Chapter 173
A few days later
In the courtyard of Chenchu, she was still a young woman awaiting marriage, and most of her attention was focused on her wedding dress, stitching each piece with great care.
"Miss, please rest for a moment, I will do it for you."
"No, I can do it myself, it'll be over soon."
The wedding date has been set for March 15th next year. As the day draws ever closer, Shen Chu still maintains the same indifferent expression as before, but it's impossible for her to truly be calm and composed.
From a young age, she had become accustomed to keeping all her worries to herself. In public, she was poised and dignified, and at home, she was filial to her elders. She never dared to speak out of turn or make any rash remarks.
She appears to be a very well-behaved and sensible young lady from a respectable family.
"Madam has already started preparing your dowry, but I'm afraid it won't be much. I heard that everything is being done according to the rules of the public guild."
She's not her biological mother. This stepmother, you could say she's good, she's not unkind to her stepdaughter. She's always been indifferent to her, but she always gives her the full amount of money due in her yard.
There won't be any extras; she has her own biological children.
“Miss, the nanny has already inquired outside. The Wen family has been farmers for several generations. It was only in this generation that someone passed the imperial examination and became an official. The family doesn’t have much business, money, or property.”
"Lord Wen and his wife have only been back in the capital for a short time and haven't gone out to socialize. I don't know what their temperament is like. The eldest son of the Wen family is a good person. In private, the nanny had someone secretly inquire about him with his tutors. He is a proper and polite young talent, and he is not interested in beautiful women. He doesn't have any concubines at the moment."
Shen Chu paused in her hand holding the needle and thread, and nodded without making a sound.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. Be careful when we're out, and don't let people say we don't know what's good for us."
"yes."
The Shen family and the Wen family discussed marriage, but because it was a marriage of convenience, they didn't publicize it much. At present, most of the people who know about it are from the Shen family. Considering Shen Chu's status, not many people talk about it outside.
Lord Shen privately thought the same thing; they wouldn't hold a grand wedding on their side.
As for the Wen family, they have no say in that. However, the Wen family doesn't have much of a foothold in the capital, so they probably can't do much. Their foundation is somewhere else entirely.
It was pretty much the same with Wen Shi; Wen Shi wasn't a flamboyant person to begin with.
To put it bluntly, the Shen family has a noble title, but that Earl Shen only got his current official position because of his family, which is quite different from someone like him who got it all on his own.
The two men held the same official rank, and in terms of age, Wen Shi was a few years older than Lord Shen.
In times of peace and prosperity, it's very difficult for ordinary families to obtain titles of nobility unless their ancestors were particularly powerful.
Wen Shi agreed to the marriage because Shen Chu herself had no serious flaws.
Secondly, women from large families certainly have different perspectives. Although Yingxiang didn't contribute much at the beginning, she never held him back, which is a kind of help in a way.
The saying goes, "Marry a virtuous wife." As long as a family is happy, humble, and ambitious, it will gradually improve. Marrying a woman who is insightful, knowledgeable, and well-educated will only bring more benefits to the family.
That night, Master Shen went to his wife's place.
Lady Shen was sitting in a chair, removing the hairpins from her hair. When she saw someone arrive, she took off the last hairpin, got up and walked over to him. She took out the dowry list from the table next to her and showed it to Lord Shen.
"The furniture set is almost finished. The rest is here. I also gave Chu some money for her personal use. Please take a look, is there anything missing?"
It's definitely possible to put together a full-length red bridal procession, but the items will vary greatly.
The dowry list didn't contain anything too valuable; it mostly consisted of hairpins, jewelry, and fabrics. The items were quite complete, and it also included some interior furnishings.
At first glance, there seem to be quite a few items, but upon closer inspection, there are actually very few that are truly expensive or valuable.
"This farm is in the suburbs, with eighty acres of paddy fields, thirty acres of fertile fields, and fifty acres of dry fields. The annual output is quite good. The shop is in the city, and the annual income is also decent. Together, the two can bring in several hundred taels of silver a year."
"Thank you for your hard work, Madam."
This farm and the shops are considered assets. It wouldn't be right not to give them any shops at all. Madam Shen still has some pride. She thinks it's acceptable to give them a shop in a less-than-ideal location with only average business.
She couldn't possibly give her dowry to Chen Chu. She had several children of her own, so giving her some money to support herself would be enough.
The valuable shops and land in the family are all meant to be left to her sons; they can't possibly be given to her daughters as dowry.
Uncle Shen put down the list in his hand without any dissatisfaction.
"The Wen family is not a wealthy family. Although the child is good, he has not yet entered officialdom. Chu'er also has two younger brothers and two younger sisters, and preparations need to be made for them as well."
"I'll have someone deliver this order to the Wen family and the government office in a few days."
The dowry list was made in three copies. The government kept a backup copy in case of future lawsuits, and the husband's family and the in-laws each kept one copy of the other two.
"good."
Uncle Shen nodded.
In the blink of an eye, autumn has arrived, the autumn wind is bleak, and the weather is getting colder day by day.
Yingxiang got up early and wasn't too surprised to see Liu Shi in the dining room. Although she hadn't been around for several years, she had sometimes heard her son mention that Liu Shi was reluctant to go out when the weather got cold.
The dining room, which was not small, was now divided into separate sections, with each person having their own table. The dishes were the same, though, but they no longer ate together.
Liu didn't go out, nor did she cause any trouble for Yingxiang. She was enjoying the delicious food in front of her, her mouth greasy with oil.
After the meal, the Shen family delivered the dowry list, and Yingxiang sat inside and carefully looked at it.
To be honest, this was the first time in her life she had seen her daughter-in-law's dowry list, and after seeing it, she was quite moved.
Putting everything else aside, the preparations were truly comprehensive, even including coffin bowls and chopsticks.
"Madam, someone from the Shen family just said that the finished furniture will be delivered in a few days."
Larger items arrive first, which is normal, Yingxiang nodded.
When Wen Shi returned in the evening, Ying Xiang showed him the document again.
Wen Shi glanced at it briefly, then told her to put the order away.
"Now we're just waiting to hold the banquet."
"Don't worry, my husband. I've already had someone make a reservation at a restaurant in the city. They'll be here to prepare by midnight that day. They have more than ten chefs, which should be enough. Besides, we have helpers at home."
"That's excellent."
As autumn deepens, some chrysanthemums planted in the yard slowly bloom. Usually, it's just her and her elderly husband at home.
The old couple, Old Man Wen is alright, he doesn't cause trouble. As for Liu, things are peaceful for now, so she has nothing to worry about.
Before you know it, winter has arrived.
The three children who went out to take the exams have all returned. Old Man Wen asked them about their exams one by one and learned that none of them had passed. He sighed repeatedly.
Xiuyu sat to the side, also very worried, since the children had gone home.
She was even more upset about her own eldest son.
He actually said he wouldn't take the exam anymore. He said having the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations) was enough for him. He wanted to go into business, otherwise, like his father, he would fail the exams repeatedly and waste all his time.
"Third sister-in-law, why don't you help your sister-in-law persuade this child? Right now, he just won't listen to anything I say."
Thinking of her nephew, Yingxiang shook her head without hesitation.
"Sister-in-law, even he doesn't listen to you, so why would he listen to me?"
"Father, Mother."
"Your child is all grown up now, there's nothing we can do about it."
Although he felt sorry for his eldest grandson, Old Man Wen knew perfectly well that Wen Chuanzong had done the same thing back then, claiming to be in business but ending up with nothing.
"It was all that little bitch's doing."
She was referring to Ms. Xu.
“This merchant family is so lowly. Father, Mother, let’s just divorce her.”
"There has to be a reason for divorcing a wife. Besides, are you two very rich? The second son doesn't even have a wife yet."
At this point, Xiuyu became dejected again. She glanced at Yingxiang out of the corner of her eye and sighed inwardly, thinking that it was all because they didn't help.
Yingxiang knew exactly what she was thinking, but she didn't have that much ability; after all, one must be strong to succeed.
“My second son’s family is already married. I heard from him that she is pregnant. Le Qianming will also have a wife after the spring. You, as his mother, are not worried about what you should be worried about.”
As Liu spoke, she straightened her chest. The only people she could bully and scold were her other daughters-in-law.
“If that doesn’t work, let the matchmaker do it. Xiao Wu was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) back then, and the wife he found wasn’t from an official family. Her father was just a schoolteacher. If you ask me, being a schoolteacher is pretty good too.”
Wen Chuanzong used the money his father had previously allocated to him to buy half an acre of land in Ping'an Village, opened a primary school, and built several other houses. He now lived a much more spacious life than before and was living a proper life without causing any trouble. He was able to make a living and even had a surplus.
But with three sons, the pressure couldn't be small, and they were far from being wealthy.
"This third son's wife emptied the family's coffers to prepare the betrothal gifts. Do you have that much money?"
Yingxiang didn't speak. There were many things Liu didn't know, and there was no need to tell her. It was always good to play the poor card.
Xiuyu looked at Yingxiang, completely convinced of this. Leqian had married the daughter of an official family, so they would definitely be more particular. Now that the third son had been promoted and returned to the capital, he was earning even more money. They were rich.
"Third sister-in-law, how much will Leqian's wife's dowry be?"
Liu immediately stared at Yingxiang. She had actually wanted to ask for a long time. She had personally seen Yingxiang go out shopping time and time again, and the betrothal gifts she prepared could fill half a courtyard. Especially the gold and silver jewelry, which made her eyes widen.
Even now, thinking about it still makes her heart ache.
"There was a complete set of furniture, decorations, gold and silver jewelry, as well as fabrics and silks, and dowry land and shops."
Upon hearing this, Liu gasped.
"But this belongs to them, it doesn't belong to us."
Liu didn't like hearing this.
“Once she marries into the Wen family, her belongings naturally belong to our family. After she has children, they will definitely be left to the children. Does she really want to send them back to her parents’ home?”
Yingxiang completely ignored Liu.
She still has her pride. If she wants to get along well with her new wife, she shouldn't be too greedy. If it's not hers, she shouldn't take it. Right now, the family is already doing very well.
She takes a very detached view of the fact that some things you can't take with you when you die.
There was a set of rules in ancient times, and she was able to abide by them.
Once the daughter-in-law enters the family, she will definitely still be in charge of the household, and this will continue until Xinxin gets married.
When Xiuyu arrived, the wind was biting cold; when she left, snowflakes were falling from the sky.
These past few years have passed exceptionally quickly.
Before we knew it, the year was drawing to a close.
That day, Wen Shi brought back this year's rewards, which included not only money but also a box of valuable items.
He now travels to and from court and to the Ministry of Rites by carriage, accompanied by two servants, so he doesn't have to do many things himself.
"I'll register these items first and put them in the warehouse."
There were five hundred taels of silver, which wasn't a small amount. Yingxiang recorded the money and then put it into the money box.
A few days ago, the profits from the farm and the shop were also delivered. This year's profits are about two thousand yuan, which is not bad.
"After Yueqian gets married next year, how much pocket money will you give the couple?"
Wen Shi looked at Ying Xiang, who then said, "One hundred and fifty taels per person per year?"
Yingxiang doesn't spend that much in a year now, it's not that she's frugal.
I've gradually acquired everything I used to crave. Right now, I have enough jewelry and clothes, and I also have enough to eat and drink.
When a daughter-in-law marries into the family, she will definitely treat her to good food and drink, but it's not realistic to go beyond that. In any case, they won't have to pay for her food, drink, or lodging; they can just have pocket money to buy things they like.
Wen Shi's annual salary is eight hundred taels. After his son gets married, there won't be any major expenses. In the next few years, the whole family can live on these eight hundred taels. The daughter-in-law and son each receive three hundred taels, and Wen Shi receives two hundred taels for daily use. The remaining three hundred taels, after deducting all the daily expenses, will not be left.
Old Man Wen and Mrs. Liu don't need them to spend too much money. A few days ago, Xiao Wu sent a letter back and gave the old couple another thirty taels of silver.
With his older brother and sister-in-law helping out, he also gives his parents pocket money, which helps ease some of their burden.
The elderly couple had no objections; as long as they had money to spend, that was fine. They didn't need money for food, drinks, or lodging, and the tea and water they used when going out to listen to storytelling or watch plays didn't cost much. They also didn't go to places that were too expensive.
The family has already made a rough division of the spoils. Whenever the family members come to visit them in the city, they never come empty-handed; they always bring something like eggs.
Yingxiang had already made up her mind. In the next few years, Wenshi's salary would be enough, and she would save the rest of the rewards she earned.
Money is something that accumulates little by little.
Her son's wedding cost another sum of money, but it was a necessary expense that she would have to spend sooner or later, and she couldn't be stingy.
“Alright, I have a day off tomorrow, so I'll stay home and write the invitations. It's time to send them out.”
"good."
Yingxiang has already arranged with the chefs for a banquet. The tentative plan is to have thirty tables next year when she holds the event. All the meat needed can be provided by her estate, and the dishes will not be expensive.
She owns a wine shop, but there will definitely be a lot of people coming that day, so it would be best to buy two large vats from a famous restaurant to entertain the guests.
"Let my second brother and his family come over for Chinese New Year this year. They can stay at our parents' place, and you can also tidy up a few rooms here. The whole family can celebrate together."
Yingxiang had no objection to this. It was just the New Year, a good opportunity to prepare clothes for them and have them made before the spring. Once the wedding was over, there wouldn't be much to do.
Xinxin was still young, and in the next ten years or so, she still had time to pursue her career.
Once Xinxin gets married and has children, Yingxiang can start to retire. Thinking about this, Yingxiang felt quite happy.
When Xiao Wu was alive, the Wen family would come over every year for Chinese New Year. With the elders around, they would definitely spend the holiday together.
The end of the year is a time of great importance, and Wen Shi had been busy for a while, but he was finally able to rest just before Lunar New Year's Eve.
Later, Hu Yong'an was invited to his home, and the kitchen prepared a lot of food and wine to warmly welcome him.
After meeting Wen Shi's parents, he was very polite. Old Man Wen would not let his son down, so he looked quite dignified, and Liu Shi was similar.
Xiao Wu's classmate had visited before, so the two of them were quite familiar with the place. After a few words, they had dinner together.
Nothing else.
The Wen family's wedding invitations have already been sent out before the New Year. Wen Shi's official position in the Ministry of Rites is not high, but it is definitely not low either, so at least half of the people in the Ministry of Rites will be attending.
He had spent several years in the Hanlin Academy, and some of the people there were still in the capital. He knew them all, and he was determined to invite them. If they weren't there, it would be fine, but he would still send them invitations. Most of them were his former superiors and colleagues.
In addition, we should also include Wen Leqian's classmates and friends from many years of school, as well as his husbands, who will certainly bring their families as well.
Yingxiang prepared five large tables just for the seating, where elders and Wenshi's superiors would definitely be seated.
She will prepare new clothes for herself, Wen Shi, and Xin Xin. She has already bought Le Qian's wedding attire, and hired the bridal sedan chair and other necessities.
She doesn't need to worry about how the Shen family's wedding banquet goes, but when she gets to her own home, she'll definitely make sure it's as grand and respectable as possible.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
