Chapter 165 Dragon Boat Festival

Winter clothes were replaced with padded jackets, and padded jackets were replaced with single-layer clothes.

Time flies, and the Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner. The weather is also getting warmer.

Shangguan Jin calculated that she had been here for almost a year.

Thinking back on this year, apart from managing to produce a Spring Festival Gala, it seems like I haven't achieved anything significant.

Even so, Shangguan Jin had more money in her hands.

It's not just pearls and gemstones.

When Shen Zhong returned to deliver the Dragon Boat Festival gift to Marquis Changsheng, he secretly handed Shangguan Jin a small box.

It was full of silver notes.

It amounted to a full 100,000 taels...

The four major money exchanges accept genuine products; all items are authentic.

Shangguan Jin was startled.

Her first thought was whether Shen Huaichen had betrayed his country and made a fortune in the North...

Fortunately, Shen Zhong exonerated Shen Huaichen in time, telling him not to worry, as the Duke had said he would return before the winter solstice.

Shangguan Jin was finally relieved.

Then he happily put the banknotes away.

Buying a villa costs money, you know! Also, Shen Qingyue is getting older, so we need to prepare more dowry.

There are also three sons and one daughter below, who all require money...

With money in her pocket, Shangguan Jin was no longer worried and happily went about her business.

Before the Dragon Boat Festival, Shangguan Jin sent out all the festival gifts to various prefectures.

At the same time, she was very satisfied with the return gifts from each of the various mansions to the Duke of Guo's mansion.

In particular, the festival gifts sent from the palace were double the amount of those sent in previous years.

Of course, the Seventh Prince was also keeping an eye on the preparations made by the Imperial Household Department.

"Mother, are you really going to Bao'en Temple to offer incense with Madam Huangfu tomorrow?" Shen Qingyue asked while preparing things.

Shangguan Jin looked at the prepared items and simply nodded.

"Of course I'll go. I made that promise when I had tea with Madam Huangfu a few days ago."

If both families go together, they'll have company no matter what they do.

What's wrong? Don't you want to go? Miss Wanli is going too.

Your grandmother went too.

Shen Qingyue didn't want to go at all.

Ever since that time when she went to the Duke of Qi's mansion to pay her respects and met the wife of the Marquis of Changsheng, Shangguan Jin and Madam Huangfu have been seeing each other more often.

Gradually, Madam Huangfu and Madam Shen were able to find common ground in their conversations.

Both officials were military men, so they had much more to say than others.

Of course, there is another reason.

The Marquis of Changsheng's family was concerned about the marriage of their third young master.

Shangguan Jin was also secretly worried about Shen Qingyue's marriage.

The two governments have developed a habit of frequently meeting at teahouses to share their troubles.

Initially, Madam Huangfu did indeed want to test Shangguan Jin's ideas.

But when Shangguan Jin didn't respond, he let it go.

She also knew that perhaps they had their own plans!

......

Outside the main hall of Bao'en Temple, Shangguan Jin and Madam Huangfu walked slowly side by side.

Enjoy the scenery on both sides of the road as you walk.

The servants followed at a distance.

Madam Shen had already taken Madam Huangfu to find the abbot to interpret the divination slips.

"Madam Shen, didn't I ask Young Master Lian to inquire about the second young lady of the Marquis of Wanping's family the other day?" Madam Huangfu whispered to Shangguan Jin.

"The second young lady of the Marquis of Wanping's mansion?"

Is that the exceptionally talented, filial, and humble second young lady who voluntarily stayed at a Taoist temple for two years to pray for her grandmother's well-being?

Shangguan Jin immediately uttered the most widely circulated saying.

Lady Huangfu gave a soft hum.

See, even Madam Shen was fooled!

Therefore, you can't trust what matchmakers say.

What kind of extraordinary talent is that! Just because you can paint a few pictures or play a musical instrument, does that mean you have extraordinary talent?

What's most infuriating is his filial piety and humility; he even went to a Taoist temple to pray for his grandmother for two years...

She had secretly developed feelings for her distant cousin, and after engaging in clandestine affairs, she committed a wrong act and was sent to a Taoist temple...

The thought of Prime Minister Xu's wife arranging such a match for her third son made Madam Huangfu furious.

They're even scheming to win over others—they've even set their sights on the Marquis of Changsheng's mansion!

"You should be more careful in the future. You can't trust what matchmakers say. Even official matchmakers are just two-faced and only talk for money."

If it weren't for Young Master Lian helping us gather information this time!

"We might just suffer in silence!" Madam Huangfu said meaningfully.

What else could Shangguan Jin not understand?

There's probably something fishy going on here.

"You're right. We usually stay in the mansion, how would we know what's going on in other people's lives!"

"If I hadn't gone to the teahouse, I wouldn't have known that so many mansions were actually filthy and smelly; they were just well-covered up," Shangguan Jin added.

Lady Huangfu nodded in agreement.

"Yes, if it weren't for Young Master Lian's connections keeping an eye on things for us, we would have suffered a lot of losses in silence!"

I've made up my mind. I must have Young Master Lian inquire about the marriages of my two daughters.

We can't just believe whatever others say.

Shangguan Jin smiled.

Great, that's what she thinks too...

Hmm, it seems she's given Lian Qianli something to do again.

If even a thousand miles away, one could compile a list of unmarried or single young men in the capital.

Please rank them, or rather, list their strengths and weaknesses...

This should be very popular in each of the prefectures!

The rankings are updated monthly and may change.

Of course, the royal family does not participate in the rankings...

This business deal can't be bad, right?

The more Shangguan Jin thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

Isn't this more useful than that kid Lian Qianli staying in his room writing stories all day?

......

"Hey, Ta Yun, what are you doing here? Young Master's here too?"

Just as Shangguan Jin was having a good time, she saw Lady Huangfu beside her call out to a servant who was hurrying down the mountain.

"Reporting to Madam, the young master instructed me to go to Taoyuan Pavilion to buy some freshly baked pastries for the old lady to try." The servant hurriedly stopped and knelt down.

"Where is the Third Young Master?" Madam Huangfu asked hurriedly.

"They've gone to see the old lady," the servant hurriedly said.

Lady Huangfu smiled, not forgetting to show off.

“This child has been close to the old lady since he was little. Now that he’s back, he can’t get enough of seeing her every day.”

"That's because the Third Young Master is filial. Alright, let's go shopping. The children have their own things to do."

Lady Huangfu always thought the maple leaves at Bao'en Temple were the most beautiful.

I never expected this bamboo grove to have such a unique charm!

"Yes, people say that Bao'en Temple has four different scenic views throughout the year, each one different..."

Madam Shen, let's go that way, the scenery is more beautiful there..."

On the path behind Bao'en Temple, Shen Qingyue carefully watched Hua Wanli rolling her eyes and Huangfu Ruolang looking helpless.

These two are definitely up to something!

It's a major event that I'm still unaware of.