Chapter 285: Engagement

When Li Fengqi arrived at the bookstore in town, he started chatting with the shopkeeper. From the shopkeeper, he learned that the Zhouji grocery store in town belonged to Top Scorer’s family. The Top Scorer also had a wool workshop and rice fields in the village. His wife’s surname was Li.

The shopkeeper also told Li Fengqi that the villagers who came to the shop to buy things in Phoenix Village had also mentioned that Top Scorer’s wife had been conferred the title of First-grade Madam by the emperor. Her younger brother was a scholar who was studying in Tongzhou now, and their aunt still lived in the village. Her aunt had a six or seven-year-old fair and fat son. Sometimes, his sister would bring him to the shop to buy some paper and paper. She was the girl who sent him to the shop to submit his books.

The shopkeeper looked at Li Fengqi and smiled. “Scholar Li, you’re so lucky! That girl comes from a good family and is good-looking. She’s quite compatible with you.”

Li Fengqi blushed and cupped his hands. “Thank you, Shopkeeper.”

“Hehe!” The shopkeeper looked at Li Fengqi and laughed. He handed him the copper coins for copying books. “How many books do you want today?”

Li Fengqi suppressed the joy in his heart and smiled. “I’ll take two books first! I can only squeeze out so much effort to copy books when I start preparing for the autumn vacation.”

“Alright.” The shopkeeper handed two books to Li Fengqi. “Now that the printing can be done, there are fewer people who like to copy.”

Li Fengqi took the book and returned home in three steps. He said to his grandmother, who was sitting in the courtyard and rubbing the hemp thread, “Grandmother, I’ve asked around. Laidi’s cousin is a first-grade Madam Protector personally conferred by the emperor. She married that Top Scorer.”

When Old Madam Li heard this, she smiled with wrinkles all over her face. “Why didn’t you ask around earlier? But it’s not too late now. Go to town and invite a matchmaker to her house to propose marriage.”

“Yes, Grandmother.” Li Fengqi happily went into the house to get the money and went to town to hire a matchmaker.

The next day, Li Fengqi’s matchmaker knocked on the Liu family’s courtyard door happily. Li Mei was relieved to see the matchmaker and politely welcomed her in.

Both families wanted to realize the engagement. Without much effort, the matchmaker negotiated the marriage. She happily returned to the foot of the mountain with the thank-you gift from Li Mei and told Li Fengqi about the Liu family’s agreement to marry.

Li Qing, who was studying hard at the academy, also received the news of Laidi’s engagement. He rushed back to Phoenix Village from Tongzhou and saw Laidi’s fiancé. The two scholars who were about to take the autumn examination started chatting.

After the engagement banquet, Li Qing said to Li Mei, “Aunt, Li Fengqi is too utilitarian. From his words and actions, I can tell that his motive for getting engaged to my cousin is not pure. I’m not afraid of anything else, but I’m afraid that he’s a wolf in a sheep’s clothing.”

After hearing Li Qing’s words, Li Mei angrily pulled Li Qing and told him the reason for Laidi’s engagement. “Ah Qing, she used to be in the workshop all day long, shouting that she wanted to be a female shopkeeper and be her own home. After Shopkeeper Chu heard about it, he even introduced two juniors with good family backgrounds. In the end, she didn’t like any of them. I don’t know how she became so arrogant and weak. Now, I just want to betroth her before she makes a fool of herself. Sigh! She chose this marriage herself. She will only know pain when she stabs herself. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s her own life. She can’t blame anyone else.”

Li Qing looked at Li Mei’s sad expression and comforted her. “Aunt, don’t worry too much. We’ll take care of Cousin.”

“Aunt knows that you’re all good children.”

After a few days, the villagers of Phoenix Village knew that Li Mei’s picky daughter had been engaged to a poor scholar in Ye Village.

Li Yu didn’t know that she and her husband had become an important bargaining chip for Li Fengqi’s decision to marry Laidi. She was carrying Yangyang out to welcome Zhou Jia back.

Just as she reached the entrance of the main courtyard, she saw Mr. Wen walking in with Zhou Jia. Li Yu put down Yangyang and bowed happily. “Sir, where did you go? How did you get together with Xiao Xi?”

Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and smiled. “We met in Ling County, so we came back together.”

Mr. Wen saw Yangyang standing timidly at the side, looking at him and Zhou

Jia. He walked up the wall and touched his braids. He smiled and said,

“Yangyang, don’t you know your grandmaster?”

Yangyang looked at Mr. Wen and then at Zhou Jia. He pouted. “Grandmaster,

Father, where did you go?”

“Little sweetheart, don’t be sad. We’re back.” Mr. Wen stroked Yangyang’s face and comforted her.

Zhou Jia picked up Yangyang. “Daddy and Grandmaster went on a long trip. Was Yangyang obedient at home?”

“I was good. Yangyang even learned kung fu with Brother Seven Pounds.” Zhou Jia saw Li Yu and reached out to hold her hand. Li Yu glared at him and smiled.

“Sir, are you tired? I’ll get someone to cook something for you.”

Mr. Wen chuckled and said, “Alright, it’s getting late. Get them to cook a bowl of soft noodles and add more vegetables.”

“Aye!” Li Yu agreed and prepared to go.

After the two of them took a shower, Zhou Jia ate a big bowl of small wontons. Mr. Wen ate a small bowl of noodles and held Yangyang’s hand as they walked around the courtyard twice before they separated to rest.

Zhou Jia coaxed Yangyang to sleep and placed him on the small bed. When he saw Li Yu sitting in front of the dressing table undoing her hair, he walked over and looked at her neck which was exposed like tofu. He suddenly felt his mouth itch. He leaned over and bit her neck. Li Yu punched him. “Are you a puppy?

Zhou Jia hugged Li Yu and whispered into her ear, “Yu’er, I missed you so much.”

The next morning, Zhou Jia went to the government office in a good mood. When Li Yu woke up, she remembered that she had forgotten to tell him that she had dealt with Ah Yue from the Wang family. She pulled her shoes and got out of bed in frustration. Yangyang ran in with a box. “Mom, look, it’s from Grandmaster.”

Li Yu kissed him on the cheek. “Oh, Grandmaster gave it to you? Did you thank

Grandmaster?”

Yangyang nodded. Li Yu opened the box and saw a few colorful and chubby porcelain dolls inside. She praised, “What beautiful dolls.”

“I’ll show Master the fat babies!” Yangyang picked one up and walked out.

Zhou Jia was reading the backlog of documents in the government office. Wang Qinghai carried a stack of documents and knocked on the door before entering. He reported the various matters in the government office during Zhou Jia’s absence before bowing and leaving.

Zhou Jia looked at Wang Qinghai as he left and felt that the latter seemed to be different from before. He thought for a moment but could not think of a reason. Zhou Jia shook his head and continued.

Li Yu was looking at the ledger in the study when Gu Yu came in and reported,

“Madam, my uncle, Uncle Ah Shui, and Uncle Dashan are here.”

It seemed that the terraces of Dafeng Village had been opened. Fortunately,

Ruyi had said two days ago that a batch of rice seeds would arrive in two days.

Li Yu instructed Gu Yu, “Invite them to the front yard and sit down. Get

Grandma Liu to cook a few bowls of noodles for them.”

“Yes, Madam.” After Gu Yu left, Li Yu put down the account book and walked towards the front yard..

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