Chapter 514

Chapter 520: Entering the Door (Part 2)

Third Lady's face brightened as she began running calculations in her head.

Since it had already been presented, how could it be taken back on such an occasion?

If she could just find a way to delay, these items would surely become hers.

With this thought, her eyes flickered, and she smiled, saying, “Fifth Aunt, why must you still act so childishly? Aren’t you making things awkward for all our relatives?” As she spoke, she cast a bright-eyed look over the ladies in the room.

Lady Gan sat to the side, sipping tea.

Her gift had been a tourmaline bracelet. Though the stones had slight impurities, they were carved into lotus shapes, making the flaws less noticeable. Moreover, the beads were large, so it wasn’t considered discourteous.

Third Lady's elder sister-in-law, however, frowned inwardly.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t produce something of value, but when her own son had married, Third Lady had only gifted a silver hair ornament set weighing a little over twenty taels. Gifts should be reciprocated in kind—she couldn’t possibly return double the amount. Even if she did, gifts exchanged in private weren’t recorded on formal lists. If she ever had a celebratory occasion, whether Third Lady would return the favor was uncertain!

As this thought crossed her mind, she stepped forward, intending to speak up for Third Lady, but someone else beat her to it—

“A wedding feast is all about joy and celebration. Since our Fifth Aunt is in such high spirits, I’d like to join in the fun too!”

All eyes in the room turned to the speaker.

Third Lady's elder sister-in-law looked over and saw that it was none other than Madam Hong from Nanjing.

Madam Hong took out a red silk pouch embroidered with double happiness symbols and poured out a pair of pearl-embedded hair ornaments. Then, she removed a jade bangle from her wrist, its rich emerald-green hue, and added it to the pile. “This is my contribution,” she said, handing it to Fang Shi.

Fang Shi had already noticed Third Lady’s discomfort. Accepting the gifts might make her mother-in-law think her undutiful, but refusing would seem dismissive of the goodwill from both Fifth Lady and Madam Hong. She was truly caught in a dilemma and couldn’t help but glance at Xu Siqin for guidance.

Xu Siqin was equally unsure.

If he sided with his mother, he’d spoil the festive mood; if he didn’t, he feared displeasing her.

Lady Eleven, observing their predicament, stepped in with a smile to mediate. Addressing Madam Hong, she said, “Sister-in-law, hold on a moment. Let our Lady Dan of Danyang County have her moment to shine first. She’s been waiting for just such an opportunity. You wouldn’t want to upstage her and earn her resentment, would you…?”

Madam Hong burst into laughter. “Ah, my mistake, entirely my mistake!” With that, she withdrew her gifts. “Then I’ll just wait here.”

Lady Gan, who had been sitting leisurely sipping tea, let out a barely audible “Hah” before straightening her posture, her keen gaze locked intently on Lady Eleven.

She then noticed Lady Eleven and Fifth Lady exchanging a glance.

Everything became clear to her.

No doubt these two sisters-in-law of the Xu family held grievances against Third Lady and were seizing this chance to embarrass her. Recalling how Count Zhongqin had recently grumbled to her, “While we’ve all been focused on Fujian, Lord Xu has quietly been making a fortune raising horses in Baoding. And yet, the Yongping Marquis’s current wife often visits Lady Qiu—why haven’t you tried getting closer to her?” Lady Gan set down her teacup, touched her hairpin, and called out in an affectionate tone, “Danyang.”

Once again, all eyes turned to Lady Gan.

Only then did she speak unhurriedly, “Don’t presume our Zhongqin House is defenseless!” With that, she signaled the maidservants behind her to present her gift. Then, she removed a gold hairpin adorned with a mutton-fat jade peach from her hair and placed it atop the tourmaline bracelet, declaring proudly, “This is for my new daughter-in-law…” She then smiled sweetly at Lady Eleven. “Fourth Lady, what will you add?”

Tension thickened the air in the western hall.

A few relatives from the Gan family edged backward to the flower stands by the wall.

Lady Eleven pondered for a moment before removing a gold hairpin inlaid with kingfisher-blue enamel and a ruby-studded pomegranate flower from her hair. “This will pair perfectly with Fifth Aunt’s hair ornament!”

The kingfisher-blue enamel was an exceedingly rare craft, and the ruby was the size of a thumbnail. Placed beside Fifth Lady’s hair ornament, the two pieces played off each other dazzlingly, brilliantly radiant and breathtakingly lavish.

Someone couldn't help but let out an envious "tsk-tsk."

Fang Shi felt extremely uneasy and hurriedly said, "Auntie Fourth, I truly don’t deserve this..."

But her voice was too soft, drowned out by Auntie Gan's louder remark: "Auntie, why not add a few more pieces? After all, these things aren’t going to outsiders!" As she spoke, her gaze swept over the three Xu sisters-in-law who had come from Nanjing, adding, "Besides, there are others waiting in line!" Then she calmly picked up her teacup and took a sip, clearly ready to take on the Xu sisters-in-law.

Third Wife watched with a slight curl of her lips.

Though her family was a side branch, they owned six pawnshops, fourteen rice shops, and three herbal medicine stores in Nanjing. While not as wealthy as the main branch, they were still a respectable family in the city. Having traveled all this way, they could certainly afford these gold and silver trinkets—and even if they couldn’t, they’d still hold their heads high as the eldest line. Would they really let themselves be humiliated in the capital?

