Chapter 241: 送一盒蚕

Although it was the beginning of autumn, it was still deep within the dog days of summer. As the saying goes, "the heat after autumn's start can kill," and the summer heat had not yet receded; instead, it was the peak of the heatwave. Over West Lake, it seemed as if a layer of steam was rising. Fortunately, being on the water was different from being on land; when the wind blew into the boats, it was relatively cool. So, boat-pavilions opened their windows, drew back their gauze curtains, and leisurely drifted across the lake.

Those invited to today's gathering were predominantly from established families. Even those of more modest means were typically well-connected scholars and literati. People were already exchanging greetings and pleasantries on the shore. It was still early, and the afternoon heat meant fewer attendees had arrived. However, after a while, as more boat-pavilions appeared on the lake, the scale of the gathering became clear. Each vessel displayed the emblem of a prominent family or business, such as the Cao family, Jiangning's largest rice merchants; the Long family, cloth merchants; the Chen family's Flower Pavilion, which ran brothels; and even anchored official boats.

Although it was a midsummer afternoon, not ideally suited for leisurely boating, it still clearly demonstrated Hangzhou's prosperity as a water town in Jiangnan. Occasionally, two boats would draw close, and people on board would exchange greetings from the railings. Being from the same social circles, many knew each other.

It was still quite hot, not yet time to moor and disembark. Those who arrived early preferred to drift on the lake for a while. If they spotted an acquaintance, smaller boats would approach larger ones. Since many came in groups, even though the main gathering hadn't officially begun, smaller ones were already underway on various painted boats. Two or three wealthy merchants, or three to five scholars, conversed animatedly, discussing current affairs. There were also military boats of the Wude Army, stationed in the Suzhou-Hangzhou area, which had already transported soldiers to Xiaoyingzhou to clear and guard the area, awaiting the arrival of the Hangzhou Prefect and other dignitaries.

As some merchants and poets had brought their families, women from brothels could not be openly invited. However, apart from the Chen family, whose business it was, with two courtesan leaders present on their Flower Pavilion, there were indeed ways for others to participate on the island if they wished. Some talented scholars, who had not brought companions, if they had good personal connections, would invite courtesans with whom they had close relationships to accompany them in a private capacity. However, such individuals had to keep to their own circles and found it quite difficult to mingle with those who had brought their families.

The female family members present might usually enjoy hearing stories of gifted scholars and beautiful women. However, upon seeing them in person, they naturally felt displeased and spontaneously ostracized and ridiculed them. The clear distinction between the two groups was one of the interesting aspects of such occasions; romance and family matters rarely blended seamlessly.

By the time the Lou family's large boat arrived, the weather had cooled down slightly. The main occupants of the boat were Lou Jinlin and his children, Lou Shuwan and Lou Shuheng. His eldest son, Lou Shuwang, was not in Hangzhou at the time. Lou Shuwan's husband, Song Zhiqian, had also accompanied them. Just then, a few friends greeted him, and Lou Jinlin stated, "Shuwan and Zhiqian, go and socialize with your friends." At home, Lou Jinlin's manner of speaking seemed gentle. However, when mentioning the two, Lou Shuwan's name was always spoken first, followed by Song Zhiqian's. Given Song Zhiqian's low status as a live-in son-in-law, no one found this strange.

Song Zhiqian already felt somewhat intimidated by his father-in-law. Hearing this, he felt as if he had received a great pardon. Lou Shuwan, however, rubbed her forehead and said, "It's too hot this afternoon; I'm a bit sleepy. You go, husband." Song Zhiqian hesitated for a moment, but eventually, he was persuaded to switch to another boat and join his friends.

Besides the three main members of the Lou family, several collateral family members were also accompanying them. These were primarily individuals whom Lou Jinlin had consistently groomed to be strong supports for his children, and this time, they were brought along to meet people and gain experience.

Earlier on the shore, Lou Jinlin had greeted a local wealthy merchant. Now that the boat had left the shore, not long after, someone called out loudly, and another boat approached. The Lou family had immense influence in Hangzhou; although not as preeminent as the Qian family, their accumulated wealth and power over generations were formidable, only slightly less, and certainly not to be underestimated. Consequently, many came to pay their respects, and some scholars also came to greet Lou Shuheng.

