Zhao Ergou looked at the woman and the child in the woman's arms.
Somehow, he was reminded of a scene from his childhood.
That year, Si Dan was only three years old and he was less than ten years old. When the two of them were playing in the yard, they saw their mother coming out of Grandma's milk house with a big bag of grain on her back. They knew that this must be It's for my uncle's house.
The two of them were so hungry that they were dizzy. How could they watch the food being sent away?
So I chased him, but I lost him.
The two lost their way in the mountains, were tired and hungry, and finally met a family. He held Sidan in his arms, knelt on the ground and begged, hoping to give them a drink of water... As a result, that family asked them to drink water. Taking Si Dan away to inherit the incense... Fortunately, Grandpa and Grandma brought someone to find him in the end, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.
The memory came back, and the child in front of him gradually overlapped with the young Sidan.
He knew what it felt like to be hungry.
His hand loosened the reins and took out two copper plates from his sleeves...
"Two dogs!"
Cheng Wanwan's voice came from the car.
She kept watching the boy's movements, and she could understand when she saw that he was soft-hearted and took out the money.
However, she couldn't allow this to happen.
She said coldly: "It's getting late, let's go quickly."
Zhao Ergou put the two cents back again.
Before the carriage had gone a few steps, there was a commotion behind them.
Cheng Wanwan looked back and saw a slightly wealthy woman on the roadside being surrounded by twenty or thirty refugees.
Just because the woman felt compassion and gave a steamed bun to the refugee.
The other refugees saw hope and all gathered around. All the valuable things on the woman's body were immediately snatched away. The golden hairpin on her head was taken away, her hair was messy and fell down, and she fell down on the street in a state of embarrassment.
Zhao Ergou was still frightened, so he said, "I finally understand why mother asked us to be more indifferent to the refugees."
When the notice was posted in the village, he still didn't understand it. In his opinion, a little help would be helpful.
But now, he knew that helping would be tantamount to self-destruction.
"I'm not asking you to be indifferent, nor is it asking you not to help, but to find the right time to help those who deserve help." Cheng Wanwan lowered the car curtain, "This is not something you should worry about, let's go."
The carriage drove smoothly to the door of the Cao family's house.
The Cao family's royal gate is particularly wealthy. There are two stone lions at the door and red lanterns hanging under the eaves.
As soon as he saw Matchmaker Zhao, the boy guarding the door knew what was going on, because Matchmaker Zhao had been here several times in the past few days. The boy immediately said: "Please wait a moment, I will go and invite the master."
Matchmaker Zhao waved her handkerchief and said, "Ask a few more people to come out and carry things."
Inside this carriage is a generous betrothal gift, which must be carried in carefully.
The young man rushed into the house like a storm and hurried to find the master.
As soon as he walked into the flower hall of the courtyard, he bumped into Mrs. Cao Qi who was about to go out.
Mrs. Qi angrily said: "You are so reckless, what big thing happened?"
The boy's eyes were a little evasive. The master had specifically told his wife that Matchmaker Zhao was not allowed to tell his wife about her visit.
Mrs. Qi's eyes narrowed. There was no way that a doorkeeper would dare to hide something from her, the wife of the house. From this point of view, that bitch Cao Defu had personally told the truth.
She said softly: "Okay, step back."
The boy breathed a sigh of relief and ran away.
Mrs. Qi looked coldly at the maid behind her: "Go outside and see who is here."
The maid was blessed and walked outside the house, then quickly came back and reported: "It seems to be Sui Ruren... But I have only seen Sui Ruren once, so I am not sure..."
Just as he was talking, he saw Cao Defu walking to the Cao family ancestral hall with a red face, offering incense and asking his servants to fire cannons.
Seeing this, Qi didn't understand anything. Someone came to hire her.
After going through so many processes before, we have reached the stage of employment, and the marriage has almost been decided. She, the head of the house, only knows about such a big thing at this time!
Qi's chest was filled with blood and blood, but she pressed it down hard.
She straightened her hair, walked to the door of the ancestral hall, and waited quietly.
According to the custom of this dynasty, when the betrothal gift arrives, the woman must burn incense and fire cannons to inform her ancestors.
After Cao Defu offered incense to his ancestors, his eyes fell on a plaque and he said slowly: "Our Yingying has grown up and will get married soon. I hope that you, the mother-in-law, can protect Yingying and her husband. Respect each other as guests and grow old together."
