Chapter 142: Reputation is What Matters
Before lunch, Ping Yatou’s second daughter-in-law, dressed in new clothes and carrying several bags of pastries, took a cart back to her maiden home.
Upon entering Qiao Dong Lane, still dozens of steps away from her maiden home’s courtyard gate, Wu Er Nainai alighted from the cart and loudly instructed the cart driver, “Pick me up again in the evening, but not too early. I want to chat with Mother for a while longer!”
In the Wu family courtyard, Matchmaker Miao rushed out first, exclaiming with surprise, “It’s our Second Great Aunt! Sister Wu, Third Sister, quickly! Our Second Great Aunt is back!”
“Father asked me to come back and chat with Mother!” Wu Er Nainai’s voice was loud. “Take these two bags of Gui Ji pastries. Father specifically had someone go buy them. Here are a few more bags of pastries; I carried too many, and my arms are tired from just these few steps.”
Aunt Wu, following closely behind Matchmaker Miao, rushed out, stepped forward to take the bags of pastries, and called out loudly, “Third Sister! Hurry and take these bags of Gui Ji pastries inside!”
The three of them entered the courtyard gate, talking and calling out loudly.
Wu Family Third Sister leaned against the doorframe of the main house, tilting her head slightly, glancing sideways at the three people with their hair styled in a row.
Wu Family Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister sat at the entrance of the side room, wisely not standing up.
According to their family’s rules, everything was provided only for the one about to be married. When the Eldest Sister was not yet married, everything in the household, whether food, clothing, or daily necessities, belonged to the Eldest Sister. The four younger sisters ate and wore what the Eldest Sister no longer wanted.
When the Eldest Sister married, the Second Sister took her place. After the Second Sister married, it was the Third Sister’s turn.
Mother said that money should be spent where it’s most needed.
They were not yet the most needed.
Third Sister took the Gui Ji pastries her mother handed her, lifted them to look, then turned and threw them onto the table. Flicking her handkerchief, she entered the east room and put down the curtain.
“This ungrateful girl!” Wu Er Nainai’s eyebrows shot up.
“Second Great Aunt, please don’t bother with her. Young ladies are all pampered guests. You must be tired, please sit down.” Matchmaker Miao pressed Wu Er Nainai to sit, looking at her with immense affection.
“Have a cup of tea to moisten your throat.” Aunt Wu handed a cup of tea to her daughter, sat down beside Wu Er Nainai, and asked in a low voice, full of worry, “Why are you back at this hour? Is everything alright?”
Although her second daughter had married into the Yatou family, which was excellent, there was a slight imperfection.
Ping Yatou had three sons. The eldest and youngest were quite accomplished and capable, able to support a family. Only this second son had been in poor health since childhood, having been pampered too much. He needed to eat five meals a day, napped in the morning, and napped in the afternoon. He spent his entire day eating, drinking, and sleeping, unable to do anything.
When selecting a daughter-in-law for his second son, Ping Yatou lowered his head considerably, intending to choose someone skillful at weaving fine cloth. After the marriage, he planned for his second daughter-in-law to enter the Pingjiang Weaving Workshop. His son’s aunt was a steward at the Pingjiang Weaving Workshop, so he wanted his daughter-in-law to learn a craft under her aunt for a few years, and then find a way to secure a steward’s position. With his daughter-in-law supporting them, his second son’s family would be able to stand on their own.
Ping Yatou employed several official matchmakers, including Matchmaker Miao.
This marriage, which was hard to find even with a lantern, was secured for Wu Family Second Sister by Matchmaker Miao using all her skills.
Wu Family Second Sister married into the Ping family and entered the weaving workshop. However, she couldn’t learn to weave silk or jacquard fine cloth. Her aunt had to arrange for her to be transferred to the warehouse. The warehouse required physical labor, so she would get sick from exhaustion every two days. Unable to continue, she had to return home.
Fortunately, her second daughter and her second son-in-law had a very good relationship, and Ping Yatou and his wife doted on their son, so Wu Er Nainai’s life was not too difficult.
“I was discussing what kind of sweet soup to make with Erlang when Father called me over and told me to come back quickly. Here, the pastries were already prepared when I arrived.” Wu Er Nainai lifted her chin slightly, her face showing a proud and reserved expression.
