"And in our village, I’m afraid there will also be quite a few people coming..." Lian Shouxin said.
The family deliberate for half a day.
"Moving house isn’t such a big deal in our village. We’ll just skip the customary gifts," Lian Shouxin decided.
"Tomorrow, I’ll spread the word that we’ve accepted all the social obligations, and everything else will carry on as usual. Just because we have an archway, doesn’t an we’ve changed. Could we really start exploiting our neighbors?" Lady Zhang said.
Upon hearing this, Lian Manman couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.
"What’s so funny? Am I wrong?" Lady Zhang asked.
"Mother, you’re right. My laughter, well, I’m just delighted. My mother has beco cultured, even using phrases like exploiting the neighbors," Lian Manman said, lowering her head to suppress a giggle.
"Aren’t you just mocking for being a simpleton? I learned that phrase from our Xiao Qi. Xiao Qi, am I using it correctly?" Lady Zhang turned to ask Xiao Qi.
Xiao Qi was also giggling with Lian Manman but straightened his face when Lady Zhang questioned him.
"Mother, the way you used that phrase was perfect."
"Enough with the trouble of learning then. When I don’t, you all urge to, and when I do, you make fun of ," Lady Zhang pretended to be annoyed.
"Mother, we’re not making fun of you. We are happy because you’ve learned well," Lian Manman and Xiao Qi hurried to appease Lady Zhang.
After a bit of teasing and laughter, they returned to the matter at hand.
"Then that settles it. Let’s not hire a cook, and simply reserve a few tables at the Yue Lai Tavern," Lian Manman suggested, glancing at the list of nas she had written down on paper.
"And how many tables should we reserve?" Lian Shouxin asked.
Lian Manman, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi huddled together, murmuring for a while and clacking the abacus swiftly.
"Let’s start with six tables of high-quality banquet fare. For regular fare, we’ll reserve three tables; as for the rest, we’ll discuss it with Shopkeeper Wu and make what’s needed on the spot if necessary," said Lian Manman.
The high-quality banquet was for entertaining the guests. The regular banquet was prepared for the stewards accompanying those guests, as well as for respectable maids and housekeepers.
After the family had made their decisions, that very day, Lian Shouxin went to town and gave a deposit to Shopkeeper Wu, agreeing that adjustnts could be made depending on the situation. Shopkeeper Wu confidently guaranteed that everything would be taken care of and that on that day, the Lian Family’s banquet would be the priority, assuring everything would be perfectly managed.
The busy days flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the day arrived for the ceremonial completion of the Imperially Bestowed Archway and for Lian Manman’s family to move into their new ho.
Early in the morning, guests began arriving one after another. Everyone gathered on the open ground in front of the archway.
Auspicious day, auspicious mont
The sound of ceremonial guns fired, followed by a barrage of firecrackers all set off at once. Amid the deafening blast, wide red silk cloths floated down, revealing the full majesty of the completed archway.
In the center of the archway was a prominent pavilion. In the middle of the pavilion’s plaque were dragon and phoenix motifs, with the bold characters "Imperially Bestowed" in the center. Below the plaque was another horizontal tablet, which described who was granted the archway by the Emperor on what date, for what reasons, and the dates of the archway’s construction and completion.
Flanking the central pavilion were side pavilions, intricately carved with Ru Yi patterns and mythical creatures like the Pixiu. Below the side pavilions were the secondary pavilions, each with their own inscribed plaques—one with the words "rit within the State" and the other with "Fa through the Ages."
The entire archway was constructed and carved from large blocks of white marble, with soaring eaves and ornate brackets, dragons, and animal heads. Bathed in the morning sun, it was exceptionally imposing and majestic.
The crowd in front of the archway knelt down one by one, praising the Emperor’s boundless grace.
After paying their respects to the archway, the guests gradually made their way into the new residence.
The new house had been prepared early. In the front courtyard, brothers Wu Yugui and Wu Yuchang, along with Wu Jiaxing, acted as hosts to assist Lian Shouxin in welcoming the male guests. The back courtyard was managed by Lady Zhang who welcod the female guests, with Lady Wu Wang, Lady Zhang Wang, and Lady Chiang helping out with the arrangents.
Zhang Qingshan, Lady Li, and their son Zhang Qingnian, along with Lady Wang and their granddaughter Zhang Caiyun, arrived yesterday afternoon, while Lian Jizu and Lady Chiang arrived in the evening.
The male guests occupied six tables in the main hall and the study of the front courtyard.
The Shen Family also sent soone today, not Shen Liu or Shen Jiu, but the Third Master of the Shen Family, accompanied by Steward Zhong and his party. It was Lian Manman’s first ti seeing a mber of the Shen Family other than Shen Liu and Shen Jiu.
The Third Master of the Shen Family appeared to be nearly forty years of age, quite portly. His plumpness bore so resemblance to Shen Jiu, but his facial features were quite different; compared to Shen Liu, there was not a single similarity to be found.
At least, that’s what Lian Manman thought.
Lian Manman looked at the gifts sent by the Shen Family: two jade bonsai, one embroidery screen depicting wealthy peonies, plus four silk damasks for high-end attire.
The servant Quan Fu, for so reason not accompanying Shen Liu, also ca. This quick-witted servant took the opportunity to approach Lian Manman.
"...Are these gifts to your liking, Miss? They were personally chosen by our Sixth Master and Ninth Master."
"I appreciate the effort," Lian Manman smiled, "Are your Sixth Master and Ninth Master at ho? Why didn’t they co today?"
"Ninth Master is confined to the study doing his reading, and Sixth Master set out to inspect the borders ten days ago. These gifts were selected in advance before his departure," Quan Fu explained.
Lian Manman smiled and nodded, then summoned Xiao Qi to relay a ssage to Wu Lang in the main courtyard, instructing him to ensure Quan Fu was well looked after and seated in the cross-courtyard.
The Magistrate of Liaodong Prefecture, the Magistrate of Jinyang County, and so subordinate officials also ca, most bringing ornantal gifts. The only exception was Official Li, who brought a set of newly published books from the Hanlin Academy, along with a box of lake pens, a box of Hui ink, and two Duan ink stones.
Song Hailong and Lian Huahua also arrived with generous gifts.
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Posting one Chapter now, seeking bonus.
There will be a second update tonight. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welco to cast your recomndation votes and monthly votes at Qidian [qidian], your support is my greatest motivation.)
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