Chapter 98: Old Master Hong’s Carelessness
Old Master Hong sent off Li Wenliang and, after a moment of thought, slammed his palm onto the coffee table.
He had been careless!
The Yueyang Preserved Egg Business had just opened, and the first person to place an order was the steward of the Prince’s Estate villa!
He should have realized that the Li family’s Fourth Sister and the Young Lord were not just casually acquainted!
He had thought of it then, but had been careless!
He had underestimated the Li family!
The marriage between A Ye and Yin Zhu had been too perfunctory in terms of etiquette.
Old Master Hong slammed his palm down again.
He was truly muddle-headed, only thinking of practicalities; his old eyes had focused too much on silver!
The engagement between A Ye and Yin Zhu had proceeded without any proper etiquette, from the initial proposal to the betrothal gifts…
There was still time!
“Quickly invite Eldest Master over, quickly!”
Old Master Hong slammed the table and roared.
“And your Eldest Madam! Where is Old Liu? Quickly pick someone to go to Pingjiang City and invite Second Old Master back. Tell him to return immediately! The sooner the better, he must be home before dawn tomorrow!
“Also, pick a few people to go to Linhai Town and summon Second Master back. Have him reach home before dark, go quickly, go quickly!”
The servants all over the courtyard were flustered and ran about at Old Master Hong’s shouts.
………………………………
Not long after Li Wenliang returned home, Hong Zhenye’s father, Eldest Master Hong, arrived at Li Family Market on horseback, sweating profusely.
Li Shikuan, Li Wenliang, and others were in the Ancestral Hall, discussing with the Clan Elders and the foremen of the various family branches how to handle the large influx of betrothal gifts.
Eldest Master Hong entered Li Family Market, and while still on horseback, he loudly asked a question and headed straight for the Ancestral Hall.
Li Wenliang was the first to see Eldest Master Hong and quickly stood up to greet him.
“No need, no need, it’s best to discuss it here, with everyone present,” Eldest Master Hong pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his sweat in handfuls, a forced smile on his face.
“Have a cup of tea first; no matter how urgent, it’s not for this moment,” Li Shikuan gestured for Eldest Master Hong to sit on the chair Li Wenliang had just vacated.
Li Wenru quickly poured a cup of tea and brought it to Eldest Master Hong, placing the pot nearby as well.
Eldest Master Hong drank a cup of tea, picked up the pot, poured another cup, and drank it. He then looked at Li Shikuan and said with a dry laugh, “Father told me to rush over quickly. It’s nothing major, just a small matter.
“Father said that even though Yin Zhu’s siblings have lost their mother and father, they must not be negligent in terms of etiquette.
“Father’s intention is, that…” Eldest Master Hong’s tongue and teeth seemed to be fighting, “this, the day after tomorrow is an auspicious day, and my Second Uncle will arrive the day after tomorrow to present the betrothal gifts. No matter what, the betrothal gifts cannot be less, Uncle, you agree, right?
“The day is a good day, full of luck and prosperity. It’s only now that we’re telling Old Master, it’s truly, ha! Haha! Isn’t it, the day is a good day.
“Second Uncle will depart from our home the morning after tomorrow, and around noon, he should arrive at Li Family Market.
“Well, I won’t disturb you any longer, goodbye, goodbye!”
After speaking, Eldest Master Hong quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and hurried out.
Li Wenliang’s eyes widened. Li Wenru stared at Eldest Master Hong, who was darting away, with a strange expression. Li Wenhua poked his head in front of Li Wenliang and asked in confusion, “Didn’t they already give the betrothal gifts? Why are they giving them again? Is his Old Master confused?”
“This old scoundrel!” Li Shikuan slammed his palm on the table.
“If they have to give betrothal gifts again, does that mean they’ll have to formally choose an auspicious date and send a proposal? There are only a few days left until the wedding!” A Clan Elder next to Li Shikuan asked, glaring.
“It’s not just that; I’m afraid the previously agreed-upon items and procession for the betrothal gifts and the wedding ceremony will have to be doubled!” Li Wenliang said with a wry smile.
“I’m afraid it’s more than doubled,” Li Wenru added with a pout.
Everyone in the circle fell silent, looking at each other.
According to the etiquette in their Pingjiang Prefecture, the groom’s family provides betrothal gifts, and the bride’s family provides dowry. The groom uses gold-embroidered clothes and jade crowns for the betrothal gifts, and the bride’s family must reciprocate with gold and jade stationery and colored silk and jade pendants. This not only requires manpower but also real gold and silver!
“The Hong family has a deep family fortune,” Li Wenliang said, frowning.
“Our Li family is not lacking either!” Li Shikuan’s cousin, Li Shiji, slammed the table, “I’ll contribute something for Yin Zhu!”
