Chapter 28: The Tears of the Merman in the East China Sea
In an instant, there was an endless stream of guests inside and outside the Minister's Mansion, and there were crowds of people everywhere. The stage in the garden also started playing. She put Chu Li beside her. Naturally, the little baby didn't like the babbling drama and wanted to take it.
After eating the pastries on the table, Chu Yunjing ordered someone to take the pastries away. Chu Li pouted unhappily, so she gave Chu Li a puppet to play with, which made her more honest.
At this time, Chu Yunxi came to the garden with a face full of resentment. When Chu Yunxi saw her, he immediately suppressed his unhappy expression.
She glanced over leisurely and was very satisfied. This body looked much more stable.
In the garden, there are not only hundreds of beautiful famous flowers in bloom, but also dozens of beauty flowers. There are ladies from various families with red flowers and green willows, and there are also energetic young men with their own thoughts. To say this is an ice-appreciation banquet, it is better to say it is a blind date banquet.
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The back of the seats in these two rows is one step higher than the front, so that the view of those in the back will not be blocked by those in the front.
On her left is the wife of Marquis Wen's family, and on her right is the wife and young daughter of Marquis Liu's family of Mingyuan. They are the three women with the highest status at this banquet.
There were more high-ranking officials at the Chu family's banquet today than that day at the Duke Zhengguo's house. Perhaps it was because the Duke Zhengguo didn't know how to behave, and the Household Department did have more real power than the Hao family.
Marquis Mingyuan is the younger brother of the late Empress. According to the rules, she has to call Mrs. Mingyuan Marquis aunt. Unfortunately, her family has a fifteen-year-old daughter who has already been engaged. The Liu family may not be able to like the Chu family. The Liu family has always
Keeping a low profile, I guess I came to the Chu family's banquet today just for the sake of King Qi.
Most of the Wenhou family are men. Today, Mrs. Wenhou has brought the third young lady, the fourth young lady, the fifth concubine young lady and the fifth son. The Wen family is one of the few brave sects among the princes and marquises who are still fighting on the battlefield. The third young master, Wenhou, is
Shao was the general who led the troops under King Qi.
Mrs. Wen is a first-grade imperial concubine. Even Mrs. Mingyuan Hou is only a second-grade imperial concubine. This is because Mrs. Wen is a hero among women. She was once the only female general in Da Feng. If she had not entered the inner palace, she would have been granted the highest rank.
The general did it.
The fourth young lady was also generous and went to compete with the young masters in archery. As expected, she was the girl who came out.
"I heard that your Majesty was ill a few days ago, but are you well now?" It was the third young lady of the Wen family who spoke.
She looked to the left and saw a young woman in her twenties or thirty-four wearing a green gauze. Xiaojiabiyu was very clear and elegant, which made people feel relaxed and happy.
"The palace feels sorry for me and sent good medicine to the palace. Now I'm fine." She replied with a smile.
The Wen family still has some connections with the Chu family. The eldest daughter of his family married the eldest son of Great Aunt Chu. General Yu, whom Great Aunt Chu married, died ten years earlier. She has been a monk for many years and rarely gets involved in things. The Yu family
The eldest son and eldest daughter-in-law, who are busy with household chores, also brought the eldest son of the family here today, sitting next to Mrs. Qiao below.
Wen Shao's wife also stayed alone in the empty house for many years. When Wen Shao came back every year, they had a son and a daughter, and they were considered happy.
"It's good that you're well. I've always wanted to visit you, but I'm afraid that my wife will be sick and disturb her Qing Dynasty."
She sat upright on the cushions of a low stool, her hands lying neatly on her knees, and she turned her eyes and replied politely: "You are interested, let's move around more in the future, lest I have no one to talk to in the house."
"If your Majesty feels bored at home, go to our house more often. There are several girls who are about the same age as you and have something to talk about." Mrs. Mingyuan Hou spoke to her.
Mrs. Liu was, after all, close to her husband-in-law, and her words did not sound unfamiliar, even if they were just casual remarks on the wedding day.
Only after marrying the prince did she realize that the Chu family was just a middle-class family. Even if the He family lost power or the Hao family lost power, they would be beyond their reach. Princes and officials were the real nobility. It was precisely because of marrying the prince that the Chu family's family
After being carried a lot, there was such a big banquet.
A few people were chatting away, and a young lady from an unknown family was welcomed by He Wen, who was surrounded by stars. He Wen was followed by a woman in brocade clothes whom he had never seen before.
Who is the bejeweled lady, wearing a red dress and a yellow belt and a hairpin with a big flower tree? Could it be that Mr. He really got a princess? But there is no princess at this age.
While she was wondering, Aunt An leaned into her ear and said: "The one who is going with the mistress is her natal sister. The lady in front is Princess Zhuwen, and her natal sister is the wife of Earl Jiang's Mansion. The Jiang family has always been in harmony with her family.
Prince Heng's family is very close, and Princess Wen is the youngest daughter of His Highness Prince Heng."
Prince Heng is the concubine of the current emperor, so according to her seniority, the princess will call her the emperor's wife.
I saw that Princess Zhuwen had a delicate face, snow-white skin, round eyes, and a small mouth like a cherry. If you look closely, her facial features were somewhat similar to Chu Yunjing, but her temperament was quite different, so she came towards Xiangting.
These few steps are a bit arrogant. Do all members of the royal family go out with such airs?
After a hundred or so steps, Princess Zhu Wen walked up to her with much attention and raised her face: "Zhu Wen has met my sister-in-law!"
Then the women saluted Princess Hewen, and Mrs. Qiao gave up her seat below and asked the princess to take her seat.
