After returning home, Gu Ting couldn't contain himself and wanted to send an invitation to the Hanlin Academy.

It was the second master who stopped him, saying, "My son, use your brain. They're still angry."

If you barge in at this crucial moment, they'll still be seething with anger, and you'll suffer a great loss.

Gu Ting then abandoned the idea, slamming his pen on the table. "So when would be a suitable time?"

The second master smiled and said, "Let's wait a few more months. I really don't believe they won't acknowledge their daughter."

Once you've coaxed your daughter-in-law into going back home and crying, everything will be easier to discuss.

Gu Ting suddenly realized, "Oh, so that's how it is!"

Yang Yiniang also came over to Xiuxia Courtyard, eager to see what was happening.

The father and son turned around and saw her. Before they could even greet her, they heard her ask, "How much dowry did the young lady from the Earl's mansion bring?"

Upon learning the amount of the dowry, it turned out that there were only three chests of silk fabrics, gold and silver jewelry—so little?

Wait, putting all that aside, why are there so few banknotes, estates, and shops—things that can generate money?

Aunt Yang's face fell with displeasure. "Is this all? Even the daughter of a fourth-rank official receives more than this as dowry. Could there be a mistake?"

The second master glanced at her and said, "Don't cause trouble. Ting'er's official position is the most important thing."

Aunt Yang picked up a handkerchief and slapped her forehead, "I forgot, I forgot!" But as soon as she put the handkerchief down, her thoughts turned to the dowry Xu Shaoqing had brought. "Was there really no mistake?"

……………………

Wang Yan was taking a sip of wine, which her brother had sent on the orders of the Third Young Master to be delivered to each courtyard.

Two days ago, the Third Young Master got married. Since he works at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, there was no shortage of alcohol.

At his wedding banquet two days ago, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices instructed his subordinates to send "Huangfeng Wine," a wine that is only brewed within the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

After brewing, it was sealed with yellow silk and was exclusively for the emperor to drink, or reserved by the emperor to reward his subordinates.

Of course, the wine he sent to Gu Ting didn't include the yellow silk, but it was still the same wine.

Whether it was the wine the emperor himself drank or the wine he bestowed upon his subordinates, Wang Yan would always have a couple of sips.

Of course, she couldn't drink it in big gulps, but taking a couple of sips was fine. Aunt Sun gave her a small wine cup and chopsticks, telling her to just dip the wine in and taste it.

But Wang Yan insisted on taking a sip, only then could she taste the flavor.

I spat it out after just one sip. What kind of imperial wine is this? It's nowhere near as good as rose syrup.

I quickly ate two pieces of cantaloupe to calm down the urge.

With this wine, Aunt Sun taught Wang Yan how to make a fermented rice drink called "Fragrant Honeydew Melon".

I brought out a jar of plum wine and mixed it with spring water in a 1:1 ratio. I boiled the plum wine, added a large amount of crushed honeydew melon juice and a dozen drops of this "yellow-sealed wine," and boiled it for a few more breaths.

Then let the cooked wine cool and pour it over the sliced ​​cantaloupe.

It has a refreshingly sweet and slightly spicy taste, and with two pieces of crushed ice, it's incredibly cool.

Wang Yan handed the wine to her sister Qingqian and presented it to her. As expected, she received two silver bracelets, one of which she gave to Aunt Sun.

Both of them were overjoyed. In the evening, Qingqian and the others also came to ask for a pot of tea to take back to their room to drink.

While Wang Yan was cooking wine for them, Guilan, who served the third young mistress of Moyuan Courtyard, came over to ask for spicy strips.

Qingqian frowned upon hearing this. At this moment, all the maids and servants in the courtyards had finished their shifts and were eating.

Why did they have to come at this exact moment to order Aunt Sun to make spicy strips?

Even the second wife wouldn't act like this. If she wanted to pick up the crispy rice strips, she would wait until tomorrow to make them before delivering them.

