Chapter 212

Fu Tingjun was momentarily taken aback.

Shopkeeper Ye San smiled and said, "I do know a few good families. Would you like me to help make inquiries?"

Fu Tingjun glanced at A Sen and saw that his face had turned slightly pale.

She could not help but sigh deeply inwardly.

Madam Wang had decided to keep her eldest daughter Jingtong at home. Fu Tingjun was hesitating over whether to send word to Madam Wang through an intermediary when news came that Lord Wang intended to take his own nephew as a son-in-law... From then on, the second young lady of the Wang family often accompanied Madam Wang to visit their home, while the eldest young lady stayed home embroidering her trousseau.

When A Sen saw this, he would find excuses to avoid being present whenever the Wang mother and daughter came to call.

Fu Tingjun could not help but speculate inwardly: Could it be that Madam Wang knew A Sen was fond of the eldest young lady of the Wang family? And because she was constrained by the goodwill between the two families and feared she would find it hard to refuse if Fu Tingjun sought a match on A Sen's behalf, she had deliberately let this news slip...

Quick as thought, A Sen forced a smile and said in a low voice, "I... I am still young, and I am about to take the prefectural examination..." The refusal in his words was unmistakable.

Shopkeeper Ye San, however, took no offense and said with a laugh, "It was thoughtless of me... There is no harm in waiting until our Second Young Master passes the examination and becomes a licentiate before discussing marriage!"

Seeing A Sen in such a state, Fu Tingjun could not help but feel a pang of distress. She smiled and came to his rescue: "Ninth Master's intention is also that it would be better to be cautious."

Hearing this, A Sen looked toward Fu Tingjun.

He did not realize that a faint trace of gratitude had already shown in his eyes.

Fu Tingjun felt even more wistful and smiled as she changed the subject: "Your third son has also reached the age of marriage. Have you and the in-laws settled on a wedding date?"

At this, Shopkeeper Ye San smiled wryly and shook his head: "My in-law's wife passed away suddenly in the third month!"

Fu Tingjun exclaimed, "Oh dear!" and added, "That is truly..." Then she said, "Your in-law's wife could not have been very old, could she?"

"She had just passed her thirty-second birthday," Shopkeeper Ye San sighed. "Her youngest son is only four years old, still innocent and unaware. When I went to pay my respects, the child had just woken up and was rubbing his eyes, asking the wet nurse where his mother had gone..."

His words brought tears to Fu Tingjun's eyes: "Once children have gone through such experiences, they learn to feel for others. It would be better for him to marry a few years later."

"That is what I think as well," Shopkeeper Ye San said. "I have told my son to visit his wife's family often when he has nothing to do, to help with whatever needs doing, and to look after his young brothers-in-law..."

They chatted about such domestic matters, and the earlier topic was set aside.

When the accounts were tallied, they had received over seven thousand taels of silver in congratulatory gifts, but only a little over two hundred taels in actual cash gifts, along with some items like longevity locks.

Shopkeeper Ye San looked at Fu Tingjun with slight unease: "Most of it went toward the expenses of the banquet hall..."

The banquet had been arranged by Shopkeeper Ye San.

Fu Tingjun quickly said, "All the guests who came were patrons. If the fare had been too meager, it would have diminished Ninth Master's prestige. I thought the place looked rather chaotic today and expected we would have to dip into our own pockets to cover the costs. That we still have a little left over is entirely thanks to your assistance, Shopkeeper Ye... I am truly grateful for your help today!"

Seeing how sincere she was, Shopkeeper Ye San could not help but breathe a sigh of relief and felt a quiet admiration for Fu Tingjun's forthrightness. Suddenly an idea struck him: "Madam, have you ever considered starting some business to supplement the household income?"

Fu Tingjun was somewhat surprised.

This was the second time Shopkeeper Ye San had suggested she go into business.

She declined: "Ninth Master is away from home. As a woman, I really should not be appearing in public and showing my face..."

In the past, Shopkeeper Ye San would have simply let the matter drop with a smile. But this time he had set his mind on it, so he said with a laugh, "This particular business would not require you to show your face in public at all."

