.

The sun was strong, and her face was also very hot, sweltering her from the heat.

"Aunt, I will go back home first. After coming down from the mountain, I directly came here", Yang Tiezhu thought for a while and took out a bag of silver from his bosom. "I'll leave the money here first…" Who said he was stupid? He was also aware that, if his family saw the silver, he would be unable to keep them.

Yang-shi glared at him, "For what are you leaving it with me? Soon someone will be your wife, let your wife put it away for you." saying so, her eyes fell on Lin Qingwan, teasingly.

At once, Yang Tiezhu's face turned red with embarrassment, not knowing where to put his hands and feet. However, he felt sweetness growing in his heart as if soaking in a honeypot.

He dawdlingly walked to Lin Qingwan.

Seeing him walking towards her, Lin Qingwan hurriedly got up. Blushing fiercely, he waved his hand and said shily, "Aiya, my aunt… I don't want…I will leave it with you…"

Yang Tiezhu looked at the completely red-tinted face in front of him, thinking it was very beautiful, but he couldn't describe such a beautifulness. His heart that was longing and craving for the past few days finally felt satisfied…

Under the instructions of Yang -shi, Yang Tiezhu unhesitatingly put the bag with silver in Lin Qingwan's hands.

Upon touching those two delicate soft small hands, his big hands seemed to be scalded as he hurriedly pulled them back. However, he couldn't help but recall the feeling of tenderness in his heart…Wanwan's hands were truly…very smooth and so small…making him want to grab them in his hands without letting them go…

"Wanwan, you help me put them away. Let's, let's get married." Saying so, his face also flushed with embarrassment.

Is this so-called handing over financial authority?

Yang-shi beside them smiled and urged her:" Accept it, sooner or later, you would have to put it here."

Lin Qingwan blushed as she looked at Yang-shi and then looked at Yang Tiezhu, feeling that they were truly genuine and sincere when they said so; thus, she accepted the bag with silver.

The silver in the bag was heavy, embodying his complete trust and sincerity…

Her heart abruptly melted so much so that there was even a trace of peculiar sweetness…

"Don't you want to keep some for yourself?" She whispered as she asked him with her head hung down.

Yang Tiezhu looked at her tiny face, which was hung down. From his point of view, he could merely see a head full of jet-black thick beautiful hair and her fair neck with a faint blue vein on them. He couldn't bring himself to move his pair of eyes away, looking avariciously.

"It's enough to have two pieces of broken silver on me; usually, I don't spend money. Once we had discussed what's to be done for the marriage, then I will come back to take them from you."

"Alright." If she declined it down again, it would inevitably seem somewhat pretentious. Anyway, she had already decided to marry him, just take it as keeping it in advance.

"Then I'll go back first."

Yang Tiezhu, with great difficulty, withdrew his avaricious eyes and stepped out of the courtyard gate.

When Yang Tiezhu returned home, only He-shi and Wang-shi were in the house.

Wang-shi was cooking in the kitchen, while He-shi was standing at the kitchen door watching her cook.

"Mother, Eldest sister-in-law." He went in and greeted both of them.

"Second younger brother is back." Upon hearing his voice, Wang-shi replied back from the kitchen.

Yang Tiezhu nodded his head and saw that there weren't any men in the house. Thinking that these two days were the time for weeding the fields, he put his hunting gear in his room right away and then carried a hoe on his shoulder, intending to go to the fields.

When He-shi saw Yang Tiezhu returning empty-handed, her complexion was a little difficult to look. Then watching Yang Tiezhu carry hoe on his shoulders intending to go to the fields, she eventually couldn't help but open her mouth.

"You had gone to the mountains these past few days but didn't bring anything back?" He-shi frowned, half-turning her triangular-shaped eyes.

Hearing He-shi asking as such, he remembered those few hares and peasants he had brought back but had forgotten to bring them.

However, he was aware that there was animosity between He-shi and Yang shi; thus, he also didn't say anything. He knew that if he said it out, his mother would again start making a fuss.

At this time, Wang shi also quickly wiped her hands before walking out of the kitchen and asked: "Second younger brother, what did you bring for today's dayaji? Take it out quickly. I will clean them up. Later we can eat them."

dǎyájì: having a large and sumptuous meal (traditionally on the 1st and 15th of each month)

Yang Tiezhu was somewhat embarrassed, "This time, there wasn't much to hunt in the mountains. Whatever I had caught, I sold them in the town."

Wang-shi had disappointment on all her face and couldn't help but grumble, "Second younger brother, you also didn't bring anything last time you went into the mountains. The entire family is still waiting to have a large and sumptuous meal."

She was already unable to remember how long it had been since she had meat. He-shi was particularly stingy. The food in the house doesn't have oil and can't eat meat even once a month. Thus every time Yang Tiezhu went to the mountains, it was time for the Yang family to have a sumptuous meal. At this time, Wang-shi would also have a great time, eagerly looking forward to Yang Tiezhu to go to the mountains every day.

Yang Tiezhu was even more embarrassed and felt a bit uncomfortable in his heart. However, he also couldn't talk back to his elder sister-in-law and mother. Thus, he could only stand there with embarrassment, without speaking anything.

He-shi's originally gloomy face became even more unsightly at Wang-shi's off-putting demeanor.

"Is this old lady not giving you enough to eat and drink, to go as far as to sniff meat around just like a dog looking for a bone? You must have been the reincarnation of a staved ghost in your last life, aren't you criticizing this old lady in a roundabout way for not giving you enough meat?" He-shi jumped and crackled, cursing rather unpleasantly.

Wang-shi suddenly felt wronged and looked at her mother-in-law a little anxiously. She then looked at Yang Tiezhu, hoping for him to help her put a few words. But Yang Tiezhu, at this moment, was also very embarrassed, not knowing what to say.

"Mother, you are overthinking. I don't have such thoughts."

"You don't have such thoughts, then for what are you grumbling in front of this old lady? Look how fat you are now…"

"What's all the racket about again? As soon as I came back, I could hear you guys making a racket."

