They could think of these things, and Mrs. Lu, who had been managing the household for years, would certainly have her own ideas. Li Xia's words made Li Xin nod in agreement. With Mrs. Lu's capabilities, she would ensure Li Shan saved face, but as for any real benefits, that was another matter entirely.
Thinking about this, Li Xin looked at Li Xia with a hint of dejection. "Mother used to say I wasn't as good as you when it came to important matters. I didn't believe her then, but now I see she was right."
"So Mother praised me like that?" Li Xia said with a smug expression.
Seeing this, Li Xin smiled, and the slight envy in her heart dissipated. She picked up a piece of fabric and asked, "For the wedding gift, how about this cloth?"
"It's nice. The vibrant color is perfect," Li Xia nodded in approval.
"I have another piece with a different pattern. We can each give her one," Li Xin said, holding up another piece of fabric.
"Sounds good," Li Xia agreed. She had originally planned to give something simple on the day, but since Li Xin had prepared these, she would go along with her sister's idea.
Noticing that Li Xin still seemed a bit down, Li Xia suggested, "If there's nothing else, why don't we go for a walk?"
"What for?" Li Xin didn't have anything particular to do, but since their outings often led to unexpected tasks, she wasn't keen on going out.
"To look at shops, of course. We need to find new locations for your restaurant and my bookstore," Li Xia explained.
"Mother can handle that," Li Xin started to say, but then remembered how stressed Mrs. Lu had been lately with Li Shan's affairs. She changed her mind, "Actually, let's go look at some shops." It would be better to take care of what they could and reduce Mrs. Lu's worries.
After changing into their outdoor clothes, the two went to see a property agent and explained what they were looking for. The agent flipped through his ledger and said, "Young ladies, I have three properties that might suit your needs. Would you like to see them now, or...?"
"We'll go now," Li Xin and Li Xia replied. They had come out specifically to look at shops and didn't want to postpone it.
The agent led them to three locations. Li Xin favored the shop on West Main Street, not far from the center. It had good foot traffic and was divided into front and back courtyards. The spacious back courtyard could accommodate a kitchen and several rooms for staff lodging. The well-renovated two-story building in the front courtyard was perfect for receiving customers. The only drawback was the higher price, which exceeded Li Xin's budget.
Li Xia covered the shortfall, allowing them to purchase the shop. The shop Li Xia chose for herself was in a less central location but was larger. She planned it with reference to Lu Si's New China Bookstore, allocating half the space for books and half for a reading area. After paying the deposit, she left Qiu Ling in charge of finding people to renovate the shop.
Upon returning home, Mrs. Lu called the two over to discuss the shop arrangements. Li Xin and Li Xia had no objections and deferred to Mrs. Lu's decisions. Seeing their lack of complaints, Mrs. Lu was somewhat surprised. When Li Xin mentioned that they had already secured new shops and could open for business once staff were hired, Mrs. Lu smiled, relieved to finally hear some good news.
Li Yao returned from the academy to learn about Aunt Wang and Li Shan's actions. He was at a loss for words, knowing that Mrs. Lu was in charge of the household. Aunt Wang had thoroughly offended Mrs. Lu, making her future in the family precarious.
The Zhao family was not a good match, yet Li Shan had alienated her own family for their sake. If trouble arose in the future, it was unlikely anyone from her maiden family would be willing to help her. It would be at least ten years before Li Yao could stand up for Li Shan himself. Looking at the smug expressions on Aunt Wang and Li Shan's faces, Li Yao chose not to say anything and retreated to the study. He knew he needed to work even harder. His original plan to take the examination at thirteen now seemed too late; he would have to move it up by a few years.
Li Hui returned from his three-month leave to find a backlog of work awaiting him. After hurriedly dealing with his tasks, he arrived home late to hear about the issue with Li Shan's dowry list. He went to see Mrs. Lu.
"Don't worry, Hui. I have everything under control," Mrs. Lu said, concerned about Li Hui's demanding work. She told him not to worry about this matter.
