But with so many ladies present here, Mrs. Zeng could not argue with Mrs. Chen, and could only endure it, saying, "My dear sister-in-law, you are considerate. Girl Ling is not very old, and according to our customs in Great Chu, the elder siblings should have their marriages arranged first, only then the younger ones can have theirs arranged."
These words, on first hearing, seem fine, but on closer examination, there are many issues.
Mrs. Chen was originally pleased, but upon realizing the implication, was almost fuming with anger. Good for you, Mrs. Xu Zeng, aren't you clearly saying that Xu Zhong is too old to get married, so he has to settle for Brother Xing?!
Mrs. Chen came today to make a splash; how could she take this underlying insult without retaliation? She sneered, saying, "Then, dear sister-in-law, you should quickly find a match for the young Zhao Ming; he isn't getting any younger. If you delay any longer, Girl Ling might become an old maid."