With that thought, she immediately laughed and said, "Rest assured, Aunt Gan. None of us aunts or sisters-in-law will hold back." Then, with a glance, she tugged at the sleeve of Auntie Gan’s sister-in-law, who stood at the edge, and called out to the Gan family relatives by the flower stand, "Gan family aunts and cousins, don’t stand so far away! Come, once the gifts are given, the bride still has to pay respects to the family matriarch, and we can all head to the dining hall for the feast!" Some acted deaf, while others tittered silently. One even loudly replied, "Aren’t we already waiting here?"

Third Wife chuckled and urged Third Sister-in-law, "Third Sister-in-law, we’re all waiting on you!"

Third Wife glanced at the boxes from Eleven Miss and Fifth Wife, then at Auntie Gan’s and others’, before looking back at her own. The lonely "Lotus Pond Splendor" hairpin, weighing just over eight taels, lay there—looking old, shabby, and insignificant. Even she found it hard to bear. But she hadn’t prepared anything extra to add. Yet if she didn’t... She stared at Eleven Miss’s hairpin, adorned with kingfisher feathers—something Eleven Miss had never worn before, clearly brought out to show off at Qin Ge’s wedding. If she missed this chance, there might not be another.

After much hesitation, she reluctantly pulled out her gold gourd hairpin and placed it beside the "Lotus Pond Splendor," said with a strained laugh. "You aunts and sisters-in-law are all so generous. As the mother-in-law, how could I hold back?"

The two gold ornaments, barely ten taels’ worth combined, looked painfully cheap-looking next to the dazzling jewels from Fifth Wife and Eleven Miss.

Some kept their mouths shut, afraid of being dragged into the fray and wasting their silver. Others thought Third Wife was being too stingy but didn’t know what to say.

The room suddenly fell quiet.

Some male guests from the east hall, noticing the unusual tension, peered over curiously.

Fifth Wife smiled and said, "I only wanted to give our niece-in-law a grand celebration. But since Third Sister-in-law thinks we’re meddling, I won’t impose." Then, sighing at Eleven Miss, she added, "Fourth Sister-in-law, you might as well take back that hairpin too. You hardly ever wear it, and yet someone still finds it unimpressive!" Her tone was full of feigned disappointment.

Auntie Gan frowned at Third Wife. "Really, Auntie. It’s your own daughter-in-law—why be so calculating? We’re all trying to honor her, and you’re the one sabotaging it." Her displeasure was evident.

The atmosphere grew tense.

Fang Shi shifted uncomfortably.

Eleven Miss quickly interjected with a smile, "We’ve waited so long for Qin Ge to marry. Since I’ve already given it, I won’t take it back. Third Sister-in-law," she said earnestly to Third Wife, "just add one more thing! It’s all for good luck!"

Third Wife didn’t want her son’s wedding to end in discord, nor did she want to lose face in front of her daughter-in-law. Reluctantly, she slipped off a gold ring and placed it in the box.

Fifth Wife let out a derisive chuckle.

The mockery was unmistakable.

Third Wife’s face flushed red, then purple.

Second Mrs. Fu, who had always been on good terms with Third Wife, couldn’t stand it any longer and stepped in to mediate. "Double the luck! Third Sister-in-law, why not give your phoenix hairpin to your niece-in-law? And Fifth Wife, add another gold piece for good measure. What do you all think?"

Fifth Wife had been waiting for someone to speak up. She immediately took off her gold camellia bracelet and placed it beside the gem-studded hairpin. "Second Cousin-in-law, do you think this is good enough?"

The bracelet looked to weigh three or four taels.

Someone laughed, "The bride’s in for a windfall!"

Third Wife gave Second Mrs. Fu a complicated look.

Second Mrs. Fu nodded at her urgently, silently urging her not to hesitate.

Third Wife glanced around at the women watching her, then at Fang Shi, who stood with her head bowed, cheeks flushed. Clenching her jaw, she placed her gold phoenix hairpin—inlaid with emeralds, rubies, cat’s eyes, and pearls the size of lotus seeds—into the box.

Second Mrs. Fu quickly said, "There now, there now, the mother-in-law's greeting gift has been given. Now it's your turn, all you aunts!"

Eleven Miss smiled and handed the box to Fang Shi, saying warmly, "Wishing you a happy marriage and many children soon."

Fang Shi accepted it with shyness.

Fifth Mrs. Fu also cheerfully presented her gift: "Now hurry up and pour me some tea! I've been shouting for you all this time—not only did I get your Fourth Aunt's best gifts out, but I also contributed my own, and even managed to get gifts from your aunts and maternal aunts who came from Nanjing!" She laughed heartily, filling the room with joy.

Hearing this, Fang Shi promptly knelt and offered Fifth Mrs. Fu a cup of tea.

Fifth Mrs. Fu accepted it graciously and then led Fang Shi to Madam Fu, saying, "This is the eldest madam from Nanjing!"

Fang Shi hurriedly served her tea as well.

Fifth Mrs. Fu took on the role of introducer, going from one to another like a game of tag, leaving no one untouched. Some dodged, others pleaded for mercy, and the whole scene was filled with laughter and liveliness.

Seizing the moment, Second Mrs. Fu advised Third Madam, "How could you be so confused at a time like this? Don’t forget, your daughter-in-law brought a dowry of twenty thousand taels of silver. She doesn't cost you a thing. If you belittle her now, how will you command respect as a mother-in-law later? And remember, your Jian Ge'er hasn’t even married yet! If his future wife follows this example, what kind of life will you have then?"