Chapter 518: Another Wedding Proposal
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Wang Erlang was already 17 years old, so he naturally had to avoid close contact with other girls. So, he left quickly.
“Big Sister Wei, don’t think that my Second Brother is very decent. He’s actually pretending,” Little Ah Yu said. She felt that it was not good to undermine her brother like this and added, “However, he’s especially smart. He’s the best at studying in our family. He even got third place in this county level imperial exam!”
Wei Qianying nodded. “That’s very impressive.”
The county level imperial exams were held in local county cities. Each ordinary county city had more than a hundred candidates.
Among these examinees, there were few people from poor families. Everyone basically had some family background. Some would even invite private teachers to their homes.
One needed to have the qualifications to take the county level imperial exam. Most students’ knowledge was either not good, or they were too lacking in certain subjects, so they could not obtain the qualifications to attempt the exam.
In comparison, being able to enter the top three was indeed considered smart.
Little All Yu was also very happy that her second brother was praised.
She asked Wei Qianying, “Big Sister Wei, your father is a magistrate, so can you become an official too?”
This was because Little All Yu had heard that the higher the position, the more things one could do.
Could the daughter of a magistrate take the exam?
Little All Yu told Wei Qianying her thoughts. Wei Qianying was stunned.
Ah Yu of the Wang Family was only four years old, right? Why did she have such thoughts?
This was something Wei Qianying had never thought of.
“Women can’t take the exam, let alone be an official. The daughter of a magistrate can’t, and even the daughter of the Emperor can’t.” Wei Qianying did not try to brush Little Ah Yu off just because of her age.
“Why not?” Little All Yu still did not understand. “I’m in a private school and can already memorize all four books and five scriptures. The teacher said that many male students my age can’t do it. He also said that if I take the county level imperial exam, 1 might be able to pass it too.”
She was not stupider than the others. Just because she was a girl, even if she was smarter than some students in the exam, she could not do it?
Wei Qianying could not answer and could only say, “It’s been like this since ancient times. Women just can’t.”
“No,” Little Ah Yu hurriedly said. “In the story the elf told me, there were also female Saints, female generals, and female Emperors—”
“All Yu, you can’t say these things again.” Wei Qianying covered Little Ah Yu’s mouth and looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, she was relieved.
Children’s words carried no harm. How could they know that these things could not be said?
Little All Yu knew that this Big Sister Wei was the same as the others. She could not share everything with her.
She immediately felt disinterested.
Big Brother Ah You was still the best. Big Brother All You was willing to listen to her say anything and would not tell her to mind her words.
Sigh, she missed Big Brother All You.
The adults in the living room were also discussing Wang Erlang.
Wang Erlang was already 17 years old. He should have started looking for a match long ago, but Madam Ma was afraid that it would delay his exam, so she forcefully suppressed it.
Now, it was time to plan.
He was now a county scholar. Even if his prospective wife was not rich, she needs to be able to hold a conversation with him. Otherwise, the couple would be resentful of each other.
In the past, the Wang Family valued the trait of diligence in their daughters-in-law. But now, the old lady had bought a few maidservants and servants from the prefecture capital. There was basically no need for the main family to do the chores at home anymore, and there was naturally no need to find a daughter-in-law to help with the housework.
In that case, there was no need to choose diligent girls. Instead, they could choose girls who had intelligence.
The prefectural magistrate’s wife was the happiest. She held Madam Ma’s hand again and brought up the matter that they’d previously discussed. “Sister, previously, 1 said that our two families can be joined as one family, but you said that our children are not compatible. Now that your son has become a talented and young county scholar, he’s suitable for our daughter. It’ll be great if you could let our Xianyin tie the knot with your Zilang and settle their marriage first.”
Zilang was Wang Silang. He was already 15 years old this year.
“No! 1 don’t want to marry into their family. If you really want to marry your daughter, let Big Sister do it!” Wei Xianyin rushed into the living room and was still panting. She was clearly very angry.
Her voice was not low. Not to mention the people in the living room, even the Wang Family boys outside heard her.
When Wang Silang saw this, he shook his head slightly. “Why is the youngest daughter of Magistrate Wei so noisy?”
She did not look like the biological child of the magistrate and his wife at all.
Old Madam Wang was not in the hall. Magistrate Wei’s face turned cold as he scolded, “Wei Xianyin, get out!”
“You just want to sell your daughter to repay the favor.” Wei Xianyin’s eyes were red, but her voice was very stubborn. “I won’t compromise.
If I’m really looking forward to him returning the favor, your father’s entire life is not enough.” Old Madam Wang’s voice sounded faintly from the side, shocking everyone in the hall.
Only then did everyone see that Little Ah Yu was beside the old lady. Beside her was an embarrassed Wei Ying’s figure.
At this moment, Old Madam Wang made the final decision. “Don’t worry. Even if our Wang Family’s children go to the temple to be monks and hang their signboards at the city gate, we won’t climb up to your Wei Manor.”
According to the rules of Great Chang, if a man wanted to be a live-in son-in-law, he had to go to the city gate and hang a signboard for three days to show everyone that he would never go back on his word or abandon his wife, as well as ensure that his family will not seek to reclaim him for three generations.
After the matter was completed, they still had to go to the government office to sign documents and stamp their names.
Magistrate Wei was the first to panic. He hurriedly stood up and was about to approach Old Madam Wang. “Auntie Ran, 1 don’t have that kind of thought!”
“I do.” Old Madam Wang held Little Ah Yu’s hand and walked steadily. “I still have to go out to watch the performance. I won’t send you off.”
Magistrate Wei’s face turned pale, not knowing what to say.
Auntie Ran was still the same. When she was protective, she liked to attack indiscriminately.
He was really wronged!