Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 110: Brother and Sister

After the mule cart passed the county yamen, Liu Yanan informed Liu Yanqing about the situation, and the siblings returned to Yangshan Village.

Wei Shi was a bit surprised to see Lu Chengxiao coming back with them. Upon hearing that the shop negotiation was successful and they were coming back to get money to finalize the deal, she was overjoyed and didn’t expect things to go so smoothly.

The family of four split into two groups. Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan stayed home to deliver silver and cancel debt notes to the households that had extended credit. Wei Shi and Liu Yu made another trip to the county. Since the shop was about to be secured, Wei Shi wanted to see what it looked like, vaguely remembering only the shop’s sign from a previous visit to Lu Feng’s fabric shop.

Liu Yu took a silver note worth one hundred taels and, together with Wei Shi and Lu Chengxiao, rode the carriage. With Lu Chengxiao accompanying them, Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan were not worried.

On the way, Lu Chengxiao asked if the matchmaker had come, and Wei Shi replied with a smile, “Yes, yes, the betrothal gifts will be delivered in three days.”

Hearing that the date was set for three days later, Lu Chengxiao was genuinely happy, unable to suppress his smile. He glanced at Liu Yu, then looked at Wei Shi and said, “Thank you, Aunt.”

Even his manner of address changed.

Liu Yu felt slightly embarrassed, but Wei Shi responded with a smile, very pleased with this marriage arrangement. Seeing the affectionate demeanor of the young couple, she believed it was a perfect match.

On the journey, the two were naturally sweet towards each other, but they did not act inappropriately. They discussed the shop with Wei Shi. When they arrived at Lu Feng’s fabric shop and got off the carriage, Lu Xun came out to greet Wei Shi personally. He asked if the matchmaker had visited their home. Hearing that the betrothal gifts would be delivered in three days, he was overjoyed and directly called them family.

Accompanied by Lu Xun, they met Shopkeeper Lin and his wife. Wei Shi also inspected the shop. The Lin couple, eager to move to Yuanzhou, agreed to vacate the shop within five days, naturally not charging the Liu family rent for these five days.

With Lu Xun and his son accompanying them, Shopkeeper Lin led them to the landlord to renew the lease. This matter was thus thoroughly settled.

Liu Yu and Wei Shi needed to understand the layout and setup of the embroidery shop, so they did not rush back to Yangshan Village. Instead, they visited several embroidery shops in the county, getting a clear idea of how to set up their own. Only then did they return, without needing Lu Chengxiao to accompany them again, as they planned to return with Liu Yanqing.

Upon returning home, Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan had just finished their tasks, having collected and burned dozens of debt notes after verifying their accuracy.

After dinner, the family sat together to discuss important matters. The two most pressing issues were opening the shop and Liu Yu’s marriage. Preparing the dowry was crucial and could not be accomplished in a day or two, so it was the first matter they discussed.

Although Liu Yu was a niece, she was treated like a daughter in this family. Wei Shi cherished her as her own, and the Liu brothers treated her as their own sister. In fact, they were even more affectionate towards her, as she was the sister they had found after fifteen years.

However, Liu Yu was aware that all the family’s silver was invested in the shop. They couldn’t spare much for her dowry. She, putting aside her shyness, told Wei Shi, “Marriage is traditionally arranged by parents, but I’ve lacked that connection. Father passed away early, and I can’t rely on my mother. The Lu family is aware of this. Aunt, please don’t worry. We can use the bride price from the Lu family to prepare some dowry, which will still look respectable.”

She knew the bride price from the Lu family was generous enough to make many envious, so she felt it wouldn’t be right to ask her family for more.

Wei Shi laughed, “What nonsense. Some families ruin themselves to marry off their daughters. Since you don’t have your parents’ love, I must cherish you even more. You’re my dearest, how can we only use the Lu family’s bride price for your dowry? Saying this makes us and your three brothers sad. You go back to your room and think about the shop. Leave the dowry to us. We only have one daughter in this house, and I’ll make sure you marry with dignity without straining the family. I know what to do.”

Liu Yu wanted to say more, but Liu Yanan gently pulled her away, smiling. In the main hall, Wei Shi asked Liu Yanqing to fetch writing materials to make a list and plan things out.

Liu Yanqing and Liu Yanping quickly brought the materials and set them up.

However, Wei Shi, having never organized a wedding before, was somewhat at a loss. Realizing this, she decided to wait and invite the clan leader’s wife to help with the planning.

