Chapter 007 Encounter with Zhang Heitao

"Spit it out before you speak again," Zheng Pozi pushed Zheng Mingye and said reluctantly, "Your second brother will definitely pass the exam, so don't say anything unlucky. Besides, your second brother is currently a student under the esteemed Zheng Da Guan Ren of our Zheng family. If anything happens, Zheng Da Guan Ren will surely make arrangements for your second brother, so there is no need to worry." As she spoke, she leaned closer to Zheng Mingye's ear and whispered, "Your second sister-in-law's elder brother has already spent a lot of money on your second brother at Zheng Da Guan Ren's place. If nothing unexpected happens, with your second brother's talent, he will surely succeed in this examination."

Zheng Mingye smiled broadly upon hearing Zheng Pozi say that Zhang Heitao cared for him, rubbing his hands together and said: "Mother, I was initially worried that Heitao did not come over willingly to marry, but now that it is said this way, she is indeed willing, and that is good."

Zheng Mingye noticed that Zheng Pozi mentioned her maternal family, and he understood that she harbored resentment. In the past, when his father was alive, there was frequent interaction with his maternal uncle's family. After his father's death, not only did they fail to offer assistance, but they also became evasive when issues arose, gradually ceasing all contact. In contrast, his second sister-in-law's elder brother, Fang Da, was a man of integrity. He not only did not retract his marriage proposal but also brought his sister over as usual, and the dowry was quite substantial. Moreover, he often provided support. Even if he did not assist the second brother in taking the imperial examination this time, anyone from the Zheng family who achieves success in the future would owe him a debt of gratitude, especially since he is currently contributing both effort and money to help the second brother.

I didn't argue with anyone!" Zheng Mingye's face turned even redder, and after hesitating for a while, he finally blurted out, "I encountered a spade on my way back!"

Zheng Pozi was both angry and amused, as she tapped Zheng Mingye on the head with the dough mixer she was holding, glaring at him and saying: "She is concerned about you, urging you to eat more so that you can strengthen your body before marrying her."

Zheng Mingye felt so embarrassed that he didn't know where to turn his head. He mumbled, "Today I collected many bird eggs, thinking that Rong and the others wouldn't be able to finish them all. I saw her from a distance on the road, and thinking that she would eventually be part of our family, I called out to her and asked her to take some bird eggs home to eat. She was hesitant and refused to take them, even saying that I should eat them myself to nourish my body more." As he scratched his head, he noticed that Qiaoniang had already stifled her laughter and walked away with the firewood. He then quietly asked Zheng Pozi, "Mother, when Heitao said that, was she still teasing me?"

Lai Rong held a broken sunflower fan in her hand and said with a smile, "I see my sister is feeling hot, so I will help her fan some air."

In the days that followed, Zheng Pozi and Qiaoniang were extremely busy, having to make gold ornaments, invite someone to propose on behalf of the family, tidy up the house, and prepare the new room, among other tasks. Fortunately, Guijie'er was well-behaved, rarely crying or making a fuss. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law would take turns to check on Guijie'er while they were busy; if they saw her sleeping, they would rest as well. If she woke up, she would only cry if she was hungry or needed to relieve herself; at other times, she would be playing with her fingers and blowing bubbles. They all praised her, saying, "Our Guijie'er is truly a beloved child, knowing that we are busy, she plays by herself and does not disturb the adults, which is indeed rare. This is also the blessing of Mazu."

Since the engagement was settled, Zheng Mingye has been leaving early and returning late, determined to alleviate the burden on his family. He has also been foraging for bird eggs to bring home for Lai Rong and others to eat. One day, when he returned home, he stood there with a flushed face, remaining silent for a long time. Zheng Pozi urged him to take a bath, and after a few prompts with no response from him, she noticed something was off. She looked at his face and said: "What’s the matter? You look flushed; have you had a quarrel with someone? My son, you are about to get married soon, and in a few months, you will be the head of the household. It is not appropriate to act childishly and argue with others."

