On the fifth day of May, Eleventh Lady finally understood why the Jiang family had only "heard rumors".

The Madam Tai invited the wives of Yongchang Marquis Huang, Zhongshan Marquis Tang, Zhongqin Bo Gan, Weibei Marquis Lin, and even Zhennan Marquis's wife. Zhennan Marquis's wife had passed away, and all family affairs were now managed by the bedridden wife. But she did not invite the wives of Liang Gelao and Chen Gelao.

In other words, almost all the wives of the nobles in Yanjing were present, but not a single woman from the officials' families was invited.

The lady touched her head and said, "Today is a good day for you. We will not invite those who are just there to watch the fun. We will only invite those who sincerely wish to congratulate you."

At this moment, Eleventh Lady was wearing a lake-colored right-fronted shirt and sitting in the Luohan Palace in the east room of the small hall behind the main hall of the Yongping Marquis's Mansion.

She got up early in the morning, washed and bathed, changed into a plain Hangzhou silk dress of sky-blue color, and sat here with Mother Du, waiting for Chen Zheng's coming-of-age ceremony to begin.

Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded.

A little maid came in and reported, "Madam Zheng is here!"

"Please sit down for a while. The coming-of-age ceremony will begin soon." The lady gave her a few instructions and stood up to greet the guests.

Eleventh Lady took out a pocket watch from her sleeve and looked at it.

There is still a quarter of an hour left.

Amber helped Eleventh Lady straighten her clothes, and then muttered in a low voice: "I wonder who the Madam invited to be the sponsor? She even asked about Fourth Aunt's illness that day!"

The 15th anniversary of the birth of a young girl needs a female elder with talent and virtue to be the main guest, who will put the hairpin on the hairpin for the 15th anniversary of the birth of a young girl. A host is needed to hold the tray for the 15th anniversary of the birth of a young girl, and a supporter is needed to assist the main guest in the ceremony. This person is usually a friend or sister of the 15th anniversary of the birth of a young girl. Since the grand lady invited all the wives of the nobles, the status of the supporter should be as high as possible. Although she knew a lot of people in Yanjing, she couldn't find anyone who could be called a good friend. As for the sisters, Wu Niang married a scholar, and Twelve Niang was looking for a partner from a branch of the Zhennan Marquis. Only Si Niang's husband was a third place winner and a close minister of the emperor, but she was in poor health. It seemed that there was no suitable one.

Eleventh Lady couldn't figure out who the Lady Dowager would invite to praise her.

As the two were talking, there was a commotion outside, mixed with enthusiastic laughter. Although this hall was called a small hall, it actually had five rooms. They were sitting at the easternmost one, too far away to hear clearly.

"I wonder who's here?" Amber whispered, "It's so lively."

Everything was arranged by the Lady Dowager, and Eleventh Lady didn't know either.

"I guess it's some lady from another family!" She laughed, "It was also so lively when the wife of the Marquis of Zhennan came just now."

Amber nodded.

Whenever she heard any noise outside, she would go and take a look.

"From what Grandma Huang said, the wife of the Marquis of Zhennan hasn't appeared in the past two years. Everyone was a little surprised to see her."

As Amber was speaking, the sound of bamboo flutes was heard from the west.

Mother Du came in, her face full of joy: "Madam, the coming-of-age ceremony is about to begin." She added, "After the Madam has finished speaking, you will go out, face south, bow to the guests watching the ceremony, and then sit upright on the rattan mat facing west. After the assistant has combed your hair and the main guest has washed his hands, you will turn to the east and sit upright. After the main guest has inserted the hairpin into your hair, the assistant will come forward to help you up, and then you will stand up. At that time, the guests will bow to you and congratulate you. Then you will return to the east room, and the assistant will change you into a plain dress."

Last night, the lady accompanied her to the small hall to practice it again.

Eleventh Lady smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam Du, I've remembered everything."

As he spoke, he walked to the curtain.

Mother Du came forward and helped her pull up the hem of her skirt.

The sound of bamboo flutes outside stopped.

