Crossing Over to Yamada Love

"Oh, right, my dear, there's something on my mind that's been bothering me. I don't know whether to say it or not, and it's really making me feel uneasy." Mo Lan's grandmother, who was in a good mood, suddenly frowned, looking troubled.

"What's wrong? Mother, why are you being so formal with me? Just say what you want to say." Qiu was a straightforward person and couldn't bear to see her mother in a difficult position.

"Alas, she's not Fang'er yet," Mo Lan's grandmother sighed.

"Fang'er, what's wrong with her?" Qiu asked, puzzled. Wasn't Fang'er only married for two years?

“Sister, it’s like this. You know your niece married into a scholar’s ​​family, and her husband is quite promising. The year after Fang’er married him, her husband passed the county-level imperial examination, and the whole family was overjoyed. But this year, he’s going to take the provincial-level imperial examination. Although her husband is talented, we don’t have any connections. We’re afraid that if the court doesn’t have connections, even if he’s talented, he won’t be accepted. It seems difficult for him to pass the provincial-level imperial examination. But it just so happens that your husband’s uncle is a marquis. Fang’er came home thinking of asking you to see if you could ask the marquis to put in a good word for her. If the marquis is willing to speak up, wouldn’t passing the provincial-level imperial examination be a sure thing?” Mo Lan’s maternal aunt, Qiu Huangshi, didn’t hide anything and spoke directly.

"This?" Qiu was in a dilemma. What should she do? She couldn't bring it up herself. The Marquis was her uncle, and he seemed kind, but she was afraid of him if he got angry. Besides, her mother-in-law didn't like this either. She hadn't even mentioned it when Erlang wanted to take the exam, let alone anyone else.

"Aunt, let me say a few words. You should go and tell your cousin about this. My mother can't agree to it." Mo Lan directly spoke up for her mother, knowing that her mother would find it difficult to refuse because it was her family who had spoken on her behalf.

Mo Lan's aunt's expression was rather unpleasant. She was a good person, but her own daughter had come to her for help. Her sister's family had a marquis, so helping out wouldn't be difficult. She thought it would work out and even gave her daughter a guarantee. But now she had been turned down. She felt that Mo Lan was not showing any consideration for family ties.

“Aunt, let me be honest, and please don’t think I’m being heartless. This examination hall isn’t our own, nor is it under my great-uncle’s jurisdiction. It’s fine for him to say something, but have you considered the consequences? He’s not the only one who calls the shots in the capital. He has enemies and people he doesn’t get along with. If this gets out, someone could impeach him for disrupting the imperial examinations and buying and selling official titles. That’s a serious crime. He might not even be able to keep his title as a marquis. He might face legal trouble. If the Emperor is furious, there could be even worse consequences.” Mo Lan exaggerated the situation.

It wasn't that Mo Lan didn't want to help her relatives, but she had met her cousin-in-law before. He was somewhat learned, but a terrible person. She had run into him once when she visited her maternal grandmother's house on the second day of the Lunar New Year. The look in his eyes disgusted her. She had heard that he frequented brothels, calling it being a "womanizer," but it was really just promiscuity. After passing the imperial examination and becoming a scholar, he treated her poorly, often beating and scolding her, and even took a concubine. He considered himself superior and didn't respect the Qiu family at all. Oh, now he's asking her family for help, wanting the title of a provincial graduate? No way!

"No, really? Is it that serious?" Qiu Huangshi was flustered by what Mo Lan said and asked Mo Lan with some disbelief.

“Aunt, would I lie to you? My second brother also passed the imperial examination this time. Even my second brother and I don’t dare to ask the Marquis for a word. My grandmother has strictly warned us. Anyone who dares to mention the Marquis to him will be kicked out of the house. She is a young lady from a prominent family, she knows this. I heard it from my grandmother, otherwise how would I know these things? My grandmother said that with the Marquis around, there will be someone to protect our family in the future. If we implicate the Marquis because of a degree, and the Marquis falls, then even with a degree, we will be in trouble. So anyone who dares to talk to the Marquis about a degree will definitely not be spared.” Mo Lan directly brought up her grandmother.

"Then stop talking about it. We really didn't know things were so serious. We were too naive. Eldest daughter-in-law, don't mention this again." Grandma Mo Lan was frightened and hurriedly instructed her daughter-in-law.

"Yes, I understand, I promise I won't say anything more." Qiu Huangshi nodded hurriedly, she was also a little frightened.

"Mother, sister-in-law, Lanlan is right. I didn't even mention Erlang. I'm so sorry about this." Qiu Shi quickly apologized. Although her daughter had gone a bit too far, she really couldn't agree to this.

"Sister, please don't say that. We've been thinking too simply. I was just thinking that if Fang'er passes the imperial examination, we can help her out, and her life will be easier," said Qiu Huangshi, holding Qiu Shi's hand.

“Aunt, my cousin is too weak. Now that we have power, why should we be afraid of him? Go back and tell my cousin to stand up for herself in her husband’s family. If her husband beats or scolds her, she should get a divorce.”

Before Mo Lan could finish speaking, Qiu Huangshi's eyes widened.

