The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 1067 - 242: Procrastination of Marriage Matters_4

Chapter 1067: Chapter 242: Procrastination of Marriage Matters_4

Thinking over and over, Second Madam Zheng sized up Zheng Yuehan again and couldn’t help but think she was far better than Xie Yi and Pei Qin, breaking into a smile on her face, "We’ll go another day, and next time I’ll take you with me!" Before, the gatekeepers could say the lady of the house wasn’t in and didn’t entertain visitors, but now that Pei Qin had made an appearance, they certainly couldn’t continue to look down their noses and keep people out.

Zheng Yuehan actually wanted to visit Tiance General Mansion more, "I heard that its scenery is all modeled after the landscapes of Jiangnan, and they even have water lilies. It would be wonderful to explore there just once!"

General Pei of Tiance General Mansion was someone they absolutely couldn’t reach, with many young ladies wishing to marry him, but because Princess Xiyun and General Pei harbored intentions for each other, the rest could only watch from afar.

Second Madam Zheng said, "If General Pei is going to marry, I reckon he won’t marry anyone but Princess Xi Yun, unless it’s some other princess! But they say he’s not quite as handsome and charming as Mo Heng." She dismissed the unrealistic thoughts; after all, fantasizing wouldn’t lead to any gains. She needed to think more for her daughter, to secure Mo Heng!

"I’ve only ever seen his figure from behind, never his face in person. When are you going again, Mother?" Zheng Yuehan asked eagerly.

"In a few days." She needed to come up with a plan and also make two new dresses for her daughter, and buy her some new jewelry, ideally when Mo Heng was at home.

But Pei Qin no longer wanted to see them and even told Pei Wendong, "You focus on your studies for now! As for the betrothal, we can discuss it after your examinations."

Pei Wendong’s eyes flickered, "Alright, eldest sister! I will study hard these days!"

Having said her piece, Pei Qin entered the house to coax Jiujiu and Xixi to nap, "When you wake up, there will be delicious food waiting."

"Mother, tell us a story!" Xixi tugged at her.

So Pei Qin lay beside the cool bamboo mat and began to tell a story, "Once, there was a swan that followed its parents on a migration but couldn’t keep up and landed in a village. It followed a family’s ducks home. This family took one look at the ’duck’ and found it so ugly, definitely not one of their own, so they reported it to the authorities... to the Government Office. Then a Government Officer came and took the swan away, and they ended up stewing it to eat. Swan meat is delicious!"

"That’s different from ’The Ugly Duckling’ turning into a swan!" Xixi, accustomed to those fairy tales, widened her eyes, "Mother! Is swan meat really tasty?"

Jiujiu swallowed hard too.

"Tasty! It’s better than chicken, duck, or goose because swans can fly!" Pei Qin nodded.

"I want to eat swan meat!" Xixi was not sleepy anymore.

"Go to sleep! One day, mother will cook you a pot of swan meat!" Pei Qin patted her chubby little face. She shouldn’t leave her daughters in the care of Shen Songming, that wretched man, anymore; looking at the two little foodies, especially Xixi, who was nearly becoming round.

Xixi’s mouth watered, and finally, after falling asleep, she drooled a big puddle.

Pei Qin scolded with a laugh, "Little glutton!" She wiped the drool from Xixi’s face and got up to go to the kitchen to make some snacks.

Pei Yuan also came to help, "Eldest sister! About Xie Yi... Should we give her some guidance?" She was now feeling that Xie Yi wasn’t quite suitable to be their brother’s wife; nearly half a year had passed, and she hadn’t learned a thing.

"Guidance about what?" Pei Qin continued her task as she questioned her.

"I mean, perhaps we should send someone to accompany their siblings to the Xie family, inform the Government Office, and ask for a division of the family property. Once they have an inheritance, they’ll have something to rely on, and Xie Yi might start learning to do something too." Pei Yuan shared her thoughts. They couldn’t always live in their home, with so many demands and complaints.

Pei Qin considered for a moment, "That works! Ask her about it!"

Pei Yuan nodded, and once they finished preparing the hawthorn candy, with the syrup ready, they beckoned Xie Yi over, who had rested, and broached the idea, "...This is just my thought; you could also start learning how to manage a business and gain some experience. But of course, it depends on what you want."

