Chapter Six: Selection of a Spouse

While Yang Shangbao was speaking here, Madam Guo urgently summoned several of her sisters-in-law, dismissing all the maids and servants, and locked themselves in the room for a private discussion

Seeing that You Wu agreed, Madam Guo solemnly said: "On the birthday of Lady Feng, there will surely be many noble ladies coming to congratulate her. As for the Lady Feng herself, that is one matter, but her attire and appearance must be attended to with great care"

Madam Zhu remarked: "By the time Shen Yunan's three years of mourning are over, the yellow flowers will have also wilted"

Madam Zhu, being five years younger than her husband, is greatly cherished by him. She holds a favorable view of age-gap relationships and jokingly remarked: "It doesn't necessarily have to be someone ten years younger; as long as they are under thirty, it can be considered."

Feng Yan's grandfather was a founding hero, and the Feng family has always enjoyed the emperor's favor. Moreover, Feng Yan has made military achievements and has recently been granted the title of marquis. Even though the Yan family may be arrogant, they would certainly have to show some deference when encountering the Feng family.

When Yan San Shi saw Yang Shang Bao and You Wu refusing to meet him, much of his prepared speech dissipated. After the maidservant withdrew, only Yang Si Ming remained in the hall. He said: "Please convey to Miss You that as long as she changes her mind, I will divorce my wife and marry her, and I will also find a way to negotiate for her father, so that he may be reinstated to his official position as soon as possible. Furthermore, please inform your grandfather that he is already seventy-three years old; once he passes away, what will happen to Miss You? If you truly wish for her well-being, you should quickly write a divorce letter, allowing Miss You to marry into the Yan family. After this, the Yan, Yang, and You families will be relatives, establishing a bond for eternity"

After Yan San Shi left, Yang Si Ming entered to see Yang Shang Bao and conveyed Yan San Shi's words. After listening, Yang Shang Bao said: "Yan San Shi actually has his heart set on obtaining Wu Niang, even going so far as to mention divorce. However, first, the Yan family may not necessarily allow him to divorce. Second, the maternal family of Yan San Shi's wife is not an ordinary family and will not sit idly by while their daughter is divorced. Third, today, Yan San Shi is willing to divorce for Wu Niang, but who knows if in the future he will not divorce Wu Niang for another woman. Fourth, You Wen Dao entrusted Wu Niang to me, so I will not let her fall into the tiger's den."

Madam Zhu of the Sanfang said: "Isn't that so? Yan San's methods were merely minor tricks, yet You Wenda was suddenly demoted from a fourth-rank official to a seventh-rank county magistrate. If he colludes with others from the Yan family and targets our master with a united front, I fear our master might also..."

Speaking of the Shen family, Madam Song of the second branch said: "I have heard that Shen Yunan is still in the mourning period and cannot marry the matriarch. You Wenda had no choice but to seek the approval of the elder. However, the Shen family has also indicated that they will first withdraw the engagement and, once Shen Yunan's mourning period is over, they will propose to the You family again. At that time, the elder will write a letter of divorce to the matriarch, allowing her to marry Shen Yunan."

Yang Siming had accompanied the guests for half a day, feeling increasingly perplexed. You Wu had already married into the Yang family, yet Yan San still dared to come to the door; what audacity he had. When the matron came out to respond, she took the opportunity to say: "Young Master Yan may speak freely to me, and I will convey your words to my grandfather and grandmother."

Madam Zhu and others opened their mouths, and after a long while, they all admitted that Madam Guo was not wrong, and Madam Song was even more correct

Only when the time for the meal approached did the crowd disperse after much discussion

When it comes to clothing and jewelry, the ladies have a particularly common language, and for a moment, the atmosphere in Youwu's room was extremely lively

Madam Song has always closely followed Madam Guo. Upon hearing her words, she added: "Such a beautiful lady as the matriarch is not something an ordinary family can afford to enjoy. Naturally, she must seek a son from a noble family. Only such families can keep the likes of Yan San Shi in check. Moreover, the matriarch's connection to a good marriage will also benefit our Yang family."

