Chapter 458: Chapter 447: The Farmer Top Scorer
April 22nd was the auspicious day chosen by Wang Po at the temple, and the delivery of the bride price on April 20th to the Ye Family already caused quite a stir. By April 21st, when Xiuya’s dowry was displayed in the courtyard, it truly created a sensation among the villagers.
This was the very first of its kind in the village, no wonder Ye Qiu could afford such a big house in the State Mansion! It was said that he planned to settle in Shangjing later, which must cost a fortune!
The people of Ye Village were not without jealousy, but did they have the ability to earn as much money?
Moreover, even if they were jealous, they dared not show it, as Ye Qiu and Wang Zhaoxing were now the first and second most capable people in the village. Who would be foolish enough to offend them, when they might need their help in the future?
Therefore, even though the wedding had not yet started, the villagers had already voluntarily come over to help. However, Ye Qiu didn’t need their assistance; weren’t his servants there to work? Moreover, they did a better job than the villagers.
In the end, there was a resentment in Ye Qiuxin’s heart. Even if in the past life the family of Ye Baomin, who harmed his three sisters, met their doom, he was unwilling to be on good terms with the villagers who ignored his sisters in the past life and would not offer them any convenience in the future.
If it hadn’t been for the Wang family allocating that residence to Wang Zhaoxing, Ye Qiu even didn’t want Xiuya to marry out from Ye Village.
So, let’s forget about the villagers’ help; he did not want to have any further karmic ties with these people here.
Although the two families were neighbors, Xiuya’s departure for marriage was quite a spectacle. There’s a local tradition that if those fetching the bride come from the east, after picking up the bride, they should not return by the same route. Thus, Wang Zhaoxing rode a tall horse, leading Xiuya’s bridal sedan around the village before returning to the Wang family.
"Bow to the heavens and earth!"
"Bow to the high hall."
Ye Qiu stood aside, watching Xiuya paying respects to Wang Po, Mr. Wang, and Wang Xiangshi under her red bridal veil, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Xiutong and Xiuying next door were giggling just now; they couldn’t go to send off the bride. After the guests at their home went next door, their faces suddenly fell.
At this moment, they truly realized that their oldest sister had really become someone else’s family member.
"The couple bows to each other; proceed to the bridal chamber!"
Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Wang Zhaoxing and Xiuya were escorted into the bridal room, and Ye Qiu, as the bride’s elder brother, was stopped by Wang Zhao Yang who insisted on toasting him.
That day, when Ye Qiu returned next door, he was already tipsy. Seeing him like this, Xiutong and Xiuying felt uncomfortable, even beginning to harbor thoughts of never getting married in the future.
But obviously, that was impossible. Their elder brother might be indifferent to his own marital affairs, but he cared deeply about theirs. They had already learned from their older sister that their brother had been seeking suitable grooms for them while he was at the academy, but he had not said anything because he had not found anyone suitable.
After settling Ye Qiu down, Xiutong returned to her room to wash and comb her hair. It was only when she looked in the mirror did she realize she was almost fourteen. Her older sister was fourteen when she got engaged to her brother-in-law, and once they went to the capital, surely her brother would find someone for her too!
But Xiutong didn’t want that at all. According to what Xiuying said, even marrying a man who would enter their family would do, as long as he was of good character and not necessarily outstanding.
But would their elder brother agree?
Xiutong lay down with a heart full of worry, eventually feeling that her elder brother would not agree, and thus she fell into a troubled sleep.
It’s also because Ye Qiu hadn’t explained in detail to them. According to Ye Qiu’s philosophy, it’s best for a woman to marry and have a husband to accompany her throughout life but if there’s no suitable match, remaining unmarried for life is also not an issue. If life after marriage is more miserable than before, what’s the point of marrying?
In any era, it is unfair for women. After marriage, they not only have to take care of their husband but also serve their in-laws. Those with young sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law have an even harder time. A single mistake could lead to gossip. Some women, risking their lives to give birth to daughters, are still not valued by their husband’s family who may use this as an excuse to take a concubine. Considering everything, with a bad in-law family and a husband who lacks affection, it’s truly better not to marry.
It’s not that Ye Qiu can’t afford the tax for being unmarried.
This is also a unique aspect of the Dalun Dynasty. When the Dalun Dynasty was just established, in order to promote reproduction and strengthen its power, the court encouraged early marriage and childbirth. Men and women who were not married after twenty years of age had to pay an unmarried tax each year. The older one is, the more they pay, with only eunuchs, monks, and Taoists exempt from this tax.
But Xiutong and Xiuying clearly didn’t understand Ye Qiu’s intentions and thought they must marry just like everyone else!
Once April was over, Ye Qiu and Wang Zhaoxing began preparing to go to the capital. Besides some luggage, what occupied most was Xiutong’s roses. Transporting them alive to Shangjing was not easy, especially with underdeveloped transportation.
To keep the roses alive, it was necessary not to disturb their root systems, and ideally not even the soil, but too much soil makes traveling difficult.
Plus, these were new varieties they had cultivated themselves and they didn’t trust others to transport them. In the end, Ye Qiu decided to charter a boat and travel north via the canal. Moreover, it was not necessary to move all the roses at once. Now it was May, and by the time they reached Shangjing, the flowering season would almost be over. Transporting too many at once wasn’t practical, especially since they hadn’t bought a residence yet. Where would these roses be placed?
It was better to take some small seedlings first and have the butler slowly transport the larger plants later.
Having settled all the arrangements, Ye Qiu, Xiutong, Xiuying, along with the newlyweds Wang Zhaoxing and Xiuya, embarked on the journey to Shangjing. Wang Po and the rest of the Wang family didn’t come; firstly, the journey was too far, and secondly, they were unclear about the situation in Shangjing. It might just add to the expenses and troubles. It was better to wait until Ye Qiu and others were settled before making a decision.
Traveling by water from Dingshui State to Shangjing passes through three State Mansions. The customs and culture along the way were indeed refreshing, and it was truly exhausting.
After a month, once they truly arrived within the boundaries of Shangjing, everyone felt as if they had shed a layer of skin. Moreover, the climate in Shangjing was really dry; Xiuying felt her throat was about to smoke.
"Big brother, where do we go now?" A group of people with a large shipload of belongings waited for Ye Qiu to make a decision.
"I had a classmate in Shangjing rent a courtyard for us. I’m not sure if he has arrived yet. You all disembark and rest for a bit. I’ll go and check, and make sure someone accompanies you. Definitely do not get lost," Ye Qiu instructed seriously.
"I’ll go with big brother," Wang Zhaoxing quickly stood up and said.
"No need, you also look pale. Just stay here. Besides, they are all women here; it’s not good without a man," Ye Qiu refused.
Wang Zhaoxing thought about it and did not insist. He took a group of women to the nearby teahouse to rest.
"Who are those people?" Someone asked when they saw Wang Zhaoxing and his group disembarking. "Go check it out."
"Yes, Marquis."
Unbeknownst to Ye Qiu and his group, they had already been marked.