Chapter 244: Small Gambles for Joy

In the twelfth lunar month, at the year's end, it was precisely the time when plum blossoms were in full bloom, and each family gathered to hold a plum-blossom banquet.

First, it was lively; second, when the ladies of each family gathered, they could help their fathers and brothers forge ties between families, which counted as a special kind of socializing.

The Grand Princess, whose son had recovered from his illness this year, made the princess consort's plum-blossom banquet especially grand.

After all, this was the first banquet held for the young marquis Cheng Ming of the princess consort's mansion after his recovery, and everyone was invited to attend.

This time, the Grand Princess also had the idea of using the banquet to help her son find a wife.

After all, establishing a family and a career is what a man ought to do.

After the New Year, the young marquis would take up a post in the army; on the battlefield, swords and arrows show no mercy, yet this child was naturally fond of martial arts and strategy, almost a copy of his father.

Although the Grand Princess was worried, she had no choice but to follow her son's wishes; the last time, he had secretly taken the Cheng family's guard troops to Wuzhou to rescue Xiao Yin, and she realized her son had grown beyond her control.

In fact, Cheng Ming should have been engaged long ago, but because he had contracted a strange illness, the noble ladies of the capital looked down on him, naturally unwilling to marry into a monster.

Families of low status, and ordinary commoners' daughters, were likewise unworthy of the princess consort's mansion's standing.

Thus, Cheng Ming's marriage had been delayed until now without being settled, and the Grand Princess was especially anxious.

At this flower-viewing gathering, they did so under that pretext, checking which aristocratic daughters would be a good match for her son; if they found someone pleasing, they would send a matchmaker to propose.

Gu Jiu Ling originally felt too heavy-bodied to attend the banquet, but since the princess consort's mansion had sent an invitation, she could not refuse out of respect for the Cheng family's face.

After all, Cheng Ming had once risked his life to lead troops with her to Wuzhou to rescue someone, so she simply tidied up and left the Prince Rui's mansion by carriage.

These days, Xiao Yin didn't know what he was busy with; probably he was settling scores with Xiao Wei's faction in the army, and the two families had already become sworn enemies, having torn their faces apart completely.

Gu Jiu Ling brought Jiu Yue and Yun Duo down from the carriage, and happened to bump into the Lin family's eldest daughter, Lin Ru Jun.

Today, Lin Ru Jun dressed especially demurely, wearing a greenish-blue gown, draped with a sable-fur greatcoat, and the plain hem of her skirt was embroidered with tiny plum blossoms the size of thumbnails, making her look quite lovely.

Only, a side sword was fastened at her waist, just like the martial-practicing nobles of the capital, who always wore their side swords wherever they went, exceedingly refined, naturally setting her apart.

Precisely for this reason, the noble ladies of the capital kept their distance from her; the Lin family maiden was too heroic, heroic to the point of having no friends.

Gu Jiu Ling saw her standing alone, and quickly waved and smiled at her: 'Miss Lin!'

Hearing someone call her, Lin Ru Jun turned, her eyes lighting up, and she hurried over with a smile toward Gu Jiu Ling.

She bowed to Gu Jiu Ling and said, 'Princess Consort, may you be peaceful!'

'Just you?' Gu Jiu Ling split a handful of the dried fruit in her hand and gave it to Lin Ru Jun, who relaxed greatly before Gu Jiu Ling, took the dried fruit, ate a piece, and instantly looked at Gu Jiu Ling with delight.

'Princess Consort, what is this snack? It's delicious!'

These days, Gu Jiu Ling had sliced seasonal fruits, added honey, and dried them into fruit leather to eat anytime, supplementing vitamins.

Now, seeing that the day of delivery was near, she dared not eat too much staple food or meat, fearing the twins in her belly would grow too large to be born, and she would be suffocated alive—what should she do?

She even entrusted the method of cesarean section to Zuo Feichen and Jiu Yue, and Zuo Feichen would return to the capital in a month.

If she could not deliver naturally, she would have Zuo Feichen help her extract the child.

Before, she had taken in several difficult labor cases, and afterward Zuo Feichen handled them all, his skill far surpassing her expectations; this person was born to be a divine doctor.

Even so, Gu Jiu Ling still felt a little afraid, and paid special attention to her diet.

Gu Jiu Ling smiled and told Lin Ru Jun how to make the fruit leather, and Lin Ru Jun supported her as they entered the princess consort's plum garden.

By now, the garden had already gathered the ladies from various families, and today these young ladies were not unaware of the Grand Princess's intentions.

Previously, if the young marquis Cheng Ming went on a blind date, it would have been really difficult, but now he had turned into a hot commodity.

The princess consort's mansion held high status, plus Cheng Ming's father, Old General Cheng, had tremendous prestige in the army; now the young marquis had inherited his father's title, and also had the Grand Princess as his mother backing him.

At a young age, he had already joined the Imperial Forest Army as a garrison officer, stationed at the South Great Camp.

Although the young marquis had once taken Xiao Yin's side, provoking the emperor's wrath, the South Great Camp was the Cheng family's turf, and even the emperor could not overly restrain it.

The Xiao royal family had reached today relying on the support of the Eight Great Aristocratic Families; the Cheng family was also one of those eight, with outstanding military achievements, not to be underestimated.

Cheng Ming not only inherited his father's title, but also had the Cheng family's entire military legacy, and with the Grand Princess being no empty title, he naturally paved the way for his son.

Serving in the Imperial Forest Army was only the young marquis's beginning; the Imperial Forest Army is colloquially called the noble corps, and those who join are either aristocrats or new nobles—Cheng Ming's first posting was as a garrison officer, with limitless prospects.

Although not long ago, in the imperial court Xiao Yin had helped Cheng Ming secure that garrison post, the emperor finally loosened his mouth, likely also out of consideration for the Cheng family army's existence.

In a moment, these noble ladies each had their own calculations, striving to appear dignified and ladylike, even showing off their skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting at the banquet, which made the Grand Princess delighted.

By contrast, a few of the ladies were somewhat special; Gu Jiu Ling, seated in the place of honor, aside from exchanging pleasantries with the Grand Princess, simply lowered her head and ate her rice.

Meanwhile, Lin Ru Jun was also eating her rice, but her gaze would occasionally drift to Cheng Ming seated nearby, then to the flourishing noble ladies below, a hint of mischief flashing in her eyes.

'Princess Consort, which of those ladies below do you think could catch Cheng Ming's eye?'

'That Cheng Ming fellow must be overjoyed right now; I actually want to help him place a bet, to see whom he finally chooses.'

'I think the Grand Princess herself favors Miss Cui from the Ministry of Works Official's family, and that Miss Wang from the Pacifying South Marquis's family is not bad either…'

Gu Jiu Ling followed her gaze, nodded, and said, 'Indeed, they are quite pleasing to the eye; let's do this—let's make a small wager for fun.'

'I bet Miss Cui will be the final choice!'

Lin Ru Jun whispered with a laugh: 'I choose Miss Wang!'

'How much is the stake?' Gu Jiu Ling also felt playful; the banquet here at the princess consort's mansion was much more relaxed and fun than the palace's.

Lin Ru Jun thought, then produced a hundred-tael silver note, slapped it before Gu Jiu Ling's face, and whispered with a laugh: 'How about a hundred taels?'

'A hundred taels is too little; the young master bets a thousand taels!' Suddenly, a faint voice came from behind Lin Ru Jun.