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: The Way of Favors Chapter 12\n
: The Way of Favors Chapter 14\n
Qiao Shi planned to bring all three of her daughters to Old Madam Qiâs birthday banquet.\n
Fu Wan was fifteen, the age where they could start talking about the next part of her life. Qiao Shi was confident in her eldest daughter, but it was only the second year that their family had lived in Xindu, so they didnât know many, but it wasnât a problem because she was beautiful. (1) She needed to bring her daughter out more often to let the wives and madams see her eldest daughterâs style.\n
Fu Xuan didnât like crowded events and wanted to stay at home to supervise her younger brother, but Qiao Shi didnât allow it. Little Guan had his nanny and his wet nurse to supervise him and didnât need her, a half-child to worry about him. She was afraid that her youngest daughter would stay inside with her head in a book the entire day and ruin her eyesight and health. It would be much better for her to go outside and chat and joke with the little girls her age.\n
As for Fu Rong, Qiao Shi wished for this daughter to be more peaceful, but Fu Rong didnât listen to her and rushed to go whenever there was a banquet.\n
Before they left, the daughters went to the main hall after they had dressed for Qiao Shi to analyze their appearance.\n
Fu Wan wore a beizi (2) embroidered with rose-red flowers. Underneath was a plain white dress. She looked bright, elegant, dignified, and generous.\n
As for Fu Xuan, she was small, so she had two buns, a begonia on each bun, and her face was pretending to be an adult, but it made her more loveable.\n
Qiao Shi was pretty satisfied with these two sisters, but only asked Fu Rong with surprise, âNong Nong, why are you dressed so plainly?â\n
Fu Rong looked at her water green dress, grieving, âI wonât stand out this way. Itâll prevent people from seeing that Iâm wearing a flower ornament and also from them looking at me like Iâm a monster.â\n
These words were of course to comfort people.\n
No matter if it was the previous life or the past life, Fu Rong liked to dress conveniently and plainly, not taking the importance of the thoughts of others. In the previous life, she had worn a bright red dress to the Qi family. The little girls were all whispering to each other, making Fu Rong more proud because she knew that she was dressed very beautifully. As long as she thought that she was pretty, then she wouldnât be afraid of the muttering of others.\n
But after reincarnating, Fu Rong didnât want to be so flaunting. Who did she want to show her flaunting to? Compared with the bustling capital, the ladies and childes of Xindu City werenât worthy of her attention. She was going today to accompany her sister and go see a few of her good friends along the way, so it was natural that she would dress comfortably.\n
Qiao Shi touched her daughterâs head helplessly, thinking that even if she dressed plainly, her daughter would still catch the eyes of others.\n
âOkay, itâs getting late, letâs go.â\n
Here, their family just set off, and there, the Qi family was crowded and bustling.\n
Master Qi was the government of Shaanxi. He was in charge of many soldiers and was an important member of the government. Therefore, the prestige of the Qi family was much higher than the Fu family, and only the prince manor could suppress them. With such an identity, there were naturally officials of all ranks who came to celebrate the birthday, and even the streets in front of the Qi family were crowded.\n
Master Qi was not at home, so Second Master Qi was at the doorway greeting the guests, with cousins Qi Ce and Qi Jian standing at the side.\n
Qi Ce was very talented and was very calm and generous in greeting guests and receiving gifts. Qi Jian was a bit slanderous, and he mostly just stood at the side and smiled.\n
âMaster, Lord Fu is here.â A young man called out.\n
Qi Jian immediately raised his head and looked over to see two carriages close to each other drive up. When they reached the fork of the road, the front carriage in which Fu Chen sat in continued to drive forward, and the carriage behind was turned to the right by a few maids and nannies and arrived in the back courtyard.\n
Qi Jian kept looking at the carriage in which the women of the Fu family were sitting until the carriage disappeared in the corner. He looked back disappointedly, a little tired of these worldly rules. If men and women could go in and out at the same time, he could at least take a glance at the Third Lady when he greeted the guests.\n
Qi Ce saw his expression, and the two ladies of the Fu family somehow appeared in his mind.\n
The Third Lady was the same age as his younger sister. She was still a child, but the Second Lady, Fu Wan, has an appearance that did not lose against her younger sister. There are many winners for the slim figure, but she had the tall height of a northern girl as well as the grace of a southern girl as if she was moistened by the mountains and waters. It is even rarer that her appearance would make her look like a perfect madam of a family.\n
