CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 145: HOW COULD HIS SHREWD MOTHER EVER BE TRICKED?

Zheng Chunhua never left, helping Meng Yao deal with the villagers, until the village chief arrived and said something, after which the crowd slowly dispersed.

"This is a happy event for your Zhao Family, and also a happy event for our Shanghua Village. You’ve seen the attitude of the villagers; they won’t be pleased unless there’s some festivity. They all want to take this opportunity to get closer to your family. I’d say, Meng, you shouldn’t refuse this," said the village chief.

When Zhao Ting was around, there were a few good families in the village.

But after Zhao Ting’s incident, many debt collectors came knocking, and everyone feared being implicated, so they all remained on the sidelines, and the original owner, disheartened, simply cut off contact.

Now, with Zhao Dahe showing promise, he could very well become Shanghua Village’s most successful youngster. In the future, he might even become an official. If they don’t seize this chance to mend relations, when else will they have the opportunity to connect with the Zhao Family?

Meng Yao was unwilling.

But Meng Yao also knew that their family roots were here, and no matter how far Zhao Dahe goes in the future, it would be impossible to sever ties with the village. In other words, Shanghua Village is also a support for Zhao Dahe.

In ancient times, clan relationships were important; Zhao Ting had married in, so Zhao Dahe’s connections only extended as far as Shanghua Village.

"For how to organize this, I’ll have to rely on you and your wife, village chief," Meng Yao said.

The village chief readily agreed, as being entrusted to organize such an event was a sign of the Zhao family’s trust in him.

"There are some things I need to discuss with Dahe," the village chief cleared his throat.

Zhao Dahe politely invited the village chief into the house.

After the county exam, there’s still the provincial and academy exams.

What the village chief wanted to say was essentially telling Zhao Dahe to stay grounded and not to get complacent because of his first place in the county exam. What he needs to do now is to settle down and focus on preparing for the upcoming provincial exam in April.

He mustn’t be so flattered by compliments to the point of losing sight of reality. Those who emerged from the county exams all have some skills. Being careless in the provincial exam could lead to failure and disgrace.

The village chief’s words were heartfelt, so Zhao Dahe listened intently.

Then, the village chief shifted topics, "Now that you’ve topped the county exam, many families will likely set their sights on you. Your mother is just a woman; her vision may not be very far-seeing, so as your elder, I want to share some heartfelt advice with you."

Zhao Dahe remained calm outwardly, but inwardly he disagreed with the village chief.

His mother’s foresight was limited? Was he joking? He believed that even if all the women in Zhou Country pooled their foresight, it wouldn’t compare to his mother’s vision.

"Please, go ahead," Zhao Dahe said politely.

"It’s about your marriage," the village chief came straight to the point.

The most direct way to connect with the Zhao family is through marriage.

Zhao Dajiang is already married, so there are limited schemes to play on him.

Zhao Dahe is of the right age, and he’s the one showing promise. From the surrounding villages to the town and even the county, there must be quite a few families now looking to match him.

"Marriage is a matter of parental arrangement; naturally, my mother will make the decisions," Zhao Dahe said.

"The glitter of wealth can blind the eyes. Your mother hasn’t experienced such grand occasions before. If the other side offers some irresistible conditions, what if your mother directly decides on the marriage for you? Dahe, your achievements surely won’t stop here. If you settle on a marriage now, your wife’s family is at best a wealthy household in the county," the village chief said earnestly.

Wealthy households in the county are prominent enough there.

But what about beyond the county? The State, the Capital City.

A good wife’s family can be an asset in officialdom.

A bad wife’s family would be a stumbling block.

The Zhao Family lacks a solid foundation, so a good wife’s family is crucial.

The village chief’s words were quite sincere.

If it were a bad situation, he might not even mention it, or possibly even assist in arranging a marriage.

Zhao Dahe wasn’t worried in the least that his mother would lose her head.

How could someone so shrewd be easily fooled by others?

"Alright, I’ll discuss what you said with my mother," Zhao Dahe said.

Zhao Dahe’s attitude made the village chief very happy; this young man was someone he could get along with. At least, his attitude towards him remained respectful and consistent both before and after the exams.

After sending off the village chief and his wife, Li Chang’an drove a carriage to accompany Zhao Dahe to the Qian Family and Li Family to share the good news and send invitations.

Meng Yao took Song Xiu’er out to meet the cook introduced by Zheng Chunhua.

In the countryside, there are cooks who specialize in handling weddings and funerals, bringing along tables, chairs, and dishes. If the hosts want to provide the ingredients themselves, they can do so. If not, the cooks will handle everything for a fee.

This wasn’t just a small banquet of one or two tables; a family member could manage just to get by.

With dozens of tables, although it would be tiring, Meng Yao could also do it herself. But why go to all that trouble? Not to mention, among the guests, there were many people Meng Yao would rather not see.

The cook’s wife was also a Zheng, from the same village as Zheng Chunhua’s family, and had a good nature. Hearing that Meng Yao was introduced by Zheng Chunhua, she warmly called her sister-in-law.

Once she found out that the banquet was to celebrate Meng Yao’s son, who had come first in the county examination, she became even more enthusiastic. The title of sister-in-law transformed into "madam," saying they were delighted to be chosen for such a joyful event and assured her that they would handle it beautifully.

Meng Yao felt confident in anyone introduced by Zheng Chunhua, and after explaining her requirements in detail, she entrusted everything to the cook’s family.

Meanwhile, Zhao Dahe and Li Chang’an arrived at the Qian Family, where Mrs. Qian was absent, so Zhao Dahe went straight to meet Teacher Wang.

Teacher Wang was in the middle of teaching a class. Upon hearing the news, he was overjoyed and gave the students a half-day off.

Teacher Wang’s students were familiar with Zhao Dahe, and upon hearing the news, they were naturally happy, gathering around to congratulate him and insisting Zhao Dahe treat them to a meal.

So, Zhao Dahe discussed with Teacher Wang about bringing all the fellow students to Shanghua Village the next day for a banquet to celebrate.

Teacher Wang barely hesitated before agreeing to Zhao Dahe’s proposal.

Everyone cheered and was extremely pleased.

Except Song Yang.

Song Yang was somewhat dejected; he had confidently told many that Zhao Dahe wouldn’t make it onto the list. Now, not only did he make it, but he topped it.

Inviting him to the banquet felt like a slap in the face—a deliberate act of revenge and humiliation.

Since they still had to deliver the news to the Li Family, Zhao Dahe didn’t linger long, saying a few words to everyone before quickly leaving with Li Chang’an.

Teacher Wang, hands behind his back, leisurely returned to his courtyard for a little drink.

As for the students, they gathered to discuss contributing money to buy something for Zhao Dahe; showing up empty-handed at the banquet wouldn’t be appropriate.

Besides, having a fellow student excel in the county exams reflects well on them. And if they take the imperial examinations in the future, they might need his guidance. If there were any previous misunderstandings, this was the perfect chance to clear the air.

"Senior Brother Song Yang, you’re usually the most dependable among us. What do you think we should buy?" someone directed their attention to Song Yang.

Song Yang: Dependable? Don’t think he couldn’t catch their insinuation—it was a roundabout way of saying he was older and not as good as Zhao Dahe.

These people always hovered around him day in and day out. Now with Zhao Dahe’s success, they shamelessly shifted their allegiance—how disgusting!