Guests arrived one after another at the door.
The front and rear courtyards gradually became lively.
Before long, the Xuanwu Marquis Estate’s carriage arrived, and Xie Jingyu’s expression immediately became somewhat unpleasant.
But as a minor fifth-rank official, no matter how much he detested the Qin family, he had to receive them with a smiling face: “Marquis, Madam Marquis, Young Lord, your gracious presence brightens our entire Xie residence. Please come inside.”
Qin Mingheng brought Madam Marquis Luo Shi, along with their legitimate eldest son to attend the banquet together. The Marquis Estate’s Young Lord appeared to be about six years old and was quite fair-skinned.
“I remember when I was still unmarried, I accompanied Mother to drink at Young Lord’s full-month celebration.” Yun Chu smiled and spoke with Madam Marquis Luo Shi. “In the blink of an eye, Young Lord has already grown this big.”
Luo Shi wore a gentle smile on her face: “Back then I also accompanied the Marquis to the Yun residence to drink at Madam Xie’s coming-of-age celebration.”
With this conversation, the relationship between the two inexplicably grew closer.
Because the other party had high status, Yun Chu personally led them to the rear courtyard. The many women in the rear courtyard hurried to stand and bow in respect.
Luo Shi had an amiable nature and didn’t deliberately put on airs. She quickly blended in.
Yun Chu continued to the residence gate to receive guests.
Around the right time, the Yun family arrived. Because they were in-laws, aside from the elderly old general and the general guarding the frontier, everyone else from the Yun family came.
Madam Yun Lin Shi, Eldest Young Master Yun Ze, Eldest Young Madam Liu Qianqian, along with their legitimate eldest son and legitimate eldest daughter, plus three of Yun Chu’s illegitimate younger brothers and sisters—a large family came, giving the Xie family great face.
Yun Chu brought her own family inside and specifically had Lin Shi sit together with Madam Dai. The two madams conversed very happily.
Official Dai was a fifth-rank civil official of the court. His legitimate second son was nineteen this year and had passed the scholar examination two years ago. Naturally he couldn’t compare to Xie Shi’an, but for most people he was already considered quite good.
Like those sons of merit nobles in the capital—they either inherited titles and family estates or directly participated in the metropolitan examinations. Before taking the examination, no one knew what abilities they truly had… Those from slightly lower family backgrounds were different. Being able to pass the scholar examination proved they could make a living as scholars and that this person was diligent and studious, much stronger than ordinary wastrel young masters.
Lin Shi was quite satisfied with Second Young Master Dai and also felt that Madam Dai as a future in-law would be easy to get along with. Madam Dai naturally was one hundred percent satisfied with the Yun family’s daughter. Both sides couldn’t find any faults, so more than half of this marriage was settled.
Yun Chu walked over and said: “Ran’jie, come with me to fetch some fruit wine for the various madams to taste.”
Yun Ran stood up and obediently followed behind Yun Chu.
She followed Yun Chu to the Drooping Flower Gate, which was where the outer and inner courtyards connected. There was a long corridor here.
From a distance, she could see Xie Shi’an leading some young masters and gentlemen in conversation there.
Yun Chu said softly: “That one wearing the blue shirt, relatively taller—that’s the Dai family’s Second Young Master. Take a look and see what you think.”
Yun Ran raised her head for a glance, then quickly withdrew her gaze. Her ears immediately turned red to the roots, and she almost imperceptibly nodded lightly.
Yun Chu couldn’t help but think back to that time when Mother had also brought her to hide behind a screen and secretly look at Xie Jingyu for a glance.
At that time, Xie Jingyu had truly been an elegant young gentleman. After one look, she immediately nodded, expressing her willingness to marry, and thus became a woman of the Xie family.
Because she herself had been caught in the rain, she would protect her younger sister from suffering these things.
The Dai family was the best one she had selected from several hundred families. With Ran’jie marrying over, this lifetime should be worry-free.
After Yun Ran was satisfied, next would be Yun Chu bringing Yun Ran to pass by there, letting Second Young Master Dai see her once. Only then would this matter be thoroughly settled.
