Chapter 56: Marry A Man Into The Family
“Outrageous!”
“Nonsense!”
“Does she think that by becoming clan leader, she can do whatever she wants?”
Madam Lu sat grim-faced on the wooden stool in front of the thatched hut door, chattering nonstop while sewing a shoe sole in her hand.
The old woman sitting with Madam Lu was Madam Fang from the eighth house, precisely Bian Shulan’s mother-in-law. Madam Fang’s face looked even grimmer than Madam Lu’s.
Just now, everyone else had left, but Zhao Hai stayed behind, and his daughter-in-law Madam Bian shamelessly stayed as well…
“If I had known this day would come, I shouldn’t have let Madam Bian stay in the Pei Clan back then.” Madam Fang gritted her teeth and whispered, “Now with Qinghe backing her up, she really is going to marry that crude cart driver as a son-in-law! The Pei Clan’s face has been completely lost!”
Several other old women who opposed marrying a man into the family chimed in one after another: “This girl Qinghe is indeed too willful and reckless!”
“Men marry in, women marry out—that’s how it’s always been. Only clans without male heirs resort to marrying a man into the family. Our Pei Clan isn’t without male heirs. In another ten years or so, Feng Ge’er and the others will be grown up. Then they can marry wives, have children, and continue the family line—perfectly timed.”
“Putting it another way, if Pei Clan girls don’t marry out and we marry a man into the family, that’s one thing. But Pei Clan daughters-in-law marrying a man into the family is just too much nonsense.”
“Qinghe completely ignored our dissuasion and insisted on setting the clan rules. Look, the young wives aren’t saying a word— who knows how eager they are in their hearts.”
“The world is declining, human nature is lost. Their husbands’ bones aren’t even cold yet, and they’re already missing men…”
“Qinghe is coming!”
The chattering old women instantly fell silent, each lowering their heads to sew shoe soles.
Under the warm sun, young children laughed and played, reading voices rang out clearly, and old women did needlework. The years were peaceful and serene.
Pei Qinghe strolled over leisurely, somehow producing malt candy from somewhere. Little Yu’er and the other young children each got a piece, their little mouths bulging, utterly adorable.
Pei Qinghe was especially patient and gentle with Little Yu’er, stroking her head and giving her an extra piece of candy: “Take them over there to play.”
Little Yu’er nodded obediently and led the young children off to play on the side.
Pei Qinghe stopped in front of Madam Lu.
Madam Lu sewed her shoe sole expressionlessly, pretending not to see this unfilial granddaughter.
Pei Qinghe’s voice sounded in her ear: “One room at the village head’s house has been cleared out, cleaned up as a new house. Ten days from now, cousin-in-law Bian Shulan and Zhao Hai will marry.”
Madam Lu’s hand trembled, the needle pricking into her fingertip, drawing a bead of blood.
Madam Fang cried out in pain, clearly also pricked in the finger by her needle. The other old women were all shocked and stopped their needlework: “This is too rushed.”
“Better to wait until the new village is built before holding the wedding.”
“No waiting.” Pei Qinghe said flatly: “The marriage will be in ten days.”
Silence fell once more.
The group of old women were each dissatisfied and indignant in their hearts, but not one dared to confront Pei Qinghe directly. Even Madam Lu, her own grandmother, hadn’t gotten any advantage over Pei Qinghe. Who did they think they were?
If not for Pei Qinghe, they would have fallen ill and died midway, starved to death, or been killed by bandits or mountain bandits.
Pei Qinghe looked at Madam Fang: “Cousin-in-law Shulan is only twenty-four and has already kept widowhood for her cousin for four years. She shouldn’t and can’t keep being a widow forever.”
“Think about Little Wan’er’s mother—why was she so determined to leave? It’s because of this that cousin-in-law Shulan is dead set on staying. Little Wan’er wouldn’t have lost her mother.”
“With cousin-in-law Shulan taking the lead, the other cousin-in-laws have hope in their hearts and are all settled to stay.”
