No matter what kind of storm arose in the Ding capital, or the undercurrent surging, it would always look peaceful on the outside. The annual Chrysanthemum banquet was approaching and because Guang Wen Tang's academy examinations were not too far away from the Chrysanthemum banquet, it was simply placed together this year.
Unlike the previous years, the academy examination had become a grand banquet for the noble families in public.
Early in the morning, Old Shen Furen sent the eldest maid, Xi-er, to the Western courtyard, saying that she had invited a tailor for the clothes for the Chrysanthemum banquet and invited Shen Miao to pick.
Shen Miao nodded her head in agreement.
In the past academy examinations, Shen Miao would wear casually because she would only be a laggard and would attract ridicule if she wore conspicuously. Now that the academy examinations and the Chrysanthemum banquet were together, it would be inexcusable if there were no clothes made.
At the Chrysanthemum banquet, the furens of all the officials would be present and most of them were here to see their daughter-in-law. Thus as long as there were females, they would dress up beautifully and hope that they would dress up more and more beautifully. Even though Old Shen Furen did not like the First household, she still had to put on a face. Moreover Old Shen Furen was a person who only cared about her own interests. If one could use Shen Miao to exchange for a marriage with assistance, it would not be impossible to sell her.
Bai Lu appeared to be somewhat happy as she accompanied Shen Miao to Rong Jing Tang and said, "One did not expect that the Chrysanthemum banquet would arrive so quickly. Does not Young Lady like the Chrysanthemum banquet the most? At that time, one would be able to admire the flowers."
Shen Miao liked the Chrysanthemum banquet but it was not because of admiring the flowers. But in such banquets, she would always be the one who was faintly discernible. Of course, there were Shen Yue and Shen Qing who added fuel to the fire, but she had a stupid and dull temperament and often did not dress up properly, and would only be laughed at behind her back without knowing it.
The reason why she liked the Chrysanthemum banquet was because of Fu Xiu Yi.
One year ago at the Chrysanthemum banquet, Fu Xiu Yi was also present. That day, she was ridiculed and isolated again. The Chrysanthemum garden was filled with beautiful purples and bright reds and everyone was looking for the reddest and brightest ones. She walked to the corner and saw a pot of white chrysanthemums from afar.
Things like white chrysanthemums were probably only used for funerals, so they were naturally not pleasing to the eye. Moreover, this chrysanthemum had bloomed quite miserably. Some of the petals had withered. It was unknown whether it was because of the rain or the wind. It was all alone in the corner, and no one noticed it.
Most likely it was because they were in the same boat, Shen Miao felt that she was exactly the same as that chrysanthemum. He was all alone, a pitiful little thing that no one was looking at. Just as he was sighing in his heart, he saw a man in luxurious clothes walk up to the chrysanthemum.
He reached out his hand to pick up the flower branch and gently stroked the petals. Someone beside him asked, "Ninth Brother, this flower is so miserable. What's so nice about it?"
The well-dressed man smiled. "I pity that it's weak and helpless. How pitiful."
It was this sentence of 'pity that it was weak and helpless' that made Shen Miao have a good impression of this man. When the man turned around, she was even more mesmerized by his handsome appearance.
Afterwards Shen Miao got to know from the mouths of the womenfolk that it was the current Emperor's Ninth Prince, Prince Ding, Fu Xiu Yi.
Perhaps there was no reason to admire a person when one was young. Fu Xiu Yi's words were clearly talking about chrysanthemums, but she felt that she could empathize with him. She thought that if she married such a gentle person, he would definitely cherish her like how he cherished a lonely flower.
Unfortunately, she was still wrong in the end. Fu Xiu Yi pitied the delicate flower, pitied the world and pitied Mei Furen, but never pitied her. Everything that she had done, in his view, was based on the 'responsibility' of a wife. Those days where they treated each other respectfully was nothing more than a play that Fu Xiu Yi put on with her while enduring his disgust.
He also did not pity that chrysanthemum and just casually mentioned it but she took it seriously.
"Young Lady?" Unknowingly she was lost in thought and did not realise that she was already at the entrance of Rong Jing Tang. Bai Lu quickly called out to remind and Shen Miao then followed Xi-er in.
Shen Yuan Bo was not present today and Old Shen Furen was wearing a green and white embroidered long robe. She was already in her seventies years of age but was still wearing such a fresh green colour which made her face look like a female ghost. But she herself was not aware of it.
Shen Yue and Shen Qing were standing beside their respective mothers. The Second household had two Shu daughters but Ren Wan Yun was too overbearing and in this kind of banquet, the Shu daughters were not allowed to go out and steal the limelight. As for the Third household, other than Chen Rou Qiu this official wife, Shen Wan only had a Tongfang, not to mention any Shu sons and Shu daughters.
Thus in this way, only the Di daughters of each household were able to get the invitation to attend the flower banquet.
Shen Miao greeted Old Shen Furen and Ren Wan Yun looked at Shen Miao and smiled, "Little Five is here. Quickly come and pick the cloth. Later Li Niang will measure for you all. "
Shen Qing giggled, "Second Younger Sister and I have already picked and are waiting for you to pick."
It was obvious that Xi-er came late but it seemed like it was her fault, leaving everyone to stay in Rong Jing Tang. Shen Miao was too lazy to argue with her and walked to the soft couch that was spread out with the cloth.
Li Niang was a thirty plus year old middle-aged woman and the new clothes of the entire Shen residence were all bought from her family's shop. When she was young, she had learned some embroidery skills from the female officials in the Palace and the clothes she made were also very beautiful.
There were five or six pieces of cloth spread out in front of her and one piece of begonia colour and one piece of smoky pink colour had already been picked out by the side and were taken away. Needless to say, it must be Shen Qing and Shen Yue.
The scene of the previous lifetime was still vivid in her mind. That day at the Chrysanthemum banquet, Shen Qing wore a begonia coloured dress with scattered flowers and looked very warm and generous, making her look more delicate than a flower. And Shen Yue wore a bright pink embroidered white pear blossom satin thin dress, making her look even more delicate and pure. And she wore a light yellow dress with the golden necklace and jewellery that Old Shen Furen gave her, making her look like a joke that she was not aware of.
And that light yellow cloth was picked under the instigation of the DaMen and Older Sister.
Shen Yue smiled and said, "Fifth Younger Sister's skin is fair, why not pick that light yellow dress? Moreover it can also make one look lively and cute. It really complements."
Shen Qing also nodded her head repeatedly, "Correct. Looking at the rest of the cloth, it seems that the light yellow suits Fifth Younger Sister better."
Chen Rou Qiu's lips had a smile but she did not speak. There was a trace of ridicule in Ren Wan Yun's eyes.
Shen Miao did not know how to pick clothes.
Shen Furen was not in the residence all year round and her mother was not around, so it was inevitable that a child would have a lot of advantages. The rest of the people in the Shen residence all had their own ulterior motives, so how would they sincerely teach a young lady how to match clothes? Thus in the long run, Shen Miao would only follow beside Shen Qing and Shen Yue and whatever they said, Shen Miao would just pick.
For example, that light yellow material, it was true that it complemented her skin but it looked too childish and cheap. Coupled with those golden jewellery, it was like a daughter of a landlord.
Gu Yu and the rest wanted to persuade her to throw away those jewellery but she was stubborn and rushed to lose face.
It was really ridiculous.
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