The eldest princess's birthday is on the fifth day of the seventh month, but because of her noble status, the birthday banquet even got the attention of the queen mother and the saint, which naturally attracted the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty, and the nobles of all sizes flocked to it.

However, most of the guests who came to the door in the past two days had no contact with the Weiguo Mansion, and they were not illustrious and famous, so the eldest princess would not receive them in person, and they were all entertained by the Duchess Huang and the second lady Li, and several little ladies from the Weiguo Mansion did not need to show up.

It was only early in the morning, with the crowd in front of the Guogong Mansion, and the back house was also infected by this atmosphere, most of the servants and women were hurrying and nervous, and even the courtyard where the little lady lived seemed to be busier than usual.

In Jia Wei Garden, Cai Wei, a first-class maid beside Siniang, watched Erniang's puffed head and triumphant back disappear outside the Gongyue Gate, the smile on the corner of her lips immediately collapsed, stomped her feet and turned back to the house, seeing Siniang indifferently handing over the jewelry box to Cai Ge, biting her lip, and stepping forward to hug her grievances: "The second lady has always cherished Erniang, where will her jewelry hairpin ring be short, but Siniang is here, thanks to Mrs. Tai's memory, but seeing that the second lady treats you differently these days, Erniang is unwilling, This is the excuse for the lack of jewelry, this is good, it is estimated that there is no repayment. ”

Siniang leaned on the hidden pillow, raised her eyes and glanced at Cai Wei, and saw the girl's puffing appearance, she couldn't help laughing: "Little Scrooge, look at your wealth obsession, I look at you blushing, although the jewelry that my mother rewarded is good, but it is too expensive for me, the little girl's family, this is full of gold and jade, but it looks old-fashioned, the second sister she is fast, and often socializes with those noble girls, of course, I need more head and face makeup than me, I and she are originally sisters, what is there to worry about." ”

Cai Weiwu was unwilling: "Siniang, you are broad-hearted, but Erniang doesn't think so, where is it like to be a sister, listen to her cynicism just now...... This time the second lady was grounded, and Siniang pleaded in front of Mrs. Tai, so she was relieved in advance, it was precisely because of this that Mrs. She was a little affectionate to you, Erniang couldn't do anything, but Mrs. treated her like that, she had something to do with her eyes, it was really ......"

"Shut up!" Hearing this, Siniang's face changed color, and she sat up slightly straight: "Grandmother originally had no other intentions, nothing more than to restrain her mother's temperament, her birthday is approaching, and she intended to relieve her mother's grounding, I just built a step, what credit do I have?" It's just that my grandmother took pity on me, so I said good things for my mother in front of my mother, so that my mother hurt me a little more, I grew up in front of my grandmother since I was a child, and naturally I am not as happy as the second sister beating the second sister under my mother's knees, but after all, I am blood relatives with the second sister, and the second sister is so temperamental, but there is nothing bad about it, and others are just that, you are the one who serves by my side, how can you learn from those people with broken mouths, sowing discord, do you know what is wrong? ”

Cai Wei pursed her lips aggrievedly, and saw that the little master's face was full of solemnity, and she swept away her previous kindness, so she knelt down: "The slave knows her mistake." ”

Siniang also knew that she was a little dissatisfied in her heart, and sighed slightly: "The second sister has been too pampered by her mother since she was a child, so she has been raised to be domineering, and she can't be liked by her grandmother. Just because of her mother's identity, she underestimated the second sister and didn't treat her as the master? ”

When these words came out, not only Cai Wei, but also several big maids in the house changed color, and they all knelt down: "The slaves and maids will never dare." ”

Cai Wei was so anxious that her eyes were full of tears: "The slave knows her mistakes, but she is unhappy for Siniang, so she doesn't choose what to say, but she never dares to have such a mind." ”

Siniang softened her expression: "Get up, just keep it in mind in the future, you can't say these foolish words again." ”

The maids sighed before they got up from the ground, but they heard the little maid in the porch report outside the curtain: "Sanniang is here." ”

Cai Wei hurriedly wiped the tears on her face, opened the curtain and greeted her with a smile, but Siniang frowned slightly, guessing Sanniang's intention.

Sanniang came to ask Siniang about the congratulatory gift she prepared for the eldest princess, and when she heard that it was a word, she smiled lightly: "Has the fourth sister ever asked what the fifth sister has prepared?" ”

Siniang didn't care: "What's the use of asking here?" ”

"The fourth sister is really confused, in previous years, the fifth sister's gift is not a word, it is a painting, if this time it is a painting, it will be fine, but if it is also a calligraphy, how can the fourth sister's compare to her?"

