She thought of seizing the opportunity to go and propose to buy the recipe for the drunken crabs and other such delicacies.
But now it seems that the family still has the leisure to arrange weddings for their servants, and I heard that the ceremony was comparable to that of a daughter from a large household. This suggests that they’ve still got plenty of inner energy, doesn’t it?
Alas, these poor merchants didn’t know that those bandits never returned once they came. They only knew that the Yang Family had been attacked and suffered heavy losses.
"You’d think that the third branch of the family is stuffed with so much money that they’ve even managed to provoke bandits," grumbled Ms.Li Junior, watching Xiu’er and Tieshu holding hands during the wedding ceremony.
A slave woman gets married and has a grander show than her, the legitimate wife. Just look at how gorgeous her wedding gown is embroidered. Unlike herself, she had never even worn a wedding dress; when she got married, she was done with just a red cotton-padded jacket.
"Ah, they really are rich," said another village bride, "Didn’t you see the food they laid out? Bowls of meat, bowls of chicken. Back in my parents’ home, even during the New Year we wouldn’t have such dishes."
"It’s quite enviable. It seems there’s nothing wrong with being a servant," Ms.Li Junior then said.
*Hmph,* what a pleasant life it must be, not even knowing how you’ll die," came a discordant voice. Ms.Li Junior turned around to find Auntie Li, but noticed the corners of Auntie Li’s mouth were split and there was a slight bruise around her eyes—it seemed her injuries from a beating had not yet healed.
"Sister-in-law, you might want to hold back on a few words," Ms.Li Junior thought to herself that this person really had thick skin; beaten up and still her tongue spared no one.
"Tch, could I possibly be wrong? That third branch of the family is not a bunch of good people. They’ve had so many people die, and servants aren’t people? They still have the heart to hold weddings."
Hearing this, Ms.Li Junior felt Auntie Li’s mind was like paste, speaking as if she was taking up the cause for those servants, without considering her own status.
She couldn’t help feeling annoyed at herself for ever having associated with such a mindless person.
Ms.Li Junior managed a wry smile and said, "Sister-in-law, that’s not right. Servants are servants, and the masters are the masters. When servants die, should the masters mourn them, not holding weddings or pasting up red paper for three years? Who then is the master, and who is the servant?"
Auntie Li just snorted coldly, "You just love to suck up to people."
"Hey, watch how you speak, you old thing," retorted Ms.Li Junior, "when they start tossing out the wedding candies, let’s see if you have the guts not to scramble for them."
The servants’ feast naturally wouldn’t be an elaborate banquet, but plenty of wedding candies were tossed out. They had already thrown out a basketful in the morning, and I heard there’s more to come after the ceremony and feast.
As they were talking, Fugui led a few people out carrying two baskets of wedding candies and peanuts. While uttering auspicious phrases, they threw the candies into the air.
Then it was seen that Auntie Li, who had just been disdainful, was scrambling faster than anyone. She even pulled a cloth bag from her person, stuffing it while she snatched up candies.
Ms.Li Junior, upon seeing this, whispered non-stop with the new bride, all the while pointing and making gestures at Auntie Li.
Tieshu and Xiu’er got married, and their new home was set up in the Ye Family. That very night, Yang Dachuan made the decision to give both Fugui and Tieshu to Yang Chuxia; from then on, they were to be counted as people of the Ye Family. The few servants like Qingyou would stay with the Yang Family.
Thus, the next day, Tieshu and Xiu’er came to kowtow to Yang Chuxia first, then went to kowtow to Yang Dachuan and Ms.Wang.