The Overachieving Little Husband of the Top Scholar’s Household - Chapter 58: New Year’s Proposal

Qiu Huanian wiped his hands and came over. “Your family agreed?”

They had just realized their feelings for each other yesterday, and today he was already proposing marriage—what kind of speed was this?!

Ancient times could be conservative at times, but other times, they were quite progressive. Usually, once feelings were mutual, people skipped the dating phase and went straight to marriage.

“I have discussed it with my mother. She asked me to invite you to act as a matchmaker for our families.”

In the rural areas of Liaozhou, if two families wished to establish a marriage alliance, even if there was already a mutual understanding, they couldn’t just visit each other’s homes recklessly. Instead, they had to invite a matchmaker to formally mediate the proposal.

For such a mutually agreed-upon arrangement, there was no need to hire a professional matchmaker; any married elder familiar with both families would suffice.

Qiu Huanian, as the “sister-in-law,” was indeed a good choice.

Qiu Huanian smiled. “So, your mother has already agreed, and now you’re using my influence to get the Village chief’s approval as well.”

Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse were currently the most accomplished individuals in the Du family village. They held some sway in front of the Village chief, and if Qiu Huanian was the one proposing the marriage, the likelihood of rejection from the Village chief was much lower.

Qiu Huanian had witnessed the relationship between Meng Yuanling and Yun Cheng from the beginning. The fact that the two had finally acknowledged their feelings for each other was partly thanks to his efforts.

Since he had already played a role in their love story, he decided to see it through to the end and happily accepted the task.

He instructed Yun Cheng to head home first, tidied himself up, changed into a fresh set of clean clothes, and then made his way to the Village chief’s house.

The Village chief was unaware of Qiu Huanian’s purpose in visiting, but Meng Fuyue understood completely, and it was clear that Baoren knew as well. The couple followed behind Qiu Huanian as they entered the Village chief’s home.

Qiu Huanian met the Village chief in the main hall, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then got straight to the point.

“Village chief, I am here today to propose a good marriage on Yun Cheng’s behalf. Please hear me out.”

The Village chief took a drag from his pipe, unaware of the details. “Go on, Huage’er.”

“It is between Fuyue-sao’s maternal nephew, Meng Yuanling, and our Yun Cheng.”

Drawing upon the eloquence he had honed in his past life as a PR professional at a major corporation, Qiu Huanian continued, “Ling-ge’er is a child you have watched grow up. I see that he and Yun Cheng have been together since childhood. They know each other well, they are well-matched in both appearance and character, so I have come to facilitate this union.”

Yun Cheng had stepped aside to avoid suspicion, but Meng Fuyue and Baoren had followed Qiu Huanian into the room from the start. The Village chief glanced at his eldest son and daughter-in-law, then considered the proposed match. It didn’t take much to figure it out—Baoren and his wife must have already approved, which was why they had invited Qiu Huanian to make the proposal, hoping to get his agreement as well.

The Village chief took another drag from his pipe. If Qiu Huanian had not come forward, Meng Yuanling wouldn’t have even crossed his mind as a potential match for Yun Cheng.

Among the younger generation in the clan, Yun Cheng was the most promising. At a young age, he had already passed the child scholar examination, and in a couple of years, he might even pass the scholar examination. His future was bright, and he was bound to leave the small Du family village one day.

The Village chief had originally planned to wait a few more years until Yun Cheng earned his title, then find him a noble lady from an official’s family to marry—someone who could support his future career.

Qiu Huanian had an inkling of the Village chief’s thoughts, and this was precisely where he, as the matchmaker, needed to step in.

“Village chief, as the saying goes, ‘A harmonious family brings prosperity.’ In marriage, it is important for the couple to share mutual affection, but it is equally important that the two families are well-matched. This compatibility is not just about future social status; it also includes lifestyle habits, values, and ways of interacting with others.”

“If Yun Cheng were to marry someone from an official’s family in the future, what if his wife or husband, along with their family, looked down on Yun Cheng’s own family? How would Yun Cheng handle such a situation?”

