Embroidered Phoenix Chronicle

At noon, a large round table was set up in the main room of the old lady's house. Xu was not feeling well and had a headache, so she did not come. The rest of the guests, including Old Master Xu, Old Lady Xu, Master Liu, Ruihong and his wife, Liangjie and her daughter, Liuye and Xiuluan, sat in a circle and chatted and laughed, enjoying their meal very much.

After dinner, Ruihong stayed to chat with his uncle, while Fengxian picked some willow leaves and went back to her room. Liulian knew that Fengxian was most likely interested in the He family, but alas, her feelings were unrequited. She simply couldn't have any interest in a middle school student—he hadn't even grown up yet, didn't have an Adam's apple, and his masculine charm was practically nonexistent. Who knew what he would look like when he grew up? Was she going to raise him herself?

"What are your thoughts? Your grandmother's family has a good reputation, their descendants are all successful, and they are quite well-off. Their fifth son is in school, hoping to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, thus avoiding land taxes and corvée labor. The fifth son has always been studious and ambitious, and his teacher has high hopes for him. You two are about the same age, you are fourteen and he is fifteen. Although you are from the countryside, you are quite well-off. You can't miss this marriage opportunity!"

"Elder sister, this is too fast! I didn't even get a good look at his skin color! We can't possibly..."

"Alright!" Fengxian interrupted her. "I know what you mean. Xiao Wu is indeed not as handsome as Qian Ge'er, but don't even think about Qian Ge'er. It won't work out. He's getting married in March! Gong Jianyun's family is about to have a baby, and they still don't have a chance! Xiao Qi, this is a matter of your whole life. You must not act impulsively. You don't know, when my grandfather died early, my grandmother struggled to raise my father-in-law alone. It was really tough. Thanks to Old Master He's many acts of kindness, as long as my father-in-law is alive, the He family will always be honored guests. Even your brother-in-law is close to the He family. If you find the countryside too quiet, you can go to the city. Opening a shop is a piece of cake. You don't have to worry about the supply of goods. It won't be difficult to support your family!"

"Elder sister, I don't even know his temperament at all, who knows..." Liu Lian was convinced. This older sister was used to managing the household and was quite decisive in serious matters. She couldn't argue with her.

"Alright, I know what to say. You go and rest for a while. I'll go tell Grandmother!"

Seeing that Fengxian was trying to arrange a marriage, Liulian became anxious and said, "Elder sister, marriage is a serious matter and can't be rushed! Please let me think about it, okay?"

"Fool, by the time you've made up your mind, it'll be too late! Let's secure this one first. There's no way we'll agree today, finalize the deal tomorrow, and get married the day after, like Xiangxiang! Don't worry, the person Grandma chooses won't be too bad-natured!"

Fengxian was quick-witted. She pulled her husband aside to report to her father-in-law. Master Liu stroked his beard and remained silent. Fengxian quickly added, "Father-in-law, Xiaoqi has no one to rely on. We can all make decisions for her family background and character, but ultimately, it's her life she has to live. Who can say for sure whether she and her husband will be harmonious in the future? If they are not happy together, what fun will her life have? I think it's not a bad thing to let her get to know her cousin better. It's not a scandalous matter. It's just chatting and eating with Grandmother. It's not overstepping any boundaries!"

Master Liu nodded and said, "Hong-ge, help your wife back to rest. Be careful on the road." The couple took their leave, and Master Liu went into his mother's room. The brother and sister were chatting, leaning against the cushions. Seeing him enter, they quickly sat up. Master Liu sat down beside his mother. "Uncle, please lean back. We're not strangers, why be so formal?" Old Master He leaned back as instructed. Actually, he had overheard most of what Fengxian said and had already made up his mind. The old man was quite satisfied with Liu Ye'er. She was polite and knew how to behave appropriately. The small kitchen was kept neat and tidy. The notorious little rascal had been disciplined by her and was now clean, diligent, and sensible. Such a girl would be a good helpmate to her husband and a good mother to her children. She dared to take action when necessary and knew how to talk to people. She was perfect for that blockhead, Lao Wu! Others might find her fierce and headstrong, but not the fifth brother. He prefers cheerful, outgoing, and eloquent girls—don't let his seemingly mute appearance fool you! He has to find a way to marry her.

"Brother Li, how many years has it been since you've stayed in the countryside? It's rare that you have a few days off this year. There's an opera performance in the village on the fifth day of the lunar new year. Hitch up the cart and take your mother and Luan'er to the countryside for a few days to watch the opera. Little Wu will inevitably come to bother your mother a lot in the future, so you'll have to take good care of him!" The old man said these empty polite words in a serious tone.

“Why are you being so polite with me, Uncle? Xiao Wu is studying at the county school, taking care of the three brothers. Naturally, they support each other. No one dares to bully him at school. When he comes back, isn’t it just like his own home?” As she spoke, she turned to her mother and asked, “Mother, would you like to go back to the countryside to watch the opera on the fifth day of the new year? If you want to go, I will take you on the fourth day. You can stay for two nights and have a good chat with my uncle.”

"Okay, it's been so many years since I've been back, I miss it terribly. I used to take you to stay at your maternal grandma's house often, and so many years have passed in the blink of an eye, you're a grandfather now."

"Absolutely, I don't know how it happened, decades have passed in the blink of an eye. I still remember when my third brother took me to play in the water, and when we came back, my uncle gave me a good beating. He didn't spare me either; I got hit several times!"

Master Liu sighed, "I'll go see my third brother too, and have a good chat with him!"

"Alright, it's settled! Your horse and carriage are fine, so I won't go to town to pick you up. Well, it's getting late, I'll go check on Wu Zi. I'm really lost now that he's gone, I'll go see if he's settling in at school! I won't ride anymore, I'll tell Zhu'er to hitch up the carriage, if we dawdle any longer we might not be able to leave town!"

"Uncle, are you worried that there's no room for you at my house?" Master Liu said, squatting down to put on Old Master He's shoes. "When people get old, they're like sparrows; they have to go back to their nests as soon as it gets dark!" He then took Master Liu's hand and led him outside.

Upon seeing his grandson, Old Master He didn't bother with small talk and went straight to the point: "Fifth son, tell me the truth, have you taken a fancy to your cousin Hongda's sister-in-law? If you have, I'll find a way to marry her to you!"

The boy blushed, hesitated for a moment, and then bravely said, "Alright! It's all up to Grandpa!"

"Honey, that girl is very opinionated and has a fiery temper. She might bully your husband in the future. Think about it again!"

"Sir, I'll be more accommodating to her! She has no parents; if she's not strong-willed, won't she be bullied to death? Besides, I don't think she's someone who doesn't know manners!"

“Son, listen to your grandfather. Go visit your great-aunt more often, chat with that girl, be sweet-talking, and be considerate of her!” As he spoke, he took out half a silver ingot and handed it to his grandson. “Take this and go buy some storybooks. Learn how people talk and coax others.”

The grandfather and grandson whispered for a long time, and as the sun was about to set, the old man finally left the city satisfied.