In August, the hot summer has passed, and the bustling Shangjing has become quite cool in the morning and evening. Compared with the hot summer and cold winter, people prefer the first month of Shangjing because it is the month with the most comfortable climate in the year.
On the sixth day of August, the Guangning Marquis Mansion is full of people, with BMWs, fragrant cars, and fragrant breeze. From time to time, noble ladies or girls wearing gorgeous clothes are welcomed into the Guangning Marquis Mansion.
As we all know, the Marquis of Guangning has a chrysanthemum garden with dozens of species of famous chrysanthemums. Every year, the Marquis of Guangning will select a few pots and send them to the palace for the emperor, empress, and nobles to enjoy. There are also many chrysanthemum lovers who are shameless.
He came to ask for chrysanthemums. Therefore, the Marquis of Guangning was very honored and valued the chrysanthemum garden. For this reason, he hired a chrysanthemum grower to take care of the chrysanthemum garden and other things.
At this time, two rows of small tables were placed in the huge chrysanthemum garden, with various exquisite tea snacks placed on them. There were also many famous chrysanthemums of various colors in perfect bloom, which complemented the theme of chrysanthemum appreciation.
At this time, Mrs. Guangning was standing in front of two pots of ink chrysanthemums with several other ladies, smiling like a flower. I don't know which lady complimented her, and her smile became brighter than the flowers.
"Mrs. Shilang really shames me. Who knows that your family has a courtyard in the suburbs of Beijing with thousands of acres of peach trees. Every spring when the peach blossoms bloom, it is a good place for literati? It's my two wild monkeys.
, I went there several times, and every time I said I wanted to buy a good place like this." Mrs. Guang Ninghou said with a smile.
The waiter's wife felt a little proud after hearing this, but she still showed a humble look and said: "Mrs. Guangning is so complimentary. Even our Zhuangzi is not as good as this pot of ink chrysanthemums in front of us."
Naturally, Mrs. Guang Ninghou followed her modestly and said, "In that case, come on, the green peonies here are blooming just right, and our family takes them very seriously."
Everyone followed her to the pots of green peonies on the other side and commented one after another.
Not far away, there was also a group of girls standing in front of several pots of famous chrysanthemums. From time to time, laughter could be heard as clear as a bell, and some even started to recite poems.
The cool breeze blows, and the girl is well-dressed and well-groomed, showing the magnificence of a young girl in her prime.
"Looking at them, I feel like I have become an old woman." The head lady of the Zhongyi Hou Mansion sighed.
"Isn't it?" Mrs. Jia Junbo echoed: "We came here like this back then, but now, in the blink of an eye, it really feels like yesterday."
"Mrs. Guangning Hou's two daughters are really as tall as a flower. I heard that your elegant sister is the second son of Prince Ding's palace?" Madame Shilang changed the subject.
When mentioning her daughter, Mrs. Guangning Hou was even more proud, and nodded and said: "Exactly, they will get married in February next year."
After hearing this, everyone said congratulations repeatedly, and the waiter's wife asked Ning Minyi again: "What about this little one?"
"She has the most out-of-control temperament. I still have to teach her for two more years." Mrs. Guangning became even more happy when she talked about her little daughter, with smiles on her face and eyes, obviously she loved her daughter very much.
"It comes at the right time. This daughter's family will not get married in a short while." The wife of the minister said with a smile.
The Marquis of Guangning smiled and said nothing. Just as she was about to speak, her servants reported the arrival of Princess Yongjun, the arrival of Mrs. Shen, and the arrival of the Marquis of Anqing.
Madam Marquis Guangning's smile was slightly frozen, but she quickly straightened her smile and greeted the group. When she saw a handsome young man beside Madam Anqing, she couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
The person present today is the Princess of Yongjun, who is of the highest rank, followed by the wife of the then Prime Minister Shen Yang, who has been drafted to be of the first rank, so those present who are of lower rank naturally come forward to salute.
"The arrival of Princess Yongjun has really brightened up my chrysanthemum garden. It's a coincidence that she is here with Mrs. Shen and Mrs. Anqinghou." Mrs. Guangninghou said with a smile.
Princess Yongjun had a round face, with deep dimples at the corners of her mouth. She looked very gentle. She was dressed in rich clothes, which made her look even more elegant. After hearing her words, she smiled and said, "I happened to meet her at the door. Yes, let’s come together.”
"Mrs. Guangninghou doesn't want to welcome me and Mrs. Shen, right?" Mrs. Anqinghou joked with a smile.
"Mrs. Anqinghou was joking, it's just this..." Mrs. Guangninghou looked at Mr. Jun not far behind her, with some embarrassment and inquiry on her face.
Mrs. Anqinghou followed her gaze and said with a smile: "Brother Xiao insisted on sending me and my sister here, so we went home."
Song Xiao stepped forward with a smile, bowed to Madam Guangninghou, and said, "Song Xiao has met Madam Guangninghou. There is not much peace in the capital recently. I sent my aunt and sister here specially to bother Madam Guangninghou. "
"Mr. Song, you are so polite. I have always heard that Mr. Song is called Mr. Chunyue. Now I see that he is really a talented person." Madam Guangning looked at Song Xiao up and down and praised with a smile. The lady behind her They all lowered their heads.
"Let Madam laugh." Song Xiao raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and then looked far away. A group of girls were looking this way, and it was not easy to stay for a long time. He said goodbye and left.
