Chapter 12: The Feast

"Du Gongzi." Ran Ning saluted him.

"The three girls are polite." Du Muyi smiled and returned the salute to Ran Ning.

After the two approached, Ran Ning smelled the strange fragrance she smelled in the carriage that day, and she also smelled it at the birthday banquet of the virtuous concubine that day, this smell did not belong to Du Muyi, it should be the son next to her.

"Last time, Mr. Lao sent me home." Ran Ning thanked the son. Today, the boy is wearing a blue dress, which is still a scholar's style, inconspicuous, but the fabric is excellent.

"Hmm." The other party responded lightly, although there was only one word, it couldn't hide the natural good timbre.

Ran Ning is probably because she has been playing the piano since she was a child, and she is particularly sensitive to timbre. From the sound of the piano to the sound of human speech, she can find some qualities. And this son's voice is cold with a sultry evil nature, the words are not heavy, but they are very clear, and the voice is extremely good, Ran Ning feels that it may be difficult to find a second one in this world, which is completely in line with Ran Ning's appreciation of sound.

As soon as Du Mu saw that Ran Ning had an impression of the person beside him, he introduced: "This is Zhong Gongzi." ”

Du Muyi didn't say his full name, Ran Ning guessed that there was something to avoid in the middle, but she didn't dig deeper, the other party was a man after all, and it was inconvenient for her to ask more. However, when it comes to the surname "Zhong", it seems that only the virtuous concubine Niangniang in the palace is surnamed Zhong. Thinking of this Zhong Gongzi also participated in the birthday banquet of the virtuous concubine, it must be the younger generation of the virtuous concubine's mother's family.

"Hello Mr. Zhong." Ran Ning saluted him.

"Hmm." Zhong Gongzi still only replied with one word, not as cordial as Du Muyi, giving people a sense of alienation and indifference.

Ran Ning didn't care, after all, she didn't plan to have a deep friendship with this Zhong Gongzi.

"Where are the three girls going?" Du Muyi answered at the right time.

"I'm going back to the Rites." Ran Ning replied.

"Last time, I listened to the song of the three girls at the birthday banquet of the virtuous concubine, and it was really a lingering sound, I don't know when I will be lucky enough to listen to it again?" Du Muyi said. Such a rash inquiry will be considered frivolous by many people, but Du Muyi's tone and attitude make people feel very real, and he really likes Ran Ning's tunes, not deliberately disrespectful.

"There will be opportunities in the future." Ran Ning smiled. If she wasn't in the palace, she could naturally invite Du Muyi to the Qin Tea Pavilion to enjoy the music at any time, but now that she is from the palace, she has to listen to the arrangements in the palace, so she is not so free.

A gust of wind blew, and the petals flew one after another, but unfortunately one petal fell on Ran Ning's hair. Ran Ning didn't notice it, Du Muyi just wanted to remind him that Zhong Gongzi had already stretched out his hand.

Zhong Gongzi's sudden action made Ran Ning instinctively want to hide, but his expression was not malicious and frivolous, and he was stunned. Zhong Gongzi took off the petals on her head, Ran Ning also saw it clearly, and said, "Thank you." ”

Zhong Gongzi didn't reply to her, just stood there and didn't say anything more.

There are many people in the palace, and they are two men, even if they have known each other for a long time, it is inconvenient for Ran Ning to stand here for a long time to talk to them, so he said: "Lile Division still has something to do, I'll go back first." ”

"Okay." Du Muyi didn't leave her, but said: "When I have the opportunity, I will invite the three girls to taste tea and discuss the piano." ”

"Okay." Ran Ning responded generously, saluted the two and left.

When Ran Ning walked away, Du Muyi touched Zhong Su beside him with his elbow and said, "You were a little rude just now." Although Zhong Su helped Ran Ning remove the petals on his head with good intentions, it was too abrupt.

Zhong Su didn't reply to him, only said, "Let's go." He walked in the opposite direction to Ran Ning.

Du Muyi sighed helplessly and quickly followed. Since Ran Ning didn't care about it, he didn't bother with Zhong Su here.

Time has come to the day of Ran Xiao's wedding in a blink of an eye. Ran Ning has already asked for leave in advance, and she can stay at home until Ran Xiao returns home.

