bayedsolid The 417th Rongguo Duke's Family Banquet 1
The 417th Rongguo Duke's Family Banquet 1
Even the mane of the stone lion beside the threshold looked majestic and full of life to her.
As the gaze slowly moves upward, the golden plaque above the doorway, bearing the inscription "Rongguo Gong Mansion," still gleams faintly in the setting sun.
The characters on the plaque are written with vigorous strokes, and despite the passage of time, they remain clearly legible.
This golden plaque was personally inscribed by the first emperor of the Eastern Lin Kingdom.
But her face, once as beautiful as spring blossoms, is now etched with fine lines around her eyes, each line telling the story of time's ruthlessness.
The stone drums on both sides of the gate, which have witnessed countless joyful moments, are now covered with a thin layer of dust.
They seem to have been forgotten; they were bestowed upon my maternal grandfather by the retired emperor when he became the Grand Secretary.
A wave of bittersweetness welled up in my heart.
The bustling scenes of the past seem to be right before my eyes.
The Rongguo Duke's mansion was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and guests came and went in an endless stream. Children were playing and laughing in front of the gate, while she moved among them, lively and agile.
A gust of autumn wind swept by, making her shiver.
The Rongguo Mansion before us still stands magnificent, but the vibrant youth of the past is long gone.
In the torrent of time, the mansion stubbornly maintained its original appearance, while she inevitably grew old.
All I can do is cherish those bygone days with a heart full of longing and regret.
The Rongguo Duke's mansion hadn't been this lively for ten years.
Gu Jingye, Gu Caiwei, Yang Wenwen, and Shen Qihui followed closely behind in two carriages.
An Dai walked quickly to the carriage, gently took Gu Caiwei's hand, and asked softly, "You'll see Grandpa soon, are you nervous?"
Gu Caiwei stepped down from the carriage, her gaze fixed on the imposing gate of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion.
Is this Father's real home?
Last night, her brother told her about their father's background.
I never expected that my father would be the young master of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion.
The prince's maternal grandfather said that his paternal grandfather was of the same status as his maternal grandfather, both being very remarkable people.
Thinking of how her father was bullied by those people from Lingwu Village, Gu Caiwei stared at the gate of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion and felt so wronged that she wanted to cry.
Her father had it so tough.
But things are better now. His father not only has a prince as a father-in-law, but also a duke as a father.
Most importantly, it was her mother. Thinking of this, she smiled and said, "I'm not nervous."
Yes, she wasn't nervous at all. Her grandfather, the prince, said they could do whatever they wanted in the capital.
……
"Report——"
The servant boy ran up, his voice still a little out of breath, "Young Duke, Second Master, Prince Dun and his wife have arrived at the gate with several young masters and ladies!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Chenglin hurriedly put down his teacup, swept his sleeve across the table, and strode towards the gate of the mansion.
As soon as I stepped out the door, my father-in-law's tall figure came into view, and in the sunlight, the jade pendant at his waist shone with a warm luster.
"Lin'er, look how anxious you are," Prince Dun said with a smile when he saw Gu Chenglin.
His tone was teasing, "Are you alright? Your cheapskate dad didn't bully you, did he?"
The undercover agent said that the old man had revealed all his family's assets, so it seems he still cares about this son quite a bit.
They still have a conscience.
It seems that from now on, she no longer needs to hide her strength.
However, unlike his daughter, he could not announce his status as a son-in-law to the world.
It's precisely because of their status as a couple that they can become their nephew's Achilles' heel.
If we can delay the exposure by one day, then we should.
Gu Chenglin walked briskly but steadily, quickly stepping in front of his father-in-law. He stood upright and respectfully bowed.
A surge of warmth, like ice melting in spring, quietly welled up from the depths of my heart.
A perfectly timed smile played on his lips, and his voice was gentle yet clear: "Father, you flatter me."
My father was very caring towards me and never criticized me in the slightest.
Sigh, I was so used to calling my father-in-law "father" that even though my thoughts were churning right now, the term still came out of my mouth.
As they were talking, Dongfang Yuanlian moved gracefully and walked in from outside.
She was elegant and graceful, exuding gentleness in every gesture.
Yang Wenwen followed closely behind like a docile little deer.