Old Father Yang's voice was heard from the doorway. Behind him were Yang Tiegen and Yao-shi, each carrying hoe on their shoulders. Originally Yang Tieshuan also went to weed the fields, but now don't know where he ran off to.

Old Father Yang entered in and put down the hoe in his hands.

Seeing sweat all over her husband's face, Yao-shi put down the hoe in her hand and hurriedly turned around to draw water for Yang Tiegen to wash his face.

When Wang-shi saw that everyone had returned, she immediately felt as she got her own backing.

While pretending to wipe the corners of her eyes, she turned towards Old father Yang and said aggrievedly, "Father, I merely said that the second brother didn't bring back anything for a sumptuous meal, but mother at once scolded me saying that I was criticizing her in a roundabout way for not giving me enough meat."

"You still haven't said so? Look at your gluttonous appearance. This old lady is ashamed on behalf of you. Why did the eldest child marry such a shameless thing?" Pointing at Wang-shi's nose, He-shi cursed as she jumped three feet high.

"… what do you think you are, insisting on letting others bring meat back for you to eat? Have your dog eyes have gone blind, others would rather feed their dogs than you…"

Upon hearing these words, Yang Tiezhu understood that these words were originally for him.

He-shi was pointing at the mulberry tree and cursing the locust tree. Under the pretext of scolding Wang-shi, she accused him of being unfilial for not bringing anything back.

to point at the mulberry tree and curse the locust tree: to scold sb indirectly / to make oblique accusations

Yang Tiezhu's initial embarrassment for forgetting to bring the things back vanished like smoke in thin air. He felt aggrieved in his heart, but then he couldn't also find fault with He-shi, always jumping and cursing like the 'other person', right?

"It's okay, it's okay! Don't want to have lunch?" Old father Yang pushed He-shi into the main room, separating the two women who were making a din.

Then he turned around to Wang-shi and said, "Eldest daughter-in-law, isn't the meal ready yet? What time is it?"

Wang-shi dismayed and went into the kitchen to make the meal.

Fortunately, she was also thick-skinned. Thus she didn't feel anything. If some other family's daughter-in-law was scolded like her, she would have already cried inwardly at an earlier time.

By the time the meal was ready, all the children who ran wild out also came back.

Yang Dalang, Yang Erlang, and Yang Sanlang were all covered with mud from playing when they came back home. Yang Erlang was running in while making faces at Yang Sanlang, who was chasing behind him.

As soon as Wang-shi saw them all dirty after coming back from playing, the fire in her heart burned. She stepped forward, caught Yang Erlang, and spanked his butt twice.

Upon being hit inexplicably, Yang Erlang was initially scared and dumbstruck, followed by which he started bawling loudly.

"Every day playing around till getting this dirty before coming back, you think that this old lady is awfully idle, right? Damned child, little wastrel…"

Wang-shi hit him whilst scolding, clearly releasing her pent-up anger from being criticized by He-shi on her son. It was not the first time that these children ran back with dirt all over them; never had they seen Wang-shi hitting them before.

When Yao-shi saw Wang-shi this way, she knew that she was angry in her heart and didn't dare to calm her down. At this time, Yang Erniu and Yang Sanniu also happened to come back, calling her from far way.

Yao-shi saw both of her daughters coming hand-in-hand with small baskets in their hands and hurriedly went up to them to take the baskets for their hands.

Erniu and Sanniu were sensible and obedient since childhood and seldom went out to play. Every day both of them would put with their small baskets and would go to dig wild herbs and pigweeds from all over the place. At a very young age, they could come back with a basket of wild herbs every day.

Yao-shi helped them wash their hands and wipe their faces. She then asked if they were hungry or tired.

The warmth and harmony of the mother and daughter at this side, and scolding, beating and crying on Wang-shi's side, were extremely distinct contrasts.

18

At this moment, Yang Tieshuan also walked in to have the lunch.

At this kind of behavior of his, everyone was able to keep their calm. When working, he would stealthily slip away, but when it came to having a meal, he would punctually come every day to have the food.

So long as he didn't sneak away during the busiest periods of farming, Old father Yang also turned a blind eye to this sort of conduct. The beatings and scoldings he suffered weren't any less, but all of them didn't hve and effect on him. Yang Tieshuan remained the same.

Yang Tieshuan could hear his son crying from very far away. A soon as he entered through the door, he saw Wang-shi hitting and scolding their son in anger, and Erlang crying his eyes out with tears and snot all over while the others stood with their necks shrunken up.

"How did our son provoke you for you to scold him again?" Yang Tieshuan understands his wife, without any cause and reason, it was absolutely unlikely for Wang-shi to vent her anger on the child.

His mother must have been mad at Wang-shi again! Thus, she had nowhere to vent on but the kid.

"Look at them, they are once again covered with dirt when they came back from playing. It was only in the morning that they had changed into clean clothes! This old lady is busy every day. Not only do I have to serve the old, but I also have to serve the little ones. All-day long, I am working myself to death but am still mocked…"

Wang-shi raised her voice as she grumbled, very much wishing to say these words to He-shi in the main room.

Yang Tieshuan impatiently cut in and said: "Alright, alright, quickly go and set up the meal. Don't you want to eat?"

Wang-shi pouted her mouth and pulled several children to clean up the mud all over them.

In fact, she didn't dare to say too much, fearing that if said too much ruffling He-shi's feathers, she would be once again sorted out by her.

After a busy day, everyone went into the main room to have a meal.

The Yang family has a large population, counting all the big and small, it was 15 people. Thus they would eat at two tables, one for adults and one for children.

In lunch, there were: a pot of stir-fried white cabbage, a pot of scrambled eggs with chives – in which the egg was merely scattered on top of the leeks, and a plate of homemade pickles. The rice was millet rice along with cornbread. Both the tables had the same food, but the ones on the kid's table were of a smaller portion.

It was very noisy at the kid's table. Those few kids from the first branch who were just admonished, in the blink of an eye, forgot all the pain and picked up the rice with you poking me and I poking you. While the two girls from the second branch sat far away and silently had their meals.

