Chapter 165: Sheng Hualan's New Clothes [Many thanks for everyone's support! A second bow!]

Wang Wang Ruofu looked at Cui Mama Liu and said, "The business venture my elder sister mentioned to me yesterday strikes me as quite promising!"

"My lady, this humble servant takes the liberty of suggesting that you would do well to settle the eldest miss's dowry before considering this matter."

"But my sister says that now is the best time to buy into the venture."

Seeing Wang Wang Ruofu frown in difficulty, Cui Mama Liu continued, "If my lady has doubts, why not first take some funds from our own courtyard's accounts, claiming it is merely a trial run?"

"Hiss, that's right! This way we neither offend my sister nor fail to see the results; let us proceed exactly so!"

Wang Wang Ruofu said happily, pinching her handkerchief.

"By the way, how are things over in the side courtyard?"

"My lady, with the Old Da Niangzi's people stationed there, naturally all is well."

"Send some donkey-hide gelatin over to her shortly! Oh, and yesterday I heard you say that her courtyard has been given a name?"

"Replying to my lady, it is said that when the Master went to visit the Seventh Young Master, Da Niangzi Wei spoke a few words with the Master, and thus obtained the name 'Jin'an Studio'."

"What sort of name is that?" Wang Wang Ruofu asked, frowning in incomprehension.

Cui Mama Liu blinked her eyes and said, "This humble servant heard from Sister Sister Xiaodie that it expresses the hope that the Master and the young masters of the family will face no detours in their future imperial examinations and official careers, but rather ride the wind and break the waves."

"That interpretation does carry an auspicious omen."

Just as they were speaking, Caihuan entered from outside the door, bowed, and said, "My lady, an invitation has arrived at Shou'an Hall from the Marquis's Residence; the Old Da Niangzi has ordered it to be delivered to you."

Da Niangzi Wang reached out, examined it carefully, and said with some pride, "Oh, isn't this an invitation from Da Niangzi Wu Wu Daniang? Yesterday I heard my sister say that the girls of the Kang family tried several times to get one but failed."

"My lady, this is the Marquis's Residence taking our family's eldest miss to broaden her horizons."

"Quickly, go find a renowned tailor shop in the capital and immediately have a new garment made for Hua'er!"

At the Jinghai Marquis's Residence,

within the courtyard of the Fifth Branch,

Da Niangzi Pan Da was speaking with a beaming smile to her eldest branch sister-in-law, Da Niangzi Bao.

As the Xu family had grown increasingly powerful over these past few months, her mother-in-law and her eldest sister-in-law spoke with ever-improving attitudes, especially since this time they were seeking a favor:

"Fifth Sister-in-law, Mother is merely anxious on behalf of the Fourth Young Master of the Ruyang Marquis's Residence; seeing that he is approaching the age for marriage, Mother knows that our Jiong-ge'er is close friends with the Liang family's young master, so she asked me to see if I could obtain an invitation to attend tomorrow's polo match."

"Sister-in-law, please wait; we are all relatives! If the Eleventh Young Master has an invitation, he will naturally give one to the Bao family's young master. However, I heard from Jiong-ge'er that this is merely a playful gathering for the youths, so sister-in-law, you..." Da Niangzi Pan Da replied.

At this moment, Da Niangzi Pan Da's personal nurse entered the room holding an invitation and said, "My lady, Young Master Jiong specifically sent Fuding back on horseback with this invitation, saying it cost more than ninety taels of silver."

Seeing Da Niangzi Pan Da feign a serious expression, the personal nurse hastily closed her mouth.

After taking the invitation, Da Niangzi Bao of the eldest branch spoke a few more words and then departed, without mentioning the matter of money even once.

Da Niangzi Pan Da and her personal nurse escorted the guest to the gate, where the personal nurse remarked, "My lady, this humble servant made the matter so clear, yet she pretended not to hear; in the past, the eldest branch never came to our courtyard to beg for such an invitation!"

"Tsk!"

Da Niangzi Pan Da turned back to her seat, glanced at the curious look in her personal nurse's eyes, and said, "It is merely that she heard the Rong family's young lady would be attending, and thus formed an idea."

The nurse suddenly understood and said, "No wonder! Nowadays Consort Rong is truly favored! But the age of the Rong family's young lady..."

Da Niangzi Pan Da, holding her teacup, said, "There are some things you do not know; I hear that recently many people have gained real appointments by going through the Rong family's connections! Whoever can form a marriage alliance with the Rong family will surely ride their momentum to advance one step further!"

"But how old is the Rong family's young lady? Moreover, she has not appeared for three months; how is it that she accepted an invitation this time?"

The corner of Da Niangzi Pan Da's mouth curled into a smile, and she whispered with some self-satisfaction, "For power and authority, what does age matter? Regarding the invitation, you must look at who else has been added to this polo match."

The nurse thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "The Xu family's Fifth Young Master? My lady, this humble servant cannot help but admire your insight..."

Da Niangzi Pan Da smiled faintly and said nothing.

