The fake daughter married into the mountains and had meat to eat every day during the famine

After lunch, Song Jinsheng returned to Rongshu Village.

Fang Tianci also went out to the town.

Song Yuntang thought the town was too chaotic and didn't want to go there, so she just asked Xia Ning to deliver a letter to her and asked her to inquire about Jiang Surao's recent situation.

He lit a charcoal brazier and continued to warm himself by the fire in the main room.

After Xu Wencheng took a walk in the mountains, he came to Song Yuntang and stuffed a handful of washed dried dates into her hands.

"Sister-in-law, I just picked it from the mountain. Try it."

Song Yuntang picked up the dried dates and took a bite. Although they didn’t look good, they tasted good and were quite sweet.

As she ate, she asked, "With so many people in the village, how could there still be dates left in the mountains?"

Xu Wencheng chuckled and sat down next to him.

"That date tree in the mountains is tall, and all the ones at the bottom have been picked. I climbed up the tree to pick them, and there really aren't many left."

Song Yuntang looked at him.

"Wencheng, your elder brother's goal is to pass the imperial examination and become an official. Is there anything you want to do?"

"What I want to do is..."

Xu Wencheng chewed the dates in his mouth intermittently and did not speak for a long time.

"There is one thing, but I didn't mention it to my family because I thought my parents would definitely not agree."

Song Yuntang looked at him.

"what's up?"

The boy's eyes were serious and passionate.

"Ever since I was young, I've dreamed of one day being able to fight on the battlefield, take the head of an enemy general amidst a vast army, and become a feared general."

Song Yuntang looked at him for a long time before saying, "If it's what you want to do most, you can do it boldly."

The young man pursed his lips, his expression suddenly becoming listless again.

"After my eldest brother's serious illness, I saw how worried my parents were. If I really went to the battlefield, they would be worried every day at home, so I never dared to tell them."

Song Yuntang looked at him with a smile.

"I saw you practicing Kung Fu with Xia Ning some time ago, and you did quite well."

"Well." Hearing the compliment, Xu Wencheng scratched his head shyly, "It's just self-defense."

Song Yuntang placed his hands above the charcoal brazier to warm them.

"Wencheng, everyone only lives once. My advice is, don't leave any regrets for the future. Try your best, and at least you won't regret it." Turning to look at him, "You have to think about this matter carefully. If you still can't make up your mind, then learn some kung fu from Xia Ning. That way you'll have the skills to rely on when you go out in the future."

Xu Wencheng nodded seriously.

"I understand. Thank you, sister-in-law."

After Xia Ning went to the Jiang residence, he returned to the manor and came to Song Yuntang to report, "Master, Miss Jiang said that there has been chaos outside recently. She asked you to be careful when you go out and not to rush to the Jiang residence. When peace is restored, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch up."

"She also said that Madam Jiang had recently found a suitable marriage for her. The elders of both sides planned to meet after the New Year to decide on the marriage and pick a date nearby for the wedding. It seems that Master Jiang can't hold out for much longer, so they have to get married before he dies."

The rules of the Great Xia Dynasty.

When a close relative dies, the younger generation must observe mourning for three years.

What's more, Mr. Jiang is Jiang Surao's biological father.

She is already seventeen this year. If she cannot get married before Mr. Jiang dies, she will be almost twenty-one after three years of mourning.

By then she would be too old, and even if they were engaged, the man might not be willing to wait for her that long.

Xia Ning continued, "Also, Mr. Jiang knows that his health is failing, so he has handed over all the Jiang family's business to Young Master Jiang. Young Master Jiang is now in charge of the Jiang family. Several concubines in the Jiang Mansion are either sick or dead, and have all been sent to the farm by Madam Jiang to fend for themselves."

Song Yuntang nodded.

"Mrs. Jiang is really decisive in her work." After a pause, she smiled, "I think I know who A Rao looks like."

Jiang Surao has her own principles in doing things.

Once he decides on something, he will be as clear-minded as Mrs. Chiang and will not be easily shaken.

As they were talking, Chen Xier came back holding Fubao.

Seeing this, Tao Xia hurried out of the house.

"What happened? Didn't Ma Zi send you back?"

Chen Xier looked a little depressed.

"My aunt won't let me."

Tao Xia frowned, "Could it be that she is still not satisfied with you?"

Although Song Mazi was a bachelor who had not yet married, he was already twenty-five years old, two years older than Chen.

Besides, Chen is a good-natured person, hardworking and honest, and she is someone who can live a good life.

If she had not been married and had children, it would not be difficult for her to find someone better off than Song Mazi given her current conditions.

Chen Xier shook her head.

"It's not that you're dissatisfied with me." She squatted down and touched Fubao's head. "Fubao, go play with brother Xiaobao first."

Fubao also looked a little depressed, with red eyes, as if he had been crying.

He nodded and trotted to Tao's house to find Xiaobao.

Seeing this, Mrs. Tao pulled Chen Xier to the main room.

After Chen greeted Song Yuntang, she also sat down next to the charcoal brazier.

"Although my aunt didn't seem as enthusiastic as I'd imagined, she wasn't too dissatisfied. She just negotiated a condition with me, saying that if I wanted to marry Mazi, I had to send Fubao away. She said that if Fubao was a girl, it would be fine, but it was a boy. Her son wanted a son and could have one himself. She didn't want him to work hard to earn money to raise someone else's son and then have to compete with her own grandson for the family inheritance in the future."

When Miao heard that Chen had returned, she became curious and followed the two of them into the main hall. When she heard what Chen said, she raised her eyebrows.

"Fubao is your child, where can you send him? Your mother's family is definitely not suitable. Giving him to his biological father would be harming the child. You must not abandon Fubao."

Chen Xier shook her head and said, "I haven't thought about sending Fubao away. If it really doesn't work out, it's fine for me to take care of him alone."

Tao felt a little unfair for Xier.

"How could Ma Zi's mother be so confused? You can make money now, and Fu Bao won't be able to spend Ma Zi's money in the future. And yet you're still fighting for the family property? They have so little wealth, and they don't care about anyone."

Song Yuntang looked at Chen.

"What does Mazi mean?"

Chen Xier said, "He told my aunt that if she didn't agree to let me marry him, he would never get married in his life. My aunt was so angry that she almost fainted. I was worried that it would be too embarrassing during the New Year. I knew a lot of people in Rongshu Village, so I took Fubao back to the village. Mazi wanted to come and see us off, but my aunt said he had forgotten his mother because he had a woman, so she threatened him with his life and wouldn't let him go out."

"I originally thought that there was no suspense about you and Ma Zi, but I didn't expect that his family had such a confused mother." Tao said apologetically, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed you out this morning."

Chen Xier smiled bitterly.

"I don't blame you. My legs are on my own. If I don't want to go, I won't go with him even if you push me out."