Qiu Yu carefully examined Zi Qing's embroidery and exclaimed, "Good heavens, this is double-sided embroidery! When did Zi Qing learn double-sided embroidery? Not many people in Anzhou City know how to do this. A piece as large as this must be worth at least ten or twenty taels of silver."

  Tian heard this and immediately became very unhappy, running to the kitchen to question Shen: "Zi Fu's mother, I'm asking you, you're so good at embroidery, how come in over ten years of marriage I've never seen you do any to help with household expenses? You really kept it hidden, not a single leak. If you had earned money earlier, our family's life would have been better long ago! What is your intention? Can't bear to see us live a good life? Our Tian family hasn't treated you unfairly, has it?"

  "Mother, that thing takes a year to make, I don't have the time. Every day I get up and can't even dress the kids properly, it's always Zifu who dresses them. Besides cooking for the whole family, I also have to feed the chickens and pigs, we raise three pigs every year at home. I even have to go out to cut grass for the pigs, and when the kids' clothes get torn, I'm the one who stays up late at night to mend them by lamplight. And you're still saying I waste lamp oil? Besides, even during the day, it's too dark in my room to see the embroidery needle."

  Tian said: "You didn't say you could do embroidery, if you had taught Chunyu and the others, they wouldn't be having such a hard time now."

  "Mother, I've been married for less than half a year and Chunyu is already getting married, where did she find the time to learn? Besides, this is the skill you passed down to me, how can it be easily passed on to someone else?" Shen Shi was really annoyed.

  "Chunyu has left, but aren't there still Xiayu and Qiuyu? How can they be outsiders? You've seen Qiuyu working on her embroidery every day, she's learned it quickly. Just watch her quietly making embroidered pouches and handkerchiefs, not saying a word, that's worth some money! It's a pity you're the sister-in-law, but you don't know how to love them."

  "Mother, I've told you, it's impossible for me to teach this skill to outsiders. Even my sister-in-law from my mother's family wanted to learn but couldn't master it. My mother said so too - only pass it down to daughters. Don't harbor such thoughts anymore. I've been married into the Zeng family for over a decade, and I'm guiltless towards all of you. You can think whatever you want." Shen Shi was getting angry.

  Tian's wife had nothing more to say. Qiu Yu led her out. The two of them didn't know what they said in the house, but Tian's wife came out with a much better expression.

  Zi Qing thought that this matter was already over, but unexpectedly after the New Year's Day, on the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zi Fu and his family went out to pay their respects. Zi Qing stayed at home because Shen Shi didn't want the children to be too exposed in public. Moreover, today they had to invite three younger aunts' families over for dinner, with a total of many people: Chun Yu's family of nine, Xia Yu's family of four, and Qiu Yu's family of just two, plus the two elderly people, Shen Shi was busy to the point of being overwhelmed.

  Shen and Zi Qing were busy in the kitchen. Chun Yu's family arrived earliest, and He Dian was whispering with someone in the west wing, while the study had been locked up early by Zi Fu, who now had more belongings and didn't want outsiders to touch them. Shen's room was also tidied up, but even so, it couldn't stop the curiosity of Da Mao and a few others, who still rummaged through things, and Shen and Zi Qing were nowhere to be seen in the kitchen.

  Zeng Ruixiang did see it, his own nephew, and couldn't bear to say anything. Fortunately, Autumn Jade and her husband came over soon after, saw the kids rummaging around, and said: "Sister, brother-in-law, you should also discipline your children, they're guests after all, and yet they've grown up without any manners, causing trouble wherever they go."

  Chun Yu's face was indifferent, saying: "I've said it countless times, these poor kids, none of them listen. I just can't manage them."

  Xia Yu's family arrived relatively late, almost at twelve o'clock. After dinner, Zi Qing poured tea for the adults, and Tian Shi said that the adults had something to discuss. The several boys from Chun Yu's house went out to play in the street. Zi Qing took a few girls to sit in the first room of the east house, where they chatted idly as it was the first month when no needlework should be done. Suddenly, a dispute arose in the west house, and Zeng Rui Xiang and Shen Shi shouted in unison: "I disagree, absolutely not!"

  Zi Qing was startled, what's going on again? At this time, Gui Hua proudly said with her neck raised: "I know what they're arguing about! I heard my dad and mom say that big brother is going to marry Zi Qing's older cousin as his wife."

  "What nonsense are you spouting, do you know what's going on? Shut that stinky mouth of yours!" Guiling didn't even let Guihua finish before she cut her off.

  Zi Qing's face was filled with doubt, how could the idea of marrying her off be conceived? However, Zi Qing knew that given her parents' and older brother's doting on her, they would never casually marry her off. That kind of family, that kind of man, Shen's family wouldn't even consider it if they weren't close relatives, and probably would have cut ties with them long ago.

  Ziying couldn't help but admire the couple's courage. As the saying goes, "the ignorant are fearless". It's really unknown what's going on in their heads. This thick-skinned behavior should have a limit, right? At least one unpleasant scene is bound to happen.

  When Tian's wife saw Chunyu in the morning, she was delighted to pull her into the house. The result of her discussion with Qiuyu that day was to send Guixiang and Guihua to learn embroidery from Shen's wife, so they would have a skill to rely on in the future and wouldn't have to worry about their livelihood.

