Тhе nаnnу wаs tаctfully rеminding thеm thаt it wаs timе to offer birthdау greetings, urging thеm not to wаndеr оff аnd tо quiсkly takе their seats in the side roоms.
Zhоu Shaоjin and thе оthеr twо understооd thе hint аnd smilеd in aсknowledgment bеfоre hеading to the sidе rooms.
Тhe threе-sесtiоnеd sidе rоoms werе bustling with аctivitу. Тhе ladiеs and mаdаms ocсuрied thе eastern sеction, while thе quiеtеr, morе reserved уоung lаdies gаthеrеd in thе wеstеrn seсtiоn. Thе morе lively оnes stооd оr sat in smаll grоuрs in thе central аrea, chatting animаtedly, their rоbes rustling and hаir ornаmеnts shimmering, сreating a lively and vibrant scene.
Gu Shiqigu pursed her lips into a smile and whispered teasingly to Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia, "Look, the ladies and madams have all brought their daughters along."
Moreover, there were even more young ladies present than at the engagement banquet of the Gu family's Sixteenth Miss, which Zhou Shaojin had attended earlier.
Yet, at that time, the Gu family's Sixteenth Miss's engagement banquet had thirty tables, while Old Madam Guo's birthday celebration only invited twenty tables.
Could it be that all these people had come "prepared"?
Zhou Shaojin felt a bit suspicious but also thought she might be overthinking it. Just as she was about to discuss this with Gu Shiqigu, someone spotted Gu Shiqigu and greeted her warmly, "Where have you been? I couldn’t find you anywhere earlier!"
The girl was about the same age as Cheng Jia, of medium height, with a slightly plump, peach-shaped face, arched eyebrows, large eyes, and fair, delicate skin. She wore a dark-patterned robe embroidered with grapevines in bright red, and when she spoke, her eyes crinkled into crescents, giving her the cheerful appearance of a Wuxi doll—the kind of auspicious look that older generations would describe as having a fortunate countenance.
Gu Shiqigu introduced Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Jia, saying, "This is Nineteenth Miss Liu from the Mei family."
They exchanged greetings.
Shortly after, four or five more people came over to greet Gu Shiqigu.
Everyone exchanged pleasantries and caught up with one another.
Gu Shiqigu knew so many people!
Zhou Shaojin felt a twinge of envy.
Nineteenth Miss Liu, however, was particularly warm toward Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin was somewhat puzzled.
Nineteenth Miss Liu smiled and explained, "I just met your elder sister earlier—my maternal family is a branch of the Zhenjiang Liao clan."
Zhou Shaojin suddenly understood and felt a bit more affectionate toward Nineteenth Miss Liu.
Noticing this, Nineteenth Miss Liu suddenly pulled her aside to a nearby flower stand and whispered, "You weren’t here earlier, but the Gu family’s Eighteenth Miss and Twentieth Miss, the Guo family’s Third Miss and Fourth Miss, Minister Sun’s two nieces, and Instructor Lin’s niece… were all called to the main room." As she spoke, she kept an eye on their surroundings. "All the other young ladies went, but Minister Sun’s two nieces said they needed to use the restroom. After the welcoming nanny left, they changed their minds and said they wouldn’t go. A little later, they said they would go after all. Isn’t it just too coincidental that they happened to run into the Cheng family’s Fourth Master and Eldest Branch’s Young Master Xu on their way back… If there’s nothing fishy about this, I’d be willing to bet you two taels of silver!"
Such familiarity caught Zhou Shaojin off guard, leaving her momentarily unsure how to respond. Yet, she couldn’t help but glance around the room.
Her elder sister and her eldest maternal aunt were chatting with the Gu family’s Madam. It seemed that two of the Guo family’s young ladies were indeed missing…The nineteenth young lady of the Liu family hurriedly said, "Didn't I lie to you? The two young cousins of the Sun family have already gone to the main room—they've already shown their faces before Young Master Xu, so why would they stay here? Truly... shameless!" She puffed up angrily, as if she herself had suffered some unfair treatment, and added, "I heard that the daughter of Judicial Commissioner Hu of Zhejiang, the sister of Magistrate Liu of Jiangning, the daughter of Prefect Wu of Jinling, the sister of Assistant Prefect Shen Qingyun... are all in the main room!"
