The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

“Mother, I understand this principle. No one is perfect, and nothing goes smoothly. This daughter-in-law is still passable on the surface, so I haven’t brought things up with her yet. I’ll wait until Zhuzhu is settled after her marriage before saying anything. Otherwise, I’m afraid Zhuzhu will overthink things. She’s still young and can’t see the intricacies of the situation. She might think her sister-in-law is a good person and treat her like a real sister. I don’t want to be the bad guy and ruin their relationship so early on.”

Daya also had her own concerns.

Piggy is the only daughter in the family and has been loved by her father and brothers since she was a child. When the whole family lived together, the butcher and his wife also valued this granddaughter. As a result, Piggy is somewhat simple-minded. Although she is smart, she is not very cunning.

If she were to reveal this to Zhuzhu, she would definitely have a hard time thinking about it.

Marriage should be a joyous occasion, and she didn't want to make this a public affair and cause her daughter distress on her wedding day.

To leave behind bad memories during the most important time of one's life.

Furthermore, if a conflict were to break out, the one caught in the middle, torn between the two sides, would be Donkey Egg, the older brother.

Compared to her daughter-in-law, she was more afraid of a rift between her daughter and son. Her parents would grow old one day, and if something happened to them in their husband's family, her brothers could still help support them.

It was precisely because of these considerations that Da Ya kept quiet for the time being.

It might feel good to scold and beat your daughter-in-law for a while, but the real issue is how to handle the series of problems that follow.

How could Madam Xu not understand her eldest daughter's concerns?

He patted Daya's hand and praised, "Your personality is just like your father and grandmother's—steady and shrewd. If Erya had encountered this situation, she probably would have rushed up and started arguing with her daughter-in-law long ago. She's not as composed as you."

"We're all getting on in years. I'm not just living like this for nothing. I have to think things through carefully. Sigh, what can I do? I didn't realize I had such a wife when we were getting married. Let's see how things go after we've worked out for a while longer!"

Although Da Ya was unhappy, she wasn't in a hurry.

Whether in terms of family finances or social status, she has an overwhelming advantage and is not afraid of her daughter-in-law.

“I haven’t spoken to her lately, and I think she’s become a bit more self-aware and has toned it down a bit. Mother, please don’t tell my younger brother. It’s not appropriate for a grown man like him to interfere in these matters of the inner quarters.”

“I know what I’m doing, don’t worry about it,” Xu said, shaking her head.

She then inquired about her grandson Maodan's marriage: "What I said before dinner wasn't a joke. Maodan is not young anymore, it's time to get him engaged!"

Daya had already planned this out. "Mother, I don't plan to tell Cat Egg about his marriage in the capital."

"Ah? Not in the capital?" Madam Xu was surprised and puzzled.

"Yes!" Daya nodded.

He explained in detail: "After the incident with Donkey Egg's wife, I think the saying 'marrying someone of equal social standing' still makes a lot of sense. There's some truth to what our ancestors left us. But given my family's situation, we're about to move to the Northwest for many years. In the capital, we can only find someone who's not good enough for us. I don't want my child to marry a concubine's daughter and make the family relationships too complicated."

So I wrote to Sanlang to discuss it, and we plan to arrange marriages with the daughters of other military officers after we go to the Northwest. They are all military families, with similar official ranks, and we can often gather together. Compared to the capital, we have a much wider range of choices.”

“What you said makes sense, but I’m worried about delaying Cat Egg,” Xu said with some concern.

I'm afraid that if I go there, I won't be able to get a good result right away, which will delay the child's development.

Daya, however, was very confident. "It's okay for a boy to get married a couple of years later. Maodan is still quite young. To be honest, Sanlang has already secretly picked out a few families, and he's just waiting for me to go and arrange the meetings."

"So that's how it is," Madam Xu understood and felt relieved, now she had confidence in herself!

"Cat Egg is my own son, would I ever harm him? Mother, please don't be so biased," Daya chuckled and teased.

"You're such a grown-up, yet you're still acting like a child in my arms. You all know what's going on. Sigh, but now that you're gone, I won't have anyone to confide in. Your fifth sister is unreliable, and I can't count on her. I've had seven children, but in the end, it's still your father who's been by my side the whole time. 'A couple in their youth is a companion in their old age,' that's so true. After you go to the Northwest, take good care of Sanlang and don't neglect him because of your sons and grandsons!"

As she chattered on and on, Madam Xu lovingly tidied the white hairs at her daughter's temples.

"Hiss," Daya hissed softly in pain, picked up the white hair and looked at it under the light, "Mother, you have such sharp eyes. I carefully applied osmanthus hair oil to hide the white hair, but you still found it."

"But I'm getting old too, it's normal to have gray hair."

In front of Xu, Daya always felt that she was still that immature daughter who needed her parents to take care of her.

"Overall, you are still a lucky person," Mrs. Xu thought, feeling that her eldest daughter had a good life.

After saying that, she pulled the person to the bedside and said gently, "Come here, since you're here today, take back the dowry I saved for Piggy. Don't tell anyone else about this, don't make a fuss, otherwise your other sisters will blame me for being biased."

Upon hearing this, Da Ya could no longer hold back the warmth and bittersweet emotions welling up inside her.

However, she couldn't accept the things.

“Mother, I don’t want it. I’ve already prepared everything for Zhuzhu. Zhuzhu’s dowry is already quite generous and impressive for a family of our stature. My younger brother will also give her a portion. That’s enough. You can keep your money for yourself.”

Xu ignored him completely. After carefully feeling around on the bed, she finally pulled out a long box wrapped in a handkerchief from the side of the bed where it met the wall.

"Here, take this. It's for my granddaughter, not for you. Inside are two pieces of jewelry I've collected, as well as some silver notes and land deeds. It's good for a girl to have some things to protect herself."

Da Ya didn't answer.

The mother and daughter struggled for a long time, just as Wuya came over carrying the child.

Madam Xu forcefully stuffed the box into Daya's arms, hurriedly whispering, "Don't tell Wuya. Most of this is the grain I saved after I was granted the title of Lady of the Imperial Family, as well as birthday gifts from other families. It's my own stuff, and your father and your younger brother won't say anything."

Seeing that Wuya was about to push the door open and come in, Daya didn't dare to argue anymore, otherwise, given Wuya's personality, she would definitely make a scene.

However, she still appreciated Xu's high regard for her.

Although she was a daughter, Xu Shi had always treated her very well and always favored her.

"Mother, eldest sister, what are you talking about? You've been talking for so long."

As she spoke, Wu Ya came in carrying the child.

She really didn't know how this mother and daughter could always have so much to talk about, even though they met every few days.