Before they knew it, it was time for the fourth wife's wedding banquet.
On this day, the weather was fine and the sky was clear.
It was a rare day off, so Xie Jingyan didn't have to go to the palace for the morning court session. After breakfast, the two of them left the mansion together, preparing to go to the Pingyang Marquis's residence.
However, just as they reached the main gate, they encountered Xiao Xizi delivering a memorial to the emperor.
The emperor does not have days off.
Memorials from all over the country were sent to the capital, but it was impossible to know which day would be a day of rest before they were delivered to the Emperor's desk and had to be reviewed.
If it's not approved today, it will have to be approved tomorrow.
However, there weren't as many memorials as usual. Given Xie Jingyan's speed in reviewing memorials, he should be able to finish processing them quickly. Shen Wan looked at Xie Jingyan and said, "Should I go first?"
Xie Jingyan said, "It's not too late to take a look when we get back."
As long as it's not a memorial sent to the capital with the utmost urgency, it's fine to check it a day or two later.
The two rode in a carriage toward the Marquis of Pingyang's residence. They passed by the residence and stopped in front of the main gate of the fourth house, which was right next to the main house.
It was still early, and there were no guests yet. Shen Du and Shen Dan came out to greet Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan.
The two got off the carriage, and Prince Yanping and Tang Ze arrived.
They arrived so early because they were invited by Shen Du to help greet the guests.
There will definitely be a lot of people at the wedding banquet today. Although the Fourth Master's official position is not high, only a fourth-rank military officer, he was promoted two ranks in a row, and it was Xie Jingyan who recommended him. In addition, he is marrying the heir of the Duke of Wei's family. Civil and military officials will definitely come to drink the wedding wine when they have time.
After all, the whole court knew that a certain prince doted on his wife without any limits. Who would dare not give face to the Princess Consort of Ling and the Marquis of Pingyang?
Xie Jingyan and the others stayed in the outer courtyard, while Shen Wan went to the inner courtyard to see Shen Wei.
Upon seeing Shen Wan, Shen Wei was both happy and shy. "Big sister is here."
Shen Wan smiled as she took the brocade box from Yin Shuang and handed it to Shen Wei, saying, "This is a dowry I prepared for you. See if you like it?"
She never disliked anything her older sister gave her.
Shen Wei took the brocade box, opened it, and saw a set of gold-inlaid jade headdress inside, exquisitely beautiful, so beautiful that one could not take their eyes off it.
Shen Wei said, "This is too precious..."
Shen Wan smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it. I can be considered half a matchmaker for you and the heir of the Duke of Wei."
Princess Huai'an was also there. She asked curiously, "Why is it only half? Where is the other half?"
Shen Wan smiled and said, "The other half is that pot of orchids."
Shen Wei's cheeks flushed.
She longed for her older sister to come, yet she also dreaded her coming.
The older sister always found it amusing to tease her.
After the wedding invitations were sent out, many young ladies from prominent families came to present dowries to Shen Wei in the past few days. However, at today's wedding banquet, only Shen Wan came to present dowries to Shen Wei. After chatting with Shen Wei for a while, the maid announced that a noble lady and young ladies from prominent families had arrived. Shen Wan and Princess Huai'an then went to greet the guests.
Shen Wan was of noble status, so the Fourth Madam dared not ask her to help with welcoming and seeing off guests. Princess Huai'an was pregnant, so the Fourth Madam dared not do it even more. They only needed to sit there and chat with the noble ladies.
The fourth wife asked her niece from her maternal family to help take care of those young ladies from prominent families, which was enough.
In the front courtyard, Prince Yanping and Tang Ze helped welcome the guests. The officials were used to it, since they had helped welcome the guests when the Yun family had a wedding before.
Most of the guests had already arrived when Xu Ji arrived, and he was the only one there.
Tang Ze looked behind him and asked, "Why are you the only one here? Where's my cousin?"
Cheng Yao and Xu Huan are pregnant, and both the Prince of Yanping and Tang Ze want to take them out, but their words are ineffective because the Princess of Yanping and Madam Tang forbid it.