On the birthday of the eldest princess, the congratulatory gifts of the little ladies are naturally not those gold and silver vulgar things, they are all doing their best, or a calligraphy and painting, or embroidery, and among you, the calligraphy and painting of the beautiful scenery is the best, followed by Siniang, although the third mother is not willing to be a "talented girl" fame, playing small and diligent and hardworking, after all, the talent is not high, and he knows that he has fallen behind in the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, so he looks for another way to practice a strange embroidery skill.

This time for the birthday ceremony, Sanniang naturally prepared carefully, and wanted to embroider a rich brocade, but she heard that the eldest sister Yichen had just prepared a six-piece embroidered skirt, so it was not easy to climb the limelight of the elder sister, and prepared a pair of foreheads, but she was very wasteful in the needlework.

She didn't ask what Yijing had prepared at all - the girl who was not good at being a woman was not good, it was nothing more than poetry, or calligraphy or paintings.

But Sanniang fought from the bottom of her heart, and still didn't want to let Yijing dominate the scene, so she came to remind Siniang of the situation, Liuniang had a cold temperament, and this time and Yijing were fighting hotly again, and she didn't dare to go to Liuniang to tell right and wrong for the time being.

However, as soon as Sanniang's words came out, Siniang knew her intentions, but smiled lightly: "Grandmother's birthday, our congratulatory gift is just dedication, where to compare the winners and losers." ”

Sanniang's bad idea is a choke, naturally unwilling, squinting at the corners of her eyes, it is not all charming: "In fact, according to what I see, the fourth sister's literary talent is not much better than that of the fifth sister, but she has been ......more favored by her grandmother since she was a child."

"I don't know what the eighth sister has prepared?" Without waiting for Sanniang to finish speaking, Siniang changed the topic.

"What else can she prepare, every year is just copying scriptures, knowing that her grandmother is not a pre-Buddhist believer." Sanniang is very contemptuous of Banniang.

"I guess the sixth sister will make a poem, these days, she is either sitting in a daze, or reading words, I came to sit here for a while, I don't know what triggered her inspiration, I raised my feet and left, I didn't even have time to say hello, I shouted her a few times in the back, I was unconscious, I was curious, I don't know what the sixth sister can write this year." Seeing that when it came to Banniang, it attracted Sanniang's gossip again, and in desperation, Siniang had to change the topic again.

Sure enough, for the daughter of the Huang family, Sanniang didn't dare to say anything bad, but smiled and said: "The sixth sister is the most focused on poetry and calligraphy, and she is a little obsessed. ”

Siniang talked about Liuniang's "idiocy" in the past, and gradually pushed the topic farther and farther.

Sanniang wanted to talk about the beautiful scenery several times, but she couldn't find the stitches, and she also understood that Siniang was perfunctory, and the courtesy on her face gradually faded, and she was bored, and she wanted to say goodbye.

"Why are you here? Since I went to Luqing Garden, I have been busier than in the big brother's courtyard, and I haven't seen you come to my Yanting Garden. Sanniang was grateful for Mama Song's suggestion, and she was very affectionate when she waited for Dongyu, took her hand, looked at her, and had a deep meaning in her smile: "But the fifth sister has the intention to make things difficult, so you are too busy to get out." ”

It seems that this is just a joke.

Siniang just didn't listen to it.

Dongyu was honestly afraid: "Sanniang don't misunderstand Wu Niang, originally it was the slave maid who went, and Wu Niang brought it up, so that the slave and maid could take care of the study, and Sanniang also knew that Wu Niang had a lot of books, and the slave and maid had to spend some time to familiarize themselves, so they couldn't get out, and Wu Niang treated the slave and maid very seriously." "For fear that Sanniang will say that Wuniang is not the same and cause trouble to herself, Dongyu is busy reporting the matter: "Wuniang was in Zhilanxuan earlier, and discussed with Baniang and the eldest lady about the birthday banquet of Mrs. Tai's talent, and the eldest lady asked the slave maid to run an errand, and invited the second mother and the fourth mother to go. ”

Before the words fell, I saw Sanniang's face sank, and Dongyu explained: "The eldest lady asked Sister Yuzhi to invite Da Lang and Erlang, and asked Sister Lahui to make a special trip to invite Sanniang and Liuniang, I don't want Sanniang to be in the same place with Si Niang, and Sister Lahui seems to have to run for nothing." ”

Hearing that she was not excluded and ignored, Sanniang turned her anger into joy, and looked at Dongyu twice: "If you are really a clever person, I can really be a red fifth sister, and I have you waiting by my side." ”

Dongyu hurriedly blessed her body: "Sanniang has won the award, the slave is the most stupid, where can she bear such love." "I secretly disdain it in my heart: it's just a maid daughter, and I didn't dare to say a word in front of the Duchess and the eldest lady and Liuniang in the past, but I had the courage to worry about it with Wuniang, which was really funny.