The two families were distantly related, just separated by a few generations. When there were unclear matters in arranging the wedding, it was appropriate to ask for advice. The clan leader’s wife, surnamed Tian, was three or four years older than Wei Shi. Her children were well-behaved and worry-free, and they married early. Having already managed several of her children’s marriages, she was often asked to host weddings within the clan. Wei Shi’s decision to ask her for help was a wise one, and Tian Shi was happy to assist with such a joyous occasion.

When Tian Shi was invited over to discuss Liu Yu’s dowry, Liu Yu, feeling embarrassed, dared not come out.

Seeing that Liu Yu was absent, Tian Shi, understanding her shyness, smiled and said, “This girl has endured hardships before, but it seems she is now destined for great happiness.”

Everyone loves to hear good words. After a few polite exchanges, they entered the main hall, where the writing materials were already laid out, and the three Liu brothers were all present. This showed how much they cared about their newly-found sister’s wedding. Knowing that she was marrying the young owner of Lufeng’s fabric shop in the county, Tian Shi regarded Liu Yu even more highly.

Since Liu Yu’s return, the Liu family had prospered remarkably in just three months. They started a ready-made clothing consignment business, and Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan began trading with the Lu family. The family’s rapid success seemed closely tied to the return of this niece. Tian Shi and her husband had discussed it last night, realizing that the changes came after Liu Yu’s arrival. Such a lucky star naturally deserved affection.

Once they were seated, Wei Shi served tea, and Tian Shi asked with a smile, “Dowries can vary in generosity. Do you have an idea of how many dowry chests you want to prepare? If you do, tell me, and I’ll suggest accordingly.”

“Of course, it will be a generous dowry. Sister-in-law, please tell us what you know, and I’ll write it down. We’ll see how to arrange everything afterward.”

Not mentioning the number of dowry chests indicated their intention to prepare the best possible dowry.

Unaware that the Liu family had already secured a large shop in the county, Tian Shi assumed the Liu brothers had made some money from their recent business ventures. She said, “Alright, I’ll tell you.”

Liu Yanqing was ready with his pen.

“Speaking of dowries, many items have symbolic meanings. For example, the ‘descendant buckets’ symbolize having many children and grandchildren. These include three items: a chamber pot, a foot basin, and a water bucket.”

“The red ruler, also known as the descendant ruler, signifies having vast farmlands.”

“A vase symbolizes a prosperous and noble life.”

“Copper plates and shoes signify lifelong companionship and unity.”

“A belt symbolizes great wealth.”

“Colorful quilts and mandarin duck pillows symbolize a loving and affectionate marriage.”

“Bowls and chopsticks symbolize abundant food and clothing. Placing a red envelope in the bowl can replace seventy-two sets of clothing.”

Tian Shi spoke slowly, allowing Liu Yanqing to record everything. They spent quite some time, and by the end, seven or eight pages of paper were filled with detailed notes.

“And then there’s…” Tian Shi paused here.

Liu Yanqing looked up, waiting for her to continue. Tian Shi hesitated before changing the subject, “The money placed at the bottom of the chest.”

The three brothers, having never married, didn’t understand why Tian Shi hesitated. However, Wei Shi knew she was referring to the money secretly given by the mother to her daughter on the night before the wedding. Tian Shi couldn’t mention this in front of the brothers, but Wei Shi understood the implication.

Having listed everything, Tian Shi said, “That’s about it. Even in the town, such a dowry is rarely seen.”

The three Liu brothers smiled, reviewing the lists.

Seeing their determination to follow the list, Tian Shi turned to Wei Shi and asked, “Did the matchmaker come today?”

Wei Shi nodded, her face beaming with joy. “Yes, they did. The betrothal gifts will be delivered in three days.”

Upon hearing this, Tian Shi knew how much the groom’s family adored Liu Yu. They were eager to bring her into their family. She chatted with Wei Shi for a while, and when it was time to leave, Wei Shi stopped her, asking her to wait. She went inside and brought out two boxes of pastries that Lin Jiuniang had sent earlier that day, saying, “These were brought over by the matchmaker today. Take them home for your children to try.”

“Oh, how could I accept this?” Tian Shi quickly declined.

Wei Shi smiled, “Why not? Share in our happiness. Besides, I’ll have plenty more to trouble you with in the future.”

Only then did Tian Shi accept the gifts with a smile, saying, “Of course, we’re family. Just call on me whenever you need help.”

After sending off Tian Shi, Wei Shi and her three sons began categorizing the items on the list. The items essentially fell into three categories. The first category was furniture and wooden boxes, all the work of a carpenter. The second category was clothing, shoes, bedding, and fabrics, which was their specialty and easy to prepare. The third category included items to be purchased from outside.

