Two Families' Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet, Meeting Again

Time flies, and before we know it, it's Mid-Autumn Festival.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the inner quarters of the house are bustling with activity.

Previously, the Shen and Pei families jointly organized the event; I wonder if it will be the same this year.

Xie Rutang was still quite far along in her pregnancy when her mother-in-law specifically asked her to help her sister-in-law manage household affairs.

Since Master Pei had spoken, Ye Wanyu had no choice but to swallow her anger and speak to her in a gentle tone whenever she saw her.

Now, which servant in the manor doesn't treat her with utmost respect because of Pei Zhiheng?

Now, if Xie Rutang wants any nourishing food, she only needs to send a message to the kitchen, and the cook will prepare it for her immediately; no one would dare to neglect her. Moreover, Xie Rutang might even give birth to a boy in the future.

Xie Rutang entered Shou'an Hall and heard Old Madam Shen speaking at the front.

As expected, the two families are co-organizing the event again this year. A thick list is laid out on the table, which includes the mooncakes and fresh fruits to be purchased, the incense and candles to be used for the sacrifices, and the festival gifts to be distributed to the maids and servants of each household. The women also need to have new autumn clothes made. Arranging manpower for all these tasks is a huge project.

Ye Wanyu sat in the main seat, surrounded by the steward, the head maids of each household, and capable maids. Gu Zhifei from the Pei family also came to join in the fun.

Since they are sisters-in-law, they inevitably end up gossiping about other people's families.

Although Ye Wanyu and Xie Rutang don't get along well, they can still strike up a conversation, but how much of it is genuine is anyone's guess.

Gu Zhifei disliked Gu Zhifei, the daughter-in-law of the Shen family, but she still had to pretend to interact with her, especially since the two of them would run into each other again at the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet.

They talked about the Anping Earl's Mansion, and also about the family affairs of the Zhang and Li families.

They chatted about various family troubles, and gradually the conversation turned to the various autumn banquets that were about to be held in the capital. Xie Rutang remained calm, quietly embroidering a handkerchief, without saying a word.

Gu Zhifei was fiddling with the thread when she suddenly smiled and told a funny story about the Pei family, which was about her own uncle, Second Master Pei.

"After the Second Master returned to the Pei residence, he summoned a group of concubines to Tingmei Residence, but he only chose one plump, older concubine."

This matter spread throughout the Pei residence.

Gu Zhifei couldn't help but tell them about it.

Who is Pei Zhiheng?

He was born into a noble family, abstinent and chaste, and now he's actually willing to take concubines?

Has the sun risen in the west?

Ye Wanyu was also very surprised. She thought that someone like Pei Zhiheng would never be interested in romantic relationships, as he was always preoccupied with important court matters and had no time for anything else.

Xie Rutang paused, her hand holding the embroidery needle, then her expression returned to calm.

Once a man like him becomes addicted to that kind of thing, he can't quit. It's normal for him to seek out other women to satisfy his needs. What man in the world isn't like that? Except for her Yuan Lang, who promised her before marriage that they would be together for life.

Moreover, Pei Zhiheng was also a man of great desires.

Next, Gu Zhifei talked about other things concerning the Second Master, such as his engagement to Miss Su Yao. Xie Rutang didn't listen carefully, focusing on embroidering the daffodil on the silk handkerchief.

After returning to Cuiwu Courtyard and having a child, Xie Rutang finally felt a bit interested in celebrating the festival. She asked Jin Yue and Yu Xin to prepare some festive items, such as lanterns and incense sticks.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner.

……

Several days passed in a row.

When the osmanthus tree in the courtyard was covered with small golden flowers, the Pei residence began to be decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Servants hung red gauze lanterns under the eaves, some carried over tables and placed fresh fruit offerings on them. The fruit platters contained pomegranates, pears, and water chestnuts, while others counted incense and candles and prepared items for the moon worship ceremony.

After the lanterns were hung up, the atmosphere was festive everywhere.