Fu Tingjun smiled at this and said, "I do not lend out money at usury."

"Ninth Master's fortunes are on the rise right now—how could I recommend such a business to you?" Shopkeeper Ye San said. "It is a friend of mine who wishes to open a restaurant in the capital. He does not have enough money on hand, and he does not want to borrow at usury rates, so he is looking for someone to take a share in the venture. He used to run a restaurant in Jiangnan, also in partnership with someone. When business flourished, the two of them began to clash over trivial matters and eventually parted ways. Now he wants to find someone who will only invest and share in the accounts without managing the day-to-day operations..."

Fu Tingjun thought of the villa at Yuming Mountain and felt somewhat tempted. "What were the trivial matters they clashed over?"

"Nothing more than matters of purchasing and discounts," Shopkeeper Ye San said with a smile. "I came to know this man when I managed the silver shop. Though the accounts he handled with the shop were not large, he was extremely honest. This time he came to the capital to open a shop, and originally he asked me to help him borrow silver from the silver shop. But the interest rates were too high, and he could not bear the burden..."

Fu Tingjun asked, "How much capital does he need in total?"

"One hundred thousand taels!" Manager Ye said. "Ten thousand taels per share, and he wants to hold six shares himself."

"That much?" Fu Tingjun said in surprise. "But I do not have that much silver."

Shopkeeper Ye San said, "I also think highly of this business. I originally wanted to buy up the other four shares, but his capital requirements are so high that it's a bit of a strain. So I thought I might take over the other four shares together with you, Madam—I'll take three shares and you take one. What do you think?"

So it turned out someone had approached Shopkeeper Ye San to invest, and he had brought her in as a partner to look after her interests.

Since it was a business that Shopkeeper Ye San himself thought well of, Fu Tingjun's confidence grew somewhat.

But ten thousand taels of silver at once—taking that out would leave her with no ready cash on hand.

She couldn't help hesitating. "This matter still needs to be discussed with Ninth Master first!"

"Very well," Shopkeeper Ye San said with a smile. "When Ninth Master returns, I'll await Madam's final word."

With that settled, they arranged the remaining miscellaneous matters, and Shopkeeper Ye San rose to take his leave.

Fu Tingjun instructed A Sen, "It's getting late. Accompany Shopkeeper Ye San for a late-night meal, then see him back."

"No need, no need," Shopkeeper Ye San said hastily with a smile. "I brought my carriage. When I return to the shop, there's a dedicated cook woman in the kitchen..."

"This is our gesture of goodwill." A Sen had already resumed his grinning demeanor and pulled Shopkeeper Ye San out the door. "Don't worry, I won't take you to some back-alley joint for a late-night meal just to brush off my sister-in-law..."

Shopkeeper Ye San couldn't refuse, so he went out with A Sen.

Zheng San then said, "Madam, I think this business Shopkeeper Ye San mentioned is quite reliable. Perhaps you should consider it carefully?"

"Let's wait until Ninth Master returns!" Fu Tingjun said thoughtfully.

Seeing this, Zheng San took the abacus and other items and withdrew.

That night, Fu Tingjun tossed and turned, unable to sleep, calculating the family's silver in her mind, wondering if there was anywhere she could shift some funds from.

From outside came the sound of the door opening and closing, mixed with Kou'er's soft voice.

Fu Tingjun knew A Sen had returned.

She threw on a robe and pushed open the window.

She saw Kou'er supporting A Sen toward the side chamber.

A Sen waved his hand and pushed Kou'er away, mumbling "I can make it back on my own," but then stumbled and nearly fell.

Kou'er hurried forward and supported A Sen again, saying in a low voice, "Madam has only just gone to sleep. Mind you don't wake her."

Only then did A Sen stop struggling and let Kou'er help him into the side chamber.

Fu Tingjun gazed at the lamplight in the west side chamber and only closed the window after a long while.

Early the next morning, A Sen came to pay his respects to Fu Tingjun before going to school.

Seeing the red threads in his eyes, she said thoughtfully, "Drank too much yesterday?"

