Showing off the Dowry (4)
Jing Wan just helplessly laughed. Jiang Ling Shan thought rather beautifully. However, there was one thing Jing Wan found strange, “If she wanted to marry my brother, how come when she saw me for the first time, never mind trying to win my favor, she even tried to scheme against me?”
“Who knows, probably just a.s.sumed you, this ‘little sister-in-law', was of no importance.”
“True, after all, I hadn't seen my third brother in several years, so in her eyes, probably long didn't have feelings between us, let alone influencing my third brother.” If such a person really were to marry her brother, never mind thinking up every possible way to break them apart, she at the very least definitely wouldn't carry out those ‘modern three principles and four virtues' education on her brother.
(T/N: I wonder if this is implying that Luo Jing Bo married Jiang Ling Shan in ML's first lifetime, because according to ML's memories, Jing Bo did get married but also had concubines, most likely because Jing Wan wasn't close to her sister-in-law, thus didn't block him from taking concubines.)
“However, I saw that fourth younger cousin has become quite thin, she really got sick?”
“Else, what do you think?”
“Just forget it, if you don't want to tell me. In any case, I don't believe it.”
Seeing Yuan Qiao Qiao happily chatting with Jing Wan made quite a few people all somewhat jealous. They actually all rather wanted to talk to Jing Wan, but if they were to interject just like this, it seemingly would be very rude. Jiang Ling Shan more or less also had this thought. The Grand Elder Princess Manor, she didn't have the qualifications to go, but Jing Wan's matter, for the most part, was known throughout the capital by all the official families. Although Sun Yi Jia was already not worth anything, but she still knew other n.o.ble personages. If she can use her to climb onto those n.o.ble personages………………
“It's best if you don't daydream.” Luo Jing Ying seemingly saw through her thoughts, leaning close to Jiang Ling Shan's ear, “Our Luo family's third miss is a very petty and narrow-minded person. So long as you've left behind the tiniest bad impression on her, then don't even count on being able to make friendly connections with her. Moreover, she hates me the most. Do you think, you, who is ‘close' with me, be able to receive her good opinion? In her eyes, we are probably just a nest of snakes and rats, jackals of the same tribe.”
Jiang Ling Shan's eyes stabbed towards Luo Jing Ying like knives.
Luo Jing Ying still just carried a shallow smile. Jiang Ling Shan's gaze, she seemingly didn't notice in the slightest. Have to say, with Luo Jing Ying having been instructed by Liu-s.h.i.+ for this many years, it was still very effective, and only when encountering Jing Wan was she relatively easy to lose control. Moreover, after this period's ‘special training', her composure has grown. Originally compared to Jiang Ling Shan, she was still that tiny bit inferior, but now, she was almost evenly matched.
Jiang Ling Shan's gaze also just maintained for two three seconds, before she also began smiling like nothing happened. That intimate energy between the two, as if there weren't the slightest barriers, for those who didn't know, really would think their relations.h.i.+p was incredibly good.
Having their movements all taken in, Jing Wan completely declined to comment.
Jing Wan also knew Yuan Qiao Qiao was deliberately dragging her to chat, so as to not let others have the opportunity to squeeze in. However, who let her be the patient, so naturally Jing Wan needed to look after her more. And seeing that the others were being neglected either, she thus just let Yuan Qiao Qiao freely do as she pleased.
After the afternoon meal, as the time slowly elapsed bit by bit, the gongs and drums sounded outside. Today's main act finally began.
One after another shouted ‘it's here, it's here', and immediately afterwards, the first crimson dowry was lifted through the Luo family gates, closely followed by the second one. According to the usual customs, the first one should be property deeds (houses, shops, etc.) and land deeds (fields, farmland, etc.). However, because Sun Yi Jia's birth was n.o.ble, among her dowry were also the bestowments from the palace. Thus, these first two became an eye dazzling giant red coral tree, and twelve uniquely shaped jade ruyi sculpted from the highest quality fine jade. With just these two things, it was more than enough to make everyone click their tongues in praises, otherwise, it was just saying some sour words.
The third one was roof tiles[1] pasted with the character for happiness (喜) stacked into a tall pile, making everyone can't help but suck in a cold breath. How many property was this coming over in the dowry? Then looking again to that mud brick wrapped in brightly colored paper following closely behind, heavy to the point where even the people lifting it were all very strained, how many was this?
And before they could finish being shocked, the large furnitures were also lifted in one by one from behind. A six panel double-sided embroidered screen, a four panel colored gla.s.s screen, and afterwards it was the babu bed[2], arhat bed[3], beauty recliner[4], dressing table, qin table[5], study desk, various types of long tables, several standing dressers, bookshelf, many treasure shelf[6], three horizontally connected drawer cupboard[7], numerous trunks, various kinds of chairs, and so on, all appearing in pairs. In other words, an entire set made from red sandalwood, and an entire set made from golden (chinese) cedar wood[8]. There were also quite a few things made from red wood, flowering pear wood, rosewood, camphor wood, and such materials. These furnitures once again made the hearts of the people watching tremble.
