Chapter 297: Reality
Li Xiaonan’s dowry only needed to be prepared according to the customs of Jiangnan; even with the added considerations of Jianle City, there wasn’t much to prepare. In less than half a day, Li Shikuan, Old Master Hong, He Chengzhe, and the Villa Steward Hong Bo had settled the matter of the dowry.
Li Shikuan looked over the meager dowry list until midnight. The next morning, he went to the Hong family, holding the dowry list.
Old Master Hong welcomed Li Shikuan in. Looking at the dowry list Li Shikuan placed on the table, he understood immediately and said with a wry smile, “I was thinking about this too. It’s truly too meager, not even as good as her third sister’s. It’s not difficult to prepare a decent dowry. Your Li family isn’t without money, and I’d like to contribute a sum, but if we prepare a lavish dowry, will A Nan agree? What about her eldest sister?”
Li Shikuan frowned. The difficulty lay precisely in A Nan and her eldest sister’s unwillingness to agree. A Nan was manageable, but getting her eldest sister to agree was far too difficult.
“You certainly know the difficulty better than I do. What are your plans?” Old Master Hong asked Li Shikuan.
“I came to discuss this with you,” Li Shikuan sighed.
“A Nan and her sisters are all very headstrong. It’s difficult!” Old Master Hong sighed in agreement.
“It seems the Young Lord has also given his approval,” Li Shikuan said.
“Let’s not talk about that. After the New Year, I plan to have Yinzhu and A Ye take the children to Jianle City, and they’ll live there permanently from now on,” Old Master Hong changed the subject. “What are your plans?”
“What about A Ye’s father?” Li Shikuan asked.
“He’ll also stay in Jianle City. A Ye can’t manage it alone,” Old Master Hong replied.
“I asked Jin Zhu, and Jin Zhu said A Nan told her not to let her brother go to Jianle City. I also sounded out Mr. Gao, and Mr. Gao doesn’t plan to have Xue Dong move to Jianle City either. So, for Jianle City, I plan to have my eldest son’s family move there to live permanently.”
“Your eldest son is a steady person. If that’s the case, with your eldest son’s support in Jianle City, A Ye and his father will be much better off,” Old Master Hong said with a smile.
“I heard Scholar Hong wants to move to Jianle City to live?” Li Shikuan looked at Old Master Hong.
Old Master Hong’s face darkened. “At his age, his ambitions have flared up again. Talking about the Spring and Autumn Imperial Examinations! A Ye wants to take the Child Scholar examination, and Yinzhu hasn’t even agreed yet. Hmph!” Old Master Hong snorted in anger.
“They’re all so troublesome!” Li Shikuan thought of the entire large family that had filled Jin Zhu’s courtyard and suddenly felt that the dowry was not a major issue. There were many truly troublesome and worrying major issues.
…
In late July, the Courtyard Examination in Hangcheng concluded. The list of successful candidates was posted at midnight and delivered to Li Xiaonan that afternoon.
The list was delivered by the steward of the Prince’s Estate villa. Li Xiaonan merely asked where the list was copied from. Hearing the steward say it was transcribed after being posted, she didn’t ask anything further.
Ni Rush’s name was ranked seventh.
Li Xiaonan picked up the thick envelope beneath the list. Inside were copies of all of Ni Rush’s examination papers from the Courtyard Examination and the examiners’ comments.
Li Xiaonan slowly finished reading all the papers, closed them, and after a moment of thought, called Yu Ting in and asked her to inform her eldest sister that Ni Rush had ranked seventh in the Courtyard Examination.
Yu Ting didn’t understand the reason, but under Wan Jing’s careful instructions, Yu Ting had learned to obey and act without meddling. She hurried out and rode to find Li Jinzhu.
Li Jinzhu was busy with matters concerning fine cloth and might not be home, so it was indeed necessary to find her.
Watching Yu Ting leave, Li Xiaonan picked up Yu Ting’s palm-leaf fan and fanned herself, thinking about Ni Rush. She wondered if Educational Commissioner Wei knew about Ni Rush. If he did, then the information could only have come from Ni Rush, which wouldn’t be good.
…
Hangcheng.
In an inn not far from the Imperial Examination Hall, Mr. Shao stood at the entrance of the inn’s small courtyard, watching Ni Rush, dressed in a blue scholar’s robe, looking exceptionally handsome and outstanding, bid farewell to several fellow students with cupped hand salutes before entering the inn.
The innkeeper and several shop assistants greeted Ni Rush with long bows and congratulations. The guests in the inn also rose one after another, raising their voices in congratulation. Ni Rush smiled and returned the salutes with cupped hands, retreating as he entered. He retreated all the way to the courtyard entrance, turned, and saw Mr. Shao, then immediately bowed deeply.
“How could I dare accept such a gesture?” Mr. Shao stepped forward and helped Ni Rush up.
“This blue robe…” Ni Rush tugged at his sleeve, his throat suddenly catching.
“This is just a beginning,” Mr. Shao pushed Ni Rush into the room.
“Yes,” Ni Rush calmed his excitement.
“That’s an invitation that arrived today. I took the liberty of declining it for you. We need to hurry back to Pingjiang City,” Mr. Shao patted Ni Rush and got straight to the point, to divert Ni Rush’s excitement.
