Lady Chiang, fearing that Lady Zhou’s words would beco even harsher, dared not speak again.
After finishing the snacks, Lady Chiang discreetly signaled to Lian Jizu and went back to her room in the west. When Lian Jizu returned to the west room, he found Lady Chiang rummaging through the boxes and chests, searching for sothing.
"What are you looking for?" Lian Jizu asked Lady Chiang.
"Found it." Lady Chiang took out a small bundle from the innermost part of the clothing chest and carried it to the kang bed to open it.
Inside the bundle were two pieces of silk, so pouches, and several colorful tassels featuring various patterns. Both pieces of silk were plain but of excellent quality, and were embroidered with auspicious designs of dragons and phoenixes.
The needlework on them was exceptionally exquisite and beautiful.
"What are you..." Lian Jizu hesitantly asked as he saw Lady Chiang carefully arranging the items in the bundle.
"With Wu Lang getting married, if our elder says she’ll give nothing, can we really show up empty-handed?" Lady Chiang glanced behind Lian Jizu to ensure the door was shut, then spoke in a low voice, "No matter how our elder acts, others can’t really say anything. She’s our fourth uncle’s biological mother. Who are we?"
"If we truly give nothing, once we step out of this door, others will certainly speak ill of us. Besides, how many years can our elder continue to live? Can we follow her forever? In the future, what happens when we’re on our own? With such an important event, if we don’t send any gifts at all, how will our fourth uncle, fourth aunt, and Wu Lang view us? How can we face them afterwards?"
"It’s both emotional and logical; there can’t be such stinginess." Lady Chiang said, growing a bit agitated, "Not to ntion the number of tis we’ll need to seek help from them in the future. Even if we don’t, this isn’t the way to handle things."
"I understand what you’re saying," Lian Jizu sighed, "But as for our elder, who can persuade her? She’s firmly resolute, and we don’t have money. Our elder has money, and if she says no, she certainly won’t take it out for this."
"That’s why I prepared earlier, anticipating today, just waiting for the embarrassnt," said Lady Chiang.
"When did you start preparing?" Lian Jizu’s face showed so pleasure as he asked Lady Chiang.
"A long ti ago." Lady Chiang replied, casting a sidelong glance at Lian Jizu, "You’re happy now, but rember when you were upset with . I didn’t give you money to spend because there was an important use for it. Do you rember? I told you about this purpose at that ti."
Lian Jizu had nothing to say, just smiled.
Nowadays, Lady Zhou often said that Lian Shouren’s household lived off her, but this wasn’t entirely true. Lady Zhou had the retirent land given by Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli and had continuous daily provisions from Lian Shouxin’s family. Lady Zhou was quite well-off; this was the reality. anwhile, Lian Shouren, Lian Jizu, Lady Chiang, and Da Niuniu also had six acres of land in their nas.
They didn’t rent out these six acres; they cultivated it themselves.
This was insisted upon by Lady Chiang. Initially, Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu intended to rent out their six acres as well, since they weren’t worried about making ends et with Lady Zhou’s support.
Lady Chiang was more calculating than her father-in-law and husband. She insisted on keeping the land to cultivate themselves and managed to persuade Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu. On one hand, she urged Lian Shouren and Lian Jizu to work the land, and on the other hand, she resolved to learn farming herself. Although neither were accustod to manual labor and the cultivation was only diocre, this gesture managed to slightly improve the community’s perception of them.
Because of this, Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang privately remarked that this family wasn’t beyond saving, and they actually felt quite relieved.
And the yield from the land was roughly enough to feed several mouths. Lady Zhou’s side only dealt with the food and drink for herself and Lian Yaya, additionally providing money to supply so fish, at, oil, and salt.
Arguably, the family’s sustenance was reliant on their own efforts, though the relatively prosperous life they led was still due to Lady Zhou.
Lian Shouren displayed such servile humility in front of Lady Zhou partly because of the good food and drink. Each ti Lady Zhou finished scolding him, she would often compensate with good als, in a repetitive cycle.
Therefore, Lady Chiang had little money. Every year, the surplus grain sold was very little; besides raising two pigs each year, the money from selling chicken eggs didn’t co into her hands – it was all controlled by Lady Zhou.
And the money from selling grain and pigs had to cover daily expenses, leaving very limited savings each year. She bought this silk and needlework materials piece by piece, using spare ti to embroider, sew, and weave bit by bit.
In her mind, she had long clarified the purpose of these items, starting with Wu Lang, then Lian Manman, all anticipating major events within this year or next. Preparing such laborious and thoughtful handicrafts was suitable for her current family situation and status, and not entirely inspired by Lady Li and others.
Ordinary families would do likewise.
As Lady Chiang packed the items in the bundle one by one, she conversed softly with Lian Jizu.
"...Her second uncle has helped the Luo family get by these past few years; if it weren’t for their fourth uncle and fourth aunt finding work, taking care of them every step, could they have achieved today’s standing? Last ti, when Zhizhi got married, her second aunt sold their pigs to provide such a large dowry. Are we not doing as well as them?"
...
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