Chapter 836: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 836: Private Whispers in the Boudoir (1)
Amid a flurry of congratulations, Mo Yan’s coming-of-age ceremony concluded successfully. The elaborate and solemn ceremony left a profound impression on the villagers present, especially the parents with daughters, who suddenly felt guilty for not giving their own daughters such a grand coming-of-age ceremony.
For farming families, even if they tried their best, their ceremonies were nowhere near as intricate. They often simply dressed their daughters in clean clothes, asked an elder to pin a wooden hairpin in front of guests, and that was the extent of the celebration. Even if they couldn’t afford luxurious clothes or expensive hairpins, they could still follow the basic steps. It was clear that those who rushed through the ceremony without much thought didn’t truly understand its importance.
After witnessing Mo Yan's ceremony in person, everyone realized just how significant it was to hold a formal coming-of-age ceremony for a daughter. From now on, any family with a daughter who truly cares for her would plan early for her coming-of-age ceremony—not to show off or compete, but to express their love and respect for their daughter, hoping that when she is married, her in-laws will also value her, and she will have a happy and prosperous future.
Today was not only Mo Yan’s coming-of-age ceremony but also the engagement ceremony with Xiao Ruiyuan. According to the customs of Great Chu, when two families are engaged, the girl is expected to avoid public appearances. Therefore, after the coming-of-age ceremony, Mo Yan, accompanied by Liu Tinglan, returned to her room.
Although Mo Yan had already suspected the engagement when she saw Xiao Ruiyuan standing behind Mo Qingze to greet the guests, the moment she saw the matchmaker bring out the large red, gold-embossed betrothal certificate, the nine large boxes of betrothal gifts, and a pair of live geese, she was still greatly shocked.
For farming families, engagement ceremonies were usually simple affairs, often sealed with a silver hairpin or a small dowry. In slightly wealthier families, it might include tea, wine, brown sugar, and pastries, which would suffice for a respectable engagement, earning the family a bit of pride to boast about for a long time.
The most lavish engagement in Liu Yang Village in recent years had been Mo Yongxi's, where the gold bracelets were solid gold—enough to buy a brick-and-tile house. Hong Shi had proudly shown them off, drawing many envious looks.
This time, the betrothal gifts from the Xiao family were even more extravagant. The nine large boxes, which bent the wooden beams under their weight, were enough to make people curious about their contents. But it was the pair of live geese that truly caught everyone’s attention. Not everyone could afford such geese, let alone healthy ones like these!
The villagers’ eyes lingered on the geese and the red boxes. Even though they couldn’t see the contents of the boxes, they were sure that whatever was inside was extremely valuable, sparking lively discussions among them.
A middle-aged woman clicked her tongue in admiration, saying, “Master Xiao has everything—status, looks, and prospects. A husband like him is truly rare in this world. Yan girl really is fortunate!”
This was overheard by Aunt Cai, who had just come out of the kitchen. She immediately responded, “Yan girl also has status and beauty! Not only is her family wealthy, but at such a young age, she’s already managing both inside and outside the home. Any family that marries her off will be blessed, and maybe even Lord Xiao will be lucky to marry her!”
Another woman nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, yes, it’s truly a match made in heaven, just like in the operas. Neither of them is climbing higher than the other! They stand together, and they look even better than the gods in the new year’s pictures. Their children, no matter if they’re boys or girls, will probably be more beautiful than the celestial children!”
“Exactly! When they stand together, I can’t even bear to blink!”
(The End of This Chapter)
No comments: