Chapter 470: Hundred-day Banquet (2)
Editor: Atlas Studios
Li Jinghua looked at the beautiful Mu Yangling, who was gradually developing into a gorgeous woman, in disbelief.
Mu Yangling lowered her voice and said with a smile, “My grandfather looks like my great-grandmother. Unfortunately, my father has never seen my great-grandmother either. However, my grandfather told him that my great-grandmother was a stunning beauty.”
Only then did Li Jinghua believe her.
What Mu Yangling didn’t say was that her great-grandmother was once from the art workshop, and her great-grandfather was a true grassland warrior.
However, none of that mattered anymore.
After changing Little Treasure’s diaper, the nanny carried him over. Mu Yangling took the baby and carried him in her arms before following Li Jinghua out.
This time, she inevitably walked to the Zhang family’s seat. Senior Madam Zhang looked at the child with a smile and placed a white jade ring that emitted an ancient halo into the child’s swaddling clothes. She smiled and said, “This child’s eyes are darting around. One look and you can tell that he’s smart. Madam Qi, you’re in luck.”
In daily life, everyone called Madam Li ‘Eldest Mrs. Qi’. But because she was of high status, at such a formal banquet, people who didn’t know her that well would address her as Madam in order to show respect.
“You’re praising him too much. He’s still young now. How can you tell he’s smart? He’s much more mischievous than other children,” Li Jinghua said humbly with a faint smile.
“Mischievous children are smart.” Senior Madam Zhang took the opportunity to call Third Madam Zhang and Zhang Zisu over and asked them to apologize to Madam Li and the child. Senior Madam Zhang said apologetically, “These kids are too naughty. The girls were just messing around, and unexpectedly implicated you and the child to suffer so much. It took so long to find a chance to apologize to you. I hope you don’t mind.”
Ever since Li Jinghua walked to the Zhang family’s table, everyone had been looking over. Naturally, Li Jinghua would not embarrass them. She even stopped Mu Yangling, who was about to retort. With a smile, she nodded. “This matter has already passed. Madam, don’t be too harsh on them.”
This matter was considered over.
Third Madam Zhang and Zhang Zisu heaved a sigh of relief.
Zhang Zisu looked up at Mu Yangling, who was holding the child, and her eyes darkened. She knew Mu Yangling. Her mother had told her that this was her cousin.
At the thought that the marriage that was about to be agreed upon had been blown up because of this matter, Zhang Zisu looked at her with tears in her eyes and resentment. If she had been willing to speak up for the Shu family back then, this matter would not have blown up so much.
Mu Yangling didn’t notice Zhang Zisu at all because she was snatching the jade ring from Little Treasure’s hand and handing it to the wet nurse beside her to keep. Considering this thing was precious and ancient, who knew what bacteria were on it?
It was better to wait until he was a little older before letting him wear it.
The next table was actually the Shu family’s. One had to wonder how Madam Wu arranged the seats. Although there were many people from the Shu family who became officials, they weren’t qualified to be seated there.
Li Jinghua toasted them with tea instead of wine with a smile. The second and third branches of the Shu family glanced at the fourth branch and congratulated Madam Li with a smile. Then, they praised the child.
For the Shu family, only the second, third and fourth branches came. The first branch sent a gift on behalf of the entire clan and did not personally appear. In the eyes of the first branch, the previous incident was a conflict between the second and fourth Shu branches and the Qi family. It was naturally better for them to avoid such matters since it concerned one’s child.
Fourth Madam Shu from the second branch was the first to apologize obediently. She had long felt that there was something wrong with the fourth branch’s attitude, but she could not find anything. This time, she had been implicated by the fourth branch. Seeing that the old madam of the fourth branch was calm, she apologized before sitting at the side. She and her mother-in-law pretended not to see their strange behavior. No matter what, she would stay as far away from the fourth branch as possible in the future.
It was all that fourth branch’s cousin’s fault. If not for her, how could this disaster have happened?