“We haven’t even started discussing it yet, why are you in such a hurry!” A Clan Elder from the Manzi Fang, next to Li Shiji, shot Li Shiji a sideways glance, “This is everyone’s business. How can only your Wangzi Fang pay? Brother Kuan’s family has already paid once, they can’t pay again!”
“Yin Zhu is from our Shengzi Fang, so this money should be paid by us. We can afford it, and it’s only this much money, isn’t it!” Li Wen’an, the new foreman of Shengzi Fang, quickly stated.
“Exactly, exactly! Feng and Sheng are one family, so let’s two branches handle it,” Li Wenqing, the foreman of Fengzi Fang, quickly chimed in.
“Our Li family is one family, why distinguish between your branch and our branch!”
……
“How about this,” Li Shikuan raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, “what Eldest Cousin just said is right, the Hong family has a deep family fortune, and our Li family is not lacking either. However,” Li Shikuan paused, looking at everyone one by one. “If it gets out that Yin Zhu’s dowry was pieced together by the entire Li clan, that wouldn’t look good, would it?”
“We can’t let outsiders gossip! I think it should just be these few families; no more, too many people means too many mouths!”
“Right, right, right! That’s what I mean too!”
“Uncle Kuan is right!”
“Right, right, right, everyone keep your mouths shut!”
……
Everyone in the circle quickly agreed, saying they would pay the money and there was no need for the clan to pool funds from each household.
“Then it’s settled. Let A Liang first estimate a rough sum, and each family can get a general idea, have a number in mind,” Li Shikuan said with a smile. “After this happy event is over, we’ll list out how much silver and how many items each family contributed, and once everyone has seen it, I’ll send it to our Xiucai Scholar. The Xiucai Scholar must know about this matter.
“As for the outside, what will be said is: the expenses for Yin Zhu’s marriage were all covered by the Xiucai Scholar’s family.”
Everyone quickly agreed, smiling happily and saying this was the best way.
They would contribute money and effort, as long as the Xiucai Scholar… and his sister knew. There was no need for anyone else to know!
All the previously agreed-upon personnel assignments were discarded. Li Wenliang and Li Wenru sat at a small table nearby, writing and calculating. Following the highest standards for betrothal gifts, auspicious dates, and betrothal gift specifications in Pingjiang Prefecture, they estimated what they should reciprocate, what items were needed, and how much silver was required.
The rest of the people gathered together, reassigning personnel and discussing whether they needed to hire people from the real estate agencies in Pingjiang City, as their clan’s young men were not enough.
………………………………
Li Jinzhu didn’t get a chance to interrogate Li Xiaonan before she, along with Li Yuzhu and Li Yin Zhu, was called out.
Li Xiaonan, A Wu, and Wang Yuting sat in the courtyard talking.
“Did you come from Linhai Town?” Li Xiaonan took a plate of pastries from Mei Jie and spread them all over the table.
“We went to the Prince’s Estate villa first, then they said they left, and we followed them all the way,” Wang Yuting was still feeling awkward.
A Wu leaned over to look at the table full of pastries and picked out a piece of crispy rice candy, handing it to Wang Yuting.
Her cousin liked crispy rice candy the most.
“How have you been over there? Has anyone made things difficult for you?” Li Xiaonan asked tentatively.
“Good!” A Wu’s single word was cheerful and proud, then she furrowed her brow and put on a troubled expression, “It’s just worrying, so worrying!”
Li Xiaonan glanced sideways at A Wu, who was radiating pride and smugness all over.
“Those two horses of yours are nice,” Li Xiaonan changed the subject.
A Wu’s furrowed brow lifted. She had been ready to answer Li Xiaonan’s question about why she was worried, but Li Xiaonan’s sudden change of topic caught her off guard.
“Of course they’re good! They cost one hundred and twenty silver!” Wang Yuting said with a smile, pursing her lips. “The Young Lord rewarded me with one hundred silver, and Head Shopkeeper He rewarded me with fifty silver. We used it all to buy the horses.”
Li Xiaonan drew out her “oh” with a trailing tone.
Her diversion had led back to the original topic!
“Guess why the Young Lord rewarded me with one hundred silver!” A Wu leaned forward, and without waiting for Li Xiaonan to answer, she began to excitedly explain how she had discovered that the silk on those ships was not right.
Li Xiaonan rested her chin on her hand, watching A Wu, who was speaking with great excitement, stomping her feet and slapping the table, and Wang Yuting, who was smiling like a flower and occasionally adding a sentence or two.
Alas, that Young Lord’s judgment of people was not very good. Someone like Wang Yuting, who was just as cunning as A Wu, had no real schemes!
