Chapter Four, A Sum of Money
My foolish young lady, at that time when the silver was taken out, your father would have likely lost it all in ten days or half a month! Even if your father did not squander it, the relatives of the Lin family would have taken it all away. In the end, you would not have gotten a single cent. With your mother and grandfather gone, and your father being irresponsible, if there were silver in the house, it would only lead to misfortune. Fortunately, the young lady was dressed in gray, spending her days with her head down sewing, never stepping out of the main door or the side door, which spared her from disaster. The small families naturally did not dare to come to seek the young lady's hand, while the wealthy families would disdain her for lacking a dowry, and would not come to propose. Otherwise, with the young lady's looks and a dowry to her name, who knows how many suitors would have come forward!
This is not urgent. The nurse Gu finished dressing Lin Mei, helped her up, examined her carefully, and nodded in satisfaction. Then she leaned in and said: "Your mother, when she was young, had more than just Lady Su as a close friend. There was another very good friend who also married in the capital. Can you guess who it is? That's right, it is the current Lady Yongping! Once your complexion improves a bit more, you should go to see her. If she remembers the old times and is willing to help you, with the fifteen thousand taels of silver you have on hand, you will naturally be able to marry in style."
Nurse Gu saw Lin Mei speaking, and her eyes turned red, looking as if she could not bear to face anyone. Noticing that no one was around, she closed the door, secured the latch, and pulled Lin Mei to sit by the bed. With a serious tone, she said: "Miss, your grandfather once served as an official in the prosperous land of Yizhou, and at that time, he had a close relationship with Master Su, which led to this marriage alliance. If Master Su were still alive, the people of the Su family would certainly not dare to neglect you, Miss. But have you ever considered that while the Su family acknowledges this marriage, what do we have to prepare for the dowry?"
Lin Mei unfolded the piece of paper and saw that it contained five banknotes, each worth three thousand taels, totaling fifteen thousand taels. In that moment, she clenched her hand tightly, but it trembled, leaving her speechless as she gazed at Nurse Gu.
In the end, Gu Nai Niang simply does not agree to Lin Mei's decision to break off the engagement. She believes that if the engagement is called off, Lin Mei will inevitably fall into a very dire situation. The Su family is at least a family of poetry and propriety; even if they do not particularly like Lin Mei, they will still protect her well and will not allow outsiders to bully her. Moreover, when Lin Mei previously visited in such a manner, the Su family, from the elderly matriarch to the young maid, did not show any signs of disdain towards her. Such a family is naturally one that can be entrusted for a lifetime. Furthermore, when Lin Mei previously visited in such a manner, the Su family, from the elderly matriarch to the young maid, did not show any signs of disdain towards her. Such a family is naturally one that can be entrusted for a lifetime.
Upon hearing that Lin Mei was to accompany the guests, Gu Nainiang was overjoyed, believing that Madam Su intended to acknowledge Lin Mei's status in front of the relatives. She hurriedly began to look for clothes to change Lin Mei into.
Upon arriving at the courtyard where Madam Su was located, I was unexpectedly met by Luo Mingxiu
Lin Mei sighed, indeed, the dowry is also a problem. Is it possible that she would enter the Su family empty-handed? Even if Madam Su, out of old affection, would take some of her private savings to prepare a dowry for her, it would still not be extravagant, at most just a token gesture. In a family like the Su family, if the dowry is not presentable when marrying a daughter-in-law, it would be a laughingstock.
Upon seeing Lin Mei, Luo Mingxiu halted in his tracks, his expression exceedingly strange as he gazed at the attire she was wearing. The little girl following behind her couldn't help but burst into laughter with a "puff" sound.
Nurse Gu spoke as she released Lin Mei, reached under the bed to retrieve an old package they had brought when coming to the capital, opened the package, shook out a gray short coat, took a pair of scissors, and began to explore the inner layer of the old coat.
