Zhulan naturally remembered. She was also wondering why she only saw Wang Xin on the way to the capital, but not Wang Rong. “Did she come back to the village?”

Xuemei nodded, “Not only did she come back, she also got engaged.”

Zhulan was surprised. “Wang Rong is engaged. If I remember correctly, Wang Rong is twelve years old this year.”

Xuemei was surprised and said, “We returned to the village almost at the same time as Wang Rong. The groom’s family brought a matchmaker along to send Wang Rong back. That Wang Rong girl is really something—she got engaged to the younger son of a sixth-rank ShibaihuThe title “百户” (Baihu) literally means “commander of a hundred households” and was a military officer responsible for leading about a hundred soldiers or overseeing the defense of a region. The prefix “试” (Shi) indicates a probationary or trial position, suggesting that the person holding this title was not yet fully confirmed in their rank or was serving in a lower capacity. . When they returned to the village, they even had an entourage with them. Old Wang was so proud.”

Zhulan knew that Wang Rong was a rare and astute person, someone who truly understood the world. However, she never expected this girl to be so formidable—the leap was quite significant. Fourth Wang had not transitioned into a merchant, and Wang Rong was merely a village girl. How did she manage to get engaged to the family of a military official? And it was with the Shi family no less. To be able to secure such a good match for herself, this girl is truly remarkable.

Zhulan asked, “Have you met the person Wang Rong is engaged to?”

Xuemei nodded. “Yes, he is five years older than Wang Rong. He is a little fat, but he has a handsome appearance.”

Zhulan was curious about Wang Rong. “Have they set a date? Is Wang Rong home?”

Xuemei said, “The date has been set. It’s said to be three years later. Wang Rong is at home. This time Wang Rong has been engaged. She is trying to be the daughter-in-law of a Baihu family. No one dares to mention her name. Wang Rong is at home embroidering her dowry!”

She had met Wang Rong several times, and Wang Rong had even taken the initiative to talk to her. She didn’t dislike Wang Rong. The girl was quite smart.

Jiang Sheng came in carrying a bag. Zhulan and Xuemei stopped chatting. Zhulan gestured to Jiang Sheng to put down the two bags.

Zhulan took the time to pack these two bundles as she expected to be home soon. She opened the blue bundle, took out the jewelry box, and opened it, “Your father and I were in a hurry to go back and forth and didn’t have a good time in the capital. This is the pearl hairpin I bought for you and a pair of pearl earrings. This pair of pearl earrings is for Miao Miao.”

Zhulan put down her jewelry and took out the fabric. “The fabric can also be bought in Pingzhou, but it is different when it is brought to Beijing. This is the fabric I bought in Beijing. It is just right for the change of seasons. You can make two sets of clothes.”

Finally, there were two boxes of snacks. “The snacks I bought in Huaizhou City are quite famous. I brought two boxes for you and the children.”

As for the jade bracelet and the gold-inlaid jade hairpin, Zhulan did not give them to Xuemei in advance. What she took out were gifts she brought with her, and the jade bracelet and hairpin were prepared as a dowry.

Xuemei was no longer polite to her mother. She wanted her mother to take care of the children before, but now it was no longer necessary. Her mother brought it back specially for her. She was happy to receive it from her parents. “Thank you, mother.”

Jiang Sheng felt more and more embarrassed because he always got benefits from Yue’s family. The most loving thing his parents had done for him in this life was to marry him to Xuemei.

Jiang Miao wanted to eat cakes. He had cakes all the time when he was in Pingzhou. It took him a long time to eat cakes when he got home. “Mom.”

Xuemei also had some money in her hand, but she was reluctant to spend it. Her son needed to study, and her husband also needed pens, ink, and paper, all of which cost money. She was pregnant, so she naturally had to be more careful with her spending. She patted her daughter’s head and opened the snack box, “Thank Grandpa and Grandma.”

Jiang Miao took the cake and said, “Thank you, grandpa and grandma. Miao Miao likes grandpa and grandma the most.”

Zhulan kissed Jiang Miao with love, “Grandma loves Miao Miao too.”

Jiang Sheng interrupted, “Father-in-law and mother-in-law, you’ve been tired all the way. Let’s take a rest. I’ll go to the county to buy some wine and food.”

