After the steward of the Deng family returned home, it wasn't until nightfall that Deng Kang, who had been forced to drink a lot of alcohol, finally recovered.
After meeting with the manager and learning about Wu Xingwang's relationship with the Su family, he was taken aback.
A moment later, Deng Kang burst into laughter, exclaiming three times, "What a coincidence! I never expected we'd actually know each other!"
"Should we call our daughter-in-law over and ask her?" Mrs. Deng asked from the side.
Deng Kang rolled his eyes at his wife. "You're obsessed with money. Today is their big day. Let them rest well and don't disturb them. There's no rush. We can talk about it after the family meeting tomorrow."
The next day, Su Yunru followed her newlywed husband, Deng Shifa, to serve tea to the Deng family.
During the tea ceremony, the Deng family's extended family members whispered among themselves, discussing Su Yunru, the new bride.
"No wonder he comes from a scholarly family; his figure and demeanor are far superior to those from humble backgrounds."
"Big brother is so lucky to have such a good wife."
"Children born in the future can also be influenced by their maternal grandparents and get to study more."
Su Yunru's face was flushed, and she was clutching a handkerchief under her sleeve.
Suddenly, a warm, large hand grasped hers. Su Yunru turned her head slightly and saw Deng Shifa giving her a reassuring look.
He approached without anyone noticing, and beneath his wide sleeves, their hands were clasped tightly together.
With his unique warmth, it warmed her cold heart inch by inch through his palm.
It was at this moment that Su Yunru truly realized that this was the man she was meant to spend her life with.
Last night's events flashed through her mind, and seeing how he defended her in front of their relatives, Su Yunru's ears turned red.
Listening to the relatives' praise, Madam Deng became more and more satisfied with her new daughter-in-law. She noticed that her husband was giving her a wink, so she smiled and stepped in to smooth things over.
"My wife has just entered the family, so please don't scare her too much, sisters-in-law and older sisters."
"My sister-in-law has forgotten her old lover after finding someone new, and now she even complains that we talk too much."
The speaker was Deng Kang's younger sister, who had a very good relationship with Madam Deng even before she got married.
A woman next to her tapped her forehead and said, "You're always so good at arguing. Didn't you see how embarrassed the new bride is? Come on, let's go see your nephew with your older sister."
The host spoke up, and seeing the new bride blushing, the aunts and uncles, seeing that things were going well, said a few more kind words before reluctantly leaving.
After breakfast, Deng Kang and his wife called the young couple to the study and had a servant stand guard at the door.
"Father, is there something you need us for?" Deng Shifa asked, puzzled.
He had just gotten married, and his parents had something important to tell him now.
Deng Kang looked at Su Yunru with a smile, "Daughter-in-law, does your family know a businessman named Wu Xingwang?"
Faced with her father-in-law's sudden question, Su Yunru was slightly taken aback, somewhat puzzled as to why he asked such a question.
The unpleasant memories of fleeing famine in the south flooded her mind instantly, and her face turned a little pale. She thought about how her father and Wu Xingwang often talked together on the road, and how the two became very good friends without the constraints of social status.
Now that she has married into a merchant family, she has completely abandoned the prejudices people have against merchants.
There was nothing secret about my father's friendship with Wu Xingwang.
Su Yunru quickly composed herself and answered truthfully, "Uncle Wu is a very good friend of my father."
"What do you think of him as a person?" Mrs. Deng couldn't help but ask, as this deal involved a large sum of money.
Su Yunru replied without hesitation, "As we traveled south, Uncle Wu was a kind and trustworthy man who generously helped the team overcome difficulties on many occasions. He was a very good person."
Hearing his daughter-in-law's affirmation of Wu Xingwang, Deng Kang and his wife exchanged a glance, and their hearts were finally at ease.
A knock sounded on the study door, followed by the butler's voice, "Master, Madam, Master Wu and the others have arrived."
Deng Kang said, "Please invite them to the study."
Su Yunru was somewhat surprised, her face showing disbelief. Wu Xingwang had expanded his business to Cangwu County so quickly?
To show his importance to the cooperation negotiations, Deng Kang arranged for the manager to personally pick up Wu Xingwang and his son from the inn early the morning the day before.
Wu Xingwang and his son were invited into the study, followed by Wu Peng.
After exchanging greetings, Wu Xingwang noticed that Su Yunru was also there and handed her a box that Wu Yuan was holding.
“My niece is here too. This is a dowry from your uncle.”
Su Yunru hurriedly stood up and took the box with both hands. It was so heavy that she almost dropped it.
"Hold on tight." Wu Xingwang looked at her with a smile.
Su Yunru's nose suddenly stung with tears, and she felt deeply that this act of adding makeup was incredibly heavy.
When she got married, her parents gave her almost everything they had as a dowry. Not only did the collateral branches of the ancestral home not send any additional dowry, but they also tried to withhold the betrothal gifts given to her by the Deng family.
She truly understood what it meant to see true friendship in times of trouble. "Thank you so much, Uncle Wu!"
"Live a good life with the Deng family's sons," Wu Xingwang said sincerely.
After exchanging greetings, Madam Deng and Su Yunru returned to the backyard.
Su Yunru followed Madam Deng to the main courtyard, intending to find out what business Wu Xingwang was discussing with the Deng family.
"Mother, what kind of business does my Uncle Wu want to do with the family?"
Madam Deng paused, and without hiding anything, she took her hand and whispered, "Your Uncle Wu is a capable man. They have set up a salt field in the Southern Barbarian Prefecture, and the salt they produce is of excellent quality. Your father wants to cooperate with them to secure the sales rights for Cangwu County."
Su Yunru was taken aback. After all, she was well-versed in poetry and law, and hurriedly advised, "Mother, selling salt privately is a serious crime!"
Madam Deng's words to her demonstrated her trust in her as her new daughter-in-law. Su Yunru understood that this matter could be punishable by death.
"It's alright. In Cangwu County, no one can touch our Deng family," Madam Deng comforted her.
Su Yunru was filled with unease and prepared to return to her parents' home to ask her father what was going on.
Seeing that she looked unwell, Madam Deng pulled her to a chair and sat her down, glancing at the box on the table before changing the subject.
"Your Uncle Wu sent this as part of your dowry, aren't you going to open it and take a look?"
Su Yunru placed the box on the table and opened it, revealing a dazzling set of red gold headdresses inlaid with rubies.
"Mother, this, this is far too precious?"
Su Yunru was so frightened that she could barely speak.
Madam Deng glanced at it, her smile deepening, and she patted Su Yunru's hand.
"Please accept your Uncle Wu's kind offer."
Wu Xingwang gave such a generous gift because of his friendship with his father; the meaning behind it was profound, and Su Yunru was well aware of it.
Unlike Su Yunru's unease, the Deng family father and son and the Wu family father and son were having a very pleasant conversation in the study.
After Wu Xingwang presented the purchase and selling prices of the two types of salt, the Deng family father and son agreed without hesitation.
"Aren't you worried that if you release this batch of salt after the New Year, other powerful families will cause trouble?"
"Then they need to think about it carefully."
Deng Kang was extremely confident about this. Although his Deng family was not the number one aristocratic family, no one in the entire Cangwu County dared to provoke them.
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