This is Cheng Wanwan's first time in the provincial capital, and also his first time in this circle.
It was also the first time for these ladies in the provincial capital to see the rumored famous Sui Shu.
"It turns out Suishu people are so young." The governor's wife came up with a smile, "Sui Shu people didn't say anything when they came to the provincial capital. If I hadn't heard last night that Sui Shu people accompanied their son to the provincial capital to take the provincial examination, I was afraid that I would have I missed the opportunity to meet Sui Shu."
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said: "I was originally supposed to visit the governor's wife, but I haven't been able to get out. I hope it's not too late."
Her eyes fell on a dozen other ladies, "What do you call them?"
Those ladies are all official relatives of the provincial capital, ranging from the fourth to the seventh and eighth grades. When the governor's wife holds a banquet, they naturally come to support it.
When Cheng Wanwan asked them, they all immediately began to introduce themselves.
There are the wives of Tongzhi, the wives of Tongpan, the wives from the military department, and the wives from the government...
Lu Yingxue's eyes fell on the face of one of the academic ladies, and she said with a smile: "So this is Mrs. Pan."
"This is my sister, her husband's surname is Yu." Cheng Wanwan introduced, "My sister's son is the same age as my son, and they came to Yun Province to take the provincial examination together. I came to the banquet, so I can't leave my sister alone. We stayed at home and came together.”
The governor's wife had a smile on her face: "Since we are girls from Sui Shu, let's sit down and enjoy the flowers together. These chrysanthemums are a new variety sent from the capital last year. They are in very good condition... We women are not interested in reciting poems. By the way, I specially asked people to buy the most delicious crabs from Chenghu, so everyone can eat them while admiring the flowers, so there is no need to be restrained."
Ladies, please find a seat and sit down.
Cheng Wanwan had a relatively high status and sat in the top seat with the governor's wife.
Lu Yingxue, on the other hand, had no rank and was sitting at the bottom, just at the same table as Mrs. Pan.
Mrs. Pan's husband is a ninth-grade official in the Imperial Academy. Whenever she attends a banquet, she is always a companion. This is the first time anyone has laid eyes on her.
She smiled and looked at Lu Yingxue: "Does Mrs. Yu know my husband?"
"It's my first time to come to the provincial capital. How could I meet Mr. Pan?" Lu Yingxue took a bite of crab meat and said, "Yesterday when the provincial examination started, many people fainted and were thrown out of the examination room before entering. One of them happened to be There was a fellow villager who said that Mr. Pan was the prosecutor of this provincial examination, and he was very strict and careful. In this way, cheating was eliminated, and Mr. Pan was really a good official."
Mrs. Pan said to Yourong, "He is indeed a careful person."
"This crab is so delicious. Eat it quickly, Mrs. Pan. It will become fishy when it gets cold." Lu Yingxue brought a glass of wine and clinked it with her. "Mrs. Pan and I are quite destined. When the banquet is over, my sister and I will go to the jewelry store. Let’s go shopping, why don’t we go with Mrs. Pan?”
Mrs. Pan knew that the sister mentioned by Mrs. Yu was from Sui Shu.
Suishu people, so many people want to have a relationship, but there is no way. Unexpectedly, the opportunity is presented to her like this.
She nodded immediately: "I'm from the provincial capital and I know which shop sells good-looking gold jewelry. I'll take Mrs. Yu and Sui Shuren there for a walk later."
Cheng Wanwan sat on top, watching Lu Yingxue and Mrs. Pan talking and laughing, looking like sisters.
She was not idle either, chatting nonchalantly with the governor's wife.
The flower-viewing banquet didn't end until the evening. During these two hours, the relationship between Cheng Wanwan and the governor's wife improved by leaps and bounds. Not only were they as close as sisters, they at least became acquaintances in a general sense.
She exchanged greetings with the governor's wife before saying goodbye and leaving.
Walking to the door of the other courtyard, Lu Yingxue smiled and said: "Sister Wanwan, it's still early, let's go shopping in the jewelry shop. Mrs. Pan said that the shop specially purchases goods from the capital, and there are many rare things."
Cheng Wanwan nodded: "Then I'll ask Mrs. Pan to lead the way."
Mrs. Pan looked panicked: "Don't worry about this, it's just ahead, not far away."
Cheng Wanwan and Lu Yingxue were in a carriage, and Mrs. Pan was in her own carriage, driving towards the bustling street one after the other.
At dusk, the streets of Yuncheng were not depressed. People came out to hang out after a busy day, and the streets were very lively.
Before getting off the carriage, Lu Yingxue gritted her teeth and said, "If you do something later, let me do it, so as not to dirty your hands, Sister Wanwan."
Cheng Wanwan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Why, in your eyes, am I just a rough guy who only knows how to do things?"
Lu Yingxue coughed: "Sidan was tricked by her husband. I think the only way to vent my anger is to slap her first. You don't know how hard it is for me to endure it."
"It seems you have to continue to endure it." Cheng Wanwan laughed, "I plan to make good friends with her instead of falling out."
Seeing Lu Yingxue's puzzled look, she continued, "There are as many as a dozen eighth- or ninth-grade elementary school officials like this from the government. If one Master Pan is eliminated, there will be countless Master Pans. Instead of doing this, it is better to keep What do you think about letting a man named Pan do things for me?"
From yesterday to now, Si Dan has been in the examination room for two days, and I don’t know if anyone continues to do anything.
Therefore, she had to get this done as soon as possible.
Cheng Wanwan opened the curtain and held Mrs. Qi's hand to get out of the carriage.
In front of them was a jewelry shop on the third floor, which was very luxuriously decorated. Mrs. Pan led the way, and a group of three people walked in.
Mrs. Pan probably wasn't a regular visitor here, because the shopkeeper didn't come up to greet her in person. Cheng Wanwan pointed out that she wanted the latest jewelry from the capital, and was taken into the private room for tea by the shopkeeper.
A row of gold ornaments, as well as jade, glass, pearl and other ornaments, were carefully carried by the shopkeeper and placed in front of the three people.
Lu Yingxue's eyes were full of amazement: "It is indeed a product from the capital. It is so beautiful. Sister Wanwan, look at the dragonfly on this golden step rocker, it looks just like the real thing."
"Do you like it? If you like it, I'll give it to you." Cheng Wanwan said very generously, "Mrs. Pan has some jewelry she likes, so pick one too."
Mrs. Pan was shocked. The price of jewelry in this shop was extremely high, and the price of these jewelry shipped from the capital was even higher. They only cost a hundred taels of silver. She did not dare to let people from Sui Shu give such expensive things. He said hurriedly: "No, no, no, I have them at home."
Cheng Wanwan glanced at the hairpin on her head. It was a pearl hairpin, but the pearls were slightly worn. It was obvious that she had worn it for many years.
A banquet like today should be a relatively important occasion for Mrs. Pan. The jewelry she wears should be the most precious in the family. If the most precious thing is just a pearl hairpin of poor quality, it means that Pan My family's financial situation is not very good.
Because the family is too poor, so they can't withstand the temptation of the He family's interests?
If money could buy someone off, it would be too easy.
A smile appeared on Cheng Wanwan's face: "Mrs. Pan and my sister are good friends, and Mrs. Pan and I are also destined to be together. It's nothing to give a gift. If you don't like these things, then Mrs. Pan can accept this bracelet from me." .”
She took off the emerald green jade bracelet from her wrist.
Mrs. Pan was extremely frightened.
Lu Yingxue advised from the side: "My sister Wanwan has money, it's just a bracelet. Just take it for you. It won't be a problem."