Hitting the key point, Qiu Huanian’s words struck directly at the Village chief’s concerns.

Seeing the Village chief waver, Qiu Huanian pressed on. “From what I see, with Yun Cheng’s abilities, he does not necessarily need a powerful in-law to assist him. Rather than waiting for future embellishments, wouldn’t it be better to have a partner who supports him from humble beginnings? Yunse and I are living proof of this.”

“Not only is Ling-ge’er filial and capable, but in the past six months, he has been working with me selling sorghum candy and has already saved up some money. He knows how to manage a household. If he and Yun Cheng were to marry, both are dear to us, and Yunse and I would naturally help them however we could in the future.”

“…”

Qiu Huanian looked the Village chief in the eyes and smiled. “What do you think? If you agree, I will bring Yun Cheng’s birthdate and betrothal gifts to Ling-ge’er’s family this afternoon.”

Qiu Huanian’s words added weight to Meng Yuanling’s case in the Village chief’s mind.

Meng Yuanling might not come from an official’s family, but his close ties with Qiu Huanian were evident. If Du Yunse and Qiu Huanian became even more successful in the future, they would be considered Meng Yuanling’s backing.

Marrying Meng Yuanling would also strengthen Yun Cheng’s ties with Yunse’s family.

The Village chief glanced at his eldest son, Baoren. Baoren showed no surprise at all; in fact, he seemed prepared to say a few words in support if necessary.

As for Meng Fuyue, there was no need to ask—Meng Yuanling was her nephew, and she had likely invited Qiu Huanian herself.

And Yun Cheng… The Village chief recalled a few things and realized that Yun Cheng had never outright opposed the idea.

Since the parents, the child himself, and Meng Yuanling all approved, there was no reason for the Village chief to object.

“Fuyue, go to the storeroom and fetch Yun Cheng’s birthdate and the betrothal gift list.”

Meng Fuyue happily complied.

The Village chief then turned to Qiu Huanian. “Yun Cheng is my eldest grandson, and I have been preparing his betrothal gift list all along. Every time we have a good harvest, I add to it. I’ll have to trouble you, Huage’er, to bring it to the Meng family for the proposal.”

“Since Baoren and his wife only have one son, and our families have been connected for years, it’s better to settle the marriage early. A young couple supporting each other through life is a wonderful thing.”

“I’ll leave it to you, Huage’er, to pass on my words to the Meng family.”

The fact that Baoren and his wife only had one child had always been a concern for the Village chief. If he hadn’t been set on finding an official’s daughter or son for Yun Cheng, he would have arranged a marriage long ago.

Now that Meng Yuanling had been chosen, it was best to formalize the engagement as soon as possible, putting the Village chief’s mind at ease.

With this thought, he felt even more satisfied with Meng Yuanling as his grandson-in-law.

Meng Yuanling and Yun Cheng were deeply in love. Young hearts couldn’t wait. Getting married soon would fulfill their wishes, and Qiu Huanian wasn’t worried about the proposal failing.

Yun Cheng had avoided the main hall to avoid suspicion, pacing anxiously in the courtyard as he waited for news.

Seeing his mother come out of the main room, Yun Cheng hurriedly stepped forward to greet her.

Pulling her son along for a few steps toward the storeroom, Meng Fuyue smiled and tapped him lightly. “Don’t worry anymore, it’s settled. This afternoon, Hua-ge’er will go to your uncle’s house to propose marriage.”

“Since you were little, you’ve always been the type to stay silent even if pricked with a needle. I could never tell what you liked or disliked. As your mother, I never expected that you would set your heart on Ling-ge’er.”

“If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have tried to match Du Yunjing with someone else. I almost let a good thing slip away to an outsider.”

Meng Fuyue happily went to fetch the key and opened the storeroom. Aside from Yun Cheng himself, she was the happiest about his marriage to Meng Yuanling.