Although Wenwen is still young, she has already grown into a graceful and elegant young woman with a charming and intelligent air about her.
Upon seeing his mother-in-law appear, Gu Chenglin quickly adjusted his posture, bowed respectfully again, and said in a somewhat affectionate tone, "Mother."
Yang Wenwen also stepped forward with light steps, slightly curtsied, and greeted Gu Chenglin in a clear and melodious voice: "Father."
Gu Xuening, accompanied by her maid, hurried over.
Before she even got close, she lowered her body and respectfully performed a deep bow, her voice clear and melodious: "May Your Highness be well, and may Your Highness be well."
After standing up, she smiled and looked at everyone in turn: "Wenwen, Caiwei, Jingye, and Xiaohui, welcome home."
You must be exhausted from your long journey. Everything is prepared at the manor; please come in with me.
Yang Wenwen smiled shyly and said, "Sister Xue Ning, I'm not tired."
He thought to himself, "It's just one street away from the Prince's Mansion and the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, so why would I have to travel so far?"
My cousin's choice of words is really interesting.
Dongfang Yuan observed the ease and confidence emanating from Gu Chenglin, and noticed the respect he showed to the Duke in his words.
A weight lifted from her shoulders, and a relieved smile unconsciously appeared on her face: "It seems Lin'er is doing well with her cousin, which puts my mind at ease."
"By the way," Dongfang Yuan's gaze shifted, "Where did Xiao Jin'er go? Is that girl lazing in bed?"
This girl is outrageous; she can even sleep in all day.
When they received their cousin's invitation last night, the guards said that the main reason for inviting them to the mansion today was to witness the son-in-law's family being recognized as ancestors and included in the family genealogy.
Gu Chenglin smiled broadly, his eyes showing a hint of doting: "Xiao Jin and my sister-in-law are busy in the kitchen."
My aunt originally suggested hot pot, but Xiao Jin said she wanted to make something new today: a spicy stir-fry.
He had eaten this hot pot in the virtual world before, and it was truly delicious. Xiao Jin said that she would hand over this spicy hot pot to her sister to open a shop in the future.
However, I haven't mentioned it to my sister yet.
Xiao Jin wants to give her older sister a surprise.
"Spicy hot pot?" Dongfang Yuan's eyes lit up, and her smile widened.
"Spicy! That sounds delicious! Looks like I'm in for a treat today!" she asked eagerly.
As they were talking, Gu Yunxiao strode over, cupped his hands in greeting, and said in a loud voice, "Greetings, Your Highness! Greetings, Your Highness! Please come into the mansion."
Prince Dun, with his sharp eyes, sized up Gu Yunxiao and asked, "Where is your father? Why didn't he come out to greet you?"
Gu Yunxiao replied respectfully and methodically, "Father is waiting in the hall. This morning, he specially instructed Steward Ji to bring out his treasured tea that he has kept for many years."
They said they wanted to treat Your Highness well, so please come in.
Upon hearing this, Prince Dun curled his lips and let out a slightly mocking snort: "What good tea could he possibly have?"
Everyone knows that the best tea leaves are all in my precious daughter's hands!
Upon hearing this, Gu Yunxiao was slightly taken aback, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. He then nodded in agreement: "Your Highness is absolutely right. The tea in my sister-in-law's hands is naturally top-notch."
However, the items Father brought out this time were precious treasures from Cangli Kingdom, which had come all the way from afar.
He had treasured it for a long time; his father usually cherished it greatly, so it must have had a special charm.
Upon hearing this, Cang Nanxi thought to himself, "Since this tea is produced in Cangli Kingdom, its quality must be quite good."
In his early years, he was fortunate enough to receive some tea from Cangli Kingdom as a gift, among which the black tea specially supplied to the royal family had a particularly outstanding taste.
The moment the black tea is brewed, its rich, sweet aroma fills the air. Upon tasting, the tea soup flows smoothly and gently on the tongue, leaving a lingering sweet and pleasant aftertaste.
However, this type of black tea is extremely rare, requires specific growing conditions, and has a complex production process.
There are many rules to picking them, and only the royal family of Cangli Kingdom can enjoy them; ordinary people rarely get to see them.
Hearing that Gu Haozhen actually possessed tea from Cangli Kingdom, Cang Nanxi couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation, and his gaze became more inquisitive.