Yue Xuyao waited until Liu Youwen got off school, and then left after having dinner at Liu's house.
This afternoon, Liu Meiniang pulled Yue Zhongyao and talked for a long time.
But in Yue Zhongyao's opinion, he felt as if his head was very dizzy. What did Mei Niang mean after saying so much?
Yue Zhongyao was not stupid. He naturally heard that the mother and daughter seemed to have different ideas.
Mrs. Liu repeated this several times, and her words were nothing more than a hint that he should give an explanation to her Mei Niang as soon as possible.
It was revealed in her words that Mei Niang was getting older and it was hard for her to continue wasting her time.
Although mother and daughter only learned of Liu's father's death after Yue Zhongyao came back, considering the time of Liu's father's death, the three years of filial piety had passed, and Liu Meiniang was naturally ready to get married.
Besides, Liu Youwen is about to end her life, and she needs money for everything. The pen and ink required every day will cost a lot of money. If she is not a family, how can she have the nerve to speak?
Yue Zhongyao naturally understood what Liu meant. But what did Mei Niang mean?
Don't seem to care much?
Yes?
It gave him the feeling that Mei Niang looked like she could afford it.
Also, why did Meiniang ask him about Zheng Yuan, the youngest son of Zheng Zhixian’s family?
Zheng Zhi County has several children, but there are only two legitimate sons born to Mrs. Zheng. The eldest son is not around and has taken office elsewhere. Zheng Yuan is the youngest son of Mrs. Zheng, and he has been doted on since he was a child. In his opinion, culture cannot be as good as martial arts.
Not enough.
Zheng Yuan was already married, and his wife was the daughter of a wealthy family in the neighboring county. I heard that the dowry was spread across several streets in Qingchuan County.
Even if Zheng Yuan has no prospects in this life, he can still have enough food and clothing just by relying on his wife's dowry.
Besides, Zheng Zhixian is not a person with a clear mind. I heard that Zheng Yuan’s monthly salary was 50 taels, and the magistrate allocated him fifty taels for his expenses.
Fifty taels. The combined monthly salary of most of the county government's handymen and agents might not be fifty taels.
But then Zheng Yuan should have nothing to do with the Liu family, right?
Is there something he doesn't know?
Yue Zhongyao was confused.
But he didn't ask, he just told everything he knew about Zheng Yuan.
However, he still confirmed again and again that the Liu family had not offended anyone, and then he felt a little relieved...
Before leaving, Yue Zhongyao gave Liu's mother a few coins in his wallet.
Mother Liu made some concessions and accepted.
The family of three sent Yue Zhongyao to the alley outside the door and watched him leave with a sense of reluctance.
Turning back to the courtyard, Mrs. Liu hurriedly pulled Liu Meiniang into the room.
"What's the matter with you, girl? Why did you look like you were rejecting me three thousand miles away just now? Yue Zhongyao is soft-hearted, because of your father's kindness to him. He will not ignore us. As long as we work harder, we may be able to live another life.
In two months, you will be your wife-in-law. Why are you talking nonsense? Are you still asking about irrelevant men in front of him? Are you trying to make me angry?"
Madam Liu was furious and pulled Liu Meiniang to give her a lesson.
Liu Meiniang sneered in her heart, but she didn't show it on her face.
She wasn't going to hang herself on the tree called Yue Zhongyao, so what was the joy of being the wife of Yue Zhongyao? She had to give it a try before she would be willing to do it.
Mrs. Liu looked at Liu Meiniang's appearance and frowned. She said with some uncertainty, "Is it possible that you despise Yue Zhongyao? You have just been asking the young master from Zheng Zhixian's family, could it be..."
Liu Meiniang pursed her lips and said nothing.
Is there anything Liu doesn’t understand after meeting him?
He leaned over and slapped Liu Meiniang hard on the shoulder.
"You damn girl! How can you imagine the son of the county magistrate? Not to mention his family's status, but our family's status! Besides, Zheng Yuan is already married, do you want to be a concubine?"
Seeing that Liu Meiniang didn't deny it, she said bitterly: "Damn girl, I won't agree! Even if your father finds out, he will crawl out of the ground and scold you! Get rid of that idea as soon as possible!"
Ms. Liu was furious. She didn't know her daughter had such thoughts.
But Liu Meiniang didn't take it seriously at all.
When Mrs. Liu was about to slap her again, she said: "Mom! Being a concubine is different from being a concubine. Being the second wife of the magistrate's son is not the same as others!"
Mrs. Liu was so angry: "I'm just a concubine. What's the difference! Besides, I heard that Zheng Yuan's wife was very virtuous. Less than two months after she got married, she turned on the two girls around her.
I don’t care about Zheng Yuan hanging around the flowers, I’m just afraid that Zheng Yuan will have many women in the backyard in the future. How dare you compete with others when you have nothing?”
Liu Meiniang said casually: "She is the daughter of a merchant, and her family is all pointing to the county magistrate. How dare she think otherwise. Besides, there are many women in the backyard. It just shows that Zheng Yuan is greedy for sex."
As she spoke, Liu Meiniang touched her pretty face and said, "As long as he is greedy for color, is his daughter still afraid that she won't be able to marry him? Besides, Zheng Yuan has only had one daughter so far. If in the future...
…”
There was a longing look on Liu Meiniang's face, as if she had already seen her holding her beloved son in the backyard.
