Chapter 47: A Full House

The end of the month coincided with Yanru's birthday, and the auspicious date for the housewarming was also around that time. Yanru, after repeatedly prodding Xue Jia, took the opportunity to invite their usual drinking buddies to Daiyuan for a grand celebration. The couple hit it off immediately, and with Wang Xianyi's approval, they prepared a pile of red paper and began writing the invitations.

The adoptive father is the first to be invited; Li Yanei and Shao Yanei are descendants of old ministers and nobles, and they are the leaders of everyone's daily eating, drinking and having fun, so they must be invited; the sons of several prominent businessmen must also be invited, otherwise how can we do business in the future; since the adoptive father is coming, there are three or two celebrities who are on good terms with the adoptive father, so they should also be invited... Yanru and Xue Jia wrote head to head, eloquently, for most of the day, and were busy until nightfall, with only two blank posts left.

Yanru was in a dilemma: "Have we invited everyone we should? Who should I invite with these two invitations?"

Xue Jia suggested, "Invite the young lady from the Wen family. You two were quite close at Guanyan Academy, weren't you? I haven't seen you around her for a long time since you got married. After all, she's here to celebrate your birthday, so why not invite her over?"

Yanru looked at Xue Jia warily, as if trying to detect any ill intentions in his expression. During the days when Xue Jia's relationship with her shifted from ambiguity to marriage, he was fickle and unfocused, keeping her in suspense while pursuing Wen Yue. Wen Yue even told Yanru that "the green tent and green carriage don't seem to be his", which almost made her lose this good marriage. It was hard to say whether Wen Yue and Xue Jia were innocent. Even though they were married, they couldn't be allowed to meet. Yanru rolled her eyes and found an ambiguous reason: "Forget it, she probably had to go to school that day."

Xue Jia said, "And then there's Zheng Sirui! She definitely needs to be invited. Besides, Shao Yanei has always wanted to meet her and has mentioned it several times. I think he wants to be her lover. On your birthday this time, I don't believe she'll use the excuse of being a dish that men despise to avoid coming."

Yanru said, "Don't. Think about it. The guests that day are all the true dignitaries of the capital, princes, and celebrities! Si Rui is only a fifth-rank official. They've already laughed at her low rank at the Shao Mansion's villa. Oh, if we invite her now, people will laugh at us for associating with a mid-level official. We're so low-class, and they won't even invite us to play with us anymore. What will we do? Shao Yanei is interested in pursuing Rui Rui. If you want to please him, don't make a big deal about it. I heard he's already engaged, and the wedding will be before the end of the year. His future in-laws are very powerful, and we can't afford to offend them. You understand?" After she finished speaking, she added to herself, "Rui Rui has always been prettier than me. Although she's been so busy with official duties these days and hasn't rested much, she's swollen and haggard, and her face and figure have changed a little, she's still a real beauty. When she arrives, everyone will be thinking about her, staring at her. How can they even remember who I am, You Yanru? My good day, my big day, must not be upstaged."

Xue Jia exclaimed that what his wife said was absolutely right. He suggested that the remaining two invitations should be given to Wang Xianyi, and he should ask his mother to invite two of her close friends to show her filial piety.

At this time, Shanjuan knocked on the door and brought in a large bag of things: "Madam, Lord Zheng's mansion sent someone to deliver some things, saying they are for you."

Yanru asked Shanjuan to open it, revealing five or six new books. Flipping through them, she found a collection of books on arithmetic and antiques. Shanjuan relayed the words of the book-giver: "Master Zheng said that learning should never stop. These books were obtained by her colleagues. Madam, you will be managing the pawnshop in the future. Reading these books will be helpful for you."

Yanru snorted, "You know I don't like reading, so why send me books? You might as well send me two boxes of good rouge so I can use it when I go to the pawnshop. Okay, okay, I got it, you can leave now." Shanjuan responded and was about to leave when Yanru called her back, "Hey, wait, is the person who brought the books still here?"

Shanjuan said, "She's still waiting outside the courtyard. She's waiting for my reply before she leaves."

Yanru pointed to the dressing table. "Go, there are two small white porcelain bottles on my desk. They were given to me by Shopkeeper Meng's wife a few days ago. Tell him to take them back to his master. Tell her to use them to smooth her face every day when she wakes up, before going to bed, and after washing up. Using both bottles together will help remove acne and moisturize her skin. Also, there's a small, round box like this in her dressing table. Take that too. Her hands get dry and cracked in the winter, so tell her to apply it well. Apply it every day after washing her hands. Do you understand? Remember it!"

"I'll remember." Shanjuan immediately went to look for it, took the things, and quietly retreated. Yanru watched her leave and thought to herself: "This girl looks honest and doesn't like to talk. But why do I always feel that she is holding something bad in her heart?"

They waited anxiously, holding the almanac and counting the days for many days, hoping and hoping, Yanru and Xue Jia finally officially moved into Daiyuan.

