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Changbai was so favored by middle-aged women that letters with increasing hospitality came one after another from Madam Hai. At first, the letters sounded a bit condescending, but later they got more intimate with addressing terms “her mother/father-in-law”. Learning that Changbai lived alone in the Sheng Mansion in the capital, they even wanted to invite him home. Considering that his tenure was about to expire, Sheng Hong asked servants to clean the mansion up so that they could move in when they returned back to the capital.
More than half a month later, Changbai finally came back home, passion from mother-in-law replaced with that from mother. Wang shi rubbed her son’s head, feeling that her ten-month pregnancy and emotional investment for a dozen of years wasn’t wasted, and tears of excitement swelled up in her eyes. In fact, she had prepared a white steed and bouquet made of red silk for Changbai to stroll around showing the honor, but he rejected the idea. Naturally, Wang shi was a bit depressed. Minglan actually understood Wang shi’s feeling. With such a boss-like husband and a father-like son, anyone would be depressed.
Sheng Hong chose a cool and sunny day to throw a banquet as a compensation. It happened to be an off-day, so he invited a batch of colleagues and seniors to share the joy.
In late spring and early summer, the scenery in the garden was dotted with green trees and red flowers. Mountains rocks piled up one on another. The good sighting was most suitable to receive guests. Wang shi had planned to call in a troupe of opera singers, but Sheng Hong wanted to keep a low-profile. Therefore, the banquet only set a few tables with male guests drinking in the front hall while female guests in another place in the backyard. Sheng family was in good terms with many families in Deng Prefecture. Some close friends arrived much earlier but to everyone’s surprise, the one arrived earliest was Junzhu Pingning.
It wasn’t because Wang shi
’s personality was too charming, but that in Deng Prefecture, there were few females whose title could match that of Junzhu Pingning—Imperial Third Level. In addition, the wives and daughters of lower-ranking officials had done nothing except for flattering, which made Junzhu Pingning a bit sick after enduring for a few days. Wang shi, on the contrary, was from a noble family and had stayed in the ladies’ society in the capital. She actually was a very sociable person who would gossip about the scandals of the nobles and aristocrats in a hilarious and fervent way. Though a little domineering, Wang shi didn’t dare to be pretentious in front of Junzhu Pingning. Especially after Wang shi stopped her attempt to market her daughter, the straight-forward got along quite well with the princess who had a twist and turn mind.Junzhu Pingning first congratulated Wang shi and then complained about her own son’s failing. Today, Wang shi was in ecstasy, but had to try hard concealing her joy while showing empathy to the grumbling princess, so she turned every stone over to think of an unlucky thing, “It’s said that marrying your daughter to a higher family and your son to a lower one. From an aristocracy family like Hai with such rules, how can I discipline my daughter-in-law in the future?!”
Wang shi’s noble way of entertaining others at the expense of her own good took into effect at once, making Junzhu Pingning burst into laughter, “You deserve it—longing for both a daughter-in-law with noble background and an obedient one. There is no such good thing in the world!”
If someone else teased her like this, Wang shi would have overturned the table, yet in front of the princess, she could only squeeze the handkerchief and smiled to let it go.
In a short time, more guests arrived, forming a packed room embellished with jingling and clattering pearls and jade. Old Madam Sheng sat up at the main chair with three shy granddaughters dressed up in new clothes standing on the side to greet guests. Touched and tweaked by a group of middle-aged women, Minglan’s face was on the brink of cramping from keeping a false smile. Waves of power scent made her dizzy, which was found by a girl around 15 years old standing by the old madam, wife of Cabinet Yu. She was wearing a bright purple top of silk that was narrow-sleeved and tight on waist and violet gown with green ripples of Xiang River. Spotting Minglan’s look, she snickered and gave her a naughty glance. Minglan was irritated and showed her teeth.
After a few phatic words, Old Madam Sheng took Old Madam Yu to chat in the Hall of Peaceful Ages. Wang shi had heated chitchat with other madams and sent away young girls since they wanted to start the adult topic of marriage.
Molan was sociable with most friends. As soon as they got outdoors, many of them formed a circle and tweeted and laughed on. Rulan, caring about her identity, only got along with the legal daughters of Liu and Li families. Protected by Old Madam Sheng, Minglan had seldom received guests and besides she had to pretend to be obedient and dumb before Wang shi, so she knew few girls except for Yu Yanran, the granddaughter of Old Madam Yu who often came to worship Buddha with Old Madam Sheng.
Yu Yanran, tall and slim-waisted, had a gentle nature. For a time, Old Madam Sheng had even wanted her to be Changbai’s wife. Unluckily, Yanran’s father, a Fifth-ranked Vice-Minister of Revenue, believed his daughter would be wasted to marry to a family of similar level. Therefore, the match was then never mentioned.
