The Prince's Beloved Little Wife

Chen Mengyao and Ouyang Han first methodically directed the maids to carefully pick up the boxes containing the exquisite wedding dress, phoenix coronet, and embroidered robe, and gently place them back into Chen Mengyao's boudoir. These boxes were decorated extremely ornately, inlaid with dazzling gemstones, radiating a mesmerizing light.

After everything was settled, Chen Mengyao and Ouyang Han exchanged a knowing smile. They walked side by side toward the luxurious carriage parked at the gate of the mansion. The carriage was decorated with exquisite patterns, and the four horses, with their glossy coats, stood tall and proud, exuding an air of majesty.

Ouyang Han boarded the carriage first, then gently helped Chen Mengyao into the carriage. She gracefully stepped up the stairs and into the carriage. The curtain slowly fell, blocking the curious gazes of outsiders.

With a crisp crack of the driver's whip, the carriage began to move slowly forward, its wheels creaking and groaning. Along the way, the sounds of hooves and wheels mingled, creating a lively melody. Chen Mengyao and Ouyang Han, sitting in the carriage, headed towards the Grand Princess's residence with great anticipation.

Before long, the carriage came to a smooth stop in front of the Grand Princess's residence. Ouyang Han jumped down first, then turned around and carefully helped Chen Mengyao down. The two walked side by side, heading straight for the main hall.

Upon entering the hall, they saw the eldest princess and her husband, along with the second princess and her husband, leisurely enjoying tea and conversation around a table. Seeing Chen Mengyao arrive, everyone put down their teacups and rose to greet her, their faces beaming with warm smiles. The eldest princess quickly stepped forward, took Chen Mengyao's hand, and led her to a seat, thoughtfully instructing the servants to quickly brew a pot of fine tea and serve her several plates of delicate and delicious pastries.

Meanwhile, Ouyang Han smiled and bowed to his two brothers-in-law before finding an empty seat beside them and settling down comfortably. The hall was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation, the atmosphere harmonious and warm.

Chen Mengyao, her face filled with gratitude, first bowed deeply to her two elder sisters to express her sincere thanks: "Thank you both for your hard work in helping me find my dear sister. Without your help, this matter would have been much more complicated!" Then, with a happy smile, she said, "After this department store opens, I plan to return to the Grand Tutor's residence for a few days to properly prepare for my wedding." Everyone was genuinely happy for her upon hearing this. You see, recently Chen Mengyao had been busy with many business matters, and everyone had been quite worried that she might neglect her marriage due to being too busy.

Just as the group was chatting animatedly, a servant announced from outside the door: "Reporting to all the masters, the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's family, the eldest daughter of the Minister of Revenue's family, the daughter of the Minister of Works' family, the eldest daughter of the Censor-in-Chief's family, and the daughters of General Tang and General Lin's families have all arrived." Upon hearing this, Chen Mengyao immediately understood that these were undoubtedly her elder sister's close friends. Seeing this, the eldest princess quickly instructed, "Please invite the ladies in!" Before long, a group of elegantly dressed and beautiful women filed in, instantly making the room even more lively.

After the young ladies entered the hall, they all bowed gracefully to the princesses and their consorts, saying respectfully, "Greetings, Your Highnesses and Your Highnesses." Then, their gazes fell on Prince Jing, Ouyang Han, and they also bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Jing." Finally, they looked at Chen Mengyao and gave her a friendly curtsy, saying, "Sister Mengyao."

Chen Mengyao quickly stepped forward to help up Su Jin, the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's mansion who was closest to her, and said with a smile, "Today is just a gathering of sisters, there is no need for such formalities."

The eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's mansion straightened up and said with a light smile, "Rules cannot be disregarded. However, it has been a long time since I've seen Sister Mengyao, and you have become even more radiant."

The eldest daughter of the Minister of Revenue also stepped forward, took Chen Mengyao's hand, and said, "I heard that your department store is about to open. This is a great joy."

The other young ladies echoed her sentiments, and the hall was filled with congratulations. Then, introductions began. The daughter of the Minister of Works pointed to the eldest daughter of the Imperial Censor and said, "This is Sister Yunwan from the Imperial Censor's family. She is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting." Yunwan gave a slight bow and smiled gently. Yunwan, from the Imperial Censor's family, said, "Thank you for your praise, sister. My meager skills are nowhere near as skillful as Sister Mengyao's, who has come up with such a novel idea as a department store." Everyone agreed.

