The Yu Family members, especially Madam Zhang, the eldest mistress, were extremely angry when they learned about the future of their eldest son. However, it would be embarrassing to say that their son had been cuckolded by a man inferior to him before getting married.
So, the two families amicably annulled the engagement.
After that, in order to compensate her son, Madam Zhang started looking for a good girl for him the next day after the engagement was annulled. She also had a stack of profiles and portraits of young ladies, all sent by others.
Among these girls, the lowest - ranking official among their family elders was at the same level as Yu Zhongchun. Even the second daughter of Prince Qi's Household was on the list.
Previously, the families she had favored were out of reach for the Yu Family due to their high status.
But since the appearance of the "Little Immortal Lord", the status of the Yu Family had been subtly rising.
These families, upon hearing that Yu Qingyu, the eldest grandson of the Yu Family, had annulled his engagement, didn't even wait until the next day. The door of the Yu Mansion was almost trampled by matchmakers coming to propose.
Why did these families come so quickly? Of course, they had sent people to keep an eye on the Yu Mansion in advance.
It could be said that from the moment the Wei Family members left their own mansion to the time they left the Yu Mansion, everything was watched by those with ulterior motives.
As soon as the Wei Family members left, and the tea used to entertain guests in the Yu Mansion hadn't even been cleared away, several waves of matchmakers came one after another.
The little girl in charge of tea - serving kept carrying pots of water to the front hall, and her legs were almost worn out.
The matchmakers received by the Yu Mansion were not ordinary ones. They were all the mistresses of various mansions, invited by familiar families to negotiate marriages for their marriage - eligible daughters.
So, Madam Zhang had been very busy for a while. She thought every girl was good and was spoilt for choice.
Coincidentally, it was the day for the whole family to have a reunion dinner. Before the meal time, Yue Fuguang was invited away by Madam Zhang's senior maid.
Yue Fuguang followed the senior maid to the Ning'an Courtyard of the old lady of the Yu Family. When the mother - in - law and daughter - in - law saw her coming, they happily greeted her, "Fuguang, come and sit beside your grandmother."
Then, they ordered the senior maid beside them, "Huixiang, go to the small kitchen and see if the lotus - seed cakes are steamed. Bring a plate over first. Our Fuguang loves that."
Yue Fuguang also smiled and said, "Are there lotus - seed cakes made here at grandmother's today? They are delicious and not too sweet."
Madam Zhang said, "Your grandmother ordered the kitchen to soak the lotus seeds early in the morning. A pot was made before you came. Your grandmother and I tasted it and found it too sweet. We thought it didn't suit your taste, so we asked the cook to make another pot."
Yue Fuguang smiled and said, "Grandmother and mother still understand my taste best."
The old lady of the Yu Family also smiled and said, "The sweet ones won't go to waste even if we make too many. Aren't there your brothers? Those naughty boys are getting a share because of their sister."
Madam Zhang also nodded in agreement. Indeed, they were getting a share, weren't they?
Then, Madam Zhang picked up a large wooden box beside her and took out a booklet from it.
"Fuguang, your eldest brother annulled his engagement with the eldest daughter of the Wei Family a few days ago. These days, I've been looking for a suitable girl for him.
I've seen several families, and your grandmother and I think each one is good. But when it comes to choosing the most suitable one for your eldest brother, we can't make up our minds.
They say that children have sharp eyes and pure hearts. This will be your future sister - in - law. I thought maybe you could pick one that you like at first sight?"
The old lady of the Yu Family also said, "This is your elder sister - in - law. You'll have to get along with her for many years in the future. It's really necessary to pick a girl that you get along with."
Yue Fuguang understood what they meant. They were afraid of finally choosing a problematic girl after all the careful selection.
She was also afraid that her eldest brother would marry an unreliable woman and affect her comfortable life now, so she didn't decline.
At most, she would just trouble the system to check the backgrounds of these people carefully.
Thinking this in her heart, she said aloud, "Grandmother and mother, have you asked elder brother's opinion? Does elder brother have a favorite girl among these sisters?"
Madam Zhang said, "I've asked your elder brother. Out of consideration for the girl's reputation, I didn't show him the portrait booklet, but I've told him all the necessary information. He said it's okay with him! Your elder brother was really scared by the girl from the Wei Family."
"Scared? Weren't they annulling the engagement because the girl from the Wei Family had a hidden illness? How could she scare elder brother?"
Although Yue Fuguang asked this question, she thought that her family was quite reliable. They were already patching up the loopholes at this time. Otherwise, without a reasonable explanation and deviating from the historical trajectory, she would really start to suspect!
[Little Pearl, it's really suspicious that my elder brother annulled the engagement, which doesn't match the original historical line.]
Madam Zhang's eyelids twitched. She thought that, as her father - in - law and husband had said, Yue Fuguang was already suspicious.
"Alas!" She deliberately let out a long sigh. "Your elder brother was supposed to marry the eldest daughter of the Wei Family early next year. Who would have thought... Alas! They said she had a hidden illness, but that's just an excuse for the reputation of the Wei Family's girls to deceive outsiders."
Yue Fuguang opened her big, curious eyes and asked, "Mother, is there some hidden story in it?"
Madam Zhang lovingly stroked her fluffy head and straightened the crooked pearl flower on her head, then said, "There is indeed a hidden story. This kind of thing shouldn't be told to a young girl like you.
But your grandmother is right. The more we love you, the less we should raise you to be too naive and ignorant of the world's evils.
At the same time, you also need to know the reason for the things we give you."
Saying this, she paused and took a small sandalwood box from the senior maid beside her.
Madam Zhang opened the box and took out a few pieces of paper from it. She explained them to Yue Fuguang one by one, "This is a small village on the outskirts of the capital that your father and I are giving you.
It only has two hundred mu of land and a hill about one hundred and twenty mu in size. There is also a small river at the foot of the hill. The village is not big, but the scenery is beautiful."
Her smile grew wider. "The vegetable garden and flower house you made are very good. The whole family has benefited from it.
It shows that you like these things. Your father and I discussed and decided to give you a small village. You can do whatever you want with it when spring comes."
The old lady of the Yu Family also said affectionately, "Indeed, we've benefited from our Fuguang. After eating the fruits and vegetables grown by Fuguang, your grandfather and I feel more energetic.
We'll go to your village for a stroll when spring comes. Your mother is right. The village is small, but the scenery is really nice."
Hearing that there was land and a hill, Yue Fuguang was really going to do as her parents wished and make good use of it. Even if she didn't plant high - yielding improved varieties, she still had many other things to plant.
Vegetables, fruits, and even flowers and trees. By then, the fields would be full of beautiful flowers, which could be used for flower arrangements and making essential oils and perfumes.
She generously accepted it and said, "Since it's a gift from father and mother, then I won't decline. I'll grow good things to honor you two when the time comes."
Hearing this, the old lady of the Yu Family deliberately said jealously, "Oh, only father and mother get a share? What about your grandmother? I'm so sad, my granddaughter doesn't love me!
I've even gone out of my way to pick a good shop for her!"
Yue Fuguang quickly comforted her, "Grandmother, don't be sad. I won't leave anyone out, especially you! I still need some people who are good at flower - growing and fruit - tree planting from you, grandmother.
Without your support, I won't be able to grow good things!"
