He Shi, terrified that her mother-in-law might say something untoward, quickly interjected, "Auntie Zhao, what are you saying? My mother would never be dissatisfied."

After speaking, He Shi shot a meaningful glance toward the matchmaker, who immediately chimed in, "Exactly! Yu'er and Young Master Zhao are a match made in heaven—truly the perfect pair, perhaps the best you could find in the world. How could anyone be displeased? Auntie Lin is correct; this engagement isn't finalized, and I misspoke. It’s my fault, I deserve a slap." The matchmaker chuckled nervously to smooth things over.

Madam Zhao had clearly noticed the exchange between He Shi and the matchmaker. Ignoring the subtlety, she addressed He Shi directly: "Madam Zhao, I have heard about your family's situation. It is indeed excellent. Your son is a Xiucai (scholar), and you own your own fields. In our Lin Village, reaching this standing is rare. However, I assume Madam Zhao is also an extremely capable woman, managing so many fields all by yourself?"

"Isn't that the truth? It's all managed by my sister-in-law alone. During the busy farming seasons, she works tirelessly from dawn till dusk. My elder brother passed away these last few years, and she's been holding the family together since then," Zhao Yu's aunt offered.

"And what about your boy? I hear he's nineteen this year. Doesn't he help with the farm work usually?" Madam Zhao continued pressing.

"Heh heh, my Zhao Yu is not a man for farm labor. I specifically have him studying; he’s meant to enter the academy. I’m counting on him achieving great things," Zhao Yu's mother replied, filled with pride.

"Mmm, being a Xiucai so young, he certainly has great prospects. But why not wait a few more years until he earns a proper official title? Then perhaps you could secure a young lady from an official family in the city, and Madam Zhao could finally enjoy a life of leisure," Madam Zhao remarked with a faint smile.

"That was my original intention, but I am growing older, and the household needs a daughter-in-law to manage things. Besides, our Yu'er is not getting any younger," Zhao Yu's mother answered candidly.

Madam Zhao asked these questions specifically so He Shi could clearly understand what kind of household she was marrying her daughter into. Yet, He Shi seemed utterly unfazed, perhaps bewitched. Hearing these remarks, she showed no reaction whatsoever, and when she saw her mother-in-law staring, she simply smiled and said, "Yes, their ages are quite suitable. Auntie Zhao, our Yu'er is very capable; she handles all our household affairs herself. When she joins your home, she will certainly manage a household well."

Huang Shi, standing to the side, had remained silent. She sensed that He Shi did not welcome her or her mother-in-law’s presence. If she spoke rashly now, with guests present, and both her mother-in-law and He Shi scrutinizing her, it wasn't her turn to speak. Furthermore, she didn't want to wade into this murky water at such a delicate moment, as it was He Shi’s right to marry off her daughter.

Huang Shi nearly couldn't restrain herself when He Shi spoke, but she managed to hold back. She wondered what was wrong with her sister-in-law. The other party had already stated clearly that they wanted a daughter-in-law to work. Right now, Zhao Yu's mother managed everything, inside and out. If they married a new bride, that bride would take over the labor—it would be a miracle if she didn't work herself to death.

Madam Zhao stopped pressing after He Shi's comment, but she exchanged a knowing look with Huang Shi, then stood up, saying, "Then, Madam Zhao, please sit a while longer. My old man hasn't eaten yet; I must return to make him his meal."

With that, she walked out without looking at He Shi. Huang Shi immediately rose as well, offered a brief greeting to the others, and followed her out. He Shi was almost relieved to see them go quickly and didn't press them to stay. She stood up to see Madam Zhao and the others to the door. However, once outside the courtyard, Madam Zhao didn't go far, stopping near He Shi's home. Huang Shi walked behind her. Madam Zhao turned to Huang Shi and said through gritted teeth, "That He Shi is truly mad. How can she shamelessly marry her daughter off like this? If she marries into that family, she'll likely suffer worse than a servant girl. Stay here with me and wait for Er Niu and Da Jiang to return."

"Yes, Elder Sister-in-law’s consideration was terribly incomplete. Yu'er marrying in like this will surely mean hardship for her," Huang Shi agreed quietly.

The two women waited by the crossroads for a while until Er Niu, Da Jiang, and a few others, including Qingshan, came back. Seeing Da Jiang and the others approach, Madam Zhao intercepted them by the roadside and asked pointedly, "Da Jiang, do you agree to this marriage?"

"Yes, I agree. I think the young man's age suits our Yu'er, and their family circumstances aren't bad. Yu'er isn't getting any younger; we can't keep delaying," Da Jiang replied.

Huang Shi looked at Da Jiang strangely and turned to Er Niu, asking, "Husband, did you not tell Elder Brother what I mentioned to you?"

"What matter?" Er Niu asked.

"What I told you the night before last about Yu'er," Huang Shi clarified.

"What did you tell me the night before last?" Er Niu genuinely couldn't recall any such discussion.

Huang Shi shot him a look, realizing that when she had told him, Er Niu must have been half-asleep and merely grunted, leading her to believe he had heard everything, so she hadn't said any more.

Madam Zhao stepped in and began to scold, "Da Jiang, you and that foolish wife of yours are cut from the same cloth! Are you dazzled by their Xiucai status and a few acres of land? Are you marrying Yu'er off to be a maid or an old nanny? They want a bride specifically to do farm work. Can your Yu'er even do that?"

"Mother, what are you saying? Didn't you say the young man’s family situation was quite good? And that the fields are managed by hired help? Besides, didn't you both agree to this match? And wasn't the match introduced by Hongxia's contact? What exactly is going on?" Da Jiang asked, confused.

Madam Zhao knew in her heart that He Shi had likely managed this behind Da Jiang's back, but she sighed deeply.

"How can both of you be so muddle-headed? One is obsessively trying to marry her daughter off to suffer, and the other agrees to the marriage without even understanding what kind of family they are. You truly are..."

Then, Madam Zhao laid out the precise details of the young man's family situation to Da Jiang. Upon hearing it, Da Jiang felt a surge of helpless anger; his wife’s audacity was growing—daring to conceal such a major decision. She surely deserved a beating.

However, the matter had reached this point, leaving no room for maneuvering. Since He Shi had concealed the preliminary steps, and today was the formal proposal, the engagement was practically sealed. If they backed out now, not only would they lose a significant amount of money, but more critically, Yu'er’s reputation would be ruined. Once the engagement was broken, finding another suitable match for Yu'er would become extremely difficult.

"Elder Brother, calm your anger first. The matter has reached this juncture. You must think carefully: do you agree to this marriage or not? I actually think there is no other option but to agree. After all, Yu'er is not young anymore. If she were younger, we could perhaps delay for two years and see how things settle, but now, I fear we cannot afford to wait," Er Niu advised.

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