Chapter 177
The carriage moved slowly along the road, with Shen Chu sitting respectfully beside Ying Xiang.
She wore light makeup, a blue brocade dress, and several pearl flowers of the same color in her hair. A pearl hairpin was also inserted in her hair bun. This outfit made her look pretty and charming.
Today is the wedding banquet of Luo Erlang, the youngest son of Shen Chu's aunt.
If relatives have absolutely no contact with each other, people will inevitably gossip about them.
When she got married, her aunt and uncle also went to her parents' home for the wedding banquet. On the day she returned to her parents' home, her stepmother showed her the guest list for that day.
In the future, it will be necessary to reciprocate with courtesy. Wealthy families value etiquette, and Yingxiang knows this. She has been back in the capital for some time now, and this is her first time attending a banquet.
She dresses herself in a very mature and composed manner. It doesn't matter at home, but she still has to be careful when going out.
The Luo family was considered a prominent and wealthy family. Their ancestors had already prospered. Although they were not a noble family, their descendants held high-ranking official positions in the court.
"Please sit down, please sit down."
After Yingxiang got off the carriage, she let Chunyu support her; at this moment, she couldn't afford not to maintain a proper demeanor.
Looking out from the sidelines, one could see that there were quite a few guests in front of the large Luo residence. The large lions at the entrance were wrapped in red cotton cloth, and the whole mansion looked festive.
"aunt."
"Chu Yatou is here. This must be your mother-in-law."
Madam Shen, the eldest wife of the Luo family and also Shen Chu's aunt, is not young but well-maintained. Today is her son's wedding banquet, and she is all smiles, looking poised and elegant.
"Grandma, this is my aunt."
Yingxiang nodded, and the two greeted each other. She could have chosen not to come, but the invitation clearly stated that she was invited, so it would be impolite not to.
“Chu girl, I think your mother-in-law is quite nice. I was a little worried at first, but now I see that she doesn’t seem like a village woman at all.”
Yingxiang was ushered in and seated first. Madam Luo then privately pulled Chen Chu aside and said a few words to her.
“My mother-in-law is really good to me. She has never made me stand in a proper manner to serve her, and she never puts on airs. She only asks me to greet her on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month. She doesn’t make things difficult for me on other days.”
"My husband is doing well too, focusing on his studies."
Newly married women initially live under the care of their mothers-in-law. If they encounter a vulgar and unreasonable woman, it can be truly unbearable, and they can't even express their suffering.
Why? Because filial piety is of paramount importance.
"This family has a shallow background, but it's good that they understand things. This marriage is still unfair to you. Your father has gone too far. It's a pity that your grandmother is no longer here, but now that you're married, your aunt can say whatever she wants. After the banquet, I'll have someone bring you some things. Take them back and keep them safe."
People came and went in the courtyard. After all, they were aunt and niece, so most people didn't say anything.
Shen Chu's mother was somewhat unconventional, but she had grown up under her grandmother's care since childhood, which many people knew. Her stepmother had also brought her out many times before, so many people knew about her character.
She was a good girl, but unfortunately, her father was thinking something and insisted on marrying her off to someone of lower social standing.
“Your mother and I don’t get along very well either. Since your grandmother passed away, it’s not convenient for me to go back often. Now that you’re married, things are a bit better. Come visit your aunt more often in the future.”
"good."
"Go and sit down first."
After Yingxiang was led to her seat, she didn't recognize many of the women sitting next to her, so they sat quietly without saying a word.
The Luo family is truly powerful; this banquet hall alone is quite large.
Not long after, Master Shen's wife, Shen Chu's stepmother, arrived with her two daughters.
Yingxiang sat with her.
"It's been quite a while since Chu Yatou got married. Today, I'm meeting my in-laws. Has my daughter been well-behaved and obedient in your home?"
Lady Bo always liked to put on airs and act high and mighty in public, and today was no exception. She looked at Yingxiang with a smile, as if she had no airs at all, and her whole demeanor was very calm.