Qiu Huanian’s words had also resonated with Meng Fuyue. She never saw herself as a harsh mother-in-law, but she worried that if her future daughter-in-law came from a vastly different background, it would be difficult to get along in the household.

She understood her husband’s thoughts as well. For the sake of their son’s future, she was willing to endure some grievances.

But no matter what, choosing the nephew from her maternal family, whom she had liked since childhood, was still more to her liking.

“Part of your betrothal gifts has already been prepared and set aside separately. When the formal wedding takes place, we will buy more to add to it. Don’t worry, your mother will make sure everything is handled properly and perfectly.”

She had arranged marriages and acted as a matchmaker for many couples, both husbands and husbands and husbands and wives, and now, it was finally her son’s turn.

The Village chief invited Qiu Huanian to stay for a meal, but Qiu Huanian declined, saying there was no one at home to take care of things and that he still needed to take his medicine, so he left first.

After lunch, Meng Fuyue brought over the birth dates and eight characters, along with the list of betrothal gifts.

Qiu Huanian glanced through it. By rural standards, Yun Cheng’s betrothal gifts were quite generous—eight taels of silver, a bolt of silk, two bolts of cotton cloth, and a pair of silver bracelets.

These were the major items, and as for the smaller ones, such as green tea and new rice, they could still be purchased before the wedding.

Since the night before, Meng Yuanling had been feeling restless, anxiously waiting. When he saw Qiu Huanian arriving in the afternoon, he still didn’t know why he was there and wanted to pull him aside to share his thoughts.

Qiu Huanian deliberately said, “I have serious business today. Your little thoughts will have to wait.”

Meng Yuanling pouted and muttered in a small voice, “Then you better hurry. If I don’t get to talk to someone soon, I’ll die of frustration.”

Qiu Huanian pinched his puffed-up cheeks. “No, this serious business can’t proceed without you.”

Meng Yuanling asked foolishly, “Why?”

“You need to go and invite your parents and your elder brothers and sisters-in-law. Once everyone is here, I will speak.”

“Being all mysterious—what does this have to do with my parents and brothers and sisters-in-law?” Meng Yuanling muttered, puzzled, but still obediently followed Qiu Huanian’s instructions and went to call them.

Once everyone was gathered, Qiu Huanian got straight to the point. “I came today on someone’s behalf to propose a good marriage for Ling-ge’er.”

“Ah?” Meng Yuanling froze, his round eyes filled with confusion.

The rest of the Meng family was also baffled, except for Meng Wudong, who had long seen through everything and let out a chuckle.

“Hua-ge’er, whose son are you talking about?” Meng Wudong deliberately asked.

Yun Cheng had already told him the whole story, so Qiu Huanian played along, saying, “It’s Du Yuncheng from Du Family Village. You all know him better than I do. I have brought the birth dates and the betrothal gift list. If you think it’s a good match, we can ask a fortune-teller to compare the eight characters.”

“Yes, of course!” Meng Yuanling spoke before anyone else, his voice crisp with excitement.

Luckily, the Meng family had a good atmosphere and there were no outsiders present, otherwise, Meng Yuanling’s reaction would have been seen as quite improper.

Seeing his reaction, how could the Meng family not understand?

Meng Yuanling’s eldest sister-in-law laughed and said, “No wonder Ling-ge’er has been crying and laughing at random these past few days. I suspected he was growing up and experiencing youthful longing, but Wudong said that was impossible.”

Meng Yuanling’s mother shook her head helplessly. “It must be that Wudong and Ling-ge’er were hiding it from us.”

Meng Wudong shrugged. “Ling-ge’er is shy, you all know that. If I hadn’t helped him keep it a secret, what if he panicked?”

“Anyway, the two young ones have already set their hearts on each other, and Yun Cheng’s family has formally sent someone to propose. Ling-ge’er is marrying into his aunt’s family, so there’s no need to worry about him being mistreated. I don’t think we could find a better match than this. We might as well agree.”

Meng Yuanling cast a grateful look at his second brother, and Meng Wudong waved his hand, giving him a reassuring gesture.

Naturally, the Meng family had no objections, and just like that, Meng Yuanling and Yun Cheng’s engagement was verbally agreed upon.

Qiu Huanian took their birth dates to a fortune-teller for calculations. The result was a perfect match, a marriage blessed by fate. With the verified birth dates in hand, both families were completely reassured.

The Village chief’s family suggested holding the wedding as soon as possible. Meng Yuanling didn’t explicitly agree, but from his expression, it was clear he was eager. The Meng family simply said, “A grown ge’er cannot be kept at home,” and let things proceed.

The wedding date was set for early spring of the following year, leaving the winter for preparations.

Not long after the engagement, Yun Cheng had to return to the county school to continue his studies. This time, Meng Yuanling could openly see him off.

The adults of both families tactfully stepped aside, leaving space for the young betrothed couple to be alone.

Meng Yuanling lowered his head and shuffled closer to Yun Cheng, pressing a small package into his hands.

“Inside are knee warmers I sewed for you, along with the wool gloves I learned to knit from Hua-ge’er. I just started learning, so they don’t look great, but they’re warm. If your hands get cold, don’t refuse to wear them. I’ll knit better ones and have someone bring them to you later.”

Yun Cheng wasn’t good with sweet words. He simply said in a dry tone, “What you knit is the best. I will wear them every day.”

Meng Yuanling pursed his lips in a smile and whispered, “This winter, I’ll be busy sewing my wedding clothes, along with new blankets and bedding. My parents said the entire betrothal gift will be given to me, and they’ll even add more dowry.”

“Yun Cheng, I’m so happy. I still can’t believe this is real.”

“I’m happy too.”

Meng Yuanling giggled. “You fool, all you do is repeat after me.”

Watching him laugh, Yun Cheng’s heart softened even more, his eyes following the dimples on Meng Yuanling’s cheeks.

He handed Meng Yuanling a stack of papers. “I rushed to copy these for you over the past few days. It’ll help you with your literacy. Since I’ll be far away at the county school, if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask Hua-ge’er’s husband first. When I come back for New Year, I’ll teach you myself.”

Meng Yuanling wanted to learn to read and write because of Yun Cheng. Now that his wish was coming true, he had no intention of giving up on his studies.

He knew Yun Cheng had a bright future, and he didn’t want to be someone who couldn’t even read a single word, embarrassing Yun Cheng. More than that, he was afraid that if he remained illiterate, he and Yun Cheng would have nothing to talk about in the future.

Meng Yuanling carefully tucked the still-warm papers close to his chest. “Alright, I’ll wait for you to come back for New Year.”

…

The young man left his hometown with a heart full of longing, striving for his future, while the weather grew colder by the day.

The news of Yun Cheng and Meng Yuanling’s engagement reached Madam Song’s ears. She did not say much, only that she would no longer mention going to Du Village, nor would she bring up Yun Cheng again.

When Chi Qinghe learned of it, she secretly let out a sigh of relief and pretended that nothing had happened.

The cold wind stripped the branches of their trembling leaves, turning the mountain colors from green to yellow, then into a lifeless deep gray.

In the early morning and evening, if one did not wear a few extra layers before heading out, the frigid wind would seep into the skin and penetrate deep into the bones, making people shiver uncontrollably.

After Xia Xing experimented and discovered a method to spin wool yarn, Qiu Huanian gave him a reward of two taels of silver, allowing him to focus on spinning the cotton from his own household and the degreased wool that had been purchased into yarn.

Hu Qiuyan and Wei Liuhua sensed an opportunity from this. Each of them bought a spinning wheel and brought gifts to Xia Xing, seeking to learn his wool-spinning method.

Hu Qiuyan’s family grew their own cotton. The cotton they kept, aside from what was needed for making new clothes, was all spun into wool yarn.

