Song Jiyun smiled as she set down the account book and said, "The business of the Kiln Factory is quite good; if things continue in this manner, this year’s profit won’t be worse than previous years."
Once the new blue-and-white porcelain is on sale, business will be even better.
Zhou Zheng sincerely said, "This is all thanks to the Owner’s excellent ideas!"
"It’s also because everyone has been so supportive. I couldn’t have built such a big Kiln Factory on my own." Song Jiyun humbly exchanged a few words with him before asking about the Hong Family, "With Song Tao cutting prices like that, have they said anything?"
"I heard Old Grand Master Hong didn’t agree, and they parted ways at the Kiln Factory on bad terms." Zhou Zheng laughed as he poured Song Jiyun another cup of tea and said, "Now everyone knows the son-in-law is the Inspector General, and those who initially followed Song Tao wholeheartedly regret it. We don’t even need to inquire about their affairs; many people with ulterior motives come to tell us."
When the wall falls, everybody pushes; such is the way of the world.
Song Jiyun nodded her head, and as she looked up, she saw Yuan Yunzhong standing at the doorway.
"What are you standing there for?" she asked curiously, rising to greet him.
Zhou Zheng promptly stepped forward to pay respects to Yuan Yunzhong, then excused himself and left.
Yuan Yunzhong then inquired about the marriage arrangement with the Xiong Family, "How did you come to decide on giving your second sister in marriage to the Xiong Family? There wasn’t the slightest hint of it beforehand!"
His words faintly revealed dissatisfaction with this marital arrangement.
Was he worried that the Xiong Family had ulterior motives?
Song Jiyun invited Yuan Yunzhong to sit down in the Taishi Chair of the accountant’s room and personally brewed him some Rock Tea. She explained with a smile, "It wasn’t brought up all of a sudden. Before I went to Nanjing last year, both families were already interested in forming a marital alliance. However, the chaos stirred by Eunuch Wan afterward, and one family issue after another, combined with the mourning we both had to observe, led us to put this matter aside."
"Now with the new year turning and my younger sister soon reaching the age of fifteen, Mother is worried that any delay might lead to unexpected problems. It happens that the Xiong Family also wants to settle this matter sooner rather than later, hence the revival of the old proposal," she said.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yunzhong mused, "How far have the two families progressed at this point?"
Song Jiyun felt there was nothing to hide about the matter and replied cheerfully, "We have just confirmed to betroth my younger sister to the Xiong Family’s eldest son. As for the rest, there’s still a lot to be dealt with, and I don’t think it will be resolved in a day or two."
She told Yuan Yunzhong about the morning’s events with her mother and the visit to the Eleventh Grand Master’s Family, adding, "Just matching the birth charts won’t be settled in seven or eight days, let alone deciding when and where to meet, who shall accompany them, and who shall act as the mediator... I think it would be good if this marriage could be settled by the end of this year."
Compared to the past, ancient customs were more numerous and more refined.
"I heard from my mother that she has been preparing a dowry for my younger sister since she was born. Things like Jiangnan Textile embroidered fabrics, brocades, Huzhou ramie silks, chiffons, and Fujian Zhang velvet and Zhang satin; she buys several rolls every year to keep in storage." Song Jiyun, having never dealt with such matters before, found the things Madam Qian told her quite marvelous. She recounted it to Yuan Yunzhong as if she were telling an extraordinary tale, "I did some calculations in my head for my younger sister, and it turns out that some of the fabric in her dowry is from thirteen or fourteen years ago. Isn’t it said that ’old silk is worthless as rotten grass’? Can these fabrics still be made into clothes? Or might they fall apart while being worn, making them less desirable than ordinary new fabric?"
Yuan Yunzhong couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile.
It seemed as if everything became different when it came to Song Jiyun. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Aren’t most people supposed to worry about family separation like Song Jixue does?
