Chapter 275 Tea
Upon hearing the words "the heir apparent of the Marquis of Annan's mansion," the couple simultaneously stopped and looked at the carriage that had just come to a stop.
Other guests around also stopped and stepped aside without hesitation.
Over the years, thanks to the kindness of the birth mother of the Prince of Ning, the An'nan Marquis's mansion has enjoyed the emperor's favor among the noble families in the capital, and they receive rewards from the palace during festivals.
When he was young, Prince Ning was raised in the palace by the Empress Dowager. His treatment was no different from that of the other princes and grandsons. Even after he left the palace to recuperate in Jiangnan, the palace's rewards would still be sent to him from afar every year.
It can be said that the An'nan Marquis's mansion has been able to maintain its current glory largely thanks to Prince Ning and his birth mother.
Therefore, no one present dared to be careless or negligent in dealing with Prince Ning.
The groom quickly took out a horse stool, wiped off non-existent dust with his sleeve, and gently placed it on the ground. He shook it to make sure it was stable and wouldn't tip over before stepping aside.
The car door opened from the inside, and two agile attendants stepped out first.
Immediately afterwards, a slightly thin man dressed in a moon-white robe with silver bamboo leaf patterns leaned out and stepped down from the carriage using a stool.
It was Ning Sihan, the heir of the Marquis of An'nan.
Looking at that familiar yet slightly unfamiliar face, Sheng An's first observation was of Ning Sihan's complexion.
Yes, he looks just like a normal person; it seems he's fully recovered.
Sheng An was happy for Ning Sihan and was wondering whether to go up and say hello when she saw Ning Sihan walking straight towards her.
Ning Sihan's gaze lingered for a moment on Sheng An's noticeably protruding belly, then a gentle smile appeared on her face, and she spoke first amidst the surprised looks of the others:
"Madam Sheng, Lord Xu, it's been years. I hope you've been well."
Seeing that his attitude remained unchanged, Sheng An returned a polite smile: "I didn't expect to meet Prince Ning here. Thank you for your concern, Prince Ning. My husband and I are doing very well."
Xu Jinnian bowed to Ning Sihan and said, "Young Master Ning."
Ning Sihan reached out to help him up, saying, "It's good to meet an old friend, Lord Xu, there's no need for such formalities."
People heard it clearly, and their gazes toward Sheng An and his wife changed.
Everyone in the capital knew that the heir of the Marquis of Annan was indifferent by nature, impartial and selfless, and rarely associated with unrelated people.
I don't know where these two people came from, but they are old friends with Prince Ning, and their relationship seems to be quite special.
Noticing the gazes of those around him, Sheng An didn't take it to heart. Seeing that Ning Sihan didn't intend to go in, he had no choice but to invite her in, saying, "This isn't the place to catch up. Why don't we go inside and talk?"
Ning Sihan smiled and said, "Please."
Sheng An and Xu Jinnian tacitly stepped aside to let him walk in front.
Ning Sihan did not refuse and walked inside amidst the respectful greetings from the other guests.
Sheng An and Xu Jinnian followed a few steps behind, while Tan Zhenlin and his sister, who had been silent the whole time, walked beside them.
The brother and sister had no idea that the couple had a close relationship with Ning Sihan, and they were full of questions about it.
Neither the brother nor sister asked any further questions.
Sheng An leaned close to Tan Qingrou's ear and whispered, "Three years ago, Prince Ning was recuperating next door to my house."
Three years ago?
Tan Qingrou suddenly realized and looked at Sheng An with great admiration.
Not long after Shengyuan opened its doors to guests, Song Wanjun of the Jinling Song family came to Shengyuan to see Sister An'an. It is likely that he came for Prince Ning.
Back then, she often went to Shengyuan to play with Sister An'an, and she had no idea that Prince Ning was recuperating in the courtyard next door.
Sister An'an's mouth is really tight!