Zhou Shaojin was greatly startled.
The nineteenth young lady of the Liu family misunderstood and explained, "Shen Qingyun's mother is the daughter of the Li family of Lujiang. That's why Shen Qingyun's sister is also in the main room."
But what Zhou Shaojin noticed was "the daughter of Prefect Wu of Jinling."
Wu Baohua was a year older than her, and Wu Baozhi was a year younger, and neither had any outstanding qualities in virtue, speech, appearance, or skills... Could it be that Wu Baozhang had come?
But how could Madam Wu have taken Wu Baozhang to the main room?
And how could Old Madam Guo allow Wu Baozhang in the main room?
She couldn't help but ask the nineteenth young lady of the Liu family, "Prefect Wu has three daughters. Which one are you talking about?"
"Which one else could it be?" the nineteenth young lady of the Liu family said dismissively. "Of course, the one with the Guanyin mole between her eyebrows! Recently, it's been rumored all over Jinling that Eldest Miss Wu is the reincarnation of the Jade Maiden before the Bodhisattva, destined to be a good wife and mother, bringing prosperity to her husband and children... To think that having a mole could make one a good wife and mother, bringing prosperity to her husband and children—only uneducated market women would believe such talk. Anyone with eyes can see what the Wu family is up to..."
So that was it!
Did Old Madam Guo believe in such things too?
Zhou Shaojin fell silent.
Gu Shiqigu waved to her from over there, saying, "Second Young Lady Zhou, Nineteenth Young Lady Liu, come over quickly. Let me introduce you to Eldest Miss Fang of Jiaxing!"
The Fang family of Jiaxing—Fang Xintong's family.
I wonder who she is to Fang Xintong?
Zhou Shaojin and the nineteenth young lady of the Liu family walked over.
Eldest Miss Fang was about seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and slender, with delicate features. What was rare was the scholarly elegance in her every gesture. At first glance, she seemed gentle, refined, and poised, but the more one looked, the more beautiful she appeared, with a kind of beauty different from ordinary women.
Gu Shiqigu said, "Eldest Miss Fang's elder brother is Fang Xintong, the wealthiest man in Jiaxing, who once studied at our family's academy."
"No wonder she looks so familiar!" the nineteenth young lady of the Liu family laughed. "I have a sister who married into Jiaxing. I heard from my brother-in-law that his maternal family is the Fang family of Huaxi, which must be your family..."
She spoke sweetly to Eldest Miss Fang.
Gu Shiqigu watched the nineteenth young lady of the Liu family and winked at Zhou Shaojin, whispering, "Don't mind her. She loves to gossip. Whatever you tell her now, everyone will know the next moment."
Who would have thought!
Zhou Shaojin looked at the smiling nineteenth young lady of the Liu family, feeling somewhat gloomy.
Compared to Gu Shiqigu's social grace, the nineteenth young lady of the Liu family's ease in such situations, Eldest Miss Fang's serene composure, and even Cheng Jia's lively and cheerful nature, she clearly felt out of place in such a setting.
She wanted to stay by her sister's side.
Zhou Shaojin searched the crowd for Zhou Chujin.
Her sister was smiling and chatting with the Guo family.
She hesitated at once.In the south, prominent families are all connected through distant ties of kinship, especially those like the Guo and Gu families who run academies. If my sister can make an appearance before the women of these two families, it will greatly help her establish a firm footing in the Liao household later on.
Zhou Shaojin withdrew her gaze once more, standing there as she listened to the Nineteenth Miss of the Liu family speak in a low, proud tone: "I think Old Madam Guo must be anxious about Fourth Master's marriage. If it were for arranging a match for Young Master Xu, Madam Yuan should have been present. But Madam Yuan has been busy with Old Madam Guo's birthday banquet all along—just now, when Fourth Master and Young Master Xu were in the main hall, Madam Yuan didn’t even go in! Besides, Young Master Xu is seventeen this year. Look at those young ladies—the youngest are fifteen or sixteen, the oldest is twenty..."
