Chapter Eleven: Family Discussion

  Four hours later, Lu Tianhua rode a horse and carried his beautiful wife back home. When he went to pick up his wife, her parents did not agree. Lu Tianhua sincerely knelt down and begged, saying that his younger brother had become an official and returned home, and the family had no debts. He was taking his wife back on the orders of the master of the house, his younger brother. If he couldn't take his wife back, he would have to follow his younger brother's strict order and die at the door. Only then did his parents-in-law agree to let Lu Tianhua take their daughter away, and they also refused the silver he offered them.

  Lu Tianhua and his wife returned, both kneeling outside the main house, begging Lu Qi's mother to forgive and accept her return. They knelt for a whole hour before Lu Qi's mother opened the door, coldly instructing Lu Tianhua's wife to cook dinner. Lu Tianhua and his wife were overjoyed, quickly kowtowing and hurrying off to do their chores.

  Dinner was also a harmonious reunion, Lu Tianhua's wife was very beautiful, named Zhou Yue'er, with a gentle and virtuous temperament. Lu Tianhua's father-in-law was a scholar-official, the family was not wealthy, relying on rent from their hundred acres of good land to make a living. After Lu Tianhua's business failure, they were unable to help him, and although there were proposals for his daughter's marriage, they had always been declined, being an upright and conservative official family.

  After dinner, a family meeting was held to discuss their future livelihood. Lu Qi suggested buying a large shop for business, but Lu Qi's mother had been deeply hurt by the harm of doing business and wanted to use most of the silver to buy a good farm. Lu Qi explained that the income from farming is small, and in case of a disaster year, the income will be even less, suggesting that it would be better to buy a shop for business, which is also more convenient to manage in the city.

  But Mrs. Lu refused to give in, and Lu Tianhua accompanied her with a smile without saying a word. Sister-in-law Zhou Yue'er and Li Niang supported Mrs. Lu unanimously, three to one, Lu Qi lost and had to compromise and agree to buy the land. After determining the direction of investment, Lu Tianhua took the initiative to say that he would continue to work and earn some household expenses, but Mrs. Lu disagreed and let Lu Tianhua continue reading books to strive for officialdom.

  Lu's mother's kindness Lu Tianhua could not refuse, but tactfully suggested setting up a small shop to sell some common medicines. He can read books while taking care of the shop. Lu Qi immediately expressed his support, and Lu's mother agreed reluctantly after some thought.

  Actually, Lu Tianhua's business failed because of the medicinal materials. He was deceived into buying a batch of fake medicinal materials at a high price, and naturally suffered a huge loss. Lu Tianhua wanted to fall from there and then get back up from there, but his mother was originally afraid of doing business. However, Lu Tianhua was deeply traumatized and lost a lot of confidence in himself. His mother didn't want to strongly oppose him, fearing that it would make Lu Tianhua develop mental health problems, and he continued to slide into decline.

  After a lively discussion, Lu Tianhua excitedly pulled Lu Qi out of the door and searched for a suitable and affordable shop to rent in the streets at night. Mrs. Lu only agreed to take out 300 taels to set up a medicine shop, and the two brothers searched for half the night and found a small, secluded shop on East Main Street that would cost 500 taels to acquire. Lu Qi had already given all his silver to his mother, but he patted his chest to reassure his brother that he would come up with 200 taels within two days to rent the shop.

  The next day, the Lu family's mansion was bustling with excitement. Mrs. Lu, overjoyed by her son's triumphant return, hosted a grand banquet for their relatives and neighbors. Although the Lu family had split up, they still maintained their family status and were bound by their ancestral rules. With Lu Qi now holding a seventh-rank official position, his return brought prosperity to the family, transforming them from poverty to modest wealth. Over a hundred distant relatives who rarely visited flocked to the mansion.

  Madam Lu looked radiant today, her half-white hair neatly combed, wearing a light blue palace dress, she had regained the elegant and noble demeanor of an official's wife. With a happy smile, she chatted with the visitors. Her daughter-in-law, Zhou Yue'er, wore a light yellow dress, with curved eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, snow-like skin and jade-like cheeks, her beauty was enviable and admired by all. She accompanied Madam Lu graciously, whenever younger relatives came to pay their respects, she would take out a red envelope as a reward, each containing thirty coins, making the poor relatives and younger generations smile from ear to ear.

  In such a lively scene, Lu Tianhua, the eldest son, was not present, and Li Niang also did not show up. The banquet was prepared with the help of relatives and friends. Lu Qi was the protagonist, smiling and socializing with relatives and neighbors. He had changed into a blue round-necked robe, calm and composed as he chatted with peers of similar age and generation.

  Just before noon, a stout woman in a linen skirt suddenly came in from outside, leading a donkey by the halter. As soon as she entered, she shouted: "Is this the Lu mansion? I am from the Qian mansion and have come to take away the concubine-slave that I have bought."