The other guests were all confused when they saw Ning Sihan turning around to talk to Sheng An and Xu Jinnian from time to time, and they whispered among themselves, trying to find out the couple's identities.
Someone recognized Xu Jinnian as the third-ranked scholar in this imperial examination and told him about it.
Although no one knew the connection between Prince Ning and Xu Jinnian, they were more cautious about Xu Jinnian and would have to greet him whenever they met.
Just as the group reached the second gate, Song Zhihang, having received the news, rushed over. The gentle breeze from his robes stirred the flowers and plants along the way.
Song Zhihang was unrefined in front of Sheng An and his wife, but when he came to Ning Sihan, he adopted the proper etiquette of a young master from a noble family, bowing respectfully to Ning Sihan.
"I am deeply sorry for not being able to welcome you properly, Your Highness Ning!"
Ning Sihan's smile remained unchanged, but it carried a hint of politeness: "Young Master Song, you flatter me."
As he spoke, Song Zhihang muttered to himself.
The Song family and the Ning family are both noble families, but they do not have a deep relationship. The Song family sent an invitation to the Ning family out of courtesy, but they did not expect that the Ning heir would come in person.
Despite his many questions, Song Zhihang remained composed, politely exchanging a few pleasantries with Ning Sihan and then greeting Sheng An, Xu Jinnian, and others before personally leading the way.
Not long after they left, Sheng An and Tan Qingrou, along with a group of female relatives, were led by the maids of the Marquis's residence to a place specifically for female guests. Soon, fragrant tea and snacks were served in a continuous stream.
The Marquis of Yongyi's residence covers a large area, and the reception area is a beautifully decorated garden.
It's April now, and the temperature is pleasant, so you won't feel cold here while enjoying flowers, tea, and conversation.
Tan Qingrou, who considered herself a worldly person, was still momentarily stunned by the luxurious splendor of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion. She couldn't help but lower her voice and laugh as she spoke to Sheng An:
"I went to several banquets with my mother before the New Year. I thought those banquets were rare and nothing compared to the Yongyi Marquis's mansion."
Sheng An sighed, "No wonder everyone wants to climb to the top of the tower."
Having tasted the power and influence, few are willing to let go; they simply want to see what the view is like at the top of the tower.
Tan Qingrou patted her chest slightly: "It's lonely at the top. We're not as good as some, but we're better than others, which is good enough."
Sheng An nodded: "Yes, it's very good."
She doesn't have big ambitions; achieving financial freedom and living a peaceful and joyful life is her perfect life.
The two sat together talking, inadvertently attracting the attention of the other ladies and young women.
Families who received invitations from the Marquis of Yongyi's residence were naturally of extraordinary status. Most of the people present were family members of officials of the third rank or above, and they all knew each other.
Seeing that Sheng An and Tan Qingrou looked unfamiliar, they asked the others about their identities.
Several ladies happened to see Sheng An and Ning Sihan laughing and talking at the door, and they told them about it in detail.
Therefore, even though Sheng An's status was insignificant, merely the wife of the current third-ranked scholar, no one dared to underestimate her, nor did anyone take the initiative to speak to her.
Sheng Anle was enjoying a leisurely time, chatting and sipping tea with Tan Qingrou.
Just as Tan Qingrou was about to remind the maidservant serving her to bring more tea, a petite maidservant came over carrying a pot of tea.
The maidservant, with impeccable manners, curtsied respectfully: "Madam, this servant will serve you tea."
Sheng An casually said, "Just put it down, I can do it myself."
The maid placed the tray on the stone table, but accidentally knocked over the teacup in front of Sheng An with one corner of the tray, spilling all the remaining tea inside.
"Please forgive me, Madam! Please forgive me, Madam! I'll get you a new cup right away!"
While apologizing, the maid hurriedly picked up the teacups and put them away. She took a new teacup from the tray and placed it in front of Sheng An, then picked up the teapot and poured water into her cup.
Sheng An didn't take this small mistake to heart, watching as the new teacup was slowly filled.
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