Upon returning to the room, Lin Mei's eyebrows twitched, and she had a sense of foreboding, always feeling that Old Madam Su would not easily let the matter rest
On the way to the capital, Gu Nainai was cautious and anxious, fearing any unforeseen circumstances. After the Su family welcomed them into the residence, she still hesitated to give the silver to Lin Mei, instead observing the attitudes of the Su family members. Upon seeing that Madam Su, out of old affection, treated Lin Mei quite well, she finally felt reassured. At this moment, she handed the silver to Lin Mei and smiled, saying: "The way we appeared when entering the Su residence truly tests one's character. From my perspective, the Su family has passed the test. Miss should go out tomorrow to purchase some decent jewelry and make a few sets of fashionable clothing."
Found it! The wet nurse took out five small, square pieces of paper from her old coat and handed them to Lin Mei, letting out a sigh and saying: "Whether in the past or now, Miss is more than a match for the young master of the Su family."
It is the son of Su Laofuren's niece, Mo Shuangbai, who is quite renowned in the local literary circles and has already passed the provincial examination. It has been decided that he will first go to the capital, preparing to participate in the imperial examination next year. Upon his arrival, the Su family naturally needs to clean out a quiet room for them to stay, allowing them to focus on their studies.
With a potential backing and a sum of money in hand, Lin Mei's waist stiffened, her steps became brisk as she led Nurse Gu out of the room
Lin Mei visited Madam Su's room yesterday to pay her respects and happened to hear Madam Su mention that the old lady Su's family is from Liuzhou. That place is known for its beautiful mountains and clear waters, and it has produced many talented individuals. The previous top scholar, Liu Yong, is also from Liuzhou, which means that he is even somewhat related to the old lady Su's family.
Lin Mei had not yet recovered from her shock, staring blankly at the banknote. After a long while, she said: "At that time, the old lady led me to do needlework for sale, and I spent half a day bargaining for a few coins. I thought Lin He, the calligrapher, was completely destitute, but it turns out he still had silver."
Without any elders by her side, Lin Mei could only rely on herself to navigate her interactions with Old Madam Su, and the outcome of these interactions was, naturally, an unhappy parting
After listening to the account of the events, Nurse Gu appeared contemplative and only inquired in detail about Gui Mei's words and actions. However, she expressed some disdain towards the words of Old Madam Su, stating, "The marriage contract established by the two masters, if in the end the young lady were to become a concubine, would equally tarnish the reputation of the Su family. As long as the young lady is cautious in her words and actions, and does not make any mistakes, there is absolutely no reason for the Su family to allow her to become a concubine."
A good mother-in-law is sometimes more important than a good husband. Nurse Gu helped Lin Mei put away the silver notes, re-styled her hair, and inserted two hairpins sent by Madam Su. She provided several examples, implying that the essence of men is generally similar. Aside from a slight ambiguity with Luo Mingxiu, Su Zhongxing is, in comparison, truly a good man. She further stated that a daughter-in-law who cannot win her mother-in-law's favor, no matter how good her husband is, will still lead a hard life with no avenue for complaint. The implication is that the essence of men is generally similar; aside from a slight ambiguity with Luo Mingxiu, Su Zhongxing is, in comparison, truly a good man. She also mentioned that a daughter-in-law who cannot win her mother-in-law's favor, no matter how good her husband is, will still lead a hard life with no avenue for complaint. However, if one can win the mother-in-law's favor, even if the husband is somewhat lacking, one can still rely on the son in the future, and life can still be quite comfortable.
Lin Mei was indeed feeling uneasy in her heart, murmuring: "I am just afraid that something unexpected will happen, catching me off guard, and I will not be able to handle it properly, leading to gossip."
It turned out that Lin Li was not capable at that time, and Gu Ke'er was deeply afraid that he would squander the family fortune. Therefore, she took out her dowry of fifteen thousand taels of silver and entrusted it to Gu Nainai for safekeeping, instructing her to keep it for Lin Mei's dowry in the future. While Lin Li was alive, Gu Nainai did not dare to reveal the whereabouts of the silver, fearing that Lin Li would gamble it away. After Lin Li's death, with no male heirs in the Lin family, Gu Nainai was even more afraid that the relatives of the Lin family would come to fight for the inheritance, and she did not let out a single word about it. Even when Lin Mei sold the property to provide for her aunt and two old servants, she did not stop her. After Lin Li's death, with no male heirs in the Lin family, Gu Nainai was even more afraid that the relatives of the Lin family would come to fight for the inheritance, and she did not let out a single word about it. When the relatives of the Lin family saw that there was no benefit to be gained from Lin Mei, they naturally allowed her to go to the capital without much further discussion.
