Chapter 796: Do You Plan to Remarry?

After the twelfth lunar month, it’s New Year.

The first New Year after arriving in Shengjing is approaching.

Shengjing has a lot of snow, falling continuously and vigorously.

Fortunately, the prefecture and the Ministry of Revenue where Lu Zhaoyang is located have contingency plans, so there haven’t been any snow disasters or cold disasters.

In Shengjing, the houses have heated floors, and inside it is as warm as spring.

The weaving workshop in Shengjing opened as scheduled before the New Year, finally allowing some breathing space, and Tong Huaqiong sat in the house happily passing the winter comfortably.

Compared to Qinghe Bay, Shengjing has many entertainment activities, especially as the New Year approaches, which become even innumerable.

Acrobatics, drama, tricks, shadow puppetry, magic... the streets are full of fresh performances every day.

Gu Taohua and Liu Yueer, along with Mrs. Zhao, took Man Er, Yaozu, and other children out to play every day.

Tong Huaqiong watched the fire-breathing magic show twice and felt it was more comfortable to sit in the warm house.

She bought many local history and folklore books from a bookstore and immersed herself in reading them with great enjoyment.

The Yao Family, Lu Family, Lin Family, and Min Family sent New Year gifts early to Tong Huaqiong, and she returned the favor one by one.

The Lin Family brought good news, Su Qing’s brother’s case made some progress, and if all goes well, he should return after the New Year.

Su Qing cried tears of joy repeatedly, thanked Tong Huaqiong profusely, and worked even harder.

Tong Huaqiong intended to groom her as a right-hand, delegating many tasks to Su Qing.

She was quite content with her leisure.

On this day, Mrs. Min arrived in her sedan chair.

Seeing only Tong Huaqiong at home reading books, with Mrs. Hong and Mrs. Zhao not accompanying her for a chat, she thought it was a timely visit.

Mrs. Min was not one to be shy; after a brief conversation, she asked Tong Huaqiong if she had any plans to remarry.

"... Now that you are without a man, my Han Niu is unmarried. You grew up together, and now reunite in Shengjing, which is a fate from the past life. If you don’t mind, you might as well marry my Han Niu. You know, I’ve liked you since you were little, watching you grow, in my heart, I’ve already considered you a daughter-in-law." Mrs. Min spoke sincerely.

She had always wanted to bring this up with Tong Huaqiong.

Firstly, Tong Huaqiong was too busy for her to find an opportunity, and secondly, her son seemed uninterested in this marriage, which she attributed to his reluctance to bring it up.

Hence, she brought it up herself.

Tong Huaqiong: "..."

Indeed Mrs. Min was here to act as a matchmaker for her own son.

Seeing Mrs. Min being straightforward, Tong Huaqiong didn’t hold back, saying, "Aunt Min, I’ve always cherished your kindness. I’ve married once, and that’s enough; now I just want to run my business and enjoy eating and drinking without thinking about anything else. Especially marriage, I never want to marry a second time."

Not to mention her soul is still young, and the Mighty General feels like an old cabbage to her.

Even if Gu Jingzhe, a youthful figure, stood before her, she wouldn’t marry.

Not marrying, she remains the matriarch of the family.

If her children are unfilial, she can still stand on the moral high ground as a widowed mother.

Life is utterly carefree.

Marrying, even marrying a supposedly good man like the Mighty General, doesn’t guarantee an easy life.

She would need to socialize with the female acquaintances of the Mighty General’s colleagues, show filial respect to a mother-in-law, manage the household, and her identity would only be a daughter-in-law of the Min Family.

Mrs. Min, hearing Tong Huaqiong speak thus, assumed that Tong Huaqiong felt aggrieved at the Gu Family, leading to her disheartened determination to remain a widow.

Or perhaps Tong Huaqiong’s children were grown, and she feared the gossip outside.

Mrs. Min said, "You’re not that old, you don’t need to stay single. If you felt aggrieved as a stepmother at the Gu Family, marrying into the Min Family would never cause you grievances, you know Han Niu’s character."

"Are you afraid of outside gossip? What are you afraid of? Let people outside talk all they want, treat it as nothing more than a fart."

Tong Huaqiong, hearing this, knew that Mrs. Min misunderstood her intentions.

She really didn’t want to marry.

It wasn’t because she felt aggrieved at the Gu Family, nor because she feared gossip.

She simply didn’t want to marry.

Unless she was brought into the palace as Empress Dowager, she might consider it.

Tong Huaqiong patiently explained, "Aunt Min, from childhood to now, when have I ever spoken to you in circles? My wish not to remarry is genuinely that I don’t want to marry. Straightforwardly, my life is free and enjoyable now, doing whatever I want. If I marry Brother Min, I become Mrs. Min, not the free Manager Tong."

"Last time Brother Min approached me, I made myself clear to him. Aunt Min, while I appreciate your recognition, let’s not talk about me becoming your daughter-in-law. Even if I’m not your daughter-in-law, we remain relatives. I consider you as a mother, and you see me as a daughter, isn’t that better than an in-law relationship?"

Mrs. Min finally understood.

Tong Huaqiong simply had no thought of remarrying.

Regret appeared on her face.

But she wasn’t small-minded, quickly adjusting and said to Tong Huaqiong, "I was too presumptuous. You’re right, if not as in-laws, we still are family."

This topic was thereby skipped.

...

As the New Year drew closer, the family began preparing for New Year’s affairs.

Chen Sufen looked at the snow blustering outside, filled with worry.

According to plan, Gu Dahan was supposed to come to Shengjing for a reunion.

Gu Dahan wasn’t entering the capital alone.

Along with him were shopkeepers from Ning City and Gu Xiaoxue.

"Who knows where they are now?" Chen Sufen worried deeply.

In this era, it’s indeed troublesome, communication isn’t readily available.

The further Gu Dahan and his entourage traveled north, the heavier the snow became, the harder the roads grew, approaching the twenty-sixth of the month, and they hadn’t arrived in Shengjing.

Chen Sufen’s worry wasn’t unfounded.

After all, this was Gu Dahan’s first long voyage.

Though Tong Huaqiong was quite at ease.

The three shopkeepers from Ning City often traveled, adept in managing various road conditions and emergencies.

Moreover, lacking confidence in the law enforcement of this era, Tong Huaqiong had long signed a cooperation agreement with Ning City’s escort agency. This time, Gu Dashu and the group traveling to Shengjing were guarded by the escort agency.

If anything unforeseen happened on the way, the escort agency would have already sent word.

Since no word has come, it’s indeed good news.

Tong Huaqiong said to Chen Sufen, "Just wait two more days, surely Da Han will arrive in the capital before New Year."

Seeing her aunt filled with worry, Nie Xiaofeng took his men on a holiday outing from Shengjing to greet Gu Dashu.

Gu Baishuang wore a somber expression.

Nie Mingyuan, along with his two stepsons, the entire family also came to Shengjing, and by the time Gu Baishuang received news, the Nie Family was almost at Shengjing’s outskirts.

This time Nie Xiaofeng exited the capital not only to greet Gu Dashu but also Nie Mingyuan.

Tong Huaqiong said to Gu Baishuang, "If you really don’t wish to continue with Nie Mingyuan, a divorce is perfectly acceptable, the entire family supports you."

Gu Baishuang indeed envied Tong Pandi, but considering Nie Xiaofeng’s future prospects, she couldn’t divorce.

Divorcing would lead outsiders to gossip about Nie Xiaofeng, affecting his reputation; for her son’s sake, she was willing to endure.

After all, she held the shop and money in hand, Nie Mingyuan couldn’t do anything to her.