By the way, my parents want to invite you over for a meal tomorrow while my two younger brothers and younger sister are both at home, so that we can all get to know each other, and the matchmaker will discuss the betrothal gift! Then set a date. "
After hearing this, the Liu family’s father agreed
"Okay, we'll go there tomorrow morning."
Xie Tianlin came out of Liu's house and went to the matchmaker's house before returning home.
Not long after he arrived home, Xie Yushu and his party also arrived home. Although they heard some rumors on the way, Xie Yushu herself didn't seem to take it seriously, so she didn't mention it again. The family divided the cloth and cotton among themselves, and gave them to the Liu family. After preparing the betrothal gifts, they went to rest.
After a good night's sleep, Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Wang got up early the next morning and made breakfast. After everyone had a simple bite, they began to prepare the meal for the guests. It was said to be an invitation, but the conditions were not too restrictive. For the sake of good luck, six dishes were arranged.
A spinach with mushroom and egg sauce, a stir-fried shredded potato, an omelette with leek, a stir-fried bean sprout, a peanut, and a chicken stewed with mushrooms.
The staple food is a large pot of white flour steamed buns.
When the dishes were half ready, Liu Qiaomei and the Liu family's parents arrived with the matchmaker. Xie Baotian and Xie Baoshu chatted with the Liu family. Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Wang were busy buying the dishes. Help, Ms. Lu said directly that it was her first time here where she could get her to work, and hurriedly let her into the house.
Liu Qiaoer didn't come forward after hearing this. He said hello to Wang and Xie Yushu, and said he would call her if he was too busy, and then went back to the house.
Mrs. Lu asked Xie Yumin and Xiao Haitang to accompany her to talk.
After the food was ready, two tables were set up, one for men and one for women, and they ate and chatted together.
The dishes cooked by Mr. Lu are generous in portions. Six dishes are just average in normal times, but after the famine years, they appear to be extra rich. The big white steamed buns are even more addictive.
"Brother Liu, I'm telling you that your daughter won't be able to endure hardship when she marries into this family. Look, at this time of year, who can eat six dishes and this big white steamed bun!
As a matchmaker, I am the most honest person and will never cheat anyone!
Young man of the Liu family, don’t feel at a loss, I’m telling you. My niece is a pretty girl who is good at everything she does and looks upright. The most important thing is that she understands things in her heart and is not a messy one!
If you marry her, you will be blessed! "
The matchmaker praised both sides, and the two families listened happily, and the meal was considered a happy one.
Finally, it was agreed that the ceremony would be held the day before yesterday and the queen would get married on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
The matchmaker proposed a betrothal gift of three taels of silver and two dans of rice, and Xie Baotian took the initiative to add twelve feet of cloth, six kilograms of cotton, two jars of wine, and two hens. He put together six items, which was also a smooth operation.
The Liu family was very satisfied with this, which simply exceeded their expectations. They patted Xie Tianlin on the shoulder and told him to hand over their daughter to him from now on.
The two young men's faces turned red with shame, making everyone laugh.
Before leaving, Mrs. Lu wrapped six feet of red cloth and a pair of silver earrings for Liu Qiaoer, telling her that this was the Xie family's wish and was not included in the betrothal gift, but was given to her separately.
They also packed three feet of blue cotton cloth and two jars of wine for the matchmaker as a thank you gift. Both the Liu family and the matchmaker left happily, and the meeting was considered a successful conclusion.
Three days later, it was the day to send the betrothal gifts. Xie Yushu was afraid that Xie Baotian's hands would be tight, so she gave them another five taels of silver, three taels for the betrothal gifts, and the remaining two taels for the wedding banquet.
The matchmaker followed Xie Baotian, Xie Baoshu and Xie Tianlin, Xie Tianqi, and Xie Tianming sent the betrothal gift to the Liu family. The matter was finalized and they only had to wait for the wedding on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
There was nothing going on before Laba. The Lu family started making clothes with great interest, Xie Baotian and the others started selling candied haws, and Xie Yushu also took Haitang, Xie Tianqi and the others back to Tai'an Mansion.