Wei Liuhua did not have raw materials, so she used those from Qiu Huanian’s household. She helped him spin wool yarn without charging wages, only requesting that when Qiu Huanian knitted sweaters, he would make one for her son, You Ge’er, as well.

With several people working together, the wool yarn was spun quickly, and since people rarely went out during winter, sweaters were also knitted at a fast pace.

Qiu Huanian decided to be playful with his craft. Using natural dyes and alum he had purchased, he dyed some of the wool yarn in various colors and knitted a vividly lifelike tiger-head hat.

You Ge’er had grown sturdy and strong. Wearing the tiger-head hat, he ran around the courtyard, looking just like a little tiger.

Now, he could walk steadily. Perhaps because he had spent too much time lying in bed weak and sickly as a baby, he had grown restless—always choosing to run instead of walking and to walk instead of sitting. Wei Liuhua often smiled, both gratified and helpless, saying that in all her years, she had never seen such an energetic child.

Qiu Huanian wanted to dye more wool yarn in different colors, but unfortunately, natural dyes that could be used directly were limited. The depth and shade of colors were difficult to control, so he had no choice but to wait until he could find a professional dyeing workshop to solve the issue.

In the end, Qiu Huanian only managed to dye the wool yarn in red, yellow, and dark blue. The colors were not very even, but once knitted into sweaters, it was not noticeable from a distance.

Ye Taohong learned how to knit sweaters from Qiu Huanian and made a fitted one, intending to find someone to send it to Bao Yi at the border. Xia Xing also knitted one for his younger brother-in-law, Yun Lei, who was serving in the corvée labor force.

Qiu Huanian thought of Wu Shen. Wu Shen was still young. Before his family’s downfall, he had lived a life of luxury as a young general. This year, he would be spending the New Year alone at the border, and his days were likely not very comfortable.

Qiu Huanian had only met Wu Shen once, but he had a good impression of him. Over the past six months, Wu Shen had kept in touch with them through letters, sharing a lot of news about the border.

Qiu Huanian decided to knit a sweater for Wu Shen as well. He also asked Wei Liuhua to help make a thick cotton-padded jacket and cotton shoes. Lastly, he packed some of their homemade dried jujubes, red fermented tofu, sweet pear preserves, and other farm products, putting together a New Year’s gift, which he entrusted to the people from Wan Shi Escort Agency to deliver to Wu Shen.

In ancient times, there was a custom of sending New Year’s gifts. Following this tradition, Qiu Huanian prepared five more sets, sending them to Scholar Song, Magistrate Wang, the Huang sisters, the couple Shu Huacai and his wife, and the Zhu brothers, Zhu Jingcheng and Zhu Jingwei.

These gifts were all products from their own farm, meant as a token of goodwill. There was no difference in the gifts based on the recipient’s status.

After some time, Qiu Huanian gradually received their return gifts.

In addition to the usual New Year’s items, Magistrate Wang sent paper, brushes, and books. The return gift from Scholar Song’s family was likely prepared by Madam Song—it consisted of four sets of silk clothing, each perfectly sized, one for each member of their family. Since Chi Qinghe was studying with Du Yunse, her gift was slightly more generous.

Madam Huang and Second Madam Huang seemed to have discussed with the Zheng couple beforehand. The gifts from both families were of the same category but not identical. Since Xiangping Prefecture was close to the sea, they sent some dried seafood, which could be enjoyed during the New Year’s meals.

Looking at the dried kelp, dried shrimp, dried fish, and dried scallops delivered by the escort agency, Qiu Huanian’s lips curled into a pleased smile.

Since transmigrating to ancient times, he had not eaten any seafood due to inconvenient transportation. Now, he could finally change up the flavors for the New Year.

The Zhu family’s New Year’s gift arrived a few days later. It was not sent through the escort agency but delivered by their own servants.

Among them, Qiu Huanian recognized Jiang Er, who was in charge of the red fermented tofu workshop, while the other was a stranger named Fang Cai, a steward.

