SGEIRS -Chapter 595 Xiuhong’s Marriage

The days were bright, the sky clear.

Meng Jinyao brought her child to pay respects to Old Madam Gu. Upon entering the room, before she could speak, Second Sister-in-law Chen said, “Mother, this time you really must help persuade Xiuhong. He won’t listen to me or Second Master, but he will listen to you.”

Cradling her child, Meng Jinyao was puzzled. Xiuhong of the second branch was both capable and sensible—a model for the younger generation. Second Sister-in-law and Second Brother had always been completely satisfied with him. What was going on today?

Old Madam Gu saw her young daughter-in-law and grandson and smiled at them affectionately, gesturing for them to sit. Then she continued speaking to Madam Chen: “Second daughter-in-law, although marriages have traditionally been arranged by parents and matchmakers, we should still consider the children’s wishes. If Xiuhong likes someone, and we elders block it, wouldn’t that be like trying to separate a pair of lovers?”

Meng Jinyao was surprised. “Xiuhong has a girl he likes? Do you know which family she’s from?”

Madam Zhang sighed lightly, as if troubled by Madam Chen’s concern, and explained: “Yes, there’s a girl he likes, and he’s liked her for a long time. From what the Second Sister-in-law just said, it wasn’t until Xiuhong asked her to request the marriage on his behalf that she realized. Xiuhong is stubbornly determined to marry her, and Second Sister-in-law didn’t know what else to do, so she asked you to help persuade him.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao was even more confused. “If he’s liked her for so long, why didn’t he agree to marry when Second Sister-in-law was urging him?”

Madam Zhang spoke calmly: “That girl not only comes from a humble background, but she’s also a widow, two years older than Xiuhong. Her late husband’s family required her to observe three years of mourning before she could return to her home. Xiuhong decided to wait until she returned to discuss marriage, which is why he was unwilling to marry before. Now that the widow has returned home, he wants to marry.”

Meng Jinyao frowned. “It’s fine for a widow to remarry, but if she already arranged another suitor during her mourning, just waiting for the period to end before marrying someone else… isn’t that a bit improper?”

Though Madam Chen disagreed with this match, she did not want to slander the girl. She glared at Madam Zhang, blaming her for not explaining clearly: “It’s not that she was seeing Xiuhong during her mourning. She knew Xiuhong before she married, but four years ago she was forced by her parents to marry her late husband. That man was no good—he often beat her. Fortunately, that scoundrel died young, fighting over a courtesan named Yihua in a brothel, and was accidentally killed.

“After that,” she continued with a sigh, “had she married someone else, Xiuhong wouldn’t have kept thinking about her. Her elder brother was Xiuhong’s schoolmate. One time, when Xiuhong went to consult his schoolmates on studies, he happened to encounter her, who had fled home after being beaten by her husband. Xiuhong felt pity for her and couldn’t let go, quietly caring for her all along. When her husband died, her father- and mother-in-law were unwilling to let her return home. It was Xiuhong who secretly helped, allowing her to observe the three-year mourning and then return home to remarry.”

Madam Chen glanced at her mother-in-law and the two sisters-in-law, then said, “I’m not trying to separate lovers. Since Xiuhong likes her, bringing her home is fine. But the legitimate wife should be a proper, well-born lady, not a widow. At most, he can marry a respectable main wife who is broad-minded, which wouldn’t hurt the girl.”

Meng Jinyao paused for a moment. Thinking of the ridiculous Gu Xiuming and comparing him to Xiuhong, she sincerely admired Xiuhong. He was responsible—waiting for his beloved for years, quietly protecting her, and even persuading his parents to marry her. Yet, the girl truly did not meet the expectations of a high-ranking family. Even the usually open-minded Second Sister-in-law could not accept her, so Meng Jinyao refrained from offering any opinion.

Though Madam Zhang and Madam Chen were not particularly close, both being mothers concerned about their children’s marriages, Madam Zhang suddenly had an idea. She suggested: “Second Sister-in-law, Xiuhong has only studied classics and has met very few girls. How could he know what kind of woman he truly likes? You have a niece, whom I’ve seen, she’s quite a good girl. Haven’t you thought of matching her with Xiuhong before? Why not let her stay with you for a while, under the pretext of keeping you company? That way, Xiuhong can see her often. Over time, he’ll naturally realize that a wife should be a well-born lady, not a widow from a humble family.”

Madam Chen’s eyes lit up. This was the first time she found Madam Zhang’s often-offensive mouth spoke sense. She nodded repeatedly: “Eldest Sister, that makes sense. He hasn’t met many girls and probably doesn’t know what he really wants. Once he spends time with a well-born lady, he’ll understand that the widow isn’t the one for him.”

Madam Zhang said, “Exactly. And young people are rebellious—the more we elders oppose, the more determined he’ll be. Even if he likes her only a little, opposition will turn it into obsession. Better to neither oppose nor agree, just delay things. He’ll probably lose interest gradually. Have you heard about the Liao family?”

Madam Chen nodded, aware of the incident.

A young master of the Liao family fell for a tofu seller. Madam Liao and Lord Liao strongly opposed the marriage. The young master fasted and even tried to hang himself, forcing the parents to consent.

He got the girl, but she was a commoner, lacking the manners of a noble household. She was petty, often causing embarrassing situations, and disgracing the Liao family. Madam Liao later forbade her from meeting guests, and the young master soon grew bored and scornful. They frequently argued, and he even took several concubines. One day, while the young master was asleep, the girl killed him with a knife and then committed suicide out of guilt—truly tragic.

Recalling the Liao incident, Madam Chen instinctively compared it to her son and the widow. Fearing a similar outcome, she decisively said: “Let’s do it this way. Tomorrow I’ll visit my sister and suggest a match between the two children. My sister and brother-in-law like Xiuhong, so they’ll agree.”

Old Madam Gu glanced at Madam Zhang and Madam Chen, neither approving nor opposing.

She had no deep-seated prejudice against family status. If the girl was genuinely good, well-mannered, and Xiuhong truly liked her, she wouldn’t oppose. But if Xiuhong’s mother disapproved, she would only offer some advice, asking Madam Chen to respect her son’s wishes. She would not interfere further, to avoid causing strife between mother- and daughter-in-law.

As for Xiuhong, if he was steadfastly devoted to the widow, having even ten cousins staying at home wouldn’t matter. But if he were easily distracted, it was better not to torment the girl further. She had already suffered enough—married once to a scoundrel, and a second marriage to a fickle man would bring her no happiness.