A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er took some time to visit Zhen Embroidery Workshop. The business there was so-so, but the Liu's Pharmacy next door was full of customers. Even the shopkeeper Zhang had to help there most of the time.

After they had finally finished their busy schedule, the three of them came to Zhenxiufang and sat down to chat while drinking tea.

Gui Er brought up the story of the Eighth Concubine. Both Shopkeepers Zhang and Liu were deeply moved. Shopkeeper Zhang asked, "Does that mean your engagement with Master Duanmu is now off the table?"

Gui'er thought for a moment and said, "Anyway, let's not talk about it now. They don't seem to have appeared at Sha Mansion again. Back then, the Marshal was quite fond of him. Now that the Marshal is like this, Sha Yanxiao doesn't like him. The information I heard is that apart from the visit to the Marshal before, he hasn't been to the Marshal's Mansion since then."

"But this Master Duanmu was quite active in going to Xiuchuntang, and we heard the girls there mention him, saying that he went there just to drink tea, and gave the girls money for overnight stay but told them to have a good rest. The girls of Xiuchun's mother all liked him very much, saying that he was the Liuxiahui of the Republic of China. Some of the older ones even hoped that he would redeem them to be his concubines." said Manager Liu.

"Is he trying to win people's hearts?" This was Guier's first reaction.

"The girls at Xiuchun Hall are quite pitiful, but in this era, there are so many pitiful people. Walking down the street, you can see vagrants and beggars selling their children. He doesn't help these people, but instead helps the prostitutes in the brothels who live in luxury and can mingle among the rich and powerful. Besides gaining a good reputation, I'm afraid he also wants those girls to investigate the situation for him."

Shopkeeper Liu looked at Gui'er with approval and said, "Our Gui'er is really becoming more and more mature. Shopkeeper Zhang and I think so too. Moreover, Duanmu Heng has come to the store twice to ask us about you."

"What do you want to know about me?" Guier became nervous.

"He didn't say anything, he just asked about your situation in a roundabout way. Of course, we couldn't tell him."

"...Did he ever mention the Eighth Concubine?" Gui'er was still quite concerned about this. She always felt that the relationship between these two people was not as simple as outsiders saw.

"Not really. Maybe he feels that telling us is pointless."

A few days later, a grand full-moon banquet was held at the most luxurious restaurant in Jiangcheng. The restaurant had been specially renovated to welcome this happy event, and a large sign was erected at the entrance. It read: Congratulations on having a son.

The main gate was festooned with lights. Large red lanterns hung on either side of the vermilion gate, their golden characters for "happiness" gleaming brightly. Inside the courtyard, colorful silks fluttered in the breeze, contrasting with the verdant pines and cypresses, embodying both joy and solemnity. Between the carved beams and painted buildings, delicate palace lanterns radiated a soft glow, illuminating the entire space with a bright and warm atmosphere.

The guests, all dignitaries from various walks of life, arrived in droves, dressed in gorgeous attire. The men wore suits and ties or long gowns and jackets, while the women wore exquisite cheongsams and adorned with dazzling jewelry. Their faces were filled with smiles, and they held in their hands carefully prepared gifts as they offered their congratulations to the Marshal, who sat at the host's table in the ceremonial hall, having specially changed into his military uniform for the occasion. He leaned on a cane, imported from England and topped with a silver, majestic metal lion's head. He greeted everyone with a broad smile, but his speech was limited. The most he could say was, "Okay, please take a seat."

Some guests wanted to take the opportunity to build relationships with the Marshal, but fortunately the Marshal's Mansion had made arrangements in advance. Butler Zhao stood by and after seeing the other party greet him, he immediately signaled to the best man to come and lead the guests to their seats. Some of the guests of high status were not allowed to be too rude, so the wife came forward to support them. After all this, the Marshal seemed to have almost recovered to his normal state in the eyes of outsiders.

Miss Tian's parents and Director Tian also came specially. He walked up to the Marshal, shook his hand, and said a few more words.

Neither the lady nor Sha Yanyao dared to stop him. The Marshal began to struggle and was about to be exposed. Sha Yanxiao hurried over and started chatting with Director Tian, ​​saying a lot of flattering words. Director Tian was very satisfied and did not investigate further.

The banquet began, and the table was laden with delicacies, including bear paws, shark fins, and other delicacies from land and sea, each exquisitely presented like a work of art. The Buddha Jumps Over the Wall dish boasted a rich, mellow broth, featuring abalone, sea cucumber, and fish lips. The bright red braised lion's head, meanwhile, melted in the mouth, its texture rich but not greasy.

The guests were all very satisfied. Gui'er and the other young ladies from the Marshal's Mansion sat at the same table, eating silently with their heads down. Occasionally, some of the guests who came to the banquet would glance at them out of curiosity, but because they knew that the Marshal's Mansion had always had strict family education, they did not dare to come forward and talk to them.

The lady was the center of attention today. She was wearing a peacock blue high-end silk cheongsam. The intricate embroidery on the cheongsam showed that it was specially customized by Yunshang Tower. The buttons were in the shape of two crab claw chrysanthemums, and each petal was nailed with a small golden bead, which was real gold. She also had a huge jade necklace hanging around her neck, which was obviously priceless. Although the guests didn't say anything, they couldn't help but take a few more glances.

She sat upright at the main seat with a proper smile on her face, but her eyes kept glancing at the other concubines, showing her status.

The fifth concubine dressed up carefully, trying to stand out in front of everyone. She smiled and said to the third concubine, "Sister, the baby is one month old today. The Marshal is so happy. This banquet is so grand, which shows how much he values ​​this grandson. The grandson in your courtyard is also the Marshal's bloodline, but it's a pity that one is a grandson-in-law and the other is a grandson-in-law. They are just different. When you compare them like this, it really makes you feel depressed."

The Third Wife understood her hidden meaning and retorted, "Of course. The Marshal has always valued legitimate bloodlines. We all have to serve him well. Don't be like some people who only do fancy things."

The Sixth Concubine fanned the flames: "What the sisters said is true, but some people just love to be in the spotlight and don't consider the occasion."

Miss Tian and Sha Yanyao also appeared at the banquet holding their children. Many guests rushed forward, wanting to see the appearance of the Marshal's grandson.

Miss Tian placed the child in the wet nurse's arms and sat nearby to entertain people. When someone reached out their hands to touch the baby, she would step forward to stop them and respond with a smile and a few words, which was quite decent.

However, as more and more people came, she gradually became impatient and even rolled her eyes. Guier knew that Miss Tian was actually very reluctant to bring the child back to Jiangcheng. She always thought that Jiangcheng was a small place, and she still looked down on the people here in her heart. Now the expression of impatience was almost written on her face. Sha Yanyao hurriedly asked her to take the wet nurse to the hotel lounge to feed the child, and she finally got away.