Qin Yuan could only glance at Hongye and say, "Go and have someone prepare the meal."
The red leaves have faded.
Gu Jinghui had already stood up, looking like he brooked no refusal.
Qin Yuan, who was only up to Gu Jinghui's chest, stepped onto the low couch by the window and asked Gu Jinghui to move over: "Please come here, Your Excellency."
Gu Jinghui was obedient and walked over in a few steps.
With Cui Ming's help, Qin Yuan finally managed to dress him after some effort. After getting off the bed, she bent down to tie his belt, purse, sachet, and the small seal and jade pendant that she had just changed off.
After a busy day, a thin layer of sweat appeared on the tip of my nose.
It's much more tiring than dressing yourself.
Gu Jinghui remained calm and composed, squinting as she helped him dress. She told him to raise his arms or turn around, and he did so without the slightest impatience or haste.
Seeing that it was almost ready, Hongye came over and said, "My lord, my lady, breakfast is ready."
The two moved to the outer room to eat.
Compared to the Qin family's breakfast, the Hou family's breakfast had a much wider variety, including bird's nest, red date and rice porridge, shrimp dumplings, three kinds of sauces, steamed buns, duck meat paste, fish and vermicelli, stuffed tofu... a table full of food.
Qin Yuan was very satisfied with what she saw.
She had a terrible time eating at the Qin residence for the past two months.
As expected of the hereditary Dingbei Marquis's mansion, a family of high-ranking officials, their wealth and luxury are like oil spilled on a hot fire, even better than what she ate in the Prime Minister's mansion.
Qin Yuan gestured to Gu Jinghui and then hurriedly began to eat. She hadn't eaten much yesterday and was already very hungry.
She ate very quickly and maintained excellent posture; there was nothing wrong with her eating.
By the time Gu Jinghui put down his chopsticks, she had finished eating.
The two rinsed their mouths before going one after the other to the main room to serve tea.
The Marquis's mansion was very large, with many gardens built between the courtyards. One had to pass through many flower gates and small gates before reaching the main house.
Looking at the sun, Qin Yuan estimated that it was already 7:45 AM.
She couldn't help but secretly roll her eyes at Gu Jinghui.
If it weren't for his dawdling and troublemaking, he would have arrived long ago.
Qin Yuan quickened her pace, while Gu Jinghui walked at a leisurely pace, always keeping the same distance from her.
Before even entering the main hall, one could hear the lively commotion inside.
Gu Jinghui whispered, "There are many children in the family. My sixth brother has four or five children, and Zhao Niangzi's two children often stay with Mother. They are my adopted sons. They were supposed to come today, but the children just fell ill, and Zhao Niangzi's status makes it inconvenient for her to come. Mother likes liveliness. My sister is a few years younger than you and is used to being spoiled. Please give in to her a little for my sake."
Qin Yuan agreed to everything. What Gu Jinghui said was not much different from what she had inquired about before, and Cui Ming prepared the gift accordingly.
If we wait until now to say it, it will be too late.
But she still smiled and said, "Thank you for your advice, husband. I will be careful what I say later."
Gu Jinghui stopped and took her hand, saying, "It would be better if we were closer; Mother would be happy to see that."
Qin Yuan lowered her head, putting on the shy look of a newlywed bride, and was led into the hall by him. The children immediately quieted down.
Then, Madam Gu Liu came forward and said with a smile, "Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law have arrived. I will send someone to invite Mother right away."
As she spoke, her gaze swept over the two people's faces and bodies, finally settling on their clasped hands.
Gu Jinghui said, "Thank you for your trouble, Sixth Brother and Sister-in-law."
A short while later, Old Madam Gu was invited out and sat at the head of the table. The old woman quickly placed a prayer cushion in front of her so that the two of them could kneel down to serve tea.
