After Lu Weiwei visited Chen Family Cove, Chen Caozhi breathed a great sigh of relief. Since late June, almost every commoner clan in the county with some standing and substantial landholdings, apart from the eight gentry clans, had sent matchmakers to Chen Family Cove to propose marriages. They praised one family's beautiful daughter and another's clever young lady as an ideal match for Master Chen. Even Clan Head Liu, Liu Shangzhi's father, had come in person, hoping to marry his niece to Chen Caozhi-
Not only Qiantang County, but nearby Yuhang, Yuji, Shanyin, Jiaxing, and even the city of Wu Commandery had sent matchmakers from afar. The one from Wu Commandery had presumably been commissioned by some bold, affectionate young lady who had once given Chen Caozhi a scented sachet and had begged her father and brothers to engage someone to propose the match.
At the end of June and the beginning of July, several parties arrived each day to propose marriages. Those from within the county were treated to a meal of fine food and wine before being sent on their way, while those from other counties also had to be accommodated overnight. This added considerably to the work of Lai Fu's wife, Zeng Yuhuan, though fortunately she was in good spirits. Watching the steady stream of matchmakers arrive at Chen Family Cove by carriage or on foot each day, she would speculate with her eldest daughter-in-law, Lady Zhao, and her heavily pregnant second daughter-in-law, Huang Shi, about whose family had sent this latest one. Sometimes several matchmakers sat eating in the banquet hall, glaring at one another as though at sworn enemies.
Feng Mengxiong's wife, Sun Shi, acted as soon as she heard the news. Invoking the longstanding friendship between their families and claiming to be visiting Mother