Ch 50: The Farmer Ger in the Apocalypse

Previously, Miao Shi had merely found the young man unappealing. But after hearing what Madam Wang had to say, she now wanted absolutely nothing to do with this family! Just listen to that nonsense—Miao Shi was left speechless. Madam Wang had just criticized other parents for only caring about money, yet now she turned around and demanded ten taels of silver? So in the end, she wasn’t any different?

Ten taels! In the village, even an untouched maiden’s bride price was typically only five or six taels, and a ger’s was usually even less. While bringing in a live-in son-in-law did typically cost more, the highest she had ever heard was eight taels. And yet, Madam Wang dared to say they “only” wanted ten? Did she take them for fools?

And another thing—what was this nonsense about “many young ladies and gers being fond of my son”? In this world, reputation was everything for women and gers. If a village girl or ger ever openly showed such thoughts, they’d be drowned in people’s gossip. Whether Madam Wang was exaggerating or outright lying, it only showed her lack of character!

Although Miao Shi’s expression grew darker with every word, she didn’t immediately speak. Instead, she first glanced at Matchmaker Wei, whose face was also full of awkwardness. That told her everything she needed to know.

Matchmaker Wei, at this moment, was deeply regretting her decision! Typically, when arranging marriages, why did people use a matchmaker instead of speaking directly? Because without a mediator, things could easily get heated and hurt relationships. Sometimes, a single careless word could escalate into an argument, and who knew what ugly things might be said? A matchmaker could smooth things over and prevent such conflicts.

That was precisely why, at first, Matchmaker Wei had planned to bring only Madam Wang and leave Wang San waiting at her home.

But Madam Wang had insisted that Miao Shi needed to see her son in person—guaranteeing that she would be impressed at first glance. Matchmaker Wei had felt uneasy about it, but the 100-plus copper coins in her pocket had convinced her otherwise. Worst case, if things went poorly and they were kicked out, there would just be one more person leaving alongside her. What harm could that do?

She had never expected this mother and son pair to be such a disaster—one with a perpetually dark expression and the other speaking utter nonsense the moment she opened her mouth!

Just as Matchmaker Wei was fuming over her own miscalculation, Miao Shi spoke up, her tone light yet sharp.

“Sister Chunfang, I really don’t understand. My family may have come into a bit of money, but as you know, we have no land. This house is rented. We barely have a foundation to stand on—how could we afford to buy people?”

She took a sip of her sweet tea, smiling as she continued, “Sister Chunfang, you truly are talented—not only working as a matchmaker and midwife but now dealing in human sales too? But even if you were in that business, I couldn’t support it. My family has no farmland, just a handful of chores. Qing Ge’er and I manage them just fine together. Why would we need to buy people?”

It was fortunate that Shen Qing had just spoken to her about buying servants, giving her the perfect excuse to steer the conversation in another direction. Before things could escalate further, she pretended to be oblivious and attempted to usher them out. Madam Wang didn’t seem particularly sensible, and Miao Shi knew she wasn’t good at arguing. She had no desire to engage with her directly.

Matchmaker Wei’s face flushed slightly. She knew Miao Shi was giving her an out. She also hadn’t expected Madam Wang to be so brazen in her demands—was her son made of gold that she dared ask for ten taels?

But Madam Wang still felt like she was asking too little! Her family had no money, yet she still had four more sons to marry off, not to mention the two taels of silver she had promised Matchmaker Wei. Ten taels wouldn’t even be enough to get two wives! She had already gone as low as she could.

Seeing Miao Shi’s reaction, Matchmaker Wei quickly stood up. “This is my fault entirely. I didn’t think things through. Right now, it’s more important for you to buy land and build a house. We can talk about this later.”

She then reached to pull Madam Wang up. “Let’s go, Sister Wang. This isn’t going to work out.”

But Madam Wang wasn’t ready to leave—whether she truly didn’t understand or was just pretending, she stubbornly sat her ground. She had spent a small fortune of 100-plus copper coins just to be here. There was no way she was leaving with nothing but a cup of tea!

“Go? Why would we go? Did you even understand what I was saying? What do you mean buying and selling people? I came to arrange a marriage!” She yanked her arm away from Matchmaker Wei and turned back to Miao Shi.

“Your ger is already nineteen and still unmarried. Isn’t he looking for a live-in husband? What, is my son not good enough? What kind of match do you think your ger deserves at his age and with his looks?”

Oh, so she was refusing a polite rejection?

