Chapter 922: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 922: Love, Hate, and Poaching (3)
Knowing that the Cui family would come sooner or later, Mo Yan rewarded Fan Meijiao with two daily doses of bird droppings on her head and simply waited at home.
That day, since the cloudy weather made it less sunny, Mo Yan took a walk around the herb fields and orchards, planning to select suitable locations to build housing for the 300 soldiers who had come from the border.
The houses didn’t need to be extravagant—something similar to modern student dormitories would suffice. They would be arranged in rows, with each row divided into small rooms, each accommodating four people. This way, the soldiers could look out for each other and offer help when needed.
At least 75 rooms were required for this setup. Adding in the kitchens, washrooms, and other necessary facilities, the total would be around 90 rooms.
Though the project was not small, it was relatively simple. Once the foundations were dug, laying bricks and roofing would be straightforward. Mo Yan decided to entrust the work to the villagers rather than trouble Master Lu.
The village school had already been built. Once the weather cooled down, parents could register their children, and after determining the number of students, a teacher would be hired. In the meantime, there was enough manpower to assist with the construction.
Having roughly selected the locations for the houses, Mo Yan called for the six beasts that had been wandering around and began strolling back home. However, before she reached her house, she ran into Li Yan, who had come looking for her. It turned out that the Cui family had once again sent a matchmaker—this time, accompanied by a woman Mo Yan didn’t recognize, a relative of the Cui family.
After the customary greetings, before the matchmaker, Madam An, could even begin discussing the matter, Mo Yan got straight to the point. “Madam An, to be honest, I have already been engaged and cannot accept the Cui family’s proposal.”
Madam An, unaware of this, was taken aback. “The county princess is already engaged? Why have I never heard of it?”
Realizing that her words sounded like an accusation of dishonesty, she quickly tried to amend them. “Please forgive me, County Princess. I was simply too surprised and meant no offense.”
Madam An’s rank was not far below Mo Yan’s, but Mo Yan was not someone who clung to trivial grievances. She responded gently, “This is not a matter worth publicizing, and I rarely go out, so it’s not surprising that Madam hasn’t heard of it.”
Even Emperor Hui’an had been kept in the dark about this, so it was no wonder that noble families had not heard about it either.
Madam An momentarily fell silent but was unwilling to give up. She forced a smile and asked, “May I ask which esteemed young master is fortunate enough to marry the County Princess? It truly makes one envious.”
Mo Yan knew she was doubting her words but maintained her composure and replied vaguely, “Madam flatters me. He is from a military background, so you may not have heard of him.”
Madam An was not well-versed in court military affairs but was familiar with the most prominent families. She mentally went through the notable names but couldn’t match any to Mo Yan’s fiancé. Seeing Mo Yan’s vague response, she became even more convinced that the engagement was to someone of little significance. With renewed confidence, she decided to make another attempt.
Since no formal betrothal ceremony had taken place, breaking the engagement wouldn’t count as interfering with another’s marriage. So she continued persuading, “Although I don’t know which family the County Princess is engaged to, I do know that marriage is like a second birth for a woman. If one chooses poorly, life will be full of hardship. But if one chooses well, there will be marital harmony, filial children, and a secure future. Isn’t that what every woman desires?”
Mo Yan didn’t fully agree with this perspective, but it did reflect the reality for most women of the time. She nodded slightly, not arguing, though she was puzzled as to why Madam An suddenly brought this up.
(End of Chapter)
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