Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 177: The First Meeting in the Yang Mansion

The young man, about sixteen or seventeen years old, was Yang Cunxu’s personal attendant. Upon seeing Liu Yu, he greeted her with a smile, introduced himself, and explained his purpose.

It turned out that Lu Chengxiao had previously entrusted Yang Cunxu to find a suitable shop in Yuanzhou. Now, a fitting one had been found, which surprised Liu Yu. Despite searching in many places for a shop, the hardest location—Yuanzhou—was the first to respond.

Wei Shi and Liu Yu invited the young man into the flower hall in the backyard and served him tea. The young man, clearly thirsty after a long journey, thanked them and took a sip before continuing. “Master Lu had mentioned that if there was any news before the new year, I should report to you, Miss Liu. So, my young master sent me here to inform you. If you’re interested, I can take you to Yuanzhou to see the place.”

Both Liu Yu and Wei Shi were excited. Wei Shi asked, “What kind of shop is it? Please tell us in detail.”

The young servant smiled and said, “The location is excellent. It’s a large two-story shop with six rooms. However, the shop is for sale, not for rent, and the owner is asking for 2,300 taels.”

At the mention of 2,300 taels, Wei Shi gasped sharply.

The young man smiled at Liu Yu and said, “Actually, it’s two shops, but the owner is the same person. Previously, the shops were rented to a jewelry store and a spice shop. The owner needs money urgently, so they’re selling the shops. The two tenants wanted to buy them, but our master got wind of it and made an offer first. He asked the owner to wait for a few days, and that’s why I hurried over to inform you.”

“Our master said that buying the shop would be much better than renting. It’s common for landlords to raise the rent or evict tenants once business is doing well. Shops in good locations are often passed down through generations, so opportunities like this are rare. If you’re interested in buying, and you’re short on funds, our master is willing to help cover the difference.”

Two or three thousand taels wasn’t a small amount, even for a wealthy family like the Yangs. Liu Yu gained a new understanding of the relationship between Lu Chengxiao and Yang Cunxu, given how quickly Yang was willing to help with the money.

“2,300 taels… If I wanted to buy it, that would indeed be a bit beyond my reach.”

Liu Yu thought it over. With her dowry, plus the money Lu Chengxiao had left with her, along with the wedding gifts, she had just over 1,100 taels on hand. She would’ve had more, but Lu Chengxiao had taken some funds with him to the Zhejiang area, and Liu Yu had also lent her first embroidery shop’s profits to Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan for their business trip to Zhejiang. So, personally, she could only gather around 1,100 taels.

Recently, the embroidery shop had received many orders, bringing in another 400 taels in profit. However, her older brother’s wedding to the Zhang family’s daughter was approaching, and the betrothal gifts would be needed soon, so it was better not to touch that money. Plus, the shop had many employees to support, so she couldn’t leave herself without any working capital.

After thinking it over, she told the young servant, “Rest here for a while. Let me figure out a way to gather some more funds. Then I’ll go with you to Yuanzhou to take a look.”

This meant that Liu Yu was seriously considering purchasing the shop. The young servant smiled and agreed. Wei Shi, however, was anxious. She didn’t want to say too much in front of Yang Cunxu’s servant, but as soon as Liu Yu walked away, she followed and quietly advised her, “Yu’er, 2,300 taels is a lot of money!”

Even though Wei Shi had some business experience, the amount of over 2,000 taels still made her feel dizzy.

“I understand,” Liu Yu replied, “but if we buy this shop, both our embroidery business and Chengxiao’s fabric shop can expand into Yuanzhou City. Master Yang is right—owning a shop is far more secure for business than renting. Don’t worry, Aunt. The money Chengxiao earned from his previous ventures is still with me, along with my dowry and part of the wedding gifts. I have over 1,100 taels on hand. I’ll see if I can gather some more from my parents, elder brother, and sister-in-law, so we can borrow less from Yang Cunxu.”

This really meant that they had to buy the shop before even considering borrowing money. Wei Shi’s heart raced at the thought, but remembering Liu Yu’s words that once they secured the shop, their embroidery business and Lu Chengxiao’s fabric shop could both operate in Yuanzhou, she felt tempted. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, “You can take 200 taels from the shop’s funds for now. I’ll note it down, and you can offset it against your next profit share. If we do end up buying it, the embroidery shop will essentially be renting from you and Chengxiao.”

Wei Shi knew that over 2,000 taels was beyond her personal capacity to co-invest, but renting from Liu Yu would be almost the same as owning it. It was a much safer option.

Liu Yu nodded with a smile. “Okay, then please prepare the banknotes for me, Aunt. I’ll bring them directly. If the shop is indeed suitable, I’ll buy it right away.”

In a hurry, she went to the opposite Lufeng Fabric Shop to discuss borrowing money with Lu Xun, Chen Shi, Lu Chengzong, and Qin Shi.

