Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 693 - 691

Chapter 693: Chapter 691

In March, when the peach blossoms are red, pear blossoms are white, and cherry blossoms are in full bloom, it is the most beautiful time of spring, overshadowing the beauty of the smoky willows that fill the imperial capital.

On the nineteenth of March, it was the day of Xiao’er and Yun’er’s hair-pinning ceremony.

The mansion of Marquis Shengping was filled with guests, buzzing with excitement.

All the noble families from the Imperial City sent representatives to attend, including some well-known households, who were also present for Xiao’er’s hair-pinning ceremony.

The mansion of Marquis Shengping had never been so lively before.

Mrs. Liu Jingshu, Madam Lai, Mrs. Lai, and the senior Madam Lai arrived early in the morning with generous gifts for the Marquis Shengping household.

Old lady Di, general’s wife Mrs. Lu, Di Junya, Ming Jingya, followed them not long after, with all the women from Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion bringing extravagant gifts, granting much prestige to Marquis Shengping’s mansion.

Many other people came intermittently, each bearing gifts.

Xiao’er and Yun’er were dressed in identical dresses today, both wearing peach-colored silk skirts and white silk ribbons tied around their waists, instantly emphasizing their graceful figures.

Both of them hadn’t applied makeup, yet their faces were extraordinarily beautiful, pure and refined, as if fairy maidens had descended to earth.

A glance at the young ladies and women who had come to observe the ceremony and they were taken aback, unable to resist taking a few more looks. Not to mention what the reactions would be if men saw them.

Mrs. Liu was well-preserved, standing next to her two daughters, she looked more like a sister than a mother.

Whose mother would still look like a young bride in her early twenties when her daughter is about to get married?

The women in this family were simply enchanting. Many wives and young ladies envied them to death.

Those who saw Mrs. Liu for the first time couldn’t help but ask how she maintained her appearance. Mrs. Liu said with a smile that she had a top-notch beauty care treatment from the beauty salon done every night by her maids.

Influenced by Xiao’er, Mrs. Liu was also subtly promoting her family’s business.

My heavens! Having a beauty salon at home is different. A typical visit to a beauty salon would cost them at least ten taels, if not dozens, which was already quite painful for them! However, a complete top-grade beauty treatment from head to toe reportedly costs over a hundred taels!

Mrs. Liu apparently had one done every night! And she didn’t even need to leave the house to do it! No wonder she doesn’t age! Oh heavens, why don’t they own a beauty salon? If they did, they definitely would have a top-notch beauty treatment done every morning and evening!

However, with Mrs. Liu as a living example, many people decided to visit the beauty salon several times more per month.

This led to Xiao’er’s beauty salon being so busy that if someone wanted to have a full set of top-grade beauty treatments, they had to make an appointment a month in advance!

Of course, you could also have a beautician come to your home to perform the top-grade beauty treatments, but it would be more expensive.

In addition to Xiao’er and her daughters’ impressive beauty, which was the subject of the guests’ endless discussion, there was also Liu Jingshu who attracted much attention from the ladies present.

Mrs. Lu looked at Liu Jingshu, whose belly was already noticeably round, and exclaimed in surprise, "Jingshu, your belly is already so big? Isn’t it just over four months?"

This was Liu Jingshu’s second pregnancy, and her first birth had resulted in two sons and a daughter. This time, she was expecting twins or triplets again, which simply captivated the whole town.

Talking about her pregnant daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lai’s eyes would squint with joy. Her face was filled with pride as she announced, "The imperial doctor said that Jingshu might be carrying twins or triplets again this time, and her prenatal signs are excellent!"

In a few months, she would have another brood of grandchildren. How could she not be pleased?

Everyone should congratulate me! Are you jealous? Mrs. Lai thought gleefully.

Sure enough, envious eyes turned in her direction as everyone began to shower her with praises for her fortune.