The group of girls were led to the Luxuriant Pavilion to have tea. Girl servants had prepared all kinds of embroidered benches, chairs and tea tables, laying on them exquisite refreshments and tea cups with lids. Rulan said smiling, “This is white tea my uncle took back from Yunnan. Have a try, sisters. Is it good?” The girls were intrigued and took a few sips. Molan, tilting her eye corners, sneered with hand covering her mouth, “How bad you are! Fifth younger sister. It’s nothing rare. Don’t make it like a treasure as if others never see anything valuable before. Last time, we even tasted the brick tea from Tibet that sister Wu brought us, let alone this Yunnan white tea.”
Rage at once appeared on Rulan’s face and she struggled to hold it back. The disharmony between Rulan and Molan was no news to other young ladies, so sitting around, their face didn’t even change a bit and they kept appreciating the tea while chatting. Wu Baozhu was the most considerate one and smiled, “Don’t mention it, sister Molan. Last time, the tea made our mouth so bitter that I really regret drinking it. This white tea is tasteful with mild but prolonged favor.”
Miss Liu, Liu Tongzhi’s daughter, also smiled, “Each thing has its own flavor. Good things must be taken out to share with us. Sister Rulan was being hospitable.”
Chen Xinya, the only daughter of Zhifu, had been arrogant and didn’t get along with Rulan. As a legal daughter, she should like being flattered by Molan. Pouting her mouth and putting down the cup, she said, “I think the tea is just so-so, too thin to have any flavor. It’s no better than the Bailu tea my father brought back from Lushan.”
Suddenly turning around to Minglan sitting at the corner, Rulan asked with a pout, “Sixth younger sister, what do you think?”
Minglan was getting closer and closer to the door and was about to sneak out without being noticed. Suddenly called, Minglan was caught by surprise and answered, “Indeed, the flavor is faint, but the fresh taste lingers in the mouth, making it distinguished from others. Thanks to sisters that I can have a taste of it. My sister has been hiding the tea for many days; she even didn’t invite us, her physical sisters, but only to wait until you’re here!”
The value of a gift lied in the love of the giver. For a time, the young ladies thanked Rulan one after another, making her quite satisfied.
Entangled by a ‘concubine’s daughter of Tongpan over there, Yu Yanran then seized this opportunity to free herself and walked to Minglan. She pointed at Minglan’s forehead with her jade-crystal finger and said angrily, “You little girl. Why didn’t you talk to me? You bad thing.”
Minglan frowned, “Last month, the weather turned warm along with red flowers, green grassland, warm waters and swimming fish. I invited you several times to go fishing and drink fish soup, but you only had servants tell me you were busy, with no reason. I don’t want to talk to you anymore!”
Minglan just finished when the look of other girls in the room went awkward in various facial expressions. She was confused and looked at Yanran who also looked a little embarrassed. Chen Xinya turned around and made fun of Minglan, “Sister Molan, your sister is so thoughtless. Sister Yu have gained such a big fish now. How could she have the time to catch the small fish in your house?!”
Most of the girls giggled and said nothing, except for the youngest and most innocent girl Hong Qingyu who clapped and said, “I know, I know. Sister Yu’s family is trying to match with the second young lord of Ningyuan Marquis, Gu family, in the capital!”
Minglan asked in surprise, “Really? Then I should congratulate you on the match.” A burst of congratulations, sincere or fake, started in all directions, but Minglan sensed something weird. It seemed…a bit weird, so she turned to Yanran who didn’t even dare to raise up her head out of shyness. Therefore, Minglan started another topic, smiling, “Which Gu family? I remember Junzhu Pingning’s maternal family name is Gu. Are they relatives?”
Rulan answered in a hurry, “Exactly! The ancestors of Xiangyang Marquis and Ningyuan Marquis are brothers, jointly assisting the ancestral Emperor to fight for the country and being entitled together later!” Minglan was happy for Yanran and said with a smile, “That sounds excellent. It must be a good family.”
Before she finished, Molan cut in, “But…I heard that the second young master Gu is somewhat weird and arrogant.”
Whispers rang up once again. Yanran, so ashamed that she hid behind Minglan, didn’t dare to say a word. Only Minglan said loudly, “Don’t listen to my forth elder sister. We’ve never been to the capital since we have memories. How could she know all these?” While speaking, she continuously winked at Molan who slowly pouted and stopped talking.
Gratitude displayed from Yanran’s eyes, but to everyone’s surprise, Chen Xinya said in a cold voice, “We don’t know other things, yet there is one thing that I heard when I was little in the capital that once he was almost taken to the Imperial Clan Court for being disobedient!”