Chapter 168 Song Ruqi: Am I Just Making Up the Numbers?
Madam Song did not expect Song Zhiyuan to be so agreeable, simply saying no and dropping the matter.
Though a bit surprised, she was nevertheless relieved.
She truly feared that Song Zhiyuan would stubbornly promise Song Ruqi to a poor family’s scholar. At that point, it wouldn’t be a question of willingness; it would be about whether Qi’er would even get on the bridal sedan.
Even if Qi’er were to comply out of filial obedience, would she not be compared to her elder sister’s marriage? Among sisters, the greatest fear is comparing husbands and children.
Madam Song understood this very well; among her sisters, who hadn’t made comparisons?
Alas.
Nanny Fang handed a cup of longan tea to Madam Song and said, "Madam, don’t overthink it. You should get some rest. Since the Prime Minister has decided, he won’t change his mind, so relax."
"I know, isn’t it just a bit unexpected? It’s one thing to say she won’t enter the palace to be considered as an imperial concubine, but to actually think of a poor family’s scholar—such a disparity, it’s like heaven and earth." Madam Song took the tea to calm her nerves; she was truly a little frightened.
"For the Prime Minister to even mention it, that person must be exceptionally outstanding."
Madam Song gave a bitter smile, "No matter how outstanding, it can’t outweigh one’s background. Nanny, don’t you know how I got through back then? How can I let Qi’er suffer such hardships? Her ambitions are high; if she really married into a poor family, how could she be content to live peacefully with her husband? You know, many women have their true nature worn down by the grind of daily life."
Saying that she is too proud to look down on lower-class families isn’t an excuse; in truth, she can’t bear to see her daughter struggle bitterly in a poor household. She is truly afraid.