Chapter 91: Chapter 91: She Deserved It
In order to verify her suspicion, Ying Man’er disregarded propriety and took the booklet from the old lady’s hand, reading it earnestly.
The further she read, the worse her expression became. She bit her lip, her face contorted with suppressed emotion.
To others watching, they merely assumed she was shy.
Qu Fulan was also watching from the side.
Honestly speaking, judging by the family background and personal qualifications of the men listed in the booklet, they seemed highly suitable for Ying Man’er.
In fact, no matter which one Ying Man’er chose, it would still be considered quite a climb.
After all, her family had nothing, dirt-poor, while at least these men had some land, ran businesses, and a few had even passed the Scholar examination, just waiting to take the provincial examination next year.
Although the families of those who passed as Scholars were somewhat poor, they had prospects, and someone selected by the Princely Heir was certainly promising. Moreover, being a Scholar was more prestigious than being in business.
For ordinary people, such conditions would be rare to come by.
Yet for Ying Man’er, these conditions were akin to a bolt from the blue.
If she only wanted someone like that, why would she go to great lengths to come to the Pei Mansion?
With such a great backing as the Pei Mansion, surely it could find someone with better conditions for her, couldn’t it?
In just a short time, thoughts in Ying Man’er’s mind spread out like vines.
"Have you found anyone suitable?" the old lady asked with a smile.
Ying Man’er bit her lip, unable to speak.
The old lady merely thought she was shy and pointed to one of them, "We think this one is good, he is a Scholar. The teacher said he has a great chance to pass the provincial examination, and by then, you can enjoy a good life. Though the family is currently poor, with both parents working in the fields, they are good to get along with and kind to others. The Scholar has a brother who is married, and the relationship with the sister-in-law is excellent. It’s a harmonious family, a blessing that many dream of."
"And there’s this one, whose father is the Music Director at Taichang Temple. From the family background, it’s better than the previous one, though it’s said his mother is somewhat strict. But as a daughter-in-law, treating the in-laws with respect is a given. Once you’ve learned the rules, the mother-in-law likely won’t make things difficult on purpose."
Ying Man’er’s parents barely made a living by setting up stalls and she had a brother and a younger brother, both working as manual laborers.
It could be said that her family was utterly without foundation.
Whether marrying the Scholar or the one with a father as an official, even if it’s only a ninth-rank position, it’s something many seek in vain.
Therefore, when it came to Ying Man’er’s marriage, the old lady was quite attentive, taking all aspects into consideration, making the most suitable choice for her. She didn’t just find someone carelessly to settle the matter.
Ying Man’er bit her lip almost to the point of breaking it, then suddenly knelt before the old lady, "Old lady, Man’er doesn’t want to get married yet. I beg the old lady to keep me for a couple more years so I can properly serve you. Otherwise, even if I marry, I won’t have peace!"
The old lady was taken aback by her sudden action, and immediately had Yueyuan step forward to help her up.
"Child, speak properly, there’s no need for such a grand gesture. I never said you must marry immediately. Since you’ve sought refuge with me, I can only show you these. Ultimately, however, the decision is up to your parents. The conditions are good and shouldn’t be delayed until it’s too late."
Ying Man’er still insisted on staying for two more years, without rushing into a betrothal.
The old lady was quite perplexed, "I have no shortage of people to serve me. Your filial heart is enough, and now it’s only about getting engaged. If you’re not satisfied with these, we can look for others. Why are you so persistent?"
Ying Man’er mused that if she got engaged, what hope would be left for her future?
Yet aloud she said, "The old lady’s kindness is more than I can express. It’s just that Man’er has no heart for marriage right now; I beseech the old lady to understand."
The old lady’s eagerness felt as if doused by a basin of water. She waved her hand, "If you don’t wish to discuss marriage, I won’t force you. It’s just that Si happens to be available now and has the time to help you gather information. When he becomes busy, he won’t have time for these matters. When you’re of age, if you haven’t found anyone suitable, it will be difficult. Have you thought this through?"
Ying Man’er persisted, "Man’er simply wishes to serve the old lady for a couple more years."
The old lady felt somewhat uninspired, "I’m tired, you should leave."
Ying Man’er respectfully bowed and took her leave.
On the way out, Xiao Hu opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing.
Currently, she was only temporarily assigned by the old lady to serve the cousin, not technically her maid. Even if the cousin gets married, the old lady would still ask if she wished to follow, and if she said no, the old lady certainly wouldn’t force her.
Naturally, Xiao Hu didn’t wish to follow the cousin. If she were obedient and content, she would willingly serve, but this cousin had ambitions too high, making serving such a mistress unwise.
Still, she was here to seek refuge with relatives. The old lady would surely provide a dowry, and if the cousin wanted servants, she could use the dowry to buy them.
Therefore, Xiao Hu only needed to do her duty regarding the cousin’s affairs, nothing more; beyond that, she couldn’t intervene, nor would the cousin easily heed advice.
Yet Xiao Hu still couldn’t comprehend. The cousin sought refuge at the Pei Mansion, wasn’t it to find a good match? Now, the ones chosen by the old lady are all excellent.
Why then did the cousin refuse? And so decisively, too, without fearing she might anger the old lady and be left in the lurch concerning her marriage?
If Xiao Hu could think of such things, could Ying Man’er not?
But she had no other choice. If she didn’t refuse, she would need to get engaged. What hopes would remain for her future?
In her current situation, even dragging it out for a moment was worthwhile. Who knows, maybe her fortune would come someday.
That night, when the Princely Heir went to visit the old lady, she brought up Ying Man’er’s situation.
"Probably she has high standards and looks down on those we showed her," the old lady sighed.
Pei Ji’an normally wasn’t concerned with such matters. After all, she wasn’t his real sister; whether she married or not was none of his business. But since this matter had affected the old lady’s mood, he couldn’t ignore it.
After some thought, he said, "She’s been at the Pei Mansion for quite a while. Perhaps she misses her family and that’s why she refused. How about I have someone send her back tomorrow? Her marriage should be handled by her family."
Parents arranging matches is only natural, and the old lady knew this, but—
"Since she came to rely on us, naturally she hopes we might find her a good match. Sending her back now wouldn’t be ideal, would it?"
Pei Ji’an sat down, smoothing his robe, "Why not? If she’s dissatisfied with our choices, she should return to her family and let them decide. Besides, she’s of marriageable age, and if she remains unengaged for long, people might believe we delayed her good match. Even worse, if she’s overly ambitious and makes a few missteps, it could harm the reputation of our Pei Mansion."
The old lady’s expression grew solemn at his words.
The worst fear was someone who doesn’t understand the world.
Having lived to her age, the old lady had seen plenty of the secrets of inner households, though she’d become less involved over the years as she grew older and more neglectful.