Xie Yi turned pale. Even Pei Yuan had started thinking about sending them away!? She glanced at Pei Qin, her eyes rimmed with redness in her urgency, "Wendong said that once he could take a break, he would accompany us back home. I..."

"It’s just that I thought you might want to learn something, to have something to do," Pei Qin said, seeing her about to cry and couldn’t help but frown.

Xie Yi bit her lip, lifted her skirt, and knelt down, "Madam! I have neither father nor mother, and no one to teach me those things, but it’s not that I don’t know about the hardships of life or don’t want to learn something. Please, Madam, give me some guidance, teach me!"

Seeing her face full of tears and kneeling in such a pitiful state, Pei Qin sighed, "Get up first! I don’t have much time to teach you, but if you are really eager to learn, then catch Pei Yuan when she’s available, and let her give you some pointers!"

Xie Yi knew that her status was different and that if Pei Yuan was willing to teach her, she would naturally be grateful, so she quickly thanked her and stood up.

After speaking with Pei Wendong, he withdrew five hundred taels of silver and went to discuss with Pei Yuan, "Sister! Do you want to open another finished clothing shop? I’d like to invest!"

"Sister told me to do it myself, why are you also thinking of starting a clothing shop?" Pei Yuan asked, knowing full well it was because of Xie Yi.

A hint of timidity flashed in Pei Wendong’s eyes, "If Sister is going to teach Xie Yi, then naturally I’ll have to contribute some capital!" Sister’s family was now living in the General Mansion too, and all living expenses and personal affairs of the residence they occupied were their own responsibility. They didn’t have to teach Xie Yi everything in detail. In business especially, one has to truly get their hands dirty to understand the intricacies. If he invested, it would give Xie Yi a greater confidence and make it easier for her to learn.

"She still has two years to learn, so there’s no hurry," Pei Yuan didn’t commit to the proposal, "The finished clothing shop wasn’t part of my dowry, I can only take her to learn some things."

If it were the Zhao family’s business, indeed Pei Wendong wouldn’t be able to invest further; if he could make his own living, there was no need to take this advantage. Mrs. Zhao and Old Master Zhao were open-minded but might have some slight criticisms of Sister. He simply nodded, asking her to firstly teach Xie Yi.

By the time for the afternoon nap, the Little Radishes had all awoken, and Pei Yuan didn’t say much more but hurried off to tend to her children.

Pei Qin washed the faces of Jiujiu and Xixi and gave them some water to drink before bringing over the skewered hawthorn balls. She poured the warm sugar syrup over them and quickly twirled them upside down in her hand.

Immediately, the syrup exploded into countless threads of white sugar spinning down.

The three Little Radishes watching were all amazed.

"Look at the sugar strands Mommy spins! Aren’t they beautiful?" boasted Pei Qin.

"Beautiful! Beautiful!" Happy was very supportive, complimenting her and reaching out for a taste.

Pei Qin handed him a skewer, one for each.

Jiujiu insisted on trying, and Pei Qin taught her how to spin the sugar strands.

The house was chilled with ice, and the voices of joy and laughter filled the cool room.

Meanwhile, the news that Pei Qin had brought her daughter to the capital had spread.

Before, the Mansion of General Zhaoyong did not entertain guests, and no invitations were replied to. Now that the lady of the house was here, it was time to start socializing.

The Shen family sent the first invitation. Even though there was still some ambiguity between Pei Qin and Shen Songming, she was Mo Heng’s wife. Madam Shen invited her to admire the lotuses, so she was sent an invitation as well.

Pei Qin held the invitation, remarking to her daughter, and glanced at Mo Heng, "I’ll be going, and I’ll surely embarrass you!" Admiring flowers was an elegant affair she was not skilled in—she could only pick them! But he wanted her to go, was he not afraid of embarrassment?

"Some embarrassment is worth it, why not go!?" Mo Heng’s handsome face darkened slightly. He didn’t want anyone coveting her, but he also didn’t want nobody to know she was his wife!

Pei Qin rolled her eyes at him, mainly because she was also very busy at the moment! Seeing Huang Qiu waiting, she tossed the invitation to her, "Reply to the invitation, I’ll go!"

Huang Qiu took the invitation, acknowledging the task to reply.

"Now that she’s going, Sister Shushu! Let’s go too!"

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