Chapter 8: People as Objects

In the flower hall, the young ladies of each family sat quietly beside their elders, listening to the elders chatting and talking about family affairs, or laughing appropriately, or nodding occasionally. Unless they were named, they would never open their mouths to speak.

Whenever the Zhou woman came in, whether it was the adults or the young ladies, everyone stood up and greeted with a smile.

Looking at this scene, Hua Changxi's gaze fell on the Fifth Daughter of the Hua family.

After the Fifth Sister reached the age of marriage, the family began to inquire about suitable families, but it didn't go very smoothly.

The clan had extensive connections. If they could help to introduce and look at each other, it might not necessarily be a bad thing for the Fifth Sister.

However, would the clan help for free?

Of course not.

For the clan, clan members were a kind of resource that could be mobilized and allocated.

Letting the clan help to look at each other was equivalent to handing over the young lady's marriage to the clan.

What were resources for? They were for trading!

Hua Changxi thought that the elders of each family must be clear about this point, but even if they knew this, everyone still participated enthusiastically.

Waiting for fate to be arranged by others, having their lives arranged, and having to thank the arranger, at this moment, Hua Changxi realized the helplessness and sadness of small characters, and at the same time, warned herself to never let herself be in such a situation.

"Drink less tea. This is someone else's house, it's not easy to go to the toilet at will."

Hua Changxi was in a depressed mood, wanting to use tea to extinguish the nameless fire in her heart, but when she was about to pour the second cup, she was stopped by Old Madam Hua.

Hua Changxi felt a bit helpless. The old lady was too careful. No, not only Old Madam Hua, but the women of other families were also like this.

After waiting in the flower hall for so long, there were few people who picked up the teacup, and even if they drank tea, they just moistened their mouths with tea.

Even if there were no servants from the Great Clan Elder's house watching in the flower hall, everyone only dared to sit and wait obediently, for fear of doing something out of line and making the host unhappy.

Hua Changxi didn't drink water anymore, and learned from other young ladies to put on a fake smile and became a wooden person.

After sitting like this for more than an hour, it was approaching noon, and it was finally Hua Changxi's family's turn to see the Great Clan Elder's wife.

The Great Clan Elder's wife, Zhou Yu'e, was a kind and gentle old lady, although her generation was one generation higher than Old Madam Hua, she was not many years older.

"Greetings to Auntie."

As soon as Old Madam Hua entered the living room, she hurriedly bowed to the Grand Madam Zhou sitting in the main seat.

Yao Shi's three sisters-in-law saw this and followed suit with Hua Changxi and the others.

Grand Madam Zhou waited for Old Madam Hua and her party to finish bowing, her body leaned forward slightly, and she raised her hand in a gesture of virtual support: "Don't bow."

"We are one family. In this room of mine, throw those external empty rituals to the side. It is the right thing for us to talk properly."

After speaking, she swept a glance at the Zhou woman waiting on the side.

The Zhou woman received the instruction and immediately stepped forward with a full face of smiles to pull up Old Madam Hua, leading her to sit on the chair on the lower left of Grand Madam Zhou, and let Yao Shi's three sisters-in-law sit on both sides.

As for the several young ladies, Hua Changxi and the others, they sat on the brocade stools in the middle of the living room.

Grand Madam Zhou first chatted with Old Madam Hua about family affairs, then talked about life insights with Yao Shi's three sisters-in-law, and finally fell her gaze on Hua Changxi and the others.

"The young ladies in your family are really good one by one. I like them very much as soon as I see them."

"Go, take the flower box on my dressing table."

The Zhou woman hurriedly entered the bedroom, and soon, she came out with a box as wide as a palm and as long as a ruler.

Under the instruction of Grand Madam Zhou, the Zhou woman opened the box and tilted the box toward the direction of the several young ladies, so that Hua Changxi and the others could clearly see what was inside.

The box was filled with several lifelike pearl silk flowers, and small exquisite silver pendants were hanging on the silk flowers.

Seeing the beautiful silk flowers, let alone the Fifth Daughter and the others, even Hua Changxi's eyes lit up.

The Hua family was not harsh on young ladies, but it was limited to letting them eat and wear warmly, and almost never added jewelry for them.

Going out to be a guest today, the Fifth Daughter was okay, after all, she had reached the age of marriage, had pierced ears, wore earrings, and had pearl flowers on her hair bun.

As for the Seventh Daughter, Hua Changxi, and the Twelfth Daughter, they only had hair bands tied on their heads.

Old Madam Hua saw the silk flowers and hurriedly said: "Auntie, don't waste good things. How can they wear such good things."

