Chapter 278: Chapter 278

The maid Chuntao quickly closed the room door.

Nanny Jiang rolled up her sleeves and charged forward. Before Miss Chai could scream, she grabbed a cloth from the table and stuffed it into her mouth swiftly.

As for Miss Chai’s maid, she was pressed onto the table by Chai Eying’s sister-in-law before she could react, and her mouth was also gagged.

The maid Chuntao found two ropes and tied the hands of Miss Chai and her maid.

Nanny Jiang dragged the two of them to the corner of the room and tied them to the table leg.

The two of them were shocked and panicked, yet they couldn’t say a word.

As everyone was busy tying people up, Chai Eying sat on the bed, watching quietly with a slight cold smile, without saying a word.

Chai Eying’s sister-in-law patted her sleeves, walked to Miss Chai, and coldly smiled, "Miss Chai, I’m sorry, but since you talk too much and too loudly, we have to inconvenience you for a while."

Miss Chai glared at her angrily.

Chai Eying’s sister-in-law ignored her and walked towards the bed.

On the bed sat Chai Eying.

She tidied Chai Eying’s collar, smiling as she said, "Third Sister, today is your big joyous day, you should be happy. As for those irrelevant people, let’s just treat them as if they don’t exist."

Chai Eying slightly smiled, "Understood, Sister-in-law." Her gaze coldly swept over Miss Chai and then gently moved away.

Miss Chai’s mouth was gagged, filled with rage but unable to speak.

She looked at Chai Eying with surprise and jealousy.

Chai Eying’s headpiece was three times bigger than hers and more beautiful!

The Li Family, marrying just a secondary wife, was so willing to spend money?

But after the jealousy, she felt smug in her heart, thinking the jewelry was probably bought with borrowed money, and Chai Eying would have to repay it in the future! That fool was still so pleased, how laughably stupid!

At this moment, suddenly a loud sound came from outside, followed by the crackling of firecrackers, mixed with someone speaking loudly.

Chai Eying’s sister-in-law called to the maid, "Chuntao, go check if someone from the Li Family has arrived."

"Yes, I’ll go check." Chuntao happily ran to open the door, and soon, she ran back, joyfully saying, "They’ve arrived, Eldest Young Madam, Third Miss, someone from the Li Family has come! So many people, they’ve filled the courtyard."

"Third Miss, quickly put on the veil." Nanny Jiang took out a crimson red veil embroidered with auspicious words and quickly placed it over Chai Eying’s head.

Chai Eying was so excited that she trembled all over.

Chai Eying’s sister-in-law smiled and said, "Third Sister, I’ll go out and take a look, you stay here and wait. Once the Li Family has finished their drinks, they’ll naturally come to take you."

The way she said it made it sound like she was afraid they wouldn’t take her away, making Chai Eying blush, "Sister-in-law!"

She even gave a soft humph.

Chai Eying’s sister-in-law laughed heartily and left with the maid Chuntao.

Nanny Jiang glanced at Miss Chai, saw that both were well tied up and behaved, and felt at ease. She came over to accompany Chai Eying by the bed.

Chai Eying was very nervous, so Nanny Jiang talked about other things to distract her.

Such as how to bow at the wedding, how to serve tea to the elders of the groom’s family, what time to get up the next morning, how to greet the in-laws after getting up, Nanny Jiang explained in great detail.

Chai Eying smiled, "Nanny, you’ve said this a dozen times already."

"No matter how many times I say it, you must remember it," Nanny Jiang said with a stern face, "It’s very important."

Chai Eying smiled and said, "I’ve remembered it."

Over there, Miss Chai was still sneering in her heart, thinking, just marrying a farming family, why so many rituals?

Instead of these pointless words, it would be better to teach Chai Eying how to wash clothes and cook, how to take care of the children and sweep the floor, how to weed and sow seeds in the fields, how to sell roasted cakes and pastries on the street.

At the courtyard gate, after the firecrackers set off by the Li Family had finished, Eldest Young Master Chai also ordered people to set off firecrackers.

Amid the crackling of firecrackers, Eldest Young Master Chai invited the Princely Heir and the village chief into the main house for drinks.

Li Lixing, who had never seen a rural wedding, found everything novel and looked around curiously. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel⟡fire.net

Pei Shenyan, who came along, explained things to him.

The villagers who came with the Li Family to watch the excitement, some stood inside the courtyard, some stood outside the gate, chatting with the Chai Family’s neighbors.

The shape of Taohua River Village is long and narrow, with a small river running through the middle. Because many peach trees are planted by the river, when spring comes, many peach blossoms fall into the river, giving the river its name Taohua River, and the village is called Taohua River Village. The villagers’ houses are all built along the river.

Walking from east to west takes about half an hour.

As for the Chai Family and the Li Family, they were located at opposite ends of the village, separated by nearly five li.

Moreover, the guests at the Chai Family were few, and the people from Liu the bricklayer’s family split into two groups to attend banquets at the two families, without exchanging any news.

As a result, the happenings on the Li Family’s side didn’t spread to the Chai Family.