The hall was completely silent. The lady's voice was solemn and clear.

"Once you enter the Xu family, you become Xu's wife. Today, I will preside over Eleventh Lady's coming-of-age ceremony on behalf of my in-laws. It is also the Dragon Boat Festival, and I am grateful for your taking the time to come." Then he paused and announced the official start of the coming-of-age ceremony.

The sound of the bamboo flute started and then stopped.

Mother Du lifted the curtain, and Eleventh Lady walked in with a dignified look.

Then she was shocked.

In the position of the praiser on the west side stood the beautiful Mrs. Gan.

Seeing Eleventh Lady's surprised expression, Mrs. Gan smiled silently at her.

For some reason, Shiyi Niang felt her eyes a little moist.

She blinked hard, then turned gracefully to the west and knelt on the snow-white rattan mat in the middle of the hall.

Mrs. Gan came forward and combed her hair.

Eleventh Lady saw Twelve Lady with tears in her eyes, and Grandma Luo, Madam Zhou, and Grandma Lin who were all smiling... She smiled at them, feeling very peaceful and tranquil in her heart.

Mrs. Gan had just finished combing her hair and put the comb down facing south when a servant ran in.

Everyone looked sideways.

The servant said respectfully, "Eunuch Thunder is here!"

Everyone stood up and saw Thunder Eunuch, wearing a green official uniform, striding in with a smile on his face.

In his hand he was holding a carved red lacquer tray, covered with bright red Zhang velvet cloth.

"The Empress congratulates the wife of Marquis Yongping on her coming-of-age ceremony." He glanced at the ladies lying on the ground, paused, and then continued, "Give me a mutton-fat jade five-bat Ruyi hairpin."

The lady-in-waiting led Eleventh Lady to express her gratitude.

Someone laughed and said, "Since the Queen Mother specially gave the wife of the Marquis of Yongping a hairpin, I think we should use this hairpin for today's coming-of-age ceremony!"

Eleventh Lady looked in the direction of the voice and saw a pair of hands that were whiter and more delicate than those of a young girl.

If not Princess Fucheng, then who else could it be!

Eunuch Lei smiled and said, "Princess, this is a wonderful idea." He added, "It just so happens that when I came here, the queen asked me to watch the ceremony before leaving, so I can tell the queen about the coming-of-age ceremony of the wife of the Marquis of Yongping. If she knew that this hairpin was used in the coming-of-age ceremony of the wife of the Marquis of Yongping, I don't know how happy she would be!"

Princess Fucheng smiled and said, "In that case, please take a seat, eunuch. You are my guest of honor today."

Seeing Princess Fucheng and Eunuch Lei singing in unison, Eleventh Lady was moved.

She guessed that the lady would invite Princess Fucheng to watch the ceremony, and even invite Princess Fucheng to be the guest of honor at her own coming-of-age ceremony, but she did not expect that the Empress would reward her with a hairpin at this time and in this way, and she did not expect that Princess Fucheng would cooperate with Eunuch Lei to build momentum for her own coming-of-age ceremony.

Eleventh Lady's eyes turned red, she held the Lady's hand and called out "Mother" softly.

What is your identity and status?

The second wife of Marquis Yongping and the concubine of the Luo family.

If I wasn't the Madam Dowager, how could the Empress Dowager and Princess Fucheng honor me like this?

She looked at the old lady's lips twitching, and remained silent for a long time.

For the first time, I felt the paleness and powerlessness of words.

The lady just smiled and patted her hands, then stepped forward and took Princess Fucheng's hand: "Princess, please hold the first marriage ceremony for our Eleventh Lady."

Princess Fucheng nodded and went to the east steps with the lady to wash their hands.

Eleventh Lady knelt down on the rattan mat again, and everyone in the room returned to their seats.

The coming-of-age ceremony continued.

The only sound in the hall was the gentle splashing of water.

The host brought out a carved red lacquer tray filled with a robe and clothes, and Eunuch Lei placed the mutton-fat jade five-bat Ruyi hairpin awarded by the Queen Mother on the top.

