First appearance
"It's time for us to set off too."
After Zhao Mingyan and his party's carriage had completely gone away, Tan Linshuang immediately stood up straight, changing his previous hunched posture. Except for his still pale face, he looked energetic and his eyes were bright.
In a flash, he seemed like a different person.
Ayun remained calm and asked, "Should we prepare a horse or a carriage?"
"Prepare your horses and follow me to Zaichengxiang," Tan Linshuang said. (Note: Zaichengxiang is now Shaluo Township)
"drive!"
Master Gu's carriage sped up after entering the Tieqian Creek.
The area is sparsely populated, with crisscrossing fields and streams running through it, calm and clearer than a bronze mirror, reflecting the crisscrossing ridges, scattered houses, and large fields of blooming rapeseed flowers.
The gentle breeze brought the fragrance of flowers, making Zhao Mingyan unable to help but open the window and look into the distance.
It’s a sunny day today. Looking up, I see the blue sky, and looking down, I see the picturesque stream.
Zhao Mingyan sniffed the fragrant grass and flowers in the air, watched the farmers walking through the fields, and thought of a line from Tao Yuanming's poem: "Rising early to sort out the weeds, returning home under the moonlight, carrying a hoe... Ugh!"
Suddenly, as her gaze moved forward, rows of tall and wide chastity archways came into view. They stood on the grassy ground and stretched among the fields of mountain flowers. They looked like ink dripping on drawing paper, abrupt, ugly, and making one's chest tighten.
"Isn't it magnificent?"
Following Zhao Mingyan's gaze, Hall Master Gu smiled. "The funds for building the memorial archway were allocated by the Ministry of Revenue. We dared not neglect them in the slightest. The craftsmen we selected were the best in the local area. They rammed the foundation of each memorial archway deep and solid, and built it so tightly that it fits perfectly. It's even sturdier than many people's houses. Not to mention wind and rain, even earthquakes won't shake them at all!"
Hearing this, Zhao Mingyan turned to a farmhouse he was passing by. It looked so flimsy against the backdrop of these extremely solid archways.
But it is precisely because of its existence that this streamside occupied by the archway has become more human.
Zhao Mingyan did not respond to Master Gu's words, but counted the number of these archways.
Gu, the head of the hall, liked to talk to himself. He didn't care if Zhao Mingyan listened or not. He continued with a smile, "It is natural for a woman to remain chaste. She should remain chaste even after her husband's death. Even if she is still unmarried and her husband's death is over, she should still remain chaste. If she is unfortunately molested or insulted, it is best to seek death on her own initiative... Therefore, such a great act of chastity should be rewarded with a memorial archway."
"The previous dynasty recorded only about 300 virtuous and heroic women, but in our dynasty... Madam Tan, guess how many there are?"
He looked at Zhao Mingyan with sharp eyes.
Zhao Mingyan answered casually, "About a thousand people."
"More than ten times!" said Master Gu excitedly.
Zhao Mingyan was stunned, her pupils trembling. The magnificent chastity arches projected in her eyes looked like man-eating monsters, making her turn her head away, unable to bear to look at them.
"Look... We are building a new memorial archway recently and will soon welcome a new virtuous woman." Master Gu pointed to a place.
Zhao Mingyan subconsciously looked up and saw several craftsmen grouting and plastering a newly built archway. They would soon be able to engrave words and hang a plaque to welcome its owner.
Another person is coming here to "go to jail"!
Zhao Mingyan sneered in her heart.
After getting off the carriage and walking outside the Chastity Hall, Zhao Mingyan couldn't help feeling heavy-hearted.
People say that once you enter a noble family, it's like entering a deep sea. The same is true for the gate that guards the chaste women. It protects the reputation of the chaste women, but locks up their freedom.
If Tan Linshuang had passed away before I became pregnant, I would have trampled on the word "chaste woman" and immediately found a son-in-law to marry into my family.
