Everything had finally been arranged properly.
Zhang shi stood up and invited Xie shi, “Dimei, come with me to inspect everything once more. We don’t want the servants making mistakes and becoming a laughingstock.”
Xie shi did not refuse. “Dasao, please.”
Zhang shi smiled and said to the young ladies, “Hurry and eat something now. Once things get busy, you might not even have time for a sip of water.”
“We’ll listen to Aunt.”
With that, Zhang shi and Xie shi left together.
As they walked, Zhang shi asked, “Has everything been arranged properly for Father-in-law?”
Xie shi’s face remained stiff as she responded, “I’ve prepared a separate table of food and wine for him.”
“Just preparing a meal won’t be enough. You should also arrange for some strong young servants to keep an eye on him. I’m sure you wouldn’t want him causing a scene and embarrassing everyone.”
Xie shi shuddered at the memory of Gu laoyezi making a scene on the day they first returned to the capital.
She sincerely thanked her sister-in-law, “Thank you for the reminder, dasao.”
Zhang shi gave her a knowing smile. “At last, I hear a genuine thank-you from dimei.”
Xie shi was visibly embarrassed, her expression caught between a smile and a grimace. “Dasao really knows how to joke.”
Zhang shi chuckled. “You know better than I do whether I’m joking or not.”
The two sisters-in-law continued their inspection, moving from the back courtyard to the front, checking every detail.
As expected, they found many overlooked issues.
Zhang shi gave orders for the servants to make corrections immediately. The guests would be arriving soon, and if anything went wrong, it would be a great humiliation.
Finally, they arrived at the kitchen.
The kitchen was the most important part of the day’s preparations, and nothing could be left to chance.
Zhang shi carefully inspected everything—vegetables, meats, fruits, and the various pastries.
“Are there only sweet pastries, or did you prepare savory ones as well?”
The head servant respectfully replied, “Da taitai, we have prepared both sweet and savoury pastries, in a variety of flavors.”
Zhang shi nodded. “Good. Many people love sweet pastries, but quite a few prefer savoury ones. As hosts, we must be thorough in our preparations.”
Xie shi quietly took note of this.
Back in the northwest, when hosting guests, they never had such particular standards.
People were much more casual there—sincerity was all that mattered.
Xie shi felt both annoyed by Zhang shi and convinced by her words.
She was torn, caught in her conflicting thoughts, when the first guests began to arrive.
Quickly, she refreshed her makeup, straightened her posture, and followed Zhang shi to the second gate to welcome them.
Gu Jiu and her sisters also accompanied the two taitai to greet the guests.
It was their responsibility to entertain the young ladies.
Gu Yue was so nervous that her palms were sweating.
Gu Shan maintained a steady appearance, but the tightly clenched handkerchief in her hands betrayed her unease.
In the past, they had helped Xie shi entertain guests, but those occasions were entirely different from today.
Now, they were in the capital, hosting noble guests from various guogong fu and hou fu. The guests’ high status made them feel overwhelmed.
They wanted to be as casual and natural as before, but feared offending someone. Yet, if they were too reserved, they might be seen as unwelcoming. Some narrow-minded ones might even wonder if the daughters of the Gu family did not welcome them.
It was difficult to strike the right balance.
Even Gu Lin and Gu Jun, the two youngest, were affected by the tense atmosphere, their breathing growing rapid.
Only Gu Jiu stood confidently beside the two madams, smiling gracefully as she watched the guests step out of their carriages.
The first to arrive were Zhang shi’s relatives.
Zhang shi greeted them warmly. “Dasao, ersao, you’ve arrived so early!”
“It has been too long since we last saw gu taitai. We missed you dearly.”
The young ladies of the Zhang family stepped forward to pay their respects to Zhang shi and Xie shi.
The Gu family’s young ladies also stepped forward to greet them.
Thus, the young ladies of both families were introduced to each other.
Zhang shi invited, “Dasao, ersao, please come with me. I’ll take you to a room to rest.”
Three elegant drawing rooms had been prepared for the guests.
The largest one in the centre was reserved for the noble ladies and madams.
A smaller one beside it was designated for the young ladies from various households.
After seating the Zhang family’s elders, Gu Jiu stepped forward.