On this side, on the adult's table, it was very quiet. He-shi had a long face, Wang-shi had a sullen pout while the others too silently ate their meals.

Yang Tieshuan picked up the chopsticks and pulled the pieces of scrambled egg in the chives, with his mouth curled in disgust.

"Why is that when second-eldest had just come down from the mountain, and we still had to eat these. My mouth is becoming bland."

Old father Yang coughed and said in a muffled tone, "Eat your dinner, don't talk nonsense."

Today it was already the third person in the family mentioning this, but contrarily, Yang Tiezhu didn't feel anything at this moment.

He opened his mouth and explained in a low voice: "This time I didn't have any good luck going into the mountain and didn't get to hunt anything. I only got two things, which I took to the town to sell them."

He-shi was already restraining her anger, but when she head the eldest mention this again, her face became even more sullen, and said in an eccentric tone, "I am afraid that it's not that he didn't get anything to hunt, but had to go and show filial piety to others."

Yang Tiezhu's face stiffened, but he remained silent as he squeezed the chopsticks in his hand before loosening again and continued to eat his food.

What He-shi had said this time was actually the truth, but it wasn't that he wanted to go and show filial piety to others, but in a hurry, Yang Tiezhu had forgotten to bring them from Yang-shi's place.

However, all along, He-shi had always had such thoughts. In the past, when so long as he went to the mountains and brought only a few things, she would at once become skeptical if he had taken things to Yang-shi's place to show her filial piety and would probe him. But this was He's consistent thoughts.

Actually, he had wanted to show a bit filial piety to Yang-shi, however as Yang-shi was aware of his mother's character, she wouldn't take much from him, fearing that his mother would cause him trouble.

It goes without saying that in hunting, one could never get a fixed amount of things. Also, they weren't the rear animals in their captivity to go and directly kill them. If one wanted to kill a few, it was inevitable for preys to be more sometimes and sometimes less. However, he had brought all of them back every time, and only once in a while, he would give a few to Yang-shi to make a few dishes.

Nevertheless, his mother would always be skeptical of how much he had given to Yang-shi to show his filial piety.

However, in his heart, Yang Tiezhu had always been sincere, but this time he was a bit improper of him to forget to bring back the stuff, thus even though he was terribly sullen in his heart, he nevertheless tried to endure.

"Alright, stop talking nonsense, you think all the animals on the mountain are reared by your family, to have as many as you want. It's normal to get sometimes alot and sometimes fewer." Old father Yang heavily slammed the chopsticks on the table and finally said something that was reasonable.

But whatever he says would always go in from He-shi's left ear and come out from the right ear, completely regarding them as passing wind.

He-shi merely rolled her triangular eyes and again rushed to ask Yang Tiezhu, "Where are those silver you got from selling? Give it to me, I will put them away."

Yang Tiezhu finally couldn't bear this time; with a 'bang' he slammed the bowl on the table, stood up, turned around, and walk out. When he got up, the stool that he was sitting on flipped over and fell on the ground because of his sudden movement.

Yang Tiezhu finally couldn't bear this time. 'Bang', he slammed the bowl on the table, stood up, turned around, and walk out. When he got up, the stool that his sitting on flipped over and fell on the ground because of his sudden movement.

This time the room was very quiet, even the kids at the other table saw the movement at this side and no longer dared to utter a word, and each and every one of them bowed their heads, having their meal.

He-shi slammed the table and stood up.

"He even turned against me and went and dared get angry at me."

Old father Yang's head ached as he pulled He-shi's clothes, and dragged her to let her sit down.

"Alright, can you not make trouble? For the child's marriage, you need not pay. The child is earning it by himself, yet when he comes back, you ask for money from the other person. Is there a mother such as you?"

"What's wrong with me? When you earn money outside, you have to hand over half of it to public funds. Did I say something wrong?" Actually, He-shi was not stupid. She knew how to use 'conventions' to suppress people.

"Yes, yes, what you said is all reasonable, reasonable alright? How much money the second son handed over to the family in the past few years, don't you know in your heart? Buying those few acres for the family and also building a 5-room roof-tiled house, were you the one who earned all the money for it? Why are you unclear in these affairs?"

These words, Old father Yang didn't know how many times he had said it to He-shi, however after listening to him, she would always say one sentence….

"I am his mother. I gave birth to him, shouldn't he show filial piety to me?"

Yes, this is the sentence. He-shi would always speak so as if it ought to be as such, asserting eloquently.

"Right, you are his mother, and I am his father. He ought to be filial to us, but I have never heard of anyone being "filial" to their brothers and nephews in the family! In this family, apart from the second son, third son and his wife, who else can work?" Old father Yang was so angry that his beard straightened up, and he stopped eating too. He might as well say everything now that situation had arisen, so as to avoid his wife going to the second child and trouble him, making the entire family restless.

"Is it the eldest child or the fourth child or you?"

"These two years, my health wasn't good. The work in the fields was entirely done by the second child, fourth child, and his wife." Old father Yang wiped his face and sighed.

"Eldest son…" pointing at Yang Tieshuan, "He is happy to partake but is not prepared to do any work. When it comes to doing work, he will stealthily run away…" As he criticized him, he couldn't stop his tears from coming out.

It's for these mess in the family, and also for this incorrigible wife of his.

Yang Tieshuan stared and stared, wishing to refute, but he didn't dare to utter a word when he saw tears in Old father Yang' eyes.

He once again pointed at Wang-shi but moved away from his finger at the speed of lightning.

"How the eldest daughter-in-law is, you know in your heart clearly."

As a father, he can scold his sons, but he cannot comment on his daughter-in-law.