Don’t even think about erecting a chastity arch for me!
"Mrs. Tan, please."
With a dual mentality of disdain and curiosity, Zhao Mingyan, led by Hall Master Gu, walked into this century-old chastity hall.
Its architectural style is mainly simple and solemn, echoing the memorial archways outside. The glazed tiles on the roof have long been dull and matte, just like the rest of the lives of the chaste women who lived here.
Huh? Why is there no one here?
Zhao Mingyan was quite surprised to see that the front yard was empty.
"Where are the people?"
Hall Master Gu was equally puzzled. "Didn't you ask Aunt Zhuang to bring someone to greet us at the door?"
Craning his neck to look inside, Master Gu said to Zhao Mingyan awkwardly, "They might be busy in the weaving room."
Zhao Mingyan nodded calmly, and followed him to the weaving room with Xiaozhu.
The internal structure of the Chastity Hall is no different from that of an ordinary house, except that there is no servants' courtyard. The backyard has been opened up and the garden has been converted into farmland.
At the end of the road, there is a house with a canal dug in front of the yard. At first glance, you might think you have accidentally entered a farmyard.
When he got closer, he saw many colorful impurities floating on the water. Zhao Mingyan speculated that this canal was dug for washing.
The raw materials of Shu brocade are mostly silk, which is divided into raw silk and cooked silk. Raw silk is silk, while Shu brocade is mostly cooked silk, that is, it is woven with dyed cooked silk thread.
In order to make the colors exquisite and gorgeous, craftsmen would put the dyed silk threads into the river to wash, leaving colorful impurities on the water surface.
"Miss, the water is dyed so beautifully." Xiaozhu whispered to Zhao Mingyan.
"That's how the Jin River in Jinguan City came about...ah!"
As Zhao Mingyan was speaking, she suddenly slipped and fell backwards.
"Miss!"
Xiaozhu hurriedly grabbed her, but was pulled backwards by her.
"Mrs. Tan!"
Seeing the two of them about to fall into the ditch, Master Gu broke out in a cold sweat.
At the same time, he seemed to hear bursts of giggles.
Glancing at the water surface covered with fabric impurities, Zhao Mingyan frowned and gritted his teeth. He swung his arm hard, throwing away Xiaozhu who was holding him. At the same time, he used the force to straighten his waist and stood up suddenly. Then, under the influence of inertia, he staggered forward two steps, and finally stood firm with the help of Master Gu.
"call……"
Before she could catch her breath, she heard Master Gu let out a deep sigh.
“That was a close call…”
If Young Madam Tan really fell into the canal, he would have a hard time explaining to Old Madam Tan.
"Master Gu, why is there ointment on the ground?"
Cream, also known as fat, is made from lard.
After Zhao Mingyan stood firm, he saw the white paste smeared on the ground at a glance, which was particularly eye-catching on the brown mud.
But her attention was all on the Shu brocades drying in the yard, and she didn't pay attention to her feet.
Then she bent down, picked up a little, held it to her nose and sniffed it. It was indeed a paste, but it was not for cooking. It was probably used for lubrication, to lubricate the loom.
Her eyes flashed, and she looked into the yard, only to see several furtive heads retreating from the doorway of the room.
"Auntie Zhuang!"
Master Gu obviously knew what had happened. Anger suddenly appeared on his face and he shouted at the top of his voice.
"Here it comes..."
A middle-aged woman trotted in from the door and explained calmly, "The sisters were busy weaving brocade and didn't hear you coming."
Hall Master Gu obviously didn't believe her story. He had clearly heard her snickering earlier, but he didn't pursue the matter. Instead, he asked her to call everyone out and solemnly introduced Zhao Mingyan to them. He emphasized, "Mrs. Tan Sanniang is recuperating at home. From now on, the management of the weaving room will be handed over to Madam Tan."
