Chapter 158 — The Coming-of-Age Ceremony

Cui the Elder's wife and Tuo Niang also crowded by the carriage window to look out.

"Oh!" Tuo Niang caught sight of a familiar face and smiled. "That's Prefect Lu's carriage. No doubt Lady Lu has come to attend the Fourth Young Miss's coming-of-age ceremony."

"Fourth Sister-in-Law even knows people from the prefect's household!" Cui Jiu's wife said, unable to hide her envy. "Lady Lu must be here to pin the hairpin for the Fourth Young Miss!"

"I only met Prefect Lu's driver the last time I came to pay my respects to the Fourth Young Miss," Tuo Niang hurried to explain. "The Fourth Young Miss's coming-of-age—they may not necessarily arrange for Lady Lu to pin the hairpin!"

"If not Lady Lu, then who?" Cui Jiu's wife's eyes went wide.

In her heart, having Lady Lu help with the hairpins was already a great honor.

"There are plenty of Lady Dou Juan's ladies," Tuoniang said vaguely, feeling that Lady Lu was not yet qualified to help Dou Yan with her hairpins. "Who knows which lady will be arranged to do it."