"Who’s twenty?" Cheng Jia exclaimed in a low voice.
Eldest Miss Fang blushed deeply.
Gu Shiqigu coughed sharply.
"Oh!" Cheng Jia understood, her gaze falling on Eldest Miss Fang.
Eldest Miss Fang flushed with embarrassment.
Gu Shiqigu quickly said, "Huh? Wasn’t it said that the auspicious hour is almost here? Why hasn’t the birthday greetings started yet? Fourth Miss, what exactly is the auspicious hour?"
She directed the question at Cheng Jia, steering the conversation elsewhere.
But Zhou Shaojin found it all increasingly dull.
Fortunately, within just half a quarter-hour, the welcoming matron came to invite close relatives like Cheng Jia, Zhou Shaojin, the Guo family, and the Gu family to the main hall.
Indeed, there were several young ladies in the main hall with exceptionally outstanding looks and bearing, and she also saw Wu Baozhang.
Wu Baozhang smiled and nodded at Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin lowered her eyes and acted as if she hadn’t seen her.
After these relatives had offered their birthday greetings and gifts to Old Madam Guo, it was the turn of relatives and friends like Minister Sun and Madam Liu.
Zhou Shaojin made way in the hall and went to the eastern resting room.
Zhou Chujin came over and took her sister’s hand, saying, "What’s wrong? You don’t look too well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Zhou Shaojin knew that Madam Mian would still have to take her sister to socialize with the various madams and ladies.
"I’m fine," she quickly said. "It’s just that I’m a little hungry!"
Zhou Chujin laughed. "I told you to eat more, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you know better, don’t you? See if you’ll dare ignore your sister’s advice again!" Then she added gently, "You’re familiar with the people at Cold Green Mountain House. Just ask anyone to get you a couple of pastries to fill your stomach. The banquet will start soon."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded. "Sister, you go attend to your matters. I’ll sit at the banquet with Cousin Jia later."
Zhou Chujin nodded and went over to Madam Mian’s side.
Zhou Shaojin felt overwhelmed by the noise and commotion, wishing she could hide in the tea room until the banquet began. But she knew that if she hid away like that, how would it be any different from her past life?
She smiled and linked arms with Cheng Jia, listening as Gu Shiqigu and the other young ladies chatted about family matters, poetry, music, calligraphy, and painting.
Someone tugged at her sleeve.
Before Zhou Shaojin could react, the people around her had already shown looks of admiration.
The Nineteenth Miss of the Liu family even asked directly, "Second Miss Zhou, who is this young lady?"
Zhou Shaojin turned belatedly and saw Jiying, wearing a deep purple embroidered robe.
Jiying was looking at her with a smile in her eyes.
Zhou Shaojin felt a surge of joy, but then remembered the group of young ladies standing beside her. She quickly tugged at Cheng Jia’s sleeve and said with a smile, "This is my cousin, a branch of the Cheng family from Nine Prosperities Lane."
Cheng Jia remained silent.Everyone laughed, saying, "No wonder we've never seen her before." Even Gu Shiqigu didn't suspect a thing.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed Jiying's sleeve, and pulled her outside. As she walked, she turned back and smiled at Gu Shiqigu and the others, saying, "We have a little matter to attend to. We'll be right back."
Naturally, Gu Shiqigu and the others couldn't follow, so Zhou Shaojin dragged Jiying to the tea room.
Perhaps because the main room was in need of someone to serve tea and water, the tea room was empty, with only boiling water bubbling and steaming on the stove.
Jiying's face darkened as she said, "When did I ever take the surname Cheng? And a relative by marriage from Nine Prosperities Lane, no less?"
Zhou Shaojin felt a pang of panic, but then she remembered how obediently Jiying had followed her lead in learning needlework, and her mind relaxed, becoming more agile. She replied, "You never told me your surname. How can you blame me for that?"
Jiying was a little annoyed and glared at her, but still said, "My surname is Ji, and my given name is 'Ying'."
※
Sisters, today's extra update!
Last night, the internet at home had issues and wasn't fixed until almost nine o'clock. What a painful night...
PS: There may be typos; I'll fix them later.
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
!!
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