Chapter 7 Serving Tea: The Bride's Tea-Serving Ceremony
"grandmother!"
Xiao Qiyu was the first to notice the bloodstains on the handkerchief. His usually calm black eyes suddenly showed anxiety, and his face instantly lost all color. He spoke with such force that it was almost a shout.
The maids and servants rushed to the front of the daybed, and the two women sitting on the right also cried out, "Grandmother!" They stood up and ran over, muttering helplessly, "What should we do?"
Only the woman dressed in royal blue silk tapestry remained calm and composed, ordering her maid to fetch the family physician. She then instructed an old woman to send someone to the palace to invite the imperial physician. Afterward, she called for someone to fetch a bowl of loquat and lily soup from the small kitchen. She arranged everything in an orderly manner. By the time the family physician arrived, the loquat and lily soup had already been brought by the maid. It was neither too hot nor too cold, just right for drinking.
Madam Wang drank two mouthfuls of soup, then waved her hand, ordering the physician to leave. She then sighed, "These are all old ailments that have lasted for years. Why make such a fuss? Today I just want to have a quiet talk with my granddaughter-in-law. None of you should offend me."
After saying that, he looked at Cui Ying, who had already stepped aside, and said with a smile, "Good child, come here."
Cui Ying had never witnessed such a scene of coughing up blood in her entire life. At this moment, she was completely out of her mind, with only her body barely holding on. When she heard her aunt calling her, she walked over blankly.
Wang gripped Cui Ying's hand again, this time with even more force than before, her aged wrist trembling slightly.
“Child, you’ve just married into this family; there are some things you shouldn’t be saying now.”
Wang's tone was tinged with guilt, and her eyes were slightly red: "But a person's life is at most a hundred years. My grandmother is over seventy years old and suffers from chronic illness. Her days have already passed by in a blur. If we don't say it now, I'm afraid that when she wakes up, she will never have the chance to say it again."
Upon hearing these words, which sounded like a deathbed confession, Xiao Qiyu became anxious. But just as he was about to speak, he was silenced by a sharp glare from Madam Wang.
Madam Wang withdrew her gaze and looked at Cui Ying with loving eyes: "Your grandmother and I have known each other for decades, and our families know each other very well. You and Qilang grew up together since childhood and are about the same age. You should have been engaged long ago. But I also know my grandson's temperament. So whenever I have the idea of getting married, I am a little worried. I am worried that his temperament will make you feel wronged and unable to live a good life."
Cui Ying listened in a daze, silently nodding in her heart.
That's right, Xiao Qiyu will definitely make her suffer, and she definitely won't be able to get along with Xiao Qiyu.
So, let's just call off this marriage.
Wang sighed, "This delay has lasted until you two have grown up."
"Although I don't know why the Empress Dowager suddenly bestowed a marriage upon you two, seeing you two become husband and wife is something I have been longing for day and night."
Looking at Cui Ying, Wang smiled bitterly, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening: "Grandmother has eaten and seen everything in her life, and has experienced everything. Even when she closes her eyes, she has no regrets. The only thing she can't let go of is Qilang."
"His parents passed away early, and he was raised by me from a young age. I spoiled him a bit, but he's a good person at heart—"
"grandmother!"
Xiao Qiyu could no longer hold back. His entire aura tensed up, like a beast cub whose wounds had been reopened. He disregarded everything else and raised his eyes to question her sharply: "Why did you tell her all this!"
Without even glancing at him, Wang continued speaking to Cui Ying: "Qilang is a stubborn child. He swallows his pride and sometimes what he thinks and what he says are completely opposite. I remember when he was ten years old, he went hunting with his third brother and fell off his horse, breaking his leg. I knew he was in pain and couldn't sleep at night, so I tried to comfort him and talk to him, but he wouldn't let me near him no matter what. He even chased away all the servants who were serving him, saying that he didn't need anyone's care."
"I was worried, so I secretly kept watch at the door. Guess what happened?"
Cui Ying blinked, her curiosity piqued, and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Wang's eyes reddened further, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. She smiled and said, "It wasn't until late at night that I discovered he was hiding under the covers, secretly crying."
Cui Ying was stunned, feeling somewhat uneasy.
Madam Wang stared intently at Cui Ying, stroking her hand and saying, "My dear child, you are a good person. I entrust Qilang to you with peace of mind. I don't know how many days I have left. My greatest wish is to see you and Qilang living happily together as husband and wife."
At this point, Madam Wang's tone suddenly became urgent, and tears welled up in her eyes: "My youngest son... would you grant your grandmother this request?"
Cui Ying stared blankly at the tears in the old man's eyes, his mouth frozen like a wooden carving, unable to utter a single word, and could only quietly glance at Xiao Qiyu.
Xiao Qiyu's phoenix eyes were red as he quietly looked at the white hair on Wang's head, lost in thought.
