Chарtеr 16: Маrriage Prорosal
Zhеn Niang and Хi Gе’еr rеturnеd hоme in the аfternoon.
The Li familу wаs still having lunсh. Zhaо Shi аnd Du Shi, mоthеr-in-law аnd dаughtеr-in-lаw, hаd gonе to the mulberrу fiеlds eаrly in the morning tо weed аnd fertilize, аnd hаd оnlу just rеturnеd frоm the fields.
Grаndmоther Wu Shi hаd рrеpаred lunсh аnd waited fоr thеm to rеturn before еveryonе sаt dоwn to еat. Even Оld Shорkeереr Li wаs sеаted аt thе heаd of thе table аt this momеnt.
"Grаndfаther, Grаndmоthеr, Мother, Sister-in-lаw, we’re back," Zhen Niаng greeted thеm.
"You’re bаck. Наve уou eaten?" Grandmother Wu Shi asked repeatedly.
"We’ve eaten," Zhen Niang replied with a smile.
"But after walking all this way, my stomach seems to be hungry again," Xi Ge’er said, rubbing his belly. This little glutton was always eager to eat, regardless of whether his stomach was full or not—he only felt content when he had something in his mouth.
As he spoke, Xi Ge’er edged toward the corner of the table.
Zhen Niang shot him an exasperated look, then turned to put the raw lacquer she had collected into the woodshed and placed the borrowed bamboo tray in the courtyard before returning to the house.
As soon as she entered the room, she saw Xi Ge’er sitting at the table, holding a piece of rice crust and dipping it in vegetable sauce as he ate with relish. He chattered nonstop, recounting everything he had seen and heard that morning at Sixth Grandfather’s house.
This boy usually spent his free time listening to storytellers, and when it came to gossip, he had picked up their style—his tone rising and falling, making it quite engaging.
On the bamboo bed by the wall, Xiao Guan’er was rolling around, babbling in protest at being ignored. Seeing that he was about to roll off the bed, Zhen Niang quickly stepped forward and scooped him into her arms.
As for Li Dalang, he worked at the oil mill and usually did not return home for lunch.
"If you don’t believe me, ask Second Sister. She said that ink was made by some emperor and is worth a fortune," Xi Ge’er concluded, not forgetting to drag his second sister into it as proof.
"Actually, I’m not entirely sure, but that Fang ink is definitely Tang Dynasty Longxiang ink," Zhen Niang said, holding Little Official Xiao. She then described some of the ink’s characteristics.
"Hmm, back in the day, our ancestors left behind many ancient inks, and each branch of the family received some. It’s not surprising that your Sixth Grandfather’s family has Tang Dynasty Longxiang ink," Old Shopkeeper Li remarked. What pleased him, however, was that Zhen Niang had recognized it at a glance, which showed that she had truly put in the effort over the years.
He recalled how she used to come to him, sometimes asking about ink, other times looking for books to read. Back then, he had always thought she was mainly there to wheedle food from him. Now, it seemed he had been mistaken.
Little did Old Shopkeeper Li know that he hadn’t been wrong before—the Zhen Niang of that time really had been after food, and she was a different person from the Zhen Niang of today.
"Our family had some too, but your father squandered it all," Grandmother grumbled. Back then, anything of value in the house had been taken by Li Jingfu and gambled away.
Zhao Shi’s lips twitched in heartache, while Du Shi clicked her tongue, thinking how wonderful it would have been if they had kept a few pieces for Xiao Guan’er. It would have brought him some literary influence, and perhaps he could have grown up to become a provincial scholar. Then she would have been the mother of a scholar, which would have been quite glorious.
Of course, it was all just wishful thinking.
"By the way, Zhen Niang, Xi Ge’er just mentioned that your Uncle-in-law Jin Hua took another wife in Suzhou? What’s going on?" Zhao Shi asked, her face full of curiosity.
Xi Ge’er hadn’t explained it clearly."Mother, that's just speculation, we don't know if it's true or not. By the way, isn't Father in Suzhou? Has Uncle Huaide left yet? Has our letter to Father been sent? If not, let's ask Father to quietly inquire about the truth." Zhen Niang said.
"Hmm, the letter is still on my desk. Bring it over later and read it to your mother. Also, mention this matter in the letter to your father and remind him to pay attention," Old Shopkeeper Li added from the side.