When the Chai Family neighbors learned from some villagers who came with the Princely Heir to fetch the bride, that the Li Family was actually related to the County Magistrate, they were all astonished.

"What? The Li Family is related to Lord County Magistrate? Is that true?" someone asked incredulously.

"Of course it’s true. Did you see the youngest boy in the Li Family’s wedding entourage? The one dressed the best, wearing a dark square scholar’s hat, that’s the young master from the county magistrate’s family, named Li Lixing, sharing the surname with the Li Family. He stayed at the Li Family for several days recently."

"When he returned to the county town, the County Magistrate’s Wife even came to pick him up." Another person said, "I even saw two government officials going with him into the Li Family."

The Chai Family neighbors suddenly understood, "I see now. Such a wealthy family like the Chai’s, and with the Eldest Young Master Chai doting on his sister so much, how could she marry into an ordinary poor farming family? It turns out the Li Family has such a background, being relatives of the County Magistrate. No wonder this marriage arrangement is quite good."

"Indeed, it’s quite good. A bridal gift of a thousand taels, and the young master of the county magistrate’s family accompanying the Li Family’s eldest son to fetch the bride, this is the first time we’ve seen such a thing in our countryside."

"Tsk tsk tsk, that Luo Family looked down on Miss Chai, but she turned around and married into an even better family."

"Miss Chai snatched the Luo Family and felt proud. Who would’ve thought, Miss Chai’s in-laws are even better than the Luo Family."

"Miss Chai is a good person; she deserves to marry into a good family," said one villager.

Miss Chai lived alone in the old house at the head of the village, didn’t interact much with the villagers, but had a good relationship with her two neighbors who lived about a hundred steps away.

When the neighbors needed to move heavy items, Miss Chai would voluntarily lend them her mule.

Sometimes, she would invite the neighbors’ children to play at her house.

The children would play at her home for a whole day, and she would entertain them with food, essentially taking care of the neighbors’ children for a day.

Although she didn’t socialize much with other families in the village, she didn’t put on airs, quietly going about her life, leaving a good impression on the villagers.

Knowing she was jilted by the Luo Family and despised by her stepfather’s kin, everyone felt very sympathetic towards her.

On the other hand, the Li Family, because Li Yuzhu often treated minor illnesses for the villagers free of charge, also had a good reputation in the village. Many were genuinely happy for Miss Chai marrying into the Li Family.

People stood or sat, talking about the Li Family’s matters and Miss Chai’s great marriage, their words echoing into the houses.

The two clan elders of the Chai Family, upon hearing this news, were in shock and took a while to come around.

Fifth Uncle of the Chai Family grabbed the neighbor who came to deliver the news and asked, "Is this true? The Li Family is really relatives with the county magistrate’s family?"

The neighbor replied, "Yes indeed, the young master of the county magistrate’s family is sitting right in the main hall, talking with your Eldest Young Master Chai."

"If you don’t believe me, you can ask other villagers, someone saw the County Magistrate’s Wife picking up the young master with government officials from the Li Family." Another neighbor delivering the message said.

The two clan elders were quite frightened.

Both of them stood up with a slap on their legs and hurriedly headed toward the main hall.

Why put on airs? Quickly go to meet the Li Family.

According to village customs, when the groom’s party comes to fetch the bride, the bride’s family usually has to come out to meet them, the elders must meet the matchmaker and receive wine from the groom.

But the two clan elders claimed they had drunk earlier and were dizzy, refusing to come out of their rooms.

The Eldest Young Master Chai worried that if they were forced out, their temper might flare up, causing a scene, so he let them be.

He only brought his younger brothers-in-law to meet the people of the Li Family.

In the main hall, only one table with wine was set.

The people from the Li Family fetching the bride, along with the Eldest Young Master Chai and the brothers of Chai Eying’s sister-in-law, ten people sat around one table.

The Suona players from the Li Family and those carrying the bride’s dowry from the Chai Family sat in the outdoor courtyard seats.

The two clan elders of the Chai Family walked forward with smiling faces, first congratulating the Princely Heir, then asking which one was the young master from the county magistrate’s family.

Li Lixing was eating a piece of soy sauce rib, and after swallowing a piece of meat, he muttered, "Hmm, that’s me. Is there something you need from me, elders?"

"Young Master Li, the two of us are uncles of Chai Dalang, and our family’s hospitality might have been lacking. Please forgive us, Young Master Li." They smiled, clasping their hands and bowing.

"Not at all, the food is delicious. Oh, why are you only coming now? Are you disdaining us by not sitting with us?" Li Lixing straightforwardly asked them.

Upon entering, he overheard someone saying that some in the Chai Family looked down on the Li Family, seems like it’s these two? Acting like big shots because they’re older, shameless!

Li Lixing glared at both of them.

The two clan elders’ expressions were awkward, sheepishly saying, "Not at all, it’s just that we drank a bit, and felt somewhat dizzy."

"Oh, you felt dizzy, well then, you should go back and rest. Brother Chai, why didn’t you escort them back to rest?" Li Lixing called out to the Eldest Young Master Chai.