"You were supposed to fetch the silver fungus soup, yet here you are slacking off outside!" Cui Qingrou glanced at her personal maid, yet the corners of her eyebrows betrayed a hint of joy.
The maid’s na was Lvzhi, having just reached the age of adulthood, with above average looks, she was one of the big maids beside Cui Qingrou and also one of the four maids to accompany her in the dowry.
She clearly knew her mistress’s thoughts and felt no fear. She placed the tray on the table, and began to feed the silver fungus soup using a silver spoon to the girl who was wearing the Phoenix Crown and could not move freely, "The scholar has good knowledge and looks good, as well. I rely stood there for a while, and saw so many girls hiding in the corner to sneak peeks, unwilling to leave!"
Such words could be considered very courteous and tactful. The words these girls muttered in private were far more unpleasant. The Cui family was a large family with only one main branch, but many side branches, just like the branches of a large tree. Most of these side branch’s young ladies, though younger in age, were actually contemporaries of Cui Qingrou.
Since Cui Qingrou returned to the Cui family, she had not been spared their overt and covert mockery and ridicule. Later, when they heard she had been betrothed to a man of humble origin, who also had three children from a previous marriage, they felt even more that she had sunk into the mud, never again to erge in glory.
In their eyes, what Champion Scholar, what favorite in front of the Crown Prince; all that was nothing, as one’s actual status and family background were of the utmost importance.
But now having personally witnessed Mo Qingze’s grace, these girls felt that Cui Qingrou had stumbled upon great luck. A woman who couldn’t even bear children had so fortuitously found such an outstanding husband, they didn’t know whether to say that God was seeing clearly or not at all.
Cui Qingrou was well aware of the nature of those so-called cousins, and knew their words would not be as courteous as those of Lvzhi. However, she only cared about appearances with those people; no matter how unpleasant their words were, she wouldn’t take it to heart.
She sipped the silver fungus soup and said to Lvzhi and another maid nad Lvi, "Don’t mind what others say, what the Mo Family is like, you will see for yourself once you’re there. As long as you girls remain loyal, you will certainly have a bright future."
This bright future referred to finding them good husbands. Cui Qingrou was a generous woman; before she left ho, she married off the maids who had served her to her satisfaction upon reaching a suitable age, providing them with a generous dowry, on the condition that they served her wholeheartedly.
Lvzhi and Lvi’s cheeks turned pink as they said in unison, "We wish to serve our mistress our entire lives, with undivided loyalty."
Initially, they were overjoyed to serve their lady because they knew of her generosity. They were well aware of where the lady set her boundaries and would not knowingly overstep them.
Cui Qingrou smiled faintly, not taking the maid’s words to heart.
Outside, after a series of literary and martial challenges, and scattering several baskets of Copper Coins, Mo Qingze finally succeeded in passing through all the challenges set by the younger mbers of the Cui family and arrived in front of the bride’s room.
The Cui family youngsters were still not willing to miss this last opportunity to stump Mo Qingze and demanded that he compose a poem using Cui Qingrou’s boudoir na to encourage her to hurry with her makeup.
Although it was challenging, it was not too difficult for Mo Qingze, who had co prepared. After pondering for a mont, he composed a poem that was hailed as a classic ’hurrying makeup’ poem. Later on, this poem, due to the deep affection they shared as a couple, remaining inseparable until their hair turned white, moved the hearts of the won in the world and was immortalized in History.
Mo Qingze entered the room alone, personally helped Cui Qingrou to put on the Red Mandarin Duck Shoes, covered her with a red bridal veil, and then, led by the matchmaker, was surrounded by both families as they made their way to the main hall to say goodbye to Old Lady Cui.
Old Lady Cui looked at the kneeling couple in front of her with a smile, but her wise eyes glistened with a layer of tears. This was the second ti she was seeing her only daughter off in marriage. Unlike the first ti, filled with trepidation and worry about her daughter’s distant marriage, this ti, she felt much more at peace, yet the sense of loss in her heart was even stronger than before.
She took Cui Qingrou’s hand, like all mothers in the world who marry off their daughters, earnestly instructing her to uphold her duties as a wife and a mother, to support her husband and educate her children.
Cui Qingrou, her face covered by the red bridal veil, could not speak at this mont. She nodded from ti to ti, signifying to Old Lady Cui that she heard and rembered her words.
Old Lady Cui prattled on for quite a while before suddenly saying sothing that left all the guests present unable to comprehend, "If possible, I hope you never co back in your lifeti."
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