https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-53-To-Be-Honest-I-Have-My-Eye-on-Your-Daughter/12849157/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-55-One-Person-Ascends-and-All-Follow/12849159/
Chapter 54: Wealth and Power
Chapter 54: Wealth and Power
It’s no wonder Zhang’s mother and the others were stunned. The Deng family’s conditions were simply too good!
The matchmaker, a male potter, had a family with several siblings, all of whom were well-educated. Deng Shirong, as a father, was one of the owners of a brick and tile kiln. The house they had built was a rare brick and tile mansion in the countryside, with each brother having his own.
Most importantly, there was no mother-in-law.
As everyone knew, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflict had been a thorny issue for the Chinese people for thousands of years. Despite the many great figures in history, none had come up with a satisfactory solution to this problem.
Especially in this era, the authority of the mother-in-law was far greater than in later times. Any bride would dread marrying into a family with an unreasonable or biased mother-in-law, as it would mean enduring years of hardship before she could finally gain a foothold.
But if Zhang Xiuping were to become Deng Shirong’s daughter-in-law, there would only be a father-in-law and no mother-in-law. She would have the authority to manage the household right from the start, and with such excellent economic conditions, this was a rare gem that one could hardly find even with a lantern in hand.
The conditions were so good that Zhang’s mother and her two companions felt a sense of unreality.
Deng Shirong briefly introduced his family’s situation. Seeing that Zhang’s mother and the others were still in shock and couldn’t speak, he added, “There’s one more thing I need to clarify. My eldest son looks quite ordinary, much like me, and there’s nothing particularly outstanding about his appearance. So, in terms of looks, he’s not a match for you, Miss Zhang. I hope you won’t look down on him.”
Before Zhang Xiuping could respond, her mother quickly said, “We won’t look down on him. What’s the point of being picky about looks? They can’t put food on the table.”
From her mother’s words, Zhang Xiuping could tell that her mother was satisfied with this match. She forced herself to ask, “Uncle Deng, what’s your eldest son’s personality like?”
Deng Shirong, understanding their concerns, smiled and said, “I’m not boasting, but my eldest son is mature, steady, kind, and filial. He’s a very reliable man.”
Zhang Xiuping nodded inwardly. If Uncle Deng wasn’t lying, then this match was indeed hard to fault.
Zhang’s mother, meanwhile, grew more and more satisfied. If not for her remaining rationality, she would have eagerly sealed the deal right then and there.
However, the marriage of their third and youngest sons had always been a concern for the couple. Zhang’s mother had to steele herself and say, “Relative, your family’s conditions are indeed unparalleled. If my daughter could marry into such a family, it would be her good fortune.
But I need to make one thing clear. Our family’s conditions are not good. With our earning capacity, we simply can’t afford to help our third and youngest sons get married. So, we can only hope that my daughter’s future in-laws can lend a hand to her two younger brothers.
This condition of ours has scared away many families with good conditions. I hope it won’t scare you away, too.”
Sitting beside her, Zhang Xiuping’s eyes showed a mix of helplessness and embarrassment. The cost of marrying her was equivalent to marrying three people. It was no wonder that the previous matches had run away in fear.
After all, in the rural areas of this era, life was tough for everyone. The cost of marriage was already exorbitant, and now it would be even higher with the added dowries for her two brothers. No family could bear such a burden.
Deng Shirong, however, remained calm and said, “Relative, I’ve heard about your family’s condition. We’re willing to pay one thousand for Miss Zhang’s dowry, and an additional three hundred and eighty as her trousseau money.”
"If you’re satisfied with these terms, how about we choose a date to come and see the house once ours is built?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Mother and her two daughters were once again utterly stunned!
This was what it meant to be rich and generous.
Thirteen hundred and eighty dollars, handed over without a second thought, completely shattered their preconceptions. Originally, the offer of one thousand dollars for the bride price was already incredibly generous. After all, in this era, three or four hundred dollars was usually enough to marry a wife. For two sons, even if they spent eight hundred, they would still have two hundred left over. If they gave a little less for their daughter’s dowry, they could even manage to pay off some debts!
But then, Deng Shirong not only offered one thousand dollars but, to save face for their family, he added an extra three hundred and eighty dollars for the daughter’s dowry.
Even though the money would go to their daughter, with this dowry, they wouldn’t need to provide additional funds. This meant the remaining two hundred dollars could be used to pay off their debts, clearing everything they owed.
To have such a wealthy and generous match, Zhang Mother would have to be out of her mind to refuse.
Clearly, Zhang Mother was not out of her mind. She decided immediately, "Relative, let’s settle on this. Whenever your house is ready, just let us know."
Deng Shirong smiled, "We’ve already started building the walls. It should be finished in about two months. I’ll come over personally to invite you to see the house then."
Zhang Mother nodded eagerly, "Alright, we’ll be waiting."
Deng Shirong added sincerely, "By the way, I almost forgot to mention, my name is Deng Shirong, and I’m from Naye Village in Bangjie Brigade, Songshan Commune. You have over two months to send someone to check on our situation and see if everything I’ve said is true."
Zhang Mother, who had little doubt to begin with, felt even more reassured. After all, who would waste their time telling such easily verifiable lies to her family? She smiled brightly, "Relative, there’s no need to send anyone. We trust you."
Deng Shirong waved his hand, "This isn’t about trust. I’m a straightforward person. Before coming to your home, I also had someone check on your situation. Marriage is a lifelong commitment, and as parents, we should be thorough. So, please, do send someone to verify everything. It’s for the sake of your daughter’s future."
Zhang Mother and her daughters were deeply impressed and did not refuse Deng Shirong’s suggestion, agreeing to it readily.
After discussing the main matters, Deng Shirong stayed to chat for a bit before getting up to leave.
"Relative, it’s getting late, so I’ll head back now!"
"That won’t do! It’s almost noon, and you’ve come all this way. You should stay for lunch!"
"No need to trouble you. My house is under construction, and the young men from the village are helping out. It wouldn’t be right for me to be away for too long. Once we’re relatives, there will be plenty of opportunities to eat together. No need to rush."
"Well… Alright, but this really makes me feel bad."
"There’s nothing to feel bad about. It’s fine. I’ll see you later!"
"See you later!"
(End of Chapter)
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