"What is the purpose of going to Yizhou?" Gu Nainai smiled bitterly, "Miss, as a delicate woman, if others were to find out that you have money at hand, it would bring you more trouble than fortune. Currently, being in the Su residence is the safest. I know that Young Master Su has feelings for that cousin of his, but matters of marriage have always been determined by the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. Their actions have already crossed the boundaries of propriety. It is that cousin who should withdraw, not you. Moreover, Madam Su treats you sincerely, and this alone outweighs countless other reasons."
After Gu Ke'er passed away, the Lin family's inner residence relied on Gu's wet nurse to manage everything. Even after Lin Li's death, all the funeral arrangements and related matters were still handled by Gu's wet nurse. This time, when they arrived in the capital, it was again Gu's wet nurse who protected her, ensuring that she safely reached the Su family. In her heart, Lin Mei had already regarded Gu's wet nurse as her closest person. Gu's wet nurse's words were indeed reasonable, and she ultimately abandoned her thoughts of breaking off the engagement. Instead, she said: "If that is the case, we should first move out of the Su family and find a place to settle down, waiting for the Su family to formally welcome me into their home with proper marriage arrangements."
Lin Meihong blushed, feeling extremely embarrassed, and lowered her head, saying: "We are not officially married yet, and all my food, clothing, and expenses are provided by the Su family. How can I not feel inferior when I see them?"
Seeing Lin Mei lower her head, revealing her delicate neck, looking pitiful, Nurse Gu could not help but embrace her, gently patting her head and saying: "Miss, although your father is wasteful, your grandfather and maternal grandfather were prominent figures in Yizhou at that time. Even your mother was a talented woman praised by all. If they were to have spirits in the heavens, how could they bear to see you reduced to a state worse than that of a maid?"
Lin Mei, feeling distressed about her background, was startled by the actions of Nurse Gu. This old coat was Nurse Gu's favorite; on the journey to the capital, regardless of the weather, she preferred to wear it close to her body. Once, when the sun was shining just right, she urged Nurse Gu to take it off and bask in the sunlight, but Nurse Gu stubbornly refused. She even said that this coat had been blessed in front of the Bodhisattva, ensuring that wearing it would bring no illness or disaster, and thus it could not be removed. Upon arriving at the Su residence, Nurse Gu solemnly packed this old coat along with other important items, hiding it in the dark corner under the bed when no one was around. Now, seeing Nurse Gu cut the old coat with scissors, Lin Mei exclaimed, 'Nurse, what are you doing?'
After being poor for a long time, upon entering the Su residence, I was always afraid of being looked down upon and felt inferior for quite a while. Now, with fifteen thousand taels of silver in hand, Lin Mei felt a refreshing sensation throughout her body. She immediately said, "Mother, I will break off the engagement with Su Zhongxing. Let us return to Yizhou." With money, I can certainly buy a few strong maidservants to protect me, so I need not fear accidentally getting too close to men and revealing a soft and ungraceful demeanor.
Lin Mei previously had no decent clothes. After entering the Su residence, Madam Su found several sets of clothes that she had never worn and gave them to her. She also instructed others to quickly make a few more good sets to send over. At this moment, Nurse Gu searched around and found that the clothes sent by Madam Su, whether in terms of fabric quality or embroidery, were all of superior quality, significantly higher than Lin Mei's own clothes, and suitable for receiving guests. She selected a set and, seeing Lin Mei put it on, remarked, "Although this outfit is a bit old-fashioned, it excels in its steadiness."
The master and servant were conversing when a large maid from Madam Su's room came to deliver a message, stating that the niece of the old Madam Su had brought the young master and young lady to the capital. They had just arrived, and the Su family had invited them to stay, with a banquet already prepared to welcome them. The ladies were arranging another feast in the inner chamber. Madam Su instructed Lin Mei to go out and accompany the guests, while also taking the opportunity to meet the relatives.