Lu Xun and Lu Chengzong had a rough idea of how much money Lu Chengxiao could make in business. Upon hearing that they were looking to buy a shop in Yuanzhou, they asked Liu Yu how much she could come up with. She mentioned she could manage 1,300 taels, and Yang’s family was willing to lend some more, so they were fully supportive of the endeavor.

However, since Lu Xun hadn’t set aside much silver during the division of the family assets, he and Lu Chengzong pooled together to lend Liu Yu 400 taels.

That brought the total to 1,700 taels, leaving a shortfall of 600 taels to borrow from Yang Cunxu.

Liu Yu quickly took out some ink and paper to write IOUs for both Lu Xun and Lu Chengzong. Lu Xun didn’t mind, but Lu Chengzong waved his hands in protest. “Sister-in-law, we’re family; we don’t need this.”

Liu Yu smiled. “Family or not, I appreciate the help from my parents and brother and sister-in-law at a crucial moment. Please keep this IOU safe; I promise to repay it within a year.”

A year was generous; in reality, Lu Chengxiao could probably repay Yang Cunxu on this trip. The embroidery shop was still profitable, and Lu Chengxiao would also be traveling for business again next year. Even though investments were needed for the weaving and embroidery shops, there would undoubtedly be more revenue streams, making repayment feasible within six months.

Lu Chengzong repeatedly insisted it wasn’t urgent, but seeing that Lu Xun accepted the IOU, he finally relented.

With the transaction amounting to over 2,000 taels, they had 1,700 taels in banknotes, which made Lu Xun and Chen Shi uneasy about Liu Yu going alone. Eventually, they decided Lu Xun would accompany her, and they called Ge An to go to the livery stable to hire a carriage.

Although they had a mule cart at home, a horse-drawn carriage would make for a smoother journey.

Liu Yu also needed to return to the embroidery shop to arrange some matters, so she hurried back to Ru Yi Embroidery Shop.

Qin Shi was still feeling dazed by the prospect of 2,300 taels, mumbling to Chen Shi, “Third Brother and Sister-in-law are quite impressive. In less than a year, they’ve bought a house in the county, and now they can buy a six-room shop in Yuanzhou.”

After the initial shock came envy.

Chen Shi was still a bit bewildered. She thought about it and said, “But it’s not easy. Traveling for business carries a lot of risks and hard work. Just look at your Third Brother and Sister-in-law—they’re often at the embroidery shop until late at night. Plus, they’ve taken on a debt of 1,000 taels. Do you think we could handle that?”

Qin Shi shook her head repeatedly. “I’d probably lose sleep over it.”

Indeed, Lu Xun had held over a thousand taels in cash in the past, yet he hadn’t dared to buy a house in the county in the last two or three years, always feeling more secure having extra savings. How could he risk borrowing another 1,000 taels to buy a shop? It was something to be envied.

When the hired carriage arrived at the embroidery shop, Lu Shuang learned that Liu Yu was going to Yuanzhou. She had overheard this while Liu Yu was arranging matters for the embroidery shop and insisted on going along to see the shop.

Most of Lu Shuang’s time was spent helping with detailed embroidery work. Now that there were many embroiderers at the shop, she could manage to take a few days off since her detailed work could wait.

Liu Yu was happy to have company, and after a moment’s thought, she nodded. They quickly packed some clothes for the trip, and along with two others and a hired driver, they set off for Yuanzhou.

This time, they traveled by horse-drawn carriage rather than by boat to Hongdu Prefecture. Lu Shuang hadn’t felt this free and lively in the past fifteen years, and despite the bumpy ride, her joy remained undiminished.

The group arrived in Yuanzhou on the afternoon of the third day. Instead of going directly to see the shop or checking into an inn, they headed straight to the Yang family.

As they approached the city gate, a young servant smiled and told Lu Xun and Liu Yu, “It’s our young master’s idea. The inn is a mixed bag, and since our young master is very close to Young Master Lu, it wouldn’t make sense for him and his family to stay at an inn. He already informed my lady to welcome you directly into the house, and then you can go see the shop.”

Since Liu Yu was a woman, it wasn’t appropriate for Yang Cunxu to host her directly, so he had already arranged for his mother to take care of them.

Upon hearing this, Lu Xun and Liu Yu both understood that entering the Yang residence meant their relationship with Yang Cunxu would deepen beyond mere acquaintances through Lu Chengxiao. They were surprised yet pleased, and after expressing their thanks, Lu Xun inquired about the young servant, who then took them on a small detour to visit a few well-known shops in Yuanzhou, preparing lavish gifts before directing the carriage towards the Yang residence.

When they arrived at the Yang residence, the doorman, clearly informed ahead of time, welcomed them as guests of the young master. One servant went inside to announce their arrival, while another greeted Liu Yu and her companions. The carriage entered the courtyard, and Yang Cunxu’s servant accompanied Lu Xun and the others to the flower hall. They had barely taken their seats when a maid entered with hot tea and snacks. The young servant requested them to wait a moment while he went to inform his master.