Mrs. Lu was a little reluctant to give up, but thinking about Xie Yushu's situation, it might be better to go out, so she didn't force her to stay. She only asked them to come back early when Xie Tianlin got a wife!
Xie Yushu and the others agreed wholeheartedly, then loaded up the medicinal materials and furs and set off in the donkey cart.
Tiger skins and wolf skins are not things that ordinary people can use. Xie Yushu plans to replace the four wolf skins with sheep skins and make shawls for Xie Baotian and others. As for the tiger skins, she will keep them and use them as a mattress shop.
Although she is still a commoner, who can see what she is sleeping on?
When they arrived in Tai'an, Xie Yushu handed four wolf skins to Xie Tianqi and asked him to exchange them for sheep skins. The four wolf skins were enough to exchange for eight sheep skins. When the time came, they were asked to find a tailor shop to make their own waistcoats, leaving three for Xie Baotian and the others. , and then he took Haitang to the government office to apply for household registration.
I didn't plan to find Han Zhongyu this time, just to set up a female household. I just followed the process, but unexpectedly I happened to meet him!
Han Zhongyu had just returned from visiting the people. When he saw Xie Yushu bringing a little girl to the Yamen, he asked
"What's wrong with you coming here?"
"Master Han, can I apply for household registration?"
"You want to move? Why are you two alone? This child is your sister?"
"Ah! This girl is my niece! Xiao Haitang."
"Xiao? Your husband's niece? Where is your husband?"
"He left, and I was divorced by the Xiao family. This child will follow me from now on. I brought her here today to set up a female household, and record her in my household registration first!"
Han Zhongyu heard this
"Then, my condolences! If you need any help in the future, just come to me."
"Uh-huh?"
Xie Yushu was stunned. This was nothing!
"Sir, my second uncle is not dead. He left with his younger brother. My grandparents wanted to occupy my second uncle's house and divorced my second uncle's mother. They abused me all day long and asked me to do a lot of work. They refused to let me do it. I had enough to eat, but my second uncle couldn’t bear to part with it, so she took something to replace me with!”
Xiao Haitang saw that Han Zhongyu had misunderstood, so he stood up and explained.
Han Zhongyu was embarrassed on the spot.
"That's it. I'm sorry, Han's understanding is biased. If that's the case, did your husband leave a message for you when he left? What did he say to return home?
If it's just because your husband-in-law has gone out, the Xiao family cannot abandon you. The Xiao family is indeed a bit too bullying!
Why don't you let your two brothers and the Liu family go back and teach them about the law? "
"No need, there is nothing to say about a family of naughty people. Moreover, the village chief and clan elders punished them according to clan rules for their mistakes. I didn't suffer much. Now I just want to break away and live a good life. Don’t tangle with them anymore.”
"It's great if you think so. I'll take you to the household registration office."
"Then thank you, Mr. Han."
With Han Zhongyu leading the way, the household registration process was not going smoothly. The top official of the government office personally led the way, and the clerk who handled the household registration almost knelt down to greet him.
According to the rules of the imperial court, setting up a female household must not only have a house deed, but also pay a female household tax, twenty taels of silver. The land deed of Xie Yushu Villa has always been carried in the hairpin, but the main courtyard and guest house of the manor have not been built yet. There was no house deed yet, so I only paid twenty taels of silver and the land deed. The clerk didn't even ask about the house deed, so he just wrote the household registration and stamped it.
Xiao Haitang's relationship in the household registration is listed as younger sister. Xie Yushu and Xiao Yi are no longer husband and wife. Naturally, Xiao Haitang can no longer call her second uncle. Xie Yushu originally wanted her to call her aunt or aunt, but it's not like the funeral here. , you can call others aunt or aunt at will. Anyone who can be called aunt is my mother's sister.
Xiao Haitang thought of the virtues of Xiao Damei and Xiao Yan, and instantly disliked her aunt. Her mother remarried, and she was also very unfamiliar with her relatives in her natal family. She didn't like to call her aunt, so like Xie Yumin, she called Xie Yushu sister, and Xie Yushu I thought that since I was five or six years older than Xiao Haitang, I would just call her sister.