Zhou Shuren waved his hand, “No need, we are going to the clan leader’s house, they must have prepared food, you just need to cut some grass and feed the horses.”

Zhulan opened the gray bundle, took out cloth and snacks from it, then tied the bundle again and said to Xuemei, “The rest is for your grandparents when you go to your grandma’s house tomorrow. Keep it for now.”

Xuemei took it and said, “Yes.”

Zhou Shuren took the cloth and snacks, and Zhulan stood up and said, “You should take a rest. You don’t have to wait for me and your father at night. Just leave the door open for us.”

Xuemei said, “Mom when you come back, come directly to the main room. Jiang Sheng and I will take the children to my younger sister’s room.”

Zhulan: “Okay, got it.”

In fact, Zhulan wanted to say there was no need to make a fuss, but she and Zhou Shuren were the elders after all, and this was the Zhou family. If she said no, her daughter and Jiang Sheng would be terrified.

Zhulan and Zhou Shuren arrived at the Patriarch’s house. Zhou Wang Shi’s eldest daughter-in-law, Li Zheng Niangzi, was killing chickens. Seeing Zhulan, she smiled and said, “Mother said that you would come over soon, so she asked me to kill two hens to entertain you. It turned out to be true.”

Zhulan looked at the two hens and said, “These two hens are quite fat. Shuren and I are in for a treat.”

Zhou Wang Shi heard the noise and came out to greet them. “What a treat! They are all raised at home, so they are not rare. Come in quickly.”

Zhulan handed the cloth and snacks in her hand to Zhou Wang Shi, “I came back in a hurry and didn’t bring anything good. The clothes were bought in the capital, and the snacks were bought in Huaizhou City. There’s not much to show for my appreciation.”

Zhou Wang Shi thought to herself, wow, the couple actually went to the capital. She said, “The fabrics from the capital are really a token of your appreciation. This is the first time I’ve touched fabrics from the capital in my life!”

Zhou Wang Shi touched the cloth curiously. She seldom visited cloth shops in the county, let alone those in the capital. Today she got the gift of clothes from Zhou Shuren and his wife. It was obvious that the cloth was for her and the old man. Who wouldn’t keep it to make clothes for herself?

Zhulan asked, “How is sister-in-law these days?”

Zhou Wang Shi took her eyes off the cloth and said with a smile, “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

Zhou Wang Shi paused and asked curiously, “You live in Pingzhou City. Have you ever met Wang Ru? Wang Rong came back to get engaged and even came to see me specially. But every time I asked Wang Ru, she said she didn’t know. They are sisters, and Wang Ru took Wang Rong away on purpose. How could Wang Rong not know?”

Zhulan did not hide the matter from Wang Ru. When she thought of Wang Ru, she thought of Zhang Sanni and Wang Xin. “Aunt, let me ask you something first. Have Wang Xin and Zhang Sanni returned to the village?”

Zhou Wang Shi frowned, “Didn’t they sign a contract to sell themselves? Why will they be back?”

Zhulan told Wang Xin about what she saw and heard while going to the capital. She felt that Wang Xin would come back sooner or later because Wang Xin could not survive, but the same could not be said for Zhang Sanni. Everyone would know that Wang Ru was missing sooner or later, and she and Zhou Shuren were members of the Zhou family, so it would be better to inform the Patriarch’s family in advance, in case someone investigated the village in the future, and so that they could be mentally prepared.

Zhou Wang Shi covered her mouth, “Oh my God!”

After a scream, it was over. Zhou Wang Shi was not stupid. She knew that the person who dared to kidnap someone must have a powerful background. She had no intention of digging into the matter.

Then Zhou Wang Shi changed the subject, avoiding talking about Fourth Wang’s family, and only talked about the recent changes in the village.

Zhou Wang Shi smiled and said, “Last year, the Zheng family bought a lot of dried vegetables. This year, wild vegetables are out, and every household in the village has dug up wild vegetables and dried them. I just don’t know if the Zheng family will come to buy them this year.”

Zhulan was unsure, and she knew that she would need to use troops this year. “Even if they don’t come to buy, it’s good to save it for winter.”

“You’re right, we can have more greens in the winter.”

Zhou Wang Shi asked about her experiences in the capital, and Zhulan told her everything she could. She did not ask why Zhou Shuren and his wife went to the capital because she understood that they were just clan members and nothing more.

(End of this chapter)

---