Chapter 191: Chapter 190: Marriage Proposal or Bride Abduction
Xiao Zhen had a vague sense of unease in his heart. He was always the kind of person who dreaded trouble the most. When faced with such a difficult situation, his first thought was to swiftly extricate himself from it!
"Please wait a moment, this matter should be decided by my elder brother." After saying that, Xiao Zhen quickly stepped into the main hall.
Seeing that the "name inquiry" was finished on Xiao Yan’s side, Xiao Zhen leaned forward and whispered, "Elder brother, the person outside has come to propose on behalf of He’s family, for He Qingyan’s son, He Wenyu, who wants to take Wanwan as a concubine. I don’t know how to respond, so it would be better for you to handle it."
Xiao Yan didn’t expect his younger brother to shoulder the responsibility; he just wanted him to accompany the matchmaker. Now that his matter was settled, he naturally had to resolve the issue regarding Lin Wanwan.
However, this matter was indeed quite challenging. Given the family statuses involved, one was the heir of the newly wealthy He family in Qiantang, and the other was an orphaned daughter from the humble Lin family. It would not be unusual for her to become a concubine.
The problem, though, was that Lin Wanwan was not an ordinary orphaned girl from a humble background. She had a celestial master as a teacher, studied medicine under Elder Sun, and even had a ranger master brother who could casually gift a pound or two of grapes!
"Why, is Uncle Xiao making this so difficult? Does he perhaps look down on the He family?" The matchmaker, who had been left waiting for some time, was starting to look displeased.
"How could I dare?" Xiao Yan welcomed the matchmaker into the parlor, while another matchmaker who had completed their business took the female party’s name card, bowed out sensibly, and curiously glanced at the betrothal gifts stacked in the courtyard before leaving.
Whoa, it was quite a generous display, with high-quality silk and satin along with gold and silver jewelry piled up in the chests. It truly showed a strong intention of taking a concubine.
The matchmaker from He Wenyu’s family sat upright, kneeling properly on the dais on the east side of the hall, waiting for Xiao Yan and others to speak first.
In any case, the Xiao family had little influence in Qiantang, merely relying on the distant kinship of the County Magistrate’s Wife to act with borrowed power. The He family, being a robust local power, hardly regarded this branch of the Xiao family.
Xiao Yan sat properly and said slowly, "Let it be known to the lady, I am just the maternal uncle of Lin Wanwan. Her clan still has elders, and it is not our place to decide her marriage, not because we look down on the He family. Perhaps the lady would kindly take back the chests, and if the He family is truly sincere, they should sail to Lin Family Manor in Wanghai Town to propose."
Upon hearing this, the matchmaker immediately raised their eyebrows, "Xiao Dalang, I heard that Lin Wanwan’s parents have passed away. Since you are her maternal uncle and she currently resides in your residence, the marriage can naturally be decided by her maternal family. This rationale is common knowledge, so what is Xiao Dalang evading?"
Xiao Yan’s smile turned slightly cold, "To be honest, my niece is soon leaving for Lin Family Manor in Mao County. I am unaware of the particulars of her marriage, so it is truly difficult for me to make a decision."
The matchmaker, having seen all kinds of people, knew from Xiao Yan’s demeanor that he was unwilling to decide. Immediately, they rolled their eyes, took out the marriage certificate, and smilingly said, "Xiao Dalang, although the He family wants to take your niece as a concubine, they will not disgrace her. Not only did they send me to propose, but they also prepared three hundred bolts of silk, a full set of gold jewelry, two pearl necklaces, a pair of Jade Bracelets, and an eighty-eight gold bride price, which can be considered sincere enough."
Xiao Zhen, who had been silently listening on the side, secretly took a deep breath upon hearing this, realizing that the betrothal gift was indeed quite generous — more than enough to marry a principal wife.
Though Xiao Yan was also surprised in his heart, he did not show it on his face, as he had read a few years and had some self-control.
The Great Tang was known for its extravagant betrothal gifts, so much so that the emperors of the Tang Dynasty fretted over common people’s marriages, expressing their strong aversion to such exorbitant gift practices. Tang Gaozong Li Zhi even specially issued an edict to set a limit on betrothal gifts.
However, no matter how great the imperial power was, household affairs could not be controlled, just like how Tang Taizong and his sons and daughters-in-law tried to suppress the powerful families and prevent new elites from marrying into those families. Even ardent followers like Chen Yaojin wouldn’t listen, let alone others. Such edicts were completely ineffective.
The high betrothal gift at least proved sincerity.
But Xiao Yan remained adamant, refusing to acknowledge the marriage certificate handed over by the matchmaker, repeatedly stating that if a proposal was to be made, it should be done at Lin Family Manor in Mao County.
While Xiao Yan was in a stalemate with the matchmaker, Yun Shang, having received the news, immediately used money to send a servant out to inform Lin Wanwan.
Yun Shang worried that Lin Wanwan’s uncles might get carried away and sign the marriage certificate for her mistress, which would be troublesome.
She thought to herself that with her mistress’s character, it was impossible for her to become someone’s concubine. If Uncle Lin really signed the marriage certificate, it would inevitably lead to a struggle, and regardless of the outcome, her mistress’s reputation would be ruined.
The little servant who ran errands had received countless tips from Lin Wanwan recently, so he was genuinely diligent. He quickly found Lin Wanwan, who was drinking and listening to music, and quietly informed her of the situation.
Upon hearing this, Lin Wanwan immediately tossed aside a handful of peppers, got up, and rode towards the Xiao Mansion.
This was outrageous; they actually brought the betrothal gifts directly to take her as a concubine? And without her consent, they wanted to completely bypass her!
Moreover, she thought, this kind of high-class family intrusion to take concubines and seize servants surely happened often, especially in this lawless Great Tang!
Thinking of this, Lin Wanwan spurred her horse, galloping even faster. She only hoped that her two uncles wouldn’t lose their minds and randomly sign the marriage certificate for her. Oh, recognizing a family connection was not something to do recklessly, as it came with countless entanglements once acknowledged.
Risk indeed always accompanied benefits!
When she finally charged back to the Xiao Mansion, it was just when the matchmaker and Xiao Yan had completely broken off talks.
Lin Wanwan threw her horse aside and ran into the main hall. From afar, she heard a loud shout, "Leave the betrothal gifts, we are leaving! If you keep stalling, we shall see!"
"Wait!" Lin Wanwan shouted.
The matchmaker turned around to see a bright and beautiful woman dressed as a man, wearing a headscarf. Her presence seemed to overshadow the room with cold jade-like beauty.
"Wanwan, why have you come back?" Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhen saw Lin Wanwan, and hurriedly asked in unison.
Lin Wanwan’s eyes swept over the marriage certificate spread on the desk, and after saluting her two uncles, she turned to the standing matchmaker, "You must be the matchmaker sent by the He Mansion to propose marriage? Forgive my ignorance, but does simply placing the chests in someone else’s courtyard mean the ceremony is done? Is the He Mansion trying to forcibly take a civilian girl?"
The matchmaker sneered inwardly, thinking, were there not plenty of cases of buying and selling by force? Just an orphaned girl from a humble background, daring to speak such nonsense, truly showed her small-time origins, rushing forward for such matters.
Thus, the matchmaker sneered even more, "I am here sincerely to propose marriage, but how does it turn into forcibly taking a civilian girl from the young lady’s mouth?"
Lin Wanwan also sneered, "Propose marriage? Then let me clearly tell you, tell your master to give up, I will not marry."