He lit the incense silently, inserted it into the incense burner, and then turned around and walked out of the ancestral hall.
As soon as he arrived at the door, he saw Mrs. Qi standing there. He was startled: "W-what are you doing here?"
Qi's mood had completely calmed down, and she smiled: "Master, you are too guarded against me. You didn't let me know about such a big matter until this time."
Cao Defu pretended to be stupid: "I don't understand what you are talking about."
"The matchmakers are waiting outside, and the betrothal gifts have arrived. Why do you still want to hide it from me?" Ms. Qi said with a smile on her face, "As the head wife, I should personally welcome my mother-in-law."
"What does this matter have to do with you?" Cao Defu snorted, "Yingying is not your daughter. You don't need to interfere in her marriage. You can do whatever you need to do."
Qi fell down in anger.
She, the head mother of the house, did not interfere in the marriage of the eldest daughter. Did she want someone to break her spine... Because of Cao Yingying's escape before, her reputation in Hekou County was not very good. She should do anything to restore it a little bit. , even if it is to save face, this matter must be completed properly.
She forced the corner of her mouth and said with a smile: "Yingying calls me mother. I must attend the most important event in her life. Besides, the Zhao family has no relatives. I am a strong man. How to entertain a widow? It seems rude and will not sound good if it is spread out."
Cao Defu shook his sleeves and walked out of the door.
Qi quickly followed.
"I've seen Sui Ruren!" Cao Defu laughed heartily, "Sui Ruren, Zhao Matchmaker, Jing Cheng, please come in quickly."
The seven or eight young men had quickly got on the carriage and carried down the red betrothal gift.
There are a total of twelve gift boxes, all of which are packed to the brim.
They are, respectively, wild geese, wedding letters and invitations, fortune cakes and balls, rock sugar winter claws, noodles, candies, tea...capons and ducks, pig's feet, mutton, wine...red candles, ritual incense...cloth, clothing and jewelry. , head and face, rouge...
The servants of the Cao Mansion entered the hall carrying the betrothal gift.
Mrs. Qi had a smile on her face, but there was disdain in her heart.
With just such a small betrothal gift, she dared to marry the eldest lady of the Cao family. She was not as good as the Mr. Dou she found for her in the first place.
She thought Cao Defu would find a good person for Cao Yingying, but in the end, this was it?
Her previous efforts were all in vain.
Cheng Wanwan is such a shrewd person. When she saw Qi's smile, she understood Qi's inner calculation.
Yingying will be half of her daughter from now on. Now that she has come to the Cao family, she must give Yingying a face to avoid being stepped on overtly or covertly by people who don't know what they mean.
She smiled and said, "Matchmaker Zhao, please read the gift list."
It was also the first time for Matchmaker Zhao to see the specific details of the gift list. She cleared her throat and began to read down in order. The first items were all necessary items for regular employment, nothing unusual, but when she heard the second part, Mrs. Qi was shocked. shocked.
"Gold silk water emerald green bracelet!"
The name sounded too complicated, but when the box was opened and the object was seen, Qi understood what it was.
It turned out to be a rare green jade, as clear as water and as strong as jade. There are nine beads on this bracelet, which must cost at least a thousand taels of silver to buy.
Cheng Wanwan curled her lips slightly.
This is actually a crystal bracelet. Crystal was called jade or jade in ancient times. It was mainly used in medicine. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" states that crystal is pungent and non-toxic. It is mainly used to treat lung abscesses and pus. Of course, it can also be made into jewelry, but the price is extremely high. It's expensive. A small jade pendant made of crystal costs at least three to five thousand taels of silver.
And when she bought it in the mall, the price was more than 10,000 yuan, which was more than ten taels of silver.
"Gold and jade beaded plum blossom hairpin!"
"Qingbo Lihua Liuli Buyao!"
The last gift box was full of jewelry, and they were all things that Qi had never heard of or seen before.
The most expensive set of Qi family's headdress is worth more than 500 taels of silver. She only wears it when attending important occasions, but in front of these jewelry, it looks extremely ridiculous... Where did Sui Ruren get these things and why? It will be so gorgeous, so exquisite, so eye-catching... Could it be a gift from the Holy One?
Mrs. Qi suppressed the surprise in her heart and said dryly: "Very good, very good..."
The sourness in her heart overflowed through these few words, and the whole room was filled with sourness.