"Master Gu, haven't we been jointly sued to the prefect by that group of brocade sellers? Will we be able to continue selling brocade in the future?" Aunt Zhuang said bluntly.
"This..." Hall Master Gu was suddenly speechless.
Fan Wenlan only said that Zhao Mingyan should replace Tan Moxiang to take charge of the overall situation, but he did not explain how to do it.
So, he looked at Zhao Mingyan beside him.
Seeing this, Zhao Mingyan stepped forward, bowed to everyone, and then said calmly, "If you have brocade, you can sell it."
"Although I don't know how to weave brocade, my mother's family runs a lantern shop, and I've known business since I was a child. As long as you can continue weaving brocade, I can sell it like I did before."
"How to sell it? Open a shop at Jinguanyi?" Aunt Zhuang asked with a sneer.
The others also sneered.
"Why not?" Zhao Mingyan asked back.
"Mr. Tan..."
"Master Gu."
Zhao Mingyan turned to look at Hall Master Gu, who was about to refute her, and said righteously, "Although the laws of our dynasty do not forcibly deprive a chaste woman of her personal freedom, it is indeed inappropriate for a chaste woman to show her face in public."
"Yes, yes!" Master Gu nodded quickly.
"But do you have to show up in public to do business?" Zhao Mingyan asked again.
"Ah?" Hall Master Gu was stunned by the question.
"In business, some people are responsible for the goods, some are responsible for sales, and some are responsible for the accounts. Aunt Zhuang and the others will continue to be responsible for the goods, and I will be responsible for sales and accounts," said Zhao Mingyan.
"Hmm."
Master Gu pursed his lips and nodded.
Aunt Zhuang frowned slightly, and her eyes became increasingly profound as she looked at Zhao Mingyan.
Zhao Mingyan continued, "It's just that the way we sell it needs to change. Every industry has its own rules. If you break them, your business won't last long."
…
"Master, are you going back home now?"
After coming out of the city, Ayun followed Tan Linshuang on horseback and asked about the next arrangements.
Tan Linshuang glanced at the sky and said, "Let's go to the bank of Tieqian Creek and see if your young mistress has been humiliated or rejected."
"What's the difference between the two?" Ayun murmured.
Tan Linshuang smiled without answering and rode away first.
Ayun followed closely behind.
"It seems like I was rejected."
When the master and servant arrived at the Chastity Hall, they found that Master Gu's carriage was no longer outside the door. Ayun guessed that Zhao Mingyan and his party must have returned disappointed.
"Let's go back."
After hearing what Ayun said, Tan Linshuang was a little disappointed and went back home.
"Master, there's something I don't understand." Ayun caught up with him and said.
"speak."
"Do you hope that the young lady will accomplish this, or do you not hope?"
"What do you think?"
"I……"
Ayun opened her mouth and said, "If I want to know, would I still ask you?"
Stealing a glance at Tan Linshuang's face, which was filled with uncertainty, Ah Yun felt that she had become increasingly unable to fathom her young master's thoughts these days...
"Not back yet?"
When Tan Linshuang returned to the North Courtyard, she was surprised to find that Zhao Mingyan and Xiaozhu had not returned.
——Zhaohua Town, Mingyuezhai——
"mother!"
After getting off the carriage and thanking Master Gu, Zhao Mingyan led Xiaozhu and walked excitedly into Mingyuezhai.
"Yan'er, why are you here?"
Li Yuzhu, who was counting the bills, was startled at first, then delighted. She hurried out from behind the counter and asked, "Hey...where's my son-in-law?"
"It's just me and Xiaozhu."
Zhao Mingyan took her hand and, with a bright smile, briefly explained the matter of taking over the Zhenjietang weaving room. "Mother, I will come back often in the future and make lanterns with the lantern makers like before."
Li Yuzhu immediately frowned, lowered her eyes to look at her already plump belly, and said tactfully, "You've been married for more than half a month. I wonder if your period will come next month?"
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