This was their first visit to a noble family, and with no mental preparation beforehand, Lu Xun and the others felt a bit nervous. They didn’t touch the tea or snacks, and soon after, footsteps could be heard approaching. A woman in her thirties entered, greeted Lu Xun and the others warmly, and said with a smile, “I’m Madam Fang, serving the mistress. I was the one who sent my son to fetch you. The mistress has asked me to invite Lady Liu and Lady Lu to the inner courtyard for a chat, while Master Lu is kindly requested to stay here for a moment. Our young master will come to greet you shortly.”

Upon learning that Madam Fang was close to Yang’s family, and knowing her son was a servant to Yang Cunxu, Lu Xun and Liu Yu recognized her as a respected steward in the household. Lu Xun bowed in thanks, while Liu Yu and Lu Shuang performed a respectful gesture.

They followed Madam Fang into the inner courtyard, where Madam Yang was already waiting. Hearing the footsteps, she rose to meet them, taking a few steps forward. Upon seeing Liu Yu and Lu Shuang, she assessed them, recognizing Liu Yu as Lu Chengxiao’s wife and Lu Shuang as his sister from their hairstyles.

Madam Fang smiled and said, “Lady Liu, Lady Lu, this is our mistress.”

Liu Yu led Lu Shuang in greeting Madam Yang, who immediately raised her hands to assist them up and smiled, “You both are truly beautiful!”

Madam Yang was already aware of Lu Chengxiao’s pursuits, and since her son had entrusted her with the task of hosting Liu Yu, she was curious. Now, seeing them, she laughed and said, “No wonder Chengxiao turned Yuanzhou upside down looking for a wife. With such a stunning beauty, I’d be just as eager!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu realized that Madam Yang was informed about how Lu Chengxiao sought her out, causing her face to flush slightly as she bowed her head and said, “It was all a misunderstanding back then, which caused the young master some unnecessary trouble.”

Madam Yang laughed, “It’s nothing to worry about. Speaking of which, this incident ended up saving a kidnapped child, so it turned out to be a good deed.”

With that, she invited Liu Yu and Lu Shuang to sit down, and they began to chat casually.

It was clear that Madam Yang knew about the shop as well, and she had even heard from Yang Cunxu that Liu Yu was opening an embroidery shop. She cheerfully promised that once Liu Yu set up shop in Yuanzhou, she would definitely bring her ladies to visit.

Madam Yang was warm and talkative, and Liu Yu kept up with every topic she brought up. Lu Shuang, charming and clever, added to the lively conversation until the young servant from the outer courtyard arrived to inform them that Yang Cunxu was ready to take them to see the shop.

Originally, the plan was for Yang’s housekeeper and Madam Fang to accompany Liu Yu to the shop, but with Lu Xun’s presence, Yang Cunxu felt a close kinship with Lu Chengxiao and did not dare to have only a housekeeper accompany them. Thus, Yang Cunxu himself decided to join them.

Since Liu Yu was the one purchasing the shop, she naturally needed to go.

Madam Yang frowned slightly, saying, “This child doesn’t understand timing. The shop owner has already been informed, so there’s no need to rush today. After a long journey, it’s better to let them rest for a day and go tomorrow.”

The young servant chuckled, “The young master initially intended for Mr. Lu to rest, and when he returns tonight, he can host a welcoming dinner for Mr. Lu. But Mr. Lu insisted he wasn’t tired and wanted to check out the shop first, so I came in to invite Lady Liu and Lady Lu.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu quickly added, “Thank you, Madam, but the journey hasn’t been too rushed, so I don’t feel tired. Besides, I’m quite eager to see the shop, and it’s still early.”

Madam Yang’s expression softened. “Alright then, let’s go see the shop, and we can have dinner together when we return.”

She then called for Madam Fang, saying, “Xun’er can be careless; his actions can sometimes lack thoughtfulness. Please accompany the two ladies and ensure they are well looked after on the way. Bring along two maidservants and use my usual carriage, letting Uncle Zhong drive.”

Madam Fang smiled and accepted the task, turning to arrange everything. Madam Yang then smiled at Liu Yu, saying, “Madam Fang often travels with me, and most families in Yuanzhou know she is from our household. With her with you, you won’t encounter any trouble while out.”

This was extremely thoughtful, and Liu Yu and Lu Shuang hurriedly expressed their gratitude.

Madam Yang waved her hand and offered a few more words of advice before Madam Fang led Liu Yu and Lu Shuang out.

Liu Yu and Lu Shuang had prepared their veils, but since they were now riding in Madam Yang’s carriage, they found it inconvenient to ask Madam Fang to fetch their veils. Considering the friendship between Yang Cunxu and Lu Chengxiao, it didn’t seem too important, so they decided to forgo it.

The first time Yang Cunxu saw Lu Shuang was on that winter afternoon. Sometimes, love is strange; Lu Shuang was beautiful, yet standing next to Liu Yu, her beauty seemed overshadowed. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but take notice and be attracted to her.

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5 review.