"Are you telling me there's no better young man in all of Qingshui County than that Li Cun? I don't believe it! Look again. I'm sure you can find someone who's a good match for our Qing'er."
An argument had broken out in the main hall, first thing in the morning.
Xu Su Ying bustled around her husband, first handing him a face towel, then taking out her homemade Moisturizing Cream to apply to his face.
Chen Song was a big, burly man, a full head taller than Xu Su Ying. He had a commanding presence and an imposing air; just standing there was enough to be intimidating.
Chen Song didn't mind being fussed over by his wife first thing in the morning. But when he saw the fragrant cream in her hand, he recoiled in alarm.
"I work at the government office, arresting criminals and investigating cases. It wouldn't be right for me to go around reeking of perfume. My dear, please, spare me."
Before Xu Su Ying could scold him for being ungrateful, Chen Song quickly spoke up. "I've already looked into all the eligible young men in the county, from ages fifteen to twenty. You want our son-in-law to be a scholar, to be a match for Qing'er in looks, to have solid knowledge, to be ambitious, and to come from a simple family. After searching high and low and ruling out those who are already betrothed, Li Cun is the only one in the whole county who's a worthy match. As it happens, his family has also sent a matchmaker to propose a marriage. If you think it's a good idea, I'll drop by the matchmaker's on my way to the government office today and let her know."
Xu Su Ying's pretty face tightened, a knot forming between her brows.
Clearly, she was not satisfied with Li Cun's profile and had serious reservations about him as a future son-in-law.
"His widowed mother is far too formidable. We've raised Qing'er to have a mind of her own. If she marries into that family, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are bound to clash. Our daughter will be the one marrying in, so won't she be the one constrained at every turn?"
"So that's a no on him? Fine, we'll keep looking. I have a government position now anyway, so our family is doing well. We don't have to worry about Qing'er not being able to find a good husband."
"What do you mean, 'no rush'? Meng Jintang from the Meng Family is back! It was rumored he ran into river bandits and died in the river, but as it turns out, not only has he returned, he's brought a wife back with him. Now the whole county is just waiting for our family to become a laughingstock."
At the mention of the Meng Family, Xu Su Ying's chest tightened with frustration.
The Meng Family's Meng Jintang was strikingly handsome, with a cheerful, open face. When he smiled, he was spirited and vibrant, as warm and brilliant as the morning sun.
She had been taken with the young man's good looks, good education, and good family background, so when the Meng Family came to propose marriage, she had agreed at once.
That Meng Jintang had been devoted to her daughter, too, always remembering to bring her tasty treats and fun little gifts.
The two young people had been getting along wonderfully, but who could have predicted it? Three years ago, Meng Jintang went to the Prefecture for the Provincial Examination, ran into river bandits, and vanished.
At the time, the rumors said he was killed by the bandits and eaten by fish; others claimed he was dragged to their lair and made into flower fertilizer.
In any case, the Meng Family received news from somewhere that confirmed Meng Jintang was as dead as could be.
Such a wonderful son-in-law, gone just like that. Xu Su Ying was heartbroken too, but before she could even shed a tear, the Mengs showed up at her door, clamoring for her daughter to marry into their family and become Meng Jintang's widow.
Xu Su Ying herself would never have agreed to a Watchman Gate widowhood, let alone marrying her daughter into a family just to be a widow. She refused and immediately started arguing with them.
But the Meng family had come prepared and with an even more vicious plan. When Wanqing came out to pull her mother back, they took the opportunity to strike without a word, smashing a brick right at her head.
Only later did Xu Su Ying learn that the Meng Family's real plan was to "accidentally" beat Qing'er to death so she could be joined with Meng Jintang in a posthumous marriage and buried with him.
Absolutely heartless!
If the people from the Zhao Village, young and old, hadn't heard the commotion and come to help, her daughter might have actually been buried six feet under.
Because of this incident, the Chen family and the Meng Family became bitter enemies.
Who could have imagined that three years later, Meng Jintang would return from the dead?
Not only did he return, he brought back a wife and two children—a son and a daughter.
He had been stabbed twice by river bandits and hit on the head, which is why he fell into the water.
By a stroke of luck, he was saved by the woman who was now his wife.
I heard he spent a year recovering. He got better, but he still couldn't remember a single thing from his past. And so, he simply stayed there, married the woman, and they started a family.
Then a month ago, he was supposedly on the roof fixing tiles when he rolled off. Luckily, he landed on a pile of firewood. He wasn't badly hurt, but he hit his head, and just like that, his memory came back.
With his memory restored, Meng Jintang returned to Qingshui County with his wife and children. As soon as the Meng family found out he had married an orphan, they caused a huge uproar.