He had been in Xindu City for so many years and had never seen a girl who he liked even more than Fu Wan.\n
âUncle is here.â\n
Thinking of this, he shouted with a smile when Fu Pinyan and his son walked over, and Qi Ce followed Second Master Qi to greet them\n
For the Old Madamâs birthday, Qi Ce wore a silk robe with a sapphire blue pine crane pattern. His hair was put up with a jade band and he wore a white lamb finger jade pendant underneath. The young man had a long stature and looked like he was enjoying himself, his glance looking like a crowd of cranes.\n
Fu Pinyan stroked the short beard underneath his chin and took the excitement in.\n
He naturally has seen Qi Ce. Qi Ce could be said to be Fu Chenâs senior brother, and as one of the most talented childes from a noble family, Fu Pinyan, who was just about planning to choose a son-in-law also faintly regarded Qi Ce as one of the candidates. So the more popular Qi Ce was, the most satisfied he was, but the marriage was always brought up by the family of the male, so no matter how much he admired Qi Ce, he wouldnât take the initiative to test him and have his daughter be beaten by others.\n
His daughter also had no worries about marrying. If the Qi family was uninterested, he would go choose another family. Anyway, there was still a year to choose carefully.\n
After he had chatted a bit with Second Master Qi, Fu Pinyan looked towards Qi Ce and Qi Jian, âI havenât seen you guys in a few days, but you two have seemed to grow taller again.â\n
Qi Ce smiled and said, âItâs hard that uncle can tell. Itâs hot out here, uncle, please, come inside for some tea.â He walked over to Fu Pinyanâs side and with Fu Chen, one on both sides, accompanied him to walk forward. He was still the virtuous and respectful first childe of the Qi family but had an enthusiasm that was different from before and hard for people to detect.\n
Fu Pinyan had spent a long time in the government and had already become an expert at uncovering people. He glanced at Qi Ce with interest, curious at why the young man had changed so drastically.\n
The three talked the entire way, with Qi Jian one step behind them, listening to Fu Pinyan carefully. He would occasionally hear Fu Pinyan turn back and ask him. His palms couldnât help but sweat, and he tried to reply calmly. After Fu Pinyan turned away, he gave a long sigh of relief, feeling even more nervous than when his father checked his homework.\n
~\n
In the back flower garden of the Qi family, the peonies of every color were blooming nicely.\n
Fu Rong originally wanted to stay at her older sisterâs side, but Liang Yingfang was too strong and pulled her to the side, so Fu Rong could only stare at the people around Old Madam Qi as she talked to Liang Yingfang.\n
âIt wasnât any major illness. See, arenât I alright right now?â Fu Rong promised again and again, and afraid that Liang Yingfang would continue to ask, she hurriedly brought up another matter, âDidnât you say that you would take me swimming last time? So, when are you free?â\n
Just as she expected, Liang Yingfang diverted her attention and thought for a moment as she stared at Fu Rong, âThe end of the month then. Weâll celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival when we get back.â\n
Fu Rong immediately agreed, not the least bit worried that her parents wouldnât agree.\n
âWhat are you two whispering about over here?â Qi Zhu, in a pink skirt, jumped out from behind the lush peony plant, smiling, and hugged Fu Rongâs arm, acting like a baby, âI heard everything, hm, soaking in a hot spring, I also want to go.â\n
Liang Yingfang didnât really like Qi Zhu, always thinking that she was all smiley to everyone. It seemed a little fake, so she fake-choked, âYou shouldnât go. Youâre the only girl in your family, and learning swimming isnât just for fun. If something happens to you, I canât afford it.â She wouldnât have come today if she didnât know that Fu Rong was coming.\n
Qi Zhu felt a little awkward, and Fu Rong hurriedly mediated, âYingfang is right. If she teaches me to swim, then she wonât be able to look after you, and it wouldnât be fun to soak in the spring by yourself, right? Iâll invite you over when I know how to swim. Yingfang and I will teach you together.â\n
Her father was promoted many times, and Fu Rong had followed her father all around the Yangtze River. She had seen all kinds of people, and she could get along with the frank and the pleasing, so she didnât think that there was anything wrong with Qi Zhuâs personality. How people treated her was how she treated others, wasnât it just like this?\n