Zheng Pozi chatted with Zheng Mingye for a while, and seeing that it was getting late, urged him to take a bath, saying that he should wash up, eat, and go to bed early, as he would need to get up early the next day to pound rice, leaving no time for idle chatter. While speaking, she noticed that Lai Rong was followed by Lai Hua and Lai Fu, who lifted the curtain to enter the room to check on Guijier. She hurriedly called out to Lai Rong, saying: "Sister is sleeping, you all shouldn't go in and wake her up."

Zheng Mingye is not very familiar with these matters, but upon hearing Zheng Pozi say this, he also felt relieved and softly replied: "Naturally, I will repay the kindness of my in-laws and uncle in the future"

"Be careful not to fan dirt into your sister's eyes." Seeing that the fan in Rong's hand was dirty, Zheng Pozi would not allow him to enter the room. She went over and said, "Behave yourself. This is a fan for the stove. Your mother will need it later, so put it under the stove!"

Qiao Niang had just carried firewood from the woodshed to the kitchen when she heard this and let out a laugh. She paused to listen to Zheng Pozi speaking to Zheng Mingye, saying, "In a few months, Heitao will be married. Right now, she is only avoiding you and would never run into the street to stop you and talk. Look at how embarrassed you are; could it be that you saw her and stopped to talk?"

Zheng Pozi expressed her feelings. When Zheng Weisheng passed away, the Zheng family clan assisted Zheng Mingxing in fighting for the inheritance, disregarding her as the widow and treating Zheng Mingfa and Zheng Mingye with contempt. If Zheng Pozi's family had been influential at that time and had stood up for her, Zheng Mingxing would not have dared to be so brazen. However, Zheng Pozi's family was timid and avoided confrontation, leaving her to face the Zheng family clan alone with her two sons. As a result, she naturally suffered defeat, receiving only the courtyard she currently resides in and a small amount of poor farmland. Zheng Weisheng's lifetime savings, which he had used to purchase several shops, were completely seized by Zheng Mingxing.

Just as Qiaoniang was looking for a fan under the stove, she called out loudly for Rong, who then turned around and entered the kitchen. Laihua and Laifu quickly followed him in.

Before Zheng Pozi gave birth to Zheng Mingye, she had another daughter who passed away before reaching one year of age. At that time, she was deeply saddened and fell ill for a while. Unexpectedly, during her illness, she became pregnant with Zheng Mingye. As a result, Zheng Mingye was born with some deficiencies. As he grew older, his studies did not match up to those of his elder brother Zheng Mingxing, and he could only recognize a few characters before giving up on his education. Now at eighteen years old, although he is not short, he is dark and thin, lacking the robust build of his elder brother Zheng Mingxing and the fair complexion of his second brother Zheng Mingfa. He has the most honest disposition, and Zheng Pozi dotes on him the most. She has always worried that he would not find a good wife. Now that he has expressed interest in Zhang Heitao, she is truly satisfied. Upon learning that he dared to approach Zhang Heitao today, she was initially pleased. However, upon hearing that he misinterpreted the girl’s caring words as something negative, she felt an immediate urge to be by his side to say some kind words for him.

As for the Zhang family, as the aunt mentioned, they are indeed very easy to communicate with, and there are no special requirements regarding the betrothal gifts and various customs. The two families are currently discussing and planning to choose an auspicious day in early autumn for the marriage. At that moment, everything seemed to be settled.

Only then did Zheng Pozi remember that she had only told Zheng Mingye about Zhang Ji's request regarding Zhang Heitao, but had never mentioned that it was Zhang Heitao's own intention. No wonder Zheng Mingye had been worried that Zhang Heitao himself might not be willing. Seeing Zheng Mingye's expression of relief, Zheng Pozi couldn't help but laugh and recounted all the words that Auntie had said when she came to inquire. After listening carefully, Zheng Mingye opened his mouth and said: "If Second Brother fails to pass the imperial examination, then the Zhang family would have miscalculated their plans."

Zheng Pozi said with a hint of sarcasm: "Haven't you noticed how I am treating your second sister-in-law like a guest? Since her elder brother has been so good to our family, we naturally know how to show our gratitude and will not treat her poorly. Therefore, I say, for a woman, having a good maternal family as a support is what allows her to have a voice in her husband's family"