  The entire mansion fell silent at once, with everyone staring blankly at the woman in the embroidered skirt. Lu Qi was also bewildered, but then he heard his mother's voice say, "This is the Lu residence, please wait a moment."

  Lu Qi looked at his mother in surprise, but saw his sister-in-law Zhou Yue'er turn around and go to Li Niang's house. She came out soon with Li Niang, who was lowering her head and being supported by Zhou Yue'er. A red cloth was tied on her head, which was quite eye-catching.

  Zhou Yu'er supported Li Niang to walk in front of Lu Mu, Li Niang knelt down and said sorrowfully: "I, Li Yun'er, bid farewell to the mistress." After finishing, she knocked her head three times.

  Lu's mother remained calm and said in a gentle voice: "Leave, from now on you have nothing to do with the Lu family." Li's wife stood up, still keeping her head down.

  The woman leading the donkey came over and said in a gentle voice, "Good luck is approaching, hurry up and get on your way." After finishing speaking, she stretched out her hand to pull Li Niang, and half-escorted, half-carried her onto the back of the donkey. Li Niang got on the donkey and was led by the woman out of the large courtyard and away.

  Lu Qi was shocked and hastily turned around to walk quickly in front of his mother, anxiously saying: "Mother, hasn't the buyer for Li's wife backed out?"

  Her mother-in-law looked at her son with an unusual gaze, smiled and said: "Don't worry, it's your Aunt Li who is willing to do so. Go and accompany the guests, don't lose courtesy."

  His mother's words left Lu Qi stunned, and he paused for a moment before deciding not to say anything. It was too late now, and besides, his mother had said that Li Yiniang had wanted to leave of her own accord, so how could he stop her from going? However, this sudden turn of events made his heart feel suffocated, and his good mood instantly turned cold as ice. Li Yiniang had taken care of him since he was young, and the feelings she inspired in him were a mix of maternal and sisterly affection, deeply etched in his heart. He couldn't believe that Li Yiniang would still want to leave after the Lu family's circumstances improved, and this unexpected turn of events made Lu Qi's heart ache with a dull pain that he couldn't accept.

  "Seventh brother, go and entertain the guests quickly." Sister-in-law Zhou Yue'er urged in a soft voice. Lu Qi nodded mechanically and turned to join the crowd, putting on a strong face to receive the guests. Relatives and neighbors soon resumed their conversations and laughter.

  Around noon, Zhou Yue'er quietly left the Lu's mansion and returned with a rickshaw after a while. The rickshaw was pushed by a strong man, and on it sat a woman wearing a tattered skirt, her head covered with an old, patched-up wedding veil.

  Everyone's gaze turned to the woman on the unicycle again, Lu Qi looked at her in confusion and faintly heard someone laugh and say: "It turns out that she was going to turn the gate, I said why sell concubines on a big happy day."

  Lu Qi didn't know what was going on, but he saw his sister-in-law Zhou Yue'er helping a shabbily dressed woman down from the cart, and then gave the sturdy man pushing the cart ten copper coins to send him away.

  He didn't understand why Zhou Yue'er beckoned him over, so Lu Qi walked over in confusion. Zhou Yue'er said softly, "Seventh brother, just give her a smile and lift the veil."

  Lu Qi suddenly understood, and he couldn't help but stare blankly at the woman with a torn skirt covering her head. Zhou Yue'er urged him, "It's an auspicious time before noon, if she misses this hour, she won't be able to enter the Lu household anymore. Don't you want your sister-in-law to send her back to the Qin manor? Hurry up!"

  Lu Qi was shocked, he saw the woman in tattered clothes trembling slightly, and without thinking, he stretched out his hand to grab the wedding veil and lifted it up. A shy and beautiful face appeared before his eyes, it was Li Niang who had ridden away on a donkey. As soon as the veil was lifted, Li Niang lowered her head, a blush rose to her cheeks, and her body trembled even more violently.

  "Hurry up and follow me." Zhou Yue'er pulled Li Niang and hastily went to the main house, leaving Lu Qi standing there in a daze.

  His mother came to his side and said lovingly, "Don't be dazed, she's still young and has no family background. I don't want her to leave after marriage, so you should treat her well in the future. Once she gives birth to children, she can have a proper status."

  Lu Qi's face changed suddenly, and he hastily said: "Mother, she is actually my..."

  "Don't talk nonsense, the girl is a new servant we bought from the Qin family. As the master of the house, you have the right to order her around and refuse her service if you don't like it. From now on, absolutely no more unlucky words, go entertain our guests quickly." Madam Lu sternly interrupted Lu Qi's words, hastily instructing him before turning around with a smile to socialize with their relatives.

  Lu Qi's heart was in turmoil, feeling that this was unfair to Li Niang and also felt guilty towards his late father. However, he did not dare disobey his mother, who came from an official family and attached great importance to etiquette and rules. Although his mother had a kind heart, she subconsciously regarded concubines as property within the family. In fact, according to national law, after the death of the male head of a large household without sons, concubines were considered property that could be disposed of at will by the legitimate wife.