A Sen nodded immediately and explained, "Shopkeeper Ye San kept pulling at me, going on and on about his past business ventures. Before I knew it, I'd had a bit too much."

Fu Tingjun sighed inwardly. After a moment's thought, she went with A Sen to the study in the west room.

"Do you like the eldest Miss Wang?" she asked directly.

A Sen was greatly startled and instinctively denied it: "No, no!" But looking up and seeing Fu Tingjun's concerned gaze, he felt regret and lowered his head, whispering, "Yes... I do like her... but she's the daughter of a commander..."

"Then do you know that the Wang family is seeking a son-in-law to marry into the family?" Fu Tingjun asked bluntly.

"I know." A Sen showed a look of shame, his voice even softer. "I just... I just like her in my heart... quietly like her, that's all..."

"Then are you afraid the Wang family will look down on you? Or do you not want to marry into the family?" Fu Tingjun's words were concise and to the point.

A Sen raised his eyelids and stole a glance at Fu Tingjun. Seeing her expression calm, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "I'm afraid of the Wang family..."

"Then that's settled!" Fu Tingjun said. "I'll go visit Lady Chen Shi right away and ask her to sound out Madam Wang's intentions."

A Sen stared at Fu Tingjun in astonishment: "But the Wang family, hasn't the Wang family already..."

"A true man says 'yes' when it's yes and 'no' when it's no," Fu Tingjun said with displeasure. "Since you like her, then do what you ought to do. Even if fate doesn't bring it to pass in the end, you won't regret it when you look back."

A Sen's eyes lit up. He straightened his back and answered "Yes!" in a loud voice.

Fu Tingjun's lips curved slightly upward, a hint of satisfaction showing in her eyes. She said, "If the eldest Miss Wang's marriage has already been settled, remember your sister-in-law's words: you've already done what you should. Man proposes, heaven disposes. Don't regret it, and don't cling to it."

"Yes!" A Sen's voice grew even more resolute. "Ninth Master taught me—in all things, one must be able to pick it up and put it down."

Fu Tingjun smiled and nodded. "Go to school now! We've all done our best. Go take the prefectural examination with a peaceful heart."

A Sen nodded deeply and said loudly, "Sister-in-law, I'm off to the academy." He walked out of the hall with a straight posture.

Yuwei said hesitantly, "You're really going to the Wang family to propose marriage?"

"Mm." Fu Tingjun said, "Even if it's just to let A Sen let go of this hope!"

Yuwei said nothing more. After breakfast, she accompanied Fu Tingjun to Commander Chen's residence.

When Commander Chen's wife heard that Fu Tingjun had come, she brought her three daughters-in-law to greet her at the hanging-flower gate.

Fu Tingjun repeatedly said "I wouldn't dare" and responded respectfully to Madam Chen, then went to Madam Chen's main quarters.

After exchanging pleasantries, she explained the purpose of her visit.

Lady Chen Shi was quite surprised.

Madam Chen, however, was straightforward and said, "It's merely a matter of going to speak with them; whether it succeeds or not is up to their fate."

Lady Chen Shi found this reasonable and went to see Madam Wang the next day.

Madam Wang was greatly astonished upon hearing this. "I truly had no idea Quanhui harbored such intentions," she said, then, coming to her senses, her tone became somewhat flustered. "I only thought that by having A Sen take the surname Zhao, she felt the Zhao family was too sparse and wanted to keep A Sen in the Zhao household... How could I have imagined she intended to have A Sen marry into the family... I don't know... This matter still needs to be discussed with my husband..." She added with a hint of reproach, "And she, too—if she had such intentions, why didn't she tell me earlier? Now that my husband's words have already been spoken, how can they be taken back?"

Lady Chen Shi could only smile helplessly and went back to report to Fu Tingjun.

Fu Tingjun was so anxious she was hopping with frustration. "This is all my fault! What are we to do now?"

"Don't worry," Lady Chen Shi had to console her. "From the tone of Madam Wang's words, there still seems to be room for negotiation. Why not wait patiently for a couple of days and see how the Wang family decides."