Chapter 691 A sudden invitation
As Wu Qing spoke, he gestured with his hands, describing the dispute in front of the rice shop in a vivid way.
The Feng family and the others were surprised, "More than one grain shop is in trouble? There is such a thing?"
"But it shouldn't be. Right now, the world is peaceful and there is nothing unusual in the capital. Who would hoard so much grain for what?" Jiang Fengnian couldn't help but say.
Wu Qing was also puzzled, but fortunately, the incident was not a big deal.
There are only a few shops that can't provide rice at the moment. If the people around them walk a little further, they can still buy grain.
So, no one was too suspicious.
Mrs. Wu cut a piece of watermelon and put it to Xiao Nuobao's mouth, saying, "It's almost autumn. Maybe some grain merchants want to collect some old grain before the autumn harvest so that they can mix it with new grain and sell it at a high price. It used to be like this."
The Jiang family didn't know what was going on, so they nodded and said nothing more.
However, they didn't expect that the food problem would soon become very serious...
However, by the time the Jiang family really woke up, it was already two days later.
Because in the evening, the Pei family suddenly came to send an invitation, inviting the Jiang family and the Wu family to a banquet to celebrate the birthday of Mr. Pei's wife, which was scheduled for tomorrow at noon. When
the Pei family's servant came to deliver the invitation, he was very respectful and also sent a large coral, saying that the old lady was celebrating her 60th birthday, and asked everyone to come and show their favor.
The red coral was as red as blood, and its shape was extremely stunning. It climbed up vividly, and it was really a treasure.
Mrs. Wu took a look at it and her eyes lit up in amazement. She held it in her hands and said, "Although there are many red corals, it is rare to find one with this color and shape. It is really the best in the world."
The servant of Pei Mansion smiled and said, "That's right. This is all from my master. The Jiang family and your family will each send one, and other invited families will also receive gifts." "
This time, my master invited all officials and their families above the fifth rank in the capital, just to make the old lady's birthday banquet beautiful. Please bring your whole family." The servant bowed again.
As the saying goes, don't hit a smiling person.
Although the servant's words were a bit evasive, his attitude was sincere and he brought a valuable gift. Who would dare to say no?
Madam Wu embraced the red coral and smiled and agreed, "Okay, Wu Jiji will bring his family to go. Thank you for your kindness."
After the servant of Pei's mansion left, Feng also stepped forward to look at the red coral.
The color is indeed bright, and it must be expensive.
But... the old lady of Pei's mansion is celebrating her birthday, and everyone should send gifts. Why did their family give gifts first?
This is a bit puzzling no matter how you look at it.
At this time, Mrs. Wu was already smiling, and couldn't let it go. She said, "This is a good thing. I have to put it on display when I go back. I have to put it next to the bed in the bedroom. I will make sure that it can be seen at the first glance. I can't let such a good thing go to waste."
Feng lowered her head to ponder it, but she felt that the bright red on the coral was a bit dazzling. She
really didn't want to bring it home.
So she nodded and turned to Madam Zheng and said, "Put this thing away and put it in the warehouse of our manor house first."
Xiaoliu Manor is in the suburbs of Beijing, much cooler than the city.
After dinner, the Jiang family and Mrs. Wu were too lazy to go back, so they just stayed in the manor house for a night.
On summer nights, you have to find some fun.
So Li Qiqiao suggested, "Why don't we play Mahjong?"
Mrs. Wu clapped her hands and agreed immediately, "Okay, okay, go ask the guys in the casino, who has cards, lend them to us, let's have fun tonight!"
So, they found the cards, organized the game, and put out the peanuts and watermelon!
No one gambled money, just tore some paper for bets, and still had a lot of fun.
The little fat girl was too young to sit at the table, so she just stuck her little butt out and watched the excitement one by one.
As she watched, she also felt sleepy, and fell asleep beside her with her legs spread out.
In a daze, Xiao Nuobao saw Zhang Xiucai sitting next to her, and she stroked her bangs and said with emotion, "Our Nuobao has grown up and become more handsome. Eh? There is not so much flesh on the chin, it is almost the age of growth."
Xiao Nuobao was praised for being thin, so she couldn't help but show her teeth and squeeze out a vain saliva bubble.
After a while, Feng also sat over, took a palm leaf fan, fanned her gently to cool her down, and pulled down her clothes on her belly.
On summer nights, the flower cards in the hands of adults, the fluorescent lights in the courtyard, the big smiling faces of the brothers chewing watermelons, and the slowly waving palm-leaf fan in the hands of the mother...
all of these are the most pleasant time of childhood, making people want to keep them...
...
Xiao Nuobao slept soundly, and when he opened his eyes again, it was almost noon.
Mrs. Wu and her husband had already gotten up early and returned home, preparing to go to the Pei Mansion for a banquet.
