Heavy snow rustled down, stirring the chill to drill into the body.
Hui-niang didn’t know what to do, didn’t speak for a long time.
Wei Shouzhong was honest and simple, but had ideas. He opened his mouth and said.
“A’Lang like this now, which good girl from a proper family would be willing to marry? Unless we’re willing to give more betrothal money. But the situation at home, you also know, how can we afford it?”
“Comparatively speaking, one or two taels of silver, if we grit our teeth, we can still afford to give.”
Hui-niang tightly furrowed her brows: “But the silver we have on us is to be saved for treating A’Lang’s illness. The matter of getting married can still be postponed a bit, but seeing a doctor can’t wait.”
She even worried whole nights through that the money would be far from enough.
Wei Shouzhong comforted his wife.
“Now that we’ve divided the family and gotten fields, after spring planting is done and the field matters are properly handled, I’ll go to the county wharf to carry goods. I don’t have much skill, but I have strength. I heard on the west side they’re hiring miners again, I’ll go inquire about it later.”
When Hui-niang heard this, she immediately got anxious: “No way, that mining mountain treats people like livestock, how many died again last year, don’t you know?”
“If something happens to you, what will A’Lang and I do?”
“You listen to me first, haven’t gone yet, have I?”
Unless there’s absolutely no other choice, he wouldn’t bet his life.
Wei Shouzhong: “Last time Granduncle and the others also said, if we’re tight on money, they’re also willing to lend some silver.”
“Besides, it’s not like we’re in a rush to settle it today. We still need to first take a look at those girls, see if they’re good or not, whether they’re willing to live a steady life.”
These few words gave Hui-niang some comfort, and her emotions slightly calmed.
“I think it’s more stable for us to buy from a matchmaker. Not to speak of others, just that saozi [嫂子, elder brother’s wife or sister-in-law] of Wan-niang, how many times has her maiden family come to leech off them? To find an in-law who understands reason, it’s also hard.”
Those girls were different.
They were sold by their families, the ties were thoroughly cut.
Speaking of this, Wei Shouzhong let out a deep sigh.
“There’s something I’ve been hiding from you.”
“Earlier our kitchen leaked water, and several tiles on the eaves also fell off.”
Fell to the ground and shattered into several pieces.
After they cleaned up, they tossed them into the corner by the wall.
Wei Shouzhong’s tone was heavy: “But A’Lang, while we weren’t paying attention, actually picked them up.”
“I saw with my own eyes, he mimed a couple of times, then moved to cut at his neck.”
The edge of the tile was sharp. If he hadn’t stopped him in time, who knows what would’ve happened!
Wei Shouzhong was scared!
He switched the tiles for smooth stones.
But Wei Zhao drooped his eyelids, no joy, no sorrow, in the black pupils not a trace of vitality. As if even if he slashed open his throat and blood sprayed, it would just be one of those things.
Even… after the tile was taken away, Wei Zhao’s emotions were still light.
He wasn’t persistent.
He didn’t care about anything, including life and death.
But exactly because of this, Wei Shouzhong instead got even more panicked, fear rushed upward, cold sweat soaked through his back.
He could only speak with a trembling voice.
【“A’Lang, you mustn’t.”】
But this old father was still worrying himself to pieces. Seeing that Wei Zhao disliked the stones, he had no choice but to smooth out the sharp parts of the tile and give them to Wei Zhao to play with.
Yet Wei Zhao was still not satisfied, because who knows where he threw the stones and tiles afterward.
Hui-niang’s face turned pale as paper. Just listening to Wei Shouzhong saying these things already left her with lingering fear.
Wei Shouzhong closed his eyes: “Hui-niang, we’re old already. How many years can we still stay with him? We can’t watch him all the time.”
———
Inside the house.
Yu Tingwan was truly angered! After all, she really was poor!
But the little girl couldn’t understand, how could Wei Shen even have the nerve to say such words. He’s about to drag down both his father and mother!
Yu Tingwan tensed her little face, pulled away to create distance between them: “You are very rude.”
Wei Zhao looked listless and drowsy.
For a moment, no words were spoken, the room was silent.
