The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity Novel – Keep Her a Few More Days Before Selling Wen Wan sat under the jujube tree, picking string beans. Inside the house, her stepmother, Mrs. Zhou, chatted quietly with her mother, Mrs. Wu. Mrs. Wu said, “Your stepdaughter will be sixteen after the new year, right?” Mrs. Zhou sat cross-legged on the kang, working on some needlework. Hearing her mother’s words, she raised her eyelids slightly and nodded.
Mrs. Wu couldn’t help but worry for her daughter, seeing Mrs. Zhou’s indifferent attitude. “How come no one has proposed yet?” Mrs. Zhou shook her head, “Not yet!” “Why aren’t you worried?” Mrs. Wu’s voice grew more intense. Mrs. Zhou glanced out the window, making sure Wen Wan couldn’t hear their conversation, then lowered her voice. “What’s there to be anxious about? It’s better she stays at home, taking care of everything inside and out.
As her stepmother, I can enjoy some peace. If she leaves, who’ll do all the chores? The cows, the sheep—am I supposed to handle everything myself?” Mrs. Wu slapped her thigh in disapproval. “My dear daughter, you can’t just think about the present. You should also think about Shunzi.” Wen Shun was Wen Wan’s stepbrother’s name. Hearing this, Mrs. Zhou paused her action of biting the thread, and looked towards Mrs. Wu. “Mother, what do you mean?” Mrs. Wu thought about the recent events in their village and couldn’t help but feel envious. “Do you remember that poor scholar from our village?” “The one who tried for years but never passed, and the wealthy master personally broke off the engagement?” “Exactly, in the past few years, he assured Ning’s wealthy master that he would pass the exam and marry his daughter.
But he failed right at the end. Ning’s daughter waited from a young girl till she was a grown woman. Wouldn’t she be furious? Ning’s wealthy master, being a man of temper, broke off the engagement without a word.” “That scholar became the laughingstock of our village. He went to the province to try again this year, and guess what happened?” Mrs. Zhou’s eyes widened. “Did he pass?” Mrs. Wu spoke with a bitter tone, “They just had a banquet yesterday.
Your father even went for a drink. He said a few wealthy merchants came to town to present gifts to Mr. Scholar! Filled up half the main room, goodness, all very precious.” Mrs. Zhou listened eagerly, “Winning the scholar title can bring such benefits?” “Why else would they call the poor scholar Mr. Scholar? If he passes, he has the chance to become an official at the county government.
Everyone will be eager to curry favor, especially those doing business. They are clever, starting relationships early; they will certainly need favors in the future.” Mrs. Wu looked at her daughter. “I’m telling you, send Shunzi to study. Maybe he’ll earn a title too. Then you’ll be Scholar’s Mother, receive benefits from hanging fields, and won’t worry about food or clothing.” In the Great Chu Dynasty, lands under a scholar’s name were exempt from 400 mu of land tax and eight labor corvée per person.
So if someone passed the exams, people from neighboring villages would rush to them, pleading to hang their lands under the scholar’s name to reduce taxes, even trying to establish familial ties to avoid labor dutie