“Mm,” Ni Rush carefully took off the blue robe. “Will we propose marriage as soon as we get back?”
“Before proposing marriage, you need to meet Old Master Li, and it would be best to visit Old Master Hong as well. You also need to meet Fourth Mistress. We need to discuss the order,” Mr. Shao said, watching Ni Rush fold the blue robe.
“What about Eldest Madam?” Ni Rush sat down next to Mr. Shao.
“Meeting Eldest Madam is equivalent to proposing marriage,” Mr. Shao replied. “My suggestion is to visit Fourth Mistress first. What do you think?”
Ni Rush was silent for a moment. “I think it’s better to meet Old Master Li first, as he is an elder. Meeting Fourth Mistress first seems…”
Ni Rush didn’t finish his sentence. It seemed too calculating. When he was initially interested in the marriage with Li Yuzhu, he had been thinking about his future prospects. He knew what he was thinking and seeing, so he was particularly wary of revealing his thoughts too nakedly.
“You’ve thought it through more thoroughly,” Mr. Shao looked at Ni Rush with admiration. “If that’s the case, then let’s visit Old Master Hong first to inquire about the proposal, and ask Old Master Hong for advice on whether to visit Fourth Mistress first or Old Master Li first.”
“Mm,” Ni Rush nodded.
Mr. Shao hired a fast boat. They set off before dawn the next day. In the evening, the fast boat docked at the Pingjiang City wharf. Mr. Shao accompanied Ni Rush to the Hong family to request an audience with Old Master Hong.
Old Master Hong warmly welcomed Ni Rush and directly suggested that Ni Rush propose marriage to Li Jinzhu. If Li Jinzhu agreed, he would act as the matchmaker and formally propose on Ni Rush’s behalf.
After seeing Ni Rush off, Li Jinzhu stayed in a daze for a while before going to the He Family Villa to find Li Xiaonan.
Wan Jing brought over two small chairs, and Li Xiaonan and Li Jinzhu sat in the corridor talking.
There was an ice chest in the room. Li Jinzhu felt that although it was hot, it wasn’t unbearably so, and using an ice chest was excessive. So, Li Xiaonan accompanied her to talk in the corridor.
“Ni Dalang came today and said he wants to propose marriage to your second sister,” Li Jinzhu said with a worried expression. “Ni Dalang was wearing a new outfit today, a moon white silk robe, very handsome. Your second sister doesn’t match him; she looks four or five years older than him, very mismatched. His proposal is aimed at the Young Lord, at the Prince’s Estate.”
“Can my second sister choose someone who only values her and loves her, and doesn’t look at the Prince’s Estate at all?” Li Xiaonan asked.
Li Jinzhu gave a wry smile and shook her head.
“No matter who she arranges to marry, people will first look at the Prince’s Estate,” she paused, then continued, “Right now, in Pingjiang City, for any family your second sister fancies, it’s likely they’ll agree with just a mention. Even if the person himself is unwilling, his family and clan will force him to agree, without even looking at your second sister.”
Li Jinzhu was stunned for a moment, then sighed.
“If that’s the case, then Ni Rush is not bad. At least your second sister likes him. Your third sister marrying into the Hong family wasn’t because Third Brother-in-law fancied her either,” Li Xiaonan said, looking at her eldest sister.
Li Jinzhu let out a long sigh. “The Hong family… Ni Dalang is not quite like your Third Brother-in-law.”
“Ni Rush’s essays and scholarship are good. He can pass the Jinshi examination, he’s good-looking, shrewd, and ambitious. But even if he one day becomes a Minister or Prime Minister, the Prince’s Estate can still suppress him.”
These were Gu Yan’s words.
Li Jinzhu was stunned for a while. “A Nan, at this moment, sigh, it doesn’t feel like arranging a marriage, it feels like doing business.”
“When we were poor before, wasn’t arranging a marriage also about how many mu of land the groom’s family had, how many strong laborers, how many brothers, whether they had oxen, how much dowry the bride’s family could give? There were plenty of fights over a few large coins for betrothal gifts and dowries. Wasn’t that also doing business?” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“When Father arranged my marriage, he asked if I fancied the person,” Li Jinzhu said softly.
“Second Sister fancies Ni Rush, doesn’t she?” Li Xiaonan said.
“Yes, I’ll go back and ask your second sister. If she agrees, then this marriage is settled. A Nan, if this marriage is settled, then in the future, your second and third sisters will both be your responsibility,” Li Jinzhu looked at Li Xiaonan.
“Tang Weng Weng said the entire Li Clan is watching me,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
Li Jinzhu wanted to laugh, but tears almost fell.
“Logically, it should be a joyous occasion, but I always…” Li Jinzhu quickly wiped away her tears.
“Eldest Sister, relax!” Li Xiaonan, imitating Li Shikuan’s tone, patted her eldest sister’s shoulder.
Li Jinzhu chuckled. “Alright, then I’ll be going back. Don’t use the ice chest in your room too much; it’s not good if it’s too cold.”
“Okay,” Li Xiaonan agreed, stood up, and saw her eldest sister out.
