That old scoundrel Lishi actually had the face to demand the more dowry the better. He even said his small building was too shabby, with no front or back courtyard, no place to plant grass or raise flowers. In the future when there were children, the whole family squeezed into the small building would be miserable.

Since his nephew was a wealthy man, he wouldn’t be polite. He’d heard his nephew had a small courtyard near the foot of the mountain, built extremely elegantly. Opening the door, one could see the mountain, and the Dongyang River flowed past the back courtyard with a dedicated small dock. Since it was empty anyway, he’d move in and use it as the bridal chamber. In his leisure, wouldn’t it be delightful to row a boat on the river?

Yun Ye’s hair stood on end in fury. Jumping on his feet, he was about to go find trouble with Lishi, but who knew he’d be forcibly carried into a room by his aunt-in-law and grandmother. His aunt-in-law stroked his chest to calm him down, afraid he’d be angered to sickness.

Grandmother said nonchalantly: “Good grandson, it’s just a small residence. If he wants it, give it to him. A scholarly grandmaster is a superior person wherever he goes. What does one residence count for? There are plenty of people scrambling to give him one. Grandmother knows you dislike that Lishi is too old and doesn’t match your aunt, but your aunt is willing! Lishi is fifty-nine this year, and he’s practiced martial arts—his body is robust. Your aunt suffered too much back then. She needs an older person to cherish her. Listen to Grandmother, don’t make trouble. Properly send your aunt off. This is a good match.”

Lishi liked ancient rites—three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts, not one missing. Although there was little money, when he sent over a pair of copper bracelets from his family as betrothal gifts, Li Gang, Yushan, and Yuanzhang all said the gift was too generous.

His family had been poor for generations. Only in his generation could they eat their fill. Farming and studying passed down through the family sounded good, but in reality it was all blood and tears. If a farmer could fill his belly from one year’s end to the next, that was heavenly fortune, yet they still had to support their own children’s education. Even during the beacon fire years of the Former Sui, this wasn’t interrupted.

This pair of copper bracelets belonged to Master Lishi’s deceased mother. They’d been in and out of the pawnshop no less than ten times. When the family couldn’t manage three meals, his mother would send the bracelets to the pawnshop, then his father would desperately work to redeem them. After his father passed away, the heavy responsibility of redeeming the bracelets fell on Lishi’s shoulders. For this pair of bracelets, Lishi had herded cattle, worked as a laborer, even served as an indentured book boy in someone’s household. It could be said he’d eaten every kind of bitterness.

Before his mother died, she personally removed the bracelets from her wrists, not letting Lishi use them as burial goods, saying they should be kept as a keepsake for his future daughter-in-law. Just like that, with a thin coffin, they sent Mother away. Inside the coffin was nothing else.

Lishi had always regarded this pair of copper bracelets as his life, never leaving them on his person. He often took them out from his bosom to polish them, but no matter how he polished, the blood and tears of the whole family could never be wiped away.

On the wedding day, Lishi wore a farmer’s clothes and drove an ox cart. The ox was terribly thin with mange growing on its body—it couldn’t be more shabby. The expressions of several old masters showing “as expected” made Yun Ye somewhat furious. None of them were good people! For such an important wedding occasion, you drive over a disgusting, nearly-dead ox to embarrass the Yun family?

Lishi seemed unable to see Yun Ye’s ashen face or the astonished expressions of the crowd. He went into the Yun family’s back courtyard himself, found his aunt covered in jewels and treasures, grabbed Aunt Yun’s hand, and put that pair of copper bracelets on her, saying to her: “I come from humble origins. Being able to marry a fine lady from a noble family like you is my fortune. It’s just that the Fang family has no possessions. I only have this to give. My mother once regarded it as life. My father also regarded it as life. This object is also my life. Now I give it to you, only hoping we will never leave or abandon each other—living we share the same bed, dying we share the same coffin.”

Aunt Yun bowed gracefully, sobbing uncontrollably, thanking her husband for his deep affection. Under Lishi’s smiling gaze, she removed all the gold and jade objects from her body, keeping only that pair of copper bracelets. She washed off the elaborate makeup from her face, wearing only the wedding dress she’d embroidered stitch by stitch, taking nothing else with her.

Just like that, the shabbily-dressed Lishi lifted her onto the ox cart, abandoning the Yun family’s luxurious large carriage as if it were nothing. Before leaving, Lishi said to Yun Ye: “Come to my house in a few days. I’ll set out wine to host you.” After speaking, he sang songs like a victorious great general and returned home in high spirits.

Xinyue had long been moved to tears, clutching Yun Ye’s lapel and not letting go. Looking at Xinyue crying like a painted cat, Yun Ye said viciously: “In another half month, I’ll learn from Lishi and find a broken copper bracelet to marry you like this. How about it?”

Xinyue cried out in alarm: “That won’t do! People will laugh!”

“Why doesn’t anyone laugh at Lishi, yet they all come to laugh at the Yun family?”

“Because that’s Master Lishi! He can do it, you can’t.”

“I saw you crying your eyes out and thought you liked it too. This really infuriates me.”

Yun Ye had no interest in continuing to stand by the door watching the excitement. Dragging Xinyue, he returned to the residence. Before taking two steps, he heard Li Gang ask from behind: “Where is the Yun family’s banquet? This old man plans to drink three hundred cups heartily.”

Yun Ye arranged for the household servants to prepare the feast with trembling hands. No groom, no bride—only a group of old drunkards congratulating each other. When they drank too much, they composed poetry—very long, very much.

