Chapter 73 April (Upper) (Pink Ticket 420)

  In April, Beijing is warm and sunny. Occasionally it rains, but unlike Yuhang, the rain doesn't pour down continuously, and the air is filled with moisture. After a brief shower, the sky clears up immediately, turning blue again, and the air is filled with the fragrance of grass and trees, feeling especially fresh.

  The eleventh girl took a deep breath and felt as if everyone was unfolding in this air.

  Li Yuan's daughter has been gone for over a year, and the matter of Wu Niang's marriage is being brought up again. The old lady still wants to drag things out, but the old master is very displeased: "Wu Niang is already so old this year, are you planning on letting her stay at home as an old maid?"

  Madam Huang was overjoyed and came to the Luo's house for three consecutive days.

  The old lady felt satisfied with her dignity, relaxed her tone, and the wedding date of Wu Niang was set on April 28.

  Today is April 27th of Yonghe's fourth year, the day for preparing the dowry for the fifth daughter.

  "Miss, miss, Third Mistress has arrived. She's asking for you, and Big Madam told me to ask you to pay your respects." Autumn Chrysanthemum rushed in, "Fifth Master and Sixth Master have also arrived!"

  "Got it!" Eleventh Girl smiled and followed Autumn Chrysanthemum to the main courtyard.

  Third Aunt was talking to Big Sister-in-law in front of the hanging flower gate, and as they walked closer, they found two little boys outside the gate where Fifth Daughter's dowry was piled up. One sat on a chamber pot, and the other tightly hugged a quilt, shouting: "This is mine! If Brother-in-law doesn't give me money, I won't let him take it away."

  The two of them made everyone laugh loudly.

  Who else is as mischievous as Luo Zhenkai and Luo Zhenyu?

  Last May, the Third Master let go of his post as educational commissioner in Sichuan. The Third Mistress had just hired a Mr. Zhao to be the western tutor for Luo Zhenkai and Luo Zhenrui, but fearing it would delay their studies, she stayed behind in Yanjing.

  Eleventh Sister came forward and paid her respects to Third Aunt: "Third Aunt, you've arrived."

  The third aunt looked her up and down: "You've grown taller again. You're even more beautiful!"

  Eleventh Girl smiled generously and said: "Thank you, Third Aunt, for your praise."

  Third Aunt smiled and asked Da Nai: "When will Fifth Uncle send someone to collect the dowry?"

  Dai Naixiao said with a smile: "It's just the right time."

  The third wife looked up at the sky and said: "It looks like it's almost here... Fortunately, I didn't arrive late."

  Before she had finished speaking, the butler shouted: "Third Master, Fourth Young Master, Third Madam, and Fourth Young Madam have arrived to offer their congratulations!"

  Third Aunt heard this and frowned: "Your Second Aunt isn't coming back?"

  Last June, the second master filled in for Shandong's participation in politics. The second madam took Seventh Sister to take office and left Third Master and Third Madam in Yanjing. The first madam found out and coldly laughed: "Is she still afraid I won't be able to move into Laojuntang Hutong? She has the ability, but should think about how to let her son attend school!"

  Last year Luo Zhend went to participate in the Tongzi trial and didn't pass either.

  The old master listened and became somewhat impatient: "Can't you just mind your own business? Why bother with so much?"

  After the incident with Di Jin, Master Laoye severely beat Luo Zhensheng, breaking a two-finger-wide bamboo rod. If it weren't for Wu Niang rushing over to beg for mercy, Luo Zhensheng might have lost his life. He lay in bed, dazed and confused, for half a month before regaining consciousness. Despite this, Master Laoye was still displeased and had Wu Xiaquan send Luo Zhensheng back to Yuhang before summer was over. For the entire second half of the year, Wu Niang worried about Luo Zhensheng's injury, sending him a letter every ten days to ask about his condition. It wasn't until mid-March this year that Luo Zhensheng could finally walk outside due to his injuries. As a result, when Wu Niang got married, San Niang couldn't attend.