Situations similar to those of the Hu Yan and Rong families were playing out differently among the noble and official households throughout Bianjing.

Some families were motivated by Xu Xu Zaijing, this promising young man;

others were motivated by Rong Rong Feiyan, the younger sister of the favored consort;

in short, by the day of the polo match,

outside the Jinming Pool at the polo grounds, fragrant garments were like clouds and hairpins like scales; many noble ladies whose marriages were not yet settled or who had been confined at home for a long time arrived at the tents beside the grounds accompanied by their mothers and brothers, bringing along seasoned nurses and maids.

There had been a few polo matches before, but none had been as lively as today's.

At the fourth quarter of the Chen hour (around eight in the morning),

the five-year-old granddaughter of the newly appointed Minister of Personnel, Lord Li, being only ten years old this year, sat in the Yu family's tent alongside Yu Yu Yanran of the Yu family, who was about the same age, since Grand Tutor Yu and Minister Li were both from Xuzhou.

Yu Yu Yanran had attended several gatherings of noble ladies recently and was even more familiar with the figures of the capital than Li Han Wu Niang.

While Han Wu Niang was boredly eating dried fruits, Yu Yu Yanran beside her said, "Look, Consort Rong's younger sister has arrived."

Han Wu Niang looked over in a slight daze, squinting her eyes as she said, "How did she arrive so early!"

Yu Yu Yanran thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps she fears the sun will be strong later."

At the entrance to the polo grounds, Rong Rong Feiyan, who possessed the bearing of a beauty even before fully blooming, scanned the grounds with hopeful eyes; seeing no sign of the person in her memory, she entered the Rong family's tent with some disappointment.

Seeing Xi Bu and Seeing Ningxiang hastily lowered the curtains on all sides,

and although there were not many people, both of them felt gazes coming from different directions.

"Sister Yu Yanran, which families do those young men riding over belong to?" Han Wu Niang asked, squinting her eyes.

Yu Yu Yanran took a glance and said, "The Bao family... and also the Hu Yan family; they should be the sons of the Ruyang Marquis and the Jinghai Marquis, as those two families are related by marriage."

"Oh!" Li Han Wu Niang, who could not see very clearly, nodded.

As Yu Yu Yanran was speaking, the young men of the Bao family she mentioned had already passed the tent of the Hou Fu Chang Marquis; seeing Rong Rong Xian emerge from the tent, the few of them exchanged a few words, followed by a burst of youthful laughter.

Then, a maiden in her teens stepped down from the carriage behind the Bao family's young men and went straight to where Rong Rong Feiyan was located.

"Sister Rong Feiyan, long time no see," the Bao family's young lady said warmly to Rong Rong Feiyan; although both were women, the Bao young lady could not help but be stunned by Rong Rong Feiyan's stunning beauty.

Hearing the voice, Rong Rong Feiyan woke from her reverie and looked at the young lady before her with some confusion.

The Bao family's young lady, seeing the bewildered look in Rong Rong Feiyan's eyes as she came to her senses, was herself momentarily stunned and felt her heart soften immensely.

Seeing Xi Bu, standing nearby, pretended to support Rong Rong Feiyan as she approached and whispered a hint, "The young lady of the Bao family from the Ruyang Marquis's Residence."

"Sister Bao, long time no see; please be seated!" Rong Rong Feiyan rose and performed a bow.

"Little Sister, you have arrived truly early today."

"I woke up a bit early," Rong Rong Feiyan said sincerely.

As the two chatted, the Miss from the Bao family proved herself very articulate; while discussing matters, she smoothly worked in a few praises of her own brothers, whereas Rong Rong Feiyan merely nodded and smiled politely, showing she possessed excellent upbringing.

However, whenever a family entered the polo field, Rong Rong Feiyan would invariably tilt her head to take a glance.

Over the course of these two quarter-hours, official dependents and noble young ladies with 'missions' arrived at the Rong family tent one after another.

Added to the fact that Rong Rong Xian had already entered the polo field with the young men of the Bao family, there were now young ladies from three or four families gathered here.

They racked their brains to find topics and ingratiate themselves, eager to learn this Miss Rong Feiyan's likes and dislikes.

"Is Little Sister Rong Feiyan waiting for someone?" the Miss from the Bao family asked with a smile.

"No, it is just that there are some unfamiliar faces I do not recognize," Rong Rong Feiyan said in a low voice, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"That is only natural; how long has it been since you last came out? Look, do you recognize this family?" the Miss from the Bao family asked with a smile, and seeing Rong Rong Feiyan's puzzled expression, she offered an introduction.

Just then, a carriage bearing the Sheng family plaque entered the polo field; Rong Rong Feiyan turned her head to watch the woman alighting from the carriage and asked, "Elder Sister Bao, whose family is this?"

"Er, I do not recognize this family, but as for the color and style this young lady is wearing, tsk..."

In the pause between words, the Miss from the Bao family exchanged glances with the daughters of other families nearby.

And also

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(End of Chapter)