In the silence, Madam Xue breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Mother went through all this trouble just so that the young couple could be loving and harmonious? This scared us so much, we thought it was something serious. Isn't it natural for newlyweds to be loving and affectionate?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang tugged at Xue's sleeve. Only then did Xue notice that her second sister-in-law, Qin, was glancing at her indifferently, and she quickly lowered her head and shut her mouth.
The room fell silent without anyone noticing, as if it had fallen into some kind of stalemate.
At this moment, Madam Qin stepped forward and said with a smile, "Grandmother, you really are something. This young lady is too shy to accept your questions. It's been so long, the time for serving tea is almost over, and we're just waiting for lunch."
Wang then came to her senses, wiped away her tears, and smiled, saying, "That's right, it's time to serve tea. Look at me, I'm getting old and I like to gossip and say things that I don't even like to hear myself."
After speaking, as if to ease the atmosphere, Madam Wang asked Cui Ying softly, "By the way, child, I remember you seemed to be about to say something, and it was related to Qi Lang. What happened between you two? Did he do something to upset you?"
Cui Ying suddenly realized that she had intended to make it clear that she and Xiao Qiyu could not be husband and wife and that she would break off the engagement and go home.
“I…I meant to say…” Cui Ying began, but her words suddenly became extremely difficult to utter, “…Xiao Qiyu and I…”
Beside her, Xiao Qiyu slowly withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at his grandmother's white hair, but instead looking at Cui Ying's profile.
The girl's long eyelashes fluttered, and a thin layer of fine sweat appeared on the tip of her snow-white nose, making it moist and fragrant.
Xiao Qiyu knew that Cui Ying never blushed or skipped a beat when lying, cursing, or grumbling in his heart, except for the sweat on his nose, which was a sign that Cui Ying was guilty.
This usually occurs after doing something bad, or when you don't want to refuse someone but still have to.
He knew that she would immediately tell him that she didn't like him, hated him, and that the marriage should never have been finalized, and then go home and never speak to him again.
Or rather, they completely cut ties with the entire Dingyuan Marquis's mansion.
After all, who has Miss Cui ever been afraid of, and who can hold her back?
Xiao Qiyu chuckled inwardly, as if laughing at himself, yet unsure why. His eyes darkened, and he stopped looking at Cui Ying.
"Replying to Grandmother."
The smoke from the offering made Cui Ying's eyes sting. She blinked several times, looked down and then up again, her rosy lips pursed, as if she had made a decision in her calm demeanor.
Finally, she looked up at Madam Wang, her almond-shaped eyes clear and bright, and continued, "What I was just about to say was that Xiao Qiyu and I will certainly live up to the Empress Dowager's good intentions and become a couple..."
The phrase "loving couple" was too hot to swallow; Cui Ying felt that she wouldn't be able to eat for six months after saying it.
"Make a pair..." She racked her brains, realizing how little she knew when she needed it, and regretted not having read more good books.
"Biological husband and wife".
Cui Ying uttered those four words dryly, and then, as if he had opened a mechanism, everyone burst into laughter. From Madam Wang down to the little maids serving tea and water, everyone was laughing so hard they were holding their waists and tears streaming down their faces.
Wang pulled her into her arms and hugged her tightly, laughing so hard she coughed and gasped for breath, "You little rascal, how could a husband and wife ever have biological children? You're trying to make us laugh to death. I've never heard of such a thing before. If word gets out, people will laugh their heads off."
Madam Xue covered her smile with her handkerchief and couldn't help but tease, "Grandmother, you don't know, the closest relatives in the world are none other than one's own flesh and blood. Aren't the affection and loyalty between 'biological spouses' far deeper than that between other couples?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Shi laughed incessantly, startling the maid who repeatedly patted her chest to comfort her.
Cui Ying chuckled nonchalantly, seemingly unconcerned, but in reality, her mind had been wandering for a while.
Damn it, the cruelest punishment in the world is nothing more than making a person who cares about their reputation lose face from time to time.
No, she's such a vengeful person, she'll remember every single person who laughed at her!
Cui Ying secretly scanned each smiling face, and finally discovered that out of all these people, only one person was not smiling.
Xiao Qiyu.
Amidst the laughter filling the room, the young man gazed at her quietly. In his eyes, which were as still as a deep pool, an unusually obvious emotion appeared. His expression was complex and confused, as if he were getting to know her for the first time in all these years of knowing her.
Their eyes met, and Cui Ying pulled open her eyelids and made a face at him.
Xiao Qiyu: "..."
Once Madam Wang had caught her breath, a maidservant came forward to serve tea and laid out a red and purple satin cushion embroidered with a hundred children under the couch.