"Needless to say, the third son and his wife are both honest. Also, fourth child—your darling son. You said that the fourth son was clever and eager to send him to a private school. I believed as long as the child can study, I could sacrifice everything I had to provide for him, and shouldn't be like first, second, and third sons, without knowing how to read and write any characters, doing only farm work entire life to feed themselves…". Old father Yang did his best to patiently explain, "You said that child had to study and working would delay his homework, and didn't let him do any work. I didn't object you…In the family, how you want the things to be done, you do as you please, in the end, the boy would be 18-years old, yet he would be unable to carry heavy loads on shoulders or by hand…

unable carry heavy loads on shoulders or by hand: Describe people who lack labor and exercise

Old father Yang also didn't know what to do with this youngest child. To reprimand him, he, himself, was reluctant; to not to reprimand him, he had been studying for a long time, yet hadn't even passed an entrance exam to become a scholar. To not let him study, Old father Yang was also reluctant; to let him study, the family's silver was being spent like a splashed water. Usually, he couldn't say Yang Xuezhang a word. If he even said a word, a He-shi would start arguing with him as if her life depended on it.

Fortunately, at this moment, Yang Xuezhang was not at home but in the academy. If he heard these words at home, don't know what he would think.

"Such a big family, so many people…" Old father Yang ran his hand across his head with grief and lament.

"How were we able to feed and support them? Not even a single person was starved, nor was frozen. These two years, hadn't the days in our life also gotten better? Also, the fourth son's tuition fees for the tutor, year after year, we had to bribe with silver to take the exam…Why are you still not content even with all these? I know you are biased, people all tend to be biased, but your bias is too obvious!"

"If you keep on going on like this, sooner or later, this family would be separated because of you, leaving only the old behind. Then I will watch as every day you go around asking money to let your precious son take exams…"

Old father Yang stopped eating. With his hands clasped behind his back and his waist hunched, he lifted the door curtain and walked out.

Everyone in the room remained silent, including He-shi.

Don't know if she was frightened by always-taciturn-Old father Yang's fury, which was hard to come by, or it was something else. However, it's easier to change mountains and rivers than altering a person's character, hoping for the overbearing He-shi to change in this lifetime; perhaps it's a little difficult.

…

Yang Tiezhu remained sullen and angry all the way to the Yang-shi's house. His complexion didn't look good until he entered the house.

As soon as Yang-shi saw him, she immediately reminded him that he had forgotten to take the hares and pheasants he had brought yesterday and asked him to immediately take them home.

Yang Tiezhu suddenly felt even more upset. He just told Yang-shi that he need not take them back home and would leave them here for her and Wanwan to improve their health.

Yang Tiezhu was unable to understand why was his mother couldn't be tolerant of him? This one question he wasn't able to understand since his childhood. It wasn't as if he had been picked up from outside.

Yang-shi thought that Lin Qingwan's complexion was indeed not good and needed to be improved. Thus she didn't say anything else.

As Lin Qingwan had nothing to do, after having a meal, she went to take a nap. Thus, at this moment, only Yang-shi was sitting alone on the kang in the main room doing her needlework.

Yang-shi called Yang Tiezhu to sit down, and upon looking at his complexion, "What happened? Your mother got angry at you again?"

Yang Tiezhu sat at the edge of the kang and lowered his head, "She asked me for the silver I got from hunting."

As for 'filial piety' and whatnot she had said before, he didn't say anything, fearing Yang-shi would feel uncomfortable in her heart upon hearing it.

Yang-shi immediately closed his eyes as anger filled her heart.

"I really don't know what He Xiuzhu's thinking?! How does her thinking work?"

Yang Tiezhu didn't utter a word.

Yang-shi's face became distressed as tears rolled down.

"Child, it's all because of your aunt, that you…"

At that time, if she hadn't become soft-hearted and promised her younger brother to breastfeed little Tiezhu, it was unlikely for all these incidents to happen afterward.

She was broken-hearted at that time as the daughter she had given birth to had died prematurely. When Old father Yang requested her to come, she had agreed because: for one, she became soft-hearted, and second, she also wanted to breastfeed the child to get solace and to get over those gloomy days of her life. Thus she agreed right away.

Who would have imagined that He-shi would be this narrow-minded? Just because she and He-shi didn't get along when she was in her parent's house, she took all her anger on the child. The child was very small and ignorant; thus, whenever He-shi was angry with him, little Teizhu would run to her. She loved the child dearly, so she also didn't stop him. Who would have imagined it to gradually become as such…

"Aunt, it has nothing to do with you. My mother is just like that." Yang Tiezhu sighed and consoled her. He also didn't know how to assess his mother, regarding the issue between his mother and Yang-shi, he knew it too. These matters he really cannot blame his aunt…

He can only say…he can only say that his mother's way of thinking was different when compared with ordinary people.

No matter how He-shi treated Yang Tiezhu, he couldn't talk unpleasantly about her in his heart.

Yang-shi's heart was full of worries. He-shi was like that, and also Yang Tiezhu's brothers weren't worry-free. In the future, after both of them married, how would their days be, ah!

It would be fine if the Yang family was to be separated, with each of them living on their own. Then Yang Tiezhu also wouldn't have to see He-shi's face every day, and need not bother with such a mess…

Such an idea appeared in Yang-shi's mind, but she didn't tell Yang Tiezhu about this idea in his heart.

Now wasn't a good time to talk about the separation of the family. Better wait till both of them got married, then see how the future situation will be.

After all, one should not separate from the family. If one wants to separate, there's still sharpening to be done!

Thinking as such, Yang-shi's spirit arose and started discussing with Yang Tiezhu about his marriage with Lin Qingwan.

19

Seeing He-shi's that sort of attitude on that day, Yang Tiezhu also didn't hand over his marriage arrangements to his family, rather along with Yang-shi, he discussed it with Lin Qingwan.

In ancient times to get married, there was a tradition of 'Three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts' , which was also called as, 'Three letters and six etiquettes'. The three letters includes 'betrothal letter', 'gift letter', and 'wedding letter'. Among the three matchmakers, one is from the bridegroom side, one is from the bride side, and one is an intermediate matchmaker who mediates between them. 'Six betrothal gifts' and 'six etiquettes' are the same, which refers to Proposal, Exchanging birth characters of both groom and bride, Visiting fortune teller, Gift giving, Choosing the wedding date, and Wedding ceremony.

