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Chen walked home quickly, fearing that if she walked too slowly, someone would snatch away her favorite daughter-in-law. ◇↓, when she was almost at the door of her house, Chen saw a familiar person walking towards her from the opposite side.
Seeing the person coming, Chen broke into a sweat again.
Chen was familiar with this person. She was the best matchmaker in the town, an official matchmaker who received salary from the government and registered in the government office. People called her Mrs. Xue. There was no one in Kaoshan Town who didn't know her, and there was no family she didn't know or understand. She knew every family that needed to marry off their daughters or daughters-in-law, and she was successful in every matchmaking and guarantee.
It was precisely because Mrs. Xue's matchmaking had never failed that Chen was so worried. Now Chen was worried that a matchmaker was going to Li Shu's house to propose marriage. If this Mrs. Xue was also proposing marriage to Li Shu's family, then it would be bad, because Mrs. Xue had never failed in her marriage proposal.
"Her aunt, where are you going? Come to my house and have a drink." Chen took the initiative to greet Mrs. Xue, feeling worried in her heart that Mrs. Xue was also going to Li Shu's house to propose marriage.
"Madam Zhu, I just came back from Zhao Dazui's house for a marriage proposal and I'm about to go home. I just drank some water and I won't drink any more. Your Ping'anlang is the youngest juren in our town. Madam Zhu, just wait to enjoy your life." When Mrs. Xue saw Chen greeting her, she quickly waved the flowery handkerchief in her hand and declined with a smile.
It turned out that the marriage proposal was to Zhao Dazui's family. Chen was delighted to hear that, as long as it wasn't to the Li family.
"Aunt, why are you being so polite? Come on, let's go to my house and have some water." Chen said as she took Mrs. Xue's hand and pulled them towards her home.
Chen felt that she was really lucky today. First, she heard that many people were eyeing her future daughter-in-law, and then a matchmaker came to her door. She was so lucky that nothing could stop her.
How to chop wood? An axe is not enough.
How to get a wife? You can’t do it without a matchmaker.
In the Ming Dynasty, you had to have a matchmaker to get married. If you didn't have someone to match you, you would be looked down upon, you wouldn't be recognized, and you wouldn't be able to hold your head up for the rest of your life.
Just now Chen was worried about where to find a matchmaker, and was afraid that it would be too late. Now Mrs. Xue appeared out of nowhere, making Chen overjoyed, so she held on to her and refused to let go.
"His father, hurry up and pour the tea. And bring a plate of our fruit snacks for her aunt to try."
Chen pulled Mrs. Xue into the house without saying a word. After entering the house, she loudly instructed Zhu's father to pour tea and so on, making Zhu's father so busy that he couldn't stop his legs. She also blamed Zhu's father for not allowing her to arrange a marriage for Zhu Ping'an earlier.
On the other side, the matchmakers in Xiahe Village who were chattering non-stop saw Chen holding Mrs. Xue's hand and walking into the gate of Zhu's house. They breathed a sigh of relief as if they had completed their mission, and then walked towards the river together. After a while, several matchmakers smiled happily and touched their money bags and went their separate ways.
The clear stream was frozen. Leaves were flying on the ice. At this moment, someone was standing by the river. If Zhu Pingan looked at him again, he would find that this person looked a bit like Wang Xiaoer, who had saved him.
Mrs. Xue stayed at Zhu Ping'an's house for about a cup of tea, and then went to the Li family in Shanghe Village under the kind words of Chen and Zhu's father. She was holding various gifts that Chen had found at home.
"It's all your fault. If I hadn't happened to hear it, this daughter-in-law would have become someone else's." After sending Mrs. Xue away, Chen got angry at Zhu's father.
Zhu's father knew he was in the wrong. Of course, even if he was not in the wrong, Zhu's father would not dare to say a word when Chen was angry.
After walking for about ten minutes, Mrs. Xue arrived at the Li family in Shanghe Village. After knocking on the door and explaining her purpose, the doorman Uncle Li looked confused. But when he heard Mrs. Xue say that she was matchmaking for Zhu Ping'an from Xiahe Village, the doorman Uncle Zhao did not dare to delay and went to report to the courtyard.
This was the first time for the young lady to get married. In more than ten years, this was the first matchmaker to come to the Li family to propose marriage to the young lady. There had never been a matchmaker before. When the doorman, Uncle Zhao, heard about the marriage proposal, his first reaction was to drive her away. What a joke. The young lady was of such status that no one in this small town could match her. However, when he heard that the proposal was for Zhu Ping'an from Xiahe Village, Uncle Zhao did not dare to be vague. This was the youngest scholar in the town. It was said that there were only a handful of such scholars in the entire Ming Dynasty. Moreover, Zhu Ping'an was also someone that the master had favored.
Therefore, when the doorman Uncle Zhao heard the matchmaker say that she was matchmaking for Zhu Ping'an, he hurried to the yard to report.
"Master, someone is here to propose marriage to the young lady."
The doorman, Uncle Zhao, hurried into the backyard and reported the news to the rich man Li after seeing him.
Mr. Li was showing off the gifts he brought back to Li Shu. After hearing the news that someone was matchmaking for his daughter, Mr. Li almost dropped the top-grade South Sea pearls he had bought at a high price on the ground.
Li Shu is the apple of the eye of the rich man Li, who is afraid that she will melt in his palm. As for his daughter's marriage, the rich man Li only has a preliminary plan, which is to recruit a live-in son-in-law. This live-in son-in-law must be of equal status and be good to his daughter.
Now when he heard that someone came to propose marriage, the rich man Li’s first reaction was to give the matchmaker something and send me away.
"Uncle Li, whose family is proposing marriage?" the little maidservant beside him asked curiously.
"The Zhu family in Xiahe Village is the young master Zhu who just passed the imperial examination." Uncle Li, the doorman, said while panting. He had run too fast just now and hadn't even caught his breath yet.
On the side, Li Shu, who was casually scratching the gifts brought back by the rich man Li, smiled briefly when she heard this, and then turned cold.
"Invite them to have a cup of tea, and then..." Before Mr. Li finished his words, Li Shu on the other side spoke.
"All of you get out."
Before the rich man Li finished speaking, Li Shu drove everyone out of the room.
Mr. Li hadn't finished his words yet, and he sent them away after drinking tea. Generally speaking, people would not offend matchmakers even if they were dissatisfied, because they were afraid of offending matchmakers and fearing that they would say something bad about their children and affect their children's reputation.
The little maid Baozi, the old nanny and the little maid in the room, as well as the doorman Uncle Li and others, all lowered their heads and retreated.
The lady was angry and so scared.
They all knew Li Shu's temper. If Li Shu was angry, she could overthrow the entire Li family.
Then, Baozi, the little maid, and others who were hiding far away heard the voices of the rich man Li and his eldest daughter in the house. It seemed that the master and the daughter were very angry, especially the daughter. She seemed to be so angry that she seemed to have broken many things in the house.
Then, the rich man Li, with a gloomy face, asked someone to bring the matchmaker in and arranged the marriage.
The young lady is so pitiful. Just now, the master must have wanted her to be friends with the bad guy from Xiahe Village, but she disagreed, so she got angry and threw things.
The young lady was so pitiful. Even after losing her temper and throwing things, she couldn't change the master's mind.
The master is really something. Usually, when the young lady gets angry, the master will agree to everything she says. Why doesn’t he agree to it this time
Poor lady.
oops
Then wouldn't I have to fight with the bad guys in Xiahe Village...
As she thought about it, a certain little maid blushed, clutching the corner of her clothes with her hands, feeling shy and embarrassed, her face was burning. (To be continued...)