Chapter 245: Going the other way
In the small building in the backyard, Lady Miaoyin frequently looked up at the hall in front of her. She felt very uneasy. All kinds of miscellaneous thoughts came to her mind. She was always worried that Aye and Li Lang could not live in harmony.
Mrs. Cui was sitting at the table, reading a gift scroll carefully, learning various etiquette regulations and matters that need to be paid attention to when her children get married. These things are also very unfamiliar areas to her, but since she is a housewife, they are also responsibilities and obligations that cannot be avoided.
Last night, Dugu Xin had a detailed chat with Mr. Cui about his plans for the marriage of his children. Only then did Mr. Cui find out that not only the eldest Mrs. Miaoyin, but also the second daughter of the household would be married to the Daxingtai family next year.
Moreover, according to the discussion between Duguxin and Daxingtai, the marriage to Daxingtai must be handled first, and various rituals must begin before Miaoyinju dresses up.
After Mrs. Cui learned this, she naturally became a little anxious and needed to learn all the etiquette and memorize them deeply. But Miaoyin anxiously walked back and forth in front of her desk, which made her completely unable to read the contents recorded on the gift certificate.
"You lady, you were so confident last night, why have you become nervous and worried today? Is it because you are worried that the husband of the Li family will be willful and will not be liked by you, Aye?"
Mrs. Cui simply put down the scroll in her hand, looked at the young lady and said with a smile.
"I, Aye, are neither stupid nor dim-witted, so how could I not like Li Lang? Besides, this matter is that Aye admired Li Lang and was attracted to him first. Mom, can't you see that before Li Lang came, How anxious is Aye?”
After hearing this, Mrs. Miaoyin quickly shook her head and said, but her face remained gloomy. She sat down close to Mr. Cui and continued: "I heard that there are many considerations about relationships and etiquette in the world. There are some people who are stingy. If he is willing to fill up a woman’s dowry, he will look coldly and picky at the man’s family to cover up his stinginess and rudeness, which may ruin the good relationship..."
Mrs. Cui didn't even expect that this little lady would have already worried so much. After hearing this, she was stunned for a moment, then she couldn't help but shook her head and said with a smile: "This little lady is really idle and boring, worrying about other things." . Although my family has a large population, you always have food and clothing, so you don’t need to deduct dowry from women to make ends meet!”
"This is by no means a idle thought, it needs to be considered carefully! If the truth is told, I am actually no longer a lady in the household, and the queen in this household no longer has the responsibility to hold a dowry for me. ”
Lady Miaoyin frowned slightly and spoke in a calm and unhurried tone. It was obvious that she had been thinking about this matter for a long time.
Seeing Mrs. Cui opening her mouth again, she continued: "Of course, I also know in my heart that Ye Niang does not regard me as a disgusting person who has inherited another family, and is still willing to tolerate me deeply in the household. But this is not the case. It's just indoors. I don't have the right to blame your mother, no matter how much dowry money you are willing to give in the coming year, whether it is rich or frugal."
Speaking of this, she looked at Ms. Cui again and said curiously: "Mom, when you came to this household, how much money did the elders of the old household give you? I don't want to pry into the privacy, but I am about to be married. Things, I can’t help but be curious..."
When Mrs. Cui heard this, she couldn't help but look a little embarrassed. Although she and this young lady were mother and daughter, their age was not large enough to constitute a generation gap.
In the past, when the young lady was raised in the household, Mrs. Cui could still act like a stepmother and an elder. However, in recent years, she was not close enough to her. When the young lady started to have a romantic interest and began to consider adult issues, Mrs. Cui could not help but feel a lot of emotions.
This question is indeed a bit sensitive and embarrassing. If others ask it, Ms. Cui will not pay attention to the other party. However, this young lady obviously does not have too many thoughts and is just simply curious.
Cui and Duguxin were an old married couple, and the legitimate daughter of a famous family had to submit to a military strategist as a step-in-law. Naturally, there were many considerations based on reality.
"At that time, I was far less smart and knowledgeable than a little lady like you, and I already knew how to imagine many things. At that time, men and women of a clan lived in small households, but having a living person with an open mouth for food was a burden. The food and drink were not enough. How can we talk about dowry?"
When talking about her own life experience, Ms. Cui was filled with emotion. Their family had lived in Henan for a long time, and they did not follow Xiaowu when he moved westward. It was not until the Eastern Dynasty moved the capital to Yecheng, and powerful families in Henan revolted one after another that they arrived in Guanxi.
In the early years of the reign of Emperor Tong, it was difficult to maintain the national economy. Although the imperial court rewarded these righteous families with honors and titles, it was just vanity. Living in a foreign land with no property, Cui's words of food and clothing are difficult to sustain. This is definitely not an exaggeration, but it is true.
Although her family has many relatives and friends in Kansai, their respective situations are not easy, and such a large family cannot always rely on others for support. Cui's uncle Cui Yanmu and Wei Xiaokuan were classmates in Luoxia. Duguxin was widowed a few years ago. With Wei Xiaokuan's help, Cui became Duguxin's step-wife.
