Chapter 95: Grand Display
The small quadrangle house of the Li family had been cleaned spotlessly.
As soon as the Li sisters and Mei Jie got out of the carriage, including Li Xiaonan, they immediately got busy.
Li Wenliang’s wife, Sister-in-law Guo, was waiting at the Li family’s. As soon as Li Jinzhu got out of the carriage, she was grabbed by Sister-in-law Guo and began to discuss arrangements, starting with laying out the dowry, with Li Jinzhu having to make decisions on almost every step.
Li Shikuan’s second daughter-in-law, Sister-in-law Cao, heard the news and came to invite Li Yuzhu and Li Yin Zhu away.
After repeated discussions between Li Wenliang and Old Master Hong, the Hong family’s betrothal gifts were changed from silk and gold to direct silver, with only a few necessary items remaining.
This silver, plus the six hundred taels of silver provided by Li Shikuan, totaled eleven hundred taels. Half was taken by Li Wenliang to purchase or have made various sizes of furniture in Pingjiang City and Li Family Market, while the other half was given to Li Wenliang’s brother, Li Wenru, to purchase curtains, rice, clothing, candle holders, basin racks, and other items in Linhai Town.
These dowries were delivered to Li Family Market one after another, and were all received two days before the Li sisters returned.
It was the first time Li Yin Zhu saw her dowry. Under Sister-in-law Cao’s direction, she carefully examined and diligently noted everything.
As Sister-in-law Cao put it: “One must clearly see and understand their own dowry.”
This was quite a difficult task for Li Yin Zhu, as she had never seen more than half of the items in the dowry. Sister-in-law Cao had to call Ai Ye over to accompany Li Yin Zhu in identifying the dowry items.
Li Yuzhu, along with Sister-in-law Cao, discussed which items should be carried separately, which could be combined, which should be carried first, and how they should be arranged upon arrival at the Hong family’s.
This was a matter that required great attention to detail.
Firstly, laying out the dowry was the time for the new bride to display her family’s wealth and make an impression. The dowry, once arranged and carried out, had to be visually appealing, eye-catching, and worthy of admiration, which involved many subtleties in its arrangement.
Secondly, the new house prepared by the groom’s family was an empty space. From the large cabinets, tables, and bed frames to the curtains, drapes, candle holders, and decorations, everything in the rooms and courtyard depended on the dowry being laid out and filling the space. Which dowry item should be placed first, and which would block the way if brought in early, requiring it to be placed later, all needed to be meticulously arranged.
The dowry items in the new house were to be displayed outside for the first few days.
When the dowry was fully displayed outside, people would be coming and going in the new house. The displayed dowry could not be in the way, and precautions had to be taken against clumsy guests damaging valuable items. Valuable items needed to be placed in conspicuous locations, while smaller items should be visible but difficult to take, to prevent guests with sticky fingers from casually taking them. This would avoid trouble and potential disputes, and the arrangement required considerable skill.
This was also a time to test the bride’s family’s ability to manage household affairs. Families with deep foundations would have their dowries carried into the new house, arranged one by one, flowing like water. The displayed dowry filled the room, with conspicuous items placed unobtrusively and everything in its proper place, showcasing the family’s character and heritage.
Li Shikuan and the clan elders of the Li family also planned to make such a display.
Since the Li family produced a Xiucai Scholar at the age of ten, and then formed a marriage alliance with the Hong family, the Li family had risen to become a prominent family in Kunshan County. From Li Shikuan to all the clan elders, their horizons and knowledge had been expanding day by day.
Regarding the wedding of their third daughter, Li, to the esteemed Hong family, Li Shikuan and the clan elders were in complete agreement:
This was the Li family’s first grand appearance before all the families in Kunshan County. It was a test for their Li family and an excellent opportunity to showcase their family’s wealth. They must work together to ensure the wedding was conducted with dignity and propriety, and to display the Li family’s character and heritage!
The important task of laying out the dowry was entrusted to Li Shikuan’s second daughter-in-law, Cao Shi.
Cao Shi hailed from the Cao family of Jixi.
The Cao family was a renowned scholarly family in Huizhou, and the women of the Cao family were known for their knowledge, propriety, virtue, and capability.
Originally, Li Shikuan had high hopes for his second son, Li Wenru, and from the time Li Wenru was five or six years old, he began to worry about his future wife. This wife had to be someone they looked up to, someone they had to marry with deference, to be a suitable match for his promising second son.
When Li Wenru was eight or nine years old, Li Shikuan had the opportunity to meet the Cao family. He exerted all his might, exaggerating Li Wenru’s talent and future prospects to the skies, and arranged for Cao Shi, the eldest daughter of the Cao family’s eldest branch, to marry Li Wenru, half a year after his eldest son’s wedding.
The reason for marrying Cao Shi so urgently was that Li Wenru’s intelligence did not develop in the direction Li Shikuan had envisioned. Instead, it was scattered and unfocused, dabbling in this today and that tomorrow, disliking anything serious but wanting to try everything useless.