Mrs. Anqing Hou naturally gave a few instructions. When he actually left, several ladies came forward to talk warmly. When they learned that Song Xiao had not yet been engaged, their eyes became even more eager. Even Mrs. Guangning Hou seemed to have Think about it.
Everyone sat down, and the two rows of small tables were full of people. Some people's eyes fell on a girl about seventeen or eighteen years old who was following Mrs. Guangning.
"Who is this?"
Mrs. Marquis Guangning smiled and pulled the girl out and introduced her loudly: "This is my niece from my mother's family, the daughter of editor Yao's family, called Sister Ting."
Yao Ruiting wore an autumn-colored dress with a cyan jade pendant at the corner of the skirt. She simply had a hairpin with tassels and a jade hairpin on her head. Among the girls who were all dressed up brightly, It looks particularly clean.
She has a well-proportioned figure and an outstanding face, especially the mole under her eye, which makes her even more charming and delicate. Seeing Marquis Guangning introducing herself to everyone, she timidly bowed to them.
"Editor Yao, was Yao Dushi the former Metropolitan Procuratorate?" a lady suddenly asked.
As soon as these words came out, Mrs. Guangning Hou's face became a little ugly. Even Yao Ruiting's face turned a little pale. She lowered her head and pinched the corner of her clothes.
Speaking of Yao Du's story, few of the ladies present here don't know about it. He was an official of the first and sixth rank, but he had no choice but to drink two too many drinks at the banquet and talk nonsense about the royal affairs. As a result, he was disliked by the emperor. After being demoted two levels in a row, he is now just an editor who has no real power and is waiting to die.
"I didn't know Editor Yao had such an outstanding young lady, but has he decided to marry her?" Mrs. An Qinghou asked with a smile, breaking the deadlock.
When the marriage was mentioned, Yao Ruiting lowered her head shyly, said softly that she would go back to the banquet with the lady, and left as if running away.
"It's true that she has never been married. She is also a pitiful person. Her whole life has been delayed because of her father's inconvenience. As an aunt, I feel heartbroken after seeing this. Such a sensible and considerate girl. I really regard her as her. She loves her as much as her own daughter, and I wish I could take her over and raise her." Madam Guangning Hou sighed and said, "I just don't know who will be so lucky to have her in the future."
Everyone was silent, and some people showed disdain. To be honest, Yao Ruiting, with her standard foxy appearance, is a bit unsightly to be the wife of the main wife, and she is not calm and decent enough.
"Speaking of which, General Zhenwei has never been engaged, right?" Mrs. Shen asked suddenly, and everyone looked over. General Zhenwei is a second-grade official, and marrying him is a second-grade imperial decree. None of the people here are. A few of them were second-grade imperial concubines, so it’s no wonder they had such thoughts. Moreover, everyone knew that the purpose of this Ju Yan was to choose a wife for Ning Guang.
"It's me, the legitimate mother, who can't help him." Upon hearing this, Mrs. Guangning wiped the empty corners of her eyes and said, "I shouldn't have followed him and got engaged to him a few years ago. I never thought that he had been away for five years, and now he is back and going to the battlefield again. At his age, other people's children are almost getting engaged, but he... I really can't help him, and I can't help him. I'm sorry about his mother, hey."
"The marriage here is destined to happen, so Madam Marquis Guangning should not worry about it," someone advised.
"That's true, but I'm afraid..." Mrs. Guangning Hou hesitated and sighed: "I don't have any other intention. I just pray to God to bless him, so that he can come back safely and find a satisfactory wife. Son, leave some incense, I can be considered worthy of my deceased eldest sister."
"That's right. Even when it comes to the marriage of children and the opinions of parents, he has to be satisfied with it. General Zhenwei is so powerful, but I don't know what kind of girl can fall in his favor." Madame Shilang asked tentatively. .
Everyone knows that the daughter of the Vice Minister's wife is only twenty-eight years old and has not yet been engaged. This is a test.
"I don't know this." Mrs. Guangning Hou smiled slightly, and then burst into laughter as if she had thought of something.
"Mrs. Guangning Hou has thought of something interesting? Why don't you tell us too?" Princess Yongjun asked with a smile.
"It's nothing. I just remembered the fun these children had when they were young." Mrs. Guang Ninghou said with a smile: "At that time, they were still young and played the bride-to-be game together. Brother Guang was the one who It belongs to the groom, and Sister Ting became the bride. Later, Brother Guang even said that when he grows up, he will marry Sister Ting as his wife!"
When everyone heard this, their expressions were strange, and the smiles at the corners of their mouths were a little stiff. Didn't this just say that you prefer Yao Ruiting to be your wife?
The Marquis of Anqing and the Princess of Yongjun looked at each other and shook their heads secretly. The Marquis of Guangning was too small-minded to host such a banquet, but then told everyone that the daughter-in-law she wanted was her niece. What do you think? What's the point of hosting this chrysanthemum banquet?
"It turns out that they are cousins and are not engaged, and you like that girl, so you might as well stay in the house forever." A lady who was familiar with Madam Guangning broke the news Embarrassed.
Just as Mrs. Marquis Guangning was about to speak, Mrs. Marquis Anqing said, "Mrs. Li's words are not right. I heard that General Zhenwei has already made an engagement."