Ordinary silk flowers cost several dozen coins each, and those with pearl silver pendants were estimated to cost several hundred coins, or even more expensive.

Several young ladies together would cost several taels of silver. It was too precious!

Grand Madam Zhou pretended to be dissatisfied: "How can they not wear them? I see, they can wear even better things."

After speaking, she didn't say she wanted to give the silk flowers to the several young ladies, but looked at Hua Changxi and the others with a smile: "You stand up and let the Great Ancestor Sun Pozi see how your rules are learned?"

The Fifth Daughter heard this, looked at Old Madam Hua and the Fourth Aunt, and stood up obediently.

The Seventh Daughter, Hua Changxi, and the Twelfth Daughter followed suit.

The Fourteenth Daughter also wanted to learn from her sisters, but before she could stand up, she was hugged to the side by the Zhou woman and handed over to the Fourth Aunt.

Hua Changxi knew that the clan might help the Fifth Sister look at the family, and quickly looked at Grand Madam Zhou, guessing that this was the start of the interview for the Fifth Sister, and they were just incidental.

Afterward, Grand Madam Zhou's condescending gaze swept back and forth on the Fifth Daughter and the other four, not speaking, just looking at them.

The room suddenly became quiet.

Yao Shi's three sisters-in-law were a bit hesitant, but seeing that Old Madam Hua didn't say anything, they could only close their mouths and not speak.

Being looked at nakedly from head to toe, before long, the Fifth Daughter, Seventh Daughter, and Twelfth Daughter became a bit nervous and restrained, looking down uncomfortably.

As for Hua Changxi, the fire in her heart was ignited.

The clan wanted to help look at each other, and Grand Madam Zhou first interviewed the young ladies of each family. She could understand this, but what was that look in her eyes?

When she felt Grand Madam Zhou's gaze focused on her chest and buttocks, Hua Changxi raised her eyes sharply, met Grand Madam Zhou's gaze directly, and didn't hide her dislike at all.

Grand Madam Zhou was stunned, a bit surprised, and looked at Hua Changxi for a few seconds. Seeing that she didn't avoid or hide, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but hook up.

"Appearance is good, and the figure is also good."

Grand Madam Zhou looked at Old Madam Hua with a smile: "These four young ladies in your family are all good at giving birth."

Good at giving birth?

Hua Changxi frowned. Was it appropriate to evaluate a young lady like this upon first meeting?

Old Lady Hua, however, felt this was a compliment and immediately smiled: "If that is truly the case, then they are also basking in your good fortune, Auntie."

Old Madam Zhou smiled and said nothing. She leisurely picked up her teacup, took two sips, and then asked: "How old are they all?"

Old Lady Hua replied: "The Fifth Miss has already reached her hair-pinning age; the Seventh Miss and Ninth Miss are the same age, thirteen this year; the Twelfth Miss is a year younger, at twelve; and the youngest, the Fourteenth Miss, is seven this year."

After hearing this, Old Madam Zhou nodded: "None of them are very young anymore." She paused, then added, "For young ladies from good families, one must start looking for matches at twelve or thirteen. After all, everyone is scrambling for good husbands, so it is best to settle things early."

Old Lady Hua hurriedly agreed: "That is the truth." As she spoke, she looked embarrassed: "Auntie, you know that my family has no real foundation, so the marriages of these few girls will inevitably require you to help keep an eye out for us."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Old Madam Zhou's face deepened. She looked at Old Lady Hua, then at the three sisters-in-law of the Yao family: "I won't do such a thankless task. If the match isn't good, wouldn't you all end up resenting me?"

Old Lady Hua: "Auntie, please don't be modest. You have eaten more salt than we have eaten rice; the families you value must surely be excellent."

Old Madam Zhou laughed and did not continue this topic. Her gaze fell once again upon Hua Changxi and the other three: "Come, walk forward a few steps and let me take a look."

Hua Wuniang glanced at Old Lady Hua again, and seeing her nod, she took small steps toward the Zhou family, stopping at a distance of about one meter.

Old Madam Zhou scrutinized Hua Wuniang's features, her gaze sweeping over her a few times, and then she nodded with satisfaction, smiling as if to encourage her: "Come, perform a curtsy for me to see."

Upon hearing this, Hua Wuniang did not hesitate at all, bending her knees to curtsy: "Greetings to Great-Sun Pozi."

Old Madam Zhou's eyes crinkled with a smile, appearing to be very fond of Hua Wuniang's docility: "Good, very good, and your voice is very pleasant as well."

As she spoke, she took a silk flower from a box and leaned over to personally place it on Hua Wuniang's head.

After placing it, Old Madam Zhou personally helped Hua Wuniang up, stroked her hand a few times, and then said to Old Lady Hua: "Your Fifth Miss is someone who knows how to please others."

