Chapter 67 Makeup (I)
It was the end of the summer, June came quietly, everything was bathed in the hot sun, the summer was getting stronger, the sky and the earth were filled with an indescribable hot air, the cicadas and birds chirping in the trees seemed to add fuel to the heat, the air seemed to be frozen, weighing heavily on everyone's heart, making it hard to breathe.
In the Huaxuan, the maids shuttled between the courtyards, holding red silk and golden scissors, carefully decorating every corner. In the eldest girl's room, there were also maids walking back and forth, doing the final inventory of the dowry.
"I don't know what the Yuan family is thinking. Spring and autumn are neither cold nor hot, and there are many auspicious days, but they just don't choose them. If it's spring, it's fine if our family doesn't have time to prepare, but can't they do it in autumn? It's so hot now, and you still have to wear those layers of wedding clothes. This wedding is the most complicated. How can you bear it in such a hot day?" The eldest lady swung the fan in her hand impatiently, and kept complaining about the Yuan family. "Mother,
why should you worry about these? There are several ice basins in this room. Not to mention the heat, there is still some cool air. It's just that mother is upset, so she feels the heat is unbearable." Hualan knew that the eldest lady was afraid that she would be neglected by the Yuan family, so she could always find some faults in everything.
"You have enough ice basins to sit in our own room, but once you leave this yard and go out of the gate of Sheng Mansion, how can you endure the scorching sun? Look, the treetops are not moving at all, and there is not a breath of wind. You will be so stuffy sitting in the sedan chair tomorrow. It is not convenient to put an ice basin in the sedan chair for you. What should I do? I don't know whether the new house of the Yuan family has prepared ice in advance. I said that the Yuan family does not know how to choose an auspicious day!" The eldest lady was still worried.
Hualan grabbed the eldest lady's hand and gently comforted her, "Mother, you see, this wedding dress is made of light and thin material, it won't be too hot to wear. I have an ice basin in my room, and the Yuan family will definitely prepare one too. Don't worry, mother, it's just for the time being outside, I can bear it." Hualan knew that her mother was not just worried about the scorching sun tomorrow, she was afraid that she would be tortured after getting married. If her husband didn't agree with her, she would be like being roasted on the fire. This is all because of her deep love for her daughter.
"It's a long way from the Sheng family to the Earl of Zhongqin's mansion! I wonder if Yuan Wenshao knows how to be sympathetic?" The eldest lady actually shed tears while speaking. The girl who was raised by Jiao since childhood was going to marry into another family and serve her husband and parents-in-law. The eldest lady felt heartbroken and reluctant to let her go.
The eldest lady cried so sadly that Hualan also shed tears. The mother and daughter finally hugged each other and cried.
Mother Liu wiped her tears, stepped forward and pulled the mother and daughter apart, and advised, "Don't cry anymore, the eldest lady will be sad if you cry. If the young lady keeps crying like this, her eyes will be swollen. She still has to put on makeup for the wedding tomorrow. What will happen if her eyes are swollen?"
The eldest lady hurriedly wiped her tears and gently wiped the tears on Hualan's face with a handkerchief. Her advice to Hualan turned out to be a relief. Hualan was amused by her mother's nervousness, and the mother and daughter laughed again.
"Madam, young lady, Aunt Wei and the sixth young lady are here to help you with your makeup!" When the mother and daughter burst into laughter, Mingxi and Minglan arrived.
"Come in!" Hualan hurriedly got up and went out to greet them.
As soon as Mingxi entered the guest room, he bumped into Hualan who got up to greet the guests. "Did the young lady cry?" Mingxi saw Hualan's red eyes and asked.
"Why are you crying, big sister? Aren't brides always happy?" Minglan also looked up at Hualan and asked in confusion.
Hualan looked down at Minglan, then smiled shyly at Mingxi, "I'm about to leave home, and I feel a little sad."
Mingxi took Hualan's hand, and said as they walked inside, "It's inevitable for a girl to feel some homesickness when she gets married. You can stop crying, but you can't continue to shed tears. Tomorrow you will be the most beautiful bride in Tokyo, and you can't go on the sedan chair with swollen eyes." After Mingxi finished speaking, she told the maid beside her, "Go and boil an egg for you girls to put on your eyes." "
Sister, you have to put on your eyes well. Although you can be the most beautiful bride in Tokyo with your current looks, I want to be a flawless bride!" Minglan followed Mingxi's words, very proud of her sister's beauty.
Hualan was amused by Minglan and burst out laughing, "Sixth sister's mouth is like honey, she always says nice things to make me happy."
The three of them talked and walked into the inner room. They walked around the screen and saw the eldest lady sitting on a jujube wood stool. At this moment, she was smiling, obviously she was also amused by Minglan's words.
"You are here? Bring another stool for Aunt Wei." The eldest lady greeted Mingxi first.
Mingxi did not sit down immediately. She took the box from Chengzi and said to Hualan, "The eldest daughter is the eldest daughter of our Sheng family. She is outstanding in appearance and temperament, and she is also kind-hearted. The eldest daughter deserves everything. I have a pair of Ruyi hairpins for the eldest daughter. I hope that everything will go well for the eldest daughter."
Hualan took the box and opened it. The Ruyi hairpins were decorated with intricate and exquisite patterns. The hairpins were smooth and elegant, with soft curves, natural and dignified. Pearls were inlaid on them. The pearls were round and shiny, exuding a faint warm atmosphere, which complemented the gorgeousness of the gold hairpin. Although Hualan had seen many good things, she was also amazed by the luxury of this Ruyi hairpin.
The lady leaned forward slightly and saw the Ruyi hairpin in the box. She was very pleased with Mingxi's attention and her smile deepened.
"Big sister, there's also mine!" Minglan saw Hualan staring at the Ruyi hairpin with unconcealed joy in her eyes. She was sure that her gift would make her big sister happy, so she hurriedly handed her box over as if to take credit.
"Oh? Ming girl also gave your big sister some makeup? Hua'er, take a look and see what your sixth sister gave." With Mingxi's previous preparation, the lady's attitude towards Minglan became much gentler.
Hualan opened the box and found several sheets of paper inside. The paper was full of the scent of ink, and it was obvious that it had been written not long ago. Hualan smiled knowingly at Minglan, "I won't read it now. I'll take a closer look at it when we get to Yuan's house." She thought Minglan couldn't bear to part with the letter she had written to herself.
"Why don't you read it now, elder sister?" Minglan was a little anxious when she saw Hualan folding the papers again.
"Sixth sister wants me to read it now?" Hualan asked in surprise.
Minglan looked at Hualan with her big watery eyes and nodded vigorously.
Hualan thought it was funny and opened the paper again. Hualan glanced at it for a few seconds, then suddenly closed the paper and looked at Minglan, then cast a suspicious look at Mingxi.
"What's written in it? Why is there such a reaction?" The eldest lady didn't see the content on the paper, and seeing Hualan's reaction was so big, she was curious.
"The eldest lady and the young lady also know that Ming'er likes to stir up some food. After coming to Tokyo, thanks to Mr. Zhuang's teachings, this child actually thought of looking for food made by ancient people in ancient books. After a few visits, she actually found several medicinal recipes. These recipes are just suitable for newlyweds. Thinking of adding makeup to the young lady, Ming'er copied them here to offer to the Buddha." Mingxi helped explain.