Liang Maimiao's sudden exclamation and dramatic movement startled Ye Yunniang. "What do you know?"
"I know why Granny Wang is demanding so much silver."
Before the Wang family's misfortune, they were looking for a match for Wang Jizu. Several families' daughters were quite satisfied with him.
Once the Wang family had their trouble, families who truly cared for their daughters were no longer willing to consider Wang Jizu.
There was one family, however, that agreed to continue the marriage discussion, but demanded a bride price of 200 taels of silver."
"200 taels of silver! Is that marrying off a daughter or selling her?"
"A bit of both. That family has five daughters. The two already married off were both wedded without regard for the groom's character, as long as the bride price was high enough." Liang Maimiao knew a little about that family's situation.
"Yunniang, you are a widow, so Granny Wang first set her sights on you. Quite a few people went to the backyard that day. This won't do, I must warn everyone to be on their guard." As she spoke, Liang Maimiao got up and left.
In less than a day, several surrounding lanes knew about it. Granny Wang, in order to arrange a marriage for her eldest grandson Wang Jizu, was slandering the women who had gone to the Wang family's backyard that day, blackmailing them for silver.
Some households had initially felt a bit of pity for the Wang family's plight. Now, they all wished to spit in disgust and stay far away.
When Granny Wang found out, she wanted to explain, but no one would listen. The neighbors were all afraid of getting involved and being falsely accused by Granny Wang for silver.
Granny Wang was furious, secretly blaming Ye Yunniang for this.
Ye Yunniang didn't know Granny Wang's thoughts, and wouldn't have cared if she did. She was currently looking at the evaluations Teacher Du had written for Li Pan and Li An.
It was the end of the year, time for the New Year holiday. Teacher Du wrote annual evaluations for his students.
Li Pan's evaluation stated he was diligent and earnest in his studies, with average results. He needed to work harder next year.
Li An's evaluation said he was quick to understand and could apply knowledge flexibly. However, he was not focused enough and loved reading miscellaneous books. To pursue the imperial examinations, he needed greater concentration. Teacher Du had higher hopes for Li An.
"An'an, you don't want to take the imperial examinations, do you?"
"I haven't decided yet. I want to try more things," Li An explained.
"Whatever you try, you must still take your studies seriously," Ye Yunniang only said this.
"Alright, I will study diligently next year," Li An promised.
Ye Yunniang left the room.
Li An glanced at the book in his hand and tossed it aside.
Li Pan picked up the book. "Are you going to keep hiding this from Mother?"
Li An used to study very seriously, and together with Li Pan, they looked forward to the imperial examinations, dreaming of bringing glory to the Li family.
Until that day, when Teacher Du casually mentioned during a chat that the imperial examinations required background checks, and those with criminal records within three generations of their family were ineligible.
After hearing this, Li An lost all heart for studying.
The Jiang family Li An was born into had been confiscated by imperial decree.
His own paternal uncle's family had been dismissed from office, their property confiscated, and exiled to the borderlands.
His own father had eloped with his second uncle's wife, defying all morality.
His own mother had committed murder and then suicide.
Li An could never take the imperial examinations in this lifetime.
Back then, Li An immediately thought of dropping out and stopping his studies, but then he remembered Ye Yunniang's hopes for him.
He continued studying, but couldn't calm his mind.
"You're still young. No matter what you do later, you must first study and gain knowledge," Li Pan advised his brother like a proper elder brother, urging him to study.
Li An understood and promised his elder brother he would study well.
Standing beneath the window, Ye Yunniang, having overheard her two sons' conversation, cursed Jiang Mingrui vehemently in her heart.
It was all his sin.
She also silently blamed the Jin family; if they had truly cared for their daughter, Jin Huifang wouldn't have met such a fate.
But such thoughts were useless now.
Ye Yunniang thought of going to find Bao Min to ask: since Li An had already taken the Li surname, could he take the imperial examinations?
Thinking of Bao Min reminded her that she hadn't seen Tong Mo for quite some time.
Tong Mo, whom Ye Yunniang was thinking of, was currently sitting in a garden, emanating an aura of chill.
He regretted it deeply. He would rather be rejected by Ye Yunniang once, twice, or three times more than sit in this dazzling, ostentatious garden that made his skin crawl, listening to young ladies discuss how their dresses were made of precious tribute satin.
And then endure these well-born young ladies who, superficially polite, secretly looked down on him, a stepchild brought into the royal family by his mother.
Just as Tong Mo was about to lose his patience and erupt, a familiar figure approached.
Jin Huilan walked over, rescuing her stepson.
"Aunt Lan, thank goodness you came." Once out of the garden, Tong Mo let out a long sigh of relief.
"Is it really that terrifying?" Jin Huilan was amused by Tong Mo's expression.
"Not just terrifying, but dreadful." Tong Mo moved closer to Jin Huilan. "Aunt Lan, please talk to Father for me.
Tell him to stop thinking about arranging meetings for me all day long. I'm still a child, in no hurry to get married."
"Are you in no hurry for matchmaking? Or do you already have someone in mind?" Jin Huilan recalled Tong Mo previously writing to ask for silver.
Tong Mo smiled. "I knew I couldn't hide it from you, Aunt Lan. I do have someone in mind."
"What's her surname? Which family's daughter? How old is she?" Jin Huilan immediately started planning to prepare betrothal gifts.
"Not so fast." Tong Mo grabbed Jin Huilan's arm.
Knowing Tong Mo well, Jin Huilan studied him. "What's the issue with the girl you've taken a liking to?"
"There's no issue," Tong Mo shook his head in denial.
"No issue? With your personality, you would have told us long ago to prepare betrothal gifts and propose." Jin Huilan didn't believe him.
"Alright, I'll tell you. She's a widow with three sons."
As soon as Tong Mo finished speaking, Jin Huilan pointed a finger at him. "You really don't learn the good from your own father, only pick up the useless. You've been with your uncle, but didn't learn much of his drive either."
"Oh, come on. Uncle has also taken a liking to a widow. It's been three years, her child is due in two months, and that widow still hasn't agreed to marry him." Tong Mo blurted it out, selling Bao Min out.
"What did you say!" Jin Huilan was shocked. "Your uncle, he... he also..."
Jin Huilan took two steps back and sat on a stone stool.
"Your Bao family really is..." Jin Huilan thought for a good while before uttering four words, "cut from the same cloth."
"We Baos are all devoted romantics," Tong Mo boasted, putting a positive spin on it.
Jin Huilan gave her stepson a sidelong glance. "Do your father and mother know about your uncle's situation?"
"Definitely not." If they knew, his uncle wouldn't still be comfortably serving as Prefect in Jiangcheng.
"Aunt Lan, you mustn't tell my parents." If his parents found out, his uncle would surely skin him alive.
Jin Huilan didn't answer, instead asking Tong Mo, "Have you told your parents about your own situation?"
Tong Mo shook his head repeatedly. How would he dare? With his mother's fiery temper, she'd probably break his legs.
"So only I know?"
"Mhm." Tong Mo nodded emphatically. "Actually, I was planning to go tell Uncle Wen later."
"No need for a separate telling. I already know." A plaintive male voice sounded behind the two of them.