"My dear sister, unfortunately, these past two days Aunt Sun has been busy preparing meals for the lady of the house and hasn't had time to bother making this. So the kitchen is currently out of ingredients."

Before Qingqian could speak, Wang Yan politely declined.

Guilan looked her up and down and saw that her clothes and appearance indicated she was just a third-class maid, and she felt disdainful.

She was used to being arrogant in the Earl's mansion, and the Third Miss was favored.

Apart from the few first-class maids around the Countess, even the second- and third-class maids had to fawn over her.

He frowned as a young maid refuted his words, "It's time to go off duty now, and the First Madam has already had dinner."

"The kitchen lady's got nothing better to do anyway. If you need any ingredients, just run to the main kitchen. I need these snacks today."

She pointed a finger directly at Chunyan, while Qingqian watched the whole thing. How dare a mere maid from a concubine's son's quarters act so arrogantly before the First Madam?

He sneered twice, said nothing more, and went straight up and slapped the girl twice.

“That little brat who’s not disciplined enough has been running wild in the madam’s courtyard. If she continues to be so arrogant, we’ll have to report her to Steward Sun and have her sold off.”

Guilan covered her face, never expecting to actually be slapped in the face. She kicked over the tea stove and ran away crying.

Wang Yan glanced at Gui Lan, who had run off into the distance, then turned to look at Qing Qian, her heart pounding with anxiety. "Won't Madam punish my sister later?"

Qingqian smiled and said, "She's really putting on airs in the main courtyard. If we give her a little respect, it would be disrespectful to the madam."

I looked at the overturned stove again, and thankfully the melon wine I was cooking was brought down.

"Keep the stove as it is. If she really goes back and makes false accusations, let that third young mistress come and see what really happened."

As soon as Guilan ran back, she went to find her young mistress. She put down the handkerchief she had been covering her face, which was now red and swollen.

"The maid of the first wife is too arrogant. She just went to beg for some snacks, and she couldn't even get enough."

The maid was the one who got beaten. The young lady had only been in the manor for a few days, and a mere maid dared to treat her so disrespectfully.

"It's one thing to slap me in the face, but isn't this a way to give the young lady a hard time?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Shaoqing felt a surge of anger and was about to take Guilan to confront them.

Gui Xiang had just gone to the kitchen to make tea when she came in and saw that the two of them looked angry, so she asked a question.

After listening, he frowned and looked at Guilan, "You silly girl, did you exaggerate what you said?"

Guilan's eyes darted around. "Sister, why do you have to misunderstand me like this? I didn't do anything wrong."

But her voice sounded weak, and Gui Xiang's face darkened as she spoke sharply.

“Say it again! Not a single word can be added, not a single word can be omitted. Start from the beginning.”

Guilan had no choice but to recount the whole story again, this time without daring to hide anything, including the incident of kicking over the tea stove.

After hearing this, Gui Xiang let out a long sigh of relief, stared at Gui Lan for a moment, and made her lower her head.

Then she came over and patiently comforted the young lady, "Young mistress, have you made up your mind?"

Although it was wrong of the First Madam's maid to slap her, it was Guilan who started the trouble first.

It's really not a good idea to reprimand them harshly; perhaps I should try to smooth things over.

Xu Shaoqing wouldn't listen. Although Guilan was wrong to begin with, she secretly felt that what Guilan said was also true.

Hitting Guilan was a blatant slap in the face to Xu Shaoqing as well.

She was pampered at home and even her mother's wet nurse was always coaxed, so how could she possibly swallow this insult?

She wouldn't listen to a word Gui Xiang said and took Gui Lan with her to get to the bottom of things.

Gui Xiang couldn't dissuade them, but she had no choice but to follow along. If those two really did something foolish, then she could get Han to intervene.

Qingqian had originally harbored some hope that the Third Young Mistress might be reasonable, but she might as well bring her maid to support her.