Chapter 212: Chapter 212

Li Yuzhu observed Miss Chai.

After her illness improved, her once emaciated face gradually gained some flesh.

But compared to ordinary people, for example, compared to the slender Great Princess, she was still considerably thinner.

And in this ancient period, a full figure was the mainstream aesthetic.

No wonder she felt insecure.

"Maybe the person you’re meeting for matchmaking might feel unworthy of you and voluntarily back out. Don’t overthink it," Li Yuzhu comforted her.

"No, no, no, you don’t know my brother’s thoughts. He’s eager to get me married off quickly," Miss Chai sighed. "Even if the other side doesn’t agree, he’ll find a way to marry me off."

"Why? You’re not that old. My eldest sister is about your age, and my parents aren’t in a rush, so why is your brother rushing? Besides, marriage is not something to be hastily handled."

In this period, there were no specific regulations for the marriage age of girls.

Some would marry at fifteen or sixteen, others at seventeen or eighteen, and some wealthy families would keep their girls until they were twenty before marrying them off.

Several princesses in the palace married after they were over twenty.

Unlike the previous dynasty, which imposed strict marriage age regulations for first-time bridegirls due to a sharp population decline caused by frequent wars, girls over seventeen who didn’t marry were fined silver or had their whole family punished with a beating.

Many families, fearing fines, hurriedly married off their girls early.

The present dynasty has been stable for nearly a hundred years, with the population doubling from the previous dynasty, so there’s no need to rush girls into marriage.

Those with money feel for their daughters and don’t want them to toil as housewives too soon, while those without money hope their daughters can work at home longer to add to the family income.

Miss Chai lacked nothing and was only sixteen, with still plenty of time for marriage, so why was her brother pushing her to marry? Li Yuzhu was curious.

Miss Chai sighed, "It’s because..."

She pursed her lips and turned her head away.

Looking extremely frustrated.

Li Yuzhu understood that someone was pressuring Eldest Young Master Chai, leading him to want his sister to marry early and shut the gossipers’ mouths.

"Alright, if you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to," Li Yuzhu said.

There might be difficulties unspoken.

Miss Chai bit her lip and then spoke, "Because my second sister is pregnant. Everyone at home is now focusing on my second sister, and the Luo Family sent over many gifts, saying arrogant words, which made my brother angry and anxious."

"Oh? Your second sister is pregnant?" Li Yuzhu calculated the days, "That’s fast, not even two months yet."

That couple is certainly diligent.

"That’s why she’s so proud, coming home almost every day, purposely asking my brother to do things to annoy him, and she keeps asking about my marriage prospects," Miss Chai sneered. "I used to have a match, but she took it! And she has the nerve to ask?"

Li Yuzhu nodded, understanding the thoughts of Eldest Young Master Chai, "Your brother is understandably upset."

"What good does being upset do? Does it mean he should rush to marry me off because of this? Finding a good match in haste is fine, but if not, being rushed into marriage would only harm me, wouldn’t it?" Miss Chai’s eyes reddened with urgency.

"Don’t worry, E Ying, let’s go find my mother. She’s experienced many things and will surely have a solution," Li Yuzhu said.

Miss Chai nodded, "Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking."

She instructed the driver to bring the gifts into the courtyard. Meanwhile, she carried several brocade boxes herself and walked with Li Yuzhu towards the North Courtyard Main House.

There were six brocade boxes; Li Yuzhu offered to help carry them, but she refused, "They’re not heavy. I’ll carry them myself; they are gifts from me, so how could I let you carry them?" she said with a smile.

Li Yuzhu had no choice but to let her be.

In the North Courtyard Main House, Princess Consort Luling, having washed and hung the family’s clothes to dry, was now playing with Guoguo.

Meanwhile, Prince Luling played with wooden toy blocks with Li Jing.

Li Yuzhu brought Miss Chai into the room, "Mother, Father, Miss Chai is here."

Miss Chai first greeted Prince Luling, "Uncle Li," and then Princess Consort Luling, "Aunt Li."

Prince Luling smiled warmly, "A rare guest indeed, please come in." He then instructed Li Jing to call her "Aunt."

Li Jing timidly called out.

Miss Chai smiled and said, "Good Jingjing." She handed a brocade box to Li Jing, "These are snacks I brought for you."

Li Jing beamed with happiness.

Princess Consort Luling, very pleased, immediately carried Guoguo over, "Guoguo, come see who’s here?"

Guoguo happily showed her little white teeth and reached out both small arms towards Miss Chai, "Aunt."

