Chapter 589: Gifts [Many Thanks! Bowing Again! 46k Chapters Owed]

The thought, "Since when has this Great Wife become so reasonable?" flashed through Sheng Hong's mind.

Today marked Mo Lan's coming-of-age ceremony.

The principal guest responsible for adding the hairpin was Li Wu Da Da Niangzi, the mistress of the main branch of the Sheng family.

In terms of status, Li Wu Da Da Niangzi was Mo Lan's elder aunt by marriage; she maintained a harmonious and respectful relationship with her husband, Sheng Wei, and had been blessed with one son and two daughters, making her a woman of complete fortune.

The attendants holding the trays and assisting in the ceremony were sisters Shu Lan, Pin Lan, Ru Lan, and Ming Lan.

Although the second branch of the Sheng family was no towering noble house, their ancestors had produced a Tanhua scholar, they had formed marriage alliances with the Wang family whose members were enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the prestigious Xu family of hereditary merit.

Sheng Hong himself was an official in the Ministry of Personnel!

Moreover, among those who came to attend the coming-of-age ceremony were the wives of officials from families of Sheng Hong's examination year and colleagues, invited by Sheng Hong himself.

Therefore, although Mo Lan was a daughter born of a concubine and had not been raised in the principal wife's quarters, the sheer number of guests and the presence of a favored concubine ensured that the coming-of-age proceedings were neither simple nor perfunctory.

After combing her hair into a bun, having the hairpin added, performing the bowing rites, and listening to admonitions, Mo Lan went to the Sheng family ancestral hall, where she respectfully knelt on the cushion and kowtowed to the Sheng family's Liezulie Sect.

The coming-of-age ceremony concluded.

Grandmother Sheng, her sisters-in-law, and Grandmother Yu departed first; the three elders went to Shou'an Hall to dine in quiet.

Wang Wang Ruofu rose, looked at Xu Pingmei, Sheng Sheng Hualan, and several officials' wives in the main hall, and hurriedly smiled as she called out, "Sisters, eldest niece, Sheng Sheng Hualan, come, let us all take our seats."

In the main hall,

the guests attending the coming-of-age ceremony had already taken their seats.

Most of those present were wives of officials; Xu Pingmei and Sheng Sheng Hualan were both daughters-in-law of Hou Jue households, so their conversation and laughter naturally created a lively atmosphere.

No one knew what topic they had discussed, but a burst of laughter drifted out from the hall, reaching Linqi Pavilion in the Sheng family's inner courtyard.

Linqi Pavilion,

Lin Lin Qinshuang stood at the doorway of the hall, clutching a handkerchief, her face full of concern as she looked in the direction from which the laughter came.

Seeing Zhou Zhou Xueniang approaching the courtyard gate with hurried steps, Lin Lin Qinshuang asked aloud, "How was it? Was my Mo'er's coming-of-age ceremony smooth? Did that shrew Wang Wang Ruofu give my Mo'er any trouble?"

Zhou Zhou Xueniang nodded with a face full of smiles, saying, "Wei Xiaoniang, it was smooth, very smooth! According to Yunzai, the Great Wife's expression was unpleasant at first, but afterward, she kept smiling! The guests are all seated at the banquet now."

"That is good then!"

Lin Lin Qinshuang said, patting her chest.

"Hong Lang attaches such importance to Mo'er's coming-of-age ceremony, yet this mother-in-law Wang Wang Ruofu can still smile; truly strange!"

Lin Lin Qinshuang remarked.

Zhou Zhou Xueniang looked at Lin Lin Qinshuang and said, "Wei Xiaoniang, when I came over just now, the Master instructed that the gifts sent by today's guests would be brought entirely to your courtyard shortly."

"This servant observed—"

Seeing Zhou Zhou Xueniang hesitating beside her, Lin Lin Qinshuang turned and walked into the room, saying as she went, "Observed what?"

"This servant observed that while gifts from other guests were acceptable, those sent by Sister Hua and the Xu family's eldest Miss, along with the gifts from several young masters in the academy, were truly too valuable!"

"Valuable?" Lin Lin Qinshuang looked at Zhou Zhou Xueniang in confusion.

Zhou Zhou Xueniang nodded repeatedly: "Wei Xiaoniang, once the items arrive, you will see clearly if you examine them carefully."

Just as she finished speaking,

"Wei Xiaoniang? This servant from the rear courtyard has been sent by the Master to deliver the items to our courtyard!"

Hearing the voice from outside, Lin Lin Qinshuang quickly turned and said, "Go, prepare silver money."

Having said this, she walked toward the door.

After the old women and maids bustled about,

Lin Lin Qinshuang stood at the doorway, looking at the gifts filling the tables inside the room, smiled at the dispatched old woman, and said, "Cui Cui Mama and everyone have worked hard! Zhou family member, give a reward."

"Yes, Wei Xiaoniang."

"Thank you, Wei Xiaoniang."

The dispatched old woman and the old women and maids who had carried the items hurriedly expressed their thanks.

After the thanks were concluded, the dispatched old woman continued speaking with Lin Lin Qinshuang.

Jiu'er, daughter of Cui Mama Liu, who had mixed in with the crowd, waited for Zhou Zhou Xueniang, who was distributing the reward money, to approach her.

"Thank you, Sister Zhou."

After receiving the reward money, Jiu'er first performed a curtsy, smiled as she voiced her thanks, then raised an eyebrow as she looked at the copper coins in her hand.

