"You keep driving them away, what will you do later?" Lian Manman couldn’t help but glance back into the room and asked Lian Yeye again.
"Sister Manman, don’t worry. When I go back, I’ll force her out," Lian Yeye said. "After all, she knows we won’t feed her here, so she must go back to eat."
Lian Manman nodded, acknowledging that Lian Yeye was right. Thankfully, she hadn’t softened and let Lady He stay for that al.
Back ho, Lian Manman shared the incident with Lady Zhang and the others.
"People in the village don’t quite welco her. Now that the workshop’s hearth is too hot, she can’t sit there, so she went to Yeye’s house," Lian Zhizhi said. "She’s just after the warm stove and hot water there."
"Yeye’s new house is spacious, clean, and warm. I think she’d love to stay there permanently," Lian Manman said.
"The old problem has returned. Old Master and the old lady can’t control this?" Lady Zhang said. "It’s not too cold yet; once it freezes, it’ll be worse. They’re saving firewood this way. During the day, they go to warm places, and just at night, they burn a couple of sticks to sleep."
"They’re not saving; they’re lazy," Lian Shouxin said, hitting the nail on the head.
Lian Manman then told the family how she probed Lady He about the family’s separation and how Lady He responded.
"They’ve got grand plans, shalessly," Lian Shouxin said.
"The entire lot of the Second Master’s family isn’t about living their lives. They say it’s thanks to the Old Master and the old lady’s restraint; otherwise, they wouldn’t manage at all," Lady Zhang said.
"Just after that little bit the elders have, so lacking in ambition," Wu Lang said.
"Who could disagree?" Everyone nodded.
"There’s sothing even more amusing," Lian Manman then told everyone what Lady He said about Lian Zhizhi’s dowry.
"If not for the workshop..." Lian Zhizhi began.
"Sis, if you listened to her, life wouldn’t go on. It’s our family matter; I’ve already ntioned it upfront. We’ll do what we should," Lian Manman, anticipating Lian Zhizhi’s thoughts, interrupted her.
"I knew it," Lady Zhang didn’t look surprised, nor particularly angry. "They’re still intimidated by us, not daring to speak out. They’re surely resentful, accusing of favoring my family, now envious of Zhizhi’s dowry. They think no one knows their intentions?!"
"Their intentions are pointless," Lian Shouxin said confidently.
"Indeed," Lady Zhang nodded, her gaze resting on Wu Lang and Xiao Qi, filled with confidence and satisfaction.
Lian Manman understood this; their family, unlike Lian Yeye’s, had Wu Lang and Xiao Qi, leaving no room for others to intervene. Whatever the Old Residence people tried, it was re wishful thinking.
Though that’s the perspective, knowing there are people with lurking intentions undercuts the peace.
"Next ti visiting the Old Residence, we’ll have to confront them again," Wu Lang thought, then said, "So they’ll abandon those useless thoughts early on."
...
Just after the Double Ninth Festival, Zhang Qingshan’s family ca with a laden cart, as usual, sending a full cart of mountain goods to Lian Manman’s family. Like past years, there were packaged fruits, mushrooms, wood ear fungus, walnuts, chestnuts, and also hens raised by Lady Li in the orchard. Those who ca included Zhang Qingshan, Lady Li, Zhang Qingnian, Lady Zhang Wang, and Zhang Caiyun.
"Mother, next ti don’t bring so many things," Lady Zhang said to Lady Li. "Our trees bore fruit this year as well."
"Yours are yours; ours are ours," Lady Li chuckled. "As you say, you could buy everything with money, but can that compare with our gifts?... Knowing you lack nothing now, sending these is just to ensure my grandchildren eat from ho."
With Lady Li’s words, Lady Zhang had nothing to contest. Farmstead families cherish simplicity, especially the elderly, who always focus on how to feed the children well.
This year Zhang Family sent even more than before, due to several reasons. Firstly, the Zhang Family’s life has improved, enabling them to send more good things. Secondly, over the years, the bond between the families grew stronger.
Lian Manman’s shop in town broadened connections, helping the Zhang Family find better markets for their fruits, benefiting the Burner Pot Village. Also, of course, they were grateful for Lian Manman family’s help with Zhang Caiyun’s marriage.
Regarding Zhang Caiyun’s wedding, Lady Zhang asked Lady Li and Lady Zhang Wang how preparations for the dowry were going.
"Furniture is being crafted; clothes and beddings we are all making, and she’s making so herself," Lady Zhang Wang said as she opened a bundle Zhang Caiyun brought, revealing prepared pieces of red cloth, showing them to Lady Zhang, along with so patterns.
"Zhizhi, bring yours here," Lady Zhang said, calling Lian Zhizhi.
Lian Zhizhi fetched the patterns for her wedding attire, and everyone gathered to chat and pick patterns.
"Let Caiyun stay and sew with Zhizhi - they both have a companion for conversation," Lady Zhang said after choosing patterns.
This was prearranged, and the Zhang Family agreed. Zhang Caiyun herself was delighted.
"... Now that you’re here, don’t rush to leave, spend a couple of days with us," on the heated brick bed, Lian Shouxin conversed with Zhang Qingshan and Zhang Qingnian. "For Caiyun’s dowry, you’ve arranged large furniture, but still need more decorations, right? It happens that our county’s general store recently received Southern goods, high-quality lacquerware and ceramics. We’re planning to pick so for Zhizhi, and you can do the sa for Caiyun."
Among the won, Lian Manman asked Xiao Xi to bring two boxes to show Lady Li, Lady Zhang Wang, and Zhang Caiyun.
"These are newly stocked from our shop, aren’t they beautiful?"
In Liaodong Prefecture, ho furnishings are often grand and simple, but for elegance and intricacy, Southern goods are unmatched. These are goods brought from the South.
"Our shop has stocked many, intending to choose so for Zhizhi’s dowry," Lady Zhang said to Lady Li and Lady Zhang Wang. "Her father and I agreed to let Caiyun choose a set too. Anything else, as long as it’s in our shop, you don’t need to buy externally."
Lady Li and Lady Zhang Wang both smiled.
...
There’s much to do, let’s update a bit today, and try to update more tomorrow. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote for recomndations and monthly tickets at Qidian [qidian], your support is my greatest motivation.)
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