Nevertheless, country-folk doesn't have to go through all these bothersome rituals.

The bridegroom's family invites a matchmaker to visit the bride's family; if the bride's side doesn't have any objection, then the matchmaker would bring a few gifts to the bride's house to exchange the both, male and female sides Gengtie on another day. And if the birthdate characters of both the male and female don't clash, the matchmaker would then bring a big gift, i.e., betrothal gift, and exchange the marriage contract. Followed by which both the families pick an auspicious day. On the wedding day, the bridegroom personally comes to escort the bride to the wedding ceremony.

Gēng tiě (庚贴) : A card with the eight-characters of bride and groom exchanged at the time of proposal to check for the comparability of the couple.

The three of them sat together and discussed Yang Tiezhu and Lin Qingyuan's marriage procedure, making everything simple, without any complications. Yang Tiezhu asked the matchmaker only to bring the betrothal gifts and exchange the marriage contract and then set a day for the wedding ceremony.

The betrothal gifts was as per the old traditions of the Luoxia village: a pair of live chickens and ducks, two jars of baijiu, two jin of white sugar, two packets of tea and fruits of all kinds, a pair of a silver hairpin, four pieces of fabrics of different colors, and the betrothal money of 8.8 taels, signifying great fortune.

Jin (斤) : It is a traditional Chinese unit of mass used across East and Southeast Asia, notably for weighing food and other groceries in some wet markets, street markets, and shops. Equivalent to 500gms.

All the eatables in the first-half were according to the Luoxia village's old customs, while the silver hairpin and fabrics in the second-half were added by Yang Tiezhu himself. The betrothal money was also a lot. In Luoxia village, most of the villagers would give 2-3 taels as betrothal money when taking a wife. Only the one with good financial circumstances would provide a lot, but even then, the amount would only be 6.6 taels at most.

As for the marriage contract, as Lin Qingyuan didn't have a household register, Yang-shi stuffed some silver in the village head's hands and had him put Lin Qingyuan's household register under Yang-shi's, saying that she was a niece from her husband's side.

However, everyone in Luoxia village was aware of how Lin Qingwan had come, and this sort of statement was merely to record in the official records.

Thus Lin Qingwan's marriage contract was written by herself and signed by Yang-shi. As for Yang Tiezhu's marriage contract, he privately found someone to have it written and then went home to have it signed by old father Yang. Actually, this was also written by Lin Qingwan, as it was unlikely for old father Yang to write characters, and could only put hand seal.

It was only when old father Yang saw Yang Tiezhu return with the marriage contract, asking him for his sign, he realized that his son had already started the preparations for his marriage, and felt even more upset in his heart.

As he sat on the kang, silently smoking tobacco, he didn't know what he should say to Yang Tiezhu.

He-shi quietly sat on the corner of the bed, with her back facing them. Ever since Yang Tiezhu came in, she didn't bother with him. Even when Yang Tiezhu took out the marriage contract to get it signed by old father Yang, she didn't utter a word.

Old father Yang looked at Yang Tiezhu standing beside him, and then glanced at his wife, who was sitting with her back to them. He knew that his wife was angry, but he was worried as He-shi hadn't flared up yet from all the words he had said a few days back.

"Are all the preparations done?" Puffing on his tobacco, he asked in a hoarse voice.

"Almost everything is done, just waiting for the matchmaker to send betrothal gifts tomorrow." Yang Tiezhu's appeared exhausted, yet his happiness couldn't be hidden. Over the past few days, he was indeed quite busy. Not only did he have to find a matchmaker, but he also had to buy the betrothal gifts, all by himself. Because he had never done these in the past, he wasn't aware of what to buy; as a result, he had to go to Yang-shi a few times to get a clear idea about it

After buying all the betrothal gifts, he directly carried all these to the matchmaker's place, without going home. He was aware of his mother's innate character. If his mother saw these, she would make a big fuss again. Thus, as to not spoil his exultation, he might as well not tell his family about the betrothal gifts.

"Then, how are the preparations for the wedding banquet going on?"

Old father Yang looked at his second son. With a tall stature and sturdy figure, he was already a fully grown man. He didn't know when it had started, but it had been quite a long time since old father Yang had carefully looked at his son.

This child had suffered a lot when he was born. In the first half month, there wasn't any breast milk for him to drink and survived only by drinking rice congee every day. Later he was unable to put up with it any longer. Thus, despite He-shi's refusal, he stubbornly gave the baby to his elder sister and let her feed the baby.

It was only when he was more than a year old that the child was brought back. At that time, He-shi had a third child, and didn't have the mood to take care of him. Furthermore, He-shi had a prejudice against his sister for a long time in her heart. Because of that, this child also suffered a lot at home. A one-year-old kid could hardly walk, thus in the house, he would frequently fall down and end up badly battered, yet there was no one to take care of him.

At that time, they had just split up, and there were many children at home. The eldest son was six years old, while the eldest daughter was only four years old, and the third son was in swaddling clothes. He and He-shi were badly burned about the head, and furthermore, didn't have thought of taking care of their 1-year-old second child.

Fēn jiā (分家) : Split up/Breaking up the family and living separately. In this context, Old father Yang and He-shi had seperated from their parent's family.

Badly burned about the head: Over-exhausted.

The little boy was only a little old enough to recognize people apart and frequently ran out to look for his elder sister. He knew that she didn't live here, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He and He-shi would get often tired of searching for him everywhere, every day.

Finally, He-shi was exhausted and asked him to take the second child to his older sister once again to raise him for a few more years. They brought him back only when he was a little bit older and sensible.

By the time he came back, the child was already sensible and wasn't very close to them. He would seldom speak at home and would run to his elder sister's place to play. Initially, He-shi didn't like him, and now with this, she disliked him even more. She even ran to his elder sister's place to quarrel quite a few times…

In this manner, estrangement was born. One can't justify who was right or who was wrong but can only say that it was his wife's mistake for being too petty for involving children in the adult's conflicts…

"The wedding banquet can only be arranged at home. At that time of the banquet, one would have to bother father and mother."

