Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I had thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but to my surprise, I slept exceptionally well. No dreams disturbed me all night. I only woke when I heard Feng Zhaoqiu smashing bowls and plates.

I pushed open my door and saw her standing there like a furious guardian deity, glaring daggers at a woman across from her.

When she saw I was awake, Feng Zhaoqiu forced out a smile and said, “Nianzhi, go back to your room first.”

Before I could react, the woman opposite her acted as if she owned the place and called out to me with a grin.

“Just look at that face, so pretty and fresh. No wonder someone came to me in the middle of the night asking me to make a match!

“Miss Nianzhi, I’m not exaggerating. In all of Baohua Village, who doesn’t know Zhang Jun’s family has the deepest pockets? Plenty of girls are desperate to marry him. It’s only because you’re blessed with good fortune that-”

Feng Zhaoqiu snapped, “Blessed, my ass! He has the nerve to come begging for marriage, and now he’s the one being picky? You dare call it my daughter’s good fortune? Bah! Get out!”

The matchmaker gave an awkward laugh and apologized. Perhaps she thought Feng Zhaoqiu was too fierce to mess with, because she turned straight to me instead. “Men marry when they’re grown, women marry when they’re grown. Once you’re of age, it’s time to discuss marriage, or else you’ll end up an old maid nobody wants. I’m only doing this out of kindness, aren’t I? Miss Nianzhi, you should talk to your mother too. A grown daughter can’t be kept at home forever. Keep her too long, and affection turns into resentment!”

Her words were barbed from beginning to end, and there was no lack of intent to sow discord.

There had been plenty of verbal sparring at the Marquis Manor as well, but most of it was circuitous and veiled, all insinuations and hidden blades. Rarely had I heard anything so blunt.

Feng Zhaoqiu was livid. Without another word, she went back into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and stormed out. The matchmaker saw it and was so frightened she turned and ran, cursing Feng Zhaoqiu for being crazy as she fled.

“With a mother like you, don’t expect to marry off your daughter in this lifetime!”

Feng Zhaoqiu wasted no words. “Get lost! If you dare come again, I’ll make sure you leave carried out sideways!”

Even after the matchmaker had vanished from sight, Feng Zhaoqiu’s hands were still trembling.

She was shaking with rage.

“What kind of trash dares set his sights on my daughter? Think the Feng family has no one? Let me tell you, I’ve slaughtered more than enough beasts in my life. One more won’t make a difference!”

Afraid she might accidentally hurt herself, I took the knife from her hand. “All you had to do was refuse her. Why get so angry?”

Jiang Rui came over holding a basin. Standing at the courtyard gate, she flung a basin of water outside.

“Away with the bad luck!

“Sister Nianzhi, you don’t know this, but Zhang Jun may have the character for ‘handsome’ in his name, but he’s not handsome at all! And if it were only his looks, that would be one thing. His character is even worse! He’s had two wives, and both of them were beaten until they ran away. Now he’s already in his thirties, idle and useless, living off what his family has left. What decent family in the village doesn’t look down on him? And he actually dares ask to marry you! He has no shame!

“I came too late. That basin of water should have gone right over the matchmaker’s head. Who does she think she can bully? Bah!”

Disgusting as this incident was, it made me understand my situation even more clearly. If this were the Marquis Manor, a man like that would not even be worthy of carrying a sedan chair.

But in Baohua Village, if I truly had to discuss marriage, no matter how carefully we chose, the best I could hope for would only be a slightly better version of Zhang Jun.

The difference between nobles and commoners was hardly limited to food, clothing, shelter, and travel.

Panic rose in my heart, perhaps too obviously, because Feng Zhaoqiu took my hand in hers.

“Nianzhi, I’ve already found a teacher for you. Go study. If you have the talent, you can take the examination for an official post in the Inner Palace. If you don’t, then learning some arithmetic is fine too. We’ll go into business.”

Yes. In this dynasty, the Six Bureaus of the Inner Palace had been established, and their selection process was similar to the imperial examinations. They did not judge by appearance, only by talent.

Feng Zhaoqiu’s hand was rough and strong, just like her words.

“Nianzhi, I will never let you drown here. Never!”