Although Daiyuan was beautiful, apart from the areas used for banquets and entertaining guests, the only areas suitable for actual living were the four courtyards—Zhufang Courtyard, Chucui Studio, Yingyu Hall, and Biyou Pavilion. Yanru most wanted to move into Zhufang Courtyard; it was the largest, with many flowers and beautiful scenery. It also had a high platform from which one could take in the entire Daiyuan. Xue Jia stopped her, saying, "This courtyard is not good."

Yanru was surprised: "What's wrong?"

Xue Jia hesitated for a long time before finally farting loudly. "Bad feng shui. This place is closest to the pond, and the fortune teller said it's not a good year for me to live too close to the water. This is too close to the banquet hall in front. If we entertain guests any day, you won't even be able to take a nap in peace."

Yanru was puzzled: "No way? This yard faces north and south, isn't the feng shui good enough?"

Xue Jia said, "What do you know? All you know is to sit south and face north. You're not a master. Anyway, I won't live here. If you want to live here, just go ahead. I'll live in Chucui Zhai next door. It's nice there, with lots of bamboo. I love eating bamboo shoots and looking at bamboo."

Bah, I don’t understand? You understand best! Chucui Zhai is decorated in a clean and elegant style, and only the truly refined people will really like it. A big fool like you who only knows how to pretend to be cultured, and only knows how to eat bamboo shoots when you see bamboo, you know nothing! However, Xue Jia used to love to take advantage of the best. When someone scooped a pot of water for him, he would want to use the whole pool to wash himself. He left the best courtyard empty and went to live in Chucui Zhai. I guess some master must have had his fortune told. It doesn’t matter. Anyway, Zhufangyuan is still Chucui Zhai, and they will all be hers in the future. She just doesn’t sleep here, but it’s not like she can’t go there to play. Let’s just listen to Xue Jia for now.

So, the couple was overjoyed and moved all their luggage and belongings into Chucui Zhai, and concentrated on preparing for the next day's banquet to welcome the many guests.

In winter, people often met guests in halls with a wide view. Since it hadn't snowed recently, Yanru, seeing the rare sunshine, opted for a spot outdoors, near a pond, nestled between rockery and plum blossoms. She had the servants move the table there. She surveyed the surrounding area, feeling the abundance of plum blossoms was a bit monotonous. She then arranged for a green pine tree to complement the white plum blossoms, enriching the scene with color. To show off her wealth, she found a large amount of silverware, polished it to a shine, and used it as tableware. She also had the servants cut a few plum blossoms that were in good condition and placed them in the center of the dining table. Stovetops were lit on either side of the table for warmth.

After sprucing up the venue, she busied herself with her own attire. More than two years ago, when she met Ji Mingxiu's wife, despite being humiliated and humiliated, Yanru felt no regrets. Instead, she felt that Qi Fengning's attire, demeanor, and aura all satisfied her most intuitive, superficial, and iconic image of a noblewoman. She envied everything about Qi Fengning: her truly distinguished family, her truly immense wealth, her position as the headmistress of the Ji Mansion. Over time, this jealousy had even led her to harbor a vague desire to emulate her. Now, the tide had turned, and now, having arrived at my house and become the eldest lady herself, she was quick to act, combing her hair like Qi Fengning's back then, with a similarly styled beaded bun. Unfortunately, she wasn't as pretty as Qi Fengning, and her head was a bit large and flat, so she had to wear a headband to cover it, which made her appear younger and cuter than Qi Fengning back then.

As noon approached, guests arrived one after another, and the quiet garden gradually became lively. Yanru and Xue Jia, the hosts, donned their finest attire and stood radiantly by the pond to welcome the guests. Yanru unwrapped the gifts presented to her in front of everyone, exclaiming with a playful flourish, "Wow! So beautiful! Thank you! Wow! I'm so, so happy!" Afterward, without asking anyone to put them away, she piled them in the most conspicuous spot. If they were expensive or large, she opened them and placed them in the front. If they were simply for fun and novelty, difficult to unpack and price, she sealed them and tucked them away in the back, using the boxes to create a lively atmosphere. This one was a coral bead, that one was a golden ruyi (a traditional Chinese slang for "ruyi"), you gave me a golden cup, I gave me a white jade plate... Before they knew it, the pile had formed a small, miniature hill.

