Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 155

Chapter 155: Distributing Porridge

“Yunyao pays respects to Governor Zhang and the governor’s wife, and to Lord Cao and Madam Jin.” At this moment, naturally, she would only change her form of address after the formal god-kinship ceremony was completed. Thus, Mu Yunyao still addressed them as Lord Cao and Madam Jin.

Cao Yunnian looked her over, approval brightening his eyes. “Yao’er, quickly rise.”

Madam Jin also rose and led Su Qing forward to pay respects to Governor Zhang and the governor’s wife.

The governor’s wife personally helped Su Qing up, her manner exceedingly gentle. “Madam Su, there is no need for such ceremony. Please take your seat. Today, you are the honored ones. We may speak at leisure another day.”

“Yes. Many thanks, Madam.”

The rites for recognizing god-kinship were not actually complicated. Yin Hong set out the kneeling cushion, and Mu Yunyao stepped forward to kowtow and offer tea to Cao Yunnian and Madam Jin.

Both of them gave her ample face. After accepting the tea, each took a large sip. Then Cao Yunnian ordered someone to bring over a tray. When the red cloth covering it was lifted, everyone saw a golden bowl, a pair of golden chopsticks, a golden spoon, and a longevity lock laid upon it.

Cao Yunnian handed the items to Mu Yunyao and said, “From this day forward, you are the Goddaughter of Madam and me. Your Godmother and I hope you will live in peace and safety, and enjoy a long life of a hundred years.”

Looking at the exquisite set of gifts, Mu Yunyao’s eyes filled with genuine warmth. “Yunyao thanks Godfather and Godmother.”

“Good. Quickly rise.”

Mu Yunyao stood. “Godfather, Godmother, your daughter has also prepared a few things. I hope Godfather and Godmother will not disdain them.”

Jin Lan and Jin Qiao each entered carrying a tray.

When Madam Jin saw what lay upon the trays, she paused slightly. A moment later, heat gathered at the rims of her eyes. “You child… Because the New Year is near, the chosen date was set rather close. Altogether, there were only four or five days. How did you manage to prepare so many things?”

On the trays rested two full sets of clothing, one for a man and one for a woman. One glance was enough to see that they had been prepared for Cao Yunnian and Madam Jin. The fabrics chosen were all exceedingly fine, and every accessory had been completed. Even from the visible sections alone, the embroidery was exquisite. No matter how swift Mu Yunyao’s needlework was, she must have had to work through the nights to finish them.

The governor’s wife could not help showing a trace of envy. “This child Yunyao is truly filial. You two are blessed indeed. At the banquet later, you should wear these clothes and let us all admire them.”

Madam Jin was naturally willing to give Mu Yunyao this honor and quickly nodded in agreement. “Very well. I shall change into them later.”

Facing such an occasion for the first time, Su Qing felt somewhat at a loss. Fortunately, Madam Jin treated her with particular intimacy, and Mu Yunyao conducted herself with exceptional dignity and grace. Because of this, everyone unconsciously held Su Qing in a little more respect, and their words toward her were especially mild, allowing her to feel far more at ease.

Meanwhile, in Jingling City, porridge sheds had been set up along several main streets. Steward Qin had temporarily closed Buxian Tower and brought Wei Yi, Yun Chun, and the others onto the streets to help distribute porridge.

The embroiderers of Niyun Pavilion were not idle either. Some helped serve porridge, while others brought out leftover scraps of fabric from the embroidery workshop and distributed them to poor households.

When the people saw the great cauldrons that had been set up and the towering stacks of grain sacks behind them, the whole of Jingling City was stirred. In past years, there were naturally people who distributed porridge on the Laba Festival as well, but most only put on a show. They would bring out two buckets, ladle out a little for wandering beggars, display their kindness, and earn themselves a charitable name. Who had ever seen porridge distributed with such sincerity?

The lives of common people were always stretched tight. This year, because Mu Yunyao had taught embroidery skills, many households were somewhat better off than before. Yet the weather had suddenly turned cold, winter clothes needed to be added, and silver was still not enough. Thinking that even a little saved counted, people took their bowls and chopsticks and went out to queue for porridge.

When the people drew close to the porridge sheds and saw what was in the pots, their eyes widened one after another. Firewood still burned beneath the temporary stoves. A great pot of thick Laba porridge bubbled and simmered, and each burst of steam released a rich, mellow fragrance into the air. The ingredients in the porridge were genuine and plentiful: glutinous rice, coix seed, lotus seeds, lily bulbs, red dates, millet, walnuts, hyacinth beans… With a rough count, there seemed to be more than ten kinds of ingredients inside.

Steward Qin smiled as he filled a bowl to the brim for the first person to come receive porridge. “Old sir, drink slowly. If it is not enough, you may come back for another serving. Just be sure to line up again.”

The elderly man who received the porridge smiled broadly. “No need, no need. At my age, I cannot eat much. This one bowl of Laba porridge will be enough to last me the whole day!”

Steward Qin paused. Then he took a small spoonful of sugar from the wooden bucket beside him and added it to the old man’s bowl. “Please enjoy it slowly, old sir.”

The old man froze for a moment, then bent in a bow, “Many thanks, Shopkeeper Qin. Many thanks to Madam Jin and Miss Mu!”

Perhaps influenced by the old man’s gesture, every person who received porridge afterward murmured a word of thanks to Madam Jin and Miss Mu. There was even a child who could barely speak clearly, yet still held his bowl and stumbled through his gratitude. Hearing it, Steward Qin felt something warm press against his chest.

Each porridge shed had prepared two pots. The firewood burned fiercely to hasten the cooking, yet even so, they could hardly keep up with the speed at which the people came to receive porridge.

Most of the people who received Laba porridge gave up their places in line and stood by the street corners, cradling their bowls as they began to eat. For a time, several streets were filled with the fragrance of porridge. The people drank as they chatted with one another, laughter rising continuously, as though the entire city of Jingling had been warmed by this single bowl.

Within the Cao Residence, the atmosphere was just as lively.

The male and female guests were in no hurry to take their seats for the banquet. Instead, they all urged Cao Yunnian and Madam Jin to change into the clothes Mu Yunyao had prepared. Everyone knew that Mu Yunyao’s embroidery skills were superb; even the New Year’s tribute had been completed by her over three painstaking months. Now that they had a chance to admire her craftsmanship, naturally, no one wished to miss it—especially since this was the first time she had made men’s clothing.

When Cao Yunnian and Madam Jin emerged after changing, the previously lively hall fell suddenly silent.

Cao Yunnian wore a robe of deep navy blue. Dark, mysterious patterns were embroidered along the shoulders and collar, while a cluster of noble orchids adorned the hem. The orchids were so lifelike that, with each step he took, they seemed to gently unfurl their leaves. There was an indescribable scholarly elegance to them, making Cao Yunnian appear nearly ten years younger.

Madam Jin, beside him, was even more striking. Her dress was ice blue, embroidered with clusters of pale pink peonies that climbed from the hem to her waist. The design perfectly concealed the curve of her belly, so she did not appear heavy or ungainly at all. Instead, she carried an added air of grace and noble splendor. Most distinctive of all were the two deep navy butterflies embroidered beside the peonies. Their wings were spread as they danced lightly around the flowers.

Viewed separately, each outfit was already magnificent to the extreme. Seen together, however, they gave the impression that the deep navy butterflies on Madam Jin’s dress had flown from the orchids on Cao Yunnian’s robe.

The governor’s wife looked at them for a long while before suddenly sighing in admiration. “Butterflies lingering over flowers. Lord Cao and Madam Jin are indeed a loving couple.”

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