After indulging in the gossip, it was time to get down to the business she had planned. She had already assigned the matter of the disturbance at "Welcome Guests Inn" to the Shadow. All she wanted was the result. However, this incident also showed that her foundation in the capital was still far from solid.
The capital was the most prosperous city in the Feng Kingdom. If she wanted to expand her business across the kingdom, she had to establish a firm foothold here. She had overlooked this before, but from now on, she would have to pay close attention.
There was another thing... She had promised her mother to find a man she liked within three years. But a year had passed, and there seemed to be no progress at all. Well, perhaps there was some progress, but she just wasn't sure yet.
Oh well, why think so much? She still had two years left. She should focus on what needed to be done first.
The sky in spring was dyed red by peach blossoms. As time went by, everything awaited the changes of human affairs. In a blink of an eye, two years had passed.
The moist spring breeze gently blew across the land, gradually turning the snow - covered expanse green. The returning birds chirped softly on the budding branches, waking up all the sleeping things in the world, as well as someone who was still in dreamland.
"Chirp, chirp."
The bird calls, seemingly close to the ear yet also far away, broke the morning silence in the room. The first ray of sunlight in the morning squeezed through the gauze paper on the vermilion window and entered the inner chamber.
The furnishings in the room were not elaborate. Not far from the window was a dressing table made of red beech wood with hollow - carved patterns. On the table stood a dressing mirror with a silver - framed diamond - shaped copper surface. To the left opposite the door was a writing desk made of rosewood and large stones. On the desk, there was an inkstone neatly placed, a pen rack with two or three writing brushes of different sizes hanging from it, as well as several poetry collections and general history books.
On the other side, there was a vase as thick as two arms, depicting winter plum blossoms. There were no flowers in it. On the west wall, there was a painting of a spring outing in the drizzle.
Next to the writing desk, there was a four - panel folding screen with a scene of summer willows gently caressing the lake, separating the writing desk from the bed.
The bed curtain fluttered gently with the morning breeze. Inside the bed, the beautiful girl frowned slightly. Her slender and fair arms were unconsciously waving in the air, as if trying to drive away something annoying. But she didn't know that this unconscious action had amused the person standing by the bed.
"Miss, the sun is already high. You'd better get up quickly. Today is an extremely important day for you!" Yue Ru stepped forward with a smile and lifted the gauze curtain. The face that had been a bit chubby two years ago had now become that of a delicate beauty with a pointed chin. Two cute tiger teeth showed when she smiled.
"Don't bother me. Let me sleep a little longer..." Mei Qingxue in the bed ignored Yue Ru's call and simply buried her head under the silk quilt, isolating herself from the outside world.
"Miss, it's okay for you to be sleepy on ordinary days, but not today. Today is your coming - of - age ceremony. If you miss the time, it will be terrible!" The lady had specifically instructed her yesterday to dig the miss out of the quilt before the coming - of - age ceremony no matter what!
"What coming - of - age ceremony? Your miss is still young. When did it become my turn for the coming - of - age ceremony?" She wasn't deliberately trying to avoid admitting that she was slowly turning into an old maid. In ancient times, if a girl was over sixteen and hadn't been betrothed, she would be considered an old maid no one wanted.
Because of this, her mother had nagged her many times. She always just nodded and agreed. She had promised her mother three years to find a man she liked. Now the three - year period had passed, but the man she wanted to marry was nowhere to be seen!
Actually, there was a candidate in her heart, but... sigh...
Fortunately, in this time and space, the age for a girl's coming - of - age ceremony was sixteen. If it were fifteen like in ancient China, she might have had one less year of freedom.
"Okay, okay, I know. I'll get up. Really, Yue Ru, I find you more annoying than those noisy little birds outside." Mei Qingxue, not wanting to think anymore, threw off the quilt and sat up. Her long, black hair was in a mess from sleep. Maybe because she had just woken up, her big, watery eyes looked listless.
Seeing Mei Qingxue sit up, Yue Ru let out a sigh of relief.
"When does this coming - of - age ceremony start?" Mei Qingxue covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. She had a lot of account books to look at later. She didn't have that much time to waste.
"I don't know either, miss. You'd better hurry. Madam and Master should be waiting for you."
Mei Qingxue looked at the table full of things and knew that she couldn't escape easily today. She could only reluctantly put on her shoes and let Yue Ru do her thing.
After half an hour, when Mei Qingxue felt she was about to fall asleep, Yue Ru finally finished. Dragging the floor - length hem of her dress, she felt extremely uncomfortable. Wasn't it just a girl's coming - of - age ceremony? Did it have to be so grand?
She gently moved her head full of various ornaments. She felt that her outfit must weigh at least twenty or thirty jin!
"Okay, Yue Ru, do you want to put all the ornaments in the jewelry box on me?" Mei Qingxue stopped Yue Ru's hand that was reaching for the jewelry box. If this continued, she might not be able to walk!