Princess Fucheng walked up to Eleventh Lady and chanted aloud a blessing: "On this auspicious day of the month, you are finally wearing your first clothes. Let me put aside your childish ambitions and cultivate your virtues. I wish you a long and healthy life and great happiness." Then she knelt down, picked up the comb that Lady Gan had just put down, and symbolically combed her hair a few times.

The host knelt down, and Princess Fucheng inserted the jade hairpin that the Queen Mother had just awarded to her on Eleventh Lady's head.

Only then did Eleventh Lady discover that the person who presided over her coming-of-age ceremony was actually the Fifth Lady, the Princess of Danyang County.

She had a solemn expression, decent manners, and a dignified beauty.

Eleventh Lady had no time to think about it - Madam Gan had already stepped forward and adjusted the jade hairpin.

She slowly stood up, accepted the congratulations from Madam Zhou, Grandma Lin, Grandma Luo and others, and then followed Madam Gan back to the east room.

"Are you tired?" Mrs. Gan helped Eleventh Lady change into a plain skirt.

Eleventh Lady shook her head.

"Thank you!" She whispered to Mrs. Gan, her voice sincere and a little excited, "I didn't expect..."

"Although I'm not your sister," Mrs. Gan said with a smile, "I can still be considered your good friend!"

Eleventh Lady nodded repeatedly.

Mrs. Gan said nothing more and lowered her head to concentrate on helping her tidy up her clothes.

Eleventh Lady thanked Fifth Lady who was holding the tray beside her.

Madam Wu raised her eyebrows slightly, glanced at Madam Gan, and said with a smile: "Mother asked me to help as the celebrant."

Although it was for the sake of the lady dowager's face, Eleventh Lady was still grateful.

It is rare to be able to maintain composure in the face of a big situation.

She smiled and nodded at her, then followed Madam Gan to the main hall to pay her respects to the Madam Dowager.

This is the first kowtow after the marriage, expressing gratitude to parents for raising her.

Sitting on the first armchair on the left was Grandma Luo, and sitting on the second armchair on the right was the Madam Dowager.

"Your mother is not feeling well." The lady smiled and said, "The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother, so let your eldest sister-in-law take her place!"

Eleventh Lady responded "yes" and knelt down and kowtowed. Then she sat on the rattan mat facing east and performed the second and third ceremony. Finally, she changed into a right-fronted shirt with a bright red background embroidered with a beautiful blue flower with gold thread, and 24 beautiful blue Xiangxiang came out to salute everyone, completing the ceremony of coming of age.

"One year older!" Mrs. Huang looked at her and laughed.

Eleventh Lady thanked him with a smile.

"I also have to go back to the palace to report." Eunuch Lei stood up and said goodbye.

Princess Fucheng smiled and said, "I'm really going to bother you for a bit."

"I couldn't ask for more, just what I want." The lady said with a smile, and then she and Eleventh Lady sent Eunuch Lei to the gate, and then invited all the ladies to sit in the flower hall next to Dianchun Hall in the inner courtyard.

Mother Du had already arranged a banquet and even set up a small stage in the flower hall to perform excerpts from operas.

"This is interesting." Princess Fucheng pointed at the small stage and laughed, and asked the Fifth Lady, "But was it your husband's idea?"

The Fifth Lady smiled and supported Princess Fucheng: "Nothing escapes your eyes."

Princess Fucheng nodded, looked at Eleventh Lady, then looked at Fifth Lady, then turned to the Lady Dowager and said, "You are so lucky!"

It’s to see that the sisters-in-law live in harmony!

The lady smiled and nodded.

Eleventh Lady felt that someone was looking at her all the time.

She turned her head and saw Mrs. Qiao's eyes, which were somewhat unclear.

※

I'm calling everyone to help again...⊙﹏⊙b sweat! I'll post the draft first. It's a bit late to add more. Let's get up tomorrow and do it!

How I wish that one day I would never have to say this again!

~~~~(_