Cui Ying took the tea and was about to kneel on the prayer mat to perform the tea-serving ceremony for a new bride when she heard Wang scold Xiao Qiyu: "Your wife is kneeling, so don't stand up either. Come and join her."
Xiao Qiyu reluctantly said "Oh" and knelt down next to Cui Ying.
Young men and women, side by side and knees together, offer tea with outstretched arms.
They were like figures descended from a painting, a perfect couple.
Cui Ying offered the fragrant tea, her voice sweet and obedient: "Grandmother, please have some tea."
Overjoyed, Madam Wang agreed. She took the tea, first taking out a heavy red envelope that she had already wrapped from the box and handing it to Cui Ying. Then she instructed the maid in charge of the chests: "Go and fetch my gold filigree and jade peony and phoenix headdress. My youngest son has fair skin, and that set will look perfect on him."
The maidservant laughed and said, "It seems that the old lady really likes Seventh Madam very much. Last year, when Fifth Miss got married, she pestered you for a long time to give her this set of jewelry. How could you bear to give it to her?"
Wang only smiled and did not say anything.
Cui Ying knelt down and kowtowed: "Granddaughter-in-law thanks Grandmother."
Xiao Qiyu was slightly taken aback, not knowing which word had stung him. He turned to look at Cui Ying's profile and saw the tassels on her snow-white earlobes. He felt a warm sensation rising in his heart, which he couldn't quite explain.
After paying respects to his grandmother, Cui Ying rose and, together with Xiao Qiyu, approached the woman dressed in a royal blue silk robe with wide sleeves. They changed their kneeling bow to a curtsy and offered her tea, saying, "Greetings, Second Aunt."
Madam Qin took the tea, took out a red envelope from her sleeve, handed it to Cui Ying, and said with a smile, "If Seventh Brother ever makes you unhappy in the future, not to mention the old lady, I will be the first to not forgive him."
Cui Ying accepted the red envelope and thanked her. Then, she followed Xiao Qiyu to the woman dressed in peacock green, curtsied, and offered tea, saying, "Greetings, Third Aunt."
Madam Zhang accepted the tea, handed over a red envelope, and smiled gently: "Back when we were still young ladies, your mother and I often joked that we would become in-laws. I thought that since we both had daughters, we were not destined to be together, but unexpectedly, we have become family again."
Cui Ying smiled and said, "It shows that my third aunt and my mother are still destined to be together."
Cui Ying had often heard Kong Shi say that she and the third wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan's family had grown up in Qufu since childhood and were very close friends. Later, they grew up and got married. Although the two families were close, women in their inner chambers could not see each other often and gradually became estranged.
After leaving Zhang's house, Cui Ying and Xiao Qiyu walked up to Xue, who was dressed in autumn-colored clothing.
Cui Ying raised her cup to offer tea, her voice as sweet and gentle as before: "Greetings, Fourth Aunt."
Madam Xue hurriedly accepted the tea, handed over the red envelope, and said with a smile, "Ever since you two were little, I've felt that you two are a perfect match. Seventh Brother is calm and quiet, while Third Sister is lively and cheerful. They complement each other perfectly, making you a golden couple. People are more compatible with each other than their own temperament."
Cui Ying suppressed the urge to retort on the spot, and put on a polite, fake smile.
Xiao Qiyu glanced at Cui Ying out of the corner of her eye and said indifferently, "Fourth Aunt must be mistaken. She used to beat me to the ground a lot when we were kids. How could we possibly get along?"
Madam Xue: "Seventh Brother, what you said is wrong. Why does Third Sister beat you and not others? Isn't that because she's closest to you?"
These words perfectly captured Wang's feelings. Pointing at Xiao Qiyu, she smiled and said, "Your fourth aunt is right. Our youngest son has always been affectionate towards you since you were little! Isn't that right, youngest son?"
Cui Ying smiled, turned to look at Xiao Qiyu, and said through gritted teeth, “Yes, from childhood to adulthood, the person I am closest to is Brother Qilang.”
Xiao Qiyu: "..."
Half an hour later, the two rushed out of the Bodhi Hall at the same time, their speed as if death row inmates had been granted a general amnesty.
Cui Ying felt a tightness in her chest and couldn't get it out, so she deliberately teased Xiao Qiyu, saying in a coquettish voice, "Brother Qilang, wait for me, I love being affectionate with you the most."
Xiao Qiyu abruptly stopped, turned around and approached her, unable to contain himself any longer, and said, "Isn't it disgusting enough for you? Do you have to drag me down with you?"
Cui Ying, having finally gotten her revenge, laughed wildly and enthusiastically: "That's right, you're the one I find disgusting!"
Xiao Qiyu was enraged by her smile. His thick eyebrows rose, his phoenix eyes turned icy, and his pupils returned to their unfathomable blackness.
"If you disgust me so much, why didn't you suggest calling off the engagement earlier?"
A note from the author:
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