Yang Tiezhu's voice pulled Old father Yang from his distant train of thoughts. Old father Yang coughed once and was about to respond.

Just then, He-shi's voice rang out."There isn't any money in the house for you to arrange the wedding banquet. Pay it yourself, you can, can't you?!"

"There isn't any money in the house for you to arrange the wedding banquet. Pay it yourself, you can, can't you?!"

He-shi still hadn't turned back, but her voice full of discontentment and resentment rang out.

Yang Tiezhu closed his eyes and put aside He-shi's words to not let her spoil his mood.

He then took out a piece of silver from his bosom and put it on the kang table in front of Old father Yang. The silver seemed to be worth 3-4 taels, which was already more than enough to set up a banquet in Luoxia Village.

The old father Yang's complexion, became extremely unsightly; however, he also truly didn't want to quarrel with He-shi in front of a child.

He placed down the tobacco pipe in his hand with shaking hands, picked up the marriage contract on the table, stained his finger with ink from the inkstone, and put the fingerprint on the marriage contract. Then he pushed both, marriage contract with fingerprint and the piece of silver towards Yang Tiezhu.

"There is no sense for a family to not pay for the feast when a son is getting married. She has become old and muddleheaded."

Originally old father Yang didn't intend to hurt the child's heart. But who would have imagined that He-shi was finally unable to bear? It goes without saying that she had been suppressing the fire in her stomach for quite a long time, but once she heard old father Yang saying that she had become old and muddleheaded, resembling like dynamite that was ignited, she exploded at once.

She nimbly at once turned around and pounced upon Old father Yang. She incessantly started tearing him apart, as she cursed him: "Yang Laoshuan, you damn bastard. This old lady had worked hard for a lifetime to give birth to kids for you, and now you are saying that I have become old and muddleheaded…."

Old father Yang became simply dizzy from He-shi's anger. Nevertheless, he didn't want to fight with his wife in front of his son. Thus he could only use his hands to resist He-shi's blows.

By the time he pushed He-shi away with great difficulty, he had realized that at some point, Yang Tiezhu had already walked out.

The marriage contract on the kang table was already taken away. However, the piece of silver was still left behind…

"You ah, you ah … I don't even know what to say to you at all …"

…

When Yang Tiezhu had the matchmaker drop by to send the betrothal gifts, the entire Luoxia village was stirred into commotion. Firecrackers'crackled and rattled', resonating in the whole village, and the villagers formed a circle of a crowd to spectate.

When Yang-shi came out to welcome Yang Tiezhu and the matchmaker, she also set off a string of firecrackers at the courtyard gate, signifying that the bride's side has also placed quite an importance on this marriage, representing their welcoming attitude.

As the firecracker exploded, the red paper scattered all over, appearing quite jubilant and lively.

A large group of crowd encircled outside Yang-shi's gate, as each and every one of them spoke about Yang Tiexhu's generousness in spending money and his righteousness.

Not to say the betrothal gift was also two parts heavier than the usual households when taking a wife. The betrothal price was also a lot…

8.8 taels!

When it was mentioned that the betrothal price was 8.8 teals, everyone at once endlessly smacked their lips. Usually, in other households, when marrying, apart from betrothal gifts, monetary gifts would be at most 6.6 taels, and only the well-off families in the village have the ability to give this much.

To the villagers, the most commendable one is that the bride is not the usual village household's young lady, rather a young woman bought by the bridegroom himself.

For the bridegroom to treat a young woman bought by himself this seriously, it could only imply one thing – the bridegroom who was being married is placing enough importance on the bride. Furthermore, it is also not regarding the bride as a bought one. Everyone admired Lin Qingwan for her good fortune …

Inviting a matchmaker with such a big gift truly made all the young married women red-eyed. Everyone praised that Yang family's second-eldest is a man, loving dearly his wife this obviously, whichever woman could get married to him can be truly happy to the death.

Why didn't they think of him as this heroic, generous, magnanimous, and lofty, previously? His tall, sturdy stature and scar on the face, which usually always made all the females in the village scared, suddenly made one feel that he was particularly handsome.

All the people fell over each other in eagerness to pass on words of Yang family's Tiezhu's generosity for such a big betrothal gift…

Even the people in the Yang family were stunned by such a large sum of money.

Old father Yang remained silent, while Yang Tieshuan sneered, saying the second eldest was truly generous. Wang-shi's eyes were red as she incited, He-shi. Yang Tiegen and Yao-shi husband and wife pair were silent as usual, also didn't express any opinions.

Upon hearing the insane rumors being passed outside, He-shi, coupled with Wang-shi's instigation, shivered from head to foot in distress.

She had only heard Yang Tiezhu saying that he had invited a bridal sedan chair, set up a banquet, and sent betrothal gifts, but she didn't expect that damned brat to go as far as to invite a matchmaker to send betrothal gifts with great fanfare.

Granted that even if he gave a betrothal gift, one didn't anticipate that he would give 8.8 taels as a monetary gift, He-shi's blood dripped in distress at once.

However, she didn't dare to curse Yang Tiezhu in front of old father Yang. Thus she flared up at her daughters-in-law, Wang-shi and Yao-shi, before dropping the subject. However, whenever she recalled those 8.8 taels, she was neither able to sleep nor able to eat.

As Yang Tiezhu's marriage day neared, the family was also busy arranging a feast, and perhaps as He-shi had that piece of silver in her hand, she was a little bit relieved and didn't create a fuss anymore.

The curtain gradually fell on the betrothal gifts matter, and in the blink of an eye, it wasn't long before the day of the marriage.

20

These days Lin Qingwan was also quite busy. Not only does she have to deal with a few envious young misses who came to visit every day, but she also had to find time to make her bridal dress.

Yang-shi and Yang Tiezhu also discussed what to buy as a dowry and other stuff for her.

Initially, Lin Qingwan refused, but she too didn't refuse anymore when she recalled Yang-shi saying about the Yang family's affairs.

