Su Xiaoqi blinked and looked at Shen Yun.
He was straightforward: "Mother, Mingzhu's marriage, she knows what's best for herself."
"She knows what's best? Oh dear, my son, marriage is a great matter, decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers."
Zhao Shi found it a little strange, but seeing Shen Yun's insistence and Su Xiaoqi having no objections, she stopped speaking.
Ultimately, her Mingzhu was the one who would benefit.
As a mother, she naturally hoped her daughter would marry a man who was in tune with her heart, rather than a marriage of convenience.
However, she was quite curious as to who that person might be.
Su Xiaoqi said, "It is the Chen family's young master from Mianzhou City."
"The one from Jinniang's family?" Zhao Shi recalled that Chen Jinniang had a son.
After Shen Yun and Su Xiaoqi arrived in the capital, they often brought food and silks to visit her, taking good care of her.
Su Xiaoqi smiled without speaking, which was an admission.
Zhao Shi's mind conjured an image of a refined yet naive face.
She remembered Chen Jinniang introducing him as Chen Jia'an, eighteen years old and a scholar.
He had been admitted to the same provincial examination as Shen Yun, but because he wasn't ready, he hadn't passed the provincial exams.
However, his mindset was good; he returned home to help manage the family business while continuing his studies.
He wasn't someone who was unaccustomed to labor and ignorant of worldly affairs, engrossed only in books.
Nor was he the type to bury himself in money with a focus on profit.
"What do you think, Mother?" Su Xiaoqi seized the opportunity to ask on behalf of Shen Mingzhu.
Zhao Shi replied, "I have met that child. He seems to have no major flaws.
However, we are in the capital now, and he is in Mianzhou City. The distance is quite far."
She had only one daughter, Mingzhu, and allowing her to marry far away was simply not feasible.
Su Xiaoqi nodded, "Isn't that so? It is indeed a bit far, but my husband said that he will strive to pass the provincial exams and come to the capital as soon as possible."
But even then, it would be at least two years later.
Unless there was a special imperial examination, the provincial exams were held only once every three years, and one could not simply take them whenever they wished.
Moreover, even if one took the exam, there was no guarantee of passing.
From then on, Zhao Shi became preoccupied.
Although she felt that the young man was a good match in terms of appearance, disposition, and character, the long distance and uncertain future made her uneasy.
"Don't worry, Mother. My husband will diligently encourage him to improve.
If he truly cannot come to the capital, then so be it," Su Xiaoqi said deliberately.
"No, no, let's wait and see." Zhao Shi had only one daughter, Mingzhu, who had suffered a lot with her in her early years.
How could she bear to hinder her in such an important matter as her marriage?
She could only hold Shen Yun's hand and earnestly instruct him to supervise Chen Jia'an well and teach him to strive for progress.
Having received a positive reply, Su Xiaoqi turned and went to Shen Mingzhu's room, relaying everything Zhao Shi had said.
Shen Mingzhu initially felt shy. Su Xiaoqi comforted her, "Marriage is a natural order of things. Little sister, there's no need to be bashful.
From now on, if you have any thoughts, you can tell me. I am your sister-in-law, and I will naturally plan for you."
Shen Mingzhu nodded vigorously. She already knew how good her sister-in-law was.
In fact, her own sister was no better.
Therefore, she was not worried about her marriage.
However, she was worried about something else.
"Little sister, do you have any other hidden concerns?" Su Xiaoqi, observing her expression, asked.
"It's not about me, it's about Xiao Zhu Jie Jie."
"What about Xiao Zhu?" Su Xiaoqi asked.
Speaking of which, they had been in the capital for over half a year, and Zhao Xiaozhu still sent letters every month.
But she would at most talk about learning embroidery from Aunt Wen in the backyard of the supermarket.
The learning situation of the children in Zhao Liushun's school.
And the prosperity of the business in the front-yard supermarket and the progress of the estate.
Basically, it was all good news, and she had never heard her complain.
"When you mentioned my marriage today, I thought of Xiao Zhu Jie Jie. Who will plan for her side?"
Su Xiaoqi's heart skipped a beat.
She had to admit that Shen Mingzhu had a point.
She really hadn't considered this aspect.
She felt a little ashamed.
Zhao Xiaozhu was older than Shen Mingzhu, almost fifteen years old. In a normal family, a betrothal would be arranged by this age.
But Zhao Xiaozhu's situation was special. Without family or parents to plan for her, and being unable to arrange her own match, it was indeed difficult.
"Do you know if Xiao Zhu has someone she likes?" Su Xiaoqi asked tentatively.
Shen Mingzhu was silent for a moment and said, "When I was in Mianzhou City, I was close to Xiao Zhu Jie Jie.
Once, while chatting with her, I heard her mention it."
Su Xiaoqi clapped her hands, "If she has someone she likes, it's simple. I'll write a letter to Aunt Wen and Sixth Uncle, and they can help consult and deal with it."
Shen Mingzhu shook her hand and asked, "Sister-in-law, do you know who Xiao Zhu Jie Jie likes?"
Su Xiaoqi immediately felt something was amiss upon hearing this.
Looking at Shen Mingzhu's expression, it seemed that Zhao Xiaozhu liked someone remarkable.
She blinked, and her heart suddenly trembled as she uttered the name: "Could it be, could it be Zhao Ye... no, Liang Jingchen?"
After much thought, the only person Zhao Xiaozhu knew and was familiar with was Liang Jingchen.
At that time, he was just an orphan living in the countryside.
He had no home, no livelihood, so she let him watch the fish by the pond she had leased.
From that moment on, Zhao Xiaozhu often brought him food.
Over time, they must have become familiar with each other.
It was not unreasonable for her to like him.
However, a problem arose.
Zhao Xiaozhu liked Liang Jingchen.
But Liang Jingchen did not like Zhao Xiaozhu.
Su Xiaoqi didn't need to think deeply about this; she knew it from Liang Jingchen's usual behavior.
Given his personality, if he liked someone, why would he have forgotten her in Mianzhou City for so long?
Moreover, even if he liked her, given the difference in their status, Zhao Xiaozhu would likely only be his concubine.
This problem was rather difficult.
Su Xiaoqi was troubled. She comforted Shen Mingzhu for a while and said that she would discuss this matter properly with her brother, and in any case, they would not abandon Zhao Xiaozhu.
Shen Mingzhu agreed and also mentioned another matter.
"Sister-in-law, you mentioned before that you wanted to take in some children who were displaced and homeless due to the famine.
Yi Yi Jie Jie and I found some outside and have settled them in the backyard of Liuyuan."
"Oh, how many people?" Su Xiaoqi had casually mentioned this when she saw people selling their children for food during the famine, and her heart ached.
If she could help them, she would.
She hadn't expected Du Yiyi and Shen Mingzhu to take it to heart.
"They are truly pitiful. Little Magpie also said that seeing them reminded her of herself, so she took them in at Liuyuan.
They can be given some work to do, which will also fill their stomachs."
Su Xiaoqi nodded, agreeing that they had done the right thing.
However, she believed they should not be treated as servants or maids.
"These people originally came from good families, not from lowly status. It is truly unsuitable to use them as servants."
"It's all up to sister-in-law's decision." Shen Mingzhu also agreed, but their three's ideas were limited. Besides settling them at Liuyuan, they didn't know where else to put them.
"I also bought a farm in the southern suburbs. I can send them there temporarily. Once things are less busy, I will go and see them."
Su Xiaoqi actually had some ideas for them. If used well, it would be beneficial to her and a good thing for themselves.
Simply providing them with food and lodging would be of no real use.