Volume One, Chapter 20: The Whole Family Has No Good Intentions!

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Zhao hurriedly agreed, “Sister-in-law, I’ll follow your lead. Whatever you say, I’ll do. Please don’t be angry!”

Little Wang narrowed her eyes, a calculating expression on her face.

“Wait for my news first. Once we find out which family Mother favors for a bride, we’ll secretly go to their home and reveal the truth about Sanlang. I don’t believe any decent family would just stand by and watch their daughter fall into misfortune!”

“I’ll do whatever you say, Sister-in-law!” Zhao whispered, feeling relieved.

As long as her sister-in-law took charge, there wasn’t a good thing she couldn’t stir up.

That would buy her and Erlang more time to save money.

Besides, the child in her womb was already three months old; in seven more months, the baby would be born. Zhao wanted to give birth in the old house, hoping her mother-in-law would help care for the child. Otherwise, she wouldn’t benefit from her mother-in-law’s support at all. The iron-willed matriarch in her sister-in-law’s family had raised Tie Dan to adulthood. As the second daughter-in-law, Zhao didn’t ask for much—just for her mother-in-law’s help with the baby until it turned three.

Three years of her managing the household and Erlang working outside—by then, they would surely have built their new home!

Little Wang was completely unaware that Zhao had already used her as a pawn. After adjusting her mood, she slipped into Wang’s room to inquire whether Wang had gone to propose for Sanlang to that girl from yesterday.

Suddenly, Zhao felt some discomfort in her lower abdomen and quickly returned to her room to lie down.

...

Taoyuan Village, Jiang Family.

Jiang Shunde was cooking in the kitchen. Taking advantage of Qian’s presence inside tending to the child, he whistled toward Jiang Xian, who was outside scraping fur in the courtyard.

“Daughter, come here!”

Jiang Xian put down her work and walked into the kitchen, eyeing her father suspiciously.

“What’s up, Dad? Are you going to announce that I’m actually a princess lost from afar?”

Jiang Shunde shot her a glare. “What nonsense do you talk every day? I’m telling you, a matchmaker came by today with someone claiming to be Qiao Tongsheng’s mother. Did you ask them for a favor yesterday?”

“Huh?” Jiang Xian suddenly recalled the eager and warm eyes of the Wang lady. Could it be already? So fast?

She had just been rejected by Qiao Xun, and now his mother came to propose.

Ha! Heaven must be on my side!

That bookworm actually dared to refuse her. Now, with parents’ orders and matchmakers’ arrangements, how could he refuse?

Lowering his voice, Jiang Shunde said, “Your mother wants me to first inquire quietly. If it seems suitable, on the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, we’ll pretend to shop for New Year’s goods together. Then you can meet Qiao Tongsheng and get to know each other. If it goes well, we’ll discuss the marriage seriously; if not, we’ll pretend nothing happened. What do you think?”

Following the aroma in the kitchen, Jiang Xian approached the stove and lifted the lid.

“Oh, braised carp with tofu. Where did you get such a big carp?”

Jiang Shunde quickly added more firewood beneath the stove and proudly said, “Your old man went fishing by the river this afternoon. How’s that? Impressive, right?”

Fishing in winter when the river was nearly frozen? Most likely, the carp came from Jiang Shunde’s chess buddy, Old He. Jiang Xian didn’t expose him and nodded in praise, “Impressive!”

Suddenly remembering, Jiang Shunde steered the topic back. “But what do you think about this marriage? The Qiao family hasn’t budged an inch despite hearing me praise you. Other matchmakers would have left long ago. I think it’s not bad to get to know them. But your mother worried you might not agree, so she asked me to keep it from you for now.”

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“By the way, have you met him? What do you think of him?” Jiang Shunde poked Jiang Xian’s arm.

Jiang Xian finally came to her senses and thought of Qiao Xun and his unique fate and fortune.

“He’s a good person, but maybe a bit unlucky lately.”

Jiang Shunde’s eyes widened in confusion. “Unlucky? What do you mean?”

“They say he passed the Tongsheng exam at thirteen, but ever since then, every time he took the imperial exams, some mishap happened, delaying him. It’s been six consecutive years of bad luck. The villagers say his literary star’s fate has run out, and he’ll never rise in life.”

“Damn it! I even thought that old lady was nice. Turns out her son’s a jinx. Is she trying to marry off a bride to bring good luck? No wonder you don’t mind!” Jiang Shunde’s voice rose, and he instinctively slammed the fire tongs.

Jiang Xian’s forehead darkened. “Dad, what do you mean? Am I that terrible?”

Jiang Shunde quickly forced a smile, revealing a mouthful of big teeth. “No, no, my daughter is the best in the world. It’s just... you’re different from ordinary girls. I didn’t mean anything bad…”

“Enough, Dad, stop—it only makes it worse!” Jiang Xian wore the skin of an ancient woman but had the soul of the twenty-first century. No matter how progressive her mind was, she couldn’t escape the era’s fate.

Because it was illegal not to marry by a certain age!

With her strength alone, she couldn’t resist the tide of the entire dynasty.

Originally, at eighteen, she had seven or eight years to consider marriage, but now things were urgent—she had only half a month to decide on a match.

Fortunately, she favored Qiao Xun—a meek scholar, reasonable, clear-headed, and somewhat fitting her aesthetic. Whether as a real or fake couple, she felt she could handle him.

Besides, she had Tang Tang, a fated treasure, to counteract Qiao Xun’s bad luck. Unfortunately, the bookworm rejected her without hesitation as if he didn’t understand.

