Attending a banquet
The imperial edict has been officially issued regarding the Third Prince's marriage to the Princess of Shou'an County, and the entire capital of Mu is celebrating with unprecedented joy.
The wedding was set for the ninth day of the sixth lunar month, coinciding with midsummer, a day of great fortune and auspiciousness, a day when water and wood elements are in harmony. The old men of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices were ordered to carefully select the auspicious day for the Third Prince. Because of the Third Prince's noble status and the fact that he was the first prince of the dynasty to get married, the wedding was to be held with extra pomp and circumstance.
The banquet alone would last for three days, inviting all members of the imperial family, noble clans, high-ranking officials, generals, and court ladies. It was even rumored that envoys from foreign countries that were on good terms with Dayu would come to celebrate.
Furthermore, the Third Prince's bride was the Princess of Shou'an County, who was born to a Prince of the County, making her status even more prestigious than that of an ordinary prince's wife.
The emperor was overjoyed and not only decreed that Miao Yiyun could retain her title of Princess of Shou'an after the marriage, but also bestowed upon her the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady to show her great honor. On the very day the wedding was announced, the emperor granted a general amnesty and planned to hold a grand lantern festival in the capital city of Mu on an auspicious day.
Thus, the fact that the Third Prince was highly praised and favored by the Emperor became common knowledge; even on the streets, little children with pigtails would run around singing rhymes:
"...Your Highness, possessing both virtue and talent, your dragon-like bearing and phoenix-like grace are auspicious omens bestowed by heaven, bringing favorable weather and abundant harvests to the land..."
Everyone was waiting for the news that the Third Prince would enter the Eastern Palace and become the Crown Prince soon after the marriage.
Lin Xu, as the Third Prince's former classmate, was invited. Dou Zhen, who was still at Zhiqiong Hall, though only a nodding acquaintance of the Third Prince, also naturally received an invitation. In addition, the banquet was grand, with all officials of the fifth rank and above in the capital and military governors of various prefectures and counties invited. Therefore, Dou Huaisheng and Lin Fu would also naturally attend the banquet.
Lady Bai was worried, so she not only ordered someone to prepare the gift list several days in advance, but also repeatedly instructed Dou Zhen on her appearance and demeanor. On the day of the trip, she carefully checked Dou Zhen's clothes and jewelry, and gave her detailed instructions again and again before she was at ease.
"...At that time, in front of all the noble ladies, you must not lose your composure, nor show any weakness. If anyone asks you, just tell them the truth, and be sure to observe all the proper etiquette..."
Lin Xu sat quietly drinking tea to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dou Zhen wearing a soft, light silk robe with cloud and smoke patterns. Her hair was tied up in a low bun. Bai Shi rarely nagged, so she lowered her eyes and obediently responded, but a hint of worry was faintly revealed on her face.
Dou Zhen was personally raised by Lady Bai, and her manners and literary talent were cultivated from a young age with the best nannies and tutors. In addition, she was intelligent and quick-witted, earning the reputation of a talented woman at a young age. She usually accompanied the princess in the palace and was close to her, so she had seen all kinds of important occasions. How could her schedule have gone wrong?
Bai was clearly confused by his concern.
As expected, Dou Zhen nodded slightly, but her voice sounded somewhat tired. "Thank you for your teachings, Mother. Zhen'er has kept them firmly in mind."
Fu Lian, who was standing by her side, smiled and said, "Third Miss has been busy all day and just came back from studying in the palace to come see Madam. She listened carefully to Madam's instructions, so it's understandable that she is a little tired."
Madam Bai then touched her only daughter's hand again, feeling a pang of heartache. "Indeed. It's all my fault for being so nagging. Just remember these rules."
After speaking, she picked up the white jade teacup beside her, took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, and felt parched after giving so many instructions. Madam Bai knew in her heart that she had been a bit too hasty, but the Third Prince's wedding banquet was an occasion attended by all the court dignitaries; how could she not make proper arrangements and devise the best plan for her precious daughter!
