Chapter 419: Like a butterfly
The Minister of Revenue is surnamed Huang, and his wife is surnamed Cui. They have an old mother and two children.
The eldest son is now married and has a legitimate son and three illegitimate children. The daughter is only fifteen years old and is already planning a marriage. It can be said that he has many children and grandchildren.
In addition, he was a third place winner in the imperial examination and married the youngest legitimate daughter of the Grand Tutor. After marriage, the couple loved and lived in harmony. He has a prosperous career and has become the Minister of Revenue in just a dozen years. It is enviable.
His old mother's sixtieth birthday must be celebrated in a big way. After all, everyone knows that Mr. Huang is a filial son!
The birthday banquet was prepared early and the invitations have been sent out. It's just that in the first half of the year, the attention of the people in the capital was focused on the prince's wedding. Of course, the birthday of an old man in the family of an official like him was not that important.
But now the prince's wedding has just happened a few days ago, and his old mother's birthday celebration at this time just happened to take advantage of the popularity of the prince's wedding!
Of course, the Chengguo Mansion also received an invitation.
The people in the Chengguo Mansion have always rarely participated in various banquets held by the nobles in the capital, but if they don't come to a birthday celebration like this, it means they don't give face to others and don't take them seriously.
This is not low-key, it is definitely offending people.
People in their situation are even more difficult to offend people.
No one would say anything if they didn't attend some unimportant gatherings and banquets on weekdays.
The second aunt found Xu's mother and said that she also wanted to take a look.
She wanted to go and see what the black-hearted people who had harmed her sister and deserved to go to hell looked like! She wanted to see how they lived happily by stepping on Yunniang's flesh and blood!
This way she could remind herself more and more how heartless and vicious their selfish behavior was back then!
It wasn't difficult to bring one more person to the banquet. Anyway, the gifts they prepared were not small, so what was wrong with bringing one more person? The Huang family would probably welcome them very much!
Song Baotong originally wanted to join in the fun, but was stopped by Xu Muhua.
If the second aunt had stopped her, Song Baotong would still be nagging and pestering her mother to take her with her. But as soon as Xu Muhua opened her mouth, she immediately became like a quail.
Even if she was dissatisfied, she only dared to grumble in her heart, but she didn't dare to show it on her face.
Except for the second aunt, the mentality of others was very normal.
They arrived at the Huang Mansion at a time that was neither too early nor too late. As soon as they got off the carriage, they saw an acquaintance, Mrs. Pei, who had just become the mother-in-law of the crown prince.
Mrs. Pei was followed by two illegitimate daughters of the Pei Mansion, but Pei Zhen was not there.
Xu's mother was now quite familiar with Mrs. Pei. As soon as they met, they walked towards each other, greeted each other, and then stepped onto the steps together to enter the Huang family's gate.
Xu's mother also introduced her second aunt.
Mrs. Pei knew that there were relatives living in the Duke of Cheng's Mansion, so she didn't think it was strange to see her second aunt also come to the Huang family. She chatted with her second aunt in a friendly manner.
Today, the Huang family was also full of guests and was very lively. Those
who came to attend the birthday banquet were all nobles in the capital, officials in the court, and some wealthy families near the capital. The man was in the front yard, while the woman was led to the back yard.
Mrs. Huang, also known as Cui, came to greet them in person upon hearing the news.
"Madam Pei, I am sorry for not welcoming you in person. Please forgive me."
She was about to bow to Madam Pei, but Madam Pei stopped her and said, "Madam Huang is too polite. The mansion is so busy today. Thank you for entertaining us."
"It's all my duty. It's my mother's birthday. It's our honor for the Huang family to have you come to celebrate. If I have been negligent today, please don't take it to heart."
The two of them exchanged pleasantries. Cui then remembered that there was a Duke's wife beside Madam Pei. She said with regret, "Look at me, I am really old. I forgot about Madam Xu while talking to Madam Pei. I shouldn't have done that!"
She slapped herself lightly as she spoke. Her expression and tone were sincere and full of apology.
Xu's mother would not take it seriously.
As for whether Cui was doing it on purpose or insincerely, both parties knew it.
Madam Pei was the mistress of the Imperial Tutor's Mansion and the biological mother of the Crown Princess. When the Crown Prince succeeded to the throne in the future, Madam Pei's status would be even more extraordinary. But she was just a small Duke's wife, and her husband and son were not in the capital. It was understandable that she was ignored at this time.
People always seek benefits and avoid harm.
"Mrs. Huang's words make me look petty."
"How could that be? I dare to say that because I know that Mrs. Xu is a broad-minded person!"
As she spoke, Cui's eyes turned and fell on Xu Muhua who was standing next to Xu's mother. She looked at her carefully and praised: "This is the eldest daughter of the mansion, right? She is so beautiful. No wonder the emperor arranged a marriage for her and she became the prince's concubine!"
These words sounded fine and indeed seemed to be praising Xu Muhua.
But the problem is that the mother of the crown princess is next to her! Aren't you saying this to poke people's hearts?
Which mother would like to hear others praise her son-in-law's concubine?
Why does Mrs. Huang look like she is trying to sow discord and cause trouble for the Chengguo Mansion? Normally, she doesn't seem like a brainless person. Why did she keep making mistakes today?
The ladies around who heard this couldn't help but murmur in their hearts.
Just now, she only talked to Madam Pei and ignored Madam Xu. She thought she was just careless for a moment, but now, it seems like she did it on purpose.
When did the Huang Mansion and the Chengguo Mansion have conflicts and feuds?
It's not that everyone has forgotten the grudge between Princess Qingning and Xu Muhua in the paddock. Forget the relationship between Cui and Princess Kang. It's
just that so much time has passed, and neither side has caused any trouble in public. Even after the incident in the paddock, it was heard that Princess Kang helped Xu Muhua.
Doesn't this prove that the grudge between the two sides is a thing of the past and has disappeared?
So now no one would associate it with the matter of the paddock, which made them even more puzzled.
Xu's mother certainly noticed something, but if Cui really had some bad ideas, she might be disappointed.
She said humbly, "Mrs. Huang, you are too kind. I think the young lady in your mansion is really beautiful. I looked at her for a while and I couldn't tell whether the flower was more beautiful or the young lady in your mansion was more beautiful."
For today's birthday, the Huang family spent a lot of money to buy a lot of famous flowers, all of which were placed in the garden. Not only are the fragrances wafting, but the colors are also brilliant, comparable to spring, which makes people admire it.
The young lady of the Huang family is not among them at this moment. She and her three or two friends are not afraid of the heat and are chasing butterflies!
When Xu's mother said this, everyone's eyes couldn't help but look over.
Xu Muhua raised her eyebrows.
She couldn't see clearly what the young lady of the Huang family looked like now. On the night of the prince's wedding, the light was dim and she couldn't see clearly.