Chapter 323 Getting Married
When Li Duan’s landlord told him that the house would be taken back, Li Duan began to regret provoking Pei Yan.
He went to find Shen Shanyan.
Unexpectedly, Shen Shanyan was packing his bags, saying that he was heading to the capital as Zhou Zijin wrote to him, wanting some help. He didn’t hide anything from Li Duan, saying frankly, “The new magistrate of Lin’an has some prejudice against me. I don’t want to stay in Lin’an and put up with his attitude, but going to Hangzhou means arguing with my wife day and night. I’ve thought about it and felt that perhaps things would be better if I went to the capital instead. It would be a long-haul business trip.”
Li Duan didn’t mention his troubles of renting a place for the time being. Instead, he helped Shen Shanyan pack his writing materials, and casually asked, “I heard that Second master Pei returned to the capital. I wonder what kind of position he’ll be seeking this time?”
Shen Shanyan didn’t think much of it, replying, “Now that Pei Xiaguang is no longer serving in the imperial court and Zhang Shao has passed away, the Zhang family needs to reorganize a lot of things. This is actually a good thing for Second Master Pei. Perhaps the Zhang family would include him in their plans. Besides, his mentor isn’t someone to be trifled with either. He’ll definitely find a way to arrange something suitable.”
Li Duan was filled with jealousy, and he began to share about the difficulties he was facing.
Shen Shanyan was very surprised, but upon reflection, it was also something expected.
Just last year, in Tongxiang, someone died because of a corrupt magistrate. Everyone was outraged by that incident, so it was understandable that they couldn’t accept the Li family’s actions.
Unlike Li Duan, Shen Shanyan didn’t think the Pei family had anything to do with it. He stilled for a moment before earnestly advising Li Duan, “You see, people have a bottom line. Some things absolutely should not be done.”
This was somewhat of a rebuke of Li Yi’s actions.
Li Duan felt annoyed thinking about how many people were speaking badly about his family and his father behind his back. However, in front of Shen Shanyan, the only person who personally helped him during his difficulties, he felt he should be more respectful. So, with a regretful expression, he lowered his head and replied, “Yes.”
Shen Shanyan didn’t want to say much. He just nodded at Li Duan and let him off the hook, saying, “Since they’re unwilling to rent a place to you, you should find another place. I have a friend who’s an abbot at Yongfu Temple. If you don’t mind, how about staying there for a while? In two years, these things would have passed, and everything will be fine.”
Li Duan planned to take the imperial examination in two years. Right now, finding a quiet place to study was important. Yongfu Temple was a bleak place but at least it was peaceful.
He quickly thanked Shen Shanyan.
Shen Shanyan inwardly shook his head. He invited him for lunch, gave him his name token and then saw him out.
Li Duan smoothly moved into Yongfu Temple.
Madam Lin naturally complained a lot, earnestly wanting to buy a house. Li Duan could only reply, “Father still needs money to bribe officials while in exile and I’ll be going to the capital in two years’ time. Every little bit saved now is precious. Everything will be alright once I pass the imperial examination.”
But are you able to pass the examination on the first try?
Madam Lin swallowed her words, instead instructing the old serving auntie beside her to help hang up the curtains and clean the room.
What people desire the most is often hard to obtain.
After moving to Yongfu Temple, Madam Lin frequently visited the Buddhist hall to burn incense, hoping Buddha would bless her family with peace and prosperity. Inevitably, she would encounter some talkative worshippers.
That day, she went to offer incense again and overheard the news of Yu Tang and Pei Yan’s marriage. “It’s really quite unprecedented in Lin’an. It was said that the dowry was prepared either in Hangzhou or Suzhou. In the dowry, there’s even a self-chiming clock, a mechanical clock that automatically sounds a chime to announce the hours. It’s the first of its kind in the whole of Suzhou.”
Those listening nearby exclaimed, “What kind of family is the Yu family? Not only is their daughter marrying into the Pei family, but she also gets a self-chiming clock as a dowry? Could they be some reclusive aristocratic family in Jiangnan?”
“I heard the father is a scholar,” the messenger said, not entirely sure, but clearly interested in the Yu and Pei family’s marriage. “They have some wealth and since they cherish their daughter dearly and she’s marrying into the Pei family, they didn’t want her to suffer, so they used their savings to prepare her dowry.”
The crowd clicked their tongues in admiration, adding, “The type of family you marry into is secondary. What’s important is whether you have the parents’ love and attention. Look at the Gu family’s marriage—it caused quite a stir. Say, if I had a son, I’d rather marry a daughter from the Yu family than a daughter from the Gu family.”
Someone echoed, “Exactly! Marriage is about the unification of two families. What’s the use of having a prominent bride’s family if they aren’t willing to help? It’s better to marry someone from an ordinary family that would help out in times of trouble.”
Many nodded in agreement, which ignited Madam Lin’s anger. She couldn’t help but scoff, “What kind of family is the Yu family from? Just a poor scholar. The self-chiming clock, that’s only just a rumor. Even if it’s not a rumor, it’s probably the Pei family giving it away in order not to embarrass their daughter-in-law, isn’t it?”
The women looked at her as if she was a crazy person. The woman who spoke first even pulled her companion aside, saying, “Let’s go! I saw it with my own eyes. There’s no need to fight with these unpleasant people. Anyway, some people just can’t stand seeing others live well.”
After saying that, she gave Madam Lin a critical look from head to toe.
Madam Lin was immediately provoked by her attitude.