My cousin isn't pregnant, so it wouldn't be right not to bring her along.
Xu Ji said, "She can't come."
Tang Ze didn't think much of it and casually replied, "Why can't I come?"
Xu Ji smiled broadly, "I'm pregnant."
The smile had a triumphant air about it.
Tang Ze glanced at him sideways, "What are you so smug about? Even if you get pregnant with your son, he'll still be younger than my son."
Xu Ji, “…”
real.
The moment Tang Ze opened his mouth, he couldn't help but want to punch him.
Sooner or later, the two of them will have another fight.
Just then, Du Cheng'an arrived.
Knowing that today was the day the eldest son-in-law was to visit the Yan family to discuss the wedding date, the Crown Prince of Yanping asked Du Cheng'an, "When will the wedding take place?"
Du Cheng'an said with a frustrated look, "Don't even mention it..."
Tang Ze asked, "What's wrong?"
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from the other side, and everyone turned their heads to see Cheng Yi riding over.
Du Cheng'an was usually gentle in his dealings with people, but there was a knife hidden in his eyes when he looked at Cheng Yi.
Tang Ze noticed this and said, "Why do I get the feeling that you guys also want to fight?"
Du Cheng'an gritted his teeth and said, "The Yan family will send him to fetch the bride first!"
It's a pity that he finally managed to get the marriage arranged and was looking forward to marrying Yan Qing'er as soon as possible, but then he encountered someone cutting in line.
Cheng Yi was genuinely wronged by the glare. From Du Cheng'an's perspective, he was indeed angry, but he couldn't be blamed. The Yan family wanted to marry off their daughters according to seniority, not because they favored him, nor because they were deliberately making things difficult for Du Cheng'an.
If Miss Yan is not engaged, or will not get married in the near future, then Yan Qing'er can get married first, and no one will say anything.
But since both of them are engaged and their wedding dates are close together, it's certain that Miss Yan will get married first, and then Yan Qing'er will get married later.
With the Yan family making this arrangement, the eldest son-in-law had nothing to say.
想自己才定亲，就迫不及待想把颜悦娶过门，杜承安想娶颜清儿都想了几个月了，想揍他也很正常。
Cheng Yi, having gained an advantage, no longer pretended to be smug. He said, "Brother Cheng'an, please forgive me. When I get back, I will urge my parents to arrange the betrothal as soon as possible and marry Miss Yan. I will try my best not to delay you."
“It’s not about trying, it’s about having to,” Du Cheng’an said, clearly dissatisfied with the word “try.”
Tang Ze patted Du Cheng'an on the shoulder and said, "If you put pressure on him, he and the Right Prime Minister's Mansion will be overjoyed."
Du Cheng'an concealed the gloom on his face.
The Empress Dowager is seriously ill, the Maoguo Duke's family has been exterminated, and his mother is also in a bad mood. She probably won't be in the mood to prepare a wedding banquet for him for a while. But he is also afraid. What if the Empress Dowager's condition doesn't improve and she dies before he gets married? His mother will be even less in the mood.
Why is it so difficult for him to get married?
Du Cheng'an screamed inwardly.
Today, the fourth branch of the family is holding a wedding banquet, and Yan Zheng is also here. The case of Consort Chen has been completely overturned, and the Yan family members have all returned. These social interactions are unavoidable and necessary.
The wedding banquet for the fourth daughter was a joyous and lively affair. The banquet was prepared by Imperial Chef Li, and the food was delicious and beautifully presented, earning high praise from everyone.
The guests were in high spirits, clinking glasses and enjoying themselves immensely.
Shen Wan was happy and drank half a pot of fruit wine, but she had a very low alcohol tolerance, and even fruit wine made her face flush.
Although she wasn't drunk, being slightly tipsy was even more dangerous. She, who rarely took the initiative, was held in Xie Jingyan's lap and became incredibly restless, igniting passions all over the man's body.
This infuriated a certain man, who already had little self-control towards Shen Wan, let alone being provoked like this.
"Drive a horse-drawn carriage around Kyoto."
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