“Sisters from the Zhang family, would you like to come with me to the other room for some tea and pastries?”
“Of course! Lead the way, Gu er meimei.”
Gu Jiu led the Zhang family’s young ladies to the left drawing room.
Maidservants promptly brought in tea and refreshments.
Gu Jiu and Gu Jun sat with them, making conversation.
Meanwhile, Gu Zhen and Gu Yue found themselves unable to join in.
After all, they were meeting for the first time and were still unfamiliar with each other.
In truth, Gu Yue was usually adept at handling such situations.
However, a sudden timidity had taken hold of her, making her hesitate to speak.
If this were in the northwest, in a familiar environment, Gu Yue would have already taken the initiative and started chatting with the visiting young ladies.
A maid came in to report that the three madams of the hou fu and their daughters had arrived. They had just entered the main gate and would soon reach the second gate.
Gu Jiu smiled and said, “Sisters from the Zhang family, we have guests arriving. I’ll go welcome them first. Please wait here for a moment.”
“No need to worry about us, Gu er meimei. Go ahead.”
Gu Jun stayed behind to keep them company, while Gu Jiu gave a glance to her other four sisters. Led by Gu Zhen, the four sisters quickly followed Gu Jiu out of the Flower Pavillion.
Gu Jiu said to everyone, “Most of the young ladies coming to visit are easygoing. Da jiejie, three meimei, there’s no need to be overly reserved. Just act as you normally would. As long as we do our best, no one will find fault with us.”
Gu Zhen whispered, “I’m nervous. I’m afraid I’ll say something wrong and offend someone.”
Gu Jiu smiled and reassured her, “You won’t. The sisters from the hou fu will be here soon. We’re all relatives and have met before. I’m sure you will handle it with ease.”
Gu Yue nodded firmly, and Gu Shan also perked up.
However, Gu Lin said, “Er jiejie is really impressive. This is your first time welcoming guests, yet you’re doing so well.”
Gu Lin wasn’t wrong. In this lifetime, it was indeed Gu Jiu’s first time handling such social affairs.
Gu Jiu merely smiled without responding.
Gu Yue, however, disagreed. She believed Gu Jiu was merely bolder and more decisive. Once she adjusted, she wouldn’t perform any worse than Gu Jiu.
They arrived at the second gate to welcome the madams and young ladies of the hou fu.
The eldest furen, Wei shi, smiled and said, “You two sisters-in-law have worked hard. We’re here today to enjoy a ready-made meal. I hope you don’t mind.”
Zhang shi, the eldest lady, laughed heartily. “Tang sao, you’re making me blush.” She and Xie shi welcomed the guests into the Flower Pavillion.
Gu Jiu, meanwhile, accompanied the young ladies from the hou fu.
“Mei jiejie, you look beautiful today.”
Gu Mei smiled softly. “Not as much as you, Xiao Jiu. You’ve worked so hard. Is your health holding up?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Mei jiejie. I’ve recovered well. This little bit of work isn’t tiring for me.”
Gu Mei secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. On the way here, I was worried about your health. Now that I see you looking so energetic, I can rest assured.”
Gu Jiu smiled knowingly. “I’ve made Mei jiejie worry.”
She understood that her reputation as a sickly girl must have caused Gu Mei concern.
Now, as she had said, her health had greatly improved. Though still somewhat weak and in need of continued medicinal care, she was far better than when she was in the northwest.
Back in the northwest, she had always been frail, likely due to the climate and diet.
The capital’s air was more humid than the northwest’s, making it a better place for her to recuperate.
After leading the guests to the Flower Pavillion, the Zhang family’s young ladies and those from the hou fu quickly began chatting, needing no further attention from Gu Jiu and her sisters.
More guests continued to arrive.
Gu Jiu and her sisters were running around tirelessly, making countless trips back and forth.
When a maid reported that Haixi bo furen was arriving with her daughters and was near the second gate, Gu Zhen immediately stood up.
Noticing everyone looking at her, Gu Zhen blushed in embarrassment and quickly said, “Er meimei, let’s go welcome them.”
Gu Yue raised an eyebrow with a smile and pulled Gu Shan along. “Si meimei, let’s go too.”
