Chapter 88: Shangsi Festival Outing
Xiao Jinshan then talked about the Shangsi Festival, "Cousin! What are you going to wear tomorrow?"
The Flower Festival had just passed not long ago. Chen had spent a lot of money on her daughter then, so she would not spend any more money now.
The same was true in the mansion. It was too late to make new clothes in just a few days, so they could only wear the clothes they had not worn during the Flower Festival.
In addition to praying for blessings, exorcising evil spirits and going outing, young men and women also choose this day to meet each other.
At this time of year every year, the young men and women would go to the Lingxi River in the eastern suburbs, to play together, give each other peonies, or sing and drink together.
Xu Shuyao thought of how Old Madam Xiao had rushed back from the temple just for her, and she knew she had to go.
"It's the pink one." She said to her third cousin.
"Oh." Xiao Jinshan nodded after hearing this. She dressed up as the Peach Blossom Goddess last time, so she would not wear the same dress again.
That night, Xu Shuyao rested well and did not ask Nanny Zheng to call her the next day. Qiao Wei was very surprised by this.
Not only that, when dressing up her master, she even looked at the outfit in the mirror and gave her suggestions.
Nanny Zheng felt greatly relieved when she saw this.
Her daughter knows how to love beauty, so her love star should be moving soon.
Xu Shuyao was wearing a light pink blouse with a butterfly pattern and a tea-white skirt with dark floral patterns. Her black hair was tied into two buns, with two strands braided into small pigtails at the bottom. A pink and white silk flower was pinned to one side of her hair.
After packing up, she took two maids to the second gate.
When Xiao Jinshan met her third and fourth cousins on the road, she said, "Cousin, this outfit looks better."
Xiao Jinshan was wearing scarlet today, which was very eye-catching and strong.
But she has a lively personality and is cute, so she is really suitable for wearing delicate pink.
Xu Shuyao looked at her fourth cousin Xiao Jintong again. The little girl was wearing a primrose-colored dress and looked full of vitality.
Then he smiled and said, "My cousin's is beautiful too!"
They met Xiao Jinwen and Xiao Jinli at the second gate.
Xiao Jinli has grown into a strong young man, but Xu Shuyao still remembers the way his mouth was filled with crumbs when he ate pastries.
When facing him, it's like facing a younger brother, and I will automatically become the older sister.
Xu Shuyao greeted the two of them with a smile.
A few people were chatting and laughing as they were about to get on the carriage, but they saw the prince walking quickly towards them from a distance. He was wearing a white brocade robe with cloud patterns, his hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and he had a black jade belt around his waist. He looked less formal than usual.
However, when you look at the guards standing behind him, all of them look very dignified, yet you will unconsciously become alert.
The fourth and fifth young masters stepped forward and called him "big brother".
The two cousins also gathered around.
Xu Shuyao was a little far away, so she didn't come forward.
I thought he was going out of the house on business, but I didn't expect that when he left, he got on a horse with two brothers from the house.
Xiao Jinshan held onto the carriage and asked, "Brother, are you going to Lingxi with us?"
After getting a positive answer, she happily got on the carriage.
Xiao Mo is going too?
On a day like Shangsi Festival, in a place like Lingxi where unmarried men and women meet, everyone's purpose is self-evident.
If only Xiao Mo goes, what will be the place for others?
Ji Shuyao suddenly thought of the plum blossom viewing banquet last year that almost included most of the noble ladies in the capital, and felt that it was very unfair.
However, maybe he was going to meet his lover like his third cousin.
Xu Shuyao thought about it and let it go.
The three sisters sat in a carriage, while the men in the mansion rode horses.
It was another beautiful day with a gentle breeze and sunshine. The people I met along the way were all young men and women who were going to Lingxi together.
When the young ladies saw the prince of Duke Chengguo's mansion, they all parted the curtains and looked over.
Xiao Jinshan smiled and said, "Brother is still the most eye-catching."
Xu Shuyao lifted the curtain and looked out, just in time to see Princess Huayang's carriage coming towards them.
She was also dressed up today, wearing a snow-blue gauze skirt with cloud and phoenix patterns, a high Liuxian bun, and a gold and jade butterfly hairpin on her head.
Princess Huayang greeted Xiao Mo while sitting in the carriage.
Xu Shuyao closed the curtain and asked her third cousin, "Aren't we going down?"
Xiao Jinshan shook her head. "Princess Huayang will be there soon. Since she's going out for fun, it shouldn't be a problem if she's just being casual."
Sure enough, when Xu Shuyao looked out again, the princess's convoy had already gone far away.
She looked at the prince on the horse again, but saw that he looked back at her as if he had extra eyes.
Xu Shuyao quickly closed the curtain.
After the carriage had gone on for a while, Lingxi River came into view, like a clear ribbon winding its way into the distance.
There are weeping willows, peach trees and apricot trees growing beside the stream.
In addition to this, there is a lush green meadow. It is only March, and the grass is not tall, but it is full of vitality.
There were already quite a few men and women on both sides of the stream, either standing or sitting on mats laid out by the maids, drinking tea and chatting.
After Xu Shuyao got off the carriage, she saw the three young masters of Qingyuan Marquis' Mansion standing not far away.
Xiao Jinshan looked across shyly, and the third son of the Wang family also looked over with a smile.
Xu Shuyao smiled, nodded at them, and planned to leave with her fourth cousin.
"Cousin Xu!" Someone suddenly called her from behind.
Xu Shuyao turned around in surprise and saw the eldest son of the Wang family standing there, and Wang Shaowei chatting with a woman a little further away.
Xiao Jinshan and Wang Jingcheng have already left.
After Wang Wendong called her, he also walked over here.
"Young Master Wang!" Xu Shuyao returned the greeting.
"Do you want to walk around?" Wang Wendong looked at her with a smile in his eyes.
It was an obvious invitation, unexpected but not abrupt.
Xu Shuyao looked at the men and women scattered around, all holding peonies in their hands and chatting and laughing as usual.
She looked back again and saw her fourth cousin with her fifth brother. The fourth young master must have gone to see his fiancée Zhou Shuhe.
Behind the two of them stood the young master Xiao Mo.
The noble ladies stood around holding peonies, not daring to come near. Only Princess Huayang stood beside him. The two of them talked about something, and he smiled, looking as relaxed as ever.
Xu Shuyao retracted her gaze and smiled back, "Okay!"
On such a festival with a clearly different meaning, she behaved very naturally, without any girlish shyness.
The two walked side by side toward the stream, and along the way they met a young lady holding peonies, who seemed to be walking towards the young master of the Wang family. After seeing her, she took the initiative to leave.
Xu Shuyao smiled, and then she met a child selling peonies. The child was hawking to the people beside him: "Sir, buy a peony! It's beautiful and smells good."
Then he looked at Xu Shuyao beside him and said, "The young lady is unparalleled in beauty. She is the most beautiful girl in this whole area."
Xu Shuyao burst out laughing, but the person next to her already had a peony in his hand.
After the child left, he handed the peony over, and Xu Shuyao pursed her lips and took it.
Her smile faded, and she saw Princess Huayang and the prince walking not far away.
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