Chapter 131: The Makeup Gift
All the students of Sheng's academy passed the imperial examination.

Happiness is the same.

But the behavior displayed is different.

The Yang family is small, so they only invited close relatives and set up two tables.

The Sheng family only set up three or four tables for celebration at noon and in the evening.

But the Qi family is not like that.

When they learned that Qi Heng had passed the exam, although he was ranked outside the top 100, this did not diminish their joy in the slightest.

What happened to the more than one hundred candidates?
Ranking high won’t give you any extra points, as long as you can pass the examination!
Seeing that Qi Heng was moving rapidly towards his desired goal, Princess Pingning felt that her family had hope for revival and that there would be successors.

In his joy, he set up a buffet that stretched for several streets in front of his house that day. The firecrackers he set off at the door cost several hundred strings of cash. He even placed a basket full of steamed buns in front of all his shops. As long as one said a few auspicious words, one could take them for free.

A grand display of wealth can be said to be a waste of money.

However, for the Qi family, this money is nothing compared to having a successful heir to the family.

Since we all passed the imperial examination, we naturally have to thank our mentor Mr. Zhuang.

Princess Pingning is here too.

He presented many valuable gifts, which Zhuang Xueji could not refuse, and he also said many flattering words.

If other people saw this scene, they would probably be shocked.

Princess Pingning was strict with Qi Heng, but she loved him more than anyone else. She was so afraid that he would melt in her hands that she was willing to lose face even when he said a few words of flattery to her.

A group of people reunited at the school.

Everyone was immersed in the joy of passing the imperial examination, except Gu Tingye, who was unhappy.

He was not unhappy because he failed the exam, because he didn't even know his results!

Gu Tingye was taking part in the provincial examination at Bailu Academy. In order to attend Yang Wenyuan's wedding, he returned to Bian Jing early and left his personal attendant Shi Tou to watch over him.

Now that the results of the provincial examination have been announced, everyone's results are clear, except for his "freshly released" results which are still on the way. I'm afraid they won't arrive before Yang Wenyuan gets married.

How could Gu Tingye be happy when he had been feeling anxious and worried for such a long time?

Yang Wenyuan saw at a glance what Gu Tingye was worried about, and was moved, and immediately said:
"Don't worry, Zhonghuai. Your literary talent is only slightly inferior to mine. It shouldn't be difficult for you to pass the provincial examination."

"Get lost!" Gu Tingye said unhappily.

"How about this!"

Yang Wenyuan patted his chest and said:
"In order to prevent you from having wild thoughts, you and Yuan Ruo will send the wedding gifts three days before the wedding."

"That's a good deal for you. I wanted to let Yuan Ru go alone."

Gu Tingye was speechless about Yang Wenyuan's servile look of taking advantage of others.

……

On September 15th, the wedding ceremony is given.

Gu Tingye and Qi Heng, dressed in brocade clothes and riding tall horses, had already arrived at the gate of Pingyang Marquis' Mansion.

Behind the two of them followed a convoy that had already been lined up, containing the prepared make-up gifts, including flower buns, gold-plated veils, flower fans for five men and two women, pollen, neck washes, painted money fruits and other items.

After making sure that everything was ready, the two immediately set off for the Sheng family.

Jiying Lane.

In front of Sheng’s house.

Knowing that today was the day when the Yang family would give the makeup gift, Changbai and Changfeng stood at the door in new clothes as agreed in advance.

After a while, Gu Tingye and Qi Heng arrived.

The four of them all studied in the same school, so they were all familiar with each other. Now that they met in this situation, they couldn't help laughing. Laughing aside, the necessary procedures still had to be followed.

The four of them suppressed their laughter, bowed to each other in a standard manner, and then walked towards the mansion together.

Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu were already waiting in the room.

The two had been looking forward to the wedding for a long time and finally it happened. They couldn't be happier. When they saw Gu Tingye and Qi Heng coming in, they were all beaming with joy.

Gu Tingye was older and, in terms of seniority, he was Qi Heng's distant uncle, so he took the lead in sending the wedding gift and accompanied Sheng Hong in exchanging pleasantries and courtesies.

At the same time, the accompanying maids and servants also brought the make-up gifts one by one into the courtyard.

Looking at the gifts piled up in the yard, Wang Ruofu was beaming with joy.

After visiting the girl's parents, he had to greet the elders in her family. So, Gu Tingye proposed to visit Old Mrs. Sheng.

Sheng Hong readily agreed.

Let Changbai take the two of them to Shou'an Hall.

Inside Shou'an Hall.

Old Mrs. Sheng also had a very happy look on her face.

She was talking to Hualan.

Next to Old Lady Sheng, Hua Lan sat sideways on the stool.

Her long, black, satin-like hair was combed into a bun, with two strands of hair flowing softly on both sides of her snow-white cheeks, making her look dignified and beautiful.

Old Mrs. Sheng loved this adorable granddaughter whom she had raised for several years.

If we talk about the person in the Sheng family who is most happy about Hualan marrying into a wealthy family, besides Wang Ruofu, it would be her.

When Mrs. Fang heard that Gu Tingye and Qi Heng had arrived to bring the wedding gift, in order to avoid suspicion, Mrs. Sheng immediately asked Hua Lan to go back to the house first.

inside the house.

Old Madam Sheng looked at Gu Tingye and Qi Heng coming in. Thinking of their current identities, she loved Gu Tingye and also felt more favorable towards him.

In addition, these few days, she heard Sheng Hong say that Gu Tingye's behavior was indeed different from what the outside world said. Old Lady Sheng had been in the back house for so many years, and after a little thought, she naturally understood that Xiao Qinshi was not a good person.

So Old Lady Sheng thought to herself that she could talk to Hualan about it later, and if that little Qin was really not a good person, then she could also give him some advice.

However, Old Lady Sheng did not know that under Yang Wenyuan's plan, Gu Tingye had already seen through Xiao Qin's false face, so he went straight to Bailu Academy and rarely returned to Bian Jing.

Although they were very curious about Old Lady Sheng, the extraordinary woman whose name was known throughout Bian Jing, the age and seniority difference between them was too big, so Gu Tingye and Qi Heng remained reserved.

Old Madam Sheng saw through it, so after talking for a while, she waved her hand and said:
"According to the time, the lady has almost prepared the feast. My old body does not like meat, so you can go by yourselves."

Gu Tingye and Qi Heng's expressions relaxed.

He quickly responded and retreated.

When I came to the front yard again, I saw that Wang Ruofu had already prepared the banquet.

Sheng Hong was the one in charge, but due to his seniority, he still let Changbai and Changfeng accompany him.

Everyone present knew that there was something important going on today, so they didn't drink much. They just clinked glasses a few times and then focused on filling their stomachs.

After working all morning, everyone was already hungry.

During the banquet, Wang Ruofu called Mother Liu and whispered to her to arrange the placement of the return gifts that had been prepared long ago.

The woman's return gift included a gold and silver double-breasted robe, a silk flowered fu hat, a green robe, boots, a sceptre, and other wedding clothes as a reply.

After eating and drinking enough.

At the gate of Sheng Mansion, Gu Tingye, Qi Heng, Chang Bai and Chang Feng saluted each other again, said some words of congratulations, and turned around to get on their horses again.

(End of this chapter)