Chapter 33 Chapter 33 "Sanlang, your wife loves to eat in winter...
First day of the new year, family dinner.
The main hall of Duke Jingguo's Mansion was brightly lit and the tables were filled with delicacies.
As dusk fell, Sheng Puzhu and Xie Zhiyan, a couple, walked over the threshold one after the other and entered the flower hall.
Sheng Puzhu wore her hair in a heart-cross bun today, with a branch of gold filigree inlaid with rubies in her hair. It swayed slightly with her steps, casting fine shadows on her snow-white neck.
"Grandma." Her eyes were gentle and she knelt down to greet the old man.
"Good boy, come and sit next to me." The old lady pointed to the deliberately empty seat next to her.
"Yes." The nanny pulled out the armchair and Sheng Puzhu sat down with a smile.
The flower hall was very large. Because it was just a family dinner, both men and women dined in the same hall. A hollow shell-carved screen was placed in the middle, separating the tables for men and women.
There are so many people now, and the warmth in the hall is even stronger.
Qin was ill, and her legitimate son Xie Mingzong and Xue Qinghui, who was in confinement, were all recuperating on their own. The only person at the table of female relatives from the main house was the youngest unmarried daughter Xie Qingshu.
Xie Qingshu sat on the right hand side of Sheng Puzhu, followed by the two daughters of the third room, Xie Lingxi and Xie Lingyi. Xie Lingyi was the eldest daughter of the third room, seventeen years old this year. She had not yet been engaged, but was already looking for a husband. She might find a suitable husband after the new year.
Xie Qingshu didn't dare to look at Sheng Puju, but instead pulled Xie Lingxi, who was of the same age as her, to talk. Xie Lingxi was a man of few words, and most of the time it was Xie Qingshu who spoke, and she nodded and listened.
The third wife, Dou, sat on the left side of the old lady. Since Qin was not here today, she talked more. Unfortunately, she was still too introverted and could not make the old lady laugh like Qin did.
Shortly after the banquet began, the sound of wooden wheels rolling over blue bricks was suddenly heard outside the flower hall.
The pearly curtain was lifted, and the first thing that came out was a pale hand, with bony fingers tightly gripping the armrest of the wheelchair, and pale blue blood vessels winding like vines under the almost transparent skin.
"Ji Yan, good boy, why are you here?" The old lady was stunned and hurried to get up holding the nanny's hand.
"Grandma, I am an unfilial grandson. I haven't had meals with you for a long time." Xie Jiyan was wearing a lupine blue round-necked robe with silver thread embroidered on the collar. On the belt around his waist hung a green bamboo folding fan and a silver dagger inlaid with gold, about an inch long.
There were some strands of hair on his forehead, his eyebrows were as clear as ink, his face was pale from not seeing the sun for a long time, and the lines of his thin jaw were as sharp as if cut by a knife.
"Father."
"The son pays his respects to his father." Xie Jiyan controlled the wheelchair with one hand, and coughed lightly with his pale knuckles against his lips.
Xie Juyuan looked at his second son whom he hadn't seen for a long time, frowned slightly, and said coldly after a while: "Since you are not feeling well, you should rest in the courtyard."
The bustling dining room suddenly became quiet.
Xie Jiyan raised his head, looked at Xie Juyuan calmly, and said calmly: "Yes, father is right. I know that I am disabled and it is difficult for me to travel. After having dinner with my grandmother, I will return to the courtyard to recuperate."
"you……"
"Oh, never mind." Although Xie Juyuan didn't like his second son as much as his eldest son, this was the child he once had high hopes for. There were many people at the family dinner, and he couldn't possibly embarrass his son like this.
He shook his head: "Your mother is seriously ill. Remember to go see her after dinner."
"Yes." Xie Jiyan lowered his eyes and responded.
When he looked up again, no emotion could be detected in his eyes. He raised his hand and saluted slightly: "Brother."
"Yeah." Xie Zhiyan nodded, his eyes showing unclear emotions.