The Dou family is now rising rapidly in status, and it seems Dou Huaisheng is about to secure the position of Minister, making the whole family even more proud and elated. In just over a month, Zhen'er will come of age, and by then, it will be too late to plan her marriage...
Zhen'er is of the highest caliber in both appearance and virtue, and is also exceptionally talented. As a companion to a princess, such a status is something that ordinary sons of officials can only dream of!
Bai Shi has always had very high standards. Back when the Dou family was still in its infancy, seeing that Dou Huaisheng's political career had made no progress over the years, she finally agreed to her eldest son's marriage to the Feng family.
Although the Feng family was extremely wealthy and a prominent family in the north, they were not comparable to the famous families in the Central Plains. At that time, she had no other choice and was also thinking about the Feng family's dowry, so she reluctantly agreed.
At that time... she only thought that the Feng family and Dou Huaisheng's ancestors were from the same hometown, which could bring him some help. Besides, Feng Daizhu was cheerful and easygoing, which made her happy. Over time, she suppressed her disappointment.
When it came to Dou Yanxun, although he was a lowly illegitimate son and his birth mother, Xia, was truly detestable, Lin Xu had made an exception and knelt to beg for the imperial decree, leaving no room for argument and forcing them to agree to the marriage. In her opinion, Lin Xu had a notorious reputation before marrying into the Dou family; even with a good family background, what did she deserve to enter the Dou family?
Therefore, Zhen'er's marriage... she must hold on to it firmly no matter what, as it concerns Zhen'er's lifelong happiness and the prosperity of the Dou family. She must plan carefully.
Now, Bai Shi was a familiar face among the noblewomen of Mujing City. While having tea with those ladies, she had long heard that although Miao Yiyun was a county princess, she was originally the daughter of a fallen prince, and only through the goodwill of the eldest princess was she granted the title of county princess, gradually achieving her current immense wealth. But in terms of appearance and talent alone…
Miao Yiyun is absolutely no match for Dou Zhen.
Although the Third Prince's marriage is now complete, isn't there still a Fifth Prince?
Since they are both of royal blood, and she was born to the late Consort, if they were to become a couple, Zhen'er would naturally enjoy wealth and status, and the Dou family would become relatives of the emperor...
Bai let out a silent sigh before turning to look at her second wife, who had been sitting at the lower end of the table, silently drinking her tea.
She paused for a moment, then spoke.
"I have already reviewed your gift list the other day. It is indeed a bit low-key, but there is nothing wrong with it. However, since you and the Third Prince were classmates, it would be a bit awkward if the gift list were too short. I will have Fuzhen add a pair of jadeite and gold inlaid jade ruyi for you from the storeroom."
Lin Xu looked up and met Bai Shi's gaze. She was quite old, and when she smiled, fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes, adding to her sharpness.
"Thank you, Mother. It's wonderful that you've taken care of everything for your daughter-in-law."
Lin Xu smiled, maintaining his usual humble and respectful demeanor.
Ever since Dou Yanxun issued that transfer order, even though Bai Shi was unwilling, she treated Lin Xu much more affectionately than before. Lin Xu was naturally aware of this, but he couldn't refuse Bai Shi's outward kindness, so he simply accepted it politely. Now, even his gift list was something Bai Shi insisted on seeing.
Lin Xu had no objection to this. Although she and the Third Prince were classmates, they didn't have much real friendship in the past. However, she hadn't forgotten that on the day she came of age, the Third Prince had come specially to give her a congratulatory gift, arriving at the Lin residence one after the other, along with Princess Kunrou.
We still have to express our gratitude.
Therefore, she had Zhou Qi find the best jade shops in the city and carefully select two jade ornaments, a Bixie and a Qilin, as well as a set of fine bluestone inkstones and a tung oil pine soot ink stick that shines when the paper is touched. The Third Prince was a man of great literary talent and loved reading poetry, so she also selected a copy of "Wenxin Diaolong" edited by Zhu Guanglong, a Grand Secretary of the current dynasty.
The purpose is not to value it, but simply to please the Third Prince.