"Mother, I promise I won't let anyone bully you like this in the future," Li Hui said. Hearing these words, Mrs. Lu couldn't hold back her tears. This promise from Li Hui was enough for her.
On Li Shan's wedding day, the Li residence was decorated with red cloth, creating a festive atmosphere. However, the subdued expressions of the servants revealed that the joy was not genuine. Li Shan had been so troublesome that everyone in the household just wanted her gone. Some even considered sprinkling salt to ward off evil spirits after her departure. To the Li family, Li Shan had become a plague they needed to get rid of as soon as possible.
Zhao Decheng arrived to collect his bride, looking rather unhappy. Li Hui didn't make things difficult for him. Due to Li Shan's pregnancy, the sedan chair was allowed to enter through the second gate, and she was only carried for a short distance before being placed inside.
Many guests attended the Li family's event, with Li Xin and Li Xia hosting the young ladies. The sisters had an additional important task: to look for potential matches for Li Hui. Although Li Hui was observing a year of mourning for Wang Lan, it didn't hurt to start looking. They could identify suitable candidates and make initial inquiries, so that when the mourning period ended, they could proceed with a formal proposal.
However, Li Xia had a feeling that arranging Li Hui's marriage wouldn't be so simple. Nevertheless, they needed to look carefully. If not for Li Hui, then Li Chou and Li Guang were also of marriageable age. After the New Year, both would return to their hometown for examinations.
On the third day after the wedding, when the bride traditionally returns to her maiden home, Li Shan came back alone. Zhao Decheng didn't accompany her; instead, Mrs. Zhao's personal maid, Old Wang, escorted Li Shan, explaining that Zhao Decheng was resting to improve his health. The maid presented lavish gifts and repeatedly expressed their regrets for the situation.
Mrs. Lu naturally understood the circumstances but outwardly expressed concern for her son-in-law's condition. She even had someone bring out high-quality bird's nest, asking Li Shan to take it back to nourish her father-in-law. She also gave Li Shan some golden jujubes to strengthen her own health.
Li Shan looked displeased. When she reached Aunt Wang's quarters, she launched into a litany of complaints, saying that Zhao Decheng was completely incapable and that she had essentially married into widowhood. She expressed deep regret.
Aunt Wang was both angry and frustrated, but it was too late for such sentiments now. The most crucial thing was for Li Shan to give birth to a child, preferably a son who could inherit the Zhao family's second branch. This would secure Li Shan's position in the Zhao family and allow her to pursue other ambitions. Li Shan also understood that regret was futile now, and could only follow Aunt Wang's advice to focus on her pregnancy. The child in her womb was now of utmost importance.
Since Li Shan's marriage, Aunt Wang had been keeping to herself in her own quarters. She rarely ventured near Mrs. Lu, fearing retribution. However, she underestimated Mrs. Lu. Once Mrs. Lu had agreed to the marriage, she wouldn't go back on her word. Mrs. Lu's thoughts were now primarily focused on preparing items to be sent to Liuzhou.
Li Hui, upon returning to Liuzhou, brought back news of a peaceful journey. Concerned about Li Ming being alone in Liuzhou, Mrs. Lu, along with Li Xin and Li Xia, prepared three cartloads of goods and hired people to deliver them to Li Ming in Liuzhou.
After three years in Liuzhou, Li Ming's performance there certainly warranted a promotion. Mrs. Lu hoped that Li Ming could come to the capital. This way, the whole family would be reunited.
Li Xia and Li Xin reopened their shop without much fanfare. They simply bought a string of firecrackers, set them off at the entrance, and considered it open for business. When Li Shan recovered enough to check on the shop, she discovered what Li Xin and Li Xia had done. Furious, Li Shan, despite her pregnant state, was ready to march over to the Li family home to confront the two.
However, she was stopped by Old Mama Wang. Initially, Li Shan had met with the Zhao family's approval, but upon closer interaction, they found her to be petty and competitive.