"Lan'er, don't talk nonsense. How can you advise your cousin to get a divorce? How will she live if she gets a divorce? How will she ever get married again?" Qiu Shi hurriedly said to her daughter.

“Mother, do you think my cousin will agree to a divorce? He will never agree. Although he is a scholar, there are plenty of scholars in the world. Tell my cousin that if he treats her badly, we will all go to his house. We have the Marquis protecting us, do you think he dares to challenge us? If my cousin stands up for herself, he will have to back down. If my cousin doesn't divorce him, she will live with him for the rest of her life. She can't suffer like this forever, can she?” Mo Lan reasoned with them.

After thinking for a while, Qiu said, "Lan'er is right. Fang'er is too soft-hearted. She always agrees with whatever her son-in-law says and is afraid he won't want her anymore. That means she'll be controlled and bullied her for the rest of her life. Go back and talk to her. We need to be firm. If he treats Fang'er badly again, we'll go straight to his door and confront him. What are we afraid of?"

After hearing Qiu's words, Qiu Huangshi looked up at her mother-in-law and thought carefully. Yes, her daughter was too weak, and it was time to teach her.

“Okay, I’ll talk to her properly when I get back. We can’t let her son-in-law bully us forever. She has three brothers, and you’re all here. We’re not without family. We can’t be too weak.” Qiu Huangshi made up her mind and decided to go back and have a good talk with her daughter.

"Sister, I also have something to say, but I don't know if I should." Qiu Fangshi said after seeing that the matter had passed.

"Sister-in-law, please tell me," Qiu asked. But she was a little uneasy; her sister-in-law's words made her truly uncertain.

"It's Erlang. Isn't he getting on in years? I have a relative whose family is doing quite well, and their daughter is lovely. I'd like to talk to Erlang about it. But I'm afraid your standards are too high these days, and you might not be interested. So I'm a little embarrassed to bring it up," Qiu Fangshi said with a smile. She then observed Qiu's expression.

"Oh? Which family's daughter is she? How old is she? Is she a good person?" Qiu asked repeatedly when she heard that she was there to arrange a marriage for her son.

Qiu Fangshi's face lit up with joy; it seemed there was hope. Before she could answer, Mo Lan spoke up first: "Mother, Aunt, let's bring this up a few months later. My brother will be taking the autumn exams soon, and bringing this up now will distract him. If he doesn't do well on the exams because of this, it will be too late to regret it. Let him see our daughter after the exams. Don't worry, Aunt, as long as she's a good girl and my brother likes her, we won't look down on her family even if they're poor. We're looking at the person. There's no need to rush these few months."

“Lan’er is right. Erlang’s autumn exam is in a few months, and we can’t let him be distracted. This is a big deal. We should postpone everything else,” Grandma Mo Lan agreed.

“Alright, sister-in-law, then let’s wait until Erlang finishes the autumn exam before we look at our daughters.” Qiu nodded in agreement. Her mother and daughter were right; their son’s exam was the most important thing.

"Yes." Qiu Fangshi had no choice but to agree. In fact, she still wanted to get this done before Erlang took the exam. After all, if Erlang passed the exam, his status would be much higher than it is now, and she was afraid that Erlang and the Mo family would be picky about it.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Qiu hurriedly led the group to see her new jewelry and Mo Mei's jewelry.

Mo Lan's grandmother's eyes widened as she stared at the dazzling jewelry. She had never seen such fine jewelry in her entire life; it was made of gold and shone brightly. She didn't dare to reach out and touch it, afraid of getting it dirty or breaking it.

“You are all blessed, and I am a blessed old woman too. My Lan’er even bought me a gold ring, and all the old women in our village are very envious.” Mo Lan’s grandmother breathed a sigh of relief after reading the gold ring Mo Lan gave her.

"Grandma, when the New Year comes, Lanlan will buy you a set: a gold hairpin, gold earrings, and a gold bracelet—all three." Mo Lan smiled. Her grandmother already had quite a lot of jewelry. The only presentable piece her maternal grandmother had was the gold ring she had given her last time, so she should give her maternal grandmother some as well.

"No need, Grandma, please don't take it. Besides, where would my Lan'er get so much money? Those three things aren't as valuable as silver; they'll cost a lot of money." Mo Lan's grandmother hurriedly declined. She wasn't greedy; she couldn't accept her granddaughter's gift.

"Mother, don't underestimate this girl. She has quite a bit of money now. My mother is very lenient with her when it comes to money. If we ask for money, my mother might ask what we need it for. But as soon as this girl asks for money, my mother-in-law gives it to her without even asking. She says Lan'er won't waste money. My mother-in-law is very biased towards her. During holidays, besides buying things for everyone, she doesn't use any of the money for herself; she saves it all up."

"During holidays and festivals, the Xue family sends all sorts of gifts—delicious food, clothes for all seasons, jewelry, you wouldn't believe it, Young Master Xue even sent a fox fur cloak! But Lan'er won't wear it, saying it's inconvenient for working at home. She has some money saved up. If she wants to buy it, just accept it. It's her kind gesture. Don't be polite with her." Madam Qiu rattled off a lot, seemingly complaining about her daughter, but there was a hint of boasting in her voice. She was happier and more proud that her daughter was better off than herself.