The next day, before dawn had fully broken, the Gu residence was already bustling with activity. Minglan, unusually, rose earlier than Gu Tingye. Before getting up, she gently kissed his straight nose and whispered softly, "It's rare to have a day off. You'll still need to entertain guests later, so sleep a while longer now."
But Gu Tingye wouldn't have it. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, flipped over to press her down, and one hand roamed familiarly into her clothes. In recent days, he had been considerate of Minglan's exhausting preparations and called a halt at night, but after some rubbing, nibbling, and biting, they had nearly crossed the line several times. Thus, he had no choice but to "teach" his wife alternative methods.
Unexpectedly, Minglan proved remarkably quick to learn, extrapolating from one example to many, leaving him utterly captivated and intoxicated.
Pressed down by the man's large frame, Minglan struggled for breath and unceremoniously pinched his waist hard. In retaliation, he bit her earlobe, his body radiating heat as he tangled with her. After a long struggle, she finally managed to cover her ears and escape from the bed, calling for her maids to help her dress.
She had never been fond of heavy formal attire. Considering the day's workload, she opted for a lightweight outfit: a brand-new, figure-hugging long jacket in pale purple, embroidered with jade orchid vines and trimmed with a two-finger-wide band of bright purple satin, paired with a crimson-purple pleated skirt that shimmered like moonlight. Her hair was elegantly styled in a graceful, tilted chignon, adorned with a pair of gold filigree phoenix hairpins inlaid with thumb-sized emeralds that glittered brilliantly in the sunlight.
For a new housewarming, it was customary to hold midnight rituals and beam-raising ceremonies at dawn. However, since Clear Garden was a renovated old estate, there was no need to follow every tradition. Instead, they chose an auspicious hour when the daylight was bright, flung open all sixteen vermilion doors of the Morning Glory Hall, and laid out offerings on red lacquer trays: a whole pig, fish, chicken, and duck, along with twelve platters of fresh and dried fruits from north and south, and twenty-four named meat and vegetable dishes.
Just as everything was arranged, Gu Tingye leisurely emerged, dressed in a dark blue robe embroidered with pine patterns in subtle gold thread, which accentuated his handsome, towering figure—broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted, and exuding an air of elegant nobility as he walked slowly.
In the main hall, bright red candles flickered. Gu Tingye led the incense-offering ceremony, with only his wife kneeling beside him. There were no other relatives present, only servants standing on either side. Minglan had once suggested having Rong Jie'er move in early to make the ceremony less lonely, but Gu Tingye had shaken his head in silence. Seeing his calm yet somber expression, Minglan didn't press further.
A moment later, however, his spirits lifted. Standing in the vast, lofty Morning Glory Hall, he laughed and said, "In another ten or eight years, this hall will be filled with my descendants!"
Then, he fixed Minglan with an intensely encouraging and fervent gaze. She shivered, almost blurting out, "I will certainly live up to the leader's expectations for my cultivation," or something similar. Glancing at the hall, which was nearly half the size of a basketball court, she felt the weight of her responsibility and the urgent need to delegate tasks.
After the ceremony, Gu Tingye led the way to the outer courtyard, while Minglan was swamped with reports and requests from the household staff: tea, fruits, tables, and chairs were all arranged in clusters; musicians stood ready with their instruments; servants lined up at the entrance to greet guests... Then, firecrackers crackled at the front gate, and soon after, Wang Gui Xifu from the inner gate reported, "Fourth Old Master, Fifth Old Master, and several other gentlemen from the Marquis residence have arrived and are already conversing in the front hall."As the main branch of the Ningyuan Marquis Household, they naturally ought to arrive first. In this regard, they were quite reliable, so Minglan put extra effort into entertaining the household's female relatives.
After ushering everyone into the flower hall and serving tea, fruits, pastries, and various seasonal delicacies, the conversation began to flow. While directing the servants to attend to the guests, Minglan carefully scanned the room with her eyes and noted that almost all the wives and ladies from each branch had arrived, except for Madam Shao from the eldest branch. For a moment, the room was filled with the sparkle of jewels and the sound of cheerful chatter. In truth, Minglan had only met these sisters-in-law and cousins a few times, and aside from urging everyone to "eat and drink well," she didn't know what else to say. So she resorted to her tried-and-true first move—playing dumb.
When Fourth Old Madam praised her for having a "stately residence with elegant scenery," Minglan doubled the compliments and redirected them to the architecture of the Ningyuan Marquis Household. When Madam Zhu commended her for "managing the household harmoniously and maintaining strict discipline," Minglan humbly replied that "it was all thanks to the elders setting a good example for those below," while also flattering the three old madams for their skillful household management. When Second Wife of the Fifth Branch teased her about her newlywed life, saying the young couple were as sweet as honey, Minglan lowered her head and blushed, feigning embarrassment.
