Hongji knew his wife was not a gossip; she was always busy, unlike those gossiping women who had nothing to do all day but talk about others’ affairs. "Daughter-in-law, it is also possible that she does not know about the issues on your mother’s side of the family."
Hadn’t his mother-in-law been hiding the fact that she wanted him to take a concubine from his wife before?
"Husband, this uncle’s family you spoke of, aren’t they the three sons and fathers who work at our estate?"
Hongji actually had a slight recollection and nodded, "Yes, that’s the family; they are somewhat closer to my mother’s side as uncles, but they are not direct brothers with my mother’s maternal side. It seems like it was my maternal grandfather’s generation who were brothers, but they split afterwards."
"Husband, considering that, that cousin is a fifth-generation relative, but she is going to marry the same man as Aunt and live together. Won’t it be extremely awkward for Mother-in-law when she meets her?" Mrs. Li commented curiously:
Hongji rubbed his face with his hand, actually wanting to cover his eyes:
"Wife, it’s not just my mother who will be embarrassed; this cousin of mine feels quite awkward as well."
Mrs. Li did not understand what her husband meant by "awkward," but as a woman, she was quite perceptive. In the past few years, during their visits with Mother-in-law to relatives, she noticed that the cousin looked at her husband with great enthusiasm.
But she thought that a farmer’s family, like theirs, would not take a concubine, but these last two years were different, not only when visiting relatives, but also the older girls looked at her husband.
Sometimes, when her husband walked through the village, both unmarried girls with the same surname and those with different ones would also look at her husband.
Don’t think she was unaware that her parents-in-law had long wanted her husband to take a concubine; she simply pretended not to know, as sometimes, feigning ignorance is better than knowing.
If her husband really took a concubine, she had no power to object. Though unwilling, she would have to accept it.
As their family’s wealth grew day by day, Mrs. Li already felt the looming crisis of her husband taking a concubine.
As a woman, it was such a helpless situation; she could not marry multiple husbands, yet a man could have up to three wives and four concubines if conditions allowed.
This was the female virtue taught by her mother when they, the uneducated, got married.
"Husband, if Father-in-law takes a concubine, after all, we live in the same house, although there are spare rooms, facing this every day, should I call her ’Young Mother’ or what?"
Hongji had also been mulling over this issue earlier, but the contractual engagement was so urgent on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year that he could not make plans to build a courtyard in time.
Tomorrow is already the third day; how could they possibly build a house in just two or three days!
"Father said the timing is too tight. If it weren’t so, we could modify the old house, tear it down and rebuild, and even add another courtyard."
Mrs. Li thought about the old house currently used for raising chickens, ducks, and cattle; once rebuilt, it can’t accommodate these poultry and livestock.
The house, though large enough, should not keep cattle and certainly not chickens or ducks; dogs are permissible.
They typically needed ox-carts, and not keeping the oxen in the old house would really be a hassle if they had to go back and forth in the estate.
Although the estate was nearby, access was inconvenient.
"Husband, isn’t there vacant farmland next to our house? That can be used to build houses!"
Hongji shook his head and said, "Wife, the land next door won’t work; that’s the homestead of that uncle. He hasn’t built a house there yet, and their family only consists of father and son who have been working, not needing so much land for vegetables, thus letting us use it."
"I know that, when we were building our house, you told me that it was someone else’s homestead and not to buy it to build a bigger house!"
"Yes, although we were a bit more financially relaxed back then, the thought of building such a big house was daunting; who knew that now the family has grown so much, even such a large house is not enough."
"Husband, if it’s really possible, ask that uncle if we can rush to build a small house there with our manpower and resources in these next few days, specifically for Father-in-law to live in; that way, we wouldn’t have to face them every day!"
"Your idea is excellent, wife; let their house be separate, and when it’s time to eat, we can have food sent over there, so we don’t have to eat together, a good idea!"
Hongji no longer looked distressed, and a smile appeared:
"I’ll ask the uncle tomorrow if he might sell the plot to me. Then, I’ll offer him more silver, or help him buy another plot elsewhere."
Mrs. Li’s expression eased a bit, but she could not manage a smile, building another house wasn’t for her to live in, yet money and effort were still required; she wasn’t that generous.