Sanniang didn't know the "sincerity" in Dongyu's intestines, and took her hand to praise her, Siniang listened impatiently, so she said that since this is the case, don't let the sisters wait for a long time, it's better to go to Zhilanxuan quickly.

In Zhilan Xuan, Da Lang and Erlang have already arrived, and this time the discussion is in full swing.

It turned out that since Yijing learned Zhen Siniang's true face, he had been thinking about it for a long time, and he had one or two countermeasures, thinking of the grandmother's birthday banquet in his previous life, the eldest brother offered a zither, and Zhen Siniang used the pipa to show the "piano chorus" and win the admiration of the eldest brother, so in this life, it is necessary to avoid Zhen Siniang coming here, and before revealing her face, you must not let the eldest brother move her heart first.

Therefore, Yijing went to find Yichen early in the morning and discussed her grandmother's birthday banquet, so that their brothers and sisters could work together to rehearse a song to celebrate her grandmother's birthday.

In this way, even if Zhen Siniang is cheeky, it is not good to hold the pipa to join the ensemble of several brothers and sisters in the Weiguo Mansion, so she naturally avoids the good story of the talented and beautiful woman Qin Se chorus, as for the talent prepared by Zhen Siniang herself...... Of course, Yijing has other plans, and she will not teach her to excel at the birthday banquet.

As long as the eldest brother is not impressed by Zhen Siniang's talent first, and then reveals her romantic affairs, in this life, the eldest brother's marriage will change, and he will not repeat the tragedy and be affected by the assassination of the prince.

In fact, things don't need to be so complicated, Yijing is sure that when her grandmother learns that Zhen Siniang has an affair with the prince, she will not agree to marry the Zhen family, but if the eldest brother is moved by Zhen Si first, he will inevitably have relatives, and Yijing can't bear the eldest brother's regrets for such a woman, which will affect the happiness of the future.

Therefore, it is necessary to make a fundamental decision.

Originally, she wanted to make some conspiracies to make Zhen Siniang make a fool of herself when she went to the banquet, firstly, this matter is quite difficult, if there is negligence, she is afraid that it will be self-defeating, and secondly, in the end, it is a banquet in her own house, and it is her grandmother's birthday.

The hands and siblings work together, which can not only show their talents, give a surprise to their grandmother, but also avoid the story of the eldest brother and Zhen Siniang.

As soon as this suggestion was put forward, Yichen agreed with it.

Among the sisters, it is better to count five Niang and six Niang in Fuqin, although Yichen is also a little familiar, he is not very good at it, but he is good at Bi Xiao, but he is slightly thin in public; Erniang is even more sparse in the four arts, none of them can get their hands on it, and she has used excuses to run away every time; Sanniang used to compete with Yijing everywhere, and had some attainments in the three arts of piano, calligraphy and painting, but there was still some distance compared to Yijing, so she didn't want to compare with Yijing on this; Siniang is best at calligraphy and games, and the musical instrument is just ordinary; Banniang's Qin Zheng is very good, but she is timid and shy, and her on-the-spot performance is not as good as usual.

Therefore, when the little ladies heard the proposal of the ensemble, they all felt that it was feasible, even if the second lady was not picky - she could be indiscriminately charged, and hit the copper twice to fool the past, so as not to find an excuse to dodge.

Sanniang only felt that in this way, Yijing would not be able to stand out from the limelight, so naturally she would not object.

Siniang has always been easy-going and has no objections.

Liuniang only felt that this idea was novel and elegant, and she swept away the cold and lonely temperament of the past, and enthusiastically proposed the song "Qiongtai Banquet" composed by Mr. Wei, the tune is brisk and festive, and it is suitable for everyone to play.

Su Xun and Su Ying, the two little Langjun, also agreed.