Under such circumstances, the Cui family had neither the ability nor the inclination to prepare any dowry for the Cui family. However, they obtained a large amount of money and supplies from Dugu Xin, which greatly improved and changed the family's life. .
When she heard the young lady ask about the dowry, Mrs. Cui was both embarrassed and envious. She envied the young lady's calmness in planning the dowry for herself.
Thinking this way does not mean that you are greedy for money and goods. The dowry dowry represents a woman's status and voice in her husband's family to a certain extent. Mrs. Cui felt deeply about this.
Although she is the nominal head of the house, she actually doesn't have much to say in household affairs. For example, this time, even if it was not Cui's fault for such a major event as her children's marriage, as the eldest wife of the household, she should have the right to know and even the right to make decisions, both emotionally and rationally.
But what kind of plans and decisions did the husband have, he didn't discuss it with her, and even didn't even bother to notify her if it hadn't been for such a strange misunderstanding.
Even so, Mrs. Cui had nothing to do about it. She had no way to fight for her right to speak as a wife. Last night, she even had to rely on the little lady Miaoyin to come forward to smooth things over, so that the misunderstanding between the husband and the host could be resolved.
In the final analysis, even if Mrs. Cui was angry that her husband didn't respect her enough, she didn't even have a temporary place to go. Everything you need for food, clothing, housing, and transportation depends on your husband's blessings, so naturally you have no right to make any strange plans.
"My mother had a really hard time at that time. I still remember that when we first met, my brothers and sisters were unwilling to listen to my mother's teachings. They were not sensible at that time and were afraid that they would be abused by my mother. Now that I think about it, my mother is not tired of us. These naughty young people are still willing to go on a blind date, which is already very affectionate! "
After hearing what Cui said about the past, Lady Miaoyin couldn't help but sigh.
Cui's eyes turned red when she heard this. She was so moved by this recognition that she even held Miaoyin's wrist and said, "Young lady, call me grandma, but I really haven't done much for you. My mother will keep everything in mind and make the most thorough preparations. Even if I go to another house in the coming year, I will never let you live in a cramped life!"
"With my mother's assurance, I feel much more at ease. It's not that I don't sympathize with Ye Niang's hard work in managing the business and accumulating property, but the grand master has his own heirs, and we are not friendly, and there will probably be no such thing in the coming year. What a mutual support relationship. Once you become a bride in another family and become estranged from your mother-in-law, if your husband is not kind and considerate, the situation will be very difficult! "
When Cui heard this, she nodded in approval and said: "Young lady, you have really grown up. When I was your age, I really didn't have such profound thoughts. Indeed, no matter how affectionate others help others, people are still calm when they have their own opinions. "
"I can't deserve my mother's praise. Ever since my mother passed away, I have learned to think more about things. Now I am planning to build a family together with a good man and a gentleman, so it is natural that I want to That’s more.”
Miaoyin saw that Mrs. Cui's expression became serious, so she continued: "Before, Aye said that he was worried that the two families might not be able to live in harmony because of their different family backgrounds. But these people's talk of right and wrong was just an outdoor dispute, but it made the two people in the household If you live in harmony, you don’t have to worry too much. What can really hurt your true feelings is the various illnesses in your household!”
"That's the truth!"
Cui nodded again after hearing this, feeling quite the same.
"My mother said before that the family had a hard time when they first came to Kansai. Even if the family, men, women, old and young support each other like this, imagine how difficult it must be for Li Lang to make a living here alone! I am not from a well-known family with outstanding virtues. Liang Shu is not a virtuous housekeeper who is shrewd and capable at work. The only one who can help Li Lang is to bring more influence from her family. "
Miaoyin didn't know what to do when she said this, but she quickly said: "Of course, Li Lang, a handsome young man, will not be greedy for these tacky things. But if I don't show anything, I won't feel at ease in my heart. I don’t have any brilliant talents, so I can only make such tacky calculations. If you want young people to live a happy life, it’s better to give them a favor than to give them a long word!”
After hearing this little lady's plan, Ms. Cui couldn't help but knock her on the smooth forehead with her finger, and said with a smile: "You also said that you are not smart in things. You lady has already plotted your Aye family's business, and you still want to How smart? I will tell you this calculation..."
"Thank you, mom, thank you, mom!"
After hearing this, Mrs. Miaoyin also smiled and said seriously: "Right now, I am still childish, and I still have to beg my mother for mercy and protection. But in a few years, I will become the eldest sister in the household, and I will have the guidance to teach me. The qualifications and prestige of my younger siblings. At that time, I would naturally not forget my mother’s care for me in the early days. Even if my mother didn’t tell me, I would definitely help my little sister get married!”
"Then let me thank you for your sister first!"
After hearing this, Ms. Cui shook her head and sighed, and pointed at the lady helplessly. Although she seemed to be joking, when you think about it, what the lady said actually makes some sense. If there are differences between the eldest and younger children in a family, it may not mean that they are harmonious. It would undoubtedly be a good thing if the daughter of the family could get the loving care of the eldest sister.