The jade ruyi chosen by Bai was naturally exquisite and precious, but adding it to the gift list would only conflict with her existing preparations and would seem rather incongruous.
Lin Xu couldn't help but smile bitterly to herself. After observing for a long time, she could naturally see how much Bai Shi valued this banquet, and she could also see that Bai Shi seemed... still unable to suppress her thoughts about Dou Zhen's marriage.
So no matter what, she could only put these things aside and instead accelerated her own plans.
.
Before long, the day of the banquet arrived. The inner city was already heavily guarded by well-dressed soldiers, and all unauthorized personnel were prohibited from entering, all to protect the officials and nobles who were going to the palace for the banquet.
Lin Xu had finished washing and dressing early. Since it was a rare occasion to attend a banquet at the palace, she couldn't be impolite, so she naturally had to dress up. Granny Qin, whose skills were always the best, specially styled her hair into a dignified and elegant double-bun hairstyle, with a translucent red coral hairpin for good fortune and longevity piercing through the back of the bun. Now that she was a married woman, a more delicate and simple outfit would not be suitable for such a formal occasion; this elegant yet dignified style was appropriate.
Dou Huaisheng is now a high-ranking official and entered the palace through Chengtian Gate long ago. Presumably, his father did the same.
As fellow women, Lin Xu and Dou Zhen were to travel out of the mansion together by carriage. Although the journey was slow, they arrived before 3 PM.
This time, Lin Xu only brought her two personal maids, Zhu Ling and Rong Wei, with her, while Dou Zhen brought Yin'er and Pan'er. Although Yin'er often accompanied Dou Zhen to the palace, she was still somewhat intimidated by such a large procession. The maids were all trembling with fear, and having been repeatedly instructed by Madam Bai beforehand, they were naturally even more nervous and obedient, keeping their heads down and not daring to even look around.
Dou Zhen alighted from the carriage, wearing a light pink double-breasted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a light blue jacket over it. The hem of the jacket was embroidered with gold lotus blossoms, and a white jade pendant with mandarin ducks hung from her waist. Her full head of black hair shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and it was styled into a high bun with a golden phoenix hairpin tucked behind her ear. She was both graceful and dignified.
Dou Zhen, who had never liked extravagance, was unusually dignified in her attire, dressed entirely at Bai's behest, making her exceptionally beautiful and dazzling. Lin Xu couldn't help but sigh inwardly; Bai seemed to be putting in a lot of effort this time and wouldn't give up easily... Unfortunately, Dou Zhen already had someone she loved, and Bai didn't realize that her scheming might actually harm her.
As she was pondering, Dou Zhen got off the carriage with the help of her maid Pan'er. She straightened her clothes and walked slowly to Lin Xu.
Beneath those slender eyebrows, as dark as distant mountains, were a pair of bright, sorrowful eyes.
Dou Zhen was not yet of marriageable age, and although she was intelligent, she was still a bit timid.
Lin Xu smiled reassuringly and gently took Dou Zhen's hand. It was indeed extremely cold, and there was already a thin layer of sweat on her palm.
After the incident with the Taoist priest, Dou Zhen couldn't sleep all night, fearing that the Fifth Prince would investigate thoroughly. So, after comforting her, Lin Xu refused to tell Dou Zhen about today's plan no matter what.
Moreover, having received Dou Yanxun's warning, she had made up her mind that she would not tell anyone before this matter was accomplished.
She only had time to whisper a word of comfort to Dou Zhen before the palace maids and eunuchs who had been waiting in front of the Xihua Gate came over one by one.
Today's wedding banquet is held in Xianqing Hall, but according to etiquette, these relatives who are entering the palace can only enter through Xihua Gate. Then, they are led by the maids and nannies of the Yibin Department to rest in the side hall of the Daizhao Hall. The officials of the Ministry of Rites collect the gift lists one by one, register them, and then wait for the auspicious time to go to the banquet.
Lin Xu nodded to the palace maid who was walking towards them and smiled kindly. The palace maid curtsied and walked ahead without saying a word, leading the way for them.
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