Chapter 294: Mrs. Chen's Action at the Wedding Banquet
Although the two families had already discussed it in advance, the newlyweds Gu Tingye and Yu Yanran would live separately after the wedding.

But after all, Xiao Qin, the nominal mother in the marquis's mansion, was still alive, so the wedding banquet was still held in the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion. The wedding night was also held in the small courtyard where Gu Tingye grew up. They planned to discuss the move after Yu Yanran returned home.

This wedding banquet was a rare festive event in the city of Bianjing at that time, so all the families who could afford it sent their wives and children to attend.

There was flowing wine cups, stringed instruments, beautiful songs and dances, a festive atmosphere.

At the female table.

As the hostess of the Marquis's Mansion, Xiao Qin naturally sat at the head of the table to help entertain the guests.

Although she wanted to make things difficult for Gu Tingye, there were officials' wives celebrating on both sides of the table, so she couldn't spoil the fun and could only do her job well.

Then came the Duchess of England, Princess Pingning, and Princess Yong.

Further back in the row was Yang Wenyuan's aunt, Madam Chen. On her right sat Hua Lan, and behind Hua Lan sat Madam Wu from the Earl of Yongchang's mansion.

As the middleman of this marriage, Mrs. Wu moved her seat several seats forward, next to the young marquise Hualan.

As for Yang Rujin, who had originally come in with Hualan, she couldn't sit still. This kind of scene couldn't trap her. She just made eye contact with Zhang Guifen and ran outside to have fun together.

"Mrs. Shengda."

Madam Wu gently clinked her cup with Hualan's. Her cup was warm wine, while Hualan's was filled with water. She glanced at Hualan's belly with a smile on her face and said happily:

"You look very healthy. I'm afraid it's been four or five months, right?"

Hua Lan pecked him lightly and said with a pretty smile:

"Thank you for your concern, ma'am. I got pregnant at the beginning of last winter, right in May."

"That's great!"

Mrs. Wu nodded several times:
"It is the best time to have a baby in winter. You should nourish the fetus so that you will suffer less when the baby is due."

After a pause, Madam Wu asked again:
"But have you gone to the temple to pray? This is also an important matter. You must fulfill your wish to feel at ease. You can't be careless.

It just so happens that your belly isn't that big right now, and it's time for you to go out and walk around more. It's just right."

The Yang family's wish for many descendants is not just Yang Wenyuan's generation's concern. There have been rumors in Bian Jing since several generations ago. In addition, Wang Ruofu often dragged Hualan to Taoist temples and Buddhist temples outside the city to pray for blessings, which is why Mrs. Wu said this.

Hua Lan was somewhat flattered by Madam Wu's considerate and elder-like concern. She was slightly surprised and quickly replied:
"I had planned this, but it was cold a few days ago, and because the Rong family... was not doing well outside, my aunt was worried, so she kept putting it off. I was also thinking of going to the temple to fulfill my vow in the next few days."

"That's good. He's old, so it's inevitable that he'll be a bit nagging." Mrs. Wu said with a laugh.

Hua Lan immediately replied:

"Madam, what are you talking about? I still need to thank you for your concern."

Madam Wu nodded, then pretended to secretly glance at Princess Pingning above her, and then whispered to Hualan:
"My lady, have you heard about this? This month, the Princess and Princess Yong have been very close, and the two families are probably treating their children as in-laws."

"Just as Miss Rong had an accident, the Qi family immediately started to interact with Prince Yong's Palace. They are so close to each other. They really don't care about people gossiping behind their backs."

Hua Lan was slightly stunned, not quite understanding what Madam Wu meant by this, and only replied:
"I never leave my house, so I haven't heard much about this."

After hearing Hualan's answer, Madam Wu glanced at Hualan, then smiled indifferently and continued:
"You don't need to worry that I have any bad intentions. I'm just telling you about this. Just treat it as gossip."

Hua Lan nodded slightly.

"But it's not a bad thing."

Madam Wu suddenly turned her head and glanced at Minglan, who was sitting at the last seat, and whispered to Hualan:

"The door lintel of the Duke of Qi's mansion is very high, it only meets the upper part but not the lower part. It is not a good family for in-laws."

Mrs. Wu's hint was so obvious at this moment that if Hualan couldn't see it, she would be really "a pregnancy makes a woman stupid for three years".

Ok!

No wonder she was saying "bad things about the Qi family" in my ears. It turns out that Madam Wu was just trying to "show her courtesy"!

It’s just that you’ve fallen in love with my Xiaoliu!
If the Qi family can’t do it, my Liang family will do it!
Hualan had long heard that Madam Wu was very fond of her sixth sister, but she had not expected that Madam Wu favored her so much and had already made up her mind to bring Minglan into the house and make her her own daughter-in-law.

As for the candidate, Hua Lan immediately thought of Liang Han. Madam Wu always liked to have the youngest son of the Liang family by her side.

It's just that his family background is good, but his character...

Hualan felt that this matter should be carefully considered.

Moreover, Minglan's marriage was decided by her grandmother. Even her father and mother could not interfere, let alone herself.

"Mrs. Wu, you are worshipping the wrong Buddha. I can't help you."

"I guess the princess has her own considerations in mind."

Hua Lan didn't want to help, so she couldn't listen to Madam Wu forcing her to "share the same hatred against the enemy" and speak ill of the Qi family or the Prince Yong's Mansion, so she said softly:
"The princess goes in and out of the imperial palace, so naturally she knows more news than us."

"(ˉ▽￣～) There's nothing to be afraid of!"

Madam Wu naturally understood the meaning behind Hualan's words, which was that it was a foregone conclusion that Prince Yong would take over the Eastern Palace. Therefore, Princess Pingning, the official's adopted daughter, who was well-informed, decided to make Princess Jiacheng her daughter-in-law.

But Madam Wu was not afraid. She just snorted and said:

"We are both upright and have nothing to fear. We are just talking here. What is there to worry about?"

"I just can't stand the impatient faces of both families!"

"One is so proud of his victory, while the other is so busy looking for a new team. It makes people feel depressed just by watching him."

Madam Wu glanced at the Madam Rong, who was sitting opposite her with a sullen look on her face and a rare smile on her face, and muttered something imperceptibly:
"I don't know if I can sleep well at night."

At this time, Princess Yong, who was at the top of the table, received the flattery from the ladies around her and glanced at Hua Lan. With a smug smile on her face, she asked:

"How is Madam Sheng? My family sent you a letter a few days ago inviting you to a banquet at our house, but you seemed to be unwell at that time. Are you feeling better now?"

Princess Yong's declaration to Hualan, like a victor, immediately brought silence to the table.

The ladies present could all hear that Princess Yong was secretly blaming the Yang family for not giving face to the Yong Palace in the past few days and for refusing invitations to the table several times in succession, which made the Yong Palace somewhat unhappy.

Now that the situation has been decided, Princess Yong naturally used a tone to tease people. In the past, did you ignore me?

Are you unable to reach me now?

Hua Lan didn't expect Princess Yong to suddenly bring up the topic with her, and she looked unfriendly. She was stunned for a moment, but she had already completed the credits for the class of facial expression management for the noble lady, so she immediately put on a sincere smile and replied:
"Thank you for your concern, Princess. I have been feeling much better these days."

"That's good."

Princess Yong smiled wryly and said:
"It's just a pity. There have been many guests coming and going in the palace these days. I'm worried that someone might accidentally bump into you. Otherwise, I would definitely invite your family to come to the palace for a gathering."

Madam Chen was sitting nearby. When she saw that Princess Yong dared to make things difficult for her "Old Buddha" in public, she immediately glared at her and responded before Hua Lan could:
"That's just a coincidence. My family was thinking of going to the temple to fulfill a vow in the next few days."

Madam Chen glanced at Princess Yong and said meaningfully:
"There is a god above us. Whether you have received a blessing from heaven or committed a sin, you must fulfill your vow and pray for peace and safety. Otherwise, you will be like a child carrying gold in the streets and will not be able to sleep well."

"Princess? Is there any happy event in your family recently? Why don't we go to the city to pray for blessings together?"

Just when she was feeling proud, she was mocked by Madam Chen in front of everyone. Princess Yong's face turned pale and blue. After a pause, she looked at Madam Chen coldly:
"We have to go to the statue to pray for blessings. After all, there are not many happy events in a person's life."

"Thank you for your concern, Princess." Madam Chen responded with a faint smile, but she no longer provoked Princess Yong.

After all, the Princess of Yong was a lady from a noble family, and it was obvious at first glance that she had never even left her boudoir before.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

What if the excitement gets too great and they turn against you in public?
I am a military officer's wife and I know a little bit about martial arts. It would be bad if I made a fool of myself.

"Hmph~!"

Princess Yong was rejected and felt very unhappy, but Madam Chen had already stopped her attack and she couldn't pursue it any further.

At this moment, she happened to see Minglan, who was sitting at the last table. As her mind turned, she put on a fake smile and asked the hostess, Xiao Qinshi:
"Whose official's wife is sitting at the last table over there? She looks unfamiliar. Which family is she from?"

Not to mention that Princess Yong might have seen Minglan's appearance at Madam Wu's polo match, but judging from the love she and Prince Yong had for Princess Jiacheng, she probably recognized Minglan a long time ago.

When he asked this question specifically, he was looking for trouble.

Xiao Qinshi naturally enjoyed watching the fun and didn't mind making trouble.

In order to maintain her image as a good mother, she couldn't make trouble for Gu Tingye's marriage, but if it was the Princess Yong, a big Buddha, who intervened, she would have "no choice" but to reply "reluctantly".

"She?"

Xiao Qin looked up and immediately replied with a smile:

"That's the girl from the Sheng family. She should be Madam Sheng's younger sister."

At this time, Xiao Qin turned around and confirmed with Princess Pingning:

"Didn't the princess's brother Heng study at the Sheng family's academy? The two families often interact with each other, so you should know him, princess."

Princess Pingning smiled, looked at Princess Yong and replied:
"That's the sixth daughter of the Sheng family. She has a gentle personality."

"Oh? It's her?"

Princess Yong showed a surprised expression on her face and said:
"I heard that she was very popular at the polo match. I also happen to like polo, so I happened to meet her and went to see her."

Princess Pingning knew that Princess Yong had other intentions, so she quickly spoke out to stop him:
"Oh, I just remembered an interesting thing."

"A joke happened in my family a few days ago. I shouldn't tell it, but I thought it was really funny, so I told it for fun.

It was said that some minor incidents had occurred at home, and the maids in the house had started quarreling. A girl who was boiling water in the kitchen actually scolded my personal maid, which made me laugh and cry.

Princess Yong paused, then asked:
"How did the princess deal with it?"

"What can be done about this?"

Princess Pingning chuckled and said:
"She is just a girl who boils water in the kitchen. She can barely see the master's house a few times in her life.

If something is not presentable, then there is no need to pay attention to it.”

Princess Yong immediately smiled triumphantly, finally feeling satisfied for once, and said proudly:
"Nowadays, there are so many ignorant fools who want to climb up the tree and become a phoenix."

As she spoke, Princess Yong looked at Hualan and Minglan, and then continued:
"Don't you know that this person's fate has been determined since he was born? Every time I hear this kind of joke, I just find it funny, not to mention getting angry."

“You don’t know what you are talking about!”

Madam Wu responded immediately, and then she was still angry, so she whispered to Hua Lan beside her:
"Look at how you are putting on airs and making indirect accusations. How can you not be angry? The matter hasn't even been decided yet, but you already think you have a sure win and don't take anyone seriously at all."

Hua Lan smiled and turned back.

"I think the princess is a little too proud."

Seeing that Princess Yong was pointing her spear at herself, Minglan immediately stood up, bowed slightly, and left, thinking that she could neither afford to offend nor hide from him.

Princess Yong had just been stopped by Princess Pingning, and she had said some high words to him. It was difficult for her to stop her at the moment, so she just smiled contemptuously and was too lazy to care about it anymore.

Anyway, she is just the concubine's daughter of a minor official. It is already a compliment to her if I can even look at her.

Seeing Minglan leave, Madam Wu's eyes sparkled and she was about to get up and follow her out, but after looking at Hualan, she remembered something and asked:
"Madam Sheng, the weather is nice now. I am planning to hold a polo match in a few days. Are you free to attend?"

"Madam, you are joking."

Hua Lan thought about it for a moment and understood who Madam Wu was talking about. She smiled and said:

"It's not possible for me to go, but I can go and ask my brothers and sisters if they have time."

Mrs. Wu was delighted.

"This couldn't be better. It will be more lively with more people."

After saying this, Mrs. Wu turned around and went to look for Minglan, still wondering in her heart.

I just saw my own Han'er nearby, how come she disappeared now?

Liang Han: Mother, I did go to find the girl from the Sheng family as you wished.

But it’s not Minglan, it’s Molan!

(End of this chapter)