In previous years, the Shen family would go to the Pei residence to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The Pei family mansion was grand, with pavilions and towers everywhere, indicating their substantial wealth.

That day, Xie Rutang got ready early.

Now that she is pregnant and has been widowed for some time, she no longer needs to strictly adhere to the old mourning customs. It is not customary for people to wear plain clothes for months of mourning, and she no longer needs to wear plain white dresses every day.

So Yu Xin took out the new autumn dress that Gong Zhong had recently made for her from the wardrobe, and she and Jin Yue helped her change into a light pink silk dress with embroidered osmanthus branches. Xie Rutang's hair was styled in a cloud-like bun, and she wore pearl jewelry, which was just right, making her face even more beautiful than West Lake.

Jin Yue smoothed out her skirt and said with a smile, "Madam, this brighter color makes you look better. In the past, white dresses always made you look thin and dull. Now that you are pregnant and have been a widow for a long time, you don't need to be so reserved."

After they finished getting ready, Xie Rutang, supported by her maid, slowly walked out of Cuiwu Courtyard and boarded the carriage at the mansion gate.

Upon arriving at the Pei residence, they followed their mothers-in-law and the others to pay their respects to Madam Shen. The women of both families sat together, and tea and pastries had already been prepared in the flower hall, waiting for them to enjoy the moon and pray for blessings that night.

Everyone took their seats according to their social status, and maids served tea to them.

The women sat together chatting about everyday things, talking about the blooming osmanthus flowers, mooncakes, and the Mid-Autumn Festival gifts sent by each family.

Soon after, an announcement was heard from outside.

Then I heard Shen Wen and Pei Xuannan come over together.

Both of them were born with refined and elegant manners, truly outstanding individuals.

Xie Rutang breathed a sigh of relief when Pei Zhiheng did not appear.

Gu Zhifei then took her hand and said, "It's so boring sitting in the flower hall all the time. The mansion has set up a stage for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Let's go and watch the fun later. There are already quite a few servants waiting under the stage."

Xie Rutang lifted her skirt and went to see her together.

As the drums and gongs finished playing the excerpt from the opera, Gu Zhifei's interest remained high. She pulled her through the covered walkway and headed towards the back garden.

The begonias in Pei Garden are in full bloom, and an elm wood swing is set up in the garden.

Xie Rutang felt a little itchy, so she and Gu Zhifei took turns swinging on the swing, since no one would know anyway.

The garden was filled with the crisp sounds of laughter.

When it was Xie Rutang's turn, Gu Zhifei, who had been pushing her from behind, suddenly stopped for some reason.

Xie Rutang felt puzzled. When she turned around, she saw Pei Xuannan, dressed in black robes, talking quietly to someone beside him under a crabapple tree not far away. She stared intently and then recognized the person next to Pei Xuannan.

That was Pei Zhiheng, dressed in a blue robe with cloud patterns. He stood with his hands behind his back, as if the jade of Kunshan had shattered.

Xie Rutang froze instantly.

She and he had not seen each other for ten days.

Pei Zhiheng, hidden in the shadows of the flowers, had already squinted and looked over.

He pursed his lips and remained silent.

When he and Pei Xuannan arrived, they could hear their laughter from afar. Upon closer inspection, they saw Xie Rutang smiling brightly in the garden, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling with pearly light, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue as if painted with rouge. Every glance and smile was captivating, making even the autumn scenery of the garden seem rather dull.

Is she really that happy?

Pei Zhiheng originally thought that after he left the Shen family, the woman would suffer and be in agony, like stagnant well water.

He suddenly narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over her with a cold, sharp intensity, a hint of intimidation in his eyes. How come she looked even more radiant and charming than Guoqing?

Upon seeing her wearing a pink dress, the man's eyes darkened again.

It was as if I could see Xie Rutang before she got married, still looking charming and beautiful.

Moreover, she's pregnant, and instead of taking good care of her pregnancy, she's playing swings with Gu Zhifei?

Pei Zhiheng's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, the space between them resembling the Chinese character "山" (mountain).