Chapter 240: Still a Big Chapter
Cui Ye got up early, changed into new clothes, and came out excitedly. Not long after leaving home, she met Yu Ting. Hearing that the trip was canceled, she immediately became dejected.
Yu Ting had a lot of work that day, so after delivering the message, he hurried back, running and walking.
Cui Ye walked back a few steps, stopped, and looked at her own courtyard, hesitating.
If she went back, her mother would definitely make her change out of her good clothes and assign her a pile of chores. She was in a bad mood and didn’t want to work.
Cui Ye turned around, walked a few steps towards A Nan’s house, then turned and headed towards Da Weng Weng’s house.
There was no one to talk to at A Nan’s house, so she might as well go find Sister Ai Ye. Among her cousins, besides A Nan, she liked Sister Ai Ye the most.
Da Weng Weng’s house was already scrubbed clean, the courtyard gate was open, and the courtyard was quiet and empty. Only Ai Ye was busy washing and tidying up in the kitchen.
“Sister Ai Ye, are you home alone? Did Da Weng Weng and the others go to the ancestral hall?” Cui Ye stood at the kitchen door, first peeking inside.
“Mother and Second Aunt went to reconcile accounts. Why haven’t you left yet? Didn’t you two say you were going early?” Ai Ye shook out a washed rag and hung it on a thin rope.
“A Nan was called away by that Wan Jing.” Cui Ye’s shoulders drooped at Ai Ye’s question.
“A Nan puts in effort but not strength; she worries a lot and is very busy. Once I’m done, the sun is good today, let’s sit in the courtyard and fold ingots while we chat.” Ai Ye smiled and pushed Cui Ye out.
The two of them sat in the courtyard chatting. Before long, Li Shikuan returned with his hands behind his back. Seeing Cui Ye, he stopped and asked, “You didn’t go to the county town? Where is A Nan?”
“Wan Jing called her away,” Cui Ye quickly replied loudly.
Li Shikuan frowned, then after a moment, he grunted and turned to leave.
Li Shikuan went straight into the ancestral hall and called out his eldest son, Li Wenliang, who was busy.
“Cui Ye said Wan Jing invited A Nan away,” Li Shikuan stated directly.
Li Wenliang was stunned, “It’s already the twenty-ninth of the lunar month…”
Li Wenliang didn’t finish his sentence. Who would come to someone’s house on the twenty-ninth of the lunar month to call them out? What urgent matter couldn’t wait until after the new year?
“Families like that understand rules better than us and are more particular about them,” Li Shikuan understood his son’s implication. “At this time, how could Wan Jing, a young girl, dare to do this? It must be the Young Lord.”
“Something happened? They want A Nan to spend the New Year with him?” In an instant, Li Wenliang thought of many possibilities.
“If she were spending the New Year with him, she’d be gone for several days, and A Nan would definitely have informed us. A Nan is very sensible. I’m not telling you this for that reason. Tomorrow, for the prayer and ancestral worship, I want Xuedong to be the main officiant, and include Jin Zhu among the accompanying officiants, seated below your mother.” Li Shikuan lowered his voice.
“Ah?” Li Wenliang’s eyes widened.
Although Xuedong was not the highest in seniority or the oldest, nor was he the eldest grandson of the eldest son, he was the clan leader. It wouldn’t be wrong for him to officiate. But Jin Zhu accompanying him? That didn’t make sense!
“Our clan rules should be revised,” Li Shikuan continued. “A Nan’s children all have the surname Li, they are all members of the Li clan, they are all descendants of our ancestors. They should all be recorded in the family genealogy and stand in this ancestral hall to kowtow and offer incense to our ancestors.”
Li Wenliang was stunned for a moment, “Is it because of A Nan?”
Li Shikuan grunted, “Yes, and no. I’ve had this idea for a long time. This will be beneficial to our Li clan.”
“To enter the ancestral hall for worship, one must be on the family genealogy. Once on the genealogy, one is counted. Clan property has always been calculated per person. Should this be changed? Also, if a family’s only daughter has no son, or if a Li daughter returns home with her son, then the Li bloodline…” Li Wenliang thought of more and more.
“In essence, what’s the difference between A Nan’s family and a Li daughter returning home with her son?” Li Shikuan interrupted his son.
Li Wenliang was choked for words.
A Nan’s family was a case of a son-in-law marrying into the family, which was indeed the same as a Li daughter returning home with her son; both were through the daughter’s line.
“To bring glory to the family, one must first have a broad mind. Tolerance is greatness,” Li Shikuan patted his son’s shoulder. “Go and talk to the second and third brothers. If you brothers think it’s acceptable, then we’ll call the heads of each branch over to discuss it together.”
“Okay.” Li Wenliang turned and entered the ancestral hall, paused, stood there thinking for a moment, then hurried in to find Li Wenru and Li Wenhua.
………………………………
Pingjiang City. In the spacious mansion of the Yu family.
Madam Wu sat in a rattan chair, a cylindrical cushion behind her back. With one hand, she twirled a persimmon cake and slowly bit into it. With the other hand, she gently stroked her abdomen. She watched her husband, Da Lang Yu, who was wearing only a single shirt and was pounding rice cakes with a wooden mallet, contemplating how to ask Da Lang to buy her a maid.
Although her mother-in-law hadn’t yet hired any servants, and she shouldn’t overstep her mother-in-law, she was pregnant now, and everything was inconvenient. After the child was born, she would definitely need someone to help her.
This matter had to be handled quickly. Ideally, she would buy someone as soon as the real estate agency opened after the new year. If she bought someone now, after the child was born, she could say that breastfeeding was too exhausting and her body was weak, and then hire a wet nurse.
As Madam Wu was contemplating, outside the courtyard gate, the matchmaker Miao’s voice came in: “Is Da Lang home?”
“Yes,” Da Lang Yu stopped, leaning on the wooden mallet, his brow slightly furrowed.
He didn’t like Matchmaker Miao.
“It’s Mama Miao,” Madam Wu said in a drawn-out tone, bowing slightly, as if trying to stand up but unable to.
“Oh, don’t get up too quickly! You’re in the early stages of pregnancy, the most delicate time! Sit down quickly.” Matchmaker Miao stepped inside and saw Madam Wu, hurriedly calling out.
Da Lang Yu’s expression improved slightly.
Madam Wu sat steadily and smiled, “Then I won’t get up. Why has Mama Miao come? It’s so busy during the New Year.”
“There’s something important. Where is your mother?” Matchmaker Miao looked around.
“She went to the temple to offer incense,” Madam Wu replied somewhat reluctantly.
At this moment, she felt that if her mother-in-law were home, she would be a good buffer. She didn’t like offending people.
“Your mother is blessed,” Matchmaker Miao smiled, pulled over a bamboo chair, and sat between Madam Wu and Da Lang Yu. Looking at Madam Wu, she smiled, “It’s an extremely good matter! It’s great fortune for you and Da Lang. I just found out.”
“What good news?” Madam Wu smiled.
“The eldest son of Steward Huang from our Pingjiang Weaving Bureau has arrived in Pingjiang City. He says he’s here partly to study at the prefectural school and partly to find a good marriage in Pingjiang City!”
Matchmaker Miao said this, and then burst into laughter, clapping her hands.
“Look at this, our Fourth Sister is so fortunate! I secretly went to see him once. Huang Da Lang is so tall, handsome, and refined! Steward Huang is a proper official of the court, rank eight!”
Matchmaker Miao’s eyes narrowed into slits as she laughed.
“What a good marriage! If our Fourth Sister marries into this family, Da Lang’s business will surely prosper! Da Lang can buy as many looms as he wants and open as large a weaving workshop as he desires!”
Da Lang Yu put down his wooden mallet, and the smile on Madam Wu’s face disappeared.
“Steward Huang is an official family, and Huang Da Lang is so handsome. Can Fourth Sister possibly marry into this family?” Da Lang Yu asked doubtfully.
“Yes!” Matchmaker Miao waved her hands and laughed. “With me here! I tell you, any family we set our sights on will be ours! Besides us, he won’t be able to arrange a second match!
“Don’t worry about this marriage, I will definitely arrange it for our Fourth Sister!
“However, there’s one thing that Da Lang will have to bear with.” Matchmaker Miao looked at Da Lang Yu.
“Mama Miao, please tell me,” Da Lang Yu said with a smile.
“It’s about Fourth Sister’s dowry. Da Lang will have to contribute some. Originally, what the family had prepared, along with some help from her three older sisters, would have been enough. But now, if we are to marry into Steward Huang’s family, the dowry cannot be too shabby.
“Her eldest and second sisters’ families are noble, but in terms of money, they can’t compare to Da Lang. This financial matter can only be handled by Da Lang’s contribution and support.”
“This matter,” Da Lang Yu frowned and looked at Madam Wu.
Madam Wu smiled, “Mama Miao also knows that Da Lang has invested a lot of silver in the fine cloth business without seeing any profit, just a room full of cloth. Da Lang and I don’t have much ready cash on hand. We’ll have to wait for Mother to come back and ask her.”
“That’s true. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, perhaps the second or third day of the lunar new year, I’ll come over and talk to your mother about this matter. Your mother is a rare person who is both wise and capable. She’ll understand the benefits of this marriage as soon as she hears it,” Matchmaker Miao said, smiling as she stood up. After giving a few words of caution about pregnant women needing to be careful, she took her leave.
Watching Matchmaker Miao leave the courtyard, Da Lang Yu smiled, “If Mama Miao can really arrange this marriage, we will add to your Fourth Sister’s dowry.”
Madam Wu’s face darkened. After a moment, she stood up with a whoosh, reached out to Da Lang Yu, and said, “Give me two silver coins. I’m going to visit Second Sister. Even if the dowry needs to be increased, we can’t let her take advantage of us.”
“That’s true,” Da Lang Yu deftly took out two silver coins and handed them to Madam Wu. “Talk to your Second Sister properly. This is something that benefits everyone.”