(T/N: I added pictures below with the footnotes, however I only added pictures for the more uncommon items, because there's just way too many in the list. Btw I took a lot of these pictures are from chinese online stores like taobao and jd, so technically everything pictured here, you can buy.)
Shortly after, it was another load of various display items of all sizes. There were large vases taller than people to small palm-sized teacups. There were all kinds of things glimmering before the eyes, dazzling everyone.
Soon after, it was just entire sets of makeup and articles for use, each item all very delicate. The things for the bed were all made of top-notch material with exquisite embroidery, further don't need to mention the curtains and such items.
Then afterwards, it was entire chests of fur and other materials. Each already large chests stuffed to the brim, to the point where not even a single finger could fit in.
After that it was just various kinds of accessories. With just the head ornaments displayed on top, there were already a full twenty sets, each set with at least twelve pieces, and at most twenty some pieces, all made from ruby, sapphire, northern and southern pearls, and first-rate fine jade; even the most inferior was all made from gold. Also, those stored inside the jewelry boxes, just from looking, there should at least be thirty some boxes packed completely to the brim. Whether it'd be necklaces, bracelets, yinglous[9], or cat's eye (chrysoberyl), cornelian, and what not. There were probably only ones you couldn't think of, and not ones that weren't inside.
Immediately after, it was the antiques, and calligraphy paintings. The most notable was probably that long embroidered case that was taken out and lifted in on its own. Everyone all guessed one after another, that probably was the betrothal gift that Luo Jing Bo gave, the hundred birds facing the phoenix painting. Afterwards, the various jade and porcelain antiques were practically too many to count. As for the calligraphy paintings, because they were all rolled up, one couldn't see what it was, but it certainly wouldn't be lacking.
Afterwards, there was another dozen or so trunks of books, and numerous trunks of the four treasures of the study[10].
Incense and medicinal ingredients immediately followed after. Ginseng, fleeceflower root, snow lotus herb, lingzhi and so on, case after case. And just from looking, one would know, not a single one was an inferior product.
(T/N: Pictures all contain captions, just hover over or click on it.)
ginseng fleeceflower root snow lotus Lingzhi
In total, there were a hundred and twenty-eight loads, and even all true to its purpose. Even if they were separated into two hundred and fifty-six loads, it would still be more than enough with room to spare. As one can imagine, once these things were all lifted into the new courtyard for the bridal chamber, what kind of spectacle that was. Never mind reaching out for a touch, there weren't even a place to set one's foot inside.
When Jing Wan saw this display of dowry, she seemingly felt as if she encountered another giant money tree.
[1] So at first I thought the tiles would each represent different properties, and I'm sure there's somewhat of this meaning in there, the same with the mud bricks, but I ended up asking my mom on this because I couldn't find anything online, and she said it's sorta like a pun meaning to add wealth or good fortune, because in ancient times only wealthy families can afford nice roof tiles, not sure about the mud bricks. Also I want to note that the author of this novel is probably from northern china because of certain phrases and wording she uses, and your TL Jen's family is from southern china, so there might be differences in customs. If anyone else has knowledge or insight on this feel free to share.
[2] Babu Bed – Literally ‘pull out bed', also known as the ‘eight step bed'; it's one of the biggest types of beds in traditional chinese furniture, produced during the late Ming dynasty. The uniqueness of these beds is in its frame and how it encloses the bed inside, putting the bed on an elevated platform. Additionally there are also a lot of drawers and storage shelves built in around the bed too. I added a few pictures below, the third one is an interior shot. You can still buy these types of beds in china, but they are h.e.l.la expensive.
Babu Bed Babu Bed Babu Bed Interior Shot
[3] Arhat bed – This should be considered more common, it's more so used like a couch with a removable little table in the middle, but you can sleep on it too. My family has one of these in our living room, but I never use it because my family doesn't believe in cus.h.i.+ons and I don't want to break my back.
[4] Beauty recliner – I think it's pretty self-explanatory why these are called beauty recliners looking at the images. We also have one of these in our house, it also can break my back.
[5] Qin table – It is exactly what the name implies, a table to put your qin; it can also be used for tea too, it's a relatively low table.
[6] Many Treasure Shelf – Fun fact, this is literally the first thing I ever had to look up pictures for when I first started translating this novel. I recycled some pictures below. We also have one of these in our house, and if it falls on me, I'll break more than my back.
[7] It's better to just look at the pictures, the name is literally what it is.
[8] The scientific name of this is Phoebe zhennan S. Lee; the wood made from this type of tree is light brown and can appear sorta gold when made into things.
[9] A specific kind of round necklaces, pictured below, either made from pearl or jade.
[10] Four treasures of the study – brush, ink, paper, and grindstone; wow this is my first time hitting ten footnotes in a chapter, I feel like dying inside.
T/N: I love that there's a lot of subtext and reading between the lines, like the novel makes you piece together the clues yourself, especially for like less important details. It feels more engaging when reading, instead of being mindlessly spoon fed information. Also it was pure torture translating this part of this chapter, because the footnotes are just as long as the entire chapter part ;;v;;)