Old Lady Hua hurriedly smiled: "It is this girl's good fortune to be able to please you, Auntie."

Old Madam Zhou signaled for Mother Zhou to place Hua Wuniang's brocade stool beside her, letting Hua Wuniang sit next to her, while still holding onto her hand, appearing to be truly fond of her.

Hua Wuniang was somewhat flattered by Old Madam Zhou's attitude, smiling shyly, her earlobes turning slightly red.

Old Madam Zhou looked at Hua Wuniang's reaction with satisfaction: "Truly a lovable one." Afterward, she cast her gaze toward Hua Qiniang, Hua Changxi, and Hua Twelfth Miss: "The three of you, come forward and perform a greeting for me to see."

Hua Qiniang glanced at her two younger sisters and was the first to step forward to perform the greeting.

Old Madam Zhou did not stint on her praise: "Good, the Seventh Miss is also a sensible and docile good child." As she spoke, just as she had done with Hua Wuniang, she took a silk flower from the box and personally placed it on Hua Qiniang.

Wearing the silk flower, Hua Qiniang returned to her place, her face full of joy.

According to the order of seniority, it should have been Hua Changxi's turn to step forward, but she stood still. Seeing that she did not react despite the several signals Hua Twelfth Miss gave her, she had no choice but to step forward herself.

Old Madam Zhou glanced at Hua Changxi, then looked at Hua Twelfth Miss, who was crouching at her feet, with a kind smile and asked: "At home, what do you and your sisters like to do?"

Hua Twelfth Miss's voice was light and crisp: "Replying to Great-Sun Pozi, in our spare time, we sisters all like to do needlework."

Old Madam Zhou seemed very satisfied with this answer. Seeing that the Twelfth Miss was poised and generous, she immediately smiled: "This girl is clever; she will surely be able to marry into a prosperous family in the future."

Hua Twelfth Miss smiled even more sweetly: "Thank you for your auspicious words, Great-Sun Pozi."

When Mother Zhou handed over the box, Old Madam Zhou caught a glimpse of Hua Changxi out of the corner of her eye, then directly picked up two silk flowers and placed them on Hua Twelfth Miss: "I like this girl; she is a lovable one."

Having received an extra silk flower, Hua Twelfth Miss was so happy that her eyebrows danced, and she even cast a triumphant look toward the Second Aunt.

Seeing that her daughter had outdone the Fourth Branch's Hua Wuniang and Hua Qiniang, the Second Aunt also felt she had gained face.

Once Hua Twelfth Miss returned to her place, Old Madam Zhou cast her gaze toward Hua Changxi, watching her with composure, saying nothing, as if waiting for her to step forward on her own.

Hua Changxi did not move. Even though Old Lady Hua and the Yao family were signaling her, she did not move, but she also did not want to make the situation too awkward.

"Great-Sun Pozi, please forgive me. I was injured some time ago, and my waist and leg injuries have not yet fully healed, so I am unable to step forward to perform the greeting."

The way Old Madam Zhou looked at them was not at all like she was observing juniors, but rather like she was looking at merchandise; beneath her scrutinizing gaze was nothing but the appraisal of their market value.

Under what circumstances must a junior crouch at an elder's feet to receive a gift?

To humble oneself and please others in order to receive a reward—this was clearly a test of obedience.

If she truly stepped forward, crouched at Old Madam Zhou's feet, and accepted her silk flower, she would truly be treating herself as merchandise for her to select.

Old Lady Hua knew that Hua Changxi's injuries had long since healed. Seeing her lack of propriety while a guest at someone else's house, she was furious, but she sheepishly apologized: "Auntie, this girl is useless; please don't lower yourself to her level."

Seeing her daughter's stubborn temper flaring up again, the Yao family also explained to Old Madam Zhou: "Auntie, please forgive us. Our Ninth Miss was captured by an evil Daoist some time ago and did indeed suffer serious injuries. She has absolutely no intention of being disrespectful to you."

The smile on Old Madam Zhou's face did not fade as she waved her hand: "Look at how nervous you all are. I am just an old woman; would I really hold a grudge against a child?"

As she spoke, she looked at Hua Changxi: "This Ninth Miss has quite a personality!"

"Having a personality is quite good; even in a crowd, it makes one memorable."

"Ninth Miss, I hope you can always maintain this personality!"

Hua Changxi looked back at Old Madam Zhou: "Great-Sun Pozi, rest assured, I will."

She only wanted to preserve her dignity as a human being and did not want to be treated as an object. If this was the personality Old Madam Zhou spoke of, then of course she would maintain it.