Xue Jia invited a troupe of southern opera performers to sit in a pavilion by the pond. With a wave of his hand, the actors began to sing. Everyone arrived, and when the banquet began, the guests sat down. The wine cups were full, and the aroma in the cups was rich, even more fragrant than plum blossoms. There were two pots of soup with Xishi tongue, three plates of Zhaojun duck, and four plates of Guifei chicken. Six bowls of Diao Chan tofu were prepared, as well as Zhang Zhongjing's mutton ears, Cao Cao's catfish soup, Du Fu's five-willow fish for his friends, and Zong Ze's ham presented to Emperor Gaozong of Song... The Xue family was lavish with endless delicacies from land and sea. As they drank and chatted, they expressed endless congratulations. They played the harp and the flute, and sang with joy. The wine cup facing Yanru, the wine in the east fell, the wine in the west rose again, and the wine in the south was dealt with. The wine in the north felt that she had ignored him. He praised Yanru for her beauty and nobility, worthy of the honor of the goddess of painting. She envied Yanru for having such a good husband. The adults wished Yanru to have a son soon, and the children wished Yanru to be beautiful forever...

The birthday girl, Yanru, smiled a smile even rosier than a longevity peach bun. After several rounds of drinking, she was already drunk and wanted to go out for some fresh air and some peace and quiet. As she was about to leave, she looked around the table and noticed someone was missing. She patted Xue Jia and said, "Why are mother, godfather, and another adult missing?"

Xue Jia toasted and took the opportunity to whisper: "They said it was noisy here, and it seemed like they were drinking tea in Zhu Fangyuan."

Yanru felt awkward, thinking to herself: I can't even live here, and you guys are going in to drink tea? She wiped the remaining wine from her mouth with a handkerchief, threw it away, and said, "I'm a little drunk. I'm going outside to get some fresh air and sober up."

Taking advantage of the chaos, Yanru slipped away laughingly. The two noble ladies who were farthest from her were picking up food and gossiping. Seeing Yanru leave, the surrounding noise was noisy, so they were not afraid of being overheard. The one wearing pearls said to the one wearing jade:

"This vegetable is delicious, and their garden is well built. But..."

The lady wearing the jadeite smiled. "I know what my lady meant to say. The garden is truly elegant, but it's a pity that the banquet is pretentious, even a little tacky. It doesn't seem like it was arranged by the same person."

The lady wearing pearls said, "It turns out I'm not the only one who thinks so."

The lady wearing jade said, "Isn't it obvious? Look, just take the dining bowls and plates. Their table is set up outside, surrounded by pavilions and waterside terraces, sheltered from the elements. They usually use lacquerware that's half-worn or deliberately aged, pursuing a simple and natural aesthetic, blending the scenery with the emotions and the emotions with the scenery. They're using porcelain, which is understandable, but using silver, and polishing it so brightly, is probably just a way of showing off. It's a bit vulgar."

The lady wearing pearls agreed, "Indeed, this flower arrangement is also very... interesting. As the saying goes, for vases, use copper in spring and winter, and porcelain in summer and autumn. She uses gold and jade vases to arrange plum blossoms. Hmm... It seems she only knows the value of gold and jade, but doesn't know the difference between precious copper and cheap gold and silver."

The other party continued, "That's right. If you do that, the charm of the plum blossom will be gone. Well, forget it, let's eat. Maybe they just like it this way and don't care about our things, hahaha."

Yanru left on her own, feeling elated. Zhufang Courtyard wasn't far away, and she wandered over, wanting to climb the high platform to see how different it would be if she were to withdraw from the bustle and see the bustle from above. Just as she passed through the bamboo fence, she saw a maid carrying a wooden tray with a pot of wine and two small dishes on it. She was about to leave the courtyard, presumably to deliver food to her adoptive father Xue Jia. Yanru suddenly became angry: "I'm the best at serving old men. I didn't get to meet and talk to my adoptive father last time at the pawnshop, so this time I'll ask for a favor, so he'll treat me better and give me more benefits in the future!"

Yanru went over, put on a sour face, and asked the maid to give her the tray, and she would go and deliver it herself. After taking the tray, Yanru walked gracefully to the door, and heard a voice from inside:

"Unfortunately, the person we were planning to send in was too stupid. He ate without even wiping his mouth clean, and something unexpected happened."

"It's okay. I've seen the test papers and this person is just average. She comes from an ordinary family and doesn't have anyone backing her up, so she won't cause any trouble. That person wrote excellent policy essays. They were originally planning to send her to the Censorate, but luckily I've seen her paper."

"Haha! Your Excellency is wise and far-sighted!"

Yanru lowered her voice and put on the kind of gentle and innocent smile that old men loved the most. Just as she was about to knock on the door frame, a strange sound came from behind, scolding her harshly:

"You Yanru, what are you doing here!"

【Breaking News】: I look forward to your comments, and I hope more families will support Shiya~

Reflecting on my own experiences, this chapter is quite moving. Yanru and Zheng Sirui's friendship begins to undergo a qualitative shift. Although Yanru still treats Zheng Sirui well, remembering her hand care in winter and sending her skincare products, it's ultimately not the same as before. I wonder if, in the future, when Yanru reminisces about the past and cherishes this birthday at Daiyuan, where she was the center of attention after her marriage, she will also remember the time when, at sixteen, her best friend, whom she had saved, secretly spent all her money in the academy's warm room to give her an ordinary yet happy birthday?