“My young master received your New Year’s gift and was very interested in the sweater you knitted. Following the materials you mentioned in your letter, he had the weaving workshop replicate the wool yarn using cotton and wool. However, they have yet to figure out the knitting technique.”

“Fang Cai is the steward of the Zhu family’s weaving workshop. The young master sent him here to ask whether you would be willing to sell the knitting method. If you agree, Fang Cai will bring people to learn from you.”

Qiu Huanian took Zhu Jingcheng’s letter and read it over.

In the letter, Zhu Jingcheng first wished them health and prosperity in the new year. He mentioned that he had distributed their New Year’s gift among his family members, and his mother, husband, and younger brother, Zhu Jingwei, all liked it very much. Only at the end did he tactfully bring up the matter of purchasing the knitting technique.

Qiu Huanian had only casually mentioned the wool yarn materials while explaining sweaters in a letter. He hadn’t expected Zhu Jingcheng to immediately have people replicate the yarn.

But this was understandable. The Zhu family was in the textile business and was highly familiar with this field. With his business acumen, Zhu Jingcheng would certainly see the potential of wool yarn and sweaters.

The Zhu family employed highly skilled craftsmen in their workshops. As long as they knew the raw materials and had a sample, reproducing the yarn was not difficult.

If not for his consideration for Qiu Huanian, knowing that secretly profiting from a friend’s gift would be inappropriate, Zhu Jingcheng wouldn’t have needed to send a steward to inquire about buying the knitting method. Given more time, his craftsmen could have figured it out on their own.

In an era without mechanization, where everything was handmade, one should never underestimate the ingenuity of skilled artisans.

The weaving workshop was a major industry of the Zhu family. This time, Zhu Jingcheng could not discuss partnership with Qiu Huanian, but he was well aware of what Qiu Huanian’s family currently needed and offered a sincere alternative.

“I have previously purchased a two-entry courtyard in the southern part of Xiangping Prefecture. It is only half an hour’s walk from Xiufeng Mountain, where Qingfeng Academy is located. Though a humble residence, it is quiet and elegant, with a few charming features. The household furnishings are all newly made. If you do not mind, my two worthy brothers may accept it as a place to stay, allowing Yunse to travel easily between the academy and home. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Though Zhu Jingcheng was a businessman, he was well-educated, and his writing was refined and elegant.

Qiu Huanian made a rough estimate. In the more prosperous areas of Xiangping Prefecture, a two-entry courtyard would cost at least a hundred taels of silver.

Though Zhu Jingcheng’s courtyard was not in the bustling part of the city, it was near Qingfeng Academy, the most prestigious academy in Liaozhou. It was essentially the best “school district house,” and its price might not be lower than those in the city center.

Zhu Jingcheng humbly called it a “humble residence,” but a house that met the standards of the Zhu family’s eldest son was certainly not ordinary. The furnishings inside, which he had personally arranged, were undoubtedly valuable.

The real value of this courtyard was likely over two hundred taels.

More importantly, if Qiu Huanian were to purchase a house himself, he might not be able to find one so close to Qingfeng Academy.

Since Du Yunshe was studying at Qingfeng Academy, living nearby would undoubtedly be more convenient and reassuring.

After considering for a moment, Qiu Huanian agreed with Fang Cai. “You can bring three to five skilled craftsmen to my home to learn. The technique is not difficult—there are only five or six basic knitting methods. At most, it will take ten days to master.”

Fang Cai smiled as he handed over the property deed from Zhu Jingcheng. Qiu Huanian carefully stored the valuable deed at the bottom of his money chest.

With this ready-made residence, traveling to Xiangping Prefecture in the spring would be much more convenient.

Zhu Jingcheng had also sent a generous New Year’s gift, one that Qiu Huanian’s family could not refuse—enough rare medicinal herbs to last them two months.

Holding the letter and the gifts, Qiu Huanian privately sighed to Du Yunse, “Now I finally understand why you once said that if not for his status as a merchant limiting him, Zhu Jingcheng would have surely excelled on the imperial examination path.”