"Now that you've said that, come here and sit next to grandma." The old lady hadn't seen her grandson for a long time and missed him very much.
Men and women sit at separate tables, and it is not very polite to go to the women's table.
Fortunately, today is just a simple family dinner and there are no outsiders. In addition, Xie Jiyan has been ill for a long time and has not drunk alcohol for many years since his legs were disabled. As long as the ancestors in the family are happy, no one will say anything.
"What are you standing there for?"
"Come here quickly." The old lady said anxiously.
Xie Jiyan tightened his palms on the wheelchair, and his pale knuckles pressed against the rosewood armrest. He was about to refuse, but he caught a glimpse of the goose yellow figure at the women's table out of the corner of his eye.
He didn't dare to show anything too much, but the stagnant water in his heart couldn't help but ripple.
He shouldn't have shown up today, but when he thought of the pomegranate that Xie Qingshu had sent back, his resentment gradually eroded his remaining sanity.
It's just a family dinner, and he is the legitimate son, so why can't he show up?
"Grandma." Sheng Puzhu and third aunt Dou stood up at the same time.
In the end, Dou was the quickest to act: "Mother, your daughter-in-law will go sit next to Lingxi."
After she finished speaking, she didn't wait for the old lady's consent, but hurriedly stood up and asked the maid serving at the table to move the dishes and chopsticks over without any hesitation.
Sheng Puzhu pursed her lips. The old lady took her hand and sat down: "Good child, since your aunt has passed away, you should accompany me for dinner."
"Since he is your aunt's second son, I remember that he was ill when you got married. I'm afraid you didn't recognize him." The old lady said to Sheng Puzhu with a smile.
"Um."
"My grandson has mentioned me before, but she just doesn't recognize me." Sheng Puzhu smiled gently, without mentioning that she had met Xie Jiyan at the New Year's family dinner.
Because there was nothing much to say. Xie Zhiyan was not in Chang'an during those two years. Although Dayan did not pay much attention to the separation of men and women, the bride and her brother-in-law had met in private, and it was not nice to talk about it.
The sound of the wooden wheels rolling over the blue bricks was particularly dull. Xie Jiyan controlled the wheelchair with both hands and moved forward slowly. When he passed behind Sheng Puzhu, he brought with him a burst of sweet and bitter medicinal fragrance.
Without stopping, he drove the wheelchair slowly over and stopped on the left side of the old lady.
"Look, if there's anything you like to eat, ask someone to pick it up for you."
"If not, just tell us what you like to eat and ask the kitchen to make it again." The old lady patted Xie Jiyan's hand, her eyes full of kindness, which was beyond words.
Xie Jiyan just smiled and said, "Grandson doesn't have any favorite food, nor does he dislike it. It's my turn to be considerate of my grandmother."
The old lady sighed helplessly, "Don't bother with your father. He's always been like this. Your eldest brother made a mistake this time, and he's angry. His words are bound to be harsh, and he won't care about your feelings."
Xie Jiyan nodded: "Don't worry, grandma, I understand."
"Brother made a mistake and he deserves to be punished. It's just that mother was a little confused. I hope grandmother will forgive mother this time."
Xie Jiyan had already spoken like this, and the old lady, feeling guilty about her grandson, couldn't possibly refuse. She sighed, "I know your mother's personality, so I won't really argue with her. But I also hope you can persuade her and stop being so stubborn."
"Well, my grandson will persuade her." Xie Jiyan looked up, but his eyes did not focus on any specific place.
Sheng Puju frowned for no reason. She didn't know if she was overthinking it, but she always felt that his gaze was ultimately aimed at her.
The banquet was halfway through and three rounds of wine had been served.
At this time, a maid came up with a basket of pomegranates.
A large, bright red pomegranate was placed whole in the basket, and a new white porcelain plate was also placed there. Inside the plate were peeled, crystal clear pomegranate seeds like agate beads.
The old lady was stunned: "There are pomegranates today?"