Qi Zhuâs complexion quickly turned back, and she turned around to joke to Fu Rong, âI saw you wear a forehead pendant two days before, and now youâre wearing a flower ornament, why are you dressing so newly? You were originally the most beautiful in the city, if you continue to dress like this, do you want to make us too embarrassed to leave our houses?â\n
Fu Rong laughed at her, âThese words can be said by anyone but you, I think that youâre the most beautiful girl out of us.â\n
She naturally didnât think this, but Qi Zhu was beautiful. If it wasnât for her moving over, the most beautiful person in Jizhou would undoubtedly be Qi Zhu.\n
âAlright, you both are beautiful. I, this ugly person, will go to the side then!â Liang Yingfang didnât like Fu Rong playing with Qi Zhu the most, and she angrily left.\n
Fu Rong was helpless, and she comforted Qi Zhu, âShe has a bad temper, ignore her. Letâs go, itâs your grandmotherâs birthday today, we shouldnât always think about playing.â Her mother had been laughing the entire time, and her sister had replied shyly, so Fu Rong was curious about what Old Madam Qi was saying.\n
The two beautiful girls walked over, shoulder to shoulder. Old Madam Qi, who was wearing a cyan-colored beizi embroidered with a chrysanthemum pattern, looked at them with a smile, complimenting Qiao Shi, âI envy your three girls, theyâre so beautiful. I want to snatch one of these flowers to my side and look at her every day. That will work better than any medication!â\n
Fu Rong stopped walking.\n
Qiao Shi also froze for a moment. She looked at Old Madam Qi, then at Madam Qi, and saw that she was analyzing Fu Wan with a smile on her face.\n
Could it be that the Qi family wanted to arrange a marriage?\n
No matter if they wanted to or not, now wasnât the time to find out. Qiao Shi smiled and replied, âYouâre so good at complimenting people. AâZhu herself can defeat all three sisters. With AâZhu here, thereâs no need for Old Madam Qi to look at anyone else. Now, donât say these words to make us happy, today is your birthday, it should be us making you happy.â \n
âLook at your mouth, no wonder Nong Nongâs mouth is so sweet, it turns out that she learned from you!â Old Madam Qi was smiling brightly.\n
These words seemed like they had passed the obstacle.\n
A smile was on Fu Rongâs face, but she knew inside that things were bad.\n
Halfway through the banquet in the previous life, she had gone to the bathroom, her older sister accompanying her, and they had come back just in time to see Qi Ce pass the birthday greetings and gifts from a few of the childes to Old Madam Qi. Both sides walked to the intersection at the same time, and because her older sister didnât notice, had bumped into him. But before she fell, Qi Ceâs arm had stretched out and she fell into his armsâŠâŠ Not long after, the Qi family had invited them back a few times, and Qi Ce had looked for all kinds of opportunities to meet with her older sister alone. The marriage was proposed very quickly, and both pairs of parents were very satisfied, so the discussion of marriage went very smoothly.\n
This time, Fu Rong made up her mind to not let Qi Ce see her older sister, but the gods were against her will, and the two of them had met at Ruyi House in advance. Seeing the attitudes of Old Madam Qi and Madam Qi, was it that Qi Ce had already talked to his elders, or was it that they had taken a liking to her older sister first?\n
The two families were close in status, and her sister was also talented and beautiful. It would be strange if the Qi family looked down on her.\n
Fu Rong bit her lip lightly.\n
She wasnât afraid of Qi Ce proposing marriage, but afraid that her parents would be deceived by his polite gentlemanly attitude again.\n
This wouldnât do, she had to change her plans.\n
Seeing that Qi Ce would come over soon, Fu Rong leaned over to whisper to Fu Wan.\n
Fu Rong replied immediately, âIâll go with you.â\n
Fu Rong comforted her, âIâm not a little kid who needs her older sister to accompany her everywhere. Lan Xiang can come with me, you just need to tell mother.â\n
Qiao Shi looked at Fu Rong, afraid that Fu Rong was looking for an excuse to go out and play, and ordered her lead maid Qiao Xing to go with them.\n
Fu Rong backed back at her mother bitterly, as if she was hating her for not trusting her, but left obediently.\n
Next, as if the previous life was repeating itself, the three of them, master and servants, followed a maid of the Qi family to the bathroom, and they bumped into Qi Ce âcoincidentallyâ on their way back. \n
Seeing that Fu Rong was about to fall over, a race of hesitation flashed in Qi Ceâs eyes. These three girls, what tricks were they playing?\n
But he still helped in time and dragged her back on her feet.\n
(1) Literal meaning: No reason to be afraid of the deep valley if the wine is good-smelling. Meaning: No reason to be afraid if she is good-looking.\n
(2) Beizi- an item of traditional Chinese attire common to both men and women, a large loose coat.\n