During the banquet, Mo Yan was continuously toasted by others. Although she harbored dissatisfaction towards the Shen family, she wouldn’t act out at this ti, so she sportingly drank the toasts. Later, as the number of people toasting her increased, she began to decline, citing a poor tolerance for alcohol.
In fact, the wine served at the won’s seating was rice wine, which was not easy to get drunk on. Even for those unaccustod to drinking, consuming a catty would unlikely lead to intoxication. Seeing that Mo Yan appeared sober and not at all like soone overwheld by alcohol, the others also pretended not to notice. They had already given the face due to her, and to press further would be unseemly.
As the crowd toasting her gradually dispersed, Mo Yan finally had so peace. Her gaze swept over the banquet and she casually asked Mada Shen at her side, "I’ve heard that Lady has a niece of exceptional character and beauty, may I ask which Miss present she is?"
"The County Lord flatters too much!" Mada Shen, unsuspecting, smiled and explained, "My niece is in mourning and today’s occasion does not permit her to co out to et the County Lord. I hope the County Lord will understand."
Upon hearing this, Mo Yan’s facial expression slightly altered, then she smiled and said, "I see, that’s truly a pity! Lady is kind-hearted, and it’s Sister Lan’s fortune to have such a mother-in-law. However, Sister Lan has just married and is deeply cherished by Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu, so no doubt she feels sowhat adrift. It just so happens that your niece is of a similar age to Sister Lan and now they have beco sisters-in-law. I had intended to ask her to accompany Sister Lan more, to help Sister Lan adapt more quickly."
Noticing the flicker of an unusual expression across Mo Yan’s face, Mada Shen thought it represented a taboo against the niece’s mourning and promptly said, "You need not worry about this, my dear Count Lord. My niece—without boasting too much—is quite well-behaved. Lanlan has an open nature, and the two sisters-in-law will surely get along well. It’s just that during the first three days of the marriage it wouldn’t be proper for them to et."
As soone who had been a new bride herself, Mada Shen understood very well the various discomforts experienced upon first becoming a wife and daughter-in-law. She wasn’t a wicked mother-in-law and had never intended to harry her daughter-in-law, nor to seek out discomforts for the new bride. She had also planned to have the sisters-in-law et after three days, so they could get along well in the future.
Clever? A smile played at the corners of Mo Yan’s mouth, yet a trace of coldness flickered in her eyes. It seed that Lu Zhu was still a "little white flower," at least her ’fox tail’ hadn’t been discovered by Mada Shen. If so, should she ddle in Sister Lan’s relationship with her mother-in-law, the chances of success might be quite high.
Thinking thus, Mo Yan verbally responded, "In that case, I shall be at ease. When I see Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu, I can also offer them so proper consolation."
Mada Shen agreed repeatedly, her heart simultaneously touched by the deep sisterly affection between her daughter-in-law and Princess Hejia, and glad to have made the acquaintance of the future First-Class Lady Marquis. She beca even more cautious in her treatnt toward her daughter-in-law.
The Shen family had shallow roots. In this small county town, they could be considered a wealthy household, but in Jing City, where the powerful were many, they amounted to nothing.
After Shen Ji beca a Scholar, the Shen family leapt to becoming one of the top families in the town. Yet nobody could guarantee he would take a step further and pass the Jin Shi examination. If he did, he would still need connections to pave an easy path in his official career; if not, even as a Scholar, he could beco an official but would likewise need connections.
In marrying Liu Tinglan, the Shen family had not originally thought of leveraging Mo Yan, but if they could, it would be most advantageous.
Exactly this outco was what Mo Yan desired. She repeatedly referred to herself as "this County Lord" and expressed deep sisterly affection for Sister Lan, aiming to support Sister Lan, and to remind the Shen family not to treat her poorly.
The atmosphere at the banquet remained pleasant, and Mo Yan, behaving as the junior in status, took the initiative to toast Mada Shen several tis. On the n’s side, the young mbers of the Liu Family who had accompanied the wedding party had been coaxed into drinking quite a bit and by the ti Shen Ji ca out of the bridal chamber to toast the guests in thanks, they were so inebriated they were staggering, unable to even hold their wine cups steady.
Seeing their drunken state, incapable of walking, let alone riding back to Jing City in the middle of the night, Mada Shen promptly had her servants tidy up the guest rooms, clearly intending to urge them to stay the night.
Mo Yan inwardly sighed at these unreliable people, but their state conveniently spared her the need to fabricate an excuse to stay overnight at the Shen family’s residence, making it the perfect arrangent.
As the wedding feast concluded, the Liu Family group was escorted to the guest rooms by the Shen family’s servants, and Mo Yan was persuaded by Mada Shen to stay, ultimately getting washed and settled into the guest room bed by a maid arranged by the Shen family.
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