While Zhou Zhou Xueniang was distributing the reward money,

Lin Lin Qinshuang beside her continued speaking to the dispatched old woman: "Cui Cui Mama, were these items registered in a ledger?"

The dispatched old woman nodded with a smile and replied, "Replying to Wei Xiaoniang, when the guests sent them, Wei Wei Xiaoniang had already recorded everything! The ledger for these items is also with Wei Wei Xiaoniang."

Lin Lin Qinshuang smiled with satisfaction and said, "Sister Wei indeed handles matters thoroughly."

"What Wei Xiaoniang says is true!"

"Wei Xiaoniang, since matters have concluded, we servants will take our leave."

"Mm."

Smiling as she watched the old women and maids depart the Linqi Pavilion courtyard, Lin Lin Qinshuang then turned and walked toward the gifts on the table.

Standing before the table and looking at the items upon it, Lin Lin Qinshuang's smile faded slightly as she said, "Hmph! That lowly bitch surnamed Wei doesn't even know to send the recorded ledger over!"

"Wei Xiaoniang, for future coming-of-age ceremonies of other families' daughters, the Great Wife must return gifts according to the ledger, so it is inappropriate to keep it in our courtyard."

Zhou Zhou Xueniang, observing Lin Lin Qinshuang's expression, spoke in a cautious tone.

Lin Lin Qinshuang uttered an "Mm."

"Wei Xiaoniang, look, these gifts received by the Fourth Miss are all fine items."

"Which ones were sent by the young masters from the academy?" Lin Lin Qinshuang asked.

Zhou Zhou Xueniang thought for a moment, then began searching through the pile of gifts on the table.

Although they were classmates with Mo Lan, since men and women must observe propriety, Xu Xu Zaijing and the others could not appropriately send hairpins, hair ornaments, or other jewelry.

"Wei Xiaoniang, these are the inkstone, famous ink, fine paper, incense burner, and jade carving for amusement that the Second Young Master of the Gu family sent to the Fourth Miss."

Lin Lin Qinshuang picked up the jade carving and praised, "The Hou Fu truly acts differently from others; these items look exceptionally fine!"

"These few items were sent by the Young Lord of the Qi State Duke's Manor."

Lin Lin Qinshuang looked them over and said, "Why do these items look somewhat similar to those sent by the Gu family?"

Zhou Zhou Xueniang nodded and said, "This servant thinks so too! These were sent together by Hua Hua Jie'er and our family's Eldest Son-in-law."

Looking at the exquisite wooden box Zhou Zhou Xueniang pointed to, Lin Lin Qinshuang stepped forward, reached out, and pulled it open, her eyes immediately brightening.

Gazing at the exquisite jewelry inside, Lin Lin Qinshuang said, "This set of head ornaments looks truly excellent!"

"Wei Xiaoniang, this servant heard from Cui Chan, who serves Hua Hua Jie'er, that these items come from the Li family jewelry shop and cost quite a bit of silver!"

Lin Lin Qinshuang nodded with satisfaction and said, "These few items are fine enough for Mo'er to wear even when she leaves home to marry."

After admiring the jewelry for a while, Lin Lin Qinshuang blinked and said, "Hiss, what did the Xu family's Jing Ge'er send to Mo'er?"

Zhou Zhou Xueniang thought for a moment and said, "Wei Xiaoniang, it seems to be writing brushes, ink, calligraphy, and paintings as well."

"Look for it; let me see."

"Yes."

A moment later,

Looking at a long wooden box in her hand, Lin Lin Qinshuang curiously opened it.

"Eh? Wei Xiaoniang, why are there only these few items?"

Zhou Zhou Xueniang asked in confusion.

Lin Lin Qinshuang ignored Zhou Zhou Xueniang, instead looking in surprise at an old book lying quietly inside the wooden box; after flipping through a few pages, she said, "How did the Xu family find a book like this?"

"Wei Xiaoniang, what book is this?" Zhou Zhou Xueniang asked curiously.

"This is a collected volume of poems by Grand Councilor Yan of our current dynasty."

Having spoken, Lin Lin Qinshuang looked at Zhou Zhou Xueniang's expression and said, "What, are you thinking that since Grand Councilor Yan lived not long ago, such a poetry collection is not rare?"

Zhou Zhou Xueniang nodded and said, "Yes, Wei Xiaoniang; couldn't one simply buy such a poetry collection at any bookshop?"

Lin Lin Qinshuang smiled and said, "You do not understand; this poetry collection bears Grand Councilor Yan's personal inscription and treasure seal. If Mo'er sees this poetry collection, who knows how delighted she will be!"

"Wei Xiaoniang, speaking thus, the Xu family's Jing Ge'er put thought into this gift! Could it be that he has feelings for our Miss—"

Hearing this, a hint of joy appeared on Lin Lin Qinshuang's face as she said, "Perhaps, but given the Xu family's background, such an item is nothing remarkable to speak of!"

"Unroll this calligraphy and painting; let me see."

Lin Lin Qinshuang said, pointing to the scroll within the wooden box.

When the scroll was opened, it revealed a hanging painting of orchids outlined in ink.

Zhou Zhou Xueniang said, "Wei Xiaoniang, could this have been painted by the Xu family's Jing Ge'er himself?"

Lin Lin Qinshuang took a careful look, shook her head, and said, "No, this is a work by Long Mian Jushi."

(End of Chapter)