Concubine's three acres of pastoral garden

Chapter 36

On this day, Xianglai saw water barnyard grass growing in the rice field, so she went to the field to pull the rice before it bloomed, and went home to have a meal and rest at noon, but she saw Xiufen's mother sitting on the edge of her kang crying, mother. Still by the side.

She knowingly asked: "What's the matter, auntie, isn't she going to marry a daughter-in-law? Why are you crying when you should be happy?"

Seeing Xianglai coming back, Xiufenniang wiped her wet eyes embarrassedly, took Xianglai's hand and said: "Oh, look left and right, I still like Xianglai, she looks good and capable..." She said He turned his eyes to Xianglai Niang again, and said: "The key is that your mother is reasonable, and you don't have to worry about getting along. The blessing of getting married is not only to find a good wife and son-in-law, but also to find a good in-law. If you can raise good children, the two families will be harmonious..."

Xianglai saw that she was talking about marriage with her uncle's family, but she said that she liked her so nakedly. If Guifang knew it was really bad, she could only talk back, saying: "Look at what my aunt said, sister Guifang is better than me. It's much better, since I was a child, I am more capable than me, and my temper is also sharper than me, Shunzi and her are a natural match!"

Niang Xiufen also realized that she said something wrong, she withdrew her hand and said, "Yeah, I actually like Xiufen quite a bit, but your aunt is really hard to talk to, and you want so much gift money, where can I get it!"

Xianglai inquired, "How much dowry does my aunt want from your family?"

Xiu Fenniang wrinkled her face and sighed, "Oh, at first it cost 300 taels of silver, and then Jiang Ergong dropped it to 200 taels after all he said! But the 200 taels are really too much. The whole Xitun along the Yangtze River was spent when Dachang married his wife. 150 taels, that's the money from your family, never heard of anyone asking for such a lot of gifts!"

200 taels!Xiang Lai smacked for a moment, and he only earned 35 taels from hunting for a whole winter, which is the reason why he used the new tricks to achieve good results. It is said that the hunters in Dongtun can't match his income after three winters, let alone those It only points to the farmers who grow grain and sell money, 200 taels of silver, I'm afraid they won't be able to save it for a lifetime.

Thinking of this, she asked again: "You only discussed it with my aunt, didn't you try it with my uncle?"

Xianglai Niang answered from the side: "Why not? If Jiang Ergong hadn't said this in front of your uncle, your uncle and aunt had a dispute, I'm afraid 300 taels of silver would not be less!"

Xiu Fenniang said: "Yes, if you are as kind as your uncle, I have nothing to worry about, but who knows that he can't afford to be a family, if he is not sick now, your aunt let him, Shun Zi and Xiu Fen It's simply impossible."

Xiang Lai said: "That's true. After my uncle fell ill, my aunt has more scruples. For example... she is very worried that no one will take care of her!"

Xiu Fenniang was slightly stunned, looked up at her, and said: "Xiang Lai said this is..."

Xianglai said: "Of course I want to help my aunt by saying this. As the saying goes, a son-in-law is half a son-in-law. Brother Shunzi married Sister Guifang. In the future, he can still see that uncle and aunt are not cared about by anyone?"

Xiufenniang said: "But I heard that Zhaodi is more obedient than before when she came back this time. It's been a long time since we've been arguing."

Xianglai said: "Whether you are noisy or not is only on the surface. What you think will not change. No, after arguing with Sister Guifang two days ago, I lost my temper again. I just eat and sleep every day, and I don't even coax Jiabao. Now, the eldest aunt is smart, what can't be seen!"

Xiu Fenniang suddenly realized, she slapped her thigh and said: "Xiang Lai is right, I'm looking for Jiang Er Gong!"

Speaking of getting up, he was about to go out.

Xianglai quickly pulled her back and said, "Auntie, what do you need Jiang Ergong to say about this kind of thing? Wouldn't it be more sincere for you to go directly to the auntie? Besides, the auntie waived the gift money if the matter was not publicized. Wouldn't she be happier if she could show off her generosity in front of her."

After hearing this, Xiu Fenniang said with some embarrassment: "Xiang Lai, you don't know, I, I panic when I think of your aunt, and I always feel a little speechless in front of her!"

Xianglai stood there with a dazed face, she really didn't expect that her eldest aunt would have such awe-inspiring prestige.

Seeing Niang Xiufen's headache, Xiang Lai Niang said: "If you don't want to go alone, I can accompany you."

Xiufenniang said happily: "That's really great."

It was time to take a nap at this time, so the two of them didn't go there immediately, and Xiufen's mother went home to talk to Xiufen's father and Shunzi about it.

Xianglai continued to pull weeds in the fields after lunch, and returned to the house in the evening. She heard from her mother that she had already been to the East Courtyard with Niang Xiufen. Yes, but he didn't let go of the dowry.

Xianglai reckoned that even if Mrs. Zhang couldn't turn the corner for the time being, she would figure it out after a long time. Marrying her daughter to Qianjie was not much different from living in her own home. They can come back, and the Geng family are all honest people, even if the couple really have to rely on their daughter to take care of the elderly, the Geng family will not show them face.

Things really happened as Xiang Lai expected.In the next few days, Guifang, Shen Wanjin, Shunzi's father, and Shunzi's mother worked together to persuade them. Even Shunzi went to Shen's house and promised Zhang that if they had a hard time in their old age, he and Guifang would take Zhang's family home. Take it with Shen Chengjin, and be filial to them like your own sons.

Mrs. Zhang couldn't stand the ideological offensive of so many people, and finally agreed with her heart to let Guifang marry the Geng family. As for the dowry, although it was not completely free, it changed from 200 taels to 50 taels. Friends raised a chip, it is estimated that it will not take much effort to hold it.

According to the local customs, the wedding of Guifang and Shunzi was scheduled after the autumn harvest, and during this period, Mrs. Zhang would not interfere with their meeting.

At this point, Xianglai is finally at ease, she is still very happy that Guifang and Shunzi's lovers finally got married.

Guifang and Shunzi had tossed and tossed about the incident for nearly a month, and it was almost July, and Xianglai counted the days, and it has been a whole year since she came here.This year is considered a small achievement. At least my family no longer has to rely on people's faces to live, and I have planted a cornucopia of rice fields. This rice field is all my hope for a better life here.

These days are just at the critical time when the rice is blooming. Xianglai also shifted her attention from the marriage between Guifang and Shunzi to the weather. While watching the water in the field every day, she also prayed for God’s blessing. These days must be sunny and windy Beautiful, don't delay the production due to continuous rain.

Maybe God really heard her prayers, the sun has been shining brightly these days, and the weather couldn't be better.

Xianglai sits on the ridge of the field and watches every day, smelling the aroma of rice flowers and imagining the scene of a bumper harvest, looking forward to how to make her mother, second aunt, and Tianlai live a better life in the future.

(End of this chapter)