"Hehe, miss, I just want you to look more beautiful today."
"Okay, let's go. Didn't you say that father and mother have been waiting for a long time?"
With Yue Ru's help, Mei Qingxue dragged her cumbersome outfit and walked step by step to the main hall of the prime minister's mansion. Since a girl's coming - of - age ceremony was a very important ritual, all the important elders in the family would be present. Since Prime Minister Mei didn't have any direct - line brothers, only the four members of their family needed to be present for Mei Qingxue's coming - of - age ceremony.
As soon as Mei Qingxue entered the yard, she saw Master Mei, Madam Mei, and her elder brother sitting upright in the main hall. A girl's coming - of - age ceremony was equivalent to an "adult ceremony".
Yue Ru told Mei Qingxue that the whole "adult ceremony" was divided into three parts, which meant three times of "putting on the hairpin".
The first addition was for the girl to comb her hair and insert a hairpin, that is, the "ji", thus bidding farewell to the childhood of wearing hair in buns.
The second addition was to replace the simple hairpin of the girl with an elegant and solemn hairpin and change the daily plain clothes and short skirts into a gentle and dignified dress.
The third addition was to replace the hairpin on the girl's head with a magnificent hair crown and change the dress into a more solemn and grand long - sleeved and deep - collared dress.
Mei Qingxue followed the steps guided by the old nanny beside her step by step. After each addition of the hairpin, she had to change into a different set of clothes, which made her feel extremely entangled.
It took her almost the whole morning to complete this "adult ceremony". Mei Qingxue, who hadn't had a drop of water all this time, was so tired that her eyes were blank and her body was weak.
Mei Haoxuan stepped forward lovingly to support his grown - up sister. "Xue'er is an adult from now on. Time really flies." He always felt that she was still the little girl who liked to cling to him and act coquettishly. How could she have grown into such a beautiful girl like a lotus just out of the water in a blink of an eye.
"That's right. Isn't elder brother also at the age to marry a sister - in - law for Xue'er?" Mei Qingxue, standing up with Mei Haoxuan's help, joked as she looked at her handsome and elegant elder brother.
"Xue'er, don't talk nonsense."
"Okay, okay, I won't say it anymore." Mei Qingxue burst into laughter. Her elder brother was still so cute. He would still blush when it came to this kind of topic!
"Don't tease your elder brother. You've been tired for a whole morning. Come and eat something." Madam Mei also felt sorry for her precious son being teased by her daughter. Looking at Mei Qingxue, who looked more and more like herself when she was young, Madam Mei couldn't help but sigh that time really passed quickly.
"An imperial edict is coming..." Rarely did Master Mei and Mei Haoxuan stay at home today. The whole family was sitting at the round table, about to have lunch. But a shrill and effeminate voice made those who had already picked up their chopsticks frown slightly. They had no choice but to put down their chopsticks and go to the yard to receive the edict.
Mei Qingxue cursed the emperor in her heart. He really didn't let people have a moment of peace. It was so rare for her father and elder brother to be at home today, but he sent some stupid imperial edict just when they were about to eat, spoiling everyone's appetite.
Mei Qingxue didn't know that when she heard the content of the imperial edict, she would probably lose not only her appetite for food but also her interest in counting money!
"By the mandate of heaven, the emperor decrees that Mei Qingxue, the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Mei, is virtuous, kind - hearted, and quite sensible..." Here omitted N wonderful adjectives.
"Therefore, I hereby betroth the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Mei to the Sixth Prince, Du Gu Qing, as his principal wife. The wedding will be held on the tenth day of next month. So it is ordered." The drawn - out and high - pitched "So it is ordered" marked the end of the reading of the imperial edict.
But the whole family, who were still in shock, just stood there stupidly, forgetting to step forward to receive the imperial edict.
The palace official was a favorite of the emperor, so even when facing Prime Minister Mei, he didn't seem very humble. Seeing that the whole family was standing there stupidly, he coughed lightly and said in a shrill voice, "What? Does Prime Minister Mei intend not to receive the edict?"
Prime Minister Mei suddenly came to his senses and quickly kowtowed. "Your subject thanks the emperor for his great kindness. Take the eunuch into the room and serve him the best oolong tea."
"Prime Minister Mei, you don't need to be polite. I still need to go back and report to the emperor. I won't stay. Farewell."
Mei Qingxue, still kneeling on the ground, watched the eunuch's swaying back. She didn't know how she felt.
"Xue'er, get up quickly. Father has received the imperial edict." Mei Haoxuan helped the somewhat stunned Mei Qingxue up. Looking at his sister's dazed expression, he sighed slightly.
"Xue'er, you don't need to worry. Let's see what your father plans to do." Madam Mei was also stunned by the emperor's sudden decision. She could only wait to see what Master Mei planned.