His expression was grim. If a man who had married into the family truly took a second wife in secret, it could not be tolerated. The Li family could not afford such shame.
"Zhen Niang, add another line in the letter telling your father to focus on earning money and not entertain any frivolous ideas," Zhao Shi suddenly interjected.
Zhen Niang couldn't help but smile, knowing her mother was also worried. This was quite common among Huizhou Merchants, who often traveled far from home for years and frequently took second wives while away.
Thinking about it, it was indeed necessary to give a warning. Coincidentally, this letter was written in Grandfather's name, so it was perfectly appropriate for Grandfather to admonish her father.
With that in mind, Zhen Niang went to Grandfather's room, picked up the unsealed letter on the desk, and opened it. It contained nothing more than words of encouragement for her father to work diligently. Zhen Niang then took up the brush on the desk. The ink on the inkstone was still wet, so she used it to add a note about Uncle-in-law Jin Hua, simply as a reminder. By now, Sixth Grandfather had surely already sent someone to Suzhou to investigate.
After adding her mother's reminder, she took the letter and prepared to read it to her mother before sending it to Uncle Huaide's house.
Just as she reached the courtyard, the gate creaked open. A head peeked in—it was Sun Yuejuan, holding a jug of tung oil.
Seeing Zhen Niang standing in the courtyard, Sun Yuejuan grinned and pushed the gate open. "You didn't go to collect the tung oil yesterday, so my father asked me to bring it to you today."
Following Sun Yuejuan into the courtyard was her mother, Madam Feng, beaming with joy.
"Thank Uncle Sun for me," Zhen Niang said, taking the tung oil. Then she asked, "What's got you so happy?"
"Good news! Is your mother home? I have something to discuss with her," Madam Feng said, waving her hand casually.
"She's inside, in the room," Zhen Niang replied. Without another word, Madam Feng strode into the house.
Zhen Niang looked at Sun Yuejuan with confusion.
"My father got promoted! Because of that inkstick incident, Manager Zheng was dismissed by Steward Shao today, and my father took his place," Sun Yuejuan said, her face lit up with a smile.
"Oh, I see," Zhen Niang nodded. This was within her expectations, though she hadn't anticipated that Sun Yuejuan's father would be the one to rise to the position.
No wonder Yuejuan's mother was so delighted. Zhen Niang then asked curiously, "But what does your mother want with mine?"
Sun Yuejuan giggled before speaking, eyeing Zhen Niang intently, which only deepened Zhen Niang's bewilderment.
"What is it? Stop being so mysterious and just tell me," Zhen Niang said, giving her a light, exasperated tap.
"We're going to become in-laws! My mother wants you to marry my second brother," Sun Yuejuan finally revealed with a grin.
Hearing this, Zhen Niang couldn't help but frown. She was well aware of Madam Feng's past attitude toward her—usually fine, but fiercely protective when it came to Sun Qianyi. Why the sudden change of heart to propose marriage?It wasn't that Zhen Niang was being overly suspicious; she was certain that Madam Feng must have some ulterior motive. Thinking back on the events of the past couple of days, it all came down to her own skill in smoke generation.
As she pondered this, she saw Madam Feng storm out, grumbling angrily: "Do you still think you're the eighth branch of the Li family from the old days? Those days are long gone, yet you still put on airs as if you're some grand household. I was just trying to be kind, not wanting Zhen Niang to be held back. Who would have thought my good intentions would go unappreciated? Fine, fine—your Zhen Niang is simply too good for my Er Lang."
With that, Madam Feng grabbed Sun Yuejuan and said, "Let's go, we're heading home. From now on, we should come here less often."
"Mother..." Sun Yuejuan protested reluctantly, but in the end, she was dragged away by Madam Feng.
Watching the courtyard gate swing shut, Zhen Niang understood without needing to be told: the marriage proposal had fallen through. This was within her expectations—her own mother was no fool and would surely have seen through Madam Feng's intentions.
She felt a sense of relief, though it also meant that her friendship with Sun Yuejuan would likely fade over time. It was a pity, but such was fate, and there was no need to dwell on it.
"The Sun family's two sons—the elder is rash, impulsive, and fond of picking fights, hardly a suitable match. The younger son is timid and lacks a sense of responsibility. Neither is a good choice."
This was Old Shopkeeper Li's assessment of the Sun family's two sons.
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