After all, it wouldn't look good for a woman to marry without a dowry. Moreover, she would be married soon, then Yang Tiezhu's money could also be considered her money. She would take all the things she buys as a dowry, which is better than buying the stuff when she needs under Yang Tiezhu's mother's eye.

Both Lin Qingwan and Yang-shi thereupon went to the town several times, buying various assortments. Outside it was said that Yang-shi loved her dearly and bought dowry for her, and it was her present for her nephew's and wife's wedding gift.

Days in Yang-shi's life were quite well-off. Also, her son worked as a shop manager in a store in the county. Thus there wasn't anyone who doubted where the money came from to buy all these things.

They bought four cotton bed coverlets, along with a few bed quilts. A washbasin to wash face, a washbasin stand, a chest and wardrobe for storing clothes, a comb and a copper mirror for dressing, a bath barrel, and fabrics for clothes… To take all these bought stuff, they had to hire a big cart…

No wonder those books said that in ancient times the woman's dowry was complicated. A few rich families even start buying the dowry from the moment the girl was born and continue to buy till the daughter is married, and only then was it regarded as finished. There are few families who even carefully choose a coffin, practically taking care of everything from food to clothing for their daughters after marriage. In general, the women's maiden family's idea is precisely that their daughter can eat and use from her own belongings and need not suffer at the husband's family.

Of course, Lin Qingwan couldn't be compared with the other young misses from rich families. However, she also bought a lot of things, and upon calculation, she nearly spent more than ten taels of silver.

Don't look at how these ten taels of silver aren't much. In the countryside, ten taels of silver are enough to feed the entire family of 5 people for a few years.

Lin Qingwan was planning to make the clothing for all the seasons by herself using the fabrics from Yang Tiezhu's betrothal gift. She had also bought a few bolts of the fabrics of the colors she was fond of, and in passing, she also bought a few bolts of fabrics with colors that suited Yang Tiezhu.

However, there was also no need for her to think about the clothes for four seasons for now, as it was certainly impossible for her to make the clothes in a short while, after all there weren't many days left for her wedding day. Lin Qingwan only had time to make two dresses for herself for this season, as well as two dresses for Yang Tiezhu, and two pairs of shoes.

Soon it would be the day of the wedding.

… … …

The day before their wedding, Lin Qingwan's dowry was carried to the Yang family's house.

Good fortune madam also followed along, who was invited by Yang-shi to make a bed.

A good fortune madam must be a married woman, who have both her parents and in-laws alive, husband and wife in harmony, and with a pair of children. For any married woman to be able to act as a good fortune madam for others wedding is said to be an extremely honorable affair.

Originally, along with a good fortune madam, a relative from a bride's side need to prepare the bed. But Lin Qingwan didn't have any relatives here. Yang-shi was the only one who could go, but after falling out with He-shi, she had never stepped on the Yang family's doorstep. Thus the matter regarding preparing the bed can only be handed over to the good fortune madam completely.

Yang-shi led good fortune madam and dowry to the Yang family's gates, and after handing dowry and good fortune madam to Yang Tiezhu, she turned around and left.

The Yang family's house had five and a half roof tiled big rooms altogether. The main building had three rooms. He-shi and Old father Yang lived in the main room. In the east room, the eldest son, Yang Tieshuan lived along with his whole family, and in the west room, Yang Xuezhang lived. In the main building, there was a door, which opened to a half roof-tiled room, where He-shi's unmarried daughter, Yang Ermei lived.

To the side of the main building, there were two roof-tiled rooms. The third son, Yang Tiegen, and his family lived in one room and Yang Tiezhu in another.

The room where Yang Tiezhu lived looked just like a brand-new room, with happy characters in bright red pasted on the doors and windows, looking very festive.

In Luoxia Village, everyone sleeps on the k'ang. When not sleeping, they would put away the quits and put a k'ang table for people to sit on it. When sleeping, they would put away the table and put on quilts to make it a bed.

炕 (kàng): a heatable brick bed. I have included picture below for reference.

东北暖炕图片大全(第1页) - 一起扣扣网

Thus, the matrimonial bed was set on Yang Tiezhu's k'ang.

The fortune madam made the bed nicely and sprinkled a handful of peanuts and jujubes under the crimson-coloured pillows and quilts. With this, it was successfully completed.

Yang Tiezhu quickly took out a red envelope and spoke a few words expressing his gratitude.

After seeing the fortune madam off, Yang Tiezhu turned around and went back into the room to place the dowry brought by Lin Qingwan, arranging them one by one in their respective places.

A few days ago, as he would soon be married, Yang Tiezhu considered Lin Qingwan's habit of loving cleanliness and was also aware that there was a bath barrel in Lin Qingwan's dowry. Thus he had specially invited a mason to renovate his room. Not only did he have a partition the room to have a small cubicle for the bath, but he also had the entire room whitewashed.

Looking at the tidy, bright red and festive new room, and thinking of a figure of a person, who he hadn't seen for a while, and was about to get married tomorrow, Yang Tiezhu couldn't help but smile merrily…

Since the moment Yang Tiezhu came in with the dowry and Fortune madam, both He-shi and Wang Shi stood at the door of the main house, watching.

Looking at those things that were being carried over, Wang-shi and He-shi, both of their eyes became red.

Young girls from rural families also usually had dowry when getting married. However, it wasn't this much, just a few beddings, a few pieces of small furniture and so on. How would it be like Lin Qingwan, also having a cask in their dowry for taking a bath?

However, Wang-shi and Yang-shi also could not flare up, as it was said that all of these things in dowry were given by Yang-shi…

He-shi's teeth were itchy by the hatred in her heart, feeling Yang-shi was deliberately showing off her dirty money in front of her…

On the day of the wedding, Lin Qingwan woke early in the morning and saw Yang-shi getting busy inside and outside with a face full of joy. Several other married women who usually had good relations with Yang-shi also came to the house to lend a hand.

She also went to help, but Yang-shi refused to let her do so, saying that bride shouldn't do any work on that day. Even the breakfast and lunch were all handled and brought to her by Yang-shi.

At noon after lunch, Yang-shi let her rest for a while, after which she pushed her into the kitchen to take a bath.