After Hui-niang came back, the rims of her eyes were slightly red, clearly absent-minded.
And Wei Shouzhong had gone out once. Not long after, he brought in a group of people.
The one leading was a shrewd-looking woman, her eyes darting all over the place the moment she entered the courtyard. Behind her followed a group of timid girls, each one sallow and skinny, their bodies stained with dirt.
Yu Tingwan was still confused, when she saw Hui-niang walk up to Wei Shen.
“A’Lang, don’t worry, Mother will definitely pick a good wife for you.”
Hui-niang spoke gently to Wei Zhao: “But a wife is someone to live life with you. If Mother picks one, I fear you won’t like her later. A’Lang, do you want to go out and have a look?”
Seeing Wei Zhao silent, Hui-niang was already used to it.
She had no choice but to discuss with him in a soft voice.
“Then A’Lang tell Mother, what kind of girl do you like?”
Yu Tingwan really wanted to say something.
She knew.
Wei Shen likes fair-skinned ones!
But she held it in.
Some images that were out of place surfaced before her eyes. The little girl felt a bit uncomfortable.
These kinds of words, Wei Zhao didn’t know how many times he had already heard.
When Duke Shun Guo was still alive, he had said:
【“Guizhi, you’ve established your career, now you should start a family.”】
Duke Shun Guo’s furen [夫人, “Madam” or “Lady,”] had also said:
【“Here in Shangjing, Ah Niang likes Princess Yong’an the most. She also has intentions toward you. What do you think?”】
【“If you’re willing, Ah Niang will make it happen for you. If you’re unwilling, Ah Niang will keep looking.”】
Even His Majesty once, during a banquet, had openly said: among all the noble daughters of Shangjing, he could pick as he pleased.
But Wei Zhao threw his whole heart into the military camp.
Now, though, he wasn’t thinking about the military camp anymore.
After Hui-niang left, Yu Tingwan seemed to be deep in thought.
She could understand — just with Wei Shen’s mouth, let alone Hui-niang, even she herself was worried that Wei Shen wouldn’t be able to get a wife.
The little girl looked at Wei Zhao, especially puzzled.
“For such a joyous matter, how come you’re not at all interested?”
Wei Zhao: …
He’s not Wei Shen.
What’s it got to do with him?
—
The husband and wife were outside hosting guests. Hui-niang moved stools out and poured hot water for each of them.
Wei Shouzhong, meanwhile, sat at Wei Zhao’s door. He could hear what was said in the courtyard, and also keep watch over the people inside the house.
That woman was dressed decently, between her brows was visible annoyance. She drank a sip of hot water, and her frozen body got a bit of relief.
Her eyes carried a layer of weariness. Doing this line of work meant having a slick tongue. She spoke up to Hui-niang.
“My surname is Chen, people around me all call me Chen Po [陈婆, ‘Granny Chen’ or ‘Madam Chen’ — used for older women, often matchmakers or midwives]. I heard Brother Wei say the family wanted to see some girls, so I brought people here.”
“Don’t worry, Little Sister, they’re all from proper families.”
“If not for running into trouble and being tight on money — and this damned weather — there’s no way I’d be in such a rush to sell. These girls, if raised up and sent to the South, don’t even mention one or two taels, even ten taels people would pay. Consider this your stroke of luck.”
“I’m a straightforward person. As long as Little Sister gives enough money, the girl will be left here, and I’ll hand over the contract of sale [卖身契, literally ‘contract of selling the body’; refers to a document certifying servitude or marriage arrangements, often forced].”
After she finished, she shouted harshly at the girls behind her: “Still not going forward to let Little Sister take a look!”
This whole way here, the girls feared Chen Po the most. As soon as they heard this, they hurriedly stepped forward, trembling.
Hui-niang saw this, and couldn’t bear it in her heart.
“No need to be afraid. This kind of thing in the end still has to be willing on both sides. If you all are unwilling, I won’t force it.”
She told a few of them to sit back down.
“No need for too many rules, don’t be restrained.”
“My family only has these conditions, you can see for yourselves. As parents, we inevitably have selfish thoughts. My family’s A’Lang isn’t in good health — I just want to find someone with a good temper, who can take care of him.”