Perhaps because she felt that the sight was too dazzling, Widow Xu just hurriedly passed the dirty clothes through the water several times, then hurriedly dried the clothes, and hurried home. When she left, she naturally didn’t hear the discussions of the women by the river after she left.
“Didn’t she go to Jiang’s house and brazenly say that her scholar son would not get married early? Why did she decide to get married now?”
The fat woman sneered. Widow Xu was so brainless. When she lied, she didn’t even think about how to cover her lies. She didn’t know how her pig head gave birth to a son as smart as Lin Pingchun. Could it be that Master Jiang taught him well?
Also, Master Jiang regarded Lin Pingchun as his son-in-law for more than ten years and had no reservations about his teachings. Under such circumstances, it seemed not surprising that Lin Pingchun was admitted as a scholar.
“She looks so ugly. She despises the daughter of the Jiang family, but at the same time, covets the money of the Jiang family. She doesn’t want to think about what kind of life their orphans and widowers would have lived without the Jiang family in the early years. With a mother like this, it really makes people doubt Scholar Lin’s character, tsk tsk tsk.”
“That’s right, while saying that he can’t get married early, but at the same time, she hurriedly decided to marry someone else. She almost had the word ‘disgust’ written on her face. Isn’t she afraid of people poking her in the back? Scholar Lin is still a person who wants to take the exam for merit and fame. Is it really okay to ignore his own reputation like this?”
Everyone knew what Widow Xu was thinking, but at least, there was still a fig leaf before. If Widow Xu insisted that the fortune teller would not allow Lin Pingchun to marry early, waited for five or six years, and waited until Lin Pingchun was twenty years old before discussing marriage, even though there was some gossip at that time, no one could accuse her of anything.
Things are different now.
Widow Xu told her benefactor, who had been taking care of their family for more than ten years, that her son would not get married early. At the same time, after the benefactor’s daughter got married, she hurriedly arranged another marriage for her son.
Such a character made everyone hate her and also doubt the moral character of her son Lin Pingchun.
The influence of the butterfly effect appeared again.
It all started with the fate of Jiang Wu and Huo Lindong. Widow Xu did a series of stupid things under repeated stimulation. Lin Pingchun’s reputation was no longer as innocent as it was in the original world.
***
“Let’s go, let’s go, today is the day for the Jiang family to show off the dowry. Hurry up to the Jiang family and watch the fun.”
Widow Xu didn’t know the bad impact of her words. She was carrying the washed clothes home when she met many villagers rushing toward Jiang’s house.
It is now three days before Jiang Wu marries the Huo family. It is also the day when a married woman shows off her dowry according to the rules of her ancestors.
However, rural girls rarely have dowries. Most of the betrothal gifts given by men will be kept by her natal family, and only a quilt and a new dress will be prepared for the daughter. Even if some who dotes on their daughters prepare a lot of money for their daughters, it is far from the level that requires a special dowry.
Thinking about it carefully, there has been no scene of a married woman showing off her dowry in Ping Village for almost two years, so it’s no wonder the villagers are making such a fuss.
When Widow Xu heard this, she subconsciously slowed down. She bit her lip. After all, she was still somewhat interested in Jiang Wu’s dowry, so she didn’t bother to go home to dry her clothes. Ignoring the curious gazes of others, he followed the crowd towards Jiang’s house.
*****
Translator’s Little Encyclopedia:
Dowry: the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband’s family in marriage.
One of the basic functions of a dowry has been to serve as a form of protection for the wife against the very real possibility of ill-treatment by her husband and his family. A dowry used in this way is actually a conditional gift that is supposed to be restored to the wife or her family if the husband divorces, abuses, or commits other grave offenses against her.
Land and precious metals have often been used in this form of dowry and are frequently inalienable by the husband, though he might otherwise use and profit from them during the marriage.
A dowry sometimes serves to help a new husband discharge the responsibilities that go with marriage. This function assumes special importance in societies where marriages have regularly been made between very young people; the dowry enables the new couple to establish a household, which they would not have been able to do.
In some societies, a dowry provides the wife with a means of support in case of her husband’s death. In this latter case, the dowry may be seen as a substitute for her inheritance of all or part of her husband’s estate.
You can support your favorite novel by buying me a cup of Ko-fi ( ˘▽˘)っ♨
I will really appreciate it. ♥️♥️♥️
Lucien On ABRWF Chapter 34.1