Chapter 614, Queen Mother's Reward
After Xiao Yeyang left, Daohua stayed with Gu Jian and Grandma Gu at Taohua An for two days before returning to the Yan Mansion.
After returning home, Daohua began to prepare the medicinal materials needed to prepare the Bamai Pill. It took more than half a month before all the medicinal materials except the Jingsuicao were prepared.
In mid-June, Mrs. Chiang sent invitations to officials of Ningmen Mansion, inviting the women of each family to go to the Chiang family villa on June 21st to appreciate the lotus.
When Daohua saw the post, her whole body was in protest: "Why are you admiring the lotus in such a hot day? Don't you think it's too much trouble?"
Mrs. Li took the invitation from her daughter and said calmly, "Appreciating the lotus is secondary. I heard that June 21st is Miss Jiang's birthday."
Daohua didn't want to go anymore after hearing this: "Jiang Wanying is having a birthday and she comes to bother us."
Madam Li glanced at the scorching sun outside and didn't want to go out in such weather. However, the Jiang family had already sent out the invitation, so they had to go. "Okay, stop complaining. Fortunately, the Jiang family's villa is just outside the city, not too far away."
On June 21st, Mrs. Li took Daohua, Yan Yihan and others to the Jiang family's villa in the suburbs.
They originally thought it was just a small banquet, but after arriving, they found that there were a lot of people coming. Daohua even saw several groups of women from provincial officials' families.
Jiang Wanying wore a red dress today and looked very festive. She stood among the other ladies like the moon surrounded by stars.
The rice flowers took a look and then began to admire the lotus flowers in the lotus pond.
"The lotus flowers are really beautiful."
Just as Daohua was sitting alone on the waterside pavilion admiring the flowers, Guo Xueming suddenly came over.
Daohua turned to look at Guo Xueming who was walking towards her with a smile, her eyebrows slightly raised.
Guo Xueming came to Daohua and said with a smile, "Why are you sitting here alone, Miss Yan?"
Daohua waved the round fan in her hand and said, "It's too hot. I'm too lazy to move."
Guo Xueming smiled and said, "I'm afraid of heat, too. Miss Yan, I hope you don't mind me sitting here."
Daohua laughed: "This place is not mine, Miss Guo, please sit wherever you want."
Guo Xueming sat down and started chatting with Daohua.
Seeing that Guo Xueming was only talking about the weather and lotus flowers, Daohua followed her lead and said a few words.
Seeing Daohua's lukewarm attitude, Guo Xueming felt that he needed to get to know the eldest daughter of the Yan family in more depth.
You know, even in the capital, every time she attended a banquet, she was the object of everyone's vying to make friends. But the eldest daughter of the Yan family, who was a fourth-rank official, was different. She had no intention of making friends with either her or Jiang Wanying.
I don't know if he is truly indifferent or just pretending to be noble?
The two sat for a while, and when the maid from the Jiang family came over and said that they could sit down and eat, Daohua used the excuse of going to look for her sister and separated from Guo Xueming.
As soon as Daohua left, Guo Xueming's maid couldn't help but ask, "Miss, why do you want to be so close to the eldest daughter of the Yan family?"
Guo Xueming gently waved his round fan and said, "First, the Yan family did help my father. If I alienate her, wouldn't people say that my Guo family is ungrateful? Second, only through frequent contact can you truly see a person clearly."
As he spoke, his expression paused.
Is it really just because of the Yan brothers that Cousin Yeyang is on good terms with the Yan family?
For some reason, she always felt that the way her cousin Yeyang looked at the eldest daughter of the Yan family was different from the way he looked at others.
Compared to Jiang Wanying, who had a more noble family background and status, she was more wary of Yan Yiyi, who came from a fourth-rank official family.
The maidservant said, "Miss, I think you really don't need to spend your time on the eldest daughter of the Yan family. You should think of ways to get in touch with the young prince."
Hearing this, Guo Xueming immediately glared at the maid: "What nonsense are you talking about? Don't you see where we are? If others hear this, will my reputation still be ruined?"
The maid immediately bowed her head and admitted her mistake: "This servant was wrong."
Guo Xueming snorted, "I'll punish you when we get back." He was silent for a moment, glanced at Daohua who was walking ahead, and said lightly,
"Since ancient times, marriage has always been decided by parents and matchmakers. I don't need to please cousin Ye Yang. All I need to do is make sure he doesn't hate me. It's enough for him to accept me."
To please is a concubine's tactic.
The banquet was held in the pavilion beside the lotus pond, with the ladies sitting on the first floor and the girls on the second floor.
As soon as Daohua, Yan Yihan and the other two sat down, they heard the girls around them whispering and looking towards the other side of the lotus pond from time to time.
Daohua followed the crowd's gaze and immediately saw Xiao Yeyang standing with Minister Jiang on the other side of the lotus pond.
"Miss Jiang, did the young prince come here specially to celebrate your birthday?" a lady asked Jiang Wanying.