Along the way, Yun Ran’s face was extremely red, like a fully ripened red persimmon.
Yun Chu went to the front courtyard to receive the last wave of guests. At this time it happened to be noon, and the banquet officially began.
The men were in the front courtyard, but some younger boys—whether seven or eight years old, those who weren’t very sensible—all stayed in the rear courtyard.
Some madams of slightly higher status sat in the main seats. Yun Chu and Old Madam Xie personally accompanied them.
Among those madams, some had previously attended Old Madam Xie’s birthday banquet. Originally they were still somewhat worried that problems might occur again, but by the time the banquet had proceeded halfway, they completely relaxed. This banquet was indeed organized well. Compared to banquets held at their own residences, it was equally good if not better.
After three rounds of wine, Madam Marquis Luo Shi couldn’t help but say: “Master Xie is the top palace graduate, and it looks like Eldest Young Master Xie will also pass as top palace graduate. Setting aside the good feng shui of the Xie family, most importantly the Xie family knows how to teach children. Can Madam Xie tell us how the Xie family usually disciplines children?”
Yun Chu hurried to say: “Madam Marquis, you praise too highly. They all say five or six-year-old children are so troublesome even dogs despise them. I see Young Lord is well-behaved and sensible—at one glance I know Madam Marquis is excellent at teaching her son.”
“Him? He’s just a little devil king.” Luo Shi shook her head. “Everyone in the household fears him. Even a bird flying by, he could pluck two feathers from it. Tell me, isn’t that detestable? I think in the future among the famous scoundrel wastrels of the capital, he’ll have to claim a spot!”
“Mother!” The Marquis Estate’s Young Lord was right beside them. Seeing his birth mother say this about him in front of outsiders, his face showed displeasure.
“Children are thin-skinned.” The Old Madam smiled and spoke. “Wei’ge, you’re about the same age as Young Lord. Take Young Lord down to play.”
Xie Shiwei curled his lips. This Young Lord only looked about six years old—just a little brat. He least liked playing with small children who were always running around with snotty noses.
His instinct was to refuse, but then he felt the Old Madam’s cold stare.
The Old Madam wanted nothing more than to grab his ear and tell him that the person before him was the Xuanwu Marquis’s Young Lord. Befriending the Marquis Estate’s Young Lord had only benefits and no drawbacks!
Although Xie Shiwei didn’t understand these twists and turns, he knew that if he didn’t agree, after the banquet ended, the Old Madam would definitely scold him. Then if Father got angry, he would be utterly ruined.
He hurried forward: “Young Lord, I’ll take you to tour the rear courtyard. There are many fun places.”
The Marquis Estate’s Young Lord had long been impatient. He wasn’t interested in what these madams and old madams were saying and wished he could quickly change locations. He immediately followed Xie Shiwei toward the rear courtyard.
Yun Chu turned her head: “Jiu’er, you follow closely behind Second Young Master and Young Lord. Be careful they don’t fall or bump into anything.”
Jiu’er lowered her head and quickly followed along.
While the women in the rear courtyard chatted, the banquet in the front courtyard was also coming to an end.
The front courtyard was all men—court officials as well as some youths. Xie Shi’an led the youths of similar age to the garden to play pitch-pot, while Xie Jingyu arranged tea-tasting and poetry composition for the literati.
After playing two rounds, Official Yuan stood up: “These are all poems about romance and seasonal beauty—inevitably too common. I heard Master Xie’s residence planted a jujube tree grove. The jujube tree has excellent connotations. Why don’t we go to the jujube garden and compose poetry with jujube as the theme?”
Which literatus present didn’t know that the connotation of jujube trees was to bear noble sons early? This Official Yuan was mocking the Xie family for not having a true legitimate eldest son.
They were also Xie Jingyu’s colleagues and friends, so naturally they wouldn’t respond at this time.
At this moment, Qin Mingheng laughed loudly: “I’ve heard this jujube garden was planted by Madam Xie—rarely without pretentious elegance. Let’s go take a look.”
The person with the highest status and position present had spoken, so naturally the others followed.