Farmhouse Green Plum

Chapter 546 Looking for trouble

"It's the middle of the day, the sun is scorching, how can there be a cold breeze?" Aunt Lian said rudely at first, then paused, chuckled softly, and glanced at the Shen family. "Besides, aren't you all hoping for my death? Wouldn't sitting by the door and enjoying the cold wind be exactly what you want?"

"Auntie just loves to joke." Qiuju's face turned pale, thinking that the old lady was wise and did not hold a big birthday banquet. No matter how outrageous Auntie Lian was, only her family would know about it.

While feeling thankful, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the old lady. She was a county lady, and her husband was a second-rank minister, but in the end, she couldn't even host a banquet for guests on her birthday.

Seeing that Aunt Lian had no intention of moving, Qiuju was at a loss and looked towards County Master Shunan.

But Shunan County Lady had no other choice but to obey her. She said with a sullen face, "Switch the men's and women's seats. Let's sit outside today."

The eldest wife agreed, and directed the maids to change things. She smiled and tried to smooth things over, "This location is great. You can see the scenery outside just by looking up. There's an old saying that beauty is a feast for the eyes. Looking at such a beautiful scenery, I can eat two more bowls of rice."

The Third Wife also joined in, "That's right, Mother. Look at those royal yellow robes outside. They were specially brought from the capital as a gift to you by my aunt."

Aunt Shen Miaofu pursed her lips and smiled, "My uncle is busy with official duties and can't come to celebrate my mother's birthday, so please spend more time on the birthday gift."

Shunan County Lady's expression brightened. She took her daughter's hand and patted it gently. "Official business is important. I understand. When you return, don't be petty with your son-in-law."

Although she said so, Song Ying saw a flash of disappointment on her face, and when he thought about what his master said, he understood.

Shen Zhuangyuan wanted to meet with his sons-in-law and grandsons-in-law under the pretext of celebrating his birthday to discuss his reinstatement, but none of them came. They must have guessed his intention and didn't want to contribute, so they simply didn't come.

Son-in-law and grandson-in-law, such close relatives, how could Princess Shunan not be disappointed.

Song Ying looked at the chrysanthemums outside again, and saw that in the midday sun, there were crystal dewdrops on the golden petals. The outermost petals were bent downward like dragon claws, while the inner petals were upright.

Imperial Yellow is a precious variety of chrysanthemum. According to the Lin'an Chrysanthemum Catalogue, its color is like the emperor's daily clothes, and its petals are like tassels and hanging ribbons, so it is named Imperial Yellow.

The Third Wife also joined in, "I had the maids smear the petals with honey early in the morning and watered them from time to time. Look, don't the dewdrops on them look like pearls in the sunlight?"

Shunan County Lady smiled more, "This is the ancient method of using honey dew to increase longevity, it's hard to believe you're so attentive."

The Third Wife then pointed to another field of chrysanthemums, white as fresh snow, with petals resembling crane feathers. "And that jade feather tube over there? With this bamboo curtain blocking the light, the petals look like jade. And that white deer ornament next to it, isn't it a deer holding a herb..."

After a few people talked to each other, they finally made the atmosphere that had been made awkward by Aunt Lian become harmonious again.

Unexpectedly, Aunt Lian seemed determined to make everyone unhappy. After everyone sat down at the table, she said sarcastically, "They say a daughter is a father's warm and cozy little cotton-padded jacket. Sister Fu'er's cotton-padded jacket seems to be leaking. She didn't come back to see her father for his birthday, and we have to eat behind a screen. If she leaves tomorrow, I'm afraid the next time we see each other, it will be through a coffin.

Oh, not necessarily. The capital, Jinchuan, is so far away. By the time you get back, the grass on your grave will have sprouted green."

It was a great birthday, but there were coffins and graves to be done. Even though Princess Shunan was magnanimous and tolerant, her face turned black at this moment.

Song Ying couldn't see Shen Zhuangyuan's expression through the screen, but he thought it wasn't much better.

Shunan County Master was too lazy to argue with her over such a trivial matter and simply said, "Let's go. It's just a family meal. There's no need to be so rigid about these empty formalities."

I followed her wishes, started the meal early, finished eating early and left early, so as to avoid feeling upset watching her.

The servants quickly removed the screen and finally began to serve the dishes. First there were four cold dishes: candied walnut kernels arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper, and amber longevity fruits served on a green jade lotus leaf plate; slices of pickled deer tongue were arranged to form five old men, and there was also a picture of five old men watching the birthday with radish carved into Huashan as the background; a scene of the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Banquet was carved with winter bamboo shoots, and a jade plate of the Yaochi Lake was soaked in "Kunlun Snow Water"; and there was a dish of Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, with eight kinds of seafood including sea bass, shad, mandarin fish, eel, clam, shrimp, crab, and turtle cut into slices and arranged on a plate.

After the cold drinks, at 3:30 pm, the main banquet begins with twelve hot dishes: South Pole Starlight Soup, Peng Zu Millennium Roast, Magu Offering Longevity Elbow, Queen Mother Luan Knife Slices, Laozi Youthful Jerky...

Not only did the names of the dishes symbolize longevity and good fortune, but even the positions in which the dishes were placed coincided with the Five Elements and Eight Diagrams. This opened Song Ying's eyes and allowed him to experience the etiquette and refinement of the noble families.

As the auspicious dishes were served one after another, everyone said some auspicious words to the birthday boy and were about to start eating when Aunt Lian started to act up again.

"A family? Aren't there two outsiders here?" She glanced at Song Ying and Doctor Lin, a hint of sarcasm on her lips.

"My daughter and granddaughter are very particular. Even in-laws have to meet behind a curtain. Girls from other families are like weeds. They don't care about their reputation at all. If they stay in the same room with a bunch of men from your family, drinking and chatting, if this gets out, getting rejected is a small matter. Well, according to village tradition, I'm afraid they will be thrown into the pig cage."

Everyone: "..."

She doesn't like putting up the screen, and she doesn't like taking it away. She insists on making trouble, and whatever she does is wrong.

Song Ying held the chopsticks, feeling helpless. If he was going to attack, why didn't he do it earlier?

She could leave happily before the meal started. She had just taken a few bites of rice and the main course hadn't started yet, but she was asked to leave the table. No matter how much she understood, she would still look embarrassed.

No matter how embarrassing it was, Song Ying had to bite the bullet and speak up at this time to avoid embarrassing the host.

"Thank you for reminding me, Auntie. I only see patients in the clinic every day, not men or women. I'm used to it and didn't think about these rules for a moment.

The old lady probably also remembered that Master and I were doctors, so she didn't deliberately ask us to avoid suspicion."

The Shunan County Lady's expression softened slightly, and she forced a smile, saying, "That's exactly the point. Lu Xi and Song Ying are doctors, and outsiders wouldn't think too much of it if they knew about it."

"Seeing a doctor is seeing a doctor, and attending a banquet is attending a banquet." Aunt Lian refused to give up easily. "If Sister Ting and the others went to someone else's house for a banquet and were arranged to share a room with the male guests, would you be happy with that, old lady?"

Shunan County Master pressed her brows together, suppressing her anger, "Sister Ting and the others are not doctors."

Aunt Lian sneered, "When they're sick, don't they also seek treatment from male doctors? If you say that they can see a male doctor, then there's nothing wrong with going to someone else's house for a banquet and sharing a room with male guests."

The Shunan County Lady was so angry that she almost fainted. The eldest lady and her daughter Shen Miaofu, who were sitting on either side of her, hurried to calm her down and kept saying, "Mother, calm down and don't get angry with her."