After everyone discussed it, it was settled, by Su Xun and Banniang Fuzheng, Yijing and Liuniang Fuqin, Yichen flute, Su Ying played the flute, Sanniang played the pipa, Siniang Hejin Se, and Erniang hit the chime.

All the ladies and gentlemen of the Weiguo Mansion worked together, and in just two days, they rehearsed a multi-person ensemble of "Qiongtai Banquet".

In a blink of an eye, on the fifth day of the seventh month, the eldest princess was fifty-five years old, all the little ladies got up at the right time, dressed up in makeup, and gathered in Ruiyuan at the beginning of the morning, with Wei Guogong and his wife and the second master Su Ke and his wife went to Yuanying Hall to celebrate their birthday.

The guests will not come to the door so early, but Yuanyingtang is already surrounded by colorful flags and flowers, and the eldest princess sits on the Luo Han bed in Mingtang, and receives the kowtow steadily.

The only regret is that the person who said that he was good at the time is no longer there.

Before his hair turned white, he had already gone home.

Although her heart is sour, the eldest princess is a heroine who has once galloped on the field, so she naturally will not show her sorrow on her face, so that her children and grandchildren are worried, and she is congratulated with a smile.

When the elders give gifts, it is the turn of the juniors.

When Yijing took out the forehead, the most surprised person was not the eldest princess, but Sanniang - she never thought that Yijing would prepare a female red! And like her, it's all a send!

What a treacherous girl, she must have inquired about the congratulatory gifts she prepared, and she was embarrassed, Sanniang had a stiff smile on her face, her fists clenched tightly in her red sleeves, and she secretly gritted her teeth.

Yijing saw Sanniang's ceremony earlier, but in fact, he was secretly complaining, if it was heavy with others, it would be Sanniang...... The gods learned from each other, she didn't mean to do this...... Yijing gave Sanniang a smile apologetically, which fell in Sanniang's eyes, naturally she became a show of power, and almost pinched the blood from her palm, so she resisted the urge to ridicule.

As soon as the Huang family saw the beautiful scenery, he had already turned a sharp eye at Sanniang, warning her not to act impulsively.

Sanniang hung her head with difficulty.

When Erniang saw this situation, she was immediately overjoyed, and hurriedly stepped forward to "make fun": "Oops! The third sister and the fifth sister are really smart, but the fifth sister has never liked female red, but look at this forehead embroidery, although it is not as complicated as the third sister, but it also has a look, when did the fifth sister's craftsmanship become so coincidental? Isn't it a fake hand? ”

Yichen, Yijing and Siniang lamented together: The second sister's ability to add fuel to the fire and sweep people's interest is really ...... Growing with the years.

Li was still unconscious, but he suddenly felt two cold eyes, turned his head and saw that his husband's handsome face was tense, and he was "staring" at himself indifferently, and his good mood suddenly disappeared, and he also raised his willow eyebrows, and glared back at Su Ke: What kind of nerves, I didn't say a word, did I do something wrong? I didn't wake up at all that I had no way to teach my daughter.

The eldest princess glanced at Erniang lightly, but she didn't want to blame, so she only smiled at Yijing: "You will be lazy, this phoenix embroidery is too simple, it is not as good as the third girl's intentions." ”

As soon as Sanniang heard this, she felt a little better in her heart, and glanced at the beautiful scenery proudly, and said in her heart This time you are self-defeating, just rely on your female red, and you are embarrassed to show it?

"Grandmother, you know that your granddaughter is clumsy, where can she compare to the skillful hands of the third sister?" Naturally, Yijing didn't care.

The eldest princess was originally worried that Sanniang was small-minded, if she praised Yijing, she might complain more, so she eased a sentence, but she really loved Yijing's own hand-made forehead, although the pattern is simple, but it has a lot of aura, and the color matching is also in line with her own preferences, it can be seen that she has wasted her thoughts, thinking that she is a granddaughter who is not used to disliking female red, and her heart is even warmer, when even if she asks Mama Song to change it on her forehead: "The one embroidered by Sanniang is better than the gorgeous pattern, and it is very suitable to wear a dress when entering the palace, Today, it's more appropriate to bring the scenery. ”

He praised all the other granddaughters, and the Huang family and Mama Song were on the side, and for a while, the main hall was full of laughter and joy.

It wasn't until the beginning of the year that Wei Guogong Su Yi and the second master Su Ke went to the front yard to entertain guests, and the Huang family and the Li family were also busy welcoming guests, only a few little ladies still accompanied the eldest princess in Yuanying Hall, waiting for the guests to come to the door.