The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 835 - 179: Don’t Even Think About Marrying In_3

Chapter 835: Chapter 179: Don’t Even Think About Marrying In_3

Pei Qian’s birthday fell on the tenth of April, and though her coming-of-age ceremony wasn’t celebrated grandly, she still had to have her hair styled and wear the traditional hairpin. Lady Yu and Grandma Fang would definitely come, and Fang Hui would be there as well. Neighbors in the know would also bring gifts, and there would be a feast they couldn’t do without.

Pei Qin had a ruby gold hairpin and a pair of turquoise bracelets made for Pei Qian.

Pei Yuan also made her two sets of clothes in advance.

After Qingming Festival, Pei Qian’s birthday arrived.

Pei Wendong, Xiao Yong, and Chang Yonglin all rushed back for it, and each of them brought rockwork as gifts.

Old Lady Chang also sent a pair of jade bracelets and two lengths of gold thread fabric.

With Lady Fang absent, and the incident with Bu Yao during Pei Qin’s own coming-of-age ceremony, the hair-styling was done by Lady Yu, and Pei Qin inserted the hairpins herself.

Fang Fu came over with a pouch, "Qinqin! Use this hairpin!"

Pei Qin looked at him suspiciously, and upon opening the pouch, she found a plum blossom ruby hairpin, "From Fang Liuming?"

Fang Fu looked at her with a mischievous grin, "Look how festive this hairpin is, right? The plum blossoms might look plain, but Dalang painstakingly carved them himself, bit by bit."

Pei Qin examined the craftsmanship, which was indeed quite crude, "Let’s use it then!"

Fang Fu just laughed.

Once the ceremony was over, Pei Qin offered a few words of thanks and placed the hairpin in Pei Qian’s hair. Lady Yu saw the hairpin and blinked before her eyes crinkled with a smile.

Grandma Fang was puzzled.

Lady Yu whispered softly, "It’s from Dalang."

Grandma Fang looked on and also started to laugh.

Watching the two displaying such warm smiles toward Pei Qian, Fang Hui felt as though she was being cut by a smile as swift as a knife. She now felt like an outsider while they were the true close-knit family.

Pei Qian touched the plum blossom ruby hairpin on her head, pursed her lips, and a smile bloomed on her face.

Pei Yuan thanked everyone and invited them to sit down for the meal.

After the meal, when the other guests had left, Lady Yu and Grandma Fang stayed behind to discuss the wedding date again, "Dalang has been assigned to Baoning County, a place we’re not even sure where it is; from what my father said, it’s somewhere in the mountains, close to the western border, and it’s not easy to travel back and forth. He’s not young anymore, and Qianqian has come of age too. Let’s settle on a wedding date for them this year!"

Pei Yuan looked to her elder sister; now that the marriage was agreed upon and Cousin Liuming was indeed not getting any younger, having the wedding before the year ended would mean one less concern for her sister.

Pei Qin, seeing Lady Yu and Grandma Fang making frequent trips, relented, "Let’s plan for the end of the year then!"

Lady Yu was delighted to hear this and exchanged a glance with Grandma Fang before immediately saying, "There are no good dates left in December, but the twenty-ninth of November is auspicious. Why don’t we set that date? It’s also the last good day in this year!"

Pei Qin said they would have someone calculate it.

After sending them away, she had someone check the fortune, and indeed, the twenty-ninth of November was the last auspicious day of the year. She replied to Lady Yu and confirmed the date.

Lady Yu and Grandma Fang began their preparations for the nuptials, and Pei Qian started embroidering her dowry.

Fang Liuming’s letter finally arrived a few days late. It was filled with descriptions of Baoning County’s customs, fun anecdotes, and how he was adapting to his new role at the Government Office. Although Baoning County wasn’t wealthy, it was a good place to achieve political merits. He planned to build terraced fields, develop tea plantations, and cultivate dried goods like wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots, as well as game breeding.

He also mentioned dried game, smoked meat, dried fruits, fritillary bulbs, chili peppers, tea, and other goods he would send back.

Pei Qin kept some and sent some to Pei Yuan, while the rest was sent to Fang Family Village.

It was only then that Fang Li learned Fang Liuming had been assigned to Baoning County. He leapt up in shock, "Wasn’t it decided he’d stay as a Capital Official in Jingcheng? Why the sudden assignment? Where’s this Baoning County anyway, a place reputed for fritillary production, thousands of miles away? To give up a sure position as a Capital Official for some godforsaken backwater? Are Pei Qin and her family scheming something? Sending Dalang off to such a remote corner, are they trying to clear the path for her brother?"

"Nonsense!" Old Scholar Fang exploded in anger, "You don’t know a damn thing, so stop spouting rubbish!"

Seeing his face turn red with fury, Grandma Fang quickly came to calm him down but glared at Fang Li, "Since Dalang has been sent away, it must be for a beneficial reason. You don’t understand their political affairs, so stop your blustering and see how you’ve angered your father!"

Fang Li was even more exasperated, spinning in frustration, "I don’t understand? Ask around, who doesn’t know it’s better to be an official in Jingcheng? Would Dalang be sent away if they hadn’t pushed for it?"

Old Scholar Fang, having caught his breath, pointed at Fang Li and scolded, "You ignorant fool! Do you think with his status as a junior Palace Graduate, with no power or influence, he could establish himself in Jingcheng? A single plaque falls in the capital and could hit how many officials. Do you really think promotions come that easily? Without achievements, without experience, what right do you have to rise up?"