  "It's just these two days," Shandong is not far from Yanjing, Mrs. Dai wrote to Mrs. Er telling her about Wu Niang's wedding date, and Mrs. Er said she would come back then, but for some reason, there's still no sign of her. Da Nai smiled in response.

  Third Sister-in-law was about to say something else, but seeing Third Aunt and Fourth Mother walking in together, she smiled and swallowed her words.

  Everyone exchanged greetings and said a few polite words, then Big Sister immediately invited the three of them to drink tea in a side room.

  Outside, the sound of gongs and drums began.

  Someone shouted: "The maternal uncle has come to move the account!"

  An elderly woman stood on the steps in front of the hanging flower gate watching the commotion.

  Luo Zhenxing, Luo Zhenda and Yu Yiqing blocked the door: "Give us red envelopes, give us red envelopes."

  Lu Zhenxing passed the examination to become a Shujishi and would study at the Hanlin Academy for three years. Although his grandfather was still waiting for an official appointment, he no longer had the urgency of before and instead felt somewhat leisurely, like a traveler living in Yanjing. One day he attended a poetry gathering, the next day he went to view the scenery, and he spent his days very comfortably.

  Outside, someone knocked on the door loudly: "Open the door and get red envelopes!"

  Luo Zhenyu and Luo Zhenkai couldn't walk away, hearing the urgency and anger, they shouted in unison: "Mine too! Mine too!"

  The whole courtyard was filled with people laughing loudly, very lively.

  After much difficulty in opening the door, the matchmaker came in and said some auspicious words, gave a red envelope, and amidst the laughter, Qian's family's porters took away the dowry one by one.

  Big Sister Dai went with the bridesmaids to Qian Ming's place to make the bed for Fifth Daughter.

  Looking at the empty courtyard, Eleventh Girl couldn't help but feel a chill.

  The Wang family has come to discuss marriage several times already. Judging from the tone of the elder lady, once Fifth Daughter is married off, they will set a date for the engagement with the Wangs.

  It really proved the saying "crystal is fragile and colorful clouds are easily scattered".

  The three sisters will probably go their separate ways soon.

  However, I heard that Wang Lang got a job in the Imperial Forest Army last September. Although he had several fights with people due to his temper, he can still show up for work every day. Maybe as he gets older, his temper will get better.

  Eleventh girl couldn't help but think somewhat like a camel.

  It's always a good thing for sisters to marry well.

  Like Fourth Sister, Fourth Brother-in-law Yu Yiqing served as a reviser in the Hanlin Academy and soon gained imperial favor. It is said that he was often summoned to lecture on the Classic of Changes.

  A little maid came to report: "Eleventh Miss, it's time to start the banquet!"

  The eleventh girl returned to her own room.

  She ran into Zi Wei and saw her as if she had seen a lifesaver: "Miss Eleven, our young lady has been asking why you haven't returned yet?"

  Eleventh Sister hesitated for a moment: "Is Fifth Sister looking for me?"

  "Yes!" Ziwei nodded.

  Eleventh daughter went to Fifth daughter's place.

  In daily life, she used things that were all sent to Qian Ming's place as part of the dowry, and the house seemed a bit empty. On the black lacquered wooden clothes rack hung a large red bottom embroidered with golden phoenix wedding dress, shining brightly and dazzlingly.

  The fifth daughter was originally sitting properly on the kang, but when she saw the eleventh daughter, she actually got down from the kang.

  She grabbed Xi Wang's hand: "Where did you go? Why didn't you come back home for lunch?"

  "I was just about to come back for lunch!" Eleven Maiden had barely responded when Five Maiden launched into a tirade: "...At noon, I waited for you for a long time but didn't see your shadow. What did you eat at noon? The kitchen sent me a dish of snow vegetable yellow fish, a dish of Longjing shrimp, a dish of chicken silk fungus head, and a dish of ginger juice white cabbage...I don't know which family's takeout they found, the yellow fish wasn't fresh, the shrimp was overcooked, the fungus head was like wax, and the cabbage wasn't tender..."

  In short, many complaints!

  The eleventh girl suddenly understood.