Miao Shi’s face flushed with anger. She hadn’t expected to be insulted in her own home—to have someone barge in and openly criticize her son! She opened her mouth to retort but struggled to find the words. Before she could say anything, however, Shen Qing had already pushed aside the kitchen curtain and stepped out.

“What’s wrong with my age and my looks?”

Madam Wang had heard of Shen Qing’s feat of hunting wild boars but, unlike the villagers of Lantang, hadn’t witnessed his strength firsthand. She didn’t notice how Matchmaker Wei had already shrunk into a corner, afraid that Shen Qing might throw punches.

She gave him a once-over and sneered. “You really don’t know? You need someone to spell it out for you? Let me tell you—if a man wants to marry you, you should grab the chance while you can. Otherwise, you might not get another offer. A fine man like my son? If you miss this, you won’t find another even with a lantern!”

She was already unhappy that a ger had barged into a marriage discussion. Luckily, it was her son being married off, so they wouldn’t have to live under the same roof. Otherwise, what kind of unruly ger was this?

But Shen Qing just smirked, mirroring her own expression. “Your son is indeed… alright.”

Madam Wang immediately perked up, looking pleased with herself.

But Shen Qing continued, “However, our family rejects this match. Not because your son isn’t good enough, but because of you. Marriage isn’t just about two people—it’s about family background, character, and values. And you? You’re greedy, rude, and arrogant. What makes you think your son is worth ten taels? You even have the audacity to insult someone else’s child just to elevate your own. No decent person would do that. Even if your son were the most handsome and capable man alive, we wouldn’t want any connection with you.”

Gasps filled the room.

Most people would at least sugarcoat their words, leaving some room for the other party to save face. But Shen Qing? He had just ripped away Madam Wang’s dignity, exposing her for what she was.

Even Wang San, standing beside her, looked deeply troubled, as if recalling many past grievances. He lowered his head in silence.

Madam Wang, shaking with rage, pointed a trembling finger at Shen Qing. “You—you—”

Shen Qing didn’t let up. “Besides, a marriage should be about partnership, not resentment. Look at your son—does he seem like he even wants this? If I’m going to take in a husband, it will be someone who values me, someone willing to build a life with me. I have no interest in bringing home a sulking ancestor to worship.”

At this, Wang San’s gaze flickered strangely toward Shen Qing.

Shen Qing then turned to Matchmaker Wei, his tone softening. “Aunt Wei, I appreciate your efforts. Our family may have made some money, but that money was earned by risking my life against wild boars. If you truly care about me, please, be more selective when arranging matches. Don’t bring people like this to my door.”

Miao Shi, still fuming, nodded fervently. “Exactly! Exactly!”

Matchmaker Wei, flustered, quickly nodded. “I—I didn’t know they were like this! They gave me 100 wen to bring them here—I’ll return the money right away!”

Madam Wang: “???”

Even Wang San had had enough. He grabbed his mother’s arm and pulled her toward the door. “Mom, let’s just go!”

“Leave? Why should I leave?!” Madam Wang fumed, unable to swallow her frustration. She had thought this plan was a sure thing—ten taels of silver practically within her grasp—only for it to slip through her fingers, leaving her not only empty-handed but also out over a hundred wen in bribes. Worse still, she had been thoroughly humiliated by Shen Qing. Back in Xiaoji Village, she was used to getting her way, with five sons to back her up. If her sons couldn’t get wives, it wasn’t entirely due to their poverty—Shen Qing had hit the nail on the head earlier, though not everyone was as “kind” as him to tell her the truth to her face.

“I’ve never seen such a shameless ger before!” Madam Wang’s face darkened as she sneered. “Not even married yet, and already picky about men and in-laws—already criticizing elders! I’m letting this slide because I’m being generous, but you’d better take this opportunity while it lasts! If you agree to this marriage now, fine. Otherwise, I’ll spread today’s events everywhere—I’d like to see who else dares to set foot in your house after that!”

Did she really think she could threaten him? Shen Qing found this all quite ridiculous. Did he look like someone who cared about his reputation? In fact, he preferred his reputation to be as fierce and intimidating as possible—just look at how terrified Matchmaker Wei was! Maybe now she’d think twice before dragging people like this to his door.

Going straight for the kill, Shen Qing looked at Madam Wang with exaggerated sympathy and said, “Do you really believe that mere gossip can control me? My reputation was already bad enough before, yet here you are at my doorstep. Do you really not know why? As long as I have money, do I have to find a husband in the village? I can go straight to the county registry and buy the strongest, tallest man available for just ten taels of silver. You think a few words from you will stop them from selling to me?”