Then he said to her mother: "My daughter is not stupid. She has worked with her in a wealthy family since she was a child. She has seen and heard a lot, and she is not afraid that she will not be able to cope with it. Besides, with our family like this, my mother feels that she can't handle it."
Can Yue Zhongyao's monthly salary of 800 wen a month be able to support Wen's brother's education and career management? No matter how much he earns, do you think the Wu family can leave money to him? Didn't my mother always hope that Wen's brother will be successful in the future?
Can he pursue an official career? Could it be that he will be delayed in vain?"
After hearing these words, Mrs. Liu suddenly lowered her raised hand.
Then Mrs. Wu, can’t she see clearly?
It's clearly a force.
Yue Zhongyao wished he could hold all the money he earned in his hands. How could a person who even planned his wife's dowry expect money to leak out of her hands?
Her original idea was to lure Yue Zhongyao to live permanently in Qingchuan City, preferably with their family, so that he could take care of her family in close proximity. And Yue Zhongyao could keep it in his daughter's hands whenever he got the money.
She doesn't think this is a big problem.
Mrs. Wu would never leave her whole family behind and live in the city with her son.
However, Yue Zhongyao's income was really too little.
She and her daughter can wait for him to survive. But can Wen'er wait?
Wen'er is going to die this year. As soon as he passes the children's examination, we plan to let him study in an academy. He will have to live in an academy by then, and money will be needed everywhere.
But let your daughter be a concubine?
No! She won't agree.
"You gave up your idea early. Besides, if you become a concubine, your brother's career will also be affected."
Liu Meiniang rolled her eyes at her mother and said: "Mom, when Brother Wen becomes successful, are you still afraid that your daughter will not be able to make it? As long as she becomes Mrs. Ru, she may be offered a job in the future. Who dares to laugh at Brother Wen?"
There are only two legitimate sons in Zhengzhi County. The eldest son has already become an official. Are you still worried that the younger son will not have an official position? Even if he cannot pass the exam, Zhengzhi County will definitely donate an official position to Zheng Yuan in the future. In addition, there are
Zheng Yuan’s family spared no effort to provide him with money and help him find a way out, but they are still afraid that he won’t be able to make a living?”
After hearing this, Mrs. Liu slapped her again and said in a hateful voice: "You damn girl, you said so. Zheng Yuan relies on his wife's natal family. She has a wealthy natal family and is also his legitimate wife. You
What’s there?”
Liu Meiniang disagreed, she was not helpless.
Then he said to Mrs. Liu: "Mom, your daughter will always get married, either from your in-law's family or from another family. And our Liu family still needs Brother Wen to inherit the incense and support the family. Besides, his health has not been good in the past two years. Occasionally, he has to marry someone."
Do you think you don’t need money to take some medicine or some good supplements? Or do you think we two should get up earlier, go to bed later, and take on more work?"
Ms. Liu was silent.
She couldn't argue with her daughter.
Seeing her daughter working from dawn to dusk to get jobs, and even helping others wash clothes in cold water during the winter, with her hands turning red from the cold, just to earn a few pen and ink pennies for Wen'er, her heart ached violently.
The husband is dead. Wen'er is their last hope for the Liu family.
Even before her death, her husband thought deeply about this son and asked Yue Zhongyao to come back with a message saying that no matter how hard and tired she was, she would still cultivate this son.
If she delays Wen'er's future, how can she have the face to meet her husband a hundred years later?
Besides, Wen'er has been in poor health in recent years. Besides studying, she is reluctant to do anything else. If Wen'er's career is hindered, how will Wen'er make a living in the future?
But she didn't want her daughter to be a concubine.
Mei Niang only sees the bright and glamorous side of wealthy people's homes, but she doesn't know the dirty and cruel things inside.
Even if she still has to live like this in the future, she will feel at ease.
"Anyway, let's put your thoughts to rest as soon as possible. I won't let you become someone's concubine."
Mrs. Liu was afraid that her daughter would say something else, so after saying this, she turned around and left the room.
Liu Meiniang watched her mother go out, but did not call her mother to stop her. The words her mother said to her just now were like a strong wind blowing, and no trace was left.
She has her life to live.
Yue Zhongyao, let's be a backup.
Qiao Mingjin didn't care at all what happened and what gossip happened in Qingchuan City.
Yayi Workshop has resumed work for a month. With the addition of six new carpenters, a lot of tension has been relieved.
In fact, this carving is a slow and meticulous work. The more nervous and impatient you are, the less good your work will be.
Even the smallest details may affect the overall image of the root carving. No detail can be ignored.
Fortunately, those six masters were all stable. Even if Qiao Mingjin asked them to work as assistants with Father He and others, they did not show any dissatisfaction.
He was very respectful to Father He, Wu Yong and others, even Yue Dalei, who was only half a carpenter.
He is not ashamed to ask questions and works extremely carefully and attentively.
Qiao Mingjin looked very happy in her eyes.
Even the masters in the workshop did not hesitate to praise Qiao Mingjin several times.
Qiao Mingjin sighed, Zhou Yanqing really has a good eye for selecting people.
Qiao Mingjin looked at them coldly for a month, and finally decided to let them design and produce root carvings alone. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations, monthly votes, and your support is my biggest motivation.
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ps: This is the timing. Dear friends, Xiyu went home to celebrate the New Year at noon today. I am so happy. The distance of more than 2,000 kilometers was reached in less than three hours. This is the rhythm of time travel. Wow, haha. Dear