Seeing this, Gu Mei laughed. “I know Zhao family’s meimei. Xiao Jiu, I’ll go with you.”
Gu Jiu nodded repeatedly and took Gu Mei’s arm. “With Mei jiejie here, I feel at ease.”
“I think you’re already doing an excellent job, Xiao Jiu.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “That’s because Mei jiejie is cheering me on.”
Laughing and chatting, they arrived at the second gate to welcome the guests.
The Haixi bo furen, supported by her maid, stepped down from the carriage.
She was fair-skinned, gentle, and appeared to be an amiable person, easy to get along with.
Behind her, the young ladies of the bo fu also descended from the carriage.
Gu Zhen felt a surge of excitement, her face flushing red. Afraid of being noticed, she quickly lowered her head.
She wished for Haixi bo furen to notice her yet feared being the centre of attention, leaving her in an emotional conflict.
Thus, she only dared to sneak glances at Haixi bo furen from the corner of her eye.
Xie shi was also secretly observing Haixi bo furen.
At first glance, Xie shi instinctively frowned.
This Haixi bo furen bore a resemblance to the late Su shi—not in appearance, but in demeanour.
Both shared a similar aura—fair-skinned, beautiful and tall.
Zhang shi stepped forward first. “Furen has finally arrived. We’ve been looking forward to your visit.”
The Haixi bo furen gave a faint smile. “I saw Lu hou furen’s carriage earlier. Has she arrived?”
“Yes, yes. And this must be liu guniang of your house?”
Haixi bo fu’s main family had four daughters. The eldest three were already married, leaving only the youngest, liu guniang, still awaiting marriage.
Zhao liu guniang stepped forward and curtsied. “Greetings, taitai.”
“What a beautiful young lady. Don’t you think so, dimei?”
Zhang shi deliberately invited Xie shi into the conversation.
Xie shi quickly composed herself and put on a bright smile. “Dasao is absolutely right. Furen, these are my daughters. The eldest, Zhen, and the second…”
Gu Zhen stood properly in front of Haixi bo furen and gave a respectful curtsy.
Haixi bo furen discreetly observed Gu Zhen and nodded to herself.
She was indeed well-mannered, striking in appearance, and carried herself with grace—just as the hou fu had described.
Haixi bo furen’s first impression of Gu Zhen was quite good.
Of course, whether a marriage could be arranged could not be decided solely based on first impressions. Further observations were necessary.
Haixi bo furen continued to assess the young ladies of the Gu family.
Gu Yue left a particularly deep impression on her.
Gu Yue was stunningly beautiful, and when she deliberately tried to please someone, her smile was truly disarming, bringing joy to others.
No wonder, despite all the mistakes Gu Yue had made, Xie shi still favored her the most.
Gu Yue indeed had a genuine talent for winning people over. As long as she kept her wits about her, avoided foolish mistakes, and thought before she spoke or acted, she would be the type of girl who was well-liked by everyone.
Her words were as sweet as honey. Even though she had a competitive and ambitious streak, that did not stop elders from doting on her.
Unfortunately, Gu Yue had a tendency to bring trouble upon herself.
No matter how good a situation was, she always managed to ruin it.
Who knew whether today she would repeat her past mistakes?
The guests were led into the Flower Pavillion.
Gu Mei held Zhao Liu’s hand and smiled. “Zhao meimei, it’s been a long time. You’ve grown taller again.”
Zhao liu guniang stretched out her hand to compare their heights. “Mei jiejie, have I really grown taller?”
Gu Mei nodded. “Of course. You’ve already met a few of my sisters at the second gate. Now, let me introduce them to you properly.”
Thus, Gu Jiu and the others formally made Zhao liu guniang’s acquaintance.
Zhao liu guniang likely knew about the possible marriage alliance between the two families, as she gave Gu Zhen an extra glance when the introductions reached her.
With a smile, Zhao liu guniang asked, “Zhen jiejie, what do you usually do? Do you read?”
Gu Zhen immediately perked up and replied, “Yes, I read a few books. Besides reading, I do needlework.”
“Then your needlework must be excellent.”
Gu Zhen blushed and smiled shyly.
Gu Jiu spoke up for her. “Among all our sisters, da jiejie’s embroidery is the best. This handkerchief was personally embroidered by her.”