Madam Zhu examined You Wu's jewelry and found the style lacking in novelty. She thought to herself: "I want to create new jewelry, but I am afraid that time is too tight and I won't be able to make it. How about this: I will bring my own adornments and let the Grand Lady choose some to wear."

Attending the banquet at the Feng residence was not solely for the purpose of You Wu's marriage; there were also several eligible young ladies from the Yang family who had reached the appropriate age for selecting suitors, and they too needed to be presented.

Madam Gu, upon hearing this, examined Youwu's garments together with Madam Song and shook her head, saying: "The garments of the matriarch are all too old-fashioned"

Oh, I am not very skilled at this. Could you help me choose some clothes and accessories to see what would be appropriate to wear for the banquet?" You Wu noticed that although Madam Guo was nearly fifty years old, she was dressed elegantly and gracefully, indicating that she understood how to adorn herself, and said: "If these clothes are not suitable, we can make others as well.

Madam Luo of the Five Houses said leisurely: "The matriarch had previously arranged a marriage with the son of the Shen family, Shen Yunan, but the Shen family is unwilling to support the matriarch. Yet, our master insists on taking on this matter, alas!"

On the second day, Madam Guo led people to visit Miss You to pay their respects. Speaking of the birthday of Madam Feng, she gently said to Miss You: "Although the Feng family holds a high position and great power, they have treated the Yang family well. On the occasion of Madam Feng's birthday, we kindly ask you to accompany us to the banquet!"

Everyone's eyes lit up, and for a moment, they all felt that Feng Yan was a military general, too imposing and not easily approachable. In contrast, Wei Zheng was handsome and charming, smiling even before he spoke. His family background could not be considered too high, but it was not low either, just enough to overshadow Yan San Shi. Moreover, he was a relative of the Empress, which provided him with some backing. The Yan family would not dare to provoke him, making him a good candidate.

You Wu had only been married into the Yang family for a few days, being a new bride, and according to custom, she was not required to attend the banquet. Moreover, she felt somewhat out of place being so young and in the company of Madam Guo and others. Just as she was about to decline, she recalled what Yang Shangbao had said about choosing a husband: one must go out and socialize; if one stays in the residence, a husband will not simply fall from the sky. Thus, she agreed.

Everyone thought that although Feng Yan could surpass Yan San Shi in every aspect, given Feng Yan's family background, how could he be willing to take a woman who had been married before as his legitimate wife

Madam Guo manages the household affairs and makes new clothes for everyone in the residence each season. However, the others complain that the new clothes each season are not enough for replacement. Those who wish for additional new clothes must use their own private funds to make them, as the public funds will no longer cover this expense. Currently, in order to make new clothes for You Wu, others also wish to benefit and each want to make two sets. Compared to the two sets of new clothes for each of the several madams and the future of the Yang residence, the latter is naturally of greater importance. Madam Guo readily agreed and said, "Since we are making new clothes, let each young lady in each household also have two sets made!" Compared to the two sets of new clothes for each of the several madams and the future of the Yang residence, the latter is naturally of greater importance. Madam Guo readily agreed and said, "Since we are making new clothes, let each young lady in each household also have two sets made!"

Lady Roche smiled and said: "If we are to consider those under thirty, then that recently victorious general who has just returned from the frontier, Feng Yan, newly titled Marquis of Weiyuan, is only twenty-five this year and is a suitable candidate in every aspect!"

Madam Ma said: "In other words, we must act as intermediaries for the matriarch to facilitate a good outcome"

Madam Guo pondered for a moment, then raised her head and said: "The matriarch of the Feng family will celebrate her birthday next month. At that time, Feng Yan will surely be by her side, and Wei Zheng will definitely come to congratulate her. Even Shen Yunan and Yan San will likely make an appearance. Let us have the matriarch lead us to the banquet! At that time, we can take advantage of the chaos to create a misunderstanding, in short, we need to make Yan San believe that either Feng Yan or Wei Zheng has intentions towards the matriarch, so that he will retreat in the face of difficulty."

Mrs. Ma possesses a certain literary quality and has a penchant for contemplation. At this moment, she remarked: "Not only must one's appearance overshadow Shen Yunan, but one's family background must also surpass that of Yan San Shi. Such young gentlemen are few and far between, and as for the books, they are scarce! Moreover, most of those with such conditions have long since been betrothed; how could they still be unengaged at the age of 10?"

Everyone understood Lady Zhu's words clearly, and each of them frowned, saying: "We cannot sit idly by, but we also cannot betray the kindness of the You family, allowing the matriarch to fall into the hands of Yan San Shi. This is quite a dilemma"

Madam Zhu, however, was worried and said: "If Yan San Shi were to publicly address the matriarch at that time..."

Madam Roche has recently been thinking about making new clothes. She turned to Madam Guo and said, "Elder sister, I have arranged for someone to come tomorrow morning to take measurements for making clothes. The matriarch should also have her measurements taken. At that time, we can have the silk shop send the newly arrived fabrics to the Yang residence, and everyone can choose some materials to make two sets of new clothes each. Is that acceptable?"

Without mentioning that Yang Shangbao is already seventy-three years old, and that he may not live for another three years, would Yan San Shi simply wait for three years if Yang Shangbao were to live a few more years? Furthermore, to speak of how things will be once the Yan family falls is merely empty talk. As long as the Empress Dowager is alive, the Yan family will continue to thrive. Moreover, the Empress Dowager is only in her forties, and she is likely to outlive Yang Shangbao.

Yan San Shi waited in the parlor of the Yang residence for a long time. After several rounds of tea, a maid finally came to say: "Young Master Yan, my master has recently been suffering from a cough, and my mistress caught a chill last night and is feeling somewhat unwell. They are both unable to receive guests! If you have urgent matters, you may speak to my family's Third Young Master just the same."

You Wu felt somewhat embarrassed, but Lan Yue replied: "These clothes were made in a hurry; naturally, it would not be appropriate to bring the clothes worn at the You residence to wear again."

Madam Zhu's family is engaged in the jewelry business, and among her dowry are several exquisite items. Since she is willing to lend them to You Wupei for wearing, it is indeed more cost-effective than hastily crafting new jewelry at present. Everyone remarked, "This is truly wonderful!"

Madam Song nodded and said: "Yan San's family is watching us closely, and we cannot afford to delay. We must arrange things quickly and marry off the matriarch as soon as possible, so that we can have a peaceful life and enjoy our meals."

Mrs. Ma of the fourth room said resentfully: "In short, the master has welcomed a calamity into the house!"

Madam Guo came from a prominent family and was the eldest daughter-in-law. She had always been reserved and adhered to propriety, rarely speaking words that should not be spoken. However, considering that the Yang family was likely to face ruin due to You Wu, she had long since cast aside the rules she had valued. Looking at everyone, she boldly declared, "Let us find a husband for the matriarch who is more handsome than Shen Yunan and comes from a family that can overshadow Yan San's lineage. If we marry the matriarch off soon, we will be saved"

Seeing the solemn expressions of the crowd, Madam Guo finally spoke: "The words spoken by Yan San Shi today indicate that he is willing to use any means necessary to obtain the Old Madam. However, we must also understand that the Old Master, in order to repay his debts of gratitude, will not disregard the You family, nor will he allow the Old Madam to fall into the hands of Yan San Shi. Yet, for the sake of a woman, it seems that our Yang family may face utter disaster!"

Madam Guo said: "Indeed, it is essential that both the matriarch and the other party share mutual affection; only then can it be considered complete"

Madam Zhu remarked: "The newly appointed top scholar Wei Zheng is twenty-two years old this year, and has familial connections with the empress's family. His appearance and family background are also quite respectable. Moreover, his wife passed away three years ago when she came to visit, which has caused families of high status to be somewhat cautious, while those from lower-status families do not dare to aspire to him, thus delaying his marriage prospects. In terms of qualifications, he is not as good as Feng Yan, but precisely because of this, he has a greater chance."

Madam Guo said: "That would be just right, allowing the matriarch to collapse in front of Madam Feng, pleading for Madam Feng to take charge."

Madam Guo nodded slightly. Since You Wu married into the Yang family as the matriarch, it was naturally inappropriate for her to dress too young. The styles of her clothing and jewelry were all of an elder's fashion. However, when attending a banquet at the Feng residence, she must dress more splendidly, outshining all others.