Chapter 10: Widow Tong is to Marry into the Zheng Family to Bring Good Luck

“Mother, you aren't actually going to send me to the Zheng family, are you?”

Halfway there, taking advantage of the moment when Matchmaker Wang dismounted the carriage to buy plum soup to quench her thirst, Gu Taohua pleaded with Tong Huaqiong for a straight answer, her face full of trepidation.

She was utterly bewildered by Tong Huaqiong's grand display.

“No. Stop your nonsense. Once we arrive at the Zheng residence, just watch my lead,” Tong Huaqiong replied curtly.

Scared to death, Gu Taohua patted her chest and pressed closer to Tong Huaqiong's side.

“Mother, you aren't going to send yourse—”

Gu Dashu wanted to say, *You aren't going to send yourself to the eldest Young Master Zheng to ward off his illness with a marriage, are you?* But before he could finish, Matchmaker Wang climbed back into the carriage, enthusiastically distributing the plum soup to everyone.

Gu Dashu took the soup, forced himself to swallow his words, but his heart remained uneasy, unable to figure out what Tong Huaqiong was up to.

The carriage sped along. Before Tong Huaqiong could even take in the street scenery, the carriage came to a halt in front of a grand mansion.

“Steward He, I have brought the people.”

Matchmaker Wang was the first to leap down from the carriage, claiming credit from Steward He, who was waiting at the entrance.

The Gu family was no stranger to Steward He; it was he who had accompanied Matchmaker Wang to the Gu house last time to fetch Man'er. It was also this Steward He who had promised to treat Gu Dashu to a meal at a county restaurant and offered him the position of manager at the Zheng family shop.

“Get out of the carriage,” Matchmaker Wang said, pulling back the curtain.

Gu Dashu jumped down first, followed closely by Tong Huaqiong, who supported his hand.

Gu Taohua was too heavy and moved too slowly, making her the last to descend.

Steward He scanned the Gu family, and his eyes landed on a charming, widowed woman. His heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

Truth be told, dressed like this, Widow Tong looked like a completely different person from the last time he saw her in Qinghe Bay. The waist beneath that light pink garment possessed an indescribable charm.

Once the matter with the Eldest Young Master was settled, Steward He planned to frequent the doorstep of Widow Tong in Qinghe Bay.

“Steward He...”

Hearing Matchmaker Wang call him, Steward He steadied his composure. Noticing Man'er was absent, he ignored the charming widow and gave Matchmaker Wang a nod of his chin.

“Steward He, the Gu family has swapped in a slightly older girl. As we agreed before, you haven't told the masters exactly which girl it is, have you?” Matchmaker Wang whispered.

Steward He turned his head to glance at Gu Taohua.

When he had previously visited the Gu house, he had set his sights on this girl; she was plump and had a face that suggested she would bring prosperity to a husband, making her perfect for the sickly Eldest Young Master.

However, Widow Tong was unwilling to part with her big, fat daughter, so she had pushed her granddaughter forward instead.

Steward He hadn't cared one bit for that sallow-faced young girl, and he suspected the masters wouldn't like her either. Not wanting to lose the silver, Matchmaker Wang had used her silver tongue to persuade Steward He to settle on Man'er, even tricking him into not specifying which girl it was to the masters.

Therefore, Scholar Zheng and his wife only knew it was a daughter from the Gu family; they had no idea which specific girl it was.

In any case, at a time like this, they were just lucky someone was willing to marry into the family to ward off the Young Master's illness; they had no intention of being picky!

“So, Widow Tong agreed?” Steward He lowered his voice.

Matchmaker Wang looked delighted. “The people are here; how could they not agree?”

That was true.

Steward He nodded, offering Gu Taohua a fawning smile. This big, plump girl would be the Young Mistress soon; he had to make a good impression on the eldest Young Mistress.

“Follow me.”

Steward He made a gesture inviting Gu Taohua inside. She walked through the door, arm in arm with Tong Huaqiong.

Steward He stared at Gu Taohua's wide hips with a sense of gratification. The Eldest Young Master didn't look like he had many days left; this girl looked like she was built for childbearing and might just be able to leave him an heir.

If that happened, he, Steward He, would be a great contributor to the Zheng family, after all, since he was the one who picked her.

Tong Huaqiong followed Steward He through the courtyard with an air of authority, heading toward the main house.

Beside her, Gu Taohua was nervous, while Gu Dashu and the rest of the family followed closely behind, their eyes darting everywhere.

“Master, Madam, the people have arrived.”

As Steward He announced their arrival, two pretty maidservants pulled back the curtains of the main room.

Tong Huaqiong burst in like a bandit entering a village, bringing her band of "renegades" with her.

*Tsk, tsk, tsk,* she thought. As expected of a wealthy feudal household, the decorations were even more magnificent and striking than in historical dramas.

Scholar Zheng sat in the seat of honor, and beside him sat a beautiful middle-aged woman with reddened eyes—presumably Madam Zheng.

Below the Zheng couple sat a sickly young man, surrounded by a circle of maids attending to him. One glance at the young man's pale face allowed Tong Huaqiong to predict he had tuberculosis.

