“You little bastard, are you trying to anger me to death on purpose?!”
Zhang Chengzhou shouted hoarsely.
Zhang Chuxiao stood up and dusted off his robe. At seventeen, the boy’s frame was still somewhat slender, but he stood ramrod straight, half a head taller than Zhang Chengzhou, stubborn as a young calf.
“My marriage will be arranged by Eldest Aunt. Father should spend his time worrying about my second brother instead.”
With that, he turned and left.
Watching him go, Zhang Chengzhou did not grow angry. Instead, he laughed, turned around, sat down, and leisurely sipped the tea on the table.
“Master, was that a tactic to provoke him?” Steward Fu asked with a smile as he walked in from outside.
Fu Bo had followed Zhang Chengzhou since childhood. After he grew older and could no longer accompany him on trading journeys, he was assigned to manage external affairs for the Second Branch of the family and had become one of Zhang Chengzhou’s trusted old retainers.
“That brat spends all day fooling around with a bunch of worthless friends. He neither studies nor practices martial arts and doesn’t care about anything. The only thing he likes is opposing his own father. If I want him to marry, I have to do the opposite.”
“Master truly is wise,” Fu Bo chimed in flatteringly.
Zhang Chengzhou set down his teacup and stroked his beard, unable to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
“I called you here because there’s something to handle. Make a detailed list of the dowry Madam left behind, along with the valuables I’ve accumulated in my private treasury over the years. We’ll prepare them as the bride price for Xiao-ge’er. I’ll also send men riding swiftly to Liaodong to buy two fine Liaodong geese. The full set of betrothal rites must be properly observed.”
“Yes, this old servant will take care of it immediately.”
The commotion in the Second Branch quickly spread through the household. Madam Cui had already intended to arrange her son’s marriage, and since the Second Branch lacked a proper mistress of the house, she took the responsibility upon herself and handled everything together.
News soon arrived that Marquis Pingyang, Lin Qi, had suffered defeat in battle, and the entire marquis household buzzed with discussion.
Xia Ning remained uneasy for two days straight. Only on the eighteenth day of the sixth month, when the Zhang family delivered two letters of betrothal, did the weight in her heart finally lift.
This time, she had gambled correctly.
In truth, she had learned of the news long ago. The Lin family kept specially trained carrier pigeons, and Lin Qi had concealed the information while urging her to quickly prepare their daughter’s marriage, lest unexpected complications arise.
She did not know what those complications might be, but she could only follow Lin Qi’s instructions.
The Tianqi Dynasty had long valued lavish dowries. Xia Ning’s earlier promise to give Lin Jingchu a grand dowry was no empty boast. Among noble families, it was not uncommon for households to borrow silver just to maintain appearances when marrying off their daughters.
Silks, clothing, gold, and silver jewelry were manageable enough, but valuable furniture and medicinal materials required not only money, but also luck and opportunity.
Busy preparing the dowry, Xia Ning handed all household affairs over to her two daughters, claiming it was practice for managing a marquis household before marriage.
When Lin Zheng heard about the situation at home, he requested leave from the clan school and returned.
Following Lin Shuyi, Lin Jingchu spent every morning listening to reports from the steward wives, receiving tally plaques and keys, and every evening making rounds through the marquis residence. By the end of each day, her back and waist ached with exhaustion.
As she returned to her own courtyard, a dark figure suddenly darted past and slammed into her, making her vision go black.
Lin Jingchu immediately cursed, “In such a hurry to reincarnate, are you?!”
The figure stopped and turned around. It was a sturdy-looking boy with a round face, his eyes swollen like walnuts from crying.
“You wicked woman! My father’s back now—I’m going to make him drive you out!”
But perhaps he had spoken too fiercely, because two snot bubbles puffed out of his nostrils.
Lin Jingchu bit her lips hard, struggling not to laugh.
This should be Lin Zheng, the original owner’s younger half-brother from the same mother.
Lin Zheng’s face flushed red with anger. He shot Lin Jingchu a vicious glare before running off without looking back.
Lin Jingchu grabbed a servant to ask what was happening. Upon learning that Lin Qi had already returned to the residence, she hurried toward the main courtyard as well.