Two more days passed, and the Lady of the Marquis felt it was too hot, so the number of banquet invitations from various families decreased significantly.
So she took a few servants with her to the villa to escape the summer heat. The maids in the main courtyard were all happy to be going out, and they were all discussing who the mistress would take this time.
But Wang Yan sensed something was wrong. It was already early July, and the Third Young Master was getting married soon.
Although he is a nephew from a different branch of the family, the ceremony is still held in the Marquis's residence. The First Madam is not only not helping with the arrangements, but also going out to escape the summer heat.
Something just didn't seem right. Had she had some kind of falling out with the second wife? Wang Yan decided to go ask her brother.
After hearing this, Wang Xing patted her on the head and said, "Stop asking so many questions and just focus on doing your job well."
But his expression of complete lack of surprise made Wang Yan realize that there were indeed some disagreements between the two families.
Although neither the First Madam nor the Second Madam were involved, the Old Madam had long ago instructed Steward Rong and Granny Lu to keep an eye on the matter.
The departments responsible for oil candles, incense and medicine, embroidery, calligraphy and painting, fruit, vegetables, and other supplies are now starting preparations.
……………………
There was no cook at the villa, so Aunt Sun was chosen to go to the countryside with the lady.
Wang Yan, a third-class maid with no special skills, was naturally kept on.
Chunxi and Chunye were the same, but Zhiju went with them. Now there were only a few third-class maids and Granny Hua left in the courtyard, and only Zhixue remained as a second-class maid.
Zhixue was thoughtful, so she was kept on to take good care of Granny Hua.
Wang Yan was helping them brew green tea and make iced jasmine soy milk so they could take it with them on the road.
Grandma Sun was preparing pastries for the journey. It was hot, so she was making some mint rice cakes to eat on the way.
Do not add water to the glutinous rice flour. First, add some powdered sugar and mix the glutinous rice flour and powdered sugar evenly.
Grind the mint with a little water, filter the residue through a thin gauze, and you will get about half a bowl of mint juice.
Next, pour the mint juice into the pre-prepared lukewarm water, and add the lukewarm water to the glutinous rice flour in small amounts several times.
While adding water, stir to break the cornstarch into a sand-like texture. Then, find a sieve and sift the cornstarch through it.
Place the filtered cornstarch in a mold and steam it. After steaming, cut it into small cubes.
The mint-flavored square cakes are ready; I'll save them for the journey. They're refreshing and easy to store. They taste cool and refreshing, and are very sweet.
When Aunt Sun left, she took two small jars of preserved eggs with her. The time wasn't right yet, but they should be ready to be opened once they reached the village in the suburbs.
Then, they would cook congee with preserved egg and lean pork for the lady. The group left in a grand procession, and the main courtyard suddenly became quiet.
When Granny Hua isn't setting rules, she usually looks kind and gentle and is quite easy to talk to.
They were not disciplined as strictly as the older maids, and Wang Yan and the others lived a relatively relaxed life.
Everyone swept the floor and wiped the windows together every day. When they had free time, they would play in the yard, playing cat's cradle and kicking shuttlecock.
When I get thirsty, I make myself some iced drinks and snacks. I eat lunch with Granny Hua. Zhixue is there to look after me.
Chunye ate the delicious braised chicken with shiitake mushrooms, a gift from Granny Hua, which was made by first frying, then braising, and finally stewing.
He glared at Chunlan secretly, regretting how many delicious meals he had missed while sweeping the yard earlier because he didn't want to see Chunlan.
Chunlan was bewildered by her glare. Everyone had been having a good time these past few days, so what was going on now?
I couldn't tell, so I just put on a long face and stopped talking to her. Speaking of which, I really missed it; it had been so long since I'd had such a fine meal since I was transferred away.
After the start of autumn, the Third Young Master's wedding day will soon follow. But the First Madam shows no sign of returning.
The whole mansion was abuzz with discussion. When Zheng Jin saw this, he not only refused to make peace, but also packed his things to go to a temple for quiet meditation.
He was still scolded by the old lady before he awkwardly returned with his things.
The old lady was also furious, and she kept urging people to go find the First Madam every day. The Marquis also gave his opinion.
Originally, the First Madam was preparing to return, but after the Marquis sent someone to urge her, she felt reassured and decided to delay for a couple more days.
The second master personally slapped Aunt Yang twice, and then sent Gu Ting to personally invite her.
Three days later, the Gao family entered the house, and just two days later, the actual day arrived.
The Marquis's mansion was already decorated, with red brocade carpets covering all the roads and red silk flowers tied with Shu brocade hanging in every corner of the eaves and corridors.
The opera troupe hired the best actors from Yuchunlou in the capital, and they arrived at the mansion three days in advance.
She practices her voice every day, so that she can sing a beautiful and clear opera on her wedding day without any delay.
………………
Two days later, at the Anbo Mansion, around midnight, Shaoqing got up to put on makeup.
First, a professional old woman would twist the face, then a makeup artist would apply a layer of floral dew, then rouge, then fine indigo to draw the eyebrows, and finally apply red lip rouge.
Wearing a tasseled crown, with a golden twin lotus on each side, and earrings inlaid with rubies and jade beads.
Finally, the red veil was placed over her head, and she waited for the Marquis's son-in-law to come and fetch her. Gu Ting, full of pride, arrived at the Marquis's residence with drums and gongs all the way.
The person was successfully received, but interestingly, it was during the farewell to their parents...
In front of all the guests, Uncle Xu brought out the memorial tablet of his third brother.
All her actions clearly demonstrated that Xu Shaoqing was now Xu Yan's eldest daughter and had nothing to do with the Earl's Mansion.
Gu Ting, a young man, almost lost his composure on the spot. His face darkened. Xu Shaoqing was originally overjoyed to marry her ideal husband.
Seeing this scene, the feigned weeping at the wedding became genuine. But inwardly, she was furious and determined never to return.
Regardless, the wedding banquet proceeded smoothly.
The next day, when Gu Ting took her to greet everyone, apart from the old lady and the second master Gu Xiao, she was in a good mood and had a good attitude.
The others all had indifferent expressions. Although they didn't intentionally embarrass the other person, they weren't particularly warm either.
"As long as it's passable, it'll be fine," Xu Shaoqing thought with some trepidation.
When they returned home on the third day after their wedding, Jiang Shiyi did not let them enter the main gate. Instead, she sent Granny Gui to take them to Xu Yan's residence in the city.
The servants there had prepared a sumptuous feast to welcome the "young lady" and her husband back.
Seeing this, Gu Ting felt deeply humiliated, and with a flick of his sleeve, he stood up and was about to leave.
But Granny Gui, who had followed them, stopped him, saying, "What does the Gu family's son-in-law mean by this!"
After a cold rebuke from the nanny, Gu Ting gave in and obediently went back to eat the banquet.
Then the Xu family opened the gates and saw them out.
Today's homecoming banquet has made all the nobles and dignitaries in the city aware that the Earl's third daughter is now the legitimate daughter of his younger brother, Xu Yan.
Gu Ting didn't marry into the Earl's family; he married a merchant's daughter in a proper marriage.
Gu Ting was still unwilling to give up, because he had learned from information gathered before the wedding that Jiang Shiyi doted on this daughter.
Regardless of the circumstances, Xu Shaoqing is still her older sister's younger sister by blood.
It might be possible to find a way through the Hanlin Academy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com