Chapter 308: Chapter 308: Forming a Good Match
Song Ci understood very well the principle that flowers do not stay red for a hundred days. The Prime Minister’s Mansion may be enjoying a flowery splendor now, but who knows what the future holds?
Despite the Yan Family having just a Scholar now and a weak family foundation, Yan Zisheng is someone even Song Zhiyuan is optimistic about. With him around, who knows what the future holds for the Yan Family?
Take the Song Family, for instance. When it was impoverished, it was even worse off than the Yan Family, and now look at its splendor.
Therefore, do not underestimate the impoverished young; the boy you may look down upon today could be your superior tomorrow.
Furthermore, the Yan Family mother and daughter currently seem to be well-mannered and know their place. Without good family education, how could someone like Yan Zisheng be nurtured?
Song Ci understood this clearly and established good relations with the Yan Family, as there might be times when they could be of help, considering no one can predict the future.
Establishing goodwill could never be a loss.
Madam Li, seeing no room for refusal, signaled her daughter to accept it and sincerely thanked Song Ci before sitting down again to talk.
During their conversation, it was revealed that they had been staying at an inn for the past couple of days and had bought a small two-courtyard house in West City, planning to fix it up and move in before the Autumn Festival.
Even though it was a small house, it had exhausted the entire Yan Family’s resources. Not only were the family lands sold, but the accumulated items over the years were also all liquidated, leaving just enough to prepare a dowry for Yan Zisheng’s marriage.
"What about Miss Yan? Is she not yet betrothed?" Song Ci looked at Yan Ziyu.
Upon hearing this, Madam Li looked somewhat forlorn and glanced at her daughter with a hint of guilt in her eyes, saying, "Ever since her brother became a Scholar, there have been many proposals. Originally, we thought of finding her a match back home, but her brother said that she’s not too old yet. He hopes she can wait a bit. If he becomes a Scholar, he might find someone in the capital, ensuring she has some support in the future."
When her marriage was mentioned, Yan Ziyu inevitably blushed with embarrassment.
Song Ci didn’t think the Yan Family was practical-minded. This is a typical scenario where a family member becomes a Scholar, and the family enjoys the glory that comes with it.
Why study and take the imperial exams? To gain literature and military skills, and connect with the Emperor’s family?
That’s just a pleasant façade. For a Scholar from a poor family, studying to pass the imperial exams is to change one’s fate and bring honor to the family.
There’s a world of difference between a Scholar and a Scholar. A Scholar’s sister and a Scholar’s sister are on entirely different levels. If Yan Zisheng performs well enough to enter the top ranks, it would be remarkable. Yan Ziyu would then have more marriage options, and her future in-laws would be of a higher caliber, rather than just merchants or Scholars.
Practical? Very practical. But no one should despise it. What, is this lacking the moral integrity of a learned person?
Bah!
If your family hasn’t eaten well or married well, how can you talk to me about the moral integrity of a learned person?
"Yan Scholar also has foresight. At just sixteen, she is indeed still young. Let her age a bit more before marriage so that she doesn’t suffer too much when she marries and bears children." Having children too young poses a high risk.
Yan Ziyu, upon hearing this, was so embarrassed that she almost lowered her head to her chest.
Seeing this, Song Ci, knowing that young ladies are thin-skinned, stopped discussing her and shifted the topic to Wang Qiuman.
Madam Li was also interested in inquiring about this Wang Qiuman. Although the match was made by the Prime Minister’s Mansion, she felt it was never wrong to learn about her future daughter-in-law’s character, just so she could have a sense of comfort.
Song Ci didn’t only speak of Wang Qiuman’s strengths; she also mentioned her weakness: being an orphan with no support, which was her biggest disadvantage.
Madam Li, however, took it in stride and said, "As long as the girl is good, we are a family of farmers and scholars and do not care much about the talk regarding widowed eldest daughters."
For a rural family, being able to marry a wife is already a blessing; why would they care if she’s a widowed eldest daughter?