Jiang Wanying lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, without saying anything, as if she agreed.
When Guo Xueming saw this, a hint of ridicule flashed in his eyes. On the Dragon Boat Festival, cousin Ye Yang denied that he and Jiang Wanying were childhood sweethearts. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that cousin Ye Yang did not like Jiang Wanying.
It hasn't been long since then, and the Jiang family has acted in such a ambiguous manner again. They really have no regard for their dignity at all.
As if she thought of something, Guo Xueming suddenly looked at Daohua. Seeing that Daohua looked calm and as if it had nothing to do with her, she felt a little unsure.
Generally speaking, if a woman is interested in a man, she would be more or less jealous when she heard that the man specially came to celebrate another daughter's birthday.
The eldest daughter of the Yan family was so calm that she didn't seem to care at all about Cousin Yeyang coming over.
Daohua noticed someone was looking at her. She raised her eyes and met Guo Xueming's gaze. Seeing Guo Xueming hurriedly looking away, she sneered inaudibly.
At this time, there was another noise coming from downstairs.
I saw a housekeeper leading a few maids running hurriedly over with excited smiles on their faces.
"Madam, the Queen Mother has sent someone to deliver a birthday gift to the young lady."
Mrs. Jiang stood up immediately after hearing this and asked, "Where are the people?"
The housekeeper pointed backwards and said, "It's right behind us. We should be there soon."
After hearing this, Mrs. Jiang immediately asked the maid to call Jiang Wanying down from upstairs.
Looking at this scene, Daohua's eyes flashed, and she thought to herself, the person sent by the Queen Mother to deliver the gift came at the perfect time.
Guo Xueming, who was standing by, laughed and said, "The Queen Mother really dotes on Miss Jiang, otherwise she wouldn't have sent someone to give her a birthday gift with such fanfare."
Hearing this, the expressions of the ladies present were moved.
The Jiang family’s invitation to them to appreciate the lotus today was fake. The real purpose was to let them see how much the Queen Mother values the Jiang family.
Soon, a middle-aged eunuch in his thirties or forties appeared in everyone's sight, leading several young eunuchs.
Mrs. Jiang and Jiang Wanying went to greet them. The middle-aged eunuch asked the young eunuch to stand forward and show the empress dowager's reward. When Mrs. Jiang and her daughter saw it, they knelt down and thanked her.
The middle-aged eunuch helped Madam Jiang up with a smile on his face and asked, "Is the young prince here? The Queen Mother also has something to reward him."
Mrs. Jiang immediately sent someone to call Xiao Yeyang.
After a while, Councillor Jiang brought Xiao Yeyang over, but Councillor Jiang walked hurriedly in front, while Xiao Yeyang walked slowly behind.
Daohua was watching from the attic, and seeing Xiao Yeyang frowning, she knew that he was extremely unwilling.
Thinking of his sudden appearance here, and looking at the eunuch downstairs who seemed to have calculated the time to appear, he couldn't help but feel that this scene seemed to be deliberately arranged by the Jiang family.
Suddenly, Daohua's heart tightened.
The Queen Mother's Reward.
Wouldn't the Queen Mother want to directly match Xiao Yeyang and Jiang Wanying?
Daohua thought of this, and Guo Xueming also thought of it, so his face looked very ugly at this moment.
At this time, Xiao Yeyang came downstairs.
The middle-aged eunuch immediately took a sandalwood box from the young eunuch behind him with a smile and quickly opened the box. Then, a pair of mandarin duck jade pendants tied with a heart knot came into everyone's sight.
Seeing what was in the box, Xiao Yeyang's frown turned cold and he glanced at the middle-aged eunuch, Councillor Jiang and Mrs. Jiang expressionlessly.
The middle-aged eunuch's scalp tingled when Xiao Yeyang looked at him, but thinking of the Queen Mother's instructions, he still said with a stiff upper lip: "Young Prince, this is a reward from the Queen Mother to you and County Master Wanying. Please thank her and accept the reward."
Xiao Yeyang stood there without moving. Mrs. Guo and Guo Xueming were watching with concern, and Daohua also held the silk handkerchief tightly in her hand.
The Empress Dowager's intention was obvious. If Xiao Yeyang accepted the offer, he would be tacitly agreeing to the Empress Dowager's matchmaking between him and Jiang Wanying. But if he refused, he would be disobeying the Empress Dowager's order, which would be a crime of great disrespect.
This queen mother is so calculating.
Seeing Xiao Yeyang not accepting the reward, Jiang Wanying was very nervous. After thinking about it, she had to step forward and say, "Brother Yang, this is a reward from the Queen Mother. Please accept it quickly."
Seeing that Xiao Yeyang still didn't move, Jiang Wanying could only say, "Then let me take mine first." As she said that, she reached out to take the jade pendant in the box.
However, Xiao Yeyang was one step faster than her. He directly took the two jade pendants and threw them away with a "whoosh".
(End of this chapter)
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