Chapter 7 Birthday Banquet
A day later, the weather was fine and the spring breeze was gentle.
Warm golden sunlight streamed softly into the flower hall of the Ji family mansion through the carved window lattices. Inside, a moon-white Hunan embroidery tablecloth covered a long, vermilion-lacquered, carved table, on which celadon ice-patterned fruit platters were arranged in a staggered pattern, filled with seasonal fresh fruits such as Western Region melons and grapes.
Bronze crane incense burners stand at the four corners of the hall, emitting wisps of agarwood fragrance, the aroma calm and elegant.
Today, Madam Ji wore a sky-blue jacket embroidered with silver bamboo, and a white jade crown with plum blossom patterns in her hair. Although she was nearly forty, she was well-maintained and looked as beautiful as someone in their thirties.
She accepted the birthday gifts from the ladies with a smile, and sat gracefully in the rosewood armchair with cloud patterns at the head of the table, listening to the greetings from the guests.
"Madam hasn't held a birthday celebration in recent years, which has made us miss her dearly." Madam Liu, dressed in a crimson jacket, smiled as she waved a silk fan. "She wasn't there at the plum blossom banquet last time either, and we thought she had become distant from us."
Madam Ji leaned back against the cushions, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes smoothing out, a stark contrast to the cold and aloof demeanor she displayed when she secluded herself to worship Buddha. "A few years ago, my health wasn't very good, and the imperial physician advised me to rest," she said, her gaze seemingly drifting across the hall door. "Now I'm much better."
Princess Rong, seated to the left of the head of the table, glanced around at those below and asked, "Why is Huaizhi not here today?"
"The physician is busy with affairs at the academy and said he would arrive later." Before Madam Ji could finish speaking, a lady below her suddenly said with a smile, "Is Miss Meng coming today? I've heard that the girl is beautiful and gentle, and her needlework is also outstanding. The young master is very fortunate."
"Yes, we've never met Miss Meng before. Today we have the chance to see her beautiful face."
The ladies present all smiled and agreed, but a hint of amusement lurked in their eyes. Everyone knew that although the Meng family was wealthy, they were ultimately not of high social standing, and this praise was merely to save face for the entire family.
Madam Ji had no complaints about the marriage. These people had low standards; they only cared about family background and didn't realize that character and personality were the most important things.
In her heart, Meng Yutong was kind, gentle, considerate, and generous, treating everyone and everything with sincerity—truly a rare find. There was probably no girl in Lin'an more suitable to be a wife than Meng Yutong. A slight smile played on her lips as she was about to speak when she suddenly heard a commotion at the hall entrance.
Everyone turned around and saw the Meng sisters stepping into the hall one after the other.
Today, Meng Yutong wore a dark purple robe with gold trim, and her bright gold headdress was dazzling in the room light. The hem of her robe was embroidered with large peony flowers, and the gold threads shimmered as she walked. She looked just like a nouveau riche woman.
Such an extravagant outfit made people afraid to look closely; they would quickly look away after just one glance.
Behind her, Meng Yurou wore a light smoky-colored silk dress, with only a white jade hibiscus hairpin in her hair, simple and elegant. The contrast between the two made the former's flamboyant and out-of-place appearance all the more striking.
The room full of noble ladies fell silent for a moment.
"He's from a merchant family after all..." someone whispered, covering their face with a fan.
"How could such behavior be worthy of Young Master Ji..."
Hearing the surrounding chatter, Meng Yurou couldn't help but smile. She glanced at Madam Ji and saw that the woman's brows were slightly furrowed, which made her even more satisfied.
It's a pity that Young Master Ji wasn't there, so he didn't get to see Meng Yutong's vulgar appearance.
Princess Rong looked at Meng Yutong with great interest.
Although she and Lady Ji, Li Wan, were sisters-in-law and both members of the royal family, Li Wan gave birth to such an outstanding son, while her son was a notorious playboy in Lin'an.
The two cousins are often compared, but there's really nothing to compare between them. It's just that people nowadays like to put one down and praise the other, finding ways to mock Su Mingwei.
Princess Rong gently waved her fan, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes. It was quite amusing that the most renowned young man in Lin'an was to be paired with such a gaudy woman, which gave her a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Miss Meng truly lives up to her reputation." The princess's lips parted slightly. "Such beauty is truly unforgettable."
Madam Ji seemed oblivious to the whispers emanating from the audience, and simply smiled and beckoned to Meng Yutong, "Yutong, you've come at the perfect time. How has your grandmother been these days?"
With a polite smile, Meng Yutong stepped forward and bowed to Madam Ji to wish her a happy birthday. "Thank you for your concern, Madam Ji. My grandmother is doing well." Her movements were completely natural and without any awkwardness.
Her demeanor was quite refined, but it didn't quite match her taste in clothing.
Seeing that everyone's attention was drawn to Meng Yutong, Meng Yurou quickly signaled a maid to bring over a sandalwood box inlaid with mother-of-pearl. She stepped forward with a smile and said, "Madam, this is a jade ornament that Yurou personally selected. It suits your temperament very well. I wish you a long and happy life."
She opened the brocade box, inside lay a jade pendant, carved from Hetian jade in the shape of a gourd. The gourd was decorated with lifelike patterns of plants and flowers, with a panchang knot hanging above and a five-bat tassel at the bottom.
Madam Ji glanced at her indifferently and nodded, saying, "You're very thoughtful."
The maid stepped forward, took the brocade box, and put it away.
"This pattern is indeed exquisite," Madam Liu said, leaning closer to examine it. "This is..."
“It’s Reed, a famous flower of Qinzhou,” Meng Yutong replied gently, her fingertips subtly tracing the cuff of her sleeve. “The embroiderers of Qinzhou are most skilled at this pattern.”
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but take a fresh look at the eldest daughter of the Meng family.
Upon closer inspection, one could see that her eyebrows resembled distant, verdant mountains, and her eyes were like autumn waters rippling across the surface. Even in her extravagant attire, she could not conceal her innate radiance and elegance. Her eyes were large and bright, like grapes displayed on a celadon plate, lively and profound, unforgettable at first sight.
In stark contrast to the currently popular aloof and delicate appearance, it exudes a rare and elegant and noble air.
The Meng family girl was indeed outstanding in appearance. After looking at her a few more times, one could actually find her gaudy gold and purple outfit somewhat acceptable.
Princess Rong pursed her lips slightly as she scrutinized Meng Yutong, who remained upright and clear-eyed even amidst controversy. The hint of pleasure in her eyes faded, replaced by a scrutinizing gaze.
This overall demeanor... doesn't seem like something that someone from a humble background could cultivate.
Meng Yurou's smile froze, secretly annoyed that she had interrupted, and she quickly asked, "Where is my sister's gift?" She deliberately paused, "Sister, were you perhaps too busy getting ready today to remember?"
The expressions of all the noble ladies present were somewhat subtle.
Meng Yutong calmly took a plain brocade pillow from Bai Zhi's hand: "This junior cannot afford such a precious gift as my sister, so I can only sew this myself."
She presented a fragrant pillow, its surface adorned with a brocade pattern of falling flowers and flowing water, with a base of wavy water and scattered plum blossoms. "I've heard that you are a light sleeper, so I've added some calming herbs inside. Placing it in your bedside at night will help you relax and have a soothing effect on your sleep."
Madam Ji took the fragrant pillow, her fingertips tracing the sparse plum blossom pattern on it. A refreshing medicinal fragrance permeated her heart and soul, and her restlessness of the past few days was strangely soothed.
This girl... is always so thoughtful.
She looked up at Meng Yutong, her eyes shimmering with emotion, and after a long while said, "This smells so comforting, it must have taken you a lot of effort."
Meng Yutong shook her head, "If Madam is pleased, that's good."
In her previous life, she only learned after marrying into the Ji family that both Madam Ji and Ji Yun suffered from insomnia.
Ordinary calming medicines had little effect on them. Remembering the calming sachets she had made for her mother when she was young, she took a different approach, focusing on the sachets and spices, and supplementing them with some calming medicinal herbs, which proved effective.
Now, having been given a second chance at life, the recipe for this fragrant pillow is exactly what I repeatedly refined in my previous life.
Someone in the audience chimed in, "This fragrant pillow is truly thoughtfully made. I haven't been sleeping well tonight either. Madam Ji is so lucky!"
