Chapter 478 - Marriage of the Dead, a Woman Who Remained Unmarried After the Death of Her Betrothed (I)
In the blink of an eye, two days had passed. The people in Xiangyang District had returned home and reunited with their families.
The recruits of the new barracks still had their morning training as usual. They were dismissed after noon and they could have half a day off to celebrate the festive season with their families.
Luo Yue, Meng Hun, Li Yun and the others gathered in the main hall of the district headquarters, preparing to celebrate the festive season with Jiang Pengji.
“Poo, poo… Waaaa…”
Changsheng who was eight months old had already grown to be quite robust. She would smile at anyone she saw, revealing her bright red gums and a few tiny, white teeth.
Since Feng Jin hid Changsheng in his sleeve and took her with him to the government office for the first time, Changsheng had come back several times after that.
The weather was biting cold. She was wearing two sweaters that Wei Jingxian had woven and another two dresses with down linings. Finally, she put on a thick, hooded cloak. She looked like a chubby ball from a distance.
Changsheng was restless. Whenever she saw someone she was familiar with, she wanted to throw herself into their arms. Had Feng Jin not held her steadily, the little girl would definitely have raised a ruckus.
“Happy New Year.”
Hearing Changsheng’s voice, Jiang Pengji came out to welcome her. Feng Jin could not help but smile bitterly.
As her father, he was less favored than his lord. In her eyes, he was less likeable than his lord.
As a minister, he was less valued by his lord than his daughter. Anyway, he would not be narcissistic to think that Jiang Pengji had come out to greet him.
Jiang Pengji carried Changsheng, who kept moving restlessly and weighed her in her hands. “Changsheng has grown even stronger.”
As soon as Changsheng was in Jiang Pengji’s arms, she became quiet immediately. With an innocent face, she blinked her eyes cutely.
“She’s used to acting as if she’s well-behaved in front of others.” Feng Jin held Wei Jingxian and said, “It’s windy outside. Let’s go in.”
It was freezing cold outside and snowstorms raged. Charcoal braziers were lit in the four corners of the hall. Whiffs of warm air greeted them.
Taking off his cloak that was used to resist the cold outside, Feng Jin found a place to sit down. Wei Jingxian sat beside him.
Not long after, people arrived one after another. Jiang Pengji let Changsheng sit beside her and clapped her hands to signal the servants to serve the food for the banquet.
Ingredients were limited in amount during winter. However, it was her first New Year’s banquet after becoming the district magistrate, after all. Jiang Pengji did not want to make it too embarrassing.
After learning and consulting from the audience in the streaming room seriously, Jiang Pengji sorted out the venison that they had and tried to make the New Year’s banquet sumptuous.
If this was in the past, the meat would be boiled in hot soup to get rid of its stench. After it was cooked, it would then be sliced and served on a plate.
Now… Tsk, tsk. She was sure that everyone would gain two to three pounds after the banquet that night.
Due to the separate eating, the portion of each dish was not much. It was only enough for each person to have four or five mouthfuls.
Zhang Ping came after being deceived by Wei Ci. Seeing that there was no singing or dancing, he was suddenly left cold.
Hearing Jiang Pengji’s order to serve the dishes, images of all kinds of boiled meat appeared in his mind, making him feel sick.
However, when the savory and aromatic dishes which made his mouth water were served, he suddenly grumbled a little… Why were the plates so small? Why was there so little food on the plates?
He squinted and realized that Wei Ci basically did not touch his food. He felt even more upset. He had not eaten enough!
Wei Ci had a lighter palate. Zhang Ping’s was the complete opposite of his.
Sensing the resentful look in his friend’s eyes, Wei Ci pursed his lips and secretly transferred the food which he had not eaten to his table.
“Don’t eat too much. There is more to come,” he muttered with a gentle smile.
Zhang Ping glanced at the young man sitting in the main seat and mumbled, “Is there no singing and dancing to liven things up?”
Wei Ci blinked and asked rhetorically, “Are you going to dance? The district headquarters doesn’t keep singers and dancers. You won’t have the chance to see it.”
Zhang Ping was struck dumb. Why did he feel that Wei Ci was getting more annoying?