Although Ran Xiao is a concubine, because of the relationship between the Zhao family and the Shen family, the wedding naturally cannot be sloppy. When Ran Ning returned home, the lanterns and red silk had already been hung in the house, and the people were busy for tomorrow's banquet. Ran Xiao married into the Shen family, and the main banquet was naturally in the Shen family, but Wanpingbo Mansion also had to invite some relatives and friends with good relations, and the wine and food at the banquet naturally could not be sloppy.

"Third girl, which one are you going to wear tomorrow?" After Bizhu brought Ran Ning supper, he opened the closet and asked.

Ran Ning glanced at the few festive clothes that Bizhu had already taken out, after all, tomorrow is a happy event in the house, and you can't dress too plainly.

After thinking about it for a moment, Ran Ning pointed to the light purple one and said, "Just leave it at that." ”

"Yes." Bizhu smiled in response, hung up her clothes, and prepared to give Ran Ning a dress tomorrow.

In fact, when Ran Xiao got married, the girls in the house should make a new set of clothes, but the Yu family did not make it for her on the grounds that it was inconvenient for Ran Ning to be in the palace. Ran Ning also understood that her share was a supply to Ran Ning.

Ran Ji has also reached the age when she should be married, and when Ran Xiao's marriage is completed, it should be her turn. Tomorrow, many powerful people will come, so that Ran Ji can dress up and pick out, and it can also be used to let those ladies look at each other and prepare for the release of news in the future. didn't prepare new clothes for Ran Ning, but also for fear that she would steal the limelight from Ran Ning, and the Yu family knew very well how many looks her daughter had, so she couldn't let Ran Ning be too eye-catching. This time Ran Xiao married well, and the Yu family naturally had to work hard for Ran Xiao.

After supper, Ran Ning went to bed early. Tomorrow will definitely have to get up early, even if the wedding banquet is nothing for her, she can't attend with a tired face.

Before dawn the next day, the people got up and began to get busy. Ran Xiao also got up early and started to clean up, she is today's bride, and the etiquette rules are not wrong at all.

After Ran Ning had breakfast, she went directly to Ran Xiao's house. She and Ran Xiao are not close on weekdays, but on this special day, she still has to rush over to express her sisterhood.

When Ran Ning arrived, Ran Ji was already sitting inside. The Yu family was not there, only the Zhao family and a few maids and daughters-in-law were busy making up for Ran Xiao. Ran Ning congratulated Ran Xiao a few words, and then sat down next to Ran Xiao, anyway, they couldn't help much, and they were not suitable for going out to entertain guests, as long as they sat here and waited for the ceremony.

After the maid brought tea to Ran Ning, she withdrew. Ran Ning drank tea and ate refreshments, but she didn't feel bored.

"Did you sleep well yesterday?" Ran Ji asked, her eyes constantly looking at Ran Ning's face, as if she wanted to see a hint of something wrong.

"It's fine." Ran Ning knew what Ran Ji wanted to see, and Ran Ning thought that she would not be able to sleep for this marriage, but she slept well.

"My sister is wearing this today, so she is a little cleaner." Ran Ji looked at Ran Ning.

Today, Ran Ji is wearing a festive style, and the dark red ruffle skirt outlines the slender waist. It seems to be very appropriate, but it is inevitable that it will fall into the limelight. However, she is the eldest daughter, as long as the Yu family doesn't say anything, others have no right to blame.

"The second sister is happy today, and the clothes are good." Anyway, she's not here to compete for beauty, wearing this will make people feel peaceful.

"My mother specially chose the material for me, and she also values Sister Dà's marriage." Ran Ji smiled.

Ran Ning didn't pay attention to this, but the Zhao family and Ran Xiao on the side listened to it in their hearts. Ran Xiao's wedding, Ran Xiao dressed, what is the reason? Even if this kind of thing is reasonable, it is not good to be in the limelight, otherwise it is good to say that it is sisterly love and happy for it, and to say that it is not good to say that it is a lack of education and too publicity. The Yu family was a little too anxious, and it was too late, this account, presumably both the Zhao family and Ran Xiao had written it down.

"I said sister, you and Shen Gongzi are also related, obviously they met first, and in the end he married the eldest sister." Ran Xiao's sarcasm seemed to be mocking Ran Ning for not even being able to catch a man, and it seemed to be laughing at Ran Xiao's complacent men who robbed others.