  Fifth daughter, be careful!

  Marrying a stranger, marrying into a strange place, starting a new life with a new identity... Who can be completely at ease?

  She tightly grasped Wu Niang's hand, trying to comfort her in this way.

  "I don't know if the house in Yanjing is expensive or not, but renting a house is always a hassle. Who's like me? After getting married, I have to worry about food and clothes all the time. And I don't even know how my fourth brother is doing now? How did he become so infatuated! He was actually blinded by Di Jin. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to return to Yuhang either. When I got married, he could have at least escorted me for a while!"

  The fifth daughter said, and then burst into tears.

  The eleventh girl knew that she just wanted to vent her worries, and seeing her cry made her think it was a good thing. She called the maid to give her water to wash her face.

  After washing her face, Wu Niang's mood improved a lot.

  "Shi Niang locks herself at home every day, I don't know what she's doing?" She said, "I'm getting married and she doesn't even come to see me. We're sisters after all, even if we have some deep grudges, considering our shared family background, she should be a bit more normal..."

  For a long time, Shining Girl has been ignoring everything, with a bit of an "I'm doing my own thing" attitude. I don't know if it's because Madam had already thought out her strategy for dealing with Shining Girl, but she seems to have a somewhat unsettling tolerance for her. Take the last time Miss Gan asked them to go see the snow, for example - Madam kept her behind, but let Shining Girl go. To the point where Miss Gan even wrote a letter asking if it was because she was going to marry into the Xu family, so Madam didn't want her to show her face in public.

  Eleventh Young Mistress then learned of Yuan Niang's last words before her death.

  Judging from Miss Gan's tone, not only did she know about the agreement between the Xu and Luo families, but also that it had spread throughout the meritorious families of Yanjing, and everyone was waiting to see when the Xu family would propose to the Luo family.

  Last May, the Emperor went to the northwest to wage war. At first, he used Jiang Feiyun, the Grand Commander of the Five Armies Headquarters. As a result, in July, the battle situation was unfavorable, and the Emperor, disregarding the opposition of his ministers, suddenly changed generals and appointed Xu Lingyi as the General-in-Chief of the Western Expedition, taking charge of the war in the northwest. It wasn't until October that good news arrived. The war continued until this March, although there were frequent reports of victories, it seemed that casualties were not small, and there was also a censor impeaching Xu Lingyi for being ineffective in commanding the army. Although the Emperor withheld his approval without issuing it, the Eleventh Princess had been worried all along.

  She hopes Xu Lingyi can return safely.

  After all, she had already said that she would marry into the Xu family. If something unexpected happened later on, she didn't know what lay ahead of her.

  At this thought, Eleventh Sister couldn't help but let out a sigh.

  The big wife didn't say anything to her.

  However, she had to do a lot of needlework. Including the dowry that was originally said to be made for Wu Niang, all of it was put away in her box. It's just that she worked slowly, so Wu Niang's dowry was entrusted to others in the needlework class to make.

  It seems like it was well-prepared from the start...

  Amber watched as Wu Niang dragged Shiyi Niang on and on, so she had to rush in and laughingly say: "Miss Shiyi, do you want the dishes brought over here?"

  Wu Niang suddenly realized that Shi Yi Niang hadn't eaten yet. She hastily said: "Then you quickly go eat!"

  The eleventh girl was finally able to escape.

  Back in the house, just after eating two mouthfuls of rice, a little maid servant said: "Eleventh Miss, Third Madame Xu from the Xu household has arrived. The Eldest Madam is asking you to go over!"

  The eleventh girl frowned slightly.

  A few days ago, it was the birthday of Mrs. Tao, and Madame Wang wanted her to go with her, but she pretended to be unwell and excused herself. Unexpectedly, Sanfu came for the wedding of Wu Niang, and Madame Wang arranged for her to meet the guests again.

  Isn't it too hasty!

  Although she was reluctant, Xiaoyu urged her repeatedly, and after some thought, she went.

  Sisters, those who have pink tickets, vote quickly! I've updated until 420!