"Yes, let alone us, my son drinks too much tea during the day and can't sleep well at night. This handmade fragrant pillow is something you can't buy even if you want it."
Hearing the praise and seeing how much Madam Ji loved the gift, Meng Yurou said sourly, "Sister, Auntie gives you a lot of money every month, why don't you buy yourself a decent gift?" Her voice was soft, but just loud enough for the ladies around to hear. "Sister, you haven't spent all your money on yourself and have no money left, have you? If you had known this, why didn't you tell me?"
Meng Yutong's eyes were clear, as if she didn't understand her words. "Sister is joking. Aunt is very thoughtful. She arranged everything for me at the banquet today, from head to toe. I don't have anything to take care of myself."
As she spoke, she subtly adjusted her posture, seemingly unintentionally smoothing her sleeves, her skirt spreading slightly beside the roadside. Her voice was soft yet clear, “My aunt comes from a scholarly family, so her taste is naturally excellent. Since it is her kind gesture, how could I, as a junior, dare to refuse?”
Her words, spoken gently yet flawlessly, both absolved her of accusations of misusing money and clearly explained the origin of her extravagant attire. Every lady present, being astute, looked thoughtfully at Meng Yurou.
Upon hearing this, Meng Yurou's face turned even redder.
With a "splash," the entire cup of hot tea was spilled onto her skirt.
"Oh dear!" Meng Yutong exclaimed softly, lifting her soaked skirt to reveal the large reed and wood grain patterns on her moon-white underskirt.
The craftsmanship of this pattern is exactly the same as the jade artifact that Meng Yurou presented earlier, clearly indicating that they are from the same family.
Princess Rong, holding a teacup, rested her hand on the sandalwood chair as if watching a spectacle, and said with a smile, "As expected of sisters, the Meng family girls both seem to have a fondness for the plant and tree patterns of Qinzhou."
“My mother was from Qinzhou.” Meng Yutong’s fingers trembled slightly as she held the handkerchief, her eyes glistening with tears. “This dress is her… dowry.”
The hall fell into a deathly silence.
Considering what Meng Yutong just said, the key point is self-evident.
It turns out that Aunt Qin not only mistreated the eldest daughter and seized her dowry, but also chose such extravagant clothes for her on such an occasion as today, making her look foolish. It seems that the eldest daughter of the Meng family is not having an easy time in the Meng family.
No wonder Madam Ji only invited two young ladies to her birthday banquet today, and not that concubine at all.
Meng Yurou's face turned deathly pale. She leaned close to Meng Yutong's ear and gritted her teeth, saying, "Sister, what will others think of me when you act like this!"
She thought Meng Yutong was truly foolish, coming dressed like this simply because she was told, and that she was waiting for her here. Thinking back, her seemingly unintentional remark the other day that the Ji family liked fresh floral patterns was also deliberately said for her to hear!
Meng Yurou spoke in a very low voice this time, so low that only Meng Yutong could hear her.
Meng Yutong's lips curled slightly, her voice light: "When you brought me this dress and jewelry, and took my mother's dowry as a congratulatory gift to the Ji residence, did you ever think about what others would think of me?"
"Yutong," Madam Ji suddenly spoke, her voice gentle, "wet clothes can easily make you catch a cold. Go and change into one of my old clothes." She turned and instructed her personal maid, "Go and fetch that moon-white dress embroidered with plum blossoms."
This statement was tantamount to publicly demonstrating support for Meng Yutong. The ladies present, being astute enough, immediately changed the subject, bringing up the latest fashionable flower patterns.
Meng Yutong curtsied and followed the nanny out of the flower hall. As she turned, she caught a glimpse of the genuine concern on Madam Ji's face, which deepened her doubts.
In her memories of her previous life, her mother-in-law was like the plum blossom she loved—a woman of quiet temperament who spent her days locked in her room eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, rarely showing any joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.
Looking at her today, I feel she is quite different from before.
It's like he's become a completely different person...
After Meng Yutong left, Meng Yurou felt embarrassed. While everyone was talking, she found a seat and sat down sullenly. Not long after, she found an excuse to leave quietly.
A note from the author:
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