Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 244 - 128 Lian Family Deals with Matters_1

Chapter 244: Chapter 128 Lian Family Deals with Matters_1
In the Upper Room East Room on the kang bed and floor, the room was already full of people. Lian Shouren and Lady Gu, the couple, Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang, the couple, Lian Shouyi and Lady He, Erlang, Sanlang, Old Fourth, Lian Shouli from the Third Branch, and Lady Zhao and her husband were all there.
They had been discussing Lian Huahua’s trousseau addition and wedding departure arrangements but stopped talking when they saw Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang arrive with Lian Manman.
"... When Huahua leaves for her marriage, it will be the first time our family marries off a granddaughter. On the day of the trousseau addition, we need to prepare several tables at home. We can’t clumsily manage this affair; our own family must put forth extra effort," Old Master Lian began, once he saw that everyone had arrived.
During this time, marrying off a daughter, of course, wasn’t as grand as taking a daughter-in-law, and there weren’t any particular ceremonies either. Nonetheless, relatives and friends would take the initiative to come over, bringing gifts to contribute to the daughter’s trousseau—which is the addition to the trousseau. Sometimes, the bride’s family might keep some of the gifts, only including a portion in their daughter’s dowry. However, no strict custom governed this practice, and some families would bring all the gifted trousseau items to the bridegroom’s house.
"Alright," Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang readily agreed.
"... The day after tomorrow, we will manage the event. I’ve been estimating, and I think we should prepare for ten tables. Better to have surplus dishes than not enough, to avoid being laughed at," Old Master Lian added.
"That’s right," Lian Shouxin nodded in agreement.
Here, managing celebrations or funerals was known as ’managing affairs.’ Typically, while preparing the banquet, the host family would estimate roughly how many guests might come, making an additional one or two tables’ worth of food available just in case. Otherwise, if more guests arrived than expected and there were not enough seats at the banquet, it would be a huge disrespect to the guests and quite embarrassing for the host family.
"Father, what kind of banquet are we planning to hold this time?" Lian Shouxin asked Old Master Lian.
"Your older brother and I have discussed it, and we decided on an eight-dish, eight-bowl banquet. Old Fourth, what do you think?" Old Master Lian inquired.
Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi couldn’t help but glance at Lian Shouxin. Before the family split, Old Master Lian wouldn’t have solely sought Lian Shouxin’s opinion on major matters. But now, Old Master Lian was particularly asking him, which showed that Lian Shouxin’s status in his heart had risen.
"What’s an eight-dish, eight-bowl banquet?" Lian Manman quietly asked Lady Zhang.
"It’s a banquet with eight dishes and eight bowls," Lady Zhang whispered back, while thinking to herself, an eight-dish banquet is considered medium-grade. For the Lian Family to prepare ten tables of such a banquet would mean using up all their savings, and even then it might not be enough.
"Your grandfather and father are discussing important matters. Let’s not talk now. Your mother will explain it to you later," Lady Zhang frowned subtly, signaling Manman to remain silent.
Although the two-room house wasn’t very spacious, and even though Lady Zhang and Manman had lowered their voices, Old Master Lian still heard them talking. He nodded inwardly, Lady Zhang was a daughter-in-law who understood the rules.
Lian Shouxin didn’t immediately respond to Old Master Lian’s question either; he too was pondering whether the Lian Family could afford ten tables of the eight-dish banquet. For a family like theirs, preparing a trousseau addition banquet didn’t necessitate such extravagance. But since Huahua was marrying into the wealthy Song Family from the town, they couldn’t manage it like the usual countryside wedding.
"The eight-dish banquet is good," Lian Shouxin replied earnestly.
"After all, Huahua will be the young mistress of the Song Family. In my opinion, we should go for a three-course flowing banquet; that would really save face. This eight-dish banquet is too modest for Huahua. Ah, if only we weren’t strapped for cash," Lian Shouyi remarked.
Lian Shouren and Lady Gu heard Lian Shouyi’s words and, although they didn’t nod, their faces showed they appreciated the sentiment, clearly thinking Lian Shouyi was right.
In recent days, Manman had noticed that although Lian Shouyi, Lian Shouxin, and Lian Shouli were brothers from the same mother, their temperaments varied greatly. Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouli were straightforward people, while Lian Shouyi was adept at speaking and good at currying favor through empty gestures.
"Father, ten tables of the eight-dish banquet will require quite a bit of money. Is everything prepared?" Lian Shouxin asked.
Before Old Master Lian could respond, Lian Shouyi, who had been eager for Lian Shouxin to broach the subject, fixed his gaze on him immediately.
"Old Fourth, Father is exactly worrying about money. Everyone knows you’re well-off. If you put in some money now, are you afraid your older brother won’t pay you back?" Lian Shouyi pressed Lian Shouxin eagerly.
Manman rubbed her forehead in frustration. Her father, affectionately known as Bun’s Dad, was too honest and kind, and dealt with people without a hint of cunningness, while Lian Shouyi would take advantage of any situation to gain some benefit, which was truly vexing.