Even though Song Wei and his party had left, the Wen family was still in high spirits.
Previously, several tables were set up, and now the empty plates had been cleared and replaced with peanuts, sunflower seeds, candy, and tea.
The men were chatting away, while a few women gathered around Mrs. Zhou, envying the dowry brought by the Song family and filling her ears with sweet talk at no cost.
Someone remarked that Wen Wan was indeed beautiful, and only when she stood with the Song Family's Third Son did they make a perfect couple.
Another praised Mrs. Zhou for being a kind stepmother, raising her stepdaughter to be as fresh and lovely as a peach, which is why she caught the eye of Song Family's Third Son. If not for that, this marriage wouldn't have been possible.
Ecstatic at the sight of money, Mrs. Zhou's heart was already blooming with joy. After such praise, she was over the moon, departing from her usual stingy self, and handed everyone a large handful of peanut candies, telling them to bring it home to appease their children.
After seeing off the guests, Mrs. Zhou called Wen Shun along to return the borrowed tables, chairs, benches, and dishes to the Wen Laojia. Upon returning to the main hall, she saw Father Wen sitting silently on the kang and leaned over, "My dear, I have something to discuss with you."
Father Wen lifted his eyelids.
Mrs. Zhou continued, "I was thinking, when spring comes, let's send Shunzi to the village school. What do you think?"
Father Wen knew what she was planning, "We can't keep all the dowry from the Song family; we need to set aside half of it for a trousseau."
The money had just arrived and wasn't even warm before she was told to give it away? Mrs. Zhou was directly infuriated, "What? Half of it?"
In total, it's only thirty-six taels of silver, if half is taken, what's left?
What family sends off a daughter with such a hefty dowry?
No, this won't do!
She didn't even consider that if Wen Wan were to actually marry Limp Wang, she'd only get five taels of silver at most.
"The dowry from the Song family is quite abundant," Father Wen said, "We should show some gratitude. Otherwise, if the trousseau is too scant, Wan Niang won't be able to hold her ground in her husband's home."
Granny Song's bad temper is infamous in this area; she's difficult to deal with, sharp-tongued and stingy. People say when choosing a husband, one should also choose a mother-in-law.
Song Wei would be a fine husband, but he just happens to have such a mother.
Since there's no choosing a mother-in-law, the only thing to do is to make sure everything's proper from our side, so Granny Song won't constantly pick on her daughter-in-law.
Mrs. Zhou looked heartbroken, "But half is way too much."
"If Wan Niang doesn't get married, you wouldn't see even a single copper coin." Father Wen's expression was not pleasant.
Mrs. Zhou immediately felt a chill in her heart.
People say if there's a stepmother, there's a stepfather, but in the Wen family, even though she, the stepmother, had already secured her position by having a son, Wen Wan, that motherless little wench, was still the apple of her husband's eye, untouchable and unscoldable. Now that she's getting married, her husband is still planning for her future. Why doesn't he think about Shunzi, who will also need money to marry when he grows up? Spending so much money on a girl who will be married off, apart from looking good, what else will benefit this side of the family?
Afraid of Wen Wan having a hard life in the future?
To be blunt, Wen Wan, who is mute and unable to speak, would still be bullied in any family she's married into, even with a trousseau of a hundred or so taels of silver.
Despite her grievances, Mrs. Zhou glanced at Father Wen's firm face and, in the end, dared not argue with him, reluctantly counting half the silver into Father Wen's hand.
——
After Song Wei and the others returned to Upper River Village, Old Song's sister, Aunt Xie, was also there, talking with Granny Song in another room.
Hearing noise outside, Granny Song came out, seeing the three cousins empty-handed, her face fell, "What, our family went to deliver the dowry, and the Wen family didn't think to send something back with you? Is that younger stepmother of theirs stingier than me, this old woman?"
In matters like these, Xie Zheng and Xie Tao, the two brothers, wisely kept quiet, casting their eyes over to Song Wei.
Song Wei smiled lightly, "The Wen family has raised a daughter for fifteen years. Now we casually visit, and they willingly agreed to hand over the treasure they've cherished for fifteen years to marry your son. They aren't stingy." He paused, then added, "After all, they did it to match your generous reputation, Mother."
Granny Song couldn't outtalk him and huffed, "You're always full of twisted logic!"
Standing by the doorway, Aunt Xie observed that although her sister-in-law's face still appeared stern, her attitude had clearly softened a great deal, suggesting that her sister-in-law's heart was comforted by these words. She couldn't help but click her tongue twice, thinking this third nephew sure knew how to talk!
With this thought, Aunt Xie grabbed her youngest son Xie Tao by the ear, "Did you hear that? Learn well from your third cousin. Don't let that troublesome wife of yours lead you around and have you butting heads with your mother. I'm telling you, if she dares pull any more stunts in the future, you'll see how I handle her!"
Xie Tao was shamed by his mother in public and pouted, "Look at me, how can I compare to Third Brother?"
Third Brother is a scholar, while he's just a peasant tilling the soil. Isn't this comparison excessively hurtful?
——
Next door, Second Lang's wife, having heard that Song Wei was marrying a mute, laughed so hard she nearly lost her breath. Now, seeing those who had delivered the dowry return, she came over holding her Sanyang just as Granny Song was coming out to fetch water.
Granny Song had no welcoming expression for her, "What are you doing here?"
"Isn't Third Son delivering the dowry today? I thought I'd come by and have a look."
"It's not like your son is delivering the dowry, what are you looking at?"
Granny Song had no reservations about skewering others, hitting precisely where it stung.
Unable to produce a son, Second Lang's wife's face stiffened, "Mother, Third Son is, after all, my husband's younger brother. He hasn't married for so many years, now that he's finally settling down, what's wrong with me showing some concern?"
Granny Song spat at her, "You had nothing but sarcastic comments when you should have cared, and now that he's getting married, what's it to you?"
Second Lang's wife and husband had separated from the in-laws due to the death of the Da Lang couple.
Second Lang's wife believed Song Sanlang had some inauspicious fate, which not only caused the death of a girl but also of her own brother and sister-in-law. Afraid that someday it would affect her husband, she urged Song Erlang to cause a ruckus, leading to the division of land and money and a wall separating the households.
Over the years, they basically hadn't come over except during holidays.
When the Da Lang couple died, Song Wei fell apart, something both Granny Song and Old Song witnessed. In such times, as parents and siblings, ought they not to comfort him? This Second Daughter-in-law, however, only whispered in her husband's ear, blaming Third Son's bad fate, saying if things continued, it might soon be their turn, and even blaming her inability to produce a son on Third Son.
Granny Song lambasted the Second Daughter-in-law with a torrent of abuse back then but to no avail, as Song Erlang insisted on separating the family.
Granny Song's heart grew cold; ignoring Old Song's attempts to dissuade her, she split what should be split, handing over things to the second household, telling them to take their things and get out.
It's clear why today, with Song Sanlang delivering the dowry, Second Lang's wife eagerly coming over and getting scolded by her mother-in-law, wasn't completely undeserved.