Although Ganzhou City is close to the border, it was built several dynasties ago because of its important geographical location. After hundreds of years of development, the city's economy has prospered, and many trading posts have opened. In particular, after Xu Rao came here and vigorously developed border trade, the city's economy became even more prosperous, and many shops sprang up like mushrooms after rain.
Xu Zhi had already asked around about the furniture shops and learned that one of them had been in business for several generations, starting from a small workshop and now being the largest furniture store in Ganzhou City. Some of the furniture they made could even be sold to very far places.
Xu Zhi got off the carriage and saw a furniture store called Ruguitang, located on the most bustling East-West Street. It was a two-story shop with a large backyard where furniture was processed.
After Granny Lu and Granny Wang led Xu Zhi inside, a shop assistant came up and asked, "What kind of furniture would you like to buy, sir?"
Granny Lu said, "We've heard that your Ruguitang has some prized items, and we'd like to take a look."
The waiter looked at Xu Zhi and her group with some hesitation and said, "Guests, please rest for a while. I will go to the backyard and ask the manager to come over."
The shopkeeper was a man in his forties, who was very humble. When he heard that Granny Lu wanted to see the shop's prized possessions, he naturally led her to a room in the backyard.
The room was large, with a rosewood canopy bed placed in the corner. Seeing the canopy bed, which was as big as a small room, Xu Zhi thought of the canopy bed that her brother Xu Di had specially commissioned a master craftsman to make.
The shopkeeper said, "This canopy bed took our master craftsman more than ten years to make. The wood used is all from whole trees, without using any scraps."
Granny Lu examined the canopy bed very carefully; the workmanship was exquisite, and the materials were of excellent quality.
Xu Zhi smiled and said to Granny Lu, "Granny, we don't need to buy such fancy things. Not to mention that this canopy bed can't be easily taken around, even moving it from here to Hexi would be a troublesome matter."
Upon hearing Xu Zhi's Beijing accent, the shopkeeper exclaimed in surprise, "Judging from your accent, you're not a local."
Xu Zhi smiled and nodded, without revealing her identity. The shopkeeper, however, seemed to have thought of something and asked, "Is the bed you're buying for your wedding, young lady?"
Xu Zhi nodded and said, "That's right."
The shopkeeper said, "In that case, if you find this bed too big to move, there is another one in that room that is finished, made of fine rosewood, but it hasn't been varnished yet. Please move to that room."
Next to this room is a slightly smaller room, which contains several beds that have already been set up. These are all canopy beds, and the bed closest to the door is already made.
The shopkeeper said, "The headboard and footboard of this bed can be separated for easy transport. Just assemble them when you need to use it."
Xu Zhi immediately took a liking to this bed. There was no other reason than that she thought it would be easy to transport. When not in use, she could disassemble it, put each part on a vehicle, and take it away.
Granny Lu did take a liking to the canopy bed, but since Xu Zhi preferred this one, she couldn't say anything. She could only instruct the shopkeeper to quickly have someone apply the varnish and carefully let it air dry.
Xu Zhi, along with Granny Lu and Granny Wang, selected several other pieces of furniture, such as dressing tables, round tables and chairs, and even a few rose-shaped armchairs and a few tall tables. Before leaving, Xu Zhi also took a fancy to two small kang tables and placed an order for them.
Granny Lu arranged a pickup time with the shopkeeper. The goods need to be transported to Hexi before the Spring Festival. There's no other way, as there's no custom of moving furniture during the first month of the lunar calendar. The wedding is just a few days after the second month, and there won't be enough time then. So, these things can only be settled before the New Year.
Back home, Xu Zhi happily told Zhang Zhaoci, "Mother, I saw a canopy bed in the furniture store. It's exactly the same as the one my brother had made. You know, my brother went through so much trouble to make such a nice bed, but he only slept in it for a few days before going to Tai'an. I don't know when he'll be able to go back to sleep in it again."
Zhang Zhaoci also recalled the canopy bed that Xu Di insisted on making. Actually, the elaborately made canopy beds were not very popular nowadays. Instead, the simple canopy beds were favored by noble families and even ordinary families. Many families would prepare a well-made canopy bed as part of their daughter's dowry when she got married. Some families were not so particular and would buy a ready-made one from a furniture store as part of their daughter's dowry before she got married. Only those families that were particular or old-fashioned would make a canopy bed for their daughter as part of her dowry. After all, a well-made canopy bed with exquisite carvings could not be made overnight. Some craftsmen even exhausted their entire lives to make a canopy bed that satisfied them.
Zhang Zhaoci said, "Your brother must have been out of his mind to think about making a canopy bed."
Xu Zhi covered her mouth and chuckled. Zhang Zhaoci said, "That works pretty well, but it's too much trouble to move. If you want to move the bed to another place, it will take a lot of effort."
Xu Zhi nodded, sat down next to Zhang Zhaoci, and said, "I wonder how my brother, sister-in-law, and Bai Ge'er are doing now."
Zhang Zhaoci sighed and said, "They are naturally very good. Your brother goes without saying. With your sister-in-law by his side, everything goes smoothly. As for Bai Ge'er and your cousins, they can eat and sleep well. As long as they eat and sleep well, everything is fine. When children grow up, they are like kites flying in the sky, always thinking about flying further and further away."
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