Hong Chu looked up at him and praised, “Yang Ge’er, you really are different. Everyone else doesn’t understand me. I give a single suggestion, they say it’s no good, and immediately they pick another candidate. I’m not angry about marriage itself—I just hate their low tactics.”
But this was an overt scheme: his father and uncle had both been persuaded.
All the younger siblings at home were already married. He, at twenty, about to turn twenty-one—virtually twenty-two—had still not been betrothed.
Even if they didn’t marry him off, they should have at least found a husband. And how should that husband be chosen? Naturally, someone clever—someone whose worth could be measured by achievements.
This time, the person he was to consider was a young scholar.
A minor scholar, with three households of concubines at home, and before he even planned to bring someone in, that wretched man was already imposing rules.
If Hong Chu could tolerate this, he wouldn’t even be surnamed Hong. Yet he managed the situation neatly.
Hong Chu said, “They tell me to choose a son-in-law. What choices do I have? Only carefully selected candidates from their side. What good person could I find among them? They’re simply seeing who could control me later. If household staff act out, it’s minor. If a child is involved, the consequences affect only me.”
This had nothing to do with Lu Yang, yet he empathized, feeling a heavy weight in his chest.
Lu Yang, having grown up in the streets, had a unique perspective.
He asked Hong Chu, “Chu Ge’er, surely marriage isn’t your only path?”
Hong Chu nodded. “Yes. I could make a vow before our ancestors, to never marry. Then I remain a Hong forever, and they would entrust the family affairs to me.”
Lu Yang relaxed his brow and said, “And if you swear? A vow cannot bind anyone but the heart. If you’re afraid, stage a plan. They trust the ancestors—let the ancestors ‘manifest.’ Even if it delays an engagement for three or five years, they’ll have to obey. That’s enough time for you to take charge. Then you can do as you wish.”
Though Hong Chu came from a prominent family with dockside businesses and a bold streak, he had never considered offending the ancestors.
He lowered his eyes, pondering, then clinked cups with Lu Yang again.
“I will consider it.”
Lu Yang drank his tea, seeing a glimmer in Hong Chu’s eyes, and said no more.
After the meal, Hong Chu mentioned a few matters.
“Getting out here wasn’t easy. This whole thing angered me, but besides coming to the provincial capital for a match, I had no other choice. Meeting you is fortunate—you’re the first person who didn’t urge me to take a man.”
Lu Yang did not smile. Life did not only offer a path through marriage.
He was fortunate with Xie Yan. In his earliest thoughts, he had hoped Xie Yan could earn substantial silver, proving his worth. Through that determination, he had studied and honed his skills tirelessly, thriving after leaving the Chen family.
Hong Chu’s abilities would surpass his.
He did not advise Hong Chu to leave the Hong family and start independently. Why?
Hong Chu, too, carried the Hong name and had achieved his standing through his own skill. He could prune away the useless elements.
Everyone has weaknesses. Those obsessed with silver will spend their lives trapped by wealth; those chasing power will forever bow and curry favor. The defeated and weak are of no concern.
Lu Yang said, “They want you to swear, only to scare you with the notion that you’ll remain alone. Don’t fear it. The world is full of children with hard fates. The Hong family is large. If they say you are childless, simply take some children to raise. Let them taste the pain of loss, and they won’t dare meddle again. Of course, you needn’t be so direct—start a family school and ‘choose’ children to nurture. Don’t fear raising ungrateful ones; good people still exist.”
Hong Chu curved his lips, a hint of mischief in his smile.
“This trip was precisely to do that. We’ve come to an understanding.”
This meal was on Hong Chu. He called a few shopkeepers to discuss matters, leaving some ship cabins for Lu Yang, giving him options for several days’ return.
Hong Chu said, “The big September fair, I didn’t intervene. Your firm won’t catch up. Wait until year-end—we’ll make a major effort then.”
Lu Yang agreed, smiling and bowing in thanks.
He watched Hong Chu board the ship and lingered a moment on the dock.
Life offers more than one path; he hoped Hong Chu could find his own way—not for gain, but as a blessing.
Afterward, the group returned home.
Sheng Daxian and Ji Mingzhu would remain in the provincial capital a while longer, visiting old acquaintances. They wrote letters for Xie Yan to carry.
On the day of their return, Xie Yan finally learned from Ji Mingzhu who had secretly tampered with their earlier affairs: an old acquaintance, a classmate and neighbor—Liu Youli.
Unfortunately, Liu Youli had also passed, ranking next to Ji Mingzhu. On the return day, Liu Youli found a ship to board smoothly.
Holding the scholar’s rank made him welcome among merchants, and he boarded without difficulty.
Xie Yan, standing at the ship’s prow, watched Liu Youli chatting and laughing, muttering to Lu Yang, “I really want to hit him.”
Lu Yang, unaware of the political shifts in the provincial capital, advised, “I don’t think you can beat him alone. Bring Li Feng with you.”
Xie Yan shook his head rationally. “No. If I fight, Li Feng cannot join. He has no rank; he’d end up in prison. It must be me alone. Perhaps I’ll bag him, and Li Feng can claim I did it.”
Lu Yang admired this loyalty to a friend.
As the ship moved, Xie Yan withdrew his gaze, turning to Lu Yang.
“Then… will you be my friend?”
Lu Yang naturally agreed.
Xie Yan, now skilled in sweet talk, said, “I’ll work double for you from now on. Hear me? Double effort, not double fighting. I won’t let anyone bully you.”
Lu Yang tiptoed and kissed him, leaving Xie Yan’s face flushed.
Wow. Such bold words, yet such a shy face—truly rare.
Early in the morning, Lu Liu sent Li Feng off, beginning a new day.
Their firm had missed the fair’s prime stall spots; September was lost. The dock held stored goods. Li Feng planned to visit carriages, escorts, banks, and inns along Minfu Road, discussing business in advance to ensure merchants at the fair would hear about their mushrooms and medicinal herbs. He listed several rare herbs, establishing their mountain origin.
This method, seldom used between firms, was how Li Feng had found clients during his hunting days. Now that the business had grown, he followed the same approach.
To secure cooperation, the incentives had to be sufficient.
Li Feng devised two strategies: first, to send gifts to local bosses and shopkeepers as favors; second, to distribute small rewards to his assistants—twenty coins each regardless of success. If a deal succeeded, they’d receive a commission based on merchant purchases: one tael returned for every hundred taels.
This proportion resembled a rebate. The couple calculated multiple times at home, noting that many merchants came directly, and few were referred by others. This commission was affordable, so they settled on it.
Originally, they had considered five qian for every hundred taels. Lu Liu repeated the math several times, concluding that five qian—essentially coins or small silver—was less enticing than one tael. During the fair, busy merchants might forget small rewards.
Many bosses would also tip for errands. Running extra miles could earn more than five qian. Starting at one tael motivated them.
Lu Liu tidied straw and aired the kennels for Erhuang and Weifeng.
At home, Li Feng fed the horses and dogs; it was always his task in the morning and evening, leaving Lu Liu less burdened, only feeding at noon.
Lu Liu realized that Li Feng had never truly rested. Since their marriage, he had been busy inside and out, never bringing outside troubles home.
