Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 874 - 446: Bringing Good News
Third watch, asking for support.
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Taicang has sent another letter, I wonder what it’s about. Thinking this, the family didn’t rush to open the letter but instead served Lady Wu Wang hot tea and fruits.
"Did the Lu Family just come back? It’s almost New Year; will they go back to Taicang before the festival?" asked Lady Zhang.
"Yes, they just returned. Before New Year’s, I reckon they probably won’t go. But don’t worry, if you need to send letters or parcels over there, there are others from our town going, and you can just give them the word," replied Lady Wu Wang.
"Third Aunt Wu, will your family be buying mutton and beef this year?" Lian Manman asked Lady Wu Wang.
"Why, are you thinking of buying some?" Lady Wu Wang asked.
"Yes," nodded Lian Manman, because mutton and beef are rarely sold in town, one needs to order in advance if they wish to buy.
"How much do you want to buy?" Lady Wu Wang inquired further.
"We want to buy more," said Lian Manman, "even buying a whole one would be fine."
"Well, that’s easy to handle. I’ll go back and tell Jiaxing’s father; the two of them are heading westward in the next couple of days. They might as well buy a sheep for you and slaughter it there, then transport the meat back. They can also buy beef over there," said Lady Wu Wang, "and we also need to buy mutton and beef."
About a hundred miles west of Thirty Mile Camp, there is a Hui People’s village with many sheep and cattle. Because it’s so far, there’s rarely anyone who brings mutton and beef to sell. With Wu Yugui and Wu Jiaxing going there, hauling back mutton and beef would be very convenient.
After some casual conversation, Lian Shouxin went out.
Seeing Lian Shouxin leave, Lady Wu Wang coughed subtly and glanced at Lady Zhang.
Lady Wu Wang had once mentioned that she would keep an eye on news from Taicang. Seeing Lady Wu Wang’s gesture, Lady Zhang got the hint.
"The people from Old Lu Family are coming from Taicang. There’s nothing wrong with our Old Master, Old Madam, and the main house there, right?" Lady Zhang asked in a lower voice.
"There’s indeed something, and it’s good news," Lady Wu Wang said with a smile.
"What good news?" Lian Manman interjected with curiosity.
"It’s good news for your second branch. You probably can guess what it is... It’s about Sanlang; he has arranged a match with Miss Qi from Old Wang’s Large Cart Inn. The wedding is coming up at the end of the twelfth lunar month... I suppose the letter they sent is to inform you about this," Lady Wu Wang said with chuckles.
"Oh my, it’s really happening." Lady Zhang also laughed and shared with Lady Wu Wang how, during their last visit to Taicang, they had been to Old Wang’s Large Cart Inn, where Sanlang accompanied them, and how Miss Wang Qi had entertained them.
"...Anyone with eyes can see that Miss Qi took a fancy to Sanlang. To say the least, that girl is truly bold and dauntless, she certainly couldn’t keep her eyes off Sanlang," laughed Lady Zhang, then she asked, "Is this Sanlang getting married, or is he moving into the bride’s family?"
"The Wang Family is taking Sanlang in," replied Lady Wu Wang.
"So, it’s taking him in. Did Old Master Lian as well as Sanlang’s father and mother agree?" Lady Zhang asked, her words not so much questioning as they were expressing her astonishment.
In this era, there is still prejudice against the idea of a man moving into his wife’s family. Most people, no matter how poor, would not willingly let their son marry into another family. Old Master Lian, being a man of traditional beliefs, would, Lady Zhang thought, hardly agree to Sanlang moving into another household.
"There’s a generation gap now. With Sanlang’s matter, it’s mainly for the two heads of your second branch to decide," said Lady Wu Wang, "especially since they have many sons. The Wang Family has no son, only a daughter left to take care of them in their old age; in the future, that vast estate will surely fall to her and Sanlang to inherit."
"This marriage arrangement won’t cost your second branch a single Wen Money; everything is prepared by the Old Wang Family. In addition, they also gave your second branch a sum of silver."
"It’s been heard that the contract for the arrangement has been signed, and from now on Sanlang will join the Old Wang Family’s household registry. The three members of the Old Wang Family are all quite fond of Sanlang, and the old couple is eager to have a grandchild, so they’ve set the wedding for the eighteenth of this month," Lady Wu Wang explained.
"How much silver did the Wang Family give to our second branch?" Lady Zhang thought for a moment and asked again.
"I’ve heard, it’s this amount..." Lady Wu Wang gestured with her hand.
"How... how much is it?"
"One hundred taels," Lady Wu Wang said, "It’s been said that additionally, there were clothes and footwear for Sanlang’s father and mother as part of the conditions they negotiated with the Wang Family."
If Sanlang were marrying a wife, he’d have to provide a dowry, host a wedding feast, and cover various other expenses, all requiring money. Moreover, he would probably need to prepare a house. Now, it’s much better; Lian Shouyi and Lady He don’t have to spend a penny and instead have gained a lot of items and a whole hundred taels of silver.
One hundred taels of silver, that’s twenty mu of good land, or twenty-five mu of average quality land.
