Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 183 Makes You Radiant
The people in the manor were quite capable; within two days, everything that needed to be procured was ready. The gifts were to be sent to ten households. Lu Jia carefully checked each household's list to ensure everything was correct. Following usual practice, she selected a few households for Su Zhixiao to deliver, and then personally went to the remaining households after considering the options.

However, she did not have the servants in the mansion lead the way, but instead found Yang Bonong to convey her message, asking Mu Shi to lead the way.

Jiang personally handled all interactions between women from prominent families who had some personal acquaintances. For purely official matters, Yang Bonong and his wife would sometimes act on their behalf.

Yang Bonong relayed the message back in the morning, and Mu Shi arrived at noon, bringing with her the follow-up to the matter he had previously asked her to handle: "...I have found five people who served at Yixia Courtyard, three servants and two nannies."

She then gave her name. She continued, "The two old women are working on the estate, and the servants have gone to guard the ancestral graves. I was going to inform you a couple of days ago, but the manager there wouldn't release them. So I went and made some arrangements, and finally got them released. They can come back to see you tomorrow."

Lu Jia was overjoyed: "That's wonderful! Aunt Mu has been a great help this time. I wonder how much silver she spent?"

Mu waved his hand: "It's just that the subordinates want to take advantage of us. How can they ask for such a large sum? It's just a small amount of money."

Lu Jia turned to Qinghe and asked her to bring a set of doucai porcelain cups. She presented them to her with both hands: "Merchant ships from Jiangxi often dock at Shawan. I saw some nice ones and kept a few sets. Aunt Mu and Uncle Yang are also refined people. These were prepared for you long ago."

Mu declined, saying, "It's just a small matter, why should I do this? You've just returned, you should keep some things with you."

Lu Jia said, "These things should be used where they are needed. I will definitely need to trouble you a lot in the future. If you care about me, you should accept them."

She deftly placed the heavy set of porcelain into Mu's hands.

Looking at the wooden box whose lid had been lifted, Mu saw that the porcelain cups inside were exquisite, and her and Yang Bonong's surnames were engraved on the bottom of the cups, making their sincerity obvious.

She looked up at the composed and calm Lu Jia and asked, "Weren't we supposed to be delivering Laba Festival gifts? Which families are we going to?"

Lu Jia then picked up the list beside her and handed it to her: "I've already sorted it out. I've sent the steward to seven out of ten households. The remaining three are the Yan family, the Jiang family, and the Cheng family."

"There's no need for you to trouble your wife with the Cheng family's affairs. I'll go with her to take her to my foster mother."

"As for the Yan family, Madam said she and Father will go in person, which saves us trouble. It's just that we'll need you to come with me to the Jiang family."

Lu Jia never intended to go to the Yan family's place. She had jumped out of that hellhole with her own life and never wanted to step into it again in her lifetime.

However, rather than seizing this job to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, it would be more accurate to say that she saw the opportunity to visit the Jiang family.

She didn't want to be respectful and dutiful in fulfilling her filial duties for Jiang, but she couldn't resist her curiosity about the mother and daughter.

Mu had a good relationship with Jiang, so she often visited the Jiang family. With Mu leading the way, it was much better than Lu Jia going there alone.

After listening to her and reviewing the list in her hand, Mu couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gan3kai3, deep emotion).

They had only met once on the day she returned to the manor, and in the days that followed, Mu Shi only heard about her achievements at home.

Whenever Yang Bonong went back and told her about it with great enthusiasm, Madam Mu didn't believe him. After all, she was still just a sixteen-year-old child! But now, seeing her, who had been pampered since childhood, humbly insisting on reciprocating a small favor, this lack of arrogance was truly commendable. And looking at the gift list, so clear and meticulously arranged, with nothing amiss, Duan Di was a discerning young lady from a prominent family. How could she not believe him?
He stood up with the list in his hand and said, "When will you be leaving, young lady? I'd like to make preparations."

Lu Jia also stood up with a smile: "No need to prepare, I've already prepared the carriage, let's head out now."

……

The Jiang family and the Lu family were separated by three alleys, in a neighborhood that wasn't in a very good location.

After Jiang's father died, she and her mother could have moved out of the ancestral home, but because her uncles and brothers had already set their sights on their branch of the family's property, once Wei moved out, they would definitely not be able to get their hands on it.

Later, when the Chiang family's status rose and they were able to firmly control the family fortune, the other members of the Chiang family naturally wouldn't let them go.

Over the years, thanks to this aunt, Jiang's eldest uncle's son was promoted from an eighth-rank official to a sixth-rank official, and his second uncle's children and grandchildren obtained a lot of official business from the Ministry of Revenue. To the Jiang family, Jiang was a god of wealth!

When Lu Jia and Madam Mu arrived at the Jiang residence, someone from the gatekeeper had already gone to inform them.

Li, from the second wife's family, was in Wei's room, pushing a pile of paper packages in front of her: "This is a gift from Zhao Ge'er, specially asked me to give to you. It's a pastry from a well-known brand in Jiangnan. People usually line up to buy it."

"Putting aside everything else, this child's filial piety is truly rare. Your sister-in-law is a very kind-hearted person. I'm entrusting this grain ship matter to you on her behalf."

Wei said with difficulty, "I can't decide this matter. Last time, Zhao Ge'er messed things up, and Mingyi scolded me. She won't let me get involved in these things anymore."

“What are you saying?” Li Shi said, her lips twitching. “You are the mother, and she is the daughter. It’s wrong of her to use this to criticize you first.”

"Furthermore, Brother Zhao is my eldest grandson and also her own nephew. No one is born knowing everything. As a young person, it's inevitable to make mistakes once or twice. With more learning, one will naturally master it."

At this point, she reached out and patted Wei's wrist: "In the end, you're still a daughter-in-law of the Jiang family. Your Wei family doesn't have any capable members to support you, except for Lu Ge'er, who's a member of the Guo family. You can't rely on him."

"Which married daughter doesn't help her parents' family? If our Jiang family cultivates a few sons to support the family, won't you and your daughter have something to be proud of in the future?"

"She hasn't given birth to a son for our son-in-law yet. What if he has other plans? Aren't you worried? In the end, won't the Jiang family have to stand up for her?"

Wei's facial muscles twitched a few times.

Li sighed slowly and said, "Besides, after you pass away, won't it be your nephews and grand-nephews who will wear mourning clothes for you and let you be buried in the Jiang family ancestral tomb in a grand manner?"
"You became a widow at such a young age, and to be able to give your husband's family a dignified burial in the ancestral grave is the greatest reward for you, don't you think?"

"Madam, Miss Lu from the Lu family has come to deliver Laba Festival gifts."

Just as Madam Li finished speaking, a maidservant came in to announce her arrival.

Wei suddenly gripped the armrest tightly, straightened her body, and her face became extremely stiff.