The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 286

Madam Li thought it was alright; relatives should keep their distance and each do their own thing.

However, Madam Xu's ambiguous smile made Madam Li swallow back the words she was about to say.

However, she was also resentful: a fifth-rank official's wife, could Chunyan find someone better than this?
Madam Li's main purpose in coming was to sound out the Xiao family's opinion, hoping to arrange a marriage for her nephew.

Since Madam Xu didn't respond, she wisely kept quiet.

We chatted about some unimportant topics for a while, and then I said goodbye.

After seeing Madam Li off, Madam Xu felt very tired.

“Mother, don’t worry,” Zhu comforted her. “The girls in our family are all excellent. It’s a blessing for them to marry a girl from our family. Good girls never have to worry about getting married.”

"Yes, a good woman doesn't have to worry about getting married."

Ms. Xu comforted herself, saying, "No rush, no rush, fate is predetermined!"

Just as I and Mrs. Qiu said, when fate brings us together, it will come naturally.

"Mother, after the special imperial examination, we can see some good young men."

"That might not be our family's turn."

Choosing a son-in-law from among those listed on the imperial examination list was a favorite pastime of officials.

Even at home, they would choose princesses for their sons-in-law.

However, there's no need to worry this time, mainly because the princesses are still in mourning and won't compete with common women.

Mrs. Xu sighed.

Zhu Lingling reported that the Zhu family sent a servant to invite her back.

"Go ahead, it would be good for you to go back and see your mother."

"But there are still many things to do in the manor."

"There's no rush. We can get back to work later."

Xu was very satisfied with her daughter-in-law, Zhu.

No matter the situation, one should always be able to clearly understand one's own identity and status.

Despite enduring so much hardship on the way to Sichuan, he remained magnanimous and composed upon returning home.

Therefore, choosing a daughter-in-law really requires discernment.

When Madam Zhu returned to the mansion, Madam Xu specifically instructed her to prepare some gifts.

Although the Xiao family is not as prosperous as before, they are not as destitute as one might imagine.

"My son."

Madam Zhu hugged her daughter and wept bitterly: "You've really suffered these past years."

"Mother, your daughter is unfilial."

It would be a lie to say I don't miss my mother, but even if I did, she's so far away, there's nothing I can do about it.

However, when the Xiao family suffered misfortune, her mother still secretly sent a nanny to help her, and Zhu Lingling remembered this.

She was the one who wanted to go to Sichuan in the first place.

"You're finally back. It's good that you've finally overcome all your hardships. Why didn't you bring Yang-ge'er back with you?"

“Yang Ge’er is studying. My husband and I will bring him to pay New Year’s respects to my mother during the Spring Festival.”

"Is your son-in-law alright?"

"Fortunately."

However, the once dashing young man is now a middle-aged man with a weathered face.

The harsh winds and frosts of the northern desert have etched themselves into his face, leaving indelible marks.

"That's fine, that's fine."

Madam Zhu just kept wiping away her tears.

"Lingling, you have no idea how much your mother has missed you all these years."

I won't say more about what I want to say. Then, Madam Zhu brought up a serious matter.

"Although your fourth brother is a son born out of wedlock, I have registered him under my name and have been personally tutoring him. He will also take the exam next year."

"Zhu Haodong?"

“Yes, this child is hardworking, diligent, and filial. I’m thinking of finding him a good wife.” Zhu said, “Because his birth mother, Aunt Zhong, passed away three years ago, the Wang family broke off the engagement we had arranged. Now he is in mourning and is getting older. I’ve looked at a few families, but they all look down on his background.”

Madam Zhu was very angry about this.

I think those people have no taste.

Even her illegitimate sons were well-educated and fully capable of establishing their own households; they had great futures ahead of them.

"My mother is kind-hearted."

Zhu Lingling felt that her mother was a really good person, who was able to treat her illegitimate children kindly.

“In this day and age, having three wives and four concubines is perfectly normal. Aunt Zhong was my maid, and even after I took her as a concubine, she was always well-behaved and respectful to me. Your father had concubines, but he never favored his concubines over his wives. Our Zhu family has very strict family rules.”

“Dongge’er has been registered under my name since birth. I treat him the same as Kaige’er. Kaige’er is ambitious and wants to pursue a martial path. So, he went out to make his way in the world at the age of sixteen and is now stationed at the border. With Dongge’er by my side, I don’t feel lonely.”

"Yes, that's fine too."

The mother couldn't rely on her biological son, so she wanted to rely on her illegitimate son.

"I was thinking of finding a good wife for Dong-ge, so that the family could be harmonious and life could go smoothly."

"Which girl has Mother taken a liking to?"

Zhu Lingling didn't even want to talk about it anymore; her mother really dared to think that way.

A concubine's son covets a girl from the Xiao family. When his mother-in-law, second aunt, and third aunt find out, they don't know how to get along with her.

I suddenly felt a headache.

“I know the Xiao family has a good family tradition, and the Xiao family’s daughters are also very good.” Madam Zhu said frankly, “If it were before, I would have been embarrassed to say it, but it’s different now. Dong’er has entered Hanwen Academy to study, and the master has said that his future is bright. That’s why I have the confidence to ask you to mention it to the Xiao family.”

"Mother, I understand."

Zhu Lingling nodded.

Chun Ning also went to Hanwen Academy.

If possible, Mother-in-law could ask Chun Ning about this.

Which girl from the Xiao family did Mother choose?

How are the swallows doing?

"Mother, you married the eldest son of the Xiao family, and Chunyan married back to the Zhu family. People who don't know the situation might think that our two families are exchanging brides."

"What's wrong with that?" Madam Zhu said. "There are also cases where two sisters marry two brothers; isn't that a beautiful story too?"

Zhu Lingling was speechless.

Maybe so.

After returning to the Xiao family from the Zhu family home, Zhu Shi couldn't bring herself to tell her mother-in-law about Zhu Haodong.

However, during the meal, Zhu overheard Chun Ning talking to the elders about his situation at Hanwen Academy.

"That's not bad, no one has done anything to me." Chun Ning was a latecomer to the academy: "There's Young Master Zhao the Second, who is the last disciple of Headmaster Tian, ​​and he's been very kind to me. There's also a classmate, Young Master Zhu. By the way, Young Master Zhu is my sister-in-law's fourth brother, and he's also a good person."

"Zhu Haodong, Dong-ge'er?" Upon hearing this, Madam Zhu quickly asked, "Does my brother know him?"

"Yes, we were classmates and got along very well. He is a talented person with good character. This young man has a bright future."

"The fourth young master of the Zhu family?" Madam Xu glanced at Zhu Lingling: "I remember he's older than Chun Ning, and he's already married, isn't he?"

"Reporting to Mother, not yet." Seeing that the opportunity was right, Madam Xu quickly said, "When I returned home today, my mother mentioned this matter again. She said that three years ago, Dong-ge'er was in mourning because his birth mother passed away, and the girl he was engaged to broke off the engagement. Now that he has reached the age, we need to arrange a marriage for him after the imperial examination."

"That's it."

Mrs. Xu began to make plans in her mind.

If what Chun Ning said is true... it's a pity he's an illegitimate son.

“Dong’er has been registered under my mother’s name since birth, and my mother has always treated him like her own son.” Zhu Lingling added at the right time, “He has lived up to expectations and has not gone astray.”