Madam Wu gave a noncommittal “mm-hmm,” went into the house, grabbed a silk wadding padded jacket, and went to Pingyatou’s house to talk to Second Sister.
………………………………
On the morning of the thirty-first of the lunar month, Li Xuedong and Li Jinzhu were called into the ancestral hall to rehearse the ancestral worship.
Li Xiaonan and Cui Ye watched from behind for a while, found it boring, and went out to watch the opera troupe rehearse for the sacrifice to the gods.
On the evening of the thirty-first of the lunar month, Li Xiaonan’s family of seven, along with Cui Ye’s family, all gathered at Li Shikuan’s house and had a lively reunion dinner. At midnight, each person ate a few dumplings, changed their clothes, and went into the ancestral hall for worship.
The Li family was not a prominent clan, but it still had several hundred households and two to three thousand people. This year, both men and women participated in the ancestral worship. The small ancestral hall could not accommodate everyone, and the crowd extended from the ancestral hall all the way to the east and west streets, filling them completely.
A Wu and Yu Ting naturally did not participate in the Li clan’s ancestral worship. Mei Jie was staying with Li Xiaonan’s family and stood next to Li Yuzhu, extremely excited, crying as she kowtowed.
She never expected to have a day where she could enter the ancestral hall for worship.
Li Xiaonan was numb and indifferent to whether she could enter the ancestral hall for worship. Deep in her heart, there was a distance of thousands of years between her excitement and Mei Jie’s tears.
After the ancestral worship, Li Xiaonan and Cui Ye took the opportunity of New Year’s visits to visit Third Sister Li Yin Zhu at the Hong family’s residence. After a good dinner, they bid farewell to Third Sister and left. Master Hong assigned two reliable old women to accompany them. They wandered the streets of the county town, watching the lanterns until midnight, before returning to Li Family Market.
On the second day of the lunar new year, Li Xiaonan rested for a day and went to bed early.
Gu Yan said he was taking her to Linhai Town just to see the excitement, but this couldn’t be entirely believed. She had to observe and pay attention to what she should while following Old Shopkeeper He. She needed to rest well and sleep enough to maintain her energy.
On the morning of the third day, Wan Jing and the cart arrived.
Li Xiaonan, dressed in new clothes, carried a stacked box onto the cart.
“What is this?” Wan Jing examined the red lacquered stacked box.
“Fried fruits from Sister Ai Ye’s house, red bean cakes from Sister Cui Ye’s house, peanut candy from Eldest Uncle’s house, and a few other items, all made by each family with their best skills. I’ll let you taste our family’s New Year goods.” Li Xiaonan lifted the lid of the box, let Wan Jing take a glance, then closed it and placed it aside. “These are all things that can be kept. Take them back to eat, and let Shi Gun try them too.”
“Thank you,” Wan Jing’s eyes lit up with joy. She bowed and took out a carved lacquer small food box, placed a plate of hawthorn cakes in front of Li Xiaonan, and said, “Don’t blame me, this is the Young Lord’s order. He made it very clear. This plate is to help you digest.”
Li Xiaonan picked up a piece, took a bite, and said vaguely, “Hawthorn cakes are also cakes. What does this help digest? Does food digest itself?”
“Exactly!” Wan Jing burst into laughter.
“I forgot to ask if it’s a dinner banquet or a lunch banquet.” Li Xiaonan lifted the curtain and looked at the guards riding horses, keeping a steady pace outside.
“How could there be time for a lunch banquet! We’ll arrive in the afternoon. After eating something, you’ll need to wash up and change clothes…”
“Ah!” Li Xiaonan interrupted Wan Jing with a surprised exclamation. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Well, it’s no use even if you had said it earlier. I only have this one new outfit. After washing my face and combing my hair, I’ll take off my skirt…”
Li Xiaonan straightened up, and Wan Jing pulled her back.
“The clothes are here, all prepared. I picked them for you. Our Young Lord said that since you’re following Old Shopkeeper He, a simple cloth outfit isn’t suitable.”
Li Xiaonan slanted a look at Wan Jing.
“Our household doesn’t care about one or two outfits. Our Young Lord changes at least once a day, sometimes three or four times if there’s something going on. Except for the very best fur fabric, everything else is worn only once. Even I, have you ever seen me wear very old clothes?
“Just wear it if I give it to you. I’m telling you, this outfit, not including this white fox coat, and not including the hair ornaments and jewelry, is worth two to three hundred silver.”
“Let’s not argue with our Young Lord about this, it’s foolish,” Wan Jing patted Li Xiaonan, speaking earnestly.
If you include the white fox coat and the hair ornaments and jewelry, wouldn’t that be over a thousand silver? Li Xiaonan took a breath. She couldn’t afford to argue about this!
“I’ll wear it just once. I’ll change out of it when I come back, and you can take it back.” Li Xiaonan reached out and carefully touched the long white fox fur.
“Alright, leave it with me, I’ll keep it for you,” Wan Jing readily agreed.
Around noon, the cart stopped at the side gate of the He family’s residence in Linhai Town. Wan Jing and Li Xiaonan got off the cart one after another and followed the old woman waiting at the door inside.
