As August approached, Madame Shen's mind was once again restless, like long grass that couldn't be calmed. Every day she calculated when her son would enter and leave the examination hall. Zeng Rui-xiang thought to find something for his wife to do, so he said: "Fu-er is already 17 years old, it's time to arrange a marriage for him. You should ask around to see which family has a suitable daughter. The family background doesn't matter, what's important is that she's virtuous and understanding. After all, she'll be the eldest daughter-in-law, and needs to set a good example for the younger ones. Don't let her cause trouble in the household after just a few days. Also, Fu-er will take the imperial examination path in the future, so it would be best if she had some education, so she can accompany him to social events in the future."

  Shen's family listened and clapped their hands, saying: "It's not like that, you didn't say it, I had already forgotten." After finishing speaking, they hurriedly went to discuss with He's family, and didn't sleep well for the whole night.

  The next day at noon, Zeng Rui-xiang brought back a guest, a colleague from his early days in the county school, surnamed Ye. The two met on the street and agreed to come home for a simple meal. In casual conversation, the other mentioned that he had three daughters and one son at home, with the eldest being a 15-year-old girl who had not yet been betrothed. Shen heard this from behind the door and her heart skipped a beat. After the guest left, she pulled Zeng Rui-xiang aside and asked him in detail, and Zeng Rui-xiang also found it somewhat interesting.

  "Father, mother, although it's said that parents' orders and matchmakers' words are to be obeyed since ancient times, after all, I'm going to spend the rest of my life with this person. Why don't you wait until big brother comes back before discussing this? Maybe big brother will have other arrangements."

  "That's also true, no need to rush at this time. Fu'er is a decisive person, if he doesn't like it, it would be troublesome, just like your second uncle's family and those cousins of yours who insisted on breaking off the engagement. Anyway, he'll be back by the end of this month." Shen thought about it and also felt that was the case, so she temporarily put the matter aside.

  After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Madam Shen started counting down the days every day, and no one could persuade her otherwise. Finally, at the end of the month, Zi Fu returned home dusty and tired, and Madam Shen immediately grabbed hold of her son. She carefully examined him from head to toe, but didn't mention his exam results at all, probably because she was also scared by Zi Lu's experience. She was afraid that if she put too much pressure on the child, he would be unable to withstand the blow if he failed.

  Zifou returned home for only a few days. The autumn harvest season began, and Zilu and others also took time off to return home. All the paddy fields at home were rented out, and the sweet potatoes in the field had not yet matured. The family was once again bustling with activity, and Ziqing and Ziyu were the happiest. On ordinary days, it was just the two of them who couldn't go out. Ziqing could only teach Ziyu some needlework to pass the time, but now there were more people to play with.

  On this day, Mrs. Shen asked if Zifu had any intention of marrying a girl, and mentioned the eldest daughter of Mr. Ye. Zifu thought for a moment and said: "Mother, I have seen the eldest daughter of his family, she is knowledgeable and courteous, but her mother is a woman who dislikes poverty and loves luxury, and also likes to quarrel. Mr. Ye is a hen-pecked husband. I'm afraid that in the future, some things will be difficult to handle. Moreover, how coincidental that he met Father on the street, and without even making a formal visit, he told you that his family has a suitable person. Don't you think it's strange?

  Ziying couldn't help but add a few more points of admiration to her gaze at Zifu, this thought was too subtle. She herself had not thought of these things in two lifetimes, nor had her parents, who were in their 50s, seen the thoughts hidden in each other's hearts. Such a person would be wasted if they didn't go into politics.

  "Come to think of it, you're right. Your analysis doesn't feel quite right either. He was the one who brought up his daughter after all. In that case, let's just forget about it. I'll find someone else for you."

  "I do have a personal preference, my teacher at the White Egret Academy, surnamed Liu. He once mentioned to me his eldest daughter, who has been managing household chores and has also studied for two years. I met her once at the teacher's house, she is gentle in nature. The teacher's family situation is average, with no land, relying solely on the teacher's salary to make ends meet. They bought a piece of land outside the city wall near the academy and built a house, there is also a younger sister and brother at home, I think she takes care of them very well, and usually does some small needlework to help support the family." Zi Fu said.

  Shen listened and said to turn back and ask around. He then told Zeng Rui-xiang about this, and Zeng Rui-xiang also felt secretly ashamed, blaming himself for being too anxious, and not seeing through the other's thoughts. He also said to ask around, and after a while suddenly said: "Isn't your maternal cousin Shen Da-fu's family nearby in the east of the city?"

  Shen said: "It's not possible, how could I forget him? Tomorrow I'll set out to find him."

  Just as they were talking, Qiu Yu came over with the child in her arms and said that the late rice at home needed to be harvested, so why not let Zi Fu and a few others go over to help. Zeng Rui Xiang saw that she was a woman with a nursing child, and his brother-in-law was not at home, so he couldn't refuse after hearing this, and ended up taking the children to help her for two days.

  Although the children were reluctant, they couldn't bear to lose face in front of their father, so they finished and went home without even having dinner at the old house. Autumn Jade had been living in the old house since the division of the family, so she didn't cook at her own home. This time was no exception. The children didn't have the nerve to let Tian Shi, an elderly person, cook for so many people, and besides, they didn't live far away, so when it was time for dinner, they went back home.

  Shen's family felt heartbroken, all the work at home was done by spending money to find others to do it. Autumn Jade also knew, but she had the nerve to ask the children to help her, and it wasn't like they were short of that little bit of money. Thinking about this made Shen's feelings towards Autumn Jade fade a few more points.