Back in her maternal family, she was one of the most valued daughters of the house. Now, married into the Li family, she was the wife of a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations. She had never been treated with such contempt, as if she were some uncultured, uneducated hag from the marketplace.
Madam Lin’s face flushed red. She stepped forward wanting to argue with the woman. But to her surprise, the other women drew away as well as though she had plague.
She got so furious she couldn’t utter a word. Her hands trembled in anger. She tried to go back inside, but suddenly her limbs gave way, and she collapsed on the ground. When Li Duan rushed over to check and called a physician, she was diagnosed with having suffered a stroke, and she needed to rest and avoid getting upset or angry.
Helplessly, Li Duan personally brewed medicine for Madam Lin. Even though she was partially paralyzed, Madam Lin still pleaded with Li Duan, “No! No! Can’t let Lady Yu off!”
He felt bitter inside, but nodded in agreement, perfunctorily appeasing Madam Lin.
..
Yu Tang, having received the self-chiming clock, examined it several times, staring at it with fascination for a long while before asking Yu Wen, “Father, how did you get this? This is the first time I’ve ever heard of such a thing.”
It was more than enough to preserve her dignity as a dowry piece.
Yu Wen proudly replied, “This wasn’t my idea, it was Master Jiang’s.” He then recounted his recent trip to Suzhou, saying happily “He knew the Pei family intended to give him a high position and he was very happy. He specially sought out this self-chiming clock. Master Wu and I felt bad, so we gave him a discount.”
Last time when they went to Ningbo, Jiang Chao said he would consider it, but this time he proactively invited them to Suzhou, probably because he had inquired about the Pei family.
Madam Chen brought in a tray, just in time to overhear the end of the sentence, and couldn’t help but say, “Did they say how much this cost? We have to pay him. Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. Only when the accounts are in order can the business last, and it would also save you from having to repay favors to Third Master Pei. He helped our family numerous times over. This is also Eldest brother-in-law’s sentiment. He said that if Third Master Pei helps our family like this and we still can’t prosper, then we’re just not destined for it, and we shouldn’t trouble Third Master Pei anymore.”
Although Pei Yan was already her son-in-law, she still couldn’t quite believe it and didn’t dare to address him casually.
Yu Wen was always generous with money. He laughed upon hearing this, “With you nagging me about it every day, how could I not give the money to Master Jiang? Don’t worry, he’s a smart man. Two thousand taels of silver, already received by him. I don’t care if it’s really worth that much or not, I’ve sent it over.”
Madam Chen was finally satisfied and handed the bird’s nest soup on the tray to Yu Tang. “Drink it quickly. I asked Mrs. Wu to buy it for me.”
Yu Tang didn’t particularly like these kinds of tonics, but with the wedding approaching, her mother started preparing various nourishing soups for her, and even had Imperial Physician Yang check her pulse, asking if she needed a prescription.
Imperial Physician Yang also knew about the marriage alliance between the Yu and Pei families, and was even more polite to the Yu family than previously. He felt Yu Tang was in excellent health and didn’t need any prescriptions, so Madam Chen gave up on the idea.
Yu Tang drank the bird’s nest soup in the bowl in one gulp, as if it were medicine.
Madam Chen smiled with satisfaction and told Shuangtao to clear the bowl. She began to speak of the two maids who would accompany Yu Tang on her wedding day. “Xing’er is quite clever. I find her very quick-witted. But that Lan Hua, she knows nothing. I’m thinking of sending her to Madam Wu’s place for a couple of days for training.”
The Yu family didn’t have many servants and all of them were treated quite kindly. Madam Chen was indeed not good at such matters.
The women gathered began chatting about Yu Tang’s marriage.
Yu Tang listened on the side, feeling like an outsider.
She couldn’t help but smile.
Time flies when you’re busy.
In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of the tenth lunar month, time for the ancestral worship ceremony.
Yu Wen felt that this year was particularly different from previous years. Not only had they welcomed their first grandson, but Yu Tang’s marriage was also settled. Thus, the offerings for ancestral worship were more lavish than usual and they even went to Zhaoming Temple to conduct a Buddhist ceremony.
At this time, Pei Yan, however, met with Jiang Chao in a simple and discreet manner.
After discussing some business matters, Jiang Chao finally showed that Yu family.
The preparations for Yu Tang’s marriage officially began.
Setting up the ceremonial place, arranging the newly-wed room, hiring chefs and arranging an opera troupe—everyone in the Yu family, except for Yu Tang, was incredibly busy.
Amidst the commotion outside, Yu Tang felt an even greater sense of tranquility in her room.
She stood up and stroked the bright red wedding gown hanging on the rack, her eyes radiating joy. She even childishly ran her fingers along the gold threads for some time.
On the sixth day of the tenth month, the sun shone brightly.
Yu Tang got up as usual. Lunch was brought in by Madam Xiang, who smiled and asked Yu Tang for a large red blessing envelope.
After lunch, Mrs. Wu arrived with her eldest daughter-in-law.
She was the woman the Yu family had invited to represent as ‘the woman of good fortune’.
After a bath, facial hair removal, hair combing and drinking sweet rice wine, Mrs. Wu and her eldest daughter-in-law helped her put on the wedding attire.
It was dazzling, bright, and vibrant.
Even Mrs. Wu, who saw Yu Tang frequently over these past few days, was amazed, praising her as “truly beautiful.” Madam Chen, who sneaked a peek at her from outside the door, burst into tears.
Thanks Aenean for your support on Ko-fi~ Bonus chapter coming tomorrow! 