Because of his second son’s unreliability, Li Shikuan had fallen ill several times from anger. The only thing that brought him comfort and relief regarding his second son was that Li Wenru and Cao Shi were a very compatible couple, which was a blessing in disguise.
Cao Shi had been raised from childhood according to the standards of a matriarch. Li Shikuan entrusted the most important task of the Li family’s significant debut, the laying out of the dowry, to Cao Shi.
As for Li Xiaonan, she was pulled away by Cui Ye as soon as she got out of the carriage.
Cui Ye didn’t even have time to say a word of missing her. Facing Li Xiaonan, she blurted out, “Tang Weng Weng said to give the son-in-law a good beating!”
Li Xiaonan was stunned. “Huh? Beat who? Whose son-in-law?”
“Yours! Don’t you know! I’ll tell you!” Cui Ye excitedly explained with hands and feet how to beat a son-in-law. “…Tang Weng Weng said that beating a son-in-law also requires finesse, and asked me to find you to discuss it, to make the beating interesting!”
Li Xiaonan understood and let out a long “Oh.”
So that’s how it is. Well, then he really deserves a good beating!
………………………………
Linhai Town.
Gu Yan rode his horse, wearing a golden crown, his silver-blue cape fluttering in the wind. Escorted by guards and attendants, he galloped straight to the entrance of the Maritime Tax Bureau, dismounted, looked up at the colossal gate of the Maritime Tax Bureau, and then turned towards the nearby wharf.
He Chengzhe, the foreman of He Ji Old Brand, received the news and, with his son He Ruiming, ran out of He Ji Old Brand and chased towards the wharf.
Gu Yan circled the wharf and, as He Chengzhe and his son hurried to meet him, pointed to the warehouse next to them and said with a smile, “I came out for a ride and happened to pass by. There’s nothing important, you can go about your business, no need to attend to me.”
“No matter how busy we are, it’s not for this moment,” He Chengzhe replied with a bow and a smile.
“That’s true. Let’s go take a look, see if there’s anything new lately?” Gu Yan idly fanned himself with his folding fan, appearing extremely casual.
He Chengzhe looked at his son, He Ruiming. He Ruiming quickly stepped forward and replied with a smile, “The day before yesterday, a boat of new-style gnomons and sundials arrived, and self-moving figures. They were just unloaded and are quite interesting.”
“Mm,” Gu Yan gave a noncommittal hum. After taking a few steps, he smiled and said, “Let’s go see.”
The warehouse next to the Maritime Tax Bureau was specifically used to store goods unloaded from ships that had not yet been sold. Goods sold that day were immediately transported out by the buyers, while those not sold that day were transferred to other warehouses for sale the next day.
This warehouse was the largest and liveliest around the wharf.
Gu Yan and his entourage, with their bright attire and sharp demeanor, attracted everyone’s attention as soon as they entered the warehouse.
Gu Yan walked and stopped among the warehouses, occasionally nudging the goods with his folding fan, but his gaze was always perfunctory.
He Ruiming followed closely beside Gu Yan, watching Gu Yan’s expressions and movements intently, always ready to step forward to explain and introduce.
He Chengzhe lagged half a step behind his son, observing Gu Yan’s expressions and actions with concentration.
“Reporting to Young Lord, Yao Wu has arrived,” Shi Gun reported.
“Mm, have her come over,” Gu Yan casually ordered. He took a step forward, his gaze falling on a double-heart ivory powder box. He suddenly exclaimed, turned around, and asked Shi Gun, “Miss Li mentioned once that her sister was getting married. Did she say which day?”
“She said the sixth of March,” Shi Gun replied with a quick bow.
Gu Yan hummed, slowly tapping his folding fan in his palm, his brow furrowed slightly. After a moment, he smiled and said, “Since I know, I must add a congratulatory gift. Etiquette must not be neglected. This box is nice.”
“Yes.”
Shi Gun quickly stepped forward, picked up the double-heart ivory powder box, and asked with a smile, “Whose goods are these? What’s the price?”
“I’ll do it,” He Ruiming eagerly reached out to take it.
Gu Yan placed his folding fan on He Ruiming’s hand. “This is my private matter, you don’t need to concern yourself with it. Let Shi Gun handle it.”
“Yes.” He Ruiming quickly withdrew his hand and watched as Shi Gun called the owner of the ivory powder box, asked the price, and paid on the spot.
Gu Yan continued forward, then selected a coral branch, a pair of agate bowls, and a pair of rhinoceros horn cups. He gestured for several servants to carry them together, looked at them, and nodded with satisfaction. He instructed Shi Gun, “Pick a few people to send these over.”
Shi Gun quickly bowed in agreement. Gu Yan turned and saw A Wu craning his neck to watch the excitement. He raised an eyebrow and smiled, “You go along too, and offer your congratulations.”
“Ah? Yes!” A Wu was taken aback and quickly agreed.