Qin Yuan secretly raised her eyes and saw that Old Madam Gu was wearing a lilac-colored wide-sleeved shirt, with an elaborate flower bun on her head, and a three-winged golden phoenix hairpin that symbolized her status as a Marquis's wife. She also had a golden embroidered cloud and pheasant patterned shawl draped over her shoulders. Qin Yuan knew that the other party was very particular about etiquette and valued this marriage very much. Half of her worries were relieved.
As expected, Madam Gu did not make things difficult for her. After accepting the tea from her daughter-in-law, she ordered the old nanny serving her to hand her a set of headdresses. It was a set of exquisitely crafted and valuable headdresses with gold phoenixes, kingfisher feathers, and red trim.
Qin Yuan thanked her again and again.
The gift she prepared for the old lady was a headband she had embroidered herself; for the other women, it was a purse or sachet; and for the men, it was a writing brush, ink, or inkstone.
This is very much in line with her status as the daughter of a civil official.
The return gifts from others were also not expensive.
After serving the tea, Madam Gu asked them to stay and talk. Qin Yuan perked up, guessing what Madam Gu wanted to tell them.
In her past life, after drinking the tea for her daughter-in-law, Lin Ziqi's mother first said something about how difficult it was for a widow to be a mother, then admonished her to take good care of her husband's daily life and not to let her seduce other women and ruin Lin Ziqi's studies. Finally, she told her to remember the Lin family's rules.
They stood there for a full two hours.
She was kept awake all night by Lin Ziqi's antics, and after standing for two hours, she still had to support her aching body to cook for her mother-in-law and husband.
Being a daughter-in-law in the Lin family is truly a hard life.
To Qin Yuan's surprise, Old Madam Gu spoke to her son first: "I heard you went to Fengxuan Pavilion again last night?"
Gu Jinghui nodded: "Last night, Cheng Ge'er had a high fever and was quite agitated. Zhao Niangzi, being a woman, didn't know what to do, so she sent someone to invite me over to take a look."
Madam Gu sighed, "You've neglected your newlywed bride. How will she stand in the household in the future? A woman's dignity depends entirely on her husband. Everyone has seen how you treat Yuan'er."
Gu Jinghui looked at Qin Yuan, his eyes seemingly filled with apology.
Qin Yuan immediately said, "Mother-in-law, I don't blame the Marquis. I know that the Marquis is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. Zhao Niangzi's husband saved the Marquis's life, so it is only natural for the Marquis to worry about his adopted son. The Marquis and I are husband and wife, and husband and wife are one, sharing honor and disgrace. If the Marquis gives me face in the future, I will naturally have face too. It's not about this moment."
Upon hearing this, Madam Gu was overjoyed. She stroked Qin Yuan's small hand, and her face relaxed into a smile.
No mother-in-law would not favor her own son, so she suppressed her son's words first in order to appease Qin Yuan.
I never expected Qin Yuan to say something so reasonable.
Madam Gu said to Rong Mama, who was serving her, "Quickly bring me the jade pendant that I put at the bottom of the box. It's perfect for the new bride. She's from a young family and she's really pretty. She'll look even better wearing that."
Rong Momo left with a smile.
Qin Yuan declined shyly, saying, "That set of jewelry was already very valuable."
"Silly child," Old Madam Gu said with even more fondness for her, smiling, "You won't accept these good things. Our family has been fighting for generations, so we have plenty of good things. As long as you and Hui-ge are happy together and have many children, everything I own will be yours."
Fearing that Qin Yuan might not dare to accept it, he said, "I also gave this to your sixth sister-in-law when she married into the family. This is for my own daughter-in-law. Your sixth sister-in-law also received a private gift from Aunt Wen. Aunt Wen has quite a few good things too."
Qin Yuan stopped refusing and thanked them generously, accepting the jade token with a smile.
The jade plaque, clear and translucent, is carved with peony flowers using micro-carving techniques. Even under a magnifying glass, every stroke is meticulously crafted and perfectly orderly.
This is truly a rare find.
She received at least six hundred gold coins from today's tea ceremony.
I'll come here often in the future.
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