Two lifetimes she had lived, and she had never been so embarrassed!

Luckily, a twist of fate—the Qiao family sent a matchmaker.

In her eyes, Qiao Xun’s misfortune was no big deal. She had the treasure, skills to observe fate and avoid disaster, and if nothing else, immense strength to solve any trouble—buffs all stacked!

Marrying Qiao Xun was far better than those ignorant men who flaunted toxic masculinity all day.

If Qiao Xun could become a son-in-law, that would be perfect!

Jiang Xian suddenly recalled the quarrels between the Qiao family’s eldest and second eldest wives over supporting Qiao Xun’s studies and splitting the family.

She could introduce Qiao Xun as a son-in-law to the Jiang family. After all, the Jiang family had no sons, and the inheritance would eventually go to her and Tang Tang, avoiding family disputes.

That way, Tang Tang wouldn’t keep pestering her about her father’s matters!

The more she thought about it, the more reliable this match seemed.

Otherwise, considering her situation and family, finding a well-understood and harmonious husband would be difficult. Otherwise, she’d have to wait for the government to forcibly marry her off or face sentencing and exile.

Seeing her daughter suddenly lost in thought, Jiang Shunde’s eyes darted about. Knowing his niece resembled his daughter, he cautiously asked, “Are you thinking this match is more reliable?”

Jiang Xian suddenly felt hungry. She pulled out a pair of chopsticks, rinsed them with water, lifted the lid, and picked up a piece of fish—fragrant, tender, and delicious. She burned her mouth and nodded repeatedly. “Mmm, this fish is cooked just right. No need to cook it longer!”

“Geez, asking you a question is such a hassle. Don’t delay your old man’s cooking!” Jiang Shunde pushed Jiang Xian away, too lazy to ask more.

If his daughter agreed to meet the suitor, he would inquire about Qiao Xun tomorrow. If the marriage could be arranged on the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, it would be a great relief for both Jiang Shunde and Qian.

...

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Huanxi Village, Qiao Family.

Wang lay on the kang bed in her room, her legs feeling as if they might break.

No wonder she was listless upon entering—she’d walked too far. From Huanxi Village, she traveled over ten miles to find Aunt Wang the matchmaker, then went to the Jiang family in Taoyuan Village, and on the way back, she accompanied Aunt Wang home, praising her all the way and begging her to speak favorably of the match before returning home alone.

This journey took three to four hours—how could she not be exhausted?

Fortunately, the Jiang family didn’t reject the proposal and even agreed to let the two children meet, which comforted Wang greatly.

Just then, she heard movement at the door—the head of the household was returning with the eldest and second sons from plowing the field.

Although the family had now split, leaving only the vegetable garden and land at the mountain’s foot to the old couple, the rest of the farmland had been divided among the eldest and second sons. But Old Qiao was restless and personally led his sons to divide the land and prepare for spring plowing.

Wang hurriedly got up and went out, seeing her husband enter. She quickly shared the good news.

“Old man, Sanlang’s marriage is settled!”

Qiao Dashan, exhausted from a day’s work, suddenly perked up at his wife’s thunderous announcement. His eyes widened like copper bells.

“Really? Which girl? Did Sanlang agree? Does her family mind Sanlang’s two years of bad luck?”

Wang shot her husband a sharp glance.

“What kind of talk is that? Outsiders say Sanlang’s unlucky, but as his father, how can you say that? You don’t know the details. I say it’s all jealousy and schemes from the city folk, not bad luck at all!”

Qiao Dashan chuckled, showing his large yellow teeth. “Alright, alright, I shouldn’t say that about my son. Tell me, whose daughter is willing to marry Sanlang?”

Wang smiled happily and pointed across the river. “The daughter of Jiang the hunter in Huanxi Village—her name is Jiang Xian. Pretty name, right?”

Qiao Dashan’s smile instantly froze, and he shouted as if seeing a ghost, “What? You found Sanlang a hunter’s daughter? Don’t you know the tiger reputation of the Jiang family in Taoyuan Village?”

Wang frowned, sensing something complicated.

“Dear, do you know this Jiang girl across the river?”

“No, I don’t know her, but I’ve heard of her.”

Qiao Dashan was the kind of man who loved to gossip about rumors from ten villages around—there was nothing he didn’t know.

At first, he was neglected by his parents, and everyone focused on his older and younger brothers. But after having a son who could study, the elders of the Qiao family valued him more, and villagers respected him, praising him endlessly as the father of a literary star born under a lucky star.

Since then, Qiao Dashan paid close attention to outside rumors. Over time, he was the first to hear any news from nearby villages.

Usually, rumors were just idle chatter, but the story of the mighty female hunter Jiang Xian in Taoyuan Village stuck with him. She was the only female hunter in the village, reportedly standing six feet tall with a face as round as a plate, big eyes and mouth, and breathing like an ox.

Whenever she went up the mountain, her roar scared wild animals into traps, waiting to be captured alive. At eighteen, no matchmaker dared propose to her, much to her parents’ worry.

Now that Wang said she was the Jiang hunter’s daughter from Taoyuan Village, there was no escaping it.

Because there was only one hunter named Jiang in the whole village, and her name was Jiang Xian. It had to be the same person he’d heard about.

Qiao Dashan exaggerated the rumors he’d heard to Wang, then immediately shook his head in refusal, adamantly opposing the match.

“No way, I don’t agree to this marriage!” he said, somewhat blaming Wang for deciding on her own.