Gu Jiu lifted Gu Zhen’s hand, revealing a handkerchief embroidered with a cluster of orchids, lifelike and exquisite.
Zhao liu guniang curiously asked, “Zhen jiejie, do you like orchids?”
Gu Zhen stole a glance at Gu Jiu, took a deep breath, and encouraged herself internally.
She nodded at Zhao Liu. “I’ve always liked orchids. I even have a pot of orchids in my courtyard.”
“Really? I wonder if I’ll have the chance to visit your room.”
Gu Zhen smiled and nodded. “It would be an honour.”
“Great! Then it’s settled.”
Zhao liu guniang beamed, her expression appearing innocent and carefree.
Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow and found an opportunity to discreetly ask Gu Mei, “Is Zhao liu guniang from Haixi bo fu truly simple-minded, or…”
Gu Mei chuckled quietly. “Xiao Jiu, in families like ours, there are no truly innocent girls.”
Gu Jiu understood immediately.
Gu Mei continued, “It looks like Zhao liu guniang is here under orders to observe Zhen meimei. You should remind her to stay alert and present herself well. Don’t be fooled by Haixi bo furen’s gentle demeanour—she’s a formidable woman.”
Gu Jiu smiled knowingly. In the capital, among the wives of noble families, there was not a single one who wasn’t sharp and shrewd. Each of them had a mind as intricate as a labyrinth.
Gu Jiu excused herself from Gu Mei and found an opportunity to warn Gu Zhen.
Gu Zhen immediately tensed up and grabbed Gu Jiu’s hand. “Er meimei, did I behave well? Was there anything inappropriate?”
Gu Jiu patted her hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry, da jiejie. You did wonderfully. There shouldn’t be any problems.”
“That’s good to hear. That’s good… Should I continue greeting guests at the second gate?”
“There’s no need. With me, san meimei, and si meimei there, it’s enough.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you, er meimei.”
Just then, Zhu guogong furen arrived.
The hou fu’s eldest furen, Wei shi, accompanied Zhang shi and Xie shi to the second gate to welcome her.
The Zhu guogong’s family was Wei shi’s natal family, so it was only proper for her to greet them personally.
Following Zhu guogong furen were two young ladies.
The moment Xie shi saw them, her eyes widened.
Her gaze lit up as she discreetly observed the two girls from Zhu guogong fu—they were truly beautiful.
How well-matched they would be with Gu Cheng!
Xie shi’s previously extinguished hopes rekindled.
If they couldn’t marry into Zhu guogong fu through Gu Yue, they could still arrange for Gu Cheng to marry one of the Zhu guogong fu’s young ladies.
Excitement bubbled within Xie shi’s heart, but now was not the time to bring up such matters.
Suppressing her enthusiasm, she followed Zhang shi to welcome the guests into the Flower Pavillion.
With about an hour left before noon, all the guests on the list had arrived.
Ma shi, the eldest taitai of the Xie family, looked around. Seeing that Xie shi was occupied, she pulled Gu Shan aside and asked, “Which one is the hou fu’s si guniang?”
Gu Shan had no idea that Ma shi intended to propose a marriage to si guniang Gu Qin.
So she simply pointed her out honestly. “Da jiumu, that is the hou fu’s si jiejie.”
Ma shi craned her neck to take a good look from head to toe.
Hmm, not bad at all. She was a good match for her son.
Gu Shan, curious, asked, “Da jiumu, why are you asking about the hou fu’s si jiejie?”
Ma shi smiled slyly. “Shan’er, be honest with me. What do you think of your biaoge, Xie Shi?”
Hearing this, Gu Shan immediately sensed something was off.
She glanced at Ma shi’s smile and found it somewhat insincere.
A bad premonition arose in her heart.
Without thinking, she hurriedly replied, “Xie Shi biaoge is naturally excellent.”
“Isn’t he? I think so too. Your biaoge Xie Shi is an honest man. Any girl who marries him will be blessed.”
Gu Shan panicked. Could her aunt be considering her as the match?
Without hesitation, she quickly pulled her hand away. “Da jiumu, I still have things to attend to. I’ll take my leave first.”
With that, Gu Shan hastily walked away.
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