Among the Lou family's younger generation, Lou Shuheng, though seemingly a lazy playboy, possessed considerable talent in poetry and literature and was even called a child prodigy in the Hangzhou area during his childhood. He was naturally gifted, and although he didn't exert himself much later, he still achieved some success. As the youngest son of the Lou family, he was deeply loved by his father, and his occasional arrogance was taken for granted by others.

After becoming an adult, his interest in women surpassed that in poetry and literature. With his family's wealth and influence, even without boasting about his literary talent or overtly intimidating others, it was easy for him to pursue women. Later, when his father expressed his views, he occasionally took charge of business matters. As an intelligent person with capable family members assisting him, things went smoothly. From then on, in the eyes of others, he became a distinguished figure with a calm demeanor; he rarely wrote poetry or lyrics, yet was still considered a great talent. His business acumen was also impressive, making him a symbol of an all-capable individual.

The accumulation of this kind of reputation was relatively orthodox. In contrast, Ning Yi's reputation in Jiangning, though also involving both poetry and cunning, was relatively low-key. Combined with his status as a live-in son-in-law, it subconsciously made people feel he was somewhat downtrodden. If Lou Shuheng's story was that of a privileged son, Ning Yi's reputation seemed more like the struggle of a humble, perhaps even obscure, individual.

Inside the boat-pavilion, some people sat, enjoying iced drinks. Before long, someone brought up the Su family, primarily because they had heard that the Su family still had some connections with the Lou family.

"Just now, I saw what looked like the Su family's small painted boat pass by on the lake. I took a look; there weren't many people moving on it. Near the window, the people on board seemed to be lying down, asleep, haha...""In this kind of weather, the lake really is a good place for a nap. Those Su family members certainly know how to enjoy themselves.""I did see the two young masters of the Su family... They are quite talented themselves, but I wonder why the Su family allowed a woman to take charge... Brother Lou, do you know anything about this?"

The speaker was also a cloth merchant from Hangzhou named Luo, who asked curiously. Lou Jinlin smiled and replied, "She is the daughter of an old acquaintance, and she visited me once. But if you're talking about familiarity, my daughter Shuwan has more interactions with her. Old Luo, if you're curious, you might as well ask Shuwan. I'm not very clear on it."

Lou Shuwan, who had previously said she was sleepy, had been standing behind her father, merely serving as a decorative presence. Hearing the others speak, she smiled slightly. She went over and poured a cup of tea for the middle-aged man named Luo, saying, "The Su family was originally from Jiangning, and I haven't inquired too clearly about matters there. However, my younger sister Tan'er is truly capable; even I, her elder sister, cannot compare to her... Um, Uncle Luo, do you know Luo Tian?"

The man nodded. "Of course, I know him. His cotton fabric is top-grade here in Suzhou and Hangzhou. Why do you ask, niece?"

"Luo Tian and Tan'er already have a business deal going. Uncle Luo, you must have heard about it, right?"

The merchant surnamed Luo thought for a moment. "It was just these past two days; I did hear about a small deal, but there hasn't been much interaction. To be honest, Luo Tian is famously stubborn. Although it's a very small transaction, thinking about it now, I wonder how Miss Su managed to persuade him. Niece, do you perhaps know?"

Lou Shuwan smiled. The Su family hadn't caused much discussion in Hangzhou, so when people brought them up, it was merely as after-dinner conversation. However, Lou Shuwan was beautiful and her smile sweet. Everyone's curiosity was now piqued, and they couldn't help but wait for her to continue. Lou Shuwan elegantly turned around with the teapot in hand.

"I do know the inside story. Luo Tian is stubborn in business, but he has an extremely beloved wife. His wife was originally the daughter of an official family; later, they became acquainted, developed feelings, and it took a great deal of effort for Luo Tian to marry her. However, in recent years, his wife's disposition has grown increasingly melancholic, and she's fallen ill. Sometimes she can't even eat. It's a psychological ailment, and many doctors have been consulted, but none could cure her. My younger sister Tan'er established a connection with Luo Tian through her."

"Oh?" The merchant named Luo frowned. Among those present, another person exclaimed in surprise, "I've also heard about Luo Tian's wife, whom Miss Lou mentioned. To be honest, many people who wanted to establish connections with the Luo family considered this angle and invited many doctors to provide prescriptions, but none ever showed results. What method did Miss Su use? Did she perhaps cure Mrs. Luo?"

"My younger sister Tan'er sent something," Lou Shuwan said, turning and smiling, extending a finger. "I'm not very familiar with this item, but Uncle Luo, you must be very familiar with it. Uncle Luo, would you like to guess?"

The merchant thought for a long time, then laughed, "Niece, stop teasing us; I can't possibly guess this."

Lou Shuwan lowered her gaze, a flicker of memory and contemplation in her eyes. "She sent a box of silkworms... Yes, that's it." She nodded and walked towards her father. Everyone was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding what she meant by "silkworms." Gold silkworms or silver silkworms? A moment later, they started to discuss. Lou Jinlin was also frowning, about to speak, but Lou Shuheng, after thinking for a while, was the first to ask, "Little sister, stop playing games. What's this about a box of silkworms? What exactly happened?"

Lou Shuwan raised an eyebrow, looking at her brother, her voice becoming clearer. "I was also surprised; I only heard about the Luo family and Tan'er discussing some business these past two days. Upon careful inquiry later, what my younger sister Tan'er sent was simply a box of silkworms, just a few of them, placed in a wooden box covered with gauze. The box itself was unremarkable, but the silkworms inside were very cute. Mrs. Luo, originally a pampered young lady, had never encountered such things before. Watching the silkworms munch on mulberry leaves, she felt a surge of tenderness. Later, my younger sister Tan'er told her that there was a mulberry tree right across the street from the Luo family's gate. Now, Mrs. Luo goes out every day to pick mulberry leaves to feed those silkworms. She's happier eating, and she's even willing to leave her courtyard. Luo Tian initially wanted to transplant a mulberry tree into his wife's courtyard, but my younger sister Tan'er advised against it, and that's how the business deal was sealed. That's how it happened."

She spoke clearly and directly this time. Lou Shuheng and the others were all stunned for a long moment after hearing it. Lou Jinlin was also momentarily stunned, then quietly said, "If that's truly the case, your younger sister Tan'er is truly remarkable..." Lou Shuwan nodded. Indeed, she had initially spoken with suspense, but now spoke plainly, as if taking some pride in it. However, her thoughts at that moment were not on this, but on something she had kept to herself.

She remembered that back then, Su Tan'er and her husband had only recently arrived in Hangzhou, settled into a courtyard, and began visiting families one by one. On Luo Tian's side, some information had been gathered, and he had also inquired with her about the other party. Lou Shuwan had casually mentioned Mrs. Luo's situation at that time. Luo Tian's temperament was relatively eccentric, making it difficult to establish connections with him, and thus there weren't many competitors. This was Su Tan'er's reason for being interested. However, Lou Shuwan also understood that Mrs. Luo's condition was practically unsolvable. She didn't know much about Luo Tian, so she merely mentioned it in passing.

She remembered that at that time, Su Tan'er's eccentric husband, Ning Yi, was passing through the living room. He stayed for a while, drank a few sips of tea, and after she finished speaking, he asked, "The daughter of an official family?" Then he casually remarked, "Then send a box of silkworms." At the time, both she and Su Tan'er were confused, thinking they had misheard.

She still remembered how casually that person had said it. At that time, Ning Liheng didn't seem particularly impressive. He even liked martial arts, and she didn't know what he had been doing before; he just drank tea, finished talking, and left. From beginning to end, she hadn't given the matter much thought until two days ago, when she suddenly heard that Su Tan'er had successfully made a deal with Luo Tian. She then inquired about it for a while, and even today, she kept thinking about that remark.

The man waved his hand: "Then send a box of silkworms..."

"Send a box of silkworms..."

Heavens, they really did send a box of silkworms...