“What happened?” Matchmaker Miao leaned forward and asked.
“Nothing has happened, but I have something to ask of Mother and Matchmaker Miao.” Wu Er Nainai took out her handkerchief, flicked it, and dabbed her lips.
“Oh my, tell me quickly what it is!” Matchmaker Miao’s eyes lit up instantly.
She wasn’t afraid of people asking her for favors; she was only afraid of people not asking her.
“There’s a family named Li in Cai Lian Lane, said to be a Xiucai scholar. Does Matchmaker Miao know them?” Wu Er Nainai asked, holding her breath slightly as she looked at Matchmaker Miao.
“Yes, yes! How could I not know them! What about them? Did Ping Yatou take a liking to their daughter?” Matchmaker Miao asked.
“It’s good that Matchmaker Miao knows them.” Wu Er Nainai breathed a sigh of relief and dabbed her lips again with her handkerchief. “I heard they are doing a fine cloth business now. Does Matchmaker Miao know how they do this fine cloth business?”
Matchmaker Miao and Aunt Wu exchanged a glance, hesitated, and then asked, “How else could they do it? They just opened a shop to sell fine cloth, and their fine cloth is quite cheap.”
“That fine cloth is very ordinary; you can pick at it with your finger and find a seam,” Aunt Wu added.
“I’m asking where their fine cloth comes from. I heard it’s not from a weaving workshop,” Wu Er Nainai shot Matchmaker Miao a look.
“That will require some investigation,” Matchmaker Miao replied.
“Matchmaker Miao, please investigate thoroughly and quickly, the sooner the better. I’ve asked the cart driver to pick me up in the evening. Can you find out before evening?” Wu Er Nainai said, looking at Matchmaker Miao.
“This is an important matter for our Second Sister. Sister, you must put your heart into it. This isn’t difficult to inquire about; we can find out by just asking,” Aunt Wu said to Matchmaker Miao with a smile.
“Alright, then wait for me. I’ll go to their shop and ask,” Matchmaker Miao stood up.
“It’s almost time for lunch. Perhaps, Sister, you could go after eating?” Aunt Wu said hesitantly.
Lunch wasn’t ready yet. If she waited until after lunch, it would delay things by at least half an hour. This was a matter of great importance concerning their Second Sister’s reputation, and it couldn’t be delayed.
“I’ll just have some Yunpian cake on the way. It’s rare for Ping Yatou to ask for our Second Sister’s help. No matter what, we must help our Second Sister maintain this reputation!” Matchmaker Miao said, taking more than ten slices of Yunpian cake from a dish on the table.
“Indeed, Sister, what you said is exactly what I was thinking. No matter what, we cannot let our Second Sister lose face,” Aunt Wu said hurriedly with a smile.
Matchmaker Miao hurried directly to the Yueyang Cloth Shop.
Sister-in-law Yin greeted Matchmaker Miao warmly and courteously. As for where the fine cloth came from, its purchase price, and how the business was conducted, she revealed not a single word.
Matchmaker Miao returned with nothing, carrying ten preserved eggs given by Sister-in-law Yin, her face filled with annoyance. Thinking that their Second Sister was still waiting at home, she went straight to the Li family in Cai Lian Lane.
Only Mei Jie was at the Li family’s home.
Mei Jie, while honest, was not foolish. Moreover, she detested matchmakers like Matchmaker Miao. She pretended to be deaf and mute, responding curtly.
Matchmaker Miao had no choice but to leave. She walked halfway back to Qiao Dong Lane, feeling increasingly guilty. She hadn’t found out anything. How could she face their Second Sister? How would their Second Sister return home? Where would their Second Sister’s reputation be placed?
Matchmaker Miao stopped in her tracks, turned around, and headed back to Cai Lian Lane. Upon reaching the alley entrance, she looked around and sat down in the framing shop directly opposite the alley entrance. She asked the shop assistant to pour her a cup of tea, as she intended to wait for the Li family’s girls to return.
Sister-in-law Yin must have genuinely not known. Otherwise, with her abilities, there would be nothing she couldn’t find out!
Today, I got a haircut, had a meal, strolled along the almost deserted bustling main road, and was stuck in traffic on the elevated highway for a long time. Well, tomorrow I can work with joy.
May all that is bad come to an end, and may everything eventually move towards good.