"What did the second sister say? The eldest sister and Shen Gongzi are a match made in heaven, and there is nothing to do with me, so don't get me and Shen Gongzi together, and spread it out without insulting the reputation of our uncle's mansion. Ran Ning pulled out the Bofu, and she also wanted Ran Ning to stop.

Hearing her words, Zhao and Ran Xiao's faces also improved a lot.

"Ning'er is right, the second girl should not think too much, it is really inappropriate for people to hear it. The Shen family is also Xiao'er's blessing, don't spoil the blessing because of these unnecessary things. Zhao said.

Ran Ning didn't speak. Ran Xiao secretly glanced at Zhao and didn't say anything more. But she didn't look down on the Zhao family at all in her heart, in her opinion, Ran Xiao was a sparrow turned into a phoenix, and she had to wait to see that Ran Xiao's "phoenix" was feathered, not as good as a chicken.

When Ran Xiao cleaned up, the Shen family's welcoming team also arrived. Zhao fed her a sedan chair, covered her with a red hijab, and was helped out by the bride and the maid.

It stands to reason that the bride should be carried by the elder brother on the sedan chair when she goes out. But Ran Mi is weak and fat, and the distance from Ran Xiao's boudoir to the door is not short, in case Ran Mi can't walk halfway, and then throws Ran Xiao, it will be a loss of adults, it is better to let Ran Xiao go by himself.

At the gate, Ran Xiao said goodbye to his home, and then got on the sedan chair. According to Beixin's rules, the groom is to come with the welcoming team. After Ran Xiao got into the sedan chair, Shen Lian said something to Wan Pingbo that reassured them, and then he turned over and got on his horse and prepared to go back to Shen's mansion.

The sound of firecrackers sounded, and in the smoke, Shen Lian glanced back at the position where Ran Ning was standing, Ran Ning didn't look at him, Shen Lian's eyes flashed with a touch of disappointment, and the little guy led the horse and left Wanpingbo Mansion.

Wan Pingbo's mansion prepared forty-eight dowries for Ran Xiao, and originally the Bomen concubines had twenty-four lifts, but the Zhao family and the Zhao family felt that it was less, and the Zhao family added a lot.

After Ran Xiao left, the Bofu also opened. The festively dressed maids quickly delivered wine and food to each table, and everyone took turns to congratulate Wan Pingbo. There is only a screen between the dining table of the ladies and the outside, and the bustle outside can be heard clearly. Yu's entertained the ladies at the inner table, Wan Pingbo entertained the guests at the outer table, although the Zhao family also wanted to have a long face as the bride's mother, but she was just a concubine, and it was not in line with the etiquette to come forward to entertain her.

During the banquet, several ladies kept looking at Ran Ning and Ran Ning, but after hearing that Ran Ning had joined the Rite and Music Division, they turned their eyes to Ran Ning. Ran Ji also looks very decent, even if the color of the clothes is a little eye-catching, but considering that the next daughter to marry in Wan Pingbo's Mansion must be her, no one cares too much about this, at most she thinks she loves it too much.

Ran Xiao got married, Yu was the head of the house, Ran Xiao's nominal mother, and her mother's side would definitely come, but Ran Xiao was a concubine, Yu's father was a Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, and his brother was Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, so he only sent his nephew Yu to come over, which could be regarded as giving face.

Yu Fang, as a junior, naturally wanted to come to greet Yu, although he was a foreign man, he was Ran Ning's cousin, and he was also Ran Ning's nominal cousin, so there was nothing to avoid.

Yu Fang came in to toast, and by the way, he gave the Yu family a gift brought by the Yu Mansion.

Ran Ning didn't have much contact with Yu Fang, so she didn't get up to say hello. Yu Fang wore a cyan brocade robe today, even if his appearance was not outstanding, he also had a kind of suave taste. Ran Ning casually glanced at Yu Fang's clothes, the jade pendant hanging on Yu Fang's waist suddenly attracted all her attention, Ran Ning's fingers stiffened, and the whole person was a little dazed, and her brain was confused for a while-wasn't this jade pendant on the suspected murderer she couldn't remember where she had seen it?

- If what she saw was correct, how was it going to be said? And how do you end it?