The following afternoon, Granny Wang arrived as promised.

This woman from Nanling Village had a prosperous build and a wide mouth. Eloquent and persuasive, she had arranged marriages for many families across several nearby villages.

When Granny Wang entered, Yan Xingmao was pacing the main hall, leaning on a cane.

She stared at him in surprise, scanning him up and down. “Well, well! Miss Yue’s father! Has your leg healed?”

Yan Xingmao gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Thanks to your blessings, it’s much better.”

“Oh my! Your household is truly blessed with good fortune these days—one happy event after another…”

After a long exchange of pleasantries between Granny Wang and the Yans, from her daughter-in-law’s fondness for the tofu made by Xiao Yan to the peach tree in their yard, and finally, after eating a bowl of bean curd pudding, they finally got down to business.

“Xie Shuan’s father is a cobbler. He runs a shop in town, and many wealthy officials go to his shop to have their shoes repaired! Don’t underestimate this trade—it’s quite lucrative. Think about it: which of us peasants would spend silver to repair worn-out shoes? We just patch them up ourselves with a needle and thread. But these are fine shoes costing several taels per pair—how could it not be profitable?”

“Xie Shuan himself is quite the catch. At twenty-four, he’s about the same age as our Yue’er. He works in his father’s shop now, and he’s sharp as a tack. He taught himself the craft of making shoes and boots, and now his own creations are sold right there in his father’s shop. Not only does he earn money, but the lad also knows how to handle himself. He often deals with the young masters and sons of the county. Those noblemen always look down on others, yet Xie Shuan somehow manages to earn their respect!”

“Folks in town are full of themselves, looking down on us farm ger and girls. In all the surrounding villages, you could count on one hand the number of girls who’ve married into town. But what can you do? We’re just farmers scraping by—no match for those well-connected families. The Xie family doesn’t care about that, though. Our Yue’er is truly blessed to have caught their eye. Once she marries Xie Shuan, she’ll be one of the townspeople.”

“Xie Shuan’s family has six large tiled houses and is quite well-off. If Sister Yue marries into the Xie family, she’ll truly be entering a nest of fortune! Her future in-laws are both honest folk who won’t mistreat her. As their daughter-in-law, she won’t have to work the fields. She’ll only need to wash clothes and cook meals…”

Granny Wang rambled on, painting Xie Shuan in the most glowing terms imaginable. Yan Xingmao and his wife listened, utterly dumbfounded.

“But… if they’re so wonderful, why would they… choose our daughter?” He Qiuhua stammered.

Yan Xiaoyu couldn’t help but chuckle, while Granny Wang’s smile froze stiffly.

Yan Xingmao also looked uneasy. “The Xie family is from town, while we’re just a village family. Our Yue’er isn’t particularly outstanding. Why would the Xie family choose our Yue’er?”

Seeing the couple’s hesitation, Granny Wang’s eyes darted about as she switched her pitch.

“The Xie family is indeed respectable, but Xie Shuan isn’t particularly tall, and his looks are rather plain. His mother is frail and will need someone to care for her in the future. Our Yue’er may not be the prettiest, but she’s strong and kind-hearted. That’s exactly the kind of daughter-in-law they’re looking for. So when I mentioned Yue’er’s situation, they took an immediate liking to her and are very pleased with her.”

“Besides, your family runs a tofu shop now. Things will only get better from here on out. Your two families are well-matched!”

Earlier, she’d sounded like Yan Xiaoyue had hit the jackpot, but now she’d switched gears completely. This woman was a real wordsmith—Yan Xiaoyu had to admit it.

Sure enough, Yan Xingmao and his wife, who had been anxious moments before, felt reassured upon hearing Xie Shuan was unattractive and had a sickly mother.

“That’s no problem. As long as he’s a good man, his looks don’t matter. Marrying into a family means serving your in-laws—that’s only right.”

As Yan Xingmao finished speaking, Yan Xiaoyu nearly rolled his eyes so hard they nearly popped out.

Xie Shuan was already twenty-four. If the Xie family was truly as good as Old Wang claimed, and Xie Shuan was merely “plain-looking with a frail mother,” why had his marriage been delayed until now?