"Second Brother Tingye is so accomplished now! The Emperor personally bestowed servants and silver to help him establish his own household—what a tremendous honor!" Second Wife of Gu Tingbing from the fourth branch laughed shrilly, her bell-like (note: not silver-bell) voice practically vibrating Minglan's eardrums. Clutching Minglan's arm, her slender willow-leaf eyebrows danced animatedly. "You must remember to give our own brothers some guidance in the future, so we can benefit from your favor too."
This sentiment resonated with many of the women present, and they all turned to look at Minglan, who merely bowed her head gracefully and said softly, "Second Sister-in-law is right."
Was that all? The women were speechless.
Unwilling to let it go, Second Wife of Gu Tingbing pulled Minglan closer and laughed, "I'm taking your words seriously! When I come asking for help later, you mustn't refuse me!" Although Gu Tingbing was born of a concubine, Fourth Old Master doted on him even more than his legitimate eldest son, Gu Tingxuan. Moreover, his birth mother was still alive—a favored old concubine surnamed Liu by Fourth Old Master's side, who had borne two sons and two daughters, though half of them had sadly died young.
Minglan felt slightly displeased but only gave a soft "hmm" in response. Then she lifted her eyes and swept a glance around the roomful of women, her gaze subtly conveying difficulty and a plea for help. Dissatisfied with Minglan's reply, Second Wife of Gu Tingbing was about to press further when Fourth Old Madam cleared her throat displeasedly and said, "Are you here today for the banquet or to collect a debt? Must you go on and on?"
Second Wife of Gu Tingbing flushed, reluctantly closed her mouth, and shot a disdainful sidelong glance at Fourth Old Madam before sitting back down. Gu Tingyan looked over, then gathered a group of cousins and began chatting and laughing behind the curio cabinet.
Minglan's gaze traveled over the crowd, and she smiled gratefully at Fourth Old Madam, who nodded slowly in return—Minglan had long known that the Ningyuan Marquis Household was never a united front. With Gu Tingye now in power, it was natural that some would seek to align themselves with him. It was just a matter of who was clever enough to step forward when Minglan needed it most.
Fourth Old Madam was one, and her eldest daughter-in-law was another. Ever since their first meeting, First Wife of Gu Tingxuan had made it clear she wanted to befriend Minglan. During the conversation, she even stepped in to shield Minglan from many teasing remarks, whether reasonable or not."Oh my! The actual sisters-in-law and blood sisters haven't spoken yet, but you're already jumping to her defense. First Wife of Gu Tingxuan certainly knows how to win people over!" Madam Di covered her mouth with a laugh, deliberately letting her eyes sweep over Madam Zhu and Gu Tingcan.
First Wife of Gu Tingxuan planted a hand on her hip and scolded laughingly, "You little rascal! Have you forgotten how it was when you first married into the family? Wasn't it me swallowing my pride to protect you? When the Gong brothers from the back residence wanted to cause trouble at your wedding chamber, wasn't it me who stopped them at all costs? And now you have the nerve to play tricks!" The gathered women burst into laughter, the atmosphere turning merry.
Minglan's clear, bright eyes, dark and white distinct like a shallow stream, smiled toward First Wife of Gu Tingxuan, conveying intimacy and gratitude. Understanding the sentiment, First Wife of Gu Tingxuan beamed and took her hand.
Grand Old Madam had been smiling benevolently all along. Seeing everyone chatting animatedly, she drew Minglan to her side. "Your eldest brother hasn't been feeling well these past few days, so your eldest sister-in-law won't be coming. Please don't take offense."
Minglan's face showed concern. "What offense could there be? We've all been so busy lately that our minds are addled. I haven't even visited Eldest Brother since he fell ill. I'm truly remiss."
Grand Old Madam heaved a long sigh. "Ah, he's managing with rest, but your eldest brother worries too much. He's always fretting over this family - it's all from overexertion of mind and body."
Minglan felt a surge of wariness. Gu Tingyu's poor health wasn't something new - it was an illness he'd had since birth. Nearly half the capital knew he was living on borrowed time. Two years ago, Zhang Jingsong, the head of the Imperial Hospital, had already hinted that the Gu family should prepare themselves.
While smiling and responding appropriately to Grand Old Madam, Minglan sneered inwardly: When Gu Tingye was down and out, you couldn't wait to tell the whole world that Gu Tingyu was 'critically ill.' Now that Gu Tingye has risen to prominence, you claim Gu Tingyu is merely 'worrying too much' and 'managing with rest,' and that his illness came from 'fretting over the family.' Hmph! What are you implying?!
Minglan glanced at Madam Zhu sitting quietly nearby and said after some thought, "There's something I'd like to trouble you with, sister-in-law." Though Madam Zhu was much older than her, she still had to address her as 'sister-in-law' due to their respective husband's rankings. Hearing this, Madam Zhu stood up and said, "Please go ahead, Second Sister-in-law."
"After we get through this busy period, I'll be bringing Rong Jie'er and the others over. Since Eldest Sister-in-law needs to care for Eldest Brother, I'll have to trouble you to help with the arrangements and preparations." Minglan spoke politely.
Madam Zhu's face blossomed into a smile, her lips pressed together in amusement. "I thought it was something important! It's just a small matter. Just let me know when the time comes. I've already told Rong Jie'er that the new residence needs to be properly arranged before it's fit to live in. When the time comes, she'll have her own proper, beautiful courtyard to live in separately. Rong Jie'er has been looking forward to it for ages."
Minglan smiled broadly. "Then I'll thank you in advance, sister-in-law." Another one who's not easy to deal with, she thought.
Not long after, Minglan's maternal family members arrived. Since Old Madam disliked noisy commotion most of all and had said early on that she wouldn't be coming, and since Hualan and Hai Shi hadn't yet completed their double month of confinement and shouldn't be moving about, only Madam Wang, Rulan, and Molan came. Minglan quickly went to welcome them personally, greeting them with smiles as she led them inside.Madam Wang walked inward, seeing small bridges and flowing streams, pavilions and towers within the garden, all grand and spacious, adorned with elegant and exquisite decorations. She couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy, glancing at Rulan who was laughing and joking with Minglan, and sighed inwardly. Molan pretended to be nonchalant, her gaze gloomy as it swept over the scenery before her. Thinking of her own small courtyard in the Yongchang Marquis Manor, she felt a mix of bitterness and envy.
"What a pity..." Madam Wang said, "Hua'er has been thinking of you, but she couldn't come on your special day."
Minglan chuckled reassuringly, "I've already told Elder Sister that today is just an excuse to set up a few tables of wine. Actually, most of the flowers and trees in the garden are still bare, so there's not much to see. When Elder Sister and Eldest Sister-in-law are both in good health, and the flowers are in full bloom, with everyone gathered together, we can bring Grandmother and the nieces and nephews along for a family gathering to enjoy the garden. Wouldn't that be better?"
Madam Wang felt comforted: "At least it's not in vain that your elder sister has doted on you since childhood."
Upon hearing this, Rulan pouted, "Elder Sister dotes on Sixth Sister much more than she does on me!" Minglan didn't blush at all and even boasted proudly, "There's no helping it. Who told me to be so endearing?" Rulan glared and immediately reached out to pinch her.
Madam Wang couldn't help but smile, scolding with a chuckle, "How old are you all now, still fooling around!"
When they entered the main hall, Minglan seated Madam Wang in the place of honor, side by side with Grand Old Madam. After the two mothers-in-law exchanged greetings, the women of the Gu and Sheng families began to chat. Around 9:45 a.m., guests started arriving one after another.
The male guests went directly to the front courtyard to join Gu Tingye, while the female guests came to the inner courtyard. Minglan stood up to apologize to her relatives for her absence, entrusting First Wife of Gu Tingxuan and Madam Zhu with hosting duties, while she went to the front to greet the guests.
For a while, the three spacious, unpartitioned flower halls were filled with laughter and chatter, the scent of perfumes and the shimmer of hair ornaments, with a bustling crowd. The women from noble families naturally possessed social skills, able to converse with both acquaintances and strangers alike.
One of the highlights of women's social gatherings was naturally the aunties sizing up young girls. As a certain sage once said, women have two innate instincts: being a mother and being a matchmaker. When these two roles combine, the explosive force is astonishing. The previously quiet and elegant Grand Old Madam, Fourth Old Madam, and Fifth Old Madam now had flushed faces and spirited demeanors, holding Tingyan, Tingying, and Tingling as they chatted with several noble ladies. Second Wife of Gu Tingbing also joined in, pulling along her younger sister-in-law, Tingwen.
In truth, Minglan didn't recognize most of the female guests, but fortunately, Gu Tingye had previously asked Lord Zheng Xiao for help, so Little Shen stood dutifully by Minglan's side, carefully introducing them. In a short while, Minglan had met two Duchesses, two Marchionesses, four Countesses, three wives of Regional Commanders, five wives of Brigade Generals, two wives of Cabinet Ministers, and one wife of a Hanlin Academician—along with the family members these ladies had brought along.Minglan's cheeks ached from smiling. Little Shen introduced everyone with effortless fluency, occasionally leaning close to Minglan's ear to add gossipy tidbits—such as "That Madam Geng once stormed into Red Lantern Alley wielding two kitchen knives, beating Lord Geng until he cried for his mother," "These two are the wives of the Duan brothers, sisters-in-law who happen to be maternal cousins," and even "How dare she show her face? The Zhennan Marquis estate has to carry out several pregnant corpses every year." Though Little Shen hadn't been in the capital long, she'd already developed such professional efficiency in such a short time. Minglan deeply lamented the waste of talent—what a pity she didn't apply to be the little assistant to the Queen of Prada.
OpenNovel