Xinyue was more assertive in the Yun family than in her own home, directing the Yun family’s large and small stewards and servants, arranging the congratulating guests thoughtfully. Being praised repeatedly by Madam Cheng, Madam Niu and the others, her little face was flushed red, also quite pleased.

After the guests dispersed, Xinyue brought rice to Yun Ye on a red lacquer wooden tray. Seeing Yun Ye directing the maids who served Aunt Yun to put the jewelry his aunt had thrown all over the floor into boxes and pack them up, she asked: “Didn’t Aunt not want them?”

Yun Ye said irritably: “Who said she didn’t want them?”

“I saw Aunt throw everything away, so I thought she didn’t want them.”

“What the hell do you know? Before leaving, Lishi told me he’d set out wine to invite me. That meaning was urging me to quickly send Aunt’s things over to him, and the maids too. Old scoundrel—not only does he want reputation, he wants the benefits too. Come here, let me lean on you for a bit. I can’t stand being this angry.”

As long as Xinyue was there, Old Grandmother absolutely wouldn’t let Xiao Ya and the others come disturb them, doing her best to leave the two a space of their own. Now she no longer came up with those strange ideas. It seemed Grandmother’s patience was also only a dozen or so days.

“Ye gege, can you say those words that Master Lishi said to Aunt? Just thinking of those words makes my heart sour.” Xinyue lay on Yun Ye’s back, watching him eat.

“Of course I can say them, a thousand times better than him. If I can marry you back with a broken ox, I guarantee I’ll talk until you vomit. What does a sour heart count for?”

“Actually, I don’t necessarily need all those things. I just want people to see how you cherish me, that I’m the happiest woman in the world, that the man I love is marrying me with the best wedding ceremony.”

These words choked Yun Ye. Turning around, he said to Xinyue: “You’re my wife—this is already settled. Heaven arranged you for me, and I’ll guarantee your happiness and well-being for a lifetime. Men only speak sweet words to mistresses, not to wives. They think it’s unnecessary. Sweet words are too empty. Putting one’s life in the wife’s hands is truly loving her. Have you seen how many men bring outside women back home and then divorce their wives?”

“Hmph, that’s called doting on the concubine and destroying the wife. If caught by the authorities, the concubine will be beaten to death. That’s the benefit of royal law.” Xinyue was a firm supporter of Great Tang marriage law. She was as familiar with the provisions as could be. She knew of Li Anlan’s existence, and knew of Na Rimu’s existence, but she was very proud. Even if a princess married over, she could only be a concubine. Moreover, from what she knew, Yun Ye didn’t like the princess that much, which delighted her for a long time.

As for Na Rimu, Xinyue hadn’t taken her to heart. Why should a Turk compete with her? Yun Ye’s concern for Na Rimu was nothing more than for the family’s foundation, for the children to have a place to avoid warfare in the future. If Na Rimu became a concubine, Xinyue raised both hands and feet in approval.

Other men had children before marrying. Who knows how many chamber maids they’d ruined? Her man had never had any chamber maids. He’d always been cared for by family elders. According to Dr. Sun, Yezi was still a virgin to this day.

He didn’t act recklessly before marriage. He didn’t even touch Na Rimu, just waiting to marry her. Just making this comparison, Xinyue was infinitely satisfied. Never mind that he always ordered her about—with others he was polite and courteous, only because she was his wife. No need to put on a false appearance for others to see. Only days like these could last long. Mother had told her this long ago.

“What are you thinking about? Your drool is flowing down. In a bit, go help Grandmother organize the household accounts. I looked yesterday—what a mess. Grandmother is getting old. She can’t manage these things anymore. In the future, they’ll all be handed to you. The old lady should also rest and properly enjoy a few days of peace and happiness.”

Yun Ye’s voice pulled Xinyue from her wild thoughts. Suddenly pecking Yun Ye on the face, she hurried away.

He didn’t plan to chase after her. His foot still hurt badly. Xinyue was a very sensible girl. Yun Ye was glad he’d chosen Xinyue. Otherwise, just the pile of household matters would be impossible to settle. Thinking of Li Anlan’s strange temper made his heart grow cold. If he married her over, would this large household of people still have a way to live?

Shaking his head, he cast these thoughts to the back of his mind. Yun Ye limped to the front courtyard. He didn’t know how Old Zhuang’s body was doing, whether those festering places had scabbed over. That little wife of his was really worrying—clumsy hands and feet, stupid to death. Old Zhuang only looked at her strong body, easy to bear children, which was why he spent a large sum to marry her. Who knew after more than a year there was still no news? He hoped Old Zhuang hadn’t been angered to death by that woman.

Yun Ye worried unnecessarily. When entering the door, Old Zhuang was drinking porridge under his wife’s care. Seeing the marquis enter, he quickly got up to pay respects. Yun Ye supported Old Zhuang, not letting him rise, gesturing for his wife to continue feeding Old Zhuang.

His wife nearly fed the rice into Old Zhuang’s nose several times. Yun Ye put too much mental pressure on that woman. Old Zhuang smiled sheepishly, extended his other good arm, grabbed the porridge bowl, and poured it down in one gulp, making his wife return to the inner room and not come out.

“Making the marquis laugh. Coming from a small household, she hasn’t seen the world. Everything she does is clumsy. Can’t teach her otherwise.” Old Zhuang kept explaining for his wife.