The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 757 - 746: Getting Along Well

Chapter 757: Chapter 746: Getting Along Well

Madam Tang was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at Manbao. She didn’t seem to have any objections, so she just didn’t know whether County Magistrate Tang would agree...

Manbao glanced slightly wide-eyed and shook her head after giving Madam Tang a quick look with her large eyes.

The lady who made the suggestion couldn’t help but ask, "What’s the matter, is Young Lady Zhou unwilling?"

Manbao said, "The age is not suitable, ah, Madam Tang is too young. My eldest sister-in-law is older than you are, and also..."

Madam Tang saw her look of consternation and asked with a smile, "And what else?"

"And besides, if I recognize you as my godmother, wouldn’t County Magistrate Tang become my godfather? What should I call County Magistrate Yang when I return to the county?"

Manbao felt that doing so would make her own generation seem far too low, so she shook her head repeatedly, "Let’s forget about it, Madam Tang. If you like me, just come and see me more often. Having sons and daughters is not something you can count on the excitement to bring about, it’s mostly luck. If it really doesn’t work out, you just have to have more children; if you keep giving birth, you will eventually have a daughter."

Manbao also took her mother as an example, "Look at my mother, she gave birth to eight children, and only me and my eldest sister are girls; the other six are all brothers. So, just having more children, you will eventually have a daughter."

Madam Tang listened, dumbfounded, while the lady burst out laughing and said, "Oh, you child, why are you so amusing? It was just a joke; if Madam Tang wants a daughter, she just has to let County Magistrate Tang bring a few more people into the room and she’ll be able to have one."

Madam Tang’s smile faded slightly.

But Manbao’s mouth dropped open in shock; she was no longer a child. She had secretly flipped through the storybooks that Bai Erlang had sneakily looked at, and Zhou Lijun would always bring back some gossip from outside. It was hard for her not to understand that comment.

It was precisely because she understood that she had a hard time controlling the expression on her face.

Are the ladies outside just as bizarre as the ones in the storybooks?

To raise a girl, they would stuff women into their husband’s room?

But...

Unable to hold back, Manbao looked at Madam Tang and said in a low voice, "Madam Tang, if you really like looking at pretty little girls, it would be better to choose one from among the servants at home to raise. This... to stuff women into County Magistrate Tang’s quarters just for the sake of raising a pretty daughter feels very odd."

Everyone: ...

The lady’s face stiffened slightly.

Yet Madam Tang broke out into a laugh and said cheerfully, "Madam Song was just joking with you. Why did you take it seriously?"

Old Madam Liu pulled Manbao to her side and tapping her forehead, she laughed and said, "How old are you, child? The ladies were just teasing you. Where did you hear all this? Go on, sit at the table and eat."

But Madam Tang said, "Old Madam, let her sit with us, I really like this child."

Old Madam Zuo immediately smiled and said, "That’s lovely, I like this child too. Someone, add another chair next to Madam Tang."

Although County Magistrate Tang was only a sixth-rank official, who present didn’t know he came from a distinguished family, and he was also young and promising himself.

Madam Tang’s own background wasn’t bad either, so Old Madam Zuo was happy to curry favor with her.

Manbao’s chair was placed between Madam Tang and Old Madam Liu; she didn’t get flustered, and after giving her respects, she sat down with ease and grace.

The banquet began, and no matter what everyone was thinking inside, on the surface, they were all very happy together.

The Bai Family organized the housewarming banquet precisely to integrate into Yizhou City. If nothing unexpected happened, Bai Yu would serve in Yizhou City for the next decade, and perhaps even longer.

He wasn’t young anymore, the rank of an ’Exterior Gentleman’ in the Imperial Guard was quite an idle military position, making promotions difficult. He might spend his life in Yizhou City.

Therefore, he had even invited Bai Li, who had already branched out, to come. If he were to live in Yizhou for the long term, naturally, the closer the relationship with the local clansmen, the better.

Thus, they had spent so much time renovating the house and preparing the banquet, just to enter the upper stratum of Yizhou City society as gracefully as possible.

So today, Bai Yu’s family was the least willing for any unpleasantness to occur. Fortunately, the guests were all quite understanding, and even if there were moments of verbal sparring, they all smoothed things over, maintaining an appearance of harmony.

After the banquet ended, Old Madam Zuo led everyone on a tour of the garden, listened to the children reciting their studies, and then everyone dispersed.

Old Madam Zuo, after seeing off the distinguished guests, finally had time to speak with Old Madam Liu, "I was all over the place today, I’m afraid our reception was lacking..."

"No need for formalities, sister-in-law, we’re all family here," Old Madam Liu said with a smile: "Plus, I think your daughter-in-law and the two granddaughters managed quite well, despite today’s crowding and chaotic mix of visitors. Didn’t they carry everything off steadily and smoothly?"

Today’s banquet had ended quite nicely, which added a couple more genuine smiles to Old Madam Zuo’s face.

Bai Yu saw Bai Li and others out, after which they took their leave.

Bai Li helped Old Madam Liu into the carriage himself, then headed back.

Old Madam Zuo and Bai Yu, seeing how warmly the two families interacted, had some thoughts, but before they could speak, the Qiao Family also came out to say their farewells.

The mother and son immediately smiled and saw them out too.

Once everyone had departed, Bai Yu helped Old Madam Zuo back to the legitimate wife’s quarters.

Old Madam Zuo asked, "How did it go in the front courtyard today?"

"Fine, County Magistrate Tang was busy and left after just a cup of tea, but the others all stayed. I saw Bai Li getting along well with several people; it seems he knows quite a few in Yizhou City."

Old Madam Zuo said, "Your aunt from the fourth branch is even more remarkable; she could speak to the Ji Family, and her grandson is not only a student of the top class in the prefectural school now, but he also has a life-saving grace for the Ji Family’s young master."

After a pause, she added, "That young girl who was with her managed to strike up a conversation with Madam Tang too. It seems that our invitations were well directed after all."

Bai Yu chuckled, "It’s all thanks to Mother’s careful consideration."

Old Madam Zuo shook her head with a smile, "If your aunt hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known that the fourth branch of our old house had also moved to Jiannan Road."

She paused again, shook her head, and said, "That aunt of yours... never mind, you should interact more with Bai Li in the future. We are of the same clan, naturally closer than other families. You also saw that their two families are quite close."

Old Madam Zuo said, "Even though the fourth branch and Bai Li’s branch are a bit distant, their exchanges have always been close. Just look at them moving out of Longzhou and settling in Luojiang, close to Bai Li. That branch of the family should not be underestimated either; Bai Shan was only twelve when he was admitted to the prefectural school, already miles ahead of Ling’er and the others."

"But you don’t need to worry about this side, Mother will take care of it for you. Tomorrow, I’ll take your wife and the others to Huanxi Street for a look."

Bai Yu expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Mother."