The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure

Chapter 1718: 1712: Marriage or Poverty Alleviation?

Capítulo 1718: Chapter 1712: Marriage or Poverty Alleviation?

Wang Yongzhu was dumbfounded. She hadn’t thought much about it; she just wanted to make Old Granny Zhang happy. As long as Old Granny Zhang liked it, why not let the Yi Mingshi family take some advantage? It was just like spending money to make Old Granny Zhang happy.

Yi Mingshi’s status was neither high nor low. If he truly wanted to marry an unmarried girl, he could find one, but she wouldn’t be able to help him much.

Wang Yongzhu understood it clearly. Yi Mingshi had made up his mind even before seeing Old Granny Zhang and immediately proposed marriage after meeting her. What was this for?

They were all old foxes by now; it wasn’t so-called love at first sight, but rather maximizing benefits.

Old Granny Zhang didn’t look old, and they matched well together. Plus, she was originally the eldest daughter of the Gu Family, so marrying Old Granny Zhang made him the son-in-law of the Gu Family.

Not to mention, Old Granny Zhang also had a daughter who was a First-Rank Enjoin Lady, with a son-in-law who is the Heir of Duke of Weiguo, a top noble family in the Capital City.

Yi Mingshi, being such a shrewd person, in marrying Old Granny Zhang, connected with both the Gu Family and the Song Family. The benefits the Yi Family could gain from this were obvious.

Yi Mingshi’s personal intentions need not be stated. He’s getting older and no longer ambitious, but he still had a son. If he asked for his son’s future, wouldn’t the Gu Family, if not the Song Family, help a bit?

Even if the Gu Family and Song Family didn’t intervene, just borrowing their names outside would be enough for Yi Mingshi’s son.

What did Yi Mingshi have to pay? Just saying a few good words daily to make Old Granny Zhang happy, which was extremely low cost.

And to say that after marrying Old Granny Zhang, she would be the only one might as well be nonsense.

Yi Mingshi was at an age where he should take care of himself. Even if he wanted to keep a young concubine, he probably wouldn’t have the ability to do so. This was probably why he wasn’t looking for a young and beautiful girl?

In short, Yi Mingshi seeking marriage with Old Granny Zhang was getting a wife with a dowry and countless resources behind her.

Truly a classic example of huge profit without investment, catching a white wolf with bare hands.

Did Gu Changqing really not understand the trick here? Did the old lady of the Gu Family not know?

Everyone was aware. But Gu Changqing thought Yi Mingshi was a good person, an old friend for years, and giving him some benefits, as long as he treated his sister well, wasn’t a loss.

The old lady of the Gu Family felt sorry for her daughter, who had suffered for half her life, thinking that as long as she was happy, what the Gu Family gave was just for their daughter and didn’t matter.

The reason why Wang Yongzhu agreed was also because she thought as long as Old Granny Zhang was happy?

Some things that Yi Mingshi and others found hard to reach were as easy as lifting a hand for them, so they didn’t care.

But after listening to Old Granny Zhang’s analysis, was this marriage or was it poverty alleviation?

Old Granny Zhang saw that Wang Yongzhu understood, then said, “I know, your Uncle, your Grandmother, and you, all feel sorry for me, so you have these thoughts. But I have suffered enough in my life, most of which were related to men, and I got enough of looking at men’s faces and serving them.”

“Finally out of the sea of suffering, I’m eager to set off firecrackers. Why would I go down a dead-end path again? I am not senile. My daughter and son-in-law have good days now, but it’s after suffering so much. It hasn’t been easy! Even now, it’s still not peaceful in the Capital City!”

“My son-in-law’s current status is due to his own efforts. After finally making it, do these stray cats and dogs from five families want to steal the fruits? Hah! Even if there were benefits, outsiders wouldn’t get them! Not to mention, if we were to help someone, aren’t your nephews closer? If not, there are still people from the Gu Family! And if not them, there’s still people from the Song Family! Even if those don’t count, there’s Zhongbao, the child, the son-in-law’s subordinate, who is closer than outsiders?”

“Just with his lip service, to marry me? Hah! The decrepit old man, who isn’t much to look at, is dreaming! Thinking I’m a rural woman who’s never seen the world, married before to a man like your father from the countryside, so I’ve never seen a noble scholar like him, thinking he can fool me? Say a few sweet words and make me laugh, then think it’s a done deal?”

“Shameless, proposing in front of you and Brother Kai? Is this something a proper person would do? Think of me as an ignorant maid, easily fooled with a few words to forget her own name? Wanting to take advantage of my daughter and son-in-law? Let him keep dreaming!”

Old Granny Zhang couldn’t help but roll her eyes exaggeratedly after speaking.

Wang Yongzhu was now certain that Old Granny Zhang truly didn’t fancy Yi Mingshi.

However, she was curious: “Then why were you chatting and laughing with Master Yi, Mom? I thought—”

Old Granny Zhang spat, “After all, he’s Brother Kai’s Master, and he had spent several days running around because of the wild boar. How could I keep a stern face? Besides, he’s quite interesting to talk to. Not to mention, when scholars try to please someone, they speak especially nice, but their minds are overly devious!”

Wang Yongzhu understood that Old Granny Zhang was only interested in Master Yi’s honeyed words, but she wasn’t interested in the person at all.

That relieved her.

“In that case, I’ll tell him tomorrow to give up his wishful thinking as soon as possible. If later you find someone you truly fancy, we’ll talk again.” Wang Yongzhu promised with a pat on her chest.

Old Granny Zhang playfully tapped Wang Yongzhu on the head: “Put those thoughts away. My life is quite good right now. If you give me a grandchild soon, that would be even better! Let’s not talk about this anymore, I am perfectly clear-headed. Although I’m the eldest daughter of the Gu Family, having lived most of my life in the countryside, I’m just a rural old woman.”

“My tongue is sharp, and my temper is bad. Which of those old lords in the Capital City would fancy me? Those who have thoughts are just like Master Yi, wanting benefits from me? I can live without men, I’m not accommodating their quirks!”

“Don’t mention it again here, and tomorrow morning, write to your Grandmother and Uncle, tell them what I said today, and let them not worry about it in the future! Alright, we’ve talked it all through, let’s get some sleep!”

With these words, Wang Yongzhu felt a wave of relief, obediently lay down, snuggled into Old Granny Zhang’s arms, and fell asleep peacefully.

Old Granny Zhang lovingly gazed at her daughter beside her, her eyes full of tenderness. When she heard Wang Yongzhu’s steady breathing, she whispered softly, “Silly girl, you are the core of my life, my dearest. Even your brothers wanted to take your things, and I disagreed, so how could I allow outsiders to take advantage of you? Rest assured, with me here, your things will be securely guarded, and no one will take even a single hair!”