Then, the daughter of the Imperial Censor pulled over the eldest daughter of the Minister of Works, smiling broadly, and said, "This is Sister Liyue from the Minister of Works' family. She has unique insights into architectural layout. I've heard that many high-ranking officials consult Sister Liyue when building their gardens." Liyue gracefully bowed and said, "Sister Yunwan, you flatter me. I was just idly pondering things." Everyone gasped in amazement upon hearing this.

Then the eldest daughter of the Minister of Revenue pulled over a pretty girl beside her, "This is Ling'er from General Lin's family. Don't underestimate her because of her young age. She's just as good as any boy when it comes to riding horses and shooting arrows." Ling'er playfully stuck out her tongue.

The Minister of Revenue's daughter then pointed to another elegant woman and said with a smile, "This is Sister Shiya from General Tang's family. Her swordsmanship is superb." Shiya nodded slightly, her eyes revealing a heroic spirit.

Miss Shiya from General Tang's family stepped forward, gracefully took the hand of the Minister of Revenue's daughter, and addressed the crowd, saying, "This is Xiaoxuan from the Minister of Revenue's family. She is most skilled at managing accounts, and all matters, big and small, in the household are handled with perfect order." Upon hearing this, Xiaoxuan blushed and humbly replied, "Sister Shiya, you flatter me."

Just then, the elegant and graceful young lady from the Ministry of Revenue's family, her eyes darting around, parted her lips slightly, and with a smile, suggested, "It's not easy for us sisters to gather together today, and such a beautiful day shouldn't be wasted. Why don't we play some fun games? I think guessing riddles would be a great choice! What do you all think? If anyone guesses a riddle wrong, they'll have to accept a small punishment—either show off their unique talent or tell everyone an interesting story." As soon as she finished speaking, the many women present showed delight, clapped their hands excitedly, and cheered in unison, indicating their agreement with the suggestion.

In no time, the nimble maids presented a stack of beautifully written slips of paper covered with various riddles. Thus, a joyful and surprising riddle-guessing activity unfolded in this warm and lively atmosphere! Laughter and cheerful voices filled the hall, punctuated by occasional bursts of silvery giggles and sighs of frustration from those who answered incorrectly. Those who answered incorrectly showcased their talents.

Chen Mengyao sat quietly to the side, a smile on her face as she watched the lively scene unfold before her. Seeing that each of these women possessed unique skills and extraordinary talents, a surge of joy welled up within her, along with deep gratitude for the invitation from her two older sisters. If it weren't for them, how could she have had the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful and interesting gathering, and to meet so many outstanding women? Thinking of this, Chen Mengyao secretly resolved to find an opportunity to repay the great kindness of her two sisters in the future.

The guessing game had just ended when Chen Mengyao clapped her hands excitedly and said with a beaming smile, "Oh my! What a wonderful day! It's truly rare for so many of us sisters to gather together! In that case, how about we go to the garden to admire the flowers and have some fun?" As soon as she finished speaking, the sisters around her showed their delight and responded in unison, "Great idea!"

And so, a group of graceful women walked slowly toward the garden, companions to each other. Along the way, they chatted and laughed, their clear, melodious laughter echoing like strings of silver bells ringing in the air. A gentle breeze stirred, causing their skirts and sleeves to flutter, creating a scene reminiscent of a beautiful painting slowly unfolding. The deep affection between them, like the vibrant flowers blooming in the garden, radiated its most dazzling brilliance.

After touring the picturesque and fragrant garden, Chen Mengyao's friendship with her friends deepened. Through this shared stroll along the flower-lined paths, Chen Mengyao gained a more profound and comprehensive understanding of each of their character. She had to admit, these girls were indeed kind-hearted and genuinely good people!

Afterwards, the group returned to the spacious and bright hall in high spirits. Chen Mengyao happily brought up an important topic—she hoped to invite them to be her bridesmaids on her wedding day. Before she finished speaking, everyone expressed great enthusiasm and willingness, agreeing without hesitation and promising to do their best to help Chen Mengyao complete this important ceremony in her life.

Then, Chen Mengyao smiled and invited everyone to come to her courtyard later. Besides the request she had just made, she had some other specific and special requests that she needed to explain in detail to them in person. Furthermore, Chen Mengyao revealed that she would be preparing a special and sumptuous lunch to treat her friends.

Finally, Chen Mengyao sincerely invited her two sisters and their husbands to join her at her residence for lunch. After all, without their enthusiastic help in connecting them, how could Chen Mengyao have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful friends? Therefore, this meal was not only an expression of gratitude but also a wonderful opportunity to enhance their emotional exchange.