In the modern era, tuberculosis wasn't a major disease—a few IV drips and it would be gone—but in ancient times, it was a death sentence! No wonder Matchmaker Wang said the Eldest Young Master didn't have many days left.

While Tong Huaqiong observed the Zheng family, Scholar Zheng and his wife were also observing Tong Huaqiong's group.

Their focus was on the young Gu Taohua.

Scholar Zheng mused that it was no wonder Matchmaker Wang and Steward He had been so vague about the girl; she was far too fat. Her presence alone seemed to make the room feel cramped.

If his eldest son were healthy, she wouldn't even qualify to be a maid in the Zheng house.

But fat was fat; his son was already halfway to the grave, so there was nothing left to be picky about. Scholar Zheng mentally prepared himself, noting that the big girl's face was quite well-proportioned and looked like she would bring luck to the house.

“Greetings, Master and Madam,” Tong Huaqiong spoke up first.

*This old farm widow is quite pretty,* Madam Zheng thought. Looking at her clothes, the widow's attire was an eyesore. If the mother was so flamboyant, the daughter would likely follow suit.

A sense of dislike rose in her heart. Once the marriage was settled, she would have to strictly teach this big country girl the rules.

Scholar Zheng didn't pay much attention to such things. He nodded to Tong Huaqiong, offered her a seat, and served tea.

Good tea. As expected of the scholar-gentry class.

Tong Huaqiong took a sip of the fragrant tea and smacked her lips.

“...The people have arrived. Now, the two families shall become one, forming a single 'good' word.”

“Sister Tong, seeing the Zheng family with your own eyes should put your mind at ease. As they say, when marrying a man, one looks at his ability to provide food and clothing. The Zheng family can not only provide food, but they can afford meat and fish at every meal. From now on, Sister Tong, you'll be falling into a nest of blessings. You'll never have to live through days of tightening your belt just to avoid hunger again.”

Matchmaker Wang grinned from ear to ear, showering Scholar Zheng and his wife with praise. Now that the people had been delivered safely without incident, the matchmaking fee would be in her hands soon.

“It is indeed quite good. I felt it was good from the moment I entered the courtyard. Sister Wang, you truly did not lie to me. I have dreamed of a life like the Zheng family's!” Tong Huaqiong said cheerfully after a sip of tea.

Madam Zheng could not hide the contempt on her face.

*In your dreams. You're already dreaming of enjoying the benefits as soon as your daughter marries in.*

*A rural widow like you is even worthy?*

*You don't even realize your daughter is being sold to the Zheng family; you actually think you're becoming our in-laws.*

*And that fat girl—I don't know what she eats to get that big. She can indulge today, but not tomorrow. The Zheng family's food is not so easily obtained.*

“So, this is my husband?”

Tong Huaqiong turned to look at the Eldest Young Master Zheng. *What a handsome little pretty boy!*

Tong Huaqiong's exclamation of "husband" stunned everyone. Even Scholar Zheng, who had seen much in life, was left dumbfounded.

Gu Dashu thought to himself, *Mother, are you really remarrying?* Even when his father was alive, though he had often complained in his heart about his father's lack of ability and wealth, he never wanted to accept a "pretty boy" as a stepfather. Even if he were fed meat every day, he couldn't bring himself to call him "stepfather"—the man was even younger than him!

“My husband's complexion is a bit poor. But I don't mind. Sister Wang explained everything to me. Given my husband's looks and the Zheng family's status, if he were healthy, I wouldn't have been the one chosen,” Tong Huaqiong said.

“What? Sister Tong, don't talk nonsense! This is your son-in-law, where did 'husband' come from?”

Matchmaker Wang raised her voice amidst Scholar Zheng's stunned silence. Widow Tong shouldn't joke like this.

“Son-in-law? Sister Wang, what do you mean by that? You came to my house to propose, weren't you proposing for me? I thought that since I'm a widow of a certain age with many descendants and no one wanted me, you said the Eldest Young Master Zheng needed someone to ward off his illness and didn't care which Gu family girl it was, as long as she could do the job. That's why I came. How did 'husband' turn into 'son-in-law' once we arrived at the Zheng house?”

Matchmaker Wang was shaken by Tong Huaqiong's logic!

When she had gone to Qinghe Bay, the villagers had subtly warned her that Widow Tong was not to be trifled with—that she would twist any logic to her advantage. She had experienced it firsthand and was filled with regret.

But she hadn't expected that Widow Tong was not only unreasonable, but also completely mad!

“No, Sister Tong, we agreed...”

“That's right, we did agree that I would come to ward off the illness. Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, what exactly is going on? I've brought my daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren here to meet the family. I was even thinking of changing my children's surnames as soon as I entered the door so they could carry on the Eldest Young Master's lineage. How did things change so suddenly?”

Tong Huaqiong casually called them "Father" and "Mother." In her mind, she whispered that this was just the old widow Tong Da Jiao speaking, and had nothing to do with her.

Scholar Zheng and his wife were rendered speechless by Tong Huaqiong's incredibly smooth transition to calling them parents.