Wanjin Lady

"I worked so hard to raise him, but I never imagined he would become like this." The elder lady's voice was soft, as if her anger had disappeared, leaving only a sense of grief, indignation, and helpless calm. "Where is he? Did he drink again last night?"

Mother Yan sighed, "The Fourth Master has been a bit unruly lately. Every night after returning from Mr. Yao's place, he always has a few drinks. He wasn't like this before. I think he's been hit hard by the recent incidents involving his brothers."

"Oh." The elder lady snorted and laughed, "I think he's clearly worried about that bitch Wen Wan! Didn't you see the look on his face when Wen Wan said she was going to sever her ties with him? I knew... this was going to happen!"

"Ruining your own future for a woman..." The elder lady pounded her chest weakly, gritting her teeth. "You're forcing me! Force me to death!"

"It's a shame that the third son's wife is such a fool! I was hoping she could give Wen Wan a fight..."

Mother Yan comforted her, "The third master fell seriously ill a few days ago, and now they all went to the mountain to pray to Buddha for peace of mind."

Which family would go to a temple to worship Buddha and stay there for a month?

But after all, the Third House had lost two sons in the past two years, so Madam Yuan couldn't stop them from going. Even the Third House's wife was happy to go, saying she wanted to light a long-burning lamp for Yuan Qi so that he could have a good journey.

It just gave Wen Wan a chance to catch her breath.

The pity and love that the elder lady once had for Wen Wan have now all been destroyed because of Cheng Yunzhang's thoughts.

How could a widow have the courage to get close to her son?
The elder lady did not show her hatred in front of others, but she was so angry in her heart that she even tossed and turned at night and could not sleep.

Madam Yan knew what was bothering her, and after careful consideration, she told Madam Yuan about her thoughts of the past few days. "Madam, if you want the Fourth Master to give up, you don't necessarily have to fight with Miss Wen. The Fourth Master is probably still thinking about Miss Wen. If you fight with Miss Wen, why bother fighting with your own son?"

Seeing the gloom on Madam Yuan's face, Yan Ma sighed inwardly, thinking that the old lady was usually an extremely shrewd person, but when it came to the Fourth Master's problem, she became overly concerned. "After all, the Fourth Master only has a little over a year left before the Spring Examination. During this period, even if the Fourth Master wanted to, he would never mention this marriage. This matter will only rot in the Fourth Master's stomach."

The elder lady shook her head. "You don't understand Xiuwen. He's a man of great intelligence. Just because he doesn't mention it now doesn't mean he's given up. I'm just afraid... that after high school... his thoughts will start to wander. Sooner or later... he'll ask me."

Aunt Yan chuckled, "Madam, you're being foolish! This matter will take at least two or three years. As long as we find Miss Wen a marriage she can't resist during this time..."

The elder lady's pupils suddenly shrank.

"Mrs. Wen's husband has been dead for almost a year. Ordinary women need to remain chaste, but Shopkeeper Wen is the daughter who stayed at home to marry into the family. She is no different from a son!"

"But she just gave birth... talking about marriage now... I'm afraid someone will find fault with her!" The elder lady muttered to herself, "But we can prepare in advance."

Since Wen Wan was a woman seeking a husband, she was treated just like a man. When a man's wife died, some would start planning a second marriage before even the seventh day had passed. But Wen Wan's late husband... counting the time... had been dead for a year... long enough.

Madam Yuan was only worried about one thing, "Wen Wan is now on guard against the Yuan family, so even if we want to arrange a marriage for her, we can't get involved. It's this person..." She sighed heavily. Wen Wan's temper was somewhat similar to hers when she was young. If Wen Wan hadn't seduced Cheng Yunzhang, she wouldn't have wanted to end Wen Wan's life.

"Wen Wan is proud and arrogant. Even if she wants to marry into the family, she will have to be very selective. Ordinary men are not in her eyes."

"This..." Mother Yan pursed her lips, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Speaking of which, I've been thinking about this for several days. Shopkeeper Wen is a strong-willed woman, and you have a kind heart, not the kind to mistreat others. If we want to facilitate Shopkeeper Wen's marriage, we have to choose the right person carefully. Otherwise, if we give Shopkeeper Wen a bad match, not only will the hatred between the two families deepen, but this matter will also fail!"

The matriarch nodded repeatedly, her heart softening slightly. At this moment, a genuine emotion surfaced. "Sister Yan, over the years... only you have been truly sincere to me." Mother Yan smiled and said, "We've known each other for decades, why say such things?"

Seeing that the matriarch did not object, Aunt Yan continued, "A month ago, an apprentice came to our winery. His surname is Chen and his name is Chen Xiaochun. He is also from Ping County. He has some skills. He used to make a living by hunting in the western mountains of Ping County. After his blind mother died, he came to Bozhou to make a living."

Ping County?

Are you from the same place as Wen Wan?
"I've seen this young man before. He's handsome and strong, diligent and filial, but his family is poor. When his mother died, he owed dozens of taels of silver..."

The elder lady's eyes brightened as she listened.

A man from the same place, handsome, masculine, without a mother to burden him, and still in debt—

This is simply a match made in heaven for Wen Wan!
Knowing what the old lady was thinking, Aunt Yan smiled and said, "I also asked him indirectly. This young man is not married. It is said that everyone in the surrounding villages knows that his family is poor, and his marriage has been delayed. I sounded out him... He doesn't seem to mind marrying into the family."

"Oh?" The elder lady was skeptical. "Are there still able-bodied men willing to marry into a woman's family these days?"

"The creditors are pressing for money, and he's penniless, with no roof over his head, so he's forced to endure hardship. That young man doesn't prostitute or gamble, and he's smart. He and Shopkeeper Wen are a perfect match!"

The elder lady was moved by her words. If she could make this happen, she could quietly make Cheng Yunzhang give up! This way, he could concentrate on his studies and marry a woman of equal status in the future.
"We can't just rush into this! We might as well talk to that guy and tell him to take the initiative without us showing up."

Mother Yan was worried, "But if we don't show up, this kid might not be able to see Wen Wan."

"No problem. Kick him out of the winery and show him a way out. That He San... the one who's connected to Widow Wang, didn't he open a wine shop? He's close to Wen Wan. If this kid goes there, he'll definitely run into Wen Wan."

If they add fuel to the fire in secret at that time, how can they not make this marriage a success?
The elder lady thought this was a great idea, as it achieved the best of both worlds: it would allow Cheng Yunzhang to study with peace of mind, while also providing Wen Wan with a support for the rest of her life.

Well, win-win!

Madam Yuan bit her lower lip, feeling uncertain about the situation. She wished she could immediately sever the ill-fated relationship between Cheng Yunzhang and Wen Wan. After a moment's hesitation, she came up with an idea. "Let's split this up. Wen Wan is difficult to control and might not fulfill our wish. Ultimately, only when the fourth son gets married... can I feel at ease."

That's true.

But seeing that the Fourth Master was deeply in love with Wen Wan, and that the mother and son had a rift because of the Third Miss's matter, the Fourth Master was afraid that he would not listen to what the Elder Lady ordered.

"Take my invitation to the Yan residence and tell them I'm sick. Ask Yuehua to come back to her parents' home to visit me."

Cheng Yunzhang might not listen to her, but he would definitely listen to Yuehua.

Cheng Yunzhang often felt guilty towards his third sister. If his third sister were to speak up, Cheng Yunzhang would consider it, even if he didn't agree immediately. (End of Chapter)