The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family

Seeing her eyes filled with disdain and dissatisfaction, Yu Qingxiu couldn’t help but feel disheartened, and she dared not say anything more. Pei Qin held a Third Rank enjoin, which was several ranks higher than the County Magistrate, and the Li family weren’t their legitimate relatives. They had climbed up to associate with them, so it wasn’t wrong for her to uphold her own status. If her mother-in-law really blamed her for this and they offended them, how could they approach them again later?

Although Grandma Li thought this way and still intended to seek their help in the future, the repeated attempts to garner such assistance had left her with a sense of resentment. Even with all the respect she showed, they still refused to visit, looking down on them as if her son’s academic achievement was owed to their great efforts.

This content belongs to NoveIꜰire.net

Old Man Li saw that Yu Qingxiu was too shy to say more and advised Grandma Li, "You should speak less too! It’s busy during spring plowing, and it’s not something you can blame them for. If someone were to spread the word, who knows if they might hold a grudge against us and trip up Bao Xiang!"

"I just uttered a few words, what’s there to spread around!? Who would dare to spout such nonsense!?" Grandma Li said, glaring fiercely at Yu Qingxiu as a warning not to carelessly speak of these matters.

Now that Yu Qingxiu had married into the family, she was naturally one of the Lis. If she let slip what her mother-in-law had said, offending Pei Qin and the rest was inevitable.

Grandma Li muttered a few complaints, but ultimately, thinking of the upcoming township examination the year after, she held back her comments. When they had prepared all the items for the banquet, they set aside a portion and sent Yu Qingxiu and Li Bao Xiang to deliver it to Pei Qin, "Tell them that Bao Xiang should also go to the Imperial College in Capital Jingcheng to study. Didn’t Fang Liuming go there to study and then passed the Palace Examination to become an official? Let Bao Xiang go too, so that in two years’ time, if he excels, he could stay in Jingcheng and become an official too!"

Seeing Grandma Li’s gaze fixed on her, obviously addressing her, Yu Qingxiu felt somewhat troubled, "Cousin Liuming... He went to Jingcheng after he passed as a Graduate."

"He went after passing as a Graduate, but what about Fang Fu!? He is still only a Scholar! He went! Why shouldn’t Bao Xiang be able to go? Now that you’ve married into the Li family, you should consider your husband’s interests and not let your elbow turn outwards!" Grandma Li said sternly, looking at her.

Yu Qingxiu didn’t dare to continue and simply said, "I’ll try."

"When you get there, you really must speak well! You’re not just addressing her as ’cousin’ now, but rather, beseech them, and insist that they send Bao Xiang to that Imperial College in Jingcheng!" Grandma Li instructed her.

Yu Qingxiu could only agree.