This whole thing sounded fishy, no matter how you looked at it.

Madam Wang pressed Yan Xingmao and his wife for an answer: “Sister Qiuhua, do you agree to this match with the Xie family? They’re waiting for my reply. Xie Shuan’s father said if this marriage goes through, they’ll fulfill all three letters and six rites without fail. They can offer eight taels of silver as a betrothal gift, ensuring Sister Yue has a splendid wedding!”

He Qiuhua and Yan Xingmao exchanged glances, both uncertain. They turned their eyes to Yan Xiaoyu.

Seeing this, Granny Wang covered her mouth and chuckled. “How can your daughter’s marriage be decided not by her parents, but by Yu-ger? Xiaoyue is eighteen this year—we truly can’t delay any longer. A family like the Xies isn’t something just anyone can marry into. If you miss this opportunity, you won’t get another. Yu-ger, wouldn’t you agree?“

Yan Xiaoyu crossed his arms, his tone cool. ”These days, when arranging marriages, don’t couples usually meet first? Could it be that Xie Shuan has something to hide?”

Yan Xingmao immediately chimed in, “Xiaoyu’s right. In our village, when arranging marriages, the children always get to see each other first. Sister Wang, could you let our Yuejie meet Xie Shuan beforehand?”

Yan Xingmao and his wife stared expectantly. After only a moment’s hesitation, Granny Wang agreed readily.

“What’s the harm in that? Alright, I’ll talk to them. We’ll arrange a place to meet. Xie Shuan’s parents will bring him along. You can see all three of them together. That should put your minds at ease, right?”

Hearing this, Yan Xingmao and his wife felt considerably reassured. They not only thanked her repeatedly but also packed three blocks of tofu for Granny Wang to take home.

After Granny Wang left, Yan Xingmao beamed with delight. “I was worried Xie Shuan might have some flaw, or that his mother was gravely ill. But since they dared to meet us, there must be no issue. Our Xiaoyue has finally found a worthy husband!”

He Qiuhua was also stirred with emotion. “It’s… perfect timing! Our new clothes are all… ready. In a few days, when we accompany Xiaoyue to meet him, we’ll all wear… our new clothes.”

The couple happily imagined accompanying Xiaoyue to the matchmaking meeting, only to have their enthusiasm dampened by Xiaoyu.

“Something doesn’t feel right about this, Father, Mother. Don’t get too excited just yet.”

Yan Xingmao froze. “What’s wrong?”

Yan Xiaoyu analyzed the situation point by point.

“According to Granny Wang, the Xie family is wealthy, Xie Shuan is clever and capable, and his parents aren’t those cruel in-laws. Why would Xie Shuan wait until he’s twenty-four to arrange a marriage? With a dowry of eight taels of silver, he should be able to find a bride in town. Why would he come to our family?” 

“Madam Wang originally mentioned a widower from Nanling Village to my sister. That shows she thought my sister was only fit for someone like that. Why did she suddenly match her with the Xie family this time? The Xie family has an unmarried ger and son, if they’re so good, why didn’t she match them with their own kin?”

Yan Xiaoyu’s words made Yan Xingmao and He Qiuhua vaguely sense something was amiss, yet they still clung to hope.

“Perhaps the Xie family heard about your sister’s strength and specifically requested her?”

“Or… or maybe they think our tofu business makes us better off than others.”

Yan Xiaoyu sighed in exasperation.

He could make decisions on other matters on his own, but Yan Xiaoyue’s marriage was a major affair. If he acted arbitrarily, his parents would likely harbor resentment.

He’d need to gather evidence to convince them.

“Tomorrow I’ll go to town to investigate. If Xie Shuan is trustworthy, that’s best. But if there are any red flags, I’d rather keep my sister here a few more years than risk marrying her off.”

It was common practice to inquire about a prospective in-law’s background when arranging marriages, so Yan Xingmao and He Qiuhua didn’t object.

Early the next morning, Yan Xiaoyu set off alone for town.

Meanwhile, on the official road dozens of miles from Lantai Town, a tall, handsome man drove his oxcart toward the town. A faint shadow of worry clouded his brow, suggesting he faced some difficulty.