Gu Qing's hand, which was tightly clutching the handkerchief, rested on the back of Old Madam Chen's hand. "Grandma, we're already at the door. We have to eat before we go back. We've come all this way."
Mrs. Meng stood outside the gate of the mansion. She looked out from afar and saw Gu Qing, Chen Zhizhou and his group coming. She hurriedly walked over to greet them.
Even though they had never met before, seeing Gu Qing personally holding the old woman's arm, it was self-evident what kind of person he was.
"Gu Qing greets Madam Meng. Today I have come with my husband and grandmother to congratulate Miss Meng." Gu Qing took the initiative to speak. She looked at Madam Meng with a faint smile, and her attitude was neither humble nor modest, just like a lady from a noble family.
Mrs. Meng hurriedly bowed and saluted the old lady of the Chen family. Firstly, the Chen family's status in the court was higher than that of the Meng family. Secondly, the old lady was her elder, so it was only natural for her to do so.
"How are you these days, Madam? Come with me into the yard quickly. Don't get burned by the sun outside. It's so hot." Madam Meng held one hand in front of her as she walked quickly, taking the initiative to lead the way for Gu Qing and Madam Chen.
The old lady looked around as she walked, and her eyes were almost not enough.
Mrs. Meng brought the two of them to sit in the main hall. There were several tables in the main hall, but all the people sitting there were the wives and daughters of various prominent families in the capital. They knew each other well and had endless things to talk about.
Regarding the arrival of Old Madam Chen and Gu Qing, they just bowed politely, nodded and smiled, and just wanted to save face.
"Is this a homecoming banquet?" There was a hint of surprise in the old lady's eyes. She spoke carefully and asked Gu Qing in a low voice.
Gu Qing took the cup from Cui Ru with a faint smile, moved closer to the old lady, and explained in a low voice, "Traditionally, the homecoming banquet was only held for the bride's family. However, in the capital, there are many social interactions and guests. For the more prominent families, the homecoming banquet is naturally extraordinary."
Old Madam Chen nodded thoughtfully. She sat down and acted like a noble lady from the capital, with a serious expression and a solemn demeanor.
Seeing the old lady so serious, the noisy discussions around her suddenly stopped, and the women looked at each other in confusion.
When she originally came here, Gu Qing had already made a complete plan. If her grandmother really made a fool of herself here, she would take responsibility for everything.
However, I never expected that the old lady, who was rumored to be a rustic woman from the countryside, was still as polite as ever throughout the whole process.
A servant came outside to announce that the female guests in the main hall were asked to go to the small courtyard next to the main hall for some tea and snacks.
In this way, the banquet is about to begin.
Gu Qing followed behind Old Madam Chen, holding her arm along the way, walking neither fast nor slow.
"Gu Qing is so bold! She actually dared to wear the phoenix hairpin given to her by the Empress Dowager on that old woman's head!"
"That's right. This shows how arrogant she is. That was a gift from the Empress, and it's a phoenix hairpin. Isn't she slapping the Empress and His Majesty in the face by doing this?"
"I'm afraid that after some people became famous at the palace banquet that day, their tails will be so high that they can't tell their own weight anymore."
…
A group of noble ladies stood on the front corridor. They looked at Gu Qing and Old Madam Chen one by one, and made sarcastic remarks.
Old Madam Chen was just old, she was not blind or deaf, and the teasing and ridicule from the others reached her ears.
The old man's face almost drooped to the ground, his complexion was ashen!
"I've said it long ago. Even if you don't want to find a decent piece of jewelry for me to wear when going out, why do you have to do this? This ridiculous joke has been made. How can the Chen family still maintain its reputation?" The old lady turned around and gave Gu Qing a cold look with her face flushed with anger. Her words were implicitly blaming Gu Qing for acting on his own!
After saying that, the old lady shook off Gu Qing's hand that was supporting her.
With this sudden swing, Gu Qing stumbled and twisted her leg, nearly falling. She quickly regained her balance and explained to the old lady calmly, "Grandma, let outsiders say whatever they want. They're just sour grapes because they can't eat them. Qing'er doesn't care, so why should Grandma be upset?"
Mrs. Meng stood in front to greet them personally. She took Mrs. Chen's hand with a smile and asked her to come in and take a seat.
Sometimes, Gu Qing couldn't help but admire the mistresses of these prominent families in the capital...
Just like Madam Meng, she had only just met the old lady today, but they got along so well with each other as if they were family, and there was no sense of hypocrisy at all.
"You are the oldest, and we are honored that you have the honor to come to the Meng family for dinner. Please don't be modest." After Mrs. Meng said this, she stood in the upper seat and greeted him personally.
Meng Jiajia was entertaining guests in the front hall with her brother-in-law, so she arrived a little late. She walked slowly, her peach-pink and scarlet gauze dress setting off her face that looked like a peach blossom.
All the guests stood up and spoke one after another to congratulate Meng Jiajia and her husband, with many kind words.
However, Meng Jiajia glanced around, and her eyes gradually fell on Du Qing and his group not far ahead.
Normally, their relationship was mostly just for show. Today, at her homecoming banquet, Du Qing wore that peach pink long fairy dress with water sleeves, which made her stand out from the crowd. She even outshone Meng Jiajia, the newly married woman.
A wonderful show is about to begin right before their eyes.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind and wrapped around Gu Qing's slender waist.
She quickly turned around and looked behind her, it turned out to be Mu Xin!
Gu Qing couldn't help but let out a long sigh. He held the handkerchief in one hand and gently stroked his heart, muttering words of blame to her: "Xin'er, you are so startled. It's too scary."
Mu Xin ordered someone to bring a chair and sat down next to Gu Qing. She had no interest at all in the flirting of the noble ladies in front of her.
"Your husband asked me to bring this to you." Mu Xin said as she opened her palm, revealing two big, round and plump lychees!
"The princess wouldn't have eaten them secretly on the way, right? Even if the third young master gave them to the young lady, he couldn't just give these two fruits to her!" Cuiru gently fanned the folding fan in her hand, saying with a sweet smile.
Princess?
After hearing this, Mrs. Chen's eyes rolled around, and she suddenly turned pale. She grabbed Gu Qing's hand and asked, "Is this the princess?"
"You are..." This was the first time Mu Xin saw this old lady. She looked unfamiliar. When Old Madam Chen was talking to Gu Qing just now, she thought she was a member of the Meng family.
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