Madam Wang gaped, utterly stunned. That was an option? How had she never thought of this before?

She clenched her teeth and tried to find a counterargument. “But—but men from the registry are all from servile households—”

“Exactly,” Shen Qing cut her off. “And? What does that have to do with you? To be honest, I’d rather spend a little extra on someone of my own choosing—at least they wouldn’t come with a troublesome mother like you.”

A sigh suddenly escaped Wang San, followed by a sharp tug on his mother’s sleeve. “Mom, just stop embarrassing yourself. Let’s go.” He turned to Shen Qing, his eyes flickering with complex emotions before he lowered his gaze. “He’s right. Marriage has to be mutual. And I don’t want this either! Why should I be the one to become a live-in son-in-law?”

Madam Wang hadn’t expected that—not only was she unable to deal with Shen Qing, but now even her own son was rebelling! She couldn’t do anything to Shen Qing—though she dearly wished she could slap that mouth of his shut, she wasn’t stupid enough to try. He was taller and stronger than her, and she’d only end up humiliated.

But hitting her own son? That was easy. All the anger she had swallowed in this conversation now had a perfect outlet. Raising her hand, she delivered a hard slap across Wang San’s face. “What nonsense are you spouting? I’m your mother! Marriage is decided by parents—if I say you’re becoming a live-in husband, then that’s what you’re doing! Your two older brothers still haven’t gotten wives—if you don’t bring home a bride price, how are they supposed to get married? Why are you so selfish, only thinking of yourself?!”

“I’m a son too! I don’t have a wife either! Why should I be the one sacrificed for them?!” Wang San shouted back, clutching his stinging cheek, his eyes red as he glared at her.

Madam Wang was stunned. Why? Because the eldest was her firstborn, and she loved him the most. The second had a sweet tongue and always brought her little gifts from the mountains. The youngest two were still small, so of course, they needed extra care… She cherished all her sons—except for the third one. Born in the middle, he had always been easy to overlook. He had grown up quiet and sullen, never smiling, never making himself likable.

But how could she admit that out loud? Could she just say, “I’m biased”? Could she just say, “I don’t like you”? She couldn’t. And she wouldn’t. Instead, she turned her anger into a scolding. “Fine, fine! You ungrateful child! Instead of helping your mother when others are insulting me to my face, you turn on me too?!” She landed another slap across his face. “I’m making a fool of myself here all for you—to find you a good family!”

Wang San didn’t even dodge, just let her hit him. But his bloodshot eyes locked onto her, unflinching, unwavering, making her feel more and more uneasy. In the end, she stomped her foot in frustration and stormed out of the yard.

Meanwhile, Miao Shi and Shen Qing were squatting off to the side, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

“Well, I’ve heard of families demanding high bride prices for their daughters and gers to marry off their sons, but this is the first time I’ve seen them try to sell off their son to buy wives for the others,” Miao Shi commented.

“The world is full of wonders,” Shen Qing replied. “In some situations, sons aren’t always superior. Sometimes, they end up just like gers or even daughters.”

Miao Shi looked puzzled. “What are you even talking about?”

Shen Qing shook his head. “Nothing. Just rambling.” He watched as Wang San lingered for a moment after his mother left, then—unexpectedly—walked toward them.

“I’m sorry… about my mother…” Wang San forced the words out as if they physically pained him. He stood stiffly, bowing slightly to both Shen Qing and Miao Shi. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with your ger. Really.”

Miao Shi felt awkward. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Your mother was the one talking nonsense—it’s not your fault.” She quickly shot a glance at Matchmaker Wei, who was still cowering in the corner: What are you waiting for? Get him out of here!

But instead of leaving, Wang San turned slightly toward Shen Qing. “We have too many sons at home—five brothers, and we’re poor… though not that poor. But my mother has such a bad reputation that no one in the village wants to marry into our family. So when they discuss marriage, they always demand an impossibly high bride price. My two older brothers… and I… have all been delayed. And because I’m the least favored, my mother decided I should be the one sacrificed—she wanted me to be a live-in husband so she could use the bride price to help my brothers marry.”

His voice turned even quieter. “Today, I just… it broke me. If—I’m just saying if—I didn’t ask for ten taels…”

Shen Qing tilted his head at him. “Stop right there. You don’t actually think that after causing this whole scene, telling me a sob story would make me pity you and agree to this marriage, do you?”

Wang San froze, completely caught off guard.

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