The mother of Di Shaowei, Mrs. Lu, was also filled with envy upon hearing this. She only had one son, Shaowei, and naturally hoped that Ming Jingya could have more children.

If Jingya could also give birth to multiple offspring in one pregnancy, even if they were girls, she would be delighted. It seems she needs to learn from Jingshu when she has the time.

But for now, there was no rush, as Jingshu had not yet fully recovered from childbirth.

It was, after all, the coming of age ceremony for Xiao’er and Yun’er. The ladies briefly noted Jingshu’s abdomen and promptly returned to the main topic at hand.

"Who have we invited as the principal guest and celebrator? Are only one principal guest and one celebrator invited for the two of them, or are two invited for each?" Mrs. Lu asked Mrs. Liu.

In a girl’s coming of age ceremony, the principal guest is typically a female elder respected for her virtue and talent. The celebrator is usually a friend or sibling.

"The Sixth Prince said he would arrange the principal guest and celebrator for Xiao’er. As for Yun’er, the eldest princess will be the principal guest and Princess Ranhui the celebrator."

Since there were two coming-of-age ceremonies happening simultaneously, two people were invited for each role.

The Eldest Princess and Princess Ranhui?

Hearing this news sparked a wave of envy and admiration among those present.

The Eldest Princess was a paragon of virtue and talent, her abilities lauded by the Imperial Master himself.

The young ladies in the Duke’s Mansion and the Prime Minister’s Mansion had tried inviting the Eldest Princess to be their principal guest, to no avail. Many sought her attendance, but besides the Fifth Princess, none had succeeded.

Today, Marquis Shengping had managed to invite the Eldest Princess and Princess Ranhui as principal guests. How could people not be envious?

Hearing this, Mrs. Lu’s heart stirred. Could it be that the Sixth Prince had invited the Empress?

However, throughout history, no one had ever managed to invite the Empress as the principal guest.

If the Empress were to serve as the principal guest for the Countess of Rui’an, that would surely make headlines!

Their anticipation heightened with time as everyone waited for the esteemed arrival of the Eldest Princess.

The Eldest Princess had yet to arrive, but box after box of gifts had been delivered.

There were all sorts of treasures including gold, silver, jewels, valuable scrolls, jade carvings, and coral ornaments. There were ten boxes in total.

Brother Ri’s servant was led to Mrs. Liu, the Marquis’ wife, by a maid. He respectfully offered a bow and said, "Mrs. Marquis, the Countess of Rui’an, and Miss Yun’er. These are the coming-of-age ceremony t gifts that my lord, the Prince, and the Princess have sent for the future mistress and the Countess of Rui’an. I wish both of you long, blessed lives."

Mrs. Liu thanked him and asked a few questions about Brother Ri’s wellbeing. But as there were many people present, she didn’t inquire much further. She then asked the housekeeper to cater to him. The servant quickly finished his meal and hurried back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty to report.

Mrs. Liu had the gifts moved to the warehouse. Many people watched greedily as the boxes filled with priceless items were carted away.

They all silently admired the twins’ incredible fortune!

At that moment, Yang Mei hurried over to Xiao’er and said, "Xiao Fuzi informed me that the Empress, the Sixth Prince, and the Fifth Princess will be arriving soon."

Upon hearing this, the crowd was almost buzzing with excitement!

The Empress herself was coming? The Empress was actually going to attend the Countess of Rui’an’s coming-of-age ceremony?

Even when Di Junya from Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion had her coming of age ceremony, the Empress had only sent a nanny to attend!

Wait, Mrs. Liu had said earlier that the Sixth Prince was arranging for the principal guest and celebrator at Rui’an’s ceremony!

Was the Sixth Prince inviting the Empress and the Fifth Princess to be the principal guest and celebrator at the Countess of Rui’an’s coming-of-age ceremony?

Once again, the crowd was astounded by the Sixth Prince’s high regard for the Countess of Rui’an!

And they reevaluated the position the Countess of Rui’an held in the hearts of the Emperor and the Empress.

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