Chapter 16: A Proposal of Marriage, Both High and Low
Chapter 16: A Proposal of Marriage, Both High and Low
In the main hall, Zhang Jiefang and his son were working together to craft a canopy bed. They were making it for a family in the village. As the village’s renowned carpenters, whenever a family needed new furniture, they would always turn to Zhang Jiefang and his son for help.
The canopy bed is a traditional Chinese bed, originating from ancient times and formally appearing during the Ming Dynasty. It is a prime example of the convergence between Chinese furniture and traditional architecture, sharing similar structural, craftsmanship, and decorative techniques.
In the world of classical furniture, the canopy bed has always been highly praised by scholars and collectors, often referred to as the most scientifically designed bed. It comes in various styles, with intricate structures and lavish decorations.
The decorations often draw from historical stories, folk legends, and natural landscapes, symbolizing harmony, peace, good fortune, and prosperity.
The styles can range from simple and elegant to grand and luxurious.
The canopy bed Zhang Jiefang and his son were currently crafting was, of course, the simplest and most practical type.
As they were diligently working, a voice suddenly called out from the doorway, “Is this the home of Zhang Jiefang?”
Zhang Jiefang paused his work and looked toward the door, where a middle-aged man was leaning on a bicycle. He stepped forward and asked, “I am Zhang Jiefang. Who are you, and what brings you here?”
Deng Shirong parked his bicycle, took out a packet of sweets, and handed it over, saying, “I am Uncle Jiu from Naye Village in Bangjie Brigade. I heard that your eldest son, Zhang Kangmei, is already twenty-two and hasn’t yet married. I thought I might help arrange a match for him. Do you have any interest in that?”
Realizing it was a matchmaker, Zhang Jiefang immediately welcomed him warmly.
Zhang Kangmei, being quick-witted, didn’t need to be told what to do. He quickly fetched a stool and a pipe for the matchmaker.
After Deng Shirong lit two pipes, and after some polite exchanges, they finally got down to business.
“Young man, the girl I want to introduce to you is from our village. Her name is Deng Changmei. She is one year younger than you and has a high school education, which is quite rare among girls.”
Deng Shirong continued, “She is about 1.6 meters tall, quite attractive, and has a very open and cheerful personality. She often has a smile on her face.”
Zhang Jiefang and his son listened attentively. Whether it was the girl’s excellent qualities or Deng Shirong’s persuasive skills, they found themselves increasingly satisfied.
“Uncle Jiu, the girl you described sounds very good,” Zhang Jiefang praised. Then he looked at his eldest son and said, “This is a matter of great importance for you. What do you think of the girl? If you’re interested, we can have Uncle Jiu arrange a meeting.”
Zhang Kangmei was naturally pleased.
Without considering anything else, the fact that the girl had a high school education was a significant point in her favor. Everything else also matched his ideal partner.
Of course, this was just the matchmaker’s perspective. They would need to verify the information and meet her in person to be sure.
Thinking this, Zhang Kangmei nodded and said, “I have no objections. Please arrange a meeting for us, Uncle Jiu.”
Deng Shirong smiled and said, “No problem. To arrange the meeting, I need to know when your work team will be harvesting the rice?”
Zhang Jiefang replied, “The team leader hasn’t set a specific date, but it should be within the next two or three days.”
“Originally, the day after tomorrow is the market day, which would be perfect for the first meeting. However, I have to arrange for someone to watch the house that day, so there’s a conflict.”
Deng Shirong thought for a moment and said, “Let’s do this: It’s too rushed to meet right away. After the rice harvest, I’ll arrange the meeting. During this time, you can also send someone to our village to gather more information about the girl, to see if she is as good as I described.”
Zhang Jiefang said, "Uncle Jiu, you really think things through. A sincere matchmaker like you is quite rare. We'll follow your arrangements."
Deng Shirong smiled and said, "This girl is my niece's granddaughter, so I'm naturally concerned about her happiness. I'll be honest and upfront, and I won't hide anything just to make a match."
Hearing this, Zhang Jiefang and his son felt even more at ease.
After discussing the main matters, both sides chatted for a while, and then Deng Shirong got up to leave.
It was almost noon, and Zhang Jiefang and his son insisted that he stay for two bowls of porridge before leaving.
Unable to refuse, Deng Shirong stayed, ate two bowls of porridge, and enjoyed a piece of fried cassava cake before leaving, feeling quite satisfied.
...
In the afternoon, as soon as Deng Shirong returned home, his neighbor Aunt Wu came over, holding paper and pen in one hand and a bag of rice in the other. She said, "Uncle Jiu, the land god will be honored tomorrow. Are you going to participate?"
Deng Shirong nodded without hesitation. "Of course, we'll do two shares."
The land god festival, or "zuo she," is a local tradition, varying in scale from small to large.
On a small scale, it involves a few families, usually of the same surname or from the same neighborhood, or those who farm the same land. On a larger scale, it can involve an entire village or even several villages.
In Deng Shirong's area, the festival is quite large, involving several villages with the same surname, centered around Naye Village.
In an era where meat is a rare treat, the land god festival is the most anticipated event for the villagers, as it means they get to eat meat.
In modern times, people pay first and then celebrate the festival. But now, they only collect rice in advance and not money, meaning the festival can be paid for on credit. This is why villagers love it, as even families with no money can sign up and enjoy the festival, getting some meat to satisfy their hunger.
The debt for the festival can be paid later, which is why many families who sell the festival pigs often don't get paid for years.
The land god festival is a custom throughout Bobai County, but the rules vary by village. Some places only have two festivals a year, one in spring and one in fall.
Most places have four festivals a year, one for each season.
However, Naye Village is unique, holding twelve festivals a year, one every month. This high frequency of festivals makes the villagers of other villages envious.
There’s even a saying: "No matter where you marry, it’s better to marry into Naye or Naba, where even without meat, you’ll have a bowl of rice to eat."
This means that no matter where you marry, it’s better to marry into Naye or Naba, where even without meat, you’ll have a bowl of rice to eat. Both Naye and Naba hold twelve festivals a year.
When Aunt Wu heard that Uncle Jiu was doing two shares, she almost couldn’t believe her ears. In this era, a family that can afford to do one share is already considered well-off, and most families do one share by pooling resources with others to satisfy their craving a bit.
Being the first to say he would do two shares, Uncle Jiu was a rarity in the village.
Aunt Wu widened her eyes and asked, "Uncle Jiu, I didn’t hear wrong, did you say two shares?"
Deng Shirong nodded with a smile. "Yes, I have many children, and one share isn’t enough. Two shares are more appropriate."
Aunt Wu’s mouth twitched. In this era, who doesn’t have many children? Everyone does the festival just to satisfy their craving a little, and who has the means to eat meat to their heart’s content?
After a moment, Aunt Wu said enviously, "Uncle Jiu, you’re really generous!"
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(End of Chapter)
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