Chapter 49: Owing a Favor
After seeing Li Wenliang off, Li Jinzhu called Li Yin Zhu into the main hall and handed the betrothal gift list to Li Xiao Nan, “Read it aloud for your third sister.”
“Third sister, you can read it yourself.” Li Xiao Nan passed the betrothal gift list to Li Yin Zhu.
“I can read these characters. Ninety-nine taels of silver, a pair of gold…”
“Zan!” Li Xiao Nan pointed at the character for “zan” and taught her on the spot.
Li Jin Zhu and Li Yu Zhu spun yarn and wove cloth respectively, waiting for Li Yin Zhu to finish reading the betrothal gift list.
Li Xue Dong stood on Li Yin Zhu’s other side, craning his neck to look, and vied with Li Xiao Nan to teach Li Yin Zhu.
Li Yin Zhu finally finished reading the betrothal gift list, let out a long sigh, closed the list, and asked, “What is this? All good things!”
“The Hong Family’s betrothal gifts for you,” Li Xiao Nan flicked the betrothal gift list.
Li Yin Zhu’s eyes widened.
“Eldest Uncle said that Tang Weng Weng is preparing to prepare a dowry for you based on this betrothal gift list,” Li Yu Zhu continued.
Li Yin Zhu’s eyes were already wide and could not get any wider, so she opened her mouth instead.
“You are not young anymore. Hong Er is three years older than you. Eldest Uncle said the Hong Family wants to get married next spring, which is quite appropriate. I discussed it with your second sister and agreed,” Li Jin Zhu frowned slightly.
“Sister-in-law Yin said that business is good during the New Year, and every family needs to buy some preserved eggs. Sliced, they make a very presentable cold dish. I calculated the accounts for Sister-in-law Yin, and if things go smoothly, we can earn forty to fifty, or fifty to sixty taels of silver in one New Year. We get six parts, they get four, so we can get twenty to thirty taels.
“Originally, your second sister and I discussed using these twenty to thirty taels of silver for your dowry. But now, with this betrothal gift,” Li Jin Zhu sighed, “Let’s all discuss how to manage it.”
Li Yu Zhu took the cotton sliver from Li Jin Zhu and spun yarn on the spinning wheel.
Li Yin Zhu looked at Li Xiao Nan. Li Xue Dong looked from his eldest sister to his second sister, then to his third sister, and finally his gaze fell on Li Xiao Nan.
“Eldest Sister, can we refuse this betrothal gift? Or not accept so much?” Li Xiao Nan asked first.
“It is said that if the groom’s family cannot afford betrothal gifts, the bride’s family does not accept them. If the groom’s family gives betrothal gifts, and the bride’s family does not accept them…”
Li Jin Zhu frowned and looked at Li Yu Zhu. Li Yu Zhu shook her head, “I haven’t heard of that.”
“Na Zheng is one of the Six Rites. The teacher at the school said that Na Zheng is the most important of the Six Rites…” Li Xue Dong tried hard to recall the intricacies of Na Zheng and the Six Rites.
“If we’ve never heard of the groom’s family giving gifts and the bride’s family not accepting them or accepting less, then if we don’t accept them or accept less, wouldn’t that be out of line?” Li Xiao Nan pushed Li Xue Dong’s shoulder, pushing back the rest of his words.
“Xiao Nan is right,” Li Yu Zhu nodded.
Li Jin Zhu hummed and looked at Li Xiao Nan, waiting for her to continue.
“If we accept the Hong Family’s betrothal gifts, but refuse the dowry from Tang Weng Weng, won’t people think that we are close to the Hong Family, but not close to Tang Weng Weng or our Li Clan?”
“When we were looking for a house, I heard you and Second Sister gossiping that Eldest Uncle said: If we refuse this and refuse that, some clan elders will say we have grievances with the clan.”
“So, you mean we should accept both?” Li Jin Zhu knitted her brows.
“Yes!” Li Xiao Nan nodded affirmatively. “Eldest Sister always thinks that Brother, as a Xiucai Scholar, how can he be so ordinary? Brother is just a Xiucai Scholar, what’s so special about him? How is he different from other Xiucai Scholars?
“Last time I asked Brother how many Xiucai Scholars there were in the Prefectural School, how many passed the Imperial Examinations to become Recommended Scholars, and how many became Jinshi Scholars. I asked Brother to tell me!”
Li Xiao Nan pointed at Li Xue Dong.
“Very few! I heard that in the previous three examination cycles, a total of only four Recommended Scholars and one Jinshi Scholar were produced. In nine years, only one! The teacher said that the Imperial Examinations in this dynasty are particularly difficult to pass,” Li Xue Dong replied quickly.
“Eldest Sister always thinks that people are good to us because they want Brother to pass the Imperial Examinations to become a Recommended Scholar or a Jinshi Scholar, and become a high official or prime minister. I don’t think others think that way; Eldest Sister is too imaginative.
“People are good to us because Brother is now a Xiucai Scholar. Didn’t the Hong Family rise because they produced a Xiucai Scholar?” Li Xiao Nan looked at Li Jin Zhu.
“Xiao Nan’s words are correct,” Li Yu Zhu agreed.
Li Jin Zhu was silent for a moment, then hummed, “Even so, we shouldn’t accept four to five hundred taels of silver from them.”
“The Hong Family’s four to five hundred taels of betrothal gifts, after being brought over from the Hong Family, will be returned to their Hong Family in two or three days, right? As for Tang Weng Weng’s four to five hundred taels, didn’t you hear Eldest Uncle say that they are also moving to Pingjiang City and plan to open a shop to do business there? In the future, they will definitely need Brother’s status as a Xiucai Scholar.”
Seeing that Li Jin Zhu’s brows seemed to furrow even tighter, Li Xiao Nan changed her tone.
“If Eldest Sister feels we shouldn’t accept it, then consider it a loan. Later, when we earn money, we can directly return the silver. If they refuse to accept it, then when Eldest Uncle’s family’s Ai Ye sister gets married, or when Tang Weng Weng has his birthday, we can give generous gifts to repay this human affection.”
“Xiao Nan’s words make sense. Our family is not a suitable match for the Hong Family. What if Yin Zhu suffers if she marries over there? We have worried about this matter countless times. If she can have nearly a thousand taels of silver as a dowry, Yin Zhu will have some confidence. We will remember this human affection, and we can repay it in the future,” Li Yu Zhu said, looking at Li Jin Zhu.
“Yes, then it’s settled. We must remember this human affection. In the future,” Li Jin Zhu paused, sighed, “it would be great if we could repay it.”
“We definitely can! Eldest Sister, don’t worry! I’m here!” Li Xiao Nan patted Li Jin Zhu’s shoulder with an air of maturity.
“Wait!” Li Yin Zhu grabbed Li Xiao Nan, “I don’t want so much dowry, I…”
“It’s alright, we owe a lot of human affection, this dowry is not much,” Li Jin Zhu tucked a strand of Li Yin Zhu’s hair behind her ear.
“It’s too much!” Li Yin Zhu looked at everyone.
“It’s only a thousand taels, not much! Later, when I earn a lot of money, I’ll add some more for you,” Li Xiao Nan said with a grand air, patting Li Yin Zhu.
“You little rascal!” Li Yu Zhu chuckled and lightly patted Li Xiao Nan on the head.
“I want to earn money too…” Li Xue Dong craned his neck over.
“You focus on your studies!”
“You focus on your studies and be a good Xiucai Scholar!”
“You must not get distracted!”
Li Jin Zhu, Li Yu Zhu, and Li Yin Zhu all shouted.