“Whatever. It’s not interesting anyway.” He continued, “The lord whom you’ve chosen is a gentle person.”
At that moment, Jiang Pengji looked helpless while blanching a piece of Mapo tofu to dilute its spiciness. Then, she crushed it on a spoon and placed it near the mouth of Changsheng, who was being noisy.
The little girl opened her mouth and sucked it in a perfectly satisfied manner. She smacked her lips while looking at Jiang Pengji with her sparkling eyes… She wanted more.
An eight-month-old child naturally loved to make a fuss. The lord actually treated her patiently and coaxed her carefully.
She was solely taking care of the child and she had yet to start eating.
Startled, Wei Ci lifted his head and looked somewhat absentmindedly at Jiang Pengji who was sitting in front.
“She has always been very patient with children.”
Jiang Pengji only started eating when Changsheng was half full.
On the other side of the table, Wei Jingxian was also amazed.
Her daughter was only willing to eat when she was coaxed in all kinds of ways every day. Feng Jin also felt that this was spoiling his daughter too much, so he tried to use a tough attitude, but it had little effect. It was rare to see Changsheng sitting obediently and waiting to be fed…
He always felt that he had a fake daughter.
Feng Jin knew his own daughter. He said with a smile, “How is she obedient? She’s obviously scared.”
Upon seeing Qiguan Rang and the others, she would act cute. She would be well-behaved when she met Meng Hun and the others.
He did not understand it at first. Later, Jiang Pengji cleared up the matter in a single sentence.
The intuition of children was more acute than that of adults. Luo Yue and the others reeked of blood, so she was too scared to be mischievous.
When Jiang Pengji was 30 percent full, she asked everyone, “Is someone willing to liven things up with their talents and skills?”
There were no singers and dancers, but she could watch her subordinates showcasing their talents and skills.
Everyone stiffened their faces and smiled tightly. She would just wait.
Changsheng giggled, as if she was hooting.
In terms of talents and skills, apart from Changsheng, everyone present was versatile. Even a warrior like Meng Hun could wield his sword and show his strength. It could manage to be considered as a program. Feng Jin and the others were proficient in lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy and painting. They never had stage fright.
Joy was overflowing in Xiangyang District. The people seemed to have already come out from the dark clouds of the earthquake to celebrate the New Year and look forward to the future.
…
Far away in Hejian County, the troops were celebrating the New Year too.
This was the tradition. However, the atmosphere that year was a little tense, all because of the distinguished family in Hejian, the Zhang family.
Jiang Nongqin was arranging various matters for the New Year’s banquet. She heard the retainer of the Liu residence calling for her.
She raised her eyebrows and was secretly irked.
Sitting in the front seat, the Second lady ridiculed, “Instead of looking for your Young Lady who’s missing in your own residence, why are you making a scene here at the Liu residence? Do you think that a bunch of women can be easily bullied when my husband isn’t home? It’s the New Year’s banquet today. Don’t put anyone on the spot!”
Madam Hu also came out to be an onlooker. She glanced coldly at Zhang Zhaoshi opposite her.
Zhang Zhaoshi was the legal wife of the direct line of descent of the Zhang family.
She was dressed luxuriously. Her makeup was striking, yet graceful and poised. She did not care about what the Second lady said at all. There was a look of meanness in the corners of her eyes.
She had obviously come over to ask for help, but she acted like she was the main character. “I’ve already looked for her over and over again. That brat must be hiding in your residence. I’m not leaving if you don’t hand her over today.”
“Tsk. Don’t leave then. But our house is small. I’m afraid that there’s no place for you to stay.”
The Second lady leaned against a pillar and did not mind Zhang Zhaoshi at all.
Madam Hu covered her lips with her sleeve, hiding the gloating smile on her face.
At that moment, Jiang Nongqin came over and greeted the Second lady with a bow respectfully.
The Second lady asked, “Madam Zhang said that we’re hiding their Young Lady in our residence. Is there such a thing?”
Jiang Nongqin replied with a poker face, “No, there isn’t.”
The Zhang family was a notable and distinguished family in Hejian. The daughter born of the legal wife of the Shangguan family, Shangguan Wan, was married into their family at the beginning of the year.