And Mrs. Feng and her family were also in and out of the house, busy selecting gifts and packing their clothes. They would set off in half an hour.
After applying the hair oil, Feng said to Li Qiqiao, "We received the invitations in a hurry this time, and we didn't have much time to prepare gifts. I believe the Pei family can understand. Let Madam Zheng go back to the mansion to pick out a painting or a jade, as long as it is decent."
"Also, don't forget to bring clothes for Nuobao. I want the long jacket that was newly made this year, the one with magnolia embroidery, and a pink patchwork skirt. It's festive and not wrong." Feng continued.
Little Nuobao jumped off the bed and followed her mother's instructions.
Soon, Li Qiqiao brought a bowl of tender egg custard sprinkled with sauced meat, and a plate of peach cakes for her to eat with milk tea.
The little fat girl was not greedy. After eating until she was about 70% full, she patted her belly and went to her second sister-in-law's arms to tie her hair.
After all, she had to go to Pei's house for lunch.
The Pei Mansion had made such a big scene this time, so the food must be good. The little girl was already licking her lips in anticipation.
Feng put on her hairpin and couldn't help saying, "Second son's wife, I don't know why, but I always feel that the Pei family is a little weird this time. Why would they rush to hold a 60th birthday party? If they took it seriously, how could they inform us at the last minute?"
Li Qiqiao paused with the comb in her hand. In fact, she was a little confused. "I don't know, mother. However, I heard from their servants that all the families of officials above the fifth rank can come. It will be a big event. There are few banquets of this size."
Although she was confused in her heart, the Jiang family and the Pei family could still speak to them. After all, they still had to give them some face.
So, after packing up, Feng picked up little Nuobao and set off with the whole family.
The carriage drove into the city, bypassed two busy streets, and finally stopped outside a wide alley.
At this time, most of the guests had arrived.
They were entering the Pei Mansion one after another and registering to present gifts.
However, Feng, holding Xiao Nuobao, had only walked a few steps forward when she heard several servants at the door whispering.
"The Zhao family, Lord Zhao and his wife and concubine are all here, but the two sons are absent because they are guarding the border."
"The Wang family, Lord Wang and his children are all here, but the rest of the female family members are absent because they went out of the city to play."
"The Bai family, ..."
and so on. All the guests mentioned were blocked at the door and interrogated in detail.
In each household, in addition to the need for the people who came to report their names, even the people who did not come to the house were asked where they were.
Soon the atmosphere changed a little. Many officials and female family members were already a little impatient. The servants at the door kept apologizing, but they still did not give up interrogating, as if they had to find out about the family's financial situation.
People had never seen such a scene before.
At this time, the voices of dissatisfaction were getting louder and louder.
Mrs. Bai saw the Jiang family coming and rushed over angrily, "What's going on in the Pei Mansion today? Those who know think we are here for a banquet, and those who don't know think it's the government interrogating the household registration. How can they do things like this?"
Feng frowned when she saw this.
However, since she was here, she was too lazy to say bad things about the host family. She just nodded and said nothing more.
Not long after, it was the Jiang family's turn. Feng responded with a cold face and took her whole family in.
I thought that after sitting down at the table, everything would be quiet.
However, what I didn't expect was that what was really annoying was at the table!
Feng and Xiao Nuobao were assigned to the same table with the wives of lower-rank officials, and that was it.
After that, before they had taken two chopsticks, Feng was squeezed by Pei's old woman, and Sun Chunxue was hit from behind, with her hairpin poking her scalp.
If Li Qiqiao hadn't been quick-witted and pushed a maid from Pei's house away in time, even Xiao Nuobao would have been almost splashed with hot soup, and cried out in a baby voice, making the Jiang family angry.
At this time, Li Qiqiao was sharp-eyed and suddenly realized that the person sitting in the most senior seat at the birthday banquet today was not the birthday star himself, but Master Pei and his second daughter-in-law, Madam Pei II!
As for Madam Pei, she didn't even show her face, and no one knew where she went.
Madam Pei II was seen dressed in rich clothes, and her eyes would occasionally glance at the Jiang family's table, with a bit of provocation, and whispered a few words to the servants.
Needless to say, she should be the one to organize today's banquet, and most of the strange things are probably related to her.
Feng felt something was wrong, and turned to ask Mrs. Bai at the next table.
"What is the background of the second wife of the Pei family? On weekdays, I rarely see her in public, and I thought she was a low-key person. Why is she so prominent today?"
Mrs. Bai showed contempt, "Her? Speaking of it, she has something to do with that commoner Gu."
"She is the distant cousin of commoner Gu. Because commoner Gu was deposed, she was implicated. She is not welcomed in the Pei Mansion on weekdays. But today, I don't know what happened. She is so arrogant?" Mrs. Bai said, frowning.
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