Li Yuzhu intentionally put on a stern face to tease her, "You used to call me ’aunt,’ and now you call me ’auntie’! Not as close to me anymore?"

Guoguo glanced at Li Yuzhu, ignored her, and stubbornly reached out to Miss Chai, "Auntie."

Li Yuzhu pretended to be angry, turning her head away, "Hmph, I’m not playing with you anymore!" Official source is novel✦fire.net

Guoguo patted Li Yuzhu’s face, pushing her away with a look towards Miss Chai, "Auntie."

Li Yuzhu laughed in exasperation.

Miss Chai placed the gift box on the table and took Guoguo into her arms.

She laughed and said, "Ah, we haven’t seen each other for a few days, and Guoguo has two more teeth." She pinched Guoguo’s little cheek, "Your face is a bit chubbier, what have you been eating lately? Gained quite a bit of weight."

Guoguo hugged her neck, snuggling closely to her face, "Auntie, Auntie——"

Making Miss Chai laugh continually, "Such a good Guoguo, Auntie likes you."

Princess Consort Luling looked at the gift box on the table, shook her head and smiled, "E Ying, we’re already so happy that you came to see Guoguo. Why bring any gifts?"

"These are bought by my brother for me. I live alone in that residence and can’t consume everything, they’ll just spoil if left. It’s nothing valuable, so don’t despise them." She laughed and said.

"Not despising at all." Princess Consort Luling laughed.

Miss Chai pointed to a box, "These are clothes for Guoguo. I made them when I was idle. I don’t know if they fit Guoguo."

Princess Consort Luling opened and looked, exclaiming, "So beautiful, this material isn’t cheap. E Ying, you’ve put a lot of thought into this."

"It’s not worth much, it’s just little baby clothes, doesn’t need much fabric. It’s my first time making clothes for a child, I don’t know if I’ve done well." Miss Chai laughed bashfully.

Princess Consort Luling unfolded them for a look, praising, "Very nice, very nice, better than the needlework of the three sisters like Yuzhu. When they were little, they would find all sorts of excuses when it came to sewing, so now, stitching a piece of clothing is like asking for their lives, they keep whining."

She exaggerated as she spoke, making Miss Chai laugh.

Li Yuzhu added, "Mother, Father, E Ying also brought two large jars of wine, they’re moved to the kitchen now."

Mentioning wine, Prince Luling was pleased, "Oh my, you came, why bring wine?" Speaking courteously, but then picked up Li Jing and said, "You all talk, this child is restless, I’ll take him outside to play."

He didn’t take Li Jing to play, but went to the kitchen to check on the wine.

The aroma of the wine was strong, greatly to Prince Luling’s liking.

The items brought were especially many, more than the gifts Miss Chai first brought.

The seasoned Princess Consort Luling immediately noticed something different about Miss Chai.

She smiled gently, "E Ying, have you encountered a problem? Why the furrowed brows?"

Miss Chai adjusted Guoguo in her arms and said apologetically, "I have indeed encountered a problem and specifically came to ask for help, hoping Aunt Li can help me."

Princess Consort Luling smiled, "You’ve accepted Guoguo as your god-niece, and I am Guoguo’s biological grandmother, so we count as in-laws, whatever it is, just say."

Miss Chai pursed her lips and then spoke about her elder brother pressing her to marry soon.

The Princess Consort Luling had already heard about her situation from her children.

Eldest Young Master Chai urging Miss Chai to marry quickly was nothing but a way to vent his anger.

But using his sister’s marriage to vent was really not a wise move.

Princess Consort Luling dimmed her gaze and said, "What your brother is doing is indeed improper. Marriage isn’t something that can be rushed . It’s a lifelong matter."

She thought of her eldest son’s marriage, four years ago, the wedding engagement with Duke An’s Mansion was canceled, but the late Emperor insisted on preventing both families from rescinding it.

She also heard that Miss Xue, who was selected again, had an outstanding appearance and was smart, so she reluctantly agreed.

The late Emperor feared that the families would turn against each other, insisting they marry immediately.

Under the late Emperor’s pressure, the marriage was hastily arranged.

The girl brought in hastily, without careful understanding, revealed many flaws after marriage.

If not for Xue Family soon conceiving after marriage, she would have had the Princely Heir divorce Xue Family long ago.

Considering the child, the whole family accommodated Xue Family, but who knew...

Accommodating as they were, she still ran away!

Princess Consort Luling looked at motherless Guoguo, thought of the runaway Xue Family, and felt deep sympathy for the pressed-to-marry Miss Chai.

If the man Miss Chai married in haste abandons her and her child in the future, wouldn’t Miss Chai suffer for a lifetime?