  Who would have thought that Tian Shi said this, Chun Yu turned up her mouth and said: "What's the point of bothering with that? The child's father said it, let Damao marry Zi Qing, isn't that settled? To say that Ermao's age is the most suitable, but Ermao's leg is lame, I reckon Second Brother and Sister-in-law won't agree. Although Damao is four years older, it doesn't matter."

  Tian heard that and felt Shen was unlikely to look down on Da Mao, Chunyu said indignantly: "Why can't you look up to my family's Da Mao? Da Mao is so good, he has everything, he's handsome, and he studied for four or five years. Except for his poor family background, what's not better than Zi Qing? Besides, if she marries into our family, I'll treat her as a younger sister, how can I mistreat her? There are countless cases of sisters-in-law being close relatives in the past, when my mother comes back, she'll also help to persuade and mediate. If it's settled, we'll immediately invite a matchmaker, Da Mao is already 17 this year."

  The Tian family was also simple-minded and biased towards their own daughter and grandson, without considering much. After listening to his eldest daughter's words, he thought that if Zi Qing married into the family, the dowry would definitely not be less, and his own daughter's family would no longer have to suffer from then on, so he spoke up to his son and daughter-in-law.

  At this time, seeing her own son and daughter-in-law so strongly opposed, Tian didn't know to reflect on herself, but instead became even more angry. The resentment in her heart over the past few days all came out, and she clapped her hands and shouted: "How can it not be okay? In this family, I just can't take charge a bit, my son has to listen to his mother, no matter how you say it, that's the reason. What's wrong with being close relatives? What's wrong with Damao? I'm speaking up for Ziying's own good, she's her aunt and will be the mistress of the house, can she be humiliated? How is she not better than an outsider? Isn't she much stronger than Ziping?"

  "Shen was about to retort, but Zeng Ruixiang grabbed her and whispered 'Don't worry.' Then he said to Tian: 'Mother, this matter is clear as day, I won't agree to it no matter what. You dote on your daughter, she's your own flesh and blood, you can spoil me all you want, even if I know you're using my silver to raise a few nephews, I've never disagreed with you. But this is different, Ziqing is the apple of my eye, no lighter in weight than your daughter in your heart. I won't marry her off to that kind of family, let's not discuss this further and avoid hurting our relatives' feelings.'"

  Ziying was in the east house when she heard her father's words "treasure in the palm" and tears welled up in her eyes. She had never thought that her old father would say such a moving phrase to persuade Old Lady, this was after all an ancient era that emphasized filial piety and strict fathers and kind mothers. Ziying was truly moved.

  Chun Yu suddenly became anxious and shouted: "What's wrong with my son? My family may be poor, but we are still a decent family. If Zi Ping's affair is exposed, can Zi Qing still find a good husband?" What's there to be proud of?

  "You're not afraid of losing face, you have the ability to shout loudly, don't forget your own surname? With just the two of you, what good children can you raise?" Zeng Rui Xiang glared at his older sister.

  "That's it, stop arguing, you're always arguing when we eat together. Don't come next time, I don't think this is reliable either. Zi Qing is such a smart and obedient child, what can Da Mao do? Can he shoulder the burden or carry it in his hands? After studying for so many years, he couldn't even pass the county exam, he's not capable of doing anything, just good enough to be an apprentice, and he can't even bear any hardship. A forced cow won't drink water." The old man said and walked away.

  On this side, Xia Yu and Qiu Yu also advised that Yan's family was not suitable for Zi Qing, and Tian Shi saw that her two younger daughters did not stand on her side either. After thinking about it, she thought that this matter might not be achieved today, so she said: "Since this matter cannot be accomplished, let Zi Qing teach Guiying and Guihua to embroider flowers instead. In this way, your sister's family will have some income and can live a more comfortable life."

  Shen said: "I said that day, the embroidery was passed down from my grandmother's hands, even my mother's sister doesn't know how to do it, how could I possibly teach outsiders?"

  Tian's family was furious and slapped the table, saying: "This won't do, that won't do, I'm a mother who doesn't have any weight in what I say? You tell me what to do then?"

  "What to do? Every family has its own way of living. Can't live without that needlework? Autumn Jade can also embroider flowers, why can't she teach? Besides, I've raised their son for several years, and now I have to raise a daughter too?" Zeng Rui Xiang was really angry today, normally he wouldn't speak to Tian Shi in this tone.

  Besides, Da Mao and San Mao won't be able to make it this year either. Continuing to study would just be a waste of time; it's better to leave early and find an apprenticeship. Zeng Rui Xiang added.

  Yan Renda absolutely did not expect today's result, it was completely a case of losing the rice while trying to steal the chicken, he quickly got up and said: "Let's reconsider this matter."

  "Still thinking about what, Da Mao is seventeen this year, should be talking about marrying a wife, and not in a hurry to find a job, as if he's still young. Are there any children bigger than them in the school? If there's any hope, I'll send them to the county school. Nowadays, learning something is enough to find an apprentice job, why waste this time? It seems like taking advantage of it, but actually you think, if these two years they went out to work, can't the family be more relaxed?" Zeng Rui Xiang's words are still quite reasonable.

  "Second brother is right, I've also thought that Damao and the others didn't need to continue, you guys are just too superficial, for your own good, you can't listen, this is a typical case of gaining a small advantage but suffering a big loss." Qiu Yu has always been outspoken.

  The Chunyu family listened silently, and it was unclear what they were thinking.