His family hadn’t had any daughters for several generations, and when his sisters-in-law married into the family, he, being a junior brother-in-law, had to be cautious and avoid suspicions, leaving him even more unaware of these matters.
Yuan Yunzhong couldn’t help but say, "So when you get married, will you insist on new fabric only?"
Song Jiyun still retained some aesthetic preferences and habits from her previous life.
"Of course!" she replied, leaning in as though to whisper, "I’ve heard that dowry fabrics can’t be taken out to make clothes right away, in fear that the in-laws might think the bride looks down on the in-laws’ belongings."
Song Jiyun showed an expression of disdain and said, "That’s like refusing to eat new rice, continuously eating old rice year after year."
Yuan Yunzhong nodded thoughtfully and said, "You don’t need to worry about this matter. Since the matchmaking has just started, it’s common for it to not be suitable."
Song Jiyun suddenly sat up straight, "What do you mean by that?"
Could it be that he thinks this marriage isn’t good and thus plans to break it off?
"This is the match my mother selected for my younger sister," Song Jiyun reminded him. "There are some things we can meddle in, but there are also areas where we’re not experts. It’s better to listen to those with experience. At least, my mother picked out my father from many others, which proves she has some discernment in these matters."
Yuan Yunzhong was quite surprised. "Wasn’t it said that it was your maternal grandfather who took a liking to your father?"
"Isn’t that just to protect my mother’s reputation?" Song Jiyun said. "Given my father’s situation back then, even if my maternal grandfather valued his talent enough to smooth things over with the Imperial Kiln Factory and taught him how to paint, why would he need to marry his only daughter to him?"
Yuan Yunzhong was going to leave after some time, and these matters would be irrelevant to him. Whatever she said was just casual conversation with a familiar stranger, carrying no burden.
Yuan Yunzhong laughed and said, "Then your mother indeed has quite the eye for things."
Not only did he get clothes made for him, but he also received a horse-drawn carriage as a gift.
"I think that, before discussing marriage, we need to understand the Xiong Family’s background clearly," he said.
Song Jiyun laughed and responded, "Are you saying you don’t trust me?"
The look Yuan Yunzhong gave her clearly showed he didn’t trust her.
Song Jiyun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Given Yuan Yunzhong’s resources, he would surely investigate more thoroughly and carefully than she could. However, when it comes to matchmaking, the primary consideration is whether the two people are suitable to spend a lifetime together.
"Sometimes, two people can both be top-notch individuals, but when they live together, it turns into chaos, and they can’t get along," she explained with a few examples, adding, "And sometimes, two people might be the most flawed individuals, but if they think alike and talk alike, they can form an inseparable bond and love each other for a lifetime. This has nothing to do with character or family status."
Yuan Yunzhong glanced at her and said, "I may not have eaten pork, but haven’t I seen pigs run?"
"What do you mean?" Song Jiyun asked curiously. "Has someone around you done such a thing?"
"Oh," Yuan Yunzhong said indifferently, "I’ve seen Qin Fang do it."
"Qin Fang?!" Song Jiyun pondered for a moment before remembering that someone had mentioned that this person was the Senior Eunuch in Charge of Writing Utensils at the Directorate of Imperial Ceremonies.
"Hmm," Yuan Yunzhong said, "Several of the emperor’s sisters were married off with his and the Ministry of Rites’ help, and not one turned out well. If I choose the opposite of his choices, I am sure to be right."
That wouldn’t be necessary.
Sweating profusely, Song Jiyun hastily said, "Thank you, thank you, but I think I’ll handle it myself!"
Yuan Yunzhong looked at her askance without saying a word, with an expression that read "what can you possibly find out?"
Song Jiyun had no choice but to say, "Primarily, to trouble you with this kind of thing is like using a cleaver to kill a chicken, somewhat wasting talent on trivial tasks. Let me do the initial investigation, and if I encounter any difficulties, I’ll ask you to step in."
Yuan Yunzhong thought for a moment and then nodded.
Song Jiyun breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly sent him away.
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