Zhu Wen raised her voice and pointed at Chu Li's seat with satisfaction: "No need, I'll just sit next to my sister-in-law. We are both the tallest here!"
Everyone present was shocked when he said these words. This little princess was only thirteen or fourteen years old. Didn't she have anyone to teach her when she went out?
Mrs. Qiao is in trouble. According to the rules, the princess is shorter than the princess.
Chu Yunjing had an expression on his face, and said to the maid calmly: "Take Li'er down, and please arrange for the eldest aunt to stay with me for the princess!"
The two of them were speechless, and the atmosphere was a bit awkward. The two sisters-in-law, who had never met before, were sitting so close to each other. Her movements seemed a little stiff, but Zhu Wen didn't care and watched the show with great interest.
It's almost noon, and cicadas are chirping non-stop on the old tree. Fortunately, the eaves of the pavilion are big enough, and they can tightly cover the people below. In addition, the cool air from the ice dissipates, and the maid behind her is shaking her head slowly.
Fan, very comfortable.
After a while, Zhu Wen was lured away by the sound of pot throwing in the square courtyard and went to throw pot with a group of girls. She was relieved.
"Look, Madam, there are also ladies from Guo Shaoqing's family and Dr. Ma's sister who are throwing pots with the princess over there. A young lady from a small family can throw pots with the princess. It is a blessing she has cultivated over many lifetimes."
Aunt An whispered in her ear, her eyes scanning the plains in all directions.
She followed the sound and saw that there was an inconspicuous little girl with a sad face behind the crowd. She had a real moon-like appearance and a well-educated posture. She was wearing an apricot-colored chest-length skirt. She looked like a beauty. She was squeezed in.
I was at the back of the crowd and didn't dare to go in and play together, maybe because I was being squeezed out.
I had never noticed this young lady before. If Aunt An hadn't pointed it out specifically, she might not have paid much attention to her.
No wonder Mrs. Qiao fell in love with this girl. Not only is she beautiful, her brother is a doctor from the Imperial College, so he must be talented and well-read. How can a woman from such a family be unruly? Although her brother serves in the Imperial College, he is the number one scholar.
Reputation is not something that can be built on. There must be a time when he will succeed. Now that he is married to the Chu family, they are encouraging each other. If he gets a high-ranking official in the future, he will also be related to the Chu family. It is easy to make plans.
At this moment, it was Chu Wen and Miss Guo who were throwing the pot. With the cheers and cheers, it was clear that Chu Wen had won, and the girl's family burst into laughter like bells.
There is indeed a difference between those raised by a high-class family and those raised by a low-class family. One dares to go in and compete, while the other only dares to wait and see.
At this time, a group of young men behind them shouted: "Let's all compete and see who can be better in this archery!"
"Okay! Come on, Bibi, I will definitely beat you to a pulp."
The person who spoke to us was Wen Zhao, the Fifth Young Master. He was wearing a light gray narrow-sleeved round collar robe and a silver crown. His hair was just tied last year. His complexion was wheat-colored and his body was much stronger. Maybe it was due to years of martial arts practice. Take a quick look.
There is a difference between the men who practice writing and martial arts. The ones in my family are more bookish.
Hearing the shouts of the young men, she got up and walked back, stopping at the steps of the pavilion and looking at the high-spirited and eager-to-try faces.
This shooting area has four or five acres of land, with a two-meter-wide cobblestone path leading to Xiangting. On the left side of Xiangting, there are four or five target stakes standing in the green grass. On the right is the shooting area, which is four to five meters wide.
There were more than a dozen quivers and more than a dozen bows and arrows hung on the long weapons rack, and the teenagers went to pick out the weapons they had.
"Master Wen, don't talk nonsense, you won't be able to hold it in your face if you lose later, hahahahaha!"
Several young men were joking and provoking.
"Hahahaha, my Wen family is never afraid of archery competitions. Come on, everyone!" Wen Zhao patted his chest boldly, showing no fear at all.
"What kind of prizes are we looking for in this competition?"
"This is inevitable. I would like to ask the princess to come up with some lottery prizes, so that we can also compete for it!"
These young masters have three younger brothers of their own, including Wen Zhao, the eldest grandson of the aunt Yu Jian, the youngest son and the sixth concubine of General Zhao's family, the third concubine son of Qiao Shilang of the Ministry of Rites, the son of Xu Duwei, and the second and third concubine sons of Huang Prefect.
Young Master... Everyone present looked at Chu Yunjing who was standing on the steps.
A total of fifteen or six young men were cheering for the battle in the center. Those who threw pots, those who admired flowers, and the ladies who were playing around also gathered around to watch the fun. Miss Wen Si, Wen Qi, stepped forward to join in the competition.
Chu Wei was listening on the sidelines. Hearing that he wanted to ask for a reward from his sister, he quickly interrupted worriedly: "The princess doesn't like to wear hairpin rings. This time she is asking for a reward. I am afraid that my sister will be dressed up today."
Some hairpins are gone!"
Everyone looked at each other and said yes again and again. She had a smile in her eyes, then she touched the back of her neck with her hands and took off the large string of pearls around her neck: "This string of Mermaid Tears from the East China Sea is my dowry, and it will be my gift today!"
"
Aunt An put a whole string of pearl necklaces of even sizes on a color plate and took them to the audience. Everywhere she went, women looked at them in surprise.
"This Mermaid's Tears from the East China Sea is the most precious pearl in the world. It is said that the Mermaid's Tears from the East China Sea turn pink. Pearls of this size and color are probably even rarer. The Princess is really a generous person!" Mrs. Wenhou said with joy.