Chapter 209: Climbing too High on the Social Ladder
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Han Qiao noticed the two’s strange expressions on their faces, and her thoughts changed slightly.
She instantly understood.
County Magistrate Wu told Heng Yi about his eldest son, but the county magistrate’s wife had brought her nephew instead.
“Madam, Young Master Wu, please come in.”
That day at the banquet, when the county magistrate’s wife brought up the topic of marriage, she was also being vague.
And she still wanted to fool people today.
Han Qiao snorted coldly in her heart.
She asked Han Chi to bring Peng Xingzhi around the residence while she talked to the county magistrate’s wife.
Entering the hall, the county magistrate’s wife drank tea first, and Han Qiao praised Peng Xingzhi, whom she still referred to as Young Master Wu, for his talent.
Her words were telling the county magistrate’s wife that the Heng family wanted to marry into the county magistrate’s Wu family and thought that the person she brought today was the young master of the Wu family, not the young master of the Peng family.
The county magistrate’s wife thought for a moment and said, “Madam Heng, Xingzhi is my nephew.”
Han Qiao’s face sank and she replied coldly, “Your husband made it clear that he was offering Young Master Wu for my daughter. What is all this, Madam Peng?”
“I’ll take the liberty to ask Madam again. Is this nephew of yours a legitimate or illegitimate son?”
Han Qiao’s question was very straightforward.
She wasn’t completely without a backup.
If something really happened, she could go to Heng Congshan or the Feng family to ask a favor.
She was polite before resorting to force, and no one could find fault with her.
After all, County Magistrate Wu said that his wife will bring his legitimate son today, but instead, she brought her nephew here. Who was insulting who?
“Does legitimacy matter?” The county magistrate’s wife asked.
Her expression also soured from Han Qiao’s accusations.
“Of course it matters. Otherwise, why would marrying with the same status be so important? Don’t you think so, Madam?”
What Han Qiao said was not wrong.
However, the county magistrate’s wife thought that Han Qiao wouldn’t know about it.
The Peng family was not low. Even if he was a b.a.s.t.a.r.d son, he was worthy of her children, the daughter of a peasant woman.
Moreover, he was interested in learning, was gentle, and treated people well.
“Madam Heng, you have a point. Although he is a b.a.s.t.a.r.d’s son, the Peng family has some reputation in Great Yong. Even if he is a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, with me, his aunt, helping him, he won’t be living a life of mediocrity.”
“Then let me ask, Madam, will you choose a concubine’s daughter for Young Master Wu to be his wife?” Han Qiao asked.
These words stumped the county magistrate’s wife.
She would not let that happen.
Yes, she would never want her son to marry a daughter of a concubine. She would choose a n.o.ble daughter for her son, the kind that loved her parents and had a good family background.
‘You’re not even willing to do this yourself. Why should I let her marry my daughter to your nephew?* Han Qiao thought to herself.
Why would she marry her daughter off to a family like theirs? She was clearly pushing her daughter into a fire pit.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall was very tense.
The county magistrate’s wife couldn’t answer Han Qiao.
Han Qiao had said that her husband and Heng Yi were talking about the eldest son of the family. She had been ambiguous with her husband about her request, which meant that she had violated her husband’s orders.
“Madam, we are all mothers, and we all have the heart of a loving mother. All we want in our lives is for our children to be happy.”
“I had an unhappy early marriage. I don’t want my children to live that kind of life again. Therefore, when it comes to choosing their husbands, 1 will be extremely cautious and would not hastily decide on any marriage.”
“We were born like this. To be honest, 1 don’t have any prejudice against family status. No matter who they marry, they are considered to have married into high status. If they are in love with each other, I still have to consider whether their mother-in-law is kind and their sisters-in-law is easy to get along with.”
“In the end, it’s all true. The hearts of parents in the world are pitiful.”
Han Qiao was giving the county magistrate’s wife a way out.
If it wasn’t for Heng Yi, she would have turned hostile and told the county magistrate’s wife to get lost.
If she still did not know what was good for her, the worst that could happen was a failure in connection in the future.
The county magistrate’s wife quickly agreed.
She finally understood that Han Qiao wasn’t easy to fool, let alone control.
That was true. How could a woman who was brave enough to divorce her ex-husband and marry so well with her three children be a weak and useless person?
“That’s right.”
The two of them tacitly decided not to mention the marriage anymore.
Meanwhile, Peng Xingzhi met Sun Xiu.
Sun Xiu only glanced at him lightly, but she used her eyes and manner to show that she didn’t like him.
Peng Xingzhi didn’t mind.
He had originally thought that the Heng family was too lowly for his status and that the Heng family’s young lady wasn’t worthy of him. However, his aunt insisted that he follow her, so he couldn’t refuse. So, he followed her wishes.
He didn’t care if the girl liked him or not.
He was still young and was already a teenager. When he was admitted as a scholar, his family background would rise.
The Heng family was just a country b.u.mpkin. What was there to be proud of? What was the use of being pretty? There were many beautiful girls these days. If possible, he wanted to choose a wife with a good family background who could help him climb higher.
As for the red sleeves beauties with enticing fragrances, there would be plenty of them when he was successful in the future.
All in all, Sun Xiu and Peng Xingzhi didn’t fancy each other.
They both secretly despised each other.
Because the marriage did not go through, it could be said that they had parted on bad terms. The county magistrate’s wife drank her tea and left with Peng Xingzhi. She did not even stay for lunch.
On the carriage back, the county magistrate’s wife asked her nephew, “Did you meet Miss Heng?”
“Yes, she’s beautiful, but Auntie, she’s not Chief Heng’s biological daughter and Madam Heng is pregnant.”
The county magistrate’s wife was silent for a moment before she smiled, “You’re right. She’s indeed not worthy of you.”
County Magistrate Wu had been waiting for good news, but when he returned to the manor and saw his son there, he learned that his wife had brought her nephew to Heng Manor. He was so angry that he cursed, “That stupid, stupid woman!”
Why did he want to matchmake this marriage?
In fact, there was an official doc.u.ment from Chenzhou, asking Heng Yi to work there.
His official position had already been decided. He would be the general in charge of a hundred people and could be considered to have officially stepped into the ranks of generals.
Furthermore, Heng Yi had the Feng family behind him, and Heng Conshan, the former head of the Heng family, to support him.
Heng Yi’s bright future was already set in stone.
He would be sent there in May at the latest.
Now that the official doc.u.ment was in his hands, he wanted to settle the marriage first and then announce the official doc.u.ment.
But his stupid wife—!
Seeing the Madam and his nephew return, County Magistrate Wu asked Peng Xingzhi to return to his courtyard first.
His wife, Madam Peng, called out to him softly, “Master.”
“Stupid woman!” He slapped the dumb woman’s face.
“Do you think I’m too high up in the hierarchy? I told you to bring our eldest son, but you had the gall to bring your nephew. Who are you looking down on?” “…” Madam Peng covered her face.
Her eyes were filled with disbelief.
After being married for so many years, she had raised two sons and two daughters. Even though there were many concubines in the back residence, and there were also children of the concubines, no one dared to cause trouble with her. She believed that her position was stable.
She did not expect to be slapped in the face today.
“Why do you think a hunter like him could sit in the position of chief constable? He wouldn’t sit there for nothing.”
“Because he’s capable enough because he’s made great contributions to the raid. The higher-ups want to promote him step by step and give him enough time to grow. Do you think he’ll stay in the position of chief constable of Puyi County for the rest of his life?”
“Today, you look down on others, but in the future, you won’t be able to climb up..”