Li Jinghua was originally waiting for the reaction of the fourth branch of the Shu family. Seeing that Old Madam Shu only lowered her head and drank tea, she smiled and turned around to bring Mu Yangling to the next table. She had already given them the opportunity. If they didn’t seize it, they couldn’t blame her.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she turned around, Old Madam Shu spoke. “Madam Qi, is this Fourth Madam Qi behind you?”
Li Jinghua stopped in her tracks. Although she was puzzled, she still turned around with a smile and said, “That’s right. This is my fourth sister-in-law. Come, greet Old Madam Shu.”
The nanny wanted to go forward and carry the baby, but Mu Yangling had already carried the baby in her arms and greeted her with a smile, “Hello, Old Madam Shu.”
Old Madam Shu nodded slightly and said, “Fourth Madam Qi, it’s been a year since you married into the Qi family, right? It’s time to have a child. You won’t be lonely with a child by your side. After all, your maiden family is very far away from here…”
Everyone was stunned. What was wrong with Old Madam Shu? Why was she taking advantage of her seniority? This was something only an elder would say, right? How could an unrelated old lady like her interfere in the Qi family’s affairs?
Mu Yangling smiled calmly and said, “Old Madam Shu is right. My maiden family is a little far away. Speaking of my maiden family, I suddenly thought of something. My mother’s surname is also Shu. She has the same surname as Lord Shu and the others. Perhaps we…”
“Maybe we were a family 500 years ago.” Shu Shuniang rushed over to interrupt her and turned to ask her mother, “Mother, don’t you think so?”
Old Madam Shu did not expect Mu Yangling to be so fearless and unyielding, to dare to threaten her in front of so many people. However, looking at her daughter-in-law and granddaughter sitting beside her and then at her daughter who was looking at her pleadingly, she could only suppress the anger in her heart and smile. “Yes, Shuniang is right. Perhaps we were family 500 years ago.”
The smile on Mu Yangling’s face deepened. She nodded and said, “I didn’t expect our families to be so fated.”
Seeing that her mother-in-law had also been subdued by Mu Yangling, Madam Shu-Fang quickly pulled her daughter up and asked her to apologize to Madam Li and the child. At this point, all the women involved had already apologized to Madam Li in person.
With a slightly gloomy expression, Old Madam Shu watched Mu Yangling and Li Jinghua leave. After they left the banquet, when Shu Mingxiang came over to pick them up, he asked with a smile, “Mother, have you seen that child?”
Seeing his mother’s expression instantly darken, he knew that things had not gone well. He hurriedly smiled and helped her out. A proper smile appeared on Old Madam Shu’s face again. Fortunately, they didn’t embarrass themselves in front of outsiders.
Ignoring her sister-in-law’s expressions, Third Madam Zhang climbed into the Shu family’s carriage and said to Old Madam Shu, “Mother, this was originally Madam Mu’s weakness, but now it has become ours. I think she doesn’t have any intention of acknowledging us. Moreover, it won’t be good for her to let this be known. Let’s pretend not to know each other in the future and live our own lives.”
Old Madam Shu clenched her fists and said, “I shouldn’t have been so soft-hearted back then and given birth to such an unfilial thing.”
With reddened eyes, Shu Shuniang wiped her tears and finally spoke up. “Mother, I think this might not be Sister’s intention. It’s not like you don’t know her personality since she was young. With her soft and gentle nature, she’s the sort who will deflate before someone even pokes her. I’m afraid it’s that Assistant Commander Mu. He saved Wanniang back then and saw all of this. He’s stubborn and Madam Mu might be like her father.”
“You’re saying that Mu fellow told Madam Mu about this?”
Shu Shuniang nodded slightly. Old Madam Shu’s expression improved slightly, but she still snorted coldly. “He’s indeed uneducated. What sort of a daughter can a country bumpkin raise? I’m her maternal grandmother after all, but she actually dares to speak to me like that in public.”
Shu Shuniang also felt that Mu Yangling was ill-mannered, but the key now was that even if Mu Yangling dared to acknowledge the Shu family as her family, would the Shu family dare to?
Wanniang had died on the way to the south 16 years ago. If they acknowledged her, the reputation of the Shu family’s fourth branch would be ruined. For the sake of the entire clan’s reputation, the Shu clan would probably remove the fourth branch from their clan.