This reasoning was simple and straightforward.
The Pei Clan male heirs were all still young; the women were holding up the household. To make them endure enduring hardship until old age was neither humane nor realistic. To make them all stay with peace of mind, this was the best method.
Mentioning Little Wan’er softened Madam Fang’s heart by half. She was silent for a moment, then grudgingly agreed: “You are the clan leader; you set the clan rules. Whatever you want to do, we can’t stop you. We’ll listen to you.”
Pei Qinghe smiled: “I was a bit harsh in my words just now—don’t be upset, great-aunt.”
Even her own grandmother had been put in her place; of course, her great-aunt had to know her place.
Madam Fang forced a smile: “I’m not upset, and I won’t privately dissuade Madam Bian. Rest assured!”
Pei Qinghe squatted down, affectionately taking Madam Fang’s arm: “Great-aunt is so understanding. Having such elders is my good fortune.”
Knowing full well Pei Qinghe was giving a stick and then a sweet date, Madam Fang was still coaxed into laughter: “You this girl, so imposing and powerful just now, and now saying these sweet words to coax us.”
Pei Qinghe blinked and smiled: “I know the elders care for me and yield to me. In the future, when we take in refugees and hidden households, I’ll find a sturdy old man for great-aunt to keep her company.”
Madam Fang laughed amid tears, picking up the shoe sole and lightly swatting Pei Qinghe: “Don’t talk nonsense! If the young wives can’t hold out and want to find men, that’s their business. At my age, what old man would I find!”
The group of old women burst into laughter, doubling over.
Madam Lu tried to keep a straight face, but the corners of her mouth uncontrollably turned up.
Pei Qinghe grinned and came to tug Madam Lu’s sleeve: “Grandmother.”
Madam Lu snorted through her nose: “This shoe sole is just a few stitches from being done. Take it quickly and don’t bother me.”
Furious on one side, sewing shoe soles for her on the other. Only a true grandmother would do that.
Pei Qinghe cheekily replied: “I practice martial arts every day—it wears out shoe soles the most. Grandmother, make a few more pairs.”
Madam Lu kept a stern face and ignored her.
That was agreement.
Pei Qinghe turned smiling to Madam Fang: “Once cousin-in-law marries, great-aunt can sleep with Little Wan’er. Who knows, cousin-in-law might soon give Little Wan’er a little brother or sister.”
Madam Fang sighed inwardly, nodding reluctantly.
……
Ten days later.
Pei Family Village held a simple yet grand marriage ceremony.
Eighty-year-old Madam Li sat in the seat of honor, with Madam Fang and Madam Lu on either side. All old and young of the Pei Clan watched the ceremony from the side.
Bian Shulan in red clothes and Zhao Hai bowed to Madam Li and the other two. Then they paid respects to clan leader Pei Qinghe, and finally husband and wife bowed to each other.
After the rites, it was the village feast.
Calling it a village feast was a bit exaggerated; actually, it was just slaughtering two fat pigs, and after removing entrails and hides, there were three to four hundred catties of meat. The tables had just four dishes: braised pork, stewed ribs, fried meatballs, and stewed pig blood offal—enough for everyone to eat their fill happily.
Three copies of the marriage certificate were made: one each for Bian Shulan and Zhao Hai, and another in Pei Qinghe’s hands. The marriage certificate was quite detailed, specifying that Zhao Hai was a son-in-law, and future children must take the Pei surname. If husband and wife affection broke down and they divorced, Zhao Hai could not take the children or family wealth, only leave Pei Family Village alone.
This marriage certificate confirmed and protected all of Bian Shulan’s rights.
The marriage certificate passed from Pei Qinghe’s hands to Mao Hongling’s, then to the other Pei Clan daughters-in-law. Almost every young Pei Clan widow passed it around to read.
After reading, everyone had different expressions, like a stone thrown into their hearts, rippling layer upon layer.
