I dress up as a poor noblewoman, and I bring my whole family home with my literary talent.

Chapter 111 Engagement Banquet

Time passed quickly, and on the second day of February

Most of the dignitaries in Chang'an came to Xiangyuan.

The banquet had not yet begun, and the maids and servants were busy setting the table. The brocade on the golden nanmu table was covered with dragon and phoenix patterns, and each table was placed with a jade plate filled with berries.

When welcoming the guests, Ye Xu'an actually came in an ox cart, along with thirty jars of aged peach wine he made himself, which shocked everyone. It is said that Master Ye loves his apprentice very much, and it is true.

Wu'an Marquis Mansion remained neutral in the court, and was the object of Yu Youzhi and Shen Liuyun's scramble to win over. Today was the day of the engagement, so naturally, the two of them came as well. Yu Youzhi was friendly on the surface, good at dancing with long sleeves, and had a great time chatting with a group of dignitaries.

When Shen Liuyun saw Song Lingyi, she had just finished listening to Li's noblewoman tutorial. Her face was not very good. She turned her head and met the eyes of His Royal Highness. Her heart tightened and she saluted and said, "Greetings, His Royal Highness."

Shen Liuyun looked her over expressionlessly and said, "Miss Song, there's no need to be so polite. I haven't even congratulated you on your engagement yet." During the autumn hunt, he had seen that Lu Jing was interested in this girl. He just didn't expect that before Lu Jing made a move, this girl got engaged to the Marquis of Wu'an without saying a word.

Before Song Lingyi could reply, Xie Yanshu came up to her, put his arm around her shoulders, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, you came early today. You must drink a few pots of wine with me later!"

Shen Liuyun's eyes fell on Xie Yanshu's hand on Song Lingyi's shoulder, and he shook his head secretly. Seeing the boy and girl whispering in front of him, he felt his teeth itching.

Li stood on the stone steps, staring at them solemnly, and then stepped forward to greet Shen Liuyun, "Your Highness, don't listen to Yanshu. You are busy with military affairs, and drinking will delay your work. You should do what you can."

"It's okay. Today is Yanshu's engagement party. I have known him for many years. Considering our friendship, I have to drink a few more glasses." Shen Liuyun said.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Shen Liuyun, Li took her new bride to the hall to meet the relatives. When the relatives heard that Song Lingyi was a seventh-rank female official, they first praised her for her intelligence and cleverness, and then taught her to focus on her husband after marriage and try not to show up in public...

Song Lingyi was upset and found an excuse to go out and look for Xie Yanshu.
Xie Yanshu was playing tossing pots with a group of young masters from aristocratic families. Even Zhao Yinxian was there. This time he had no worries to distract his attention. He tossed the pot extremely accurately, hitting the target with both ears several times in a row. He looked like a handsome young man with a clear mind and a handsome appearance.

In sharp contrast to him was Song Lingyi, who was exhausted both physically and mentally after listening to so much sermons.

Xie Yanshu was so engrossed in the game that he only noticed Song Lingyi coming to look for him when someone around him reminded him.

Xie Yanshu walked towards Song Lingyi amid the sighs of his friends, his eyes bright and clear, "What's wrong with you?"

Due to the large number of people around, Song Lingyi was not in a position to directly ask him about the situation after discussing with the Marquise. She smiled faintly and shook her head, "It's too stuffy inside, let's go out for a walk."

Xie Yanshu felt that something was wrong with her mood, "Did those relatives give you a hard time?"

"No"

"They just told me... to quit my job and take care of my family after I get married..." Song Lingyi said.

Some things have to be asked eventually.

Xie Yanshu was silent for a moment, "Sorry, I forgot what you told me last time because I have been busy lately."

Song Lingyi looked up in astonishment. Xie Yanshu was a modest gentleman and not good at lying, so she saw through his lies at a glance. "…It's not that you forgot, it's that your uncle and aunt don't agree, right?"…

The two looked at each other in silence
Yoshihisa
"What about you? What do you think?"

Xie Yanshu's face froze, but he immediately returned to his usual elegant demeanor: "Lingyi, my mother said that the intrigues in the officialdom are not something a woman can adapt to. Besides, we have been so busy since the Lantern Festival that we haven't seen each other for half a month. If it is still like this after marriage, we will inevitably be laughed at."

So you don't have to tell her.
You can sacrifice her by default.
The disappointment in Song Lingyi's eyes hurt Xie Yanshu's heart. He was at a loss. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would regret it and be disappointed. I... I finally got engaged to you, and I don't want these little things to become an obstacle between us."

"After we get married, I will work hard to make you a royal lady. You only need to focus on managing the inner house without having to work as hard as before."

Song Lingyi remained silent. She felt like she was on a small boat sailing through a storm. She was tossed so hard that she couldn't think or breathe. Her rationality was blown over and suppressed again and again by the waves of the storm.

She closed her eyes and calmed down, thinking that it was an engagement banquet and she should avoid any arguments. Just then, the group of guys playing the toss-pot game called Xie Yanshu, so Song Lingyi let him go to greet the guests first.

She strolled onto the corridor. The sun was shining brightly today, and the pavilions and towers with carved beams and painted rafters seemed to sparkle in the sunlight.

The elegant rocks and flowing water complement each other, and the carefully carved ancient pines at the bottom of the stream are quiet and secluded.

The spring water brought in from the mountains gurgles along the stone pool, and you can hear the gurgling sound of the water.

The maid next to Li came over and said in an unpredictable tone: "Miss Song, why are you still here? You should go back to the hall! Today is the day for you to meet the relatives of the Xie and Li families. How can you be so rude!"

Song Lingyi, who had just escaped for a moment, lowered her eyes to hide her surging emotions. She originally thought that as long as two people were in love, all difficulties and dangers could be resolved. It was not that she was unwilling to work hard for Xie Yanshu, but she would rather work harder after marriage than resign from her official position.

When she returned to the hall, Li, who had been sitting in the first seat, had changed her seat and looked at her with a smile, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "Why did you come back just now? Your cousin asked about you just now. Go and greet her."

The cousin that Li mentioned was sitting in Li's original position. She was a relative of the old marquis. Xie Yanshu called her aunt. She was an old lady over seventy years old, with white hair and a graceful and elegant appearance.

Song Lingyi walked up to the old lady and greeted her. The old lady smiled so hard that her eyes narrowed into slits. "Your name is Lingyi, right? You are so pretty, and you are a perfect match for Yanshu!"

Then he took Song Lingyi's hand again and said, "I heard that you are working in the Taishi Bureau now?"

Whenever Song Lingyi heard someone ask about her official position, she would reject it as if it were a stress reaction. She would smile slightly, nod, and say "yes".

The old lady's cloudy eyes seemed to be looking through her and seeing another person. "It's good to be a female official. Your Majesty also went to war with the army at your age. He suffered a lot and encountered many obstacles. He was tempered by steel and finally got to where he is today."

Song Lingyi's eyes lit up. It was rare for her to meet an old lady who hadn't taught her to "take her husband as the leader." "Grandma, do you know the story of your majesty?"

Before the old lady could say anything, the nanny beside Li said in a condescending tone: "When the old lady was young, she was a palace lady and taught His Majesty. But you can't talk about the emperor in public. Miss Song must remember the rules."

The Wu'an Marquis's Mansion and its relatives were all very respectful to this "cousin". The old lady had taught the empress when she was young and was considered her teacher. Later, when the empress went on a southern expedition, it was the old lady who acted as a bridge for the old marquis and gave him the opportunity to serve the emperor.