With this categorization, their plans became clearer. Yangshan Village was located near the mountains, and every household had some wooded land. Wood was not in short supply. Liu Yanqing said, “The carpenter in our village, Carpenter Tan, is highly skilled. His work is as good as any furniture store in the county. We can have him make the furniture and boxes, as well as the shelves needed for the shop. We can use wood from our own land and delay payment, offering some interest. I’m sure it won’t be an issue.”

This idea of delaying payment was similar to how Liu Yanping extended credit for cloth to Liu Yanqing. Given their family’s current standing, and with everyone in the village knowing about their new shop in the county, no one would be concerned.

Wei Shi smiled and agreed, “Exactly. That’s what I had in mind. The camphor trees on our land were planted when you were born, and now they are perfect for use.”

Liu Yanping added, “For the silk and fabrics, Yanan and I plan to make another trip to the two Zhejiang provinces in July. We’ll take care of that. We can directly include the fabrics in the dowry. For clothing and bedding, our own shop has skilled embroiderers, which will save a lot of money and effort. The most important thing is that I will select the best materials to ensure Yu’s dowry is top-notch.”

Liu Yanan nodded, “As for the other purchased items, our earnings from this trip will be sufficient. We can even include the embroidery shop as part of the dowry. This will surely be the most prestigious dowry in Yangshan Village.”

Wei Shi laughed, “Not just the best in Yangshan Village, but even in Anxi Town, no girl will have such a grand dowry.”

Liu Yu had come out from the west wing after Tian Shi left. She stood in the hallway, listening to her aunt and three brothers discuss her dowry preparations, including ideas like delaying payments for labor. Her eyes became moist.

She pressed a handkerchief to her eyes and walked in with a smile, “Auntie, the shop belongs to the family. How can I take it all with me?”

Despite wiping her tears, her face still showed signs of them. Liu Yanping, standing nearest to her, bent down to look closely, “Why are you shedding golden beans?”

Liu Yu quickly turned her face away, “I’m not.”

Liu Yanping chuckled and ruffled her hair, “We won’t give away the whole shop, just half as dowry. But not just half of the current shop—half of all future branches.”

Liu Yanan remembered his second brother’s grand statement outside the fabric store in Hongdu Prefecture, promising to open Liu family embroidery shops all over Yuanzhou. He clapped his hands, “That’s right. Brother promised to open our embroidery shops all over Yuanzhou. Yu’er, do you know that selling those fabrics in our own shop gives us nearly thirty percent profit? If made into clothing, the profit is even higher. It’s much more lucrative than selling raw silk.”

Liu Yu felt increasingly uneasy, “What will I become then? Even the most ruthless person wouldn’t take so much.”

Tears welled up again, and her freshly wiped eyelashes became wet once more, which Liu Yanping noticed clearly.

He felt a pang of sorrow. A girl getting married should have her parents arranging everything, but his sister had lost her father, and her birth mother was better off not being involved. Now, any kindness from her family moved her to tears, highlighting her past hardships.

Had she grown up with the family, she would have been cherished from the start.

Liu Yanping briefly fought off a surge of emotion, then smiled at Liu Yu, “Did you think your brothers would only run embroidery shops in the future? There are many kinds of businesses in this world. The embroidery shop mainly relies on you and Auntie. We brothers are just helping out. If anyone is taking advantage, it’s us taking advantage of you. Work hard and open many branches. You’ll be the family’s pillar.”

With red-rimmed eyes, Liu Yu bit her lip to hold back tears.

In three months, thanks to her aunt and brothers, she had almost forgotten the hardships in Liujiacun and the days of struggling to survive. She had long stopped thinking about Liu Kangsheng, Wang Shi, and the others.

Her true rebirth wasn’t the collision at Liuxian Pavilion but returning to Yangshan Village, to this family. That was her real rebirth.

Seeing her red eyes, Liu Yanping couldn’t help but gently pull her into a hug and pat her back, “Didn’t you say you’d earn enough for us brothers to get wives? Whether we can open more embroidery shops in the future depends on you. Maybe you’ll even earn enough for your nephews’ future weddings.”

Liu Yu understood he was trying to cheer her up. Her muffled voice came from his shoulder, “Thank you, brother.”

Her slight nasal tone made Wei Shi’s heart ache. She pulled Liu Yu over and said, “Why cry over such a happy matter? Will you help our family build our business in the future?”

Liu Yu finally smiled through her tears, “I will.”

Seeing her smile, Liu Yanqing and Liu Yanan also laughed.

Sansukini: It’s good to have a supportive family.

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