Yang-shi already prepared hot water at an earlier time; she simply had to soak in it. After soaking for about half a sichen, she came out of the bath.

时辰 (shíchen): One shichen is equals to 2hrs.

Good Fortune madam came after she was done with the bath.

Before the bride gets into the sedan chair, Good Fortune madam should comb her hair.

Lin Qingwan changed into her bridal dress, sat cross-legged on the k'ang, and let Good Fortune madam do what she had to do on her face and hair.

It was only at this moment did she feel that she truly was about getting married….

The Good Fortune madam took out a long red thread. She tied both ends into a knot, twisted the string several times to form an x-shape, and held it up to Lin Qingwan's face. The madam lightly plucked at the bride's forehead, nose and chin, all the while reciting in a low voice, "For the top, honoring the heavens, the earth, and the parents. For the middle, a prayer for the couple to live in harmony. For the bottom, may the house be filled with offsprings." The madam then plucked the string thrice at the left of Lin Qingwan's face, the nose again and the right of her face. "For the left, may you be blessed with a son. For the center, may you work hard and be thrifty in running the household. For the right, may you live to a ripe old age in conjugal bliss." Then, the madam threaded Lin Qingwan's face.

It turns out that they even had to recite these lines. Lin Qingwan found it quite fascinating, to the extent that by the time she felt the pain, threading was already finished.

The madam of Good Fortune then took out a tiny razor and trimmed forehead hair a little. With this, the entire process of removal of the bride's facial hair could be considered as finished.

The next part was 'combing hair'. The Good Fortune madam took a new comb and started combing Lin Qingwan's thick and jet-black hair. While combing the hair she started to recite:

" With the first combing to the head, may you need not worry about riches and honor;

With the second combing to the head, may you be devoid of any illness and sorrows;

With the third combing to the head, may you be blessed with an abundance of offsprings and longevity;

Once again, combing to the tail, may you be blessed with mutual respect in the marriage;

With the second combing to the tail, may the husband and wife fly together wing to wing in a union;

With the third combing to the tail, may you be perpetually bounded and united like the heart ornaments;

From start to finish, may you be blessed with riches and honor."

At the side, Yang-shi was wiping her tears whilst watching her.

After getting along for the past few days, she had started to consider Lin Qingwan as her own daughter. Thus at this moment in her heart, she was feeling happy yet also sad.

Seeing Yang-shi wipe her tears, Lin Qingwan's rim of eyes also couldn't help but become red.

In both lifetimes, for the first time, she was getting married. In the previous life, she was an orphan without a father or mother. In this lifetime, the Yang-shi was the only one who could be regarded as her elder.

During this period of time of getting along, Yang-shi's treatment for her was good, without exception were all vivid in her mind…

She had sincerely regarded her, this magnanimous and candid woman, as her most significant elder…

After combing her hair neatly, Good Fortune madam began to apply make-up on her.

It could be seen that this Good Fortune madam was also had good skill. She also didn't put too much make-up on Lin Qingwan, but merely smeared lightly, and applied a very light make-up. The only thing that could be counted as rich was her red lips, appearing quite fiery and alluring.

Once the make-up was finished, Yang-shi happily pulled her up to take a look.

She was greeted by the sight of a beautiful young woman in a red bridal outfit standing in the room. Her bridal outfit style was the kind that was very commonly seen in rural areas.

The bridal outfit didn't have any embroideries. It merely had circle-shaped designs embroidered by a black thread on the lapels and edges of sleeves and skirt, along with a waistband of about a 3-cun wide dark pattern on red tied around the waist.

The big red sleeves were just like the fleeting clouds during sunrise, while that wide waistband around her waist made her look slender, showing her delicateness and tenderness.

"What a beautiful young lady." At the side, the Good Fortune madam sighed. The brides passed by her hand were not less than a hundred, but this was the first time she had seen such a beautiful young lady.

Yang-shi took a bronze mirror and showed it to Lin Qingwan to let her look at her reflection.

The figure in the mirror was wearing a peach topknot with a red velvet flower on the side of her hair. Light eyebrows, slightly raised phoenix eyes, fair cheeks smooth as jade, beautiful nose and bright red lips….

Lin Qingwan knew that this body's appearance was pretty good. But she didn't expect that she, who previously always given people an elegant and sweet-tempered image, could also be breathtakingly beautiful like this.

It was almost dusk now.

Sounds of firecrackers, gongs, and drums could be heard from outside. A young woman who came to lend a hand came in the running with a smile across her whole face.

"The bridegroom has arrived to escort the bride to the wedding ceremony. Is the bride ready?"

"Alright, she's done." Yang-shi hurriedly helped Lin Qingwan sit properly by the k'ang, and then brought a red veil put on her head.

Suddenly, everything before her eyes became red.

Amid the sound of firecrackers, the door was pushed open, and many people came in at once.

In the middle was Yan Tiezhu.

He was dressed in a red-colored groom's outfit, with a big red flower on his chest. The happiness and joy on the face couldn't be covered.

The bride's brother ought to carry the bride on his back to the sedan chair, but Lin Qingwan's situation here was quite different from others. Thus this duty of carrying the bride to the sedan chair was left to the groom.

Lin Qingwan, with the help of Yang-shi, carefully climbed onto the back of the man in front of her.

His shoulders were quite wide, thick, and very strong, giving people an unlimited sense of security…

There was a burst of laughter and hubbub next to them. Someone shouted, "The bridegroom is carrying the bride to the sedan chair~~~~ Light the firecrackers ~~~"

Once again, there was ear-splitting sounds of firecrackers. Lin Qingwuan felt herself being carried on the back for a while before she was put on the sedan chair.

"The bride has sat, raise the sedan chair~~~"

Slowly the bridal sedan chair rose, after which it swayed and moved forward.

Lin Qingwan was somewhat in a daze..

Is she married? Getting married just like this…

Surrounded by the dazzling red color, Lin Qingwan slowly headed towards her future life, with some fear, some apprehension yet full of expectations…