Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

"Two people who are in love are better than anything else. I was obsessed with fame and fortune back then, and I was over thirty years old but still unmarried. I had a maid in my household who was bought by the clan to take care of my father. After my father passed away, she had nowhere to go, so she stayed."

"As time went on, she would grind ink for me and copy books for me, warm my hands in winter and fan me in summer. When I wrote articles until midnight, she would sit beside me without saying a word."

"Later I married her, and the elders in the clan all said she came from too low a background and wasn't good enough for the family. But in the ten years since she married into the family, we've never had a single argument. Of course, it's good to be well-matched in terms of social status, but life is about two people..."

These words were spoken by Huangfu Ce, but Zhao Siheng looked earnestly at Zhang Sanlang and said, "A person's good character is more useful than any social status."

Zhang Sanlang was somewhat puzzled and could only smile without saying a word.

Huangfu Ce did not disappoint him and immediately replied, "Mr. Zhao, that's because she met you. Without her in-laws to keep her in check and away from the elders in the clan, she was able to find peace and quiet. In other families, the mere concept of 'filial piety' would be enough to make someone bend over."

"The Zhou family is considered a respectable family in Puzhou City. Marriage is all about appearances. If A-Yun marries into the family, her in-laws will dislike her, and she won't even have anyone to complain to!"

He paused, his tone becoming more serious, "The principles spoken by our ancestors haven't changed in thousands of years. Zheng Guozihu refused the marriage proposal from Qi because he understood this. If two people are not of equal social standing and are forced together, it may seem sweet at first, but it will turn into a knife later."

Zhou An's lips moved, and he stared at Zhang Sanlang with pleading eyes, almost in tears.

Zhao Siheng shook his head: "Mr. Huangfu, it's probably inappropriate to bring up Zheng Guozihu's refusal of the marriage proposal. That was a marriage alliance between two countries, a contest between nations. The Zhou family marrying A-Yun is merely a family matter; how can it be said that Qi is too powerful for a suitable match?"

Huangfu Ce looked up at him: "The principle is one thing. But differences in social status create distance between people. You have to be respectful in front of your parents-in-law and be careful with your sisters-in-law. You can tolerate it for a year or two, but what about three or five years? In the end, Young Master Zhou will be caught in the middle, pleasing neither side."

Zhao Siheng stroked his beard. "Mr. Huangfu's words are quite true. However, I still maintain that life is a partnership. No matter how well-matched you are in terms of social standing, if the two people don't get along, it'll be a cold and unpleasant experience."

Hearing this, Zhang Sanlang roughly understood what the two were arguing about. "Zhou An, what did your family say?"

Zhou An turned to look at him, as if someone had finally gotten to the point: "This afternoon, my family sent someone to deliver a message saying that the marriage proposal is still under discussion and that I shouldn't rush things. Unfortunately, Mr. Huangfu overheard it..."

He glanced at Huangfu Ce. "When Mr. Huangfu found out about this, he said that my family wasn't sincere and was just using A-Yun as a backup option. He advised my aunt not to agree, saying that dragging it out would only delay A-Yun's future."

Zhang Sanlang nodded and turned to Wang Yue'e: "Madam Huangfu, what are your thoughts?"

Wang Yue'e glanced at Huangfu Ce, then at Zhou An, and moved her lips twice before speaking: "I'll listen to my husband. He's experienced more and has a broader perspective than I do."

Zhang Sanlang sighed, glanced at the back gate, and then looked away.

Zhao Siheng and Huangfu Ce were both looking at him, as if waiting for him to make the final decision.

Zhao Siheng spoke first: "Zhang Yashi, you tell me, is it more important to be well-matched in terms of social status or to be compatible?"

Huangfu Ce didn't speak, but his gaze fell on Zhang Sanlang's face, clearly waiting for an answer.

Zhang Sanlang stood up and walked to the backyard gate.

The door was ajar, and he knocked lightly twice. "A-Yun, come out. Is Zhao Xiaoniangzi inside too? Come out together."

There was silence behind the door for two breaths. Then the door was pushed open a crack.

Ah-Yun peeked out from the crack in the door with her head down, her hands clasped together in front of her.

Behind her followed a young woman, dressed in a light blue gauze jacket, with delicate features and a naturally curved mouth; she was Zhao Siheng's daughter, Zhao Yuqin.

She didn't hide. When she came out from behind the door, she looked at Zhang Sanlang a few times, smiled slightly and nodded, and then stood next to A-Yun, as if to encourage her.

Zhang Sanlang looked at A-Yun: "Did you hear what was happening in the courtyard just now?"

A-Yun didn't look up, her voice squeezed out from her throat: "I heard you."

Zhang Sanlang disliked her timid, blushing manner, and his voice unconsciously rose a little, "Good that you heard me. So, what are your own thoughts?"

A-Yun's shoulders trembled slightly, and she lowered her head further, as if trying to hide her entire face inside her collar.

Zhao Yuqin's eyes widened, seemingly surprised that Zhang Sanlang had asked such a direct question.

Zhang Sanlang looked at A-Yun with a serious expression: "If you don't speak, then your mother and Mr. Huangfu will decide this matter for you. But I believe that you are you, and you are neither an appendage of your mother nor an appendage of Huangfu Ce."

"Even if you get married in the future, you won't be anyone's appendage. Getting married is your own business, and you'll live your own life from now on. Whether you're willing or not, you have to say it yourself."

"You have to bear the consequences of the kind of people you choose. Whether you are rich or poor, in the end it all comes down to the mundane things in life, and no one can live your life for you."

Seeing that A-Yun couldn't answer the question, Huangfu Ce quickly interjected, "Third Master, what you said is incorrect. Since ancient times, marriage has always been arranged by parents and matchmakers."

"Ah Yun is young and inexperienced. How could she know whether her choice is right or wrong? She's willing now, but it will be too late to regret it later when she suffers."

Zhang Sanlang turned to look at him: "Mr. Huangfu, when you were a clerk in the Yuncheng County government, you refused to collude with your colleagues, and as a result, you were framed by the clerk in the criminal division and sentenced to five years in prison, leaving you separated from your wife and children."

"If you had been a little more flexible back then, you'd still be sitting in the Yuncheng County government office. You chose a different path, and now you have nothing left. Now you're telling A-Yun that you have to figure out right from wrong before you act. Was your choice right or wrong back then?"

"Zheng Guozihu declined the marriage proposal from the Duke of Qi, saying 'Qi is too powerful for me.' What happened afterward? Zheng was in turmoil, and he went into exile, never achieving anything significant in his life. If he had married the Duke of Qi's daughter, Qi would have been his support, and he wouldn't have had to go into exile."

Huangfu Ce's face froze, and he opened his mouth but couldn't say a word.

His gaze fell on the stone tabletop, as if trying to find an answer in the dried tea stains.

Zhao Siheng spoke up at this moment, seemingly to help Huangfu Ce out of his predicament, "Zhang Yashi, you've gone too far. Mr. Huangfu didn't show favoritism back then; that was integrity. What's wrong with integrity?"

He stroked his beard. "There's some truth to the saying 'marrying someone of equal social standing.' Back then, none of the elders in my clan agreed to my marriage. But then again, if I had listened to them, where would I have gotten those ten years of peace?"

Zhang Sanlang looked at Zhao Siheng: "Mr. Zhao is right. Getting along with people is more important than anything else. Mr. Huangfu just kept talking about family background, about dignity, and about how difficult it is to please one's in-laws."