The work of frying sauces continued, the rabbits were tended, and life at home went on smoothly.
Li Feng took over the weighing of goods. Those who came to sell their produce asked him about Shun’er’s marriage prospects.
As the year drew to a close, just two more busy months until the winter break, matchmakers in the village began making their rounds. They would inquire at every household, looking for upcoming weddings. Even before the off-season, young people began meeting and assessing each other, waiting for an auspicious date, while every family prepared for wedding feasts.
Li Feng politely declined all proposals.
The village wasn’t like the city; there was no need for formal niceties.
If he said his mother couldn’t bear to part with Shun’er, people would treat it as mere refusal and press further.
If persistent questioning yielded no results, they would claim the family had grown proud and wealthy, looking down on others now that life had improved.
Li Feng used Lu Yang as an excuse. “My husband’s elder brother is helping with introductions. We’ll look at matches by the end of the year. Once it’s settled, everyone will be invited for a feast.”
Lu Liu had a brother in the county who ran a large business—everyone knew that.
The mushroom business had started with them. County merchants were already out of stock.
Previously, when they sold in the county, merchants picked and chose, lowering prices at will. Now, the merchants came straight to the village to buy their goods, leaving little room to haggle.
High-grade mushrooms aside, merchants were content with slightly inferior batches. Ordinary mushrooms were taken in any quantity, though the prices naturally differed from before.
They were grateful to Lu Yang and deeply impressed.
How did he have such cleverness, managing to sell mushrooms so well?
Li Feng’s words made it clear: Shun’er was destined to soar, becoming a “golden phoenix,” and proposals naturally dwindled.
After a busy morning, Li Feng went to the small shop and filled five small jars with wine—about ten jin in total, enough for his plans.
Lu Liu finished the last of the accounts and asked, “Serving them such fine wine—are you really willing?”
Li Feng said, “We could knock them out and carry them up, but they look fragile. If I accidentally kill them, I’d take a big loss.”
Lu Liu almost wanted to help him carry the jars over and drink the whole lot himself—better yet, just soak the men in it! Surely they’d get drunk!
He said this as Li Feng laughed, while outside Da Qiang called:
“Da Feng, your fathers-in-law are here!”
Li Feng hadn’t been warm toward the Chen father and son. He didn’t go to meet them at the village entrance. There was only one road into the mountain stronghold, so one inquiry about directions would suffice. They were clearly worried others wouldn’t know they were relatives of Li Feng and kept asking all the way.
Da Qiang, idle at the time, guided them in.
Li Feng stepped out. Chen’s father observed etiquette and didn’t come empty-handed. He claimed he was visiting to see the child and had brought some goods.
Following Lu Liu’s example when returning home, he had four bamboo baskets in the carriage, all covered. At first glance, it seemed a substantial load, though no one knew exactly what was inside.
Li Feng didn’t reveal the truth. Visiting maternal relatives brought honor to Lu Liu; he cheerfully invited them inside for tea.
The midday meal was served in the small shop. The table was large enough to keep Chen’s younger son from wandering the house.
Li Feng carried in the four baskets himself, one at a time. Da Qiang offered to help, but Li Feng sent him back quickly.
“I won’t keep you for lunch.”
Da Qiang pouted. “I don’t care for your meal anyway.”
Once alone, Li Feng opened all four baskets.
One contained bean curd sheets, about three jin. Another had firm tofu, also three jin. Then bean dregs, three jin, and fermented tofu.
Chen’s father considered it sufficient, more than the few jin of rice cakes.
Accounting balanced out both sides.
Once inside, Lu Liu opened his mouth, unsure how to address them, finally saying, “Here you are. Sit down; the meal will be ready shortly. Knowing you were coming, Da Feng even killed a rabbit—later, we’ll have dry-pot rabbit!”
What fine food could be found in the mountains? Chen’s father could easily find out from Lu Yang’s shop.
Lu Yang’s shop handled all kinds of mountain goods and delicacies. A visit meant trying them all; rabbit was nothing.
Chen’s younger son started ordering. He had recently heard that men in the Li stronghold had hunted deer.
He had long wondered what deer meat tasted like and asked Li Feng if they had any.
Li Feng: “…”
Not likely.
“Deer are hard to hunt. If we get one, we sell it—who would spare meat for home consumption?”
Seeing Lu Liu standing behind the counter, with accounts, abacus, pen, and paper arranged neatly, he remarked again, “You really like showing off. Our shop doesn’t have any of this. Look at you, acting like a little boss in the mountains. Yet you haven’t honored your father.”
Lu Liu had a poor impression of the Chen brothers; they wouldn’t even let him use the latrine and scolded him.
“I didn’t ask my father for money—that’s my greatest filial act. Unlike you,” he shot back.
He had already learned how to argue!
Chen’s younger son immediately raised a finger to scold but had barely started when Li Feng grasped his hand, bending it hard back. The boy screamed in pain. Chen’s father hurried over to intervene.
“Hey, hey, Da Feng! Let him go. He hasn’t done anything. They’ve always acted this way.”
Li Feng released him. “This is my home. Only my husband’s word counts. No one else interrupts.”
Chen’s father, though displeased, yielded under Li Feng’s authority, smiling and agreeing.
Chen’s younger son stayed silent, pouting.
Li Feng pulled Lu Liu from behind the counter to help in the kitchen.
Lu Liu complied immediately.
He didn’t sit for this meal.
The kitchen had been busy early. The three main dishes were dry-pot rabbit, snake soup, and steamed cured pork.
Other dishes were mushrooms: mushrooms with vegetables, mushrooms scrambled with eggs, mixed mushroom soup.
They each reserved a bowl; the mother and child ate in the kitchen while Li Feng entertained the Chen father and son in the shop.
Chen’s father asked in puzzlement, “Your in-laws aren’t eating?”
Chen Guizhi didn’t appear that day.
Li Feng poured them wine. “My husband’s belly is large. He’s delicate and needs his mother to attend him. We drink here without her.”
Chen’s father couldn’t quite read Li Feng’s intent. After three rounds of wine, seeing Li Feng’s courteous attitude, he cautiously inquired about the finances.
Li Feng poured more wine. “I see your business is thriving; you have customers buying tofu every day. It was tough when it was hot recently, but now that it’s cooler, you’ll soon make a fortune.”
Chen’s father sighed; he truly was struggling.
The shop had opened before everything was properly equipped, intending to add items gradually.
Months had passed since opening. He had restrained his eldest son, ensuring the workshop had tools first. After the county exams, things would settle by March.
In April, they saved some money. The eldest son’s ambitions clashed with his father’s practical choice for a hardworking, steady bride. With that mismatch, the younger son seized the opportunity, bringing his pregnant wife home.
The in-laws complained: no money, no business. The child already conceived—let it count as a formal match.
With depleted funds, neither the younger son nor his wife worked.
The eldest son’s bride never came; seeing the depleted household, the eldest nearly went mad.
Trouble persisted. Chen’s father planned to ask Lu Yang for assistance—first to appease the eldest, arrange a match, and restore peace at home.
