Just as the little girl had said, the six of them were secretly learning in a sly and... developing manner.
Ten years had passed, and no one knew that the boy who had suddenly dropped out of school due to illness had already read extensively; he laid daily in the corner of the private school to steal lessons.
No one knew that the boy who had broken his leg, and since then, had been confined to a wheelchair, and whom the Imperial Physician from Imperial City said would never stand again, had already become light as a swallow, able to scale walls and leap onto roofs.
No one knew that the youngest girl, who was as beautiful as a flower, had blackened her little face, applied freckles, and deliberately made herself ugly so that, apart from her siblings, even her own parents thought she was an ugly duckling, and they worried about her prospects of marriage when she grew older.
No one knew that among the six, the eldest brother was skilled in the art of war, and the other two, one with exceptional painting skills, and the other with remarkable hunting and tracking abilities, were naturally gifted scouts.
The six grew strong in quiet, yet appeared frail, disabled, ugly, boorish, simple-minded, and foolish on the surface.
Village Girl Yang and her husband were very worried; their eldest son was a brute, their second son was frail, their third son was disabled, their fourth daughter was simple-minded, their fifth son was a blockhead, and their sixth daughter was ugly—how could they possibly arrange marriages for them?
The husband of Village Girl Yang could only climb the ranks more desperately, for only by achieving a higher position could he provide a solid support for their six children.
The two of them had never had children of their own, perhaps it was fate, but fortunately, although the six children each had their issues and flaws, they were all filial children.
Village Girl Yang, "Da Lang has reached the age to discuss marriage, and with his scatterbrained, uncouth nature, we should find him a gentle and thoughtful girl to complement him."
The man took a sip of hot tea and nodded, "A sister-in-law is like a mother; she must be a woman who can hold her own. I have a Soldier under me, his wife died in childbirth, leaving behind four children, and he hasn’t remarried, so his eldest daughter has been sensible from a young age, caring for her three younger siblings like a mother, well thought-out and gentle, though lacking a bit, but she’s capable of bearing burdens."
"She’s capable, but I’m afraid she won’t be willing," Village Girl Yang sighed as she thought of her eldest son, "He... ah, it’s difficult for him to win a girl’s favor."
The man set down his teacup and said confidently, "Don’t worry, that girl knows she’s marrying Da Lang and is willing to do so."
"You didn’t force her using your authority, did you?"
"How could I be that kind of person?" The man chuckled and shook his head, "Have you forgotten? Although the six children are all ours, they also have their own birth parents; it’s just that their parents are no longer around, and that’s why I took them in."
Village Girl Yang cast her eyes down, "Why speak of that? They are my children!"
"It’s : Da Lang’s father took a knife for his comrade, saving his life, and the one who was saved is the Soldier under me, the girl’s birth father. Tell me, a life-saving debt is repaid by giving a daughter in marriage, isn’t that enough? Moreover, the girl is grateful and knows how to repay kindness; she knows it was Da Lang’s father who saved her own father and is willing to marry into our family. She’s very thankful for Da Lang’s father," he explained.
Having heard the full story, Village Girl Yang was relieved, "She’s a good girl; Da Lang is fortunate."
The man nodded, "The tree planted by forebears provides shade for generations to come; it’s also thanks to his father’s good deeds."
Village Girl Yang, who had just been at ease, became apprehensive again, "What about Second Son? After Da Lang’s marriage is settled, it will be his turn."