C19 The Huge Wedding Dress

Bai Yun gracefully curtsied, "I am Bai Yun. I apologize for any disturbance, as I was just excited to share with my grandmother that I found some mushrooms she loves. Please forgive my intrusion."

"No worries," the visitor replied. "I came to deliver your wedding dress. I was told you might be delayed, but here you are. Let's see if it fits. I brought the seamstress along, so we can make any necessary adjustments."

The butler was a bit surprised. Bai Yun spoke with the grace of a well-bred lady, not like a farm girl. The family hadn't intended for the young master to marry a farm girl, but it was hard to find someone whose birth details matched his. Other families turned down the offer, even with the promise of a few shops. Only the Bai family accepted, delighted with the offer of fifty silver coins. It was fortunate that Bai Yun knew some etiquette, which would prevent any embarrassment on the wedding day.

"Mrs. Sunn, the nurse of our family's first branch, will stay with the Bai family for a few days to teach Bai Yun the customs and etiquette for the wedding. We hope Miss Yun will learn well from her."

"What?" Mrs. Chen exclaimed in surprise, "We have to study every day? Who's going to handle all the chores?"

Before the butler could respond, Mrs. Zhao's cane tapped sharply on Mrs. Chen's back, causing her to stumble. "How dare you! Marrying into the Shaang family is a blessing for our family, something we've been fortunate to achieve after generations. Do you really think the household chores are more important? You're out of line. From now on, you'll handle these matters!"

Realizing her mistake, Mrs. Chen dared not defy Mrs. Zhao any further and quickly agreed, stepping aside. Only then did Mrs. Zhao put on a broad smile. "I apologize for the scene, Mr. Li."

The butler was unfazed by the situation; Mrs. Chen's outbursts had been a source of irritation even before Bai Yun arrived.

"You're too kind, ma'am. I've explained everything. If there's nothing else, I'll return to report back. I'll leave a few servants here with Miss Yun. Should anything arise, they can run errands and relay messages to me in town."

Xiaokan Village was indeed impoverished; otherwise, the Bai family wouldn't have been able to buy such a large piece of land with the money they made as peddlers. The butler had endured a long carriage ride to get here and had to deal with a group of noisy women while maintaining politeness. He was eager to leave after finishing his instructions.

A bride's wedding dress is usually her own responsibility, but due to the tight schedule for counteracting bad luck and the fact that the Bai family's daughters were only familiar with chores and not sewing, the Shaang family had prepared it and sent it along with the engagement gifts.

In these times, unmarried women typically avoid encountering men outside their family. Farm girls, however, often help with chores and move about more freely. Before marriage, trying on a wedding dress is a private affair, not meant for the eyes of any man.

The housekeeper kept the seamstress on hand as Bai Yun went to try on her wedding dress. She found it a bit too large, especially around the waist. The seamstress was puzzled, "The measurements were provided by your family. How could it be this much bigger?"

"Provided by my family?" Bai Yun raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the oversized fit.