Thinking of this, Lian Manman couldn’t help but smile. Now, with her mind set on becoming a landlord, any time silver was mentioned, she almost instinctively converted it into land in her mind.
"It’s also a good match. Sanlang, that child, is handsome and simple-minded, while Miss Wang Qi is ambitious, assertive, and stubborn. In married life, if both partners are stubborn, there will surely be endless quarrels. Having one soft and the other hard is just right. The Old Wang Family lives a good life, and with this marriage, Sanlang can also look forward to better days," Lady Zhang mused for a moment before speaking.
"Exactly, there are quite a few people outside who are jealous, saying that it’s only because Sanlang is handsome that he could land such a good match," Lady Wu Wang laughed, "Are you folks going to attend the event?"
"I’ll discuss it with the child’s father in a bit," Lady Zhang said, "but look, it’s already the end of the year."
"True, and I reckon you can’t afford to be away. It’s the cold winter, and the roads are not easy to travel. I’ll keep an eye out for you, and if anyone is going to Taicang, I can help you send gifts right over to them," Lady Wang offered.
"I wonder if the Old Zhao family will send anyone?" Lady Zhang asked.
"Now that you mention it, I just remembered their situation," Lady Wu Wang chuckled, "I reckon they are likely to send someone. They’ve been very close with Taicang of late."
"Indeed, quite close," Lady Zhang nodded in agreement.
Last time, after returning from supplying breast milk for Zhao Xiu E and adding items to Lian Xiuxiu’s dowry box, the Zhao family spent several days in Taicang before returning. They brought back many big and small packages; when asked, the Zhao family claimed they were gifts from Zhao Xiu E.
After the return, Zhao Wencai was active, telling everyone he was running errands for the Lord County Magistrate of Taicang. Not long after, Zhao Wencai made another trip to Taicang, and he wasn’t alone this time; he was accompanied by two horse-drawn carriages. In one carriage sat Constable Zhou and his wife, and the other was occupied by Constable Zhou’s father-in-law, a Grand Master who had previously served in Jinyang County Yamen.
Later, Lian Manman overheard some gossip: Zhao Wencai had told others that although Lian Shouyi managed the prisons of Taicang, he lacked trusted aides familiar with penal affairs. Zhao Wencai was helping Lian Shouyi by seeking out talents.
This talent was Constable Zhou, the son of the neighboring Zhou family, and his father-in-law, who was said to be a renowned Grand Master in Jinyang, with half a lifetime’s experience in penal matters—an old hand in the Yamen proficient in all sorts of affairs.
If Zhao Wencai introduced these people, they would naturally become close to Lian Shouyi. Does this mean Lian Shouyi is deeply involved in Lian Shouren’s Yamen affairs? Even Zhao Xiu E may have also gained some sort of influence through this connection?
Lian Manman thought all of this was quite possible. Lian Shouyi had long hoped to leverage Lian Shouren’s authority and wealth to become an influential and rich figure, and Zhao Xiu E, always proud of her talents, would never accept being outdone.
However, Lian Manman found it strange that Constable Zhou and his Grand Master father-in-law would give up their local posts to go to Taicang, hundreds of miles away, where everything was unfamiliar.
"They say it’s better to work in a familiar environment," Lian Manman had even asked Wu Yugui and Wu Jiaxing about this, "Why are they willing to go?"
"Of course, it’s because they were promised benefits there," Wu Yugui had laughingly replied at the time, "Here, Master Feng is just one amongst several Grand Masters, and Constable Zhou is actually just a squad leader. Over there, being trusted by your Uncle, Master Feng would become the most important of the Grand Masters, and Constable Zhou is likely aiming for the position of Chief Arresting Officer."
When Zhao Wencai returned from Taicang, he did not come back empty-handed, bringing back many packages big and small. Moreover, there were rumors that Zhao Wencai’s son would go to Taicang, as Zhao Xiu E had supposedly found him a good position in the Yamen.
Given how close the Zhao family is to Taicang, it’s certain they’ll attend Sanlang’s wedding.
After discussing Sanlang’s matters, Lady Wu Wang gazed at Lady Zhang, seemingly hesitant to speak.
"Is there something else?" Lady Zhang asked, "Whatever it is, just speak freely. There’s nothing our two families can’t talk about."
"Well," Lady Wu Wang smiled faintly, "it’s about something I heard, though I’m not sure if it’s true."
"Let’s hear it, let’s just treat it as idle gossip. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it to myself. We know what to say and what not to," Lady Zhang reassured her.
"Then I’ll say it, ...is it true that Yingzi went to Taicang?" Instead of revealing the subject, Lady Wu Wang first inquired of Lady Zhang.
"Right, on the day we returned. To think, that girl has quite the ability," Lady Zhang replied.
"Definitely," Lady Wu Wang scoffed, "I heard that Yingzi was given away by your Old Mistress, to the Lord County Magistrate as his wife."
"What?" Lady Zhang was drinking water, she almost choked when hearing these words, "Does this mean... she has been divorced by her Uncle?"
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Recommended finished book by Ruoyan: "The Brocade Screen Chronicles," a light-hearted story about domestic strife and tillage in a big family estate, filled with family intrigues and conflicts.
Book ID: 1771214
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