Nanny Jiang smiled and took a small dish and placed it in front of the old lady. "You are so forgetful, have you forgotten which courtyard in your mansion has the best pomegranates?"
"Look at me."
"I almost forgot."
The old lady laughed and said, "Child, are you picking all the pomegranates in the yard as a gift to me?"
Xie Jiyan lowered his eyes and smiled shyly: "Grandson is just offering flowers to the Buddha. I don't know which one grandma will take a fancy to, so I asked people to pick them all so that grandma can have a taste of them in winter."
"I can't finish so many by myself." The old lady smiled and tasted one.
The fruit is crystal clear and has a moderate sweet and sour taste. It is very convenient to peel it one by one.
"Then let grandma decide and distribute it to my sisters in the mansion." Xie Jiyan smiled faintly.
"Well, let's divide it up. Everyone can have a taste, and take some to Zhiyan's table." The old lady instructed Nanny Jiang.
After she finished speaking, she clapped her hands and said, "By the way, your sister-in-law Puzhu loves pomegranates the most. If there are any left after we divide them up, let Puzhu take them all."
The old lady smiled and brought a plate of peeled pomegranate seeds, placed it in front of Sheng Puzhu, and said with a smile: "Puzhu, why don't you eat it?"
"The pomegranates in Jiyan's courtyard are always in good condition every year. In previous years, Jiyan gave me some pomegranates. If I couldn't finish them, I would share some with each room. I remember you were my favorite."
Sheng Puzhu stared at the pomegranates on the white porcelain plate, her eyes darkening.
She raised her eyes and met Xie Jiyan's gaze. Her pale fingertips rested on the wooden armrest of the wheelchair. Her sleeves fell slightly back, revealing an extremely hideous scar on her wrist. It didn't look like a knife wound, but more like a scar from an animal tear or bite.
Sheng Puzhu picked up a pomegranate with her shiny fingertips and put it into her mouth. She gently bit the pomegranate seeds with her front teeth, and the sweet and sour juice flowed out. It was the taste in her memory, but for some reason, she suddenly didn't love it as much.
Her obsession with pomegranates is more like the pomegranate tree planted by Aye that never bore fruit. She feels that tasting it will be like eating the fruit planted by Aye.
Xie Zhiyan held the wine cup in his hand and slowly scraped his fingertips along the edge of the cup. There was a not-so-obvious fine line there. It was caused by the internal force he accidentally used when he was holding the cup without controlling his strength.
Sheng Puzhu ate a few and stopped eating. The old lady thought she was just embarrassed.
So he instructed Xie Zhiyan through the screen, "Sanlang, your wife loves to eat pomegranates in winter. After the banquet, remember to pick two large ones for Puzhu to take back, so that Puzhu won't be shy and feel embarrassed to take more."
The pomegranates that he had rejected during the day were now placed openly on the banquet table.
"Yeah." Xie Zhiyan's eyes were hidden in the shadows, and he looked at Sheng Puju across the firelight.
The two looked at each other from a distance, one with dark eyes and the other with clear eyes.
Xie Jiyan looked at the couple looking at each other, and suddenly covered his lips and coughed violently. His pale hands tightly clasped the armrest of the wheelchair. The candlelight flickered, reflecting the dark current in his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Why are you coughing again for no reason?" The old lady anxiously asked Nanny Jiang to call a doctor.
"Grandma, it's okay. Just get through this." Xie Jiyan said in a hoarse voice.
Xie Zhiyan stood up and walked behind Xie Jiyan: "It's cold and the road is long. I will take Jiyan back."
Since Xie Zhiyan was trusted in the work, the old lady naturally wouldn't refuse.
"Yes, it's cold, and his body can't stand it."
"You two brothers have a good relationship. I'm afraid we haven't seen each other for a while. Why don't you talk along the way?"
"After the banquet, I'll have Madam Jiang take Puzhu back to Yunyu Hall."
"Don't worry, Saburo."
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