"Are you being neglected?" The new bride was treated coldly upon entering the house. Zhao Fang felt sorry for her but was powerless to help.
Lu Yan didn't seem to care. "It's alright, as long as they don't make things difficult for us."
"In such a large family, I actually think it's better if others can't see it," Qin Xiaozhou reassured Zhao Fang.
“What kind of family is the Cui family? They can marry even a princess. Even if it’s just a marriage between a collateral branch, the families are not well-matched. If someone makes things difficult, the marriage will be hard to go through. It will be even harder for Xiao Yan to be included in the family genealogy. It’s better for her to stay inconspicuous at home and live her own life.”
Lu Yan nodded repeatedly, "Sister-in-law is so amazing. Yanqing told me the same thing. He said that he only came home because he wanted to put my name into the family genealogy this time, just hoping to stay safe and not attract attention."
Sister-in-law, I only now realize how large the Cui family is. Their courtyards stretch one after another, bigger than three or five Wang Family Villages combined. And that's just the residence of their direct relatives; the total number of blood relatives and collateral branches is easily over a thousand.”
Although Cui Yanqing's branch of the family also lived in Qinghe, they settled in other county towns and owned seven or eight villages.
He was the legitimate son of a collateral branch. After getting married and returning home, he received back the dowry left by his mother. With the help of Madam Zhu, he also received a share of the family property.
Cui Yanqing's father saw that he was doing well in his studies and had a good reputation with Madam Zhu, a member of the Cui clan. Knowing that Madam Zhu was in charge of the marriage, he had no objections.
Lu Yan and Cui Yanqing were not worried about making a living. Cui Yanqing's mother only had Yanqing as her child. It took Lu Yan three whole days to count the dowry. This time, she moved the important things to the prefectural city.
"The son-in-law has so much wealth?" Zhao Fang was very surprised.
She was also worried, "Is the mansion in the city very big? Does the young master have any concubines? And pretty young maids too, we should keep an eye on them."
Zhao Fang has seen many wealthy young masters and their concubines and maids in the county town over the past few years.
I'm afraid the son-in-law will be too rich, just like the lords in the city, with a bunch of women in his house. Just thinking about it makes me feel terrible.
Lu Yan said, "My husband doesn't have any young maids around him now, only women in their thirties who came to the Cui family with their mothers. They were brought to the prefectural city to look after the family's belongings."
"Great, great!" Zhao Fang exclaimed.
She couldn't help but laugh again, "I never thought that our Lu family would have a daughter who could marry so well. Now that you're back, our family will have a good meal."
You're going to visit relatives this afternoon. Have you prepared anything for your uncle and his family? If not, here's some fabric I picked out from the textile factory last winter that I haven't used yet. You can take it and use it.
Lu Yan clung to Zhao Fang's arm and said coquettishly, "Mother, I've prepared all these things. My husband also brought some things for you. Come on, let's go take a look."
When Qin Xiaozhou gave Lu Yunxing a piece of Huizhou ink as part of the betrothal gifts, he left Zhao Fang a silk quilt and a bolt of silk.
Everything else was added to the dowry list and was taken back to Lu Yan on her wedding day. Madam Zhu probably thought highly of the Lu family for this reason; they were not greedy, were polite, and were worth getting to know.
The gifts for the homecoming were substantial and for the Lu family. Lu Yan took out ancient calligraphy and paintings, saying, "These can be placed in the study so that others won't look down on them."
Those two porcelain pieces were produced by the official kiln and were not for ordinary people to use, but the Lu family, being half-scholars, could use them.
There were also coral plants, which are rare to see. Many other rare and precious items were brought into the Lu family home.
Qin Xiaozhou received a pair of jade earrings and a pair of gold bracelets inlaid with rubies.
I was filled with emotion; it felt like I had latched onto a powerful patron.
Although the Lu family is wealthy now, their hierarchical system is very strict, and there are some things that money can't buy.
Only a prominent family like the Cui clan could produce priceless treasures.
After lunch, Lu Yan visited her relatives.
Lu Yan rode in a carriage, with Lu Yunxing and Cui Yanqing each riding a horse alongside them, and a separate carriage carrying gifts followed behind.
A group of more than ten people, young men on fine horses, were quite eye-catching.
First, they went back to the Lu family in Wangjia Village, and then went to Wang Gui's house to deliver two bolts of silk.
Li Fengxian's hair was already gray, and her figure was hunched. She no longer had the scheming and spirit she had years ago. She was very happy to receive the gift, and as soon as Lu Yan left, she went out to show it off.
Then they went to Lu Yu's home in Lijiaba.
Two bolts of silk were standard, along with a pair of silver acupuncture needles and three prescriptions from the Imperial Medical Academy.
Doctor Li carefully studied the prescription and marveled at the many talented people in the capital.
Finally, we went to Zhao Family Terrace. The Zhao family had many members, so we gave them three extra bolts of cloth and some sugar.
After running around all afternoon, I returned to the county town at sunset.
I could only eat quickly and then go to rest.
After staying in Fenggu County for three days, Cui Yanqing took Lu Yan back to Wanzhou, and Lu Yunxing went along with them.
Cui Yanqing settled in a small courtyard next to the Zhu residence. There were only two servants in their forties and two guards in the courtyard.
Lu Yunxing and Cui Yanqing were both preparing for exams and often saw each other, studying diligently together every day.
Pinyan has hatched five more goslings this year. Last year's goslings were taken in by Madam Zhu, and now these goslings are being raised by Lu Yan.
Many ladies in the city began to befriend Lu Yan, hoping to use her to climb the social ladder and gain connections with the Cui family and Madam Zhu, but Lu Yan dealt with them all with ease.
In early July, according to his household registration, Lu Yunxing was to go to Jinling Academy to take the exam, and he was a candidate from Jiangnan.
Fortunately, Lu Yunxing had been to Jinling once before, and this time he took Zhao Qianxun with him. However, Lu Yunfeng was still worried and instructed several capable people on the merchant ship to take good care of him.
Cui Yanqing was going to the capital to take the imperial examination, and Lu Yan went with him.
On the sixth day of the eighth month, Lu Xiaosi was sent to take the imperial examination for the title of "Children's Scholar".
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