The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 473: Even Became a Father (7)_1

Chapter 473: Chapter 473: Even Became a Father (7)_1

Pei Yuan felt a wave of shame and indignation. Who would be so blunt right from the start?

Before Zhao Xiaochen arrived, Landlord Zhao had briefed him on the detailed circumstances and Pei Yuan’s situation. His family also thought well of her, and since he was already interested, he found Pei Yuan quite to his liking and naturally had no objections. Besides, he was straightforward and not very eloquent, used to being in the guardhouse where interactions were mostly with rough men, so he tended to speak more directly.

Even Landlord Zhao couldn’t help but want to give him a disapproving look. Who talks like that as soon as they arrive?

Seeing that he was being signaled, Zhao Xiaochen realized his words were inappropriate and quickly apologized, "That... I’m sorry for what I just said."

"Mm." Pei Yuan responded, eager to leave. However, her elder sister had mentioned that this family was in good standing and that if the person was decent, she should learn more about him to determine if he’s someone she could spend her life with. She advised her to be prudent, so Pei Yuan endured her blushing and stood aside without leaving.

Zhao Xiaochen lowered his voice and asked, "Does your nose still hurt?"

Pei Yuan shook her head.

Zhao Xiaochen laughed, "Although we are just soldiers in the guardhouse, sometimes we have to train in armor. A bump in that situation would really be painful."

"Your training entails martial arts as well?" Pei Yuan asked, looking at him curiously.

"We have to practice martial arts. If needed, we might even have to enter the battlefield and kill..." Zhao Xiaochen was cut off mid-sentence when he saw Landlord Zhao’s stern gaze and immediately stopped talking.

Despite his decent family background and holding a position in the guardhouse, the prospect of marrying into a family that might be sent to the battlefield, which certainly carried the risk of casualties, would concern anyone considering such a match. The possibility of becoming a widow was a serious consideration, so Landlord Zhao had reminded him before arriving not to mention it. But he couldn’t help himself and the words slipped out anyway.

Pei Yuan, on the other hand, hadn’t thought much about the dangers, and hearing that he might be sent to the battlefield brought a new respect for soldiers to her eyes.

Pei Qin furrowed her brows; being a government soldier meant one would have to go to war. During peaceful times, they would garrison and farm, but once a war arose, the soldiers maintained for thousands of days would be deployed, inevitably leading to casualties.

After Landlord Zhao and Zhao Xiaochen left, Pei Qin analyzed the Zhao family’s situation and the potential future for Zhao Xiaochen, allowing Pei Yuan to make her own decision.

Pei Yuan was somewhat undecided; she could handle trivial family matters, but she seldom made decisions on major issues. Now that a major decision had been left to her, she felt quite lost.

Pei Qin thus had her consider two other prospects, providing detailed analyses of their specific circumstances as well.

Comparing the three, she naturally found herself favoring one, and the answer became clear.

Pei Yuan, somewhat embarrassed, said, "Elder sister! I..."

"Alright! Since you’ve made your choice, and he is indeed a decent person. Landlord Chang’s house helped us check, and their family’s background is pretty good, so let’s settle this!" Pei Qin said with a smile as she gently stroked her sister’s head. So young to be betrothed and married, the ancient system was indeed ruthless!

Pei Yuan blushed and lowered her head.

Landlord Zhao, thinking she was considering others and that there was no hope, didn’t expect the tables to turn so soon. He immediately sent word for his cousin’s family to come and formally propose.

Zhao Xiaochen’s family and Landlord Zhao were close kin, not yet distant through three degrees of mourning. They celebrated New Year’s together and performed ancestral rites, but didn’t usually live together. Zhao Xiaochen’s family was in Qinghe Town, more than thirty miles away.

"That’s too far! It won’t be convenient for visiting back and forth!" Pei Qian complained upon hearing that the engagement was settled so quickly, frowning and showing displeasure.

"We won’t be staying in Taiping Town all the time either," Pei Qin remarked, thinking the distance wasn’t a big issue.

Thinking about her elder sister leaving for Capital Jingcheng to marry Shen Songming, which was even farther away, Pei Qian pursed her lips and said no more.

Old Scholar Fang, after hearing about Zhao Xiaochen’s family, also felt it was a good match. Landlord Zhao was a reliable man, and since Landlord Chang had people check, plus Pei Qin always had a keen and incisive insight into people and matters, the marriage proposal seemed trustworthy.

The two families quickly settled the marriage, with the Zhao family presenting two carts of betrothal gifts and a dowry of sixty-six taels of silver.

Pei Qian thought it was too little and was quite dissatisfied, "Didn’t they say their family owns over a hundred mu of land, and yet they only brought this much for the betrothal gifts!"

"Who gives away generations of accumulated wealth in dowry just to marry off a daughter-in-law!?" Pei Qin shot her a glance.

Sixty-six taels of silver was already considered a lot by the villagers, and had it not been for Pei Yuan, the Zhao family wouldn’t have offered so much.

The agreed dowry was a fixed amount, but the two carts of betrothal gifts were exaggeratedly rumored to be filled with all sorts of fine goods. The Zhao family certainly did not skimp on appearances. With such a generous dowry, no one knew how much Pei Yuan would actually receive in her bridal procession.

Old Pei’s House and Zhao Junchao’s family hadn’t yet broken off their previous engagement, and now Pei Yuan was already betrothed again—and to such an excellent match at that. It once again stung Lady Chen and Pei Wenlee.

Pei Wenlee declared she would rather die than marry Zhao Junchao, "Why should everyone else find a good match while I have to marry someone like that!? I won’t have it!" Even lowborn scoundrels and bastards could marry into a good family, but her brother was a Scholar, and she was determined to find an even better household to marry into!

She had shouted these words who knows how many times, but what she said didn’t count for much.

Pei Qin, delighted, distributed the happiness cakes and various foods, keeping two fish for themselves at home.

It had been a long time since they prepared fish, one braised in sweet and sour sauce, the other boiled in spicy broth.

The sweet and sour fish required deep-frying, which Pei Yuan also knew how to do. Pei Qin watched from the side, letting her and Pei Qian cook, as the fishy smell made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

Lu Hai noticed she was drawing closer and frowned as if he was feeling off, pursing his lips tightly. Young Master Shen... seems to have lost all hope!

When the meal was ready, Pei Qin, with her mouth watering, grabbed a piece with her chopsticks and was about to swallow it when her stomach churned. She frowned as she forced it down and suddenly began to retch violently.

Lu Hai looked up at the sky, speechless. Shen Songming was out of his league. Mo Heng was already on his way to fatherhood.