Six Matchmakers, Preparing to Propose Marriage

After an hour, Jinshan returned.

“Ashan, how did it go?” Zhou Yaru anxiously looked at her husband.

“Almost enough. Maocai and Changhe each borrowed five taels, Dahai and Dazhu each two taels.” Jinshan took out fourteen taels of silver.

Zhou Yaru also placed the borrowed money from Zhang Cuihua and Li Mianhua on the table, explaining the sources of the silver.

“They’re all kind-hearted, and the children are good as well.” Jinshan counted the silver; with the borrowed amount, their own savings, and the children’s contributions, they had over twenty taels—probably enough.

Usually, villagers give about two taels as betrothal gifts; a bit better-off families give three taels; even marrying a girl from the town only requires five to eight taels. Their twenty taels should suffice.

In the yard, Jin Yanan chatted with his eldest brother, Jin Yanchuan. Though they had different interests, Yanan still gleaned some information from his brother.

“Father, mother!” Jin Yanan knocked on the door.

“Come in!” The couple did not hide anything from their second son. Upon entering, Yanan immediately noticed the silver on the table.

“Mother, I heard the Meng family treats Miss Meng Yun very badly…”

Zhou Yaru didn’t hide anything and shared what she knew.

“Mother, take me along when you go to propose,” Jin Yanan said.

“Alright.” The couple agreed without hesitation.

There was a well-known matchmaker in Lijia Village. That afternoon, Zhou Yaru took her youngest daughter to the neighboring village, bringing along a box of pastries.

Matchmaker Li was renowned across dozens of villages and was well-known in Wanqing Town. She knew every young man’s and woman’s age, temperament, and family background.

The marriages she arranged often came with lavish gifts, usually no less than five hundred taels, sometimes four hundred eighty.

The main gate was open, but Zhou Yaru didn’t dare enter abruptly. “Sister Li, are you home?” she gently called from outside the yard. Matchmaker Li’s home was a large brick house with five rooms and six side chambers on each side. Apart from the village chief’s and clan leader’s homes, hers was the third most luxurious in Lijia Village.

Soon, a young man in his twenties appeared. “Auntie, you’re looking for my mother!”

“Oh, yes, I’m from Zhoujia Village.” Zhou Yaru greeted him with a warm smile.

“Come in. My mother’s out, but she’ll be back soon.” Li Fusheng let Zhou Yaru and her daughter inside and asked his wife to serve tea.

Zhou Yaru took a sip and immediately knew the tea was expensive. Glancing at the modest pastries she brought, she felt they looked too humble. Yet, with her limited means, she couldn’t pretend to be wealthier than she was.

Li Fusheng’s wife was talkative and skillful with words, so Zhou Yaru joined the conversation, easing the atmosphere.

About half an hour later, Matchmaker Li returned.

“Mother, there’s a guest!” Li Fusheng’s wife took the items from her mother-in-law’s hands.

Matchmaker Li had arranged many marriages; gifts and congratulations often followed. Today, after receiving the betrothal gifts and money, she had come straight back without eating.

“Oh.”

Matchmaker Li wore a bright red long dress. Though in her forties, she was in excellent shape, her skin well cared for, dressed elegantly without being gaudy. Her eyes seemed to pierce through one’s heart. Zhou Yaru, who had once served wealthy families as a maid, sensed that this matchmaker was not easy to get along with.

“Hello, Sister Li! I’m Zhou Yaru from Zhoujia Village.” Zhou Yaru stood up.

“Oh, you’re the Zhou Yaru who was sold by her grandmother to a tooth-puller at eight, then returned at twenty with a disfigured husband and a three-year-old son,” Matchmaker Li immediately recited her background.

“That’s me.” Zhou Yaru smiled awkwardly.

“Sit down. For which child do you want me to find a match?” Matchmaker Li got straight to the point.

“My eldest son, Jin Yanchuan.” Mentioning Yanchuan, Zhou Yaru feared that the all-knowing matchmaker might label him as a fool.

“Oh? Which village is the girl from?” Matchmaker Li sipped her tea.

“Meng family village, Meng Yougen’s eldest daughter, Meng Yun.” Zhou Yaru replied.

Matchmaker Li took another sip, searching her memory for the name. Setting down her cup, she said, “That girl’s life is hard too. I heard about the commotion at your place yesterday…” She recounted the family drama in detail. Indeed, Matchmaker Li’s news was impressively swift.

“Do you think this match can work?” Zhou Yaru was extremely anxious. This was her youngest son’s only wish; if she failed, how could she face the young lady in the afterlife?

“There’s no ‘can or can’t’. The Meng family is just greedy. They’d sell the girl for ten taels. As long as the money’s right, there’s nothing that can’t be done.” Matchmaker Li spoke with disdain about the Meng family.

“Sister Li, you’ve seen our family’s situation…” Zhou Yaru dared not meet the matchmaker’s eyes, bowing her head and clutching the corner of her garment tightly.

“Hm, how much betrothal gift can you provide? I need to know so I can plan accordingly.” Matchmaker Li asked.

“We borrowed some from a few relatives yesterday, about fifteen taels total.” Zhou Yaru was honest, hoping to save some silver for the wedding feast if the match succeeded.

“Good, I understand. I have two proposals to attend today, so let’s schedule yours for tomorrow. Meanwhile, buy the betrothal gifts on this list.” Matchmaker Li produced a paper listing six items.

“Alright, I’ll come to pick you up at dawn tomorrow.” Zhou Yaru agreed.

“Fine.” Matchmaker Li saw Zhou Yaru and her daughter out.

Zhou Yaru took her daughter to the village entrance and boarded an ox cart to the town. Following the list, she prepared six betrothal gifts and then returned home with Jin Qiao’er.

***

Meng Family

Yesterday’s family dispute ended with intervention from the village chief and clan leader.

The result: Meng Yun was excluded from dinner.

She didn’t mind; she had hands and feet—starvation was unlikely.

At dawn the next day, Meng Yun grabbed her machete and left.

Second Aunt Liu Hehua from the second branch started cooking and spat disdainfully when she saw Meng Yun’s departing figure. “Tch, wretched wench.”

Meng Yun glanced back at Liu Hehua, smirked slightly, then turned and headed toward the back mountain.

The safe areas on the mountain had been stripped of wild vegetables. With a poor harvest this year, villagers rationed food tightly. Wild vegetables were eaten first; once depleted, they resorted to dried wild vegetables.

To find better wild food, one had to venture deeper, but danger increased accordingly. Meng Yun didn’t mind. They say fortune favors the bold; to gain good things, one must endure hardship.

Meng Yun walked further up the mountain for half an hour. Sure enough, wild vegetables grew plentifully. She casually gathered some.

“Cluck, cluck.”

Her keen ears caught the sound of a pheasant. Following the noise, she spotted a hen pheasant leaving a grassy nest—it had just laid eggs.

Meng Yun pounced swiftly, catching the hen as it stretched its wings. The bird flapped a few times before dying.

She collected the eggs from the nest—twelve in all.

Finding a nearby pond, Meng Yun quickly cleaned the pheasant, gathered dry branches, lit a fire, and skewered the bird to roast it over the flames.