  In just a few days, Shen Dafu's wife, Yue Shi, personally came to the door and replied that the girl from that family was indeed good, literate, skilled in needlework and household chores, and was already 15 years old. Her family was also looking for a match for her.

  The Shens heard this and, after confirming with Zi Fu, found a matchmaker in the town to propose the marriage. Mr. Liu had always liked Zi Fu's intelligence and didn't mind that she came from a rural area, so he agreed as soon as he heard the proposal. The two families were busy making arrangements, and Mr. Liu's family came over to see the Zens' house and furniture. They said they hadn't expected the Zens to be better off than ordinary farmers. Shen Shi just smiled when she heard this, exchanged the wedding documents, and gave Liu's daughter a pair of dragon and phoenix gold bangles and two pieces of satin fabric. This was beyond the Lius' expectations, and Mr. Liu said it was too extravagant. The matchmaker laughed and said, "I've been matchmaking for so many years, but this is the first time I've seen someone complain that the betrothal gifts are too many."

  Two days after the engagement, Shen and her children, Fu, Qing, and Yu, were peeling sweet potatoes in the courtyard. Rong, Shou, and Xi had already returned to school. Suddenly, they heard the sound of music coming from afar, seemingly approaching the gate. Shen quickly got up to open the door, and it was indeed an official messenger bringing good news. Shen hastily told Fu to wash his hands and change into new clothes, but before he could finish, the official had already entered. It was clear that they were not prepared for this visit. At this moment, Zeng Rui-xiang, who was far away, also heard the commotion and rushed back.

  It turned out that Zifujie was the newly promoted jinshi, and the official smiled and said: "This is the first time I've ever reported good news to a jinshi who used to work in the fields."

  The Shen family busily welcomed the people in, making tea and pouring water, treating them with great courtesy. They also gave each of the two officials a package containing a five-tael silver ingot and a few taels of loose change. Everyone was overjoyed, their faces beaming with delight.

  Shen's family and Zifu sent away the official, Shen's family busy sending Zifu to report to the old master, herself busy finding someone to return to her mother's house to report, also want to open the ancestral hall to worship ancestors, also want to entertain the whole village, after all, is the first scholar of Dongtang Village, busy Shen's feet do not touch the ground. The opening of the ancestral hall and worship was set on October 15th, and the banquet was set on October 16th.

  Shen's family not only informed the maternal grandparents' home in Baitang Village, but also sent a letter to Shen Jianren's family in Lishan County. On the afternoon of the 14th, Shen Jianren's family rushed over. Originally, Shen wanted his younger brother to stay on their side, but unfortunately, Xiao Shi still missed her mother and returned to the old house.

  Zi Qing heard that Xiao Shu Niang, Zeng Shi, said that the old house on the other side of the backyard now only has Old Auntie Zeng Shi and Little Auntie Peng Shi. Nowadays, they don't sell pancakes anymore. Xiao Jia Lao San is engaged, preparing to open a shop in the city to sell pancakes. Peng Shi wants to join her youngest son, waiting for Old Auntie Zeng Shi to settle down before leaving, and the house will still be sold back to the Zeng family.

  Ziying listened in stunned silence for a while, it was the first time she had heard that the Xiao family was moving away, and it would be even harder to see Xiao Xiushui again. It's true that there is no banquet in life that doesn't disperse, thinking back to when Ziying first arrived, how many people were squeezed into that house? How crowded and lively it was? Now they've all gone their separate ways, leaving only an empty house and the old aunt waiting for a place to return to, it's really too pitiful.

  Xiao Jiu Niang, surname Zeng, said and hurriedly left, saying that she had made an appointment with several of her younger sisters to discuss the ownership of Lao Gu Po.

  Zeng Ruixiang and Shen's wife also sighed after hearing this, Zeng Ruixiang said: "Thinking back when my uncle was still alive, my eldest aunt was so noble, everyone in the family respected her and feared her. Now it has ended up like this."

  Shen's family heard that: "If this is a biological son, no matter what, he can't be abandoned. No wonder people say that raising children is for old age, and the ancient saying is not wrong. I actually understand why my sister-in-law was so opposed to adopting back then and insisted on giving birth to her own son. However, I'm really afraid that if we had sent Fu'er away back then, today's glory might belong to someone else."

  The two of them sighed for a while, and the old man came in to ask if everything was ready for the ceremony. He also asked Zi Fu to write a memorial article, and after finishing his instructions, Shen's husband and wife both went off to attend to their respective tasks.

  On the fifteenth day, early in the morning, the old man came over with Zeng Rui Xiang and Zi Fu, saying that all the clansmen were waiting at the ancestral hall. The women naturally couldn't go there.

  The old man had just left, and Tian Shi and Qiu Yu brought the children together, saying that since there were many people on this side, they would eat together. Shen Shi was busy with Zi Qing, but fortunately, Zeng Rui Xiang had taken Zeng Rui Yu and Zi Fu to the market early in the morning to buy vegetables for the next day's banquet, so Shen Shi didn't have to worry about it.

  When the old masters returned, Zeng Rui-xiang was busy again with several younger brothers borrowing tables, chairs, bowls and chopsticks, as well as notifying those who would help with cooking the next day. It was truly a chaotic scene. Just then, Eldest Aunt Chun-yu's whole family arrived. Originally, Zeng Rui-xiang had not notified them, probably because the old masters wanted to take this opportunity to ease relations between the two families. If the old master and Tian-shi had anticipated what would happen the next day, they probably wouldn't have notified them no matter what. Similarly, Zeng Rui-xiang and Shen-shi, as well as Zi-fu, hadn't thought of it either; otherwise, they would rather die than let this family enter their home. Unfortunately, there really is no medicine for regret in this world.