They did not look down on people based on their social status, even in public, with many people sitting nearby.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Yingxiang with curiosity.
Before the marriage, the parents of both families had met, but it was Wen Shi who went, and Ying Xiang had never been to the Earl's Mansion. Wen Shi did not ask her to come to propose marriage in person, but instead found a matchmaker.
Yingxiang smiled and then said, "This girl is very filial and polite. She serves me morning and night. She is a good child. Your in-laws have raised her very well."
Shen Chu sat to the side without saying a word, her expression remaining unchanged upon hearing these words.
The aunt's smile widened.
"That's good. My daughter has been virtuous since she was little."
Ultimately, she is a daughter of the Shen family. If she is praised by her mother-in-law in public, it will be said that the Shen family has good upbringing, which will definitely be beneficial for the two younger children's future marriage arrangements.
Some people had a stereotypical view of Yingxiang, thinking she was vulgar and could never be presentable, even Aunt Shen thought so.
I wanted to send a separate message to my niece, but I was afraid that my mother-in-law wouldn't let her come out, so to be on the safe side, I invited Yingxiang to come along.
Having spent over ten years away from home with Wen Shi, Ying Xiang was no stranger to the world. The two of them had both changed quite a bit as they had worked their way up.
"It's all thanks to my in-laws' good upbringing. They must have put in a lot of effort for this daughter."
After Yingxiang finished speaking, Madam Bo smiled, becoming much warmer, and the contempt in her heart disappeared considerably.
She secretly observed Yingxiang's every move; it wasn't particularly outstanding, but it certainly wasn't vulgar or rude.
He glanced at Chen Chu from time to time. She looked quite well. It seemed that she was doing well after getting married, otherwise she wouldn't be in this state now.
The two biological daughters sitting next to her actually looked down on Yingxiang, but in public, they had to put on an act. The Shen family daughters had a good reputation, so they could marry into a higher social class.
Locally, Yingxiang has hosted banquets and participated in some.
She was confident and not afraid of the stage. At this moment, she was very glad that she made that decision and learned something from her two knowledgeable mothers.
She knows the basics and won't embarrass herself when going out. She can greet people and talk to them without making any mistakes.
Whether it's drinking tea, wine, or eating pastries, one can be quite elegant, if not perfectly graceful.
Her two mothers had told her many stories about wealthy families and banquets in the capital, so she wasn't too shocked to actually attend such a celebration today. She could talk to people calmly without revealing her ignorance.
"It's all as I should do. These daughters are the apple of their mother's eye. I hope they are doing well day and night."
Lady Bo married into the family when Shen Chu was very young. She is Shen Chu's rightful mother both inside and outside the family, but nowadays she usually lives with her father.
Yingxiang picked up a cup of tea with a smile, took a sip, and nodded with a smile.
When the auspicious time arrived, the wedding banquet was very grand, and it was a marriage between people of equal social standing.
With a constant stream of delicious food and fine wine, Yingxiang did not overindulge. Even with the finest wine, she had not completely neglected to eat well over the years, so she would not indulge in a feast.
Chen Chu sat beside her, silent, just quietly watching the elders talk.
In the evening, after the banquet ended, Yingxiang glanced at Chenchu and then said, "I'll get in the carriage and wait for you. When you see your family today, talk to them as much as you can."
As for who I'm with, that's up to me.
Yingxiang finished speaking and left, and Chenchu nodded.
Seeing that her aunt had some free time, she immediately went over with her maid.
"Why did you come here? I've already had your things put on the carriage for you."
“My mother-in-law said it’s rare for me to see my relatives, so she told me to talk to you more.”
Her relationship with her stepmother and stepsisters was only superficial. After her grandmother passed away, the only family member she truly missed was her aunt, who had taken good care of her since childhood.
"Today I see that your mother-in-law is a good person, and it's definitely not an act. Now that you're married, you should know what's most important."
"yes."
"I can't entertain you much today, I have a lot of things to do. You should go back first. In a few days, I'll find an excuse to send you an invitation, and we can talk things over in detail."
"good."
Yingxiang boarded the carriage and noticed several rather large boxes inside. She didn't ask any questions, but the servants immediately spoke up.
"It was a gift from Madam Luo to the young mistress."
Yingxiang nodded, and soon after, Chenchu boarded the carriage.
As the sun set and the Luo family guests gradually dispersed, Chen Chu and Ying Xiang sat in the carriage on their way home. She naturally saw the boxes as well, and felt mostly moved.
There are still people in this world who remember her.
A gentle breeze blew by, and Yingxiang looked out at the children playing on the street. Without further hesitation, she made up her mind to just do it.
After arriving home, Yingxiang went back to her own courtyard and told her to go back and rest well.
Knowing that her mother-in-law was not a good person, Chen Chu opened the boxes one by one after returning home.
Inside, besides some jewelry and clothing, there were also six hundred taels of silver notes, all given to her by her aunt.
She picked out a few items, intending to have them sent to Yingxiang as a sign of filial piety, but then she thought that her mother-in-law might not accept them.
Having spent a considerable amount of time together, she understood Yingxiang well.
It's hard to say about the rest of the Wen family, but she was truly excellent to her parents-in-law.
As for the other two older ones, she doesn't need to worry about them.
Not long after Yingxiang returned, one of the two maids she had arranged to serve Liu came to see her.
"What's wrong?"
Yingxiang had been relaxing on the cushions, but now she sat up. At today's banquet, she had to keep smiling and maintaining a composed demeanor. It would be impossible for her not to be tired.
“Madam, the old lady has been secretly using pills at night these past few days. I have been observing her for quite some time, and there is no mistake.”
Yingxiang was completely confused, but after the maid explained it to her, her expression changed.
However, we'll have to wait until Wenshi returns to discuss this further.
No wonder she's been so quiet lately; she's been taking some kind of elixir and really thinks she'll live a long life.
When Wen returned from his shift, after eating, drinking, and washing up, Yingxiang immediately invited him into the house and told him about how Liu had believed the immortal's words and taken elixirs.
Well, given the current environment, many people still believe it.
She thought it was poison, but she might not have thought so when she smelled it.
Wen Shi frowned, and without saying a word, went out to find Liu Shi. Had his mother really gone mad? He himself naturally did not believe in the idea of living to be a hundred years old.
"Mother, where are the pills?"
Liu sat on the couch, mimicking others' meditation posture. If it were any other son, she would have started scolding him, but seeing Wen Shi, she calmly exhaled.
"It's in my box."
Wen Shi quickly walked over, opened a small black box, and a strange smell wafted out. Looking at the small, dark dumplings inside, his expression turned very unpleasant.
I wanted to take this thing out and throw it away, but to my surprise, Liu immediately jumped off the bed.
"Third brother, what are you doing? Where are you taking Mother's elixir?"
Liu was hoping for an elixir to live to a ripe old age, but when she heard this, she knew in her heart that it was just the Taoist priest's lies.
Unfortunately, Liu believed in this very much.
"Lifespan is determined by fate, Mother. Eating this is useless for you and may even harm your health."
Hearing that the story was well-reasoned and that the woman seemed somewhat angry, Liu immediately became anxious.
"This was given to me by that immortal. He's very capable. He said before that you would be promoted and come back, and you really were. He also said that our Leqian would marry a good wife. Look, our Leqian married a wife from a wealthy family. He said that your mother's lifespan is not short, but it's not very long either. I need to use external nourishing pills to live to a hundred years old."
Liu believed this wholeheartedly and snatched back the so-called elixir.
"The immortal said that this elixir is for conditioning the body. As long as Mother moves around less, doesn't get angry, and takes good care of her body, she will definitely live to be a hundred years old and it won't harm her health."
Wen Shi was completely speechless. Just then, Old Man Wen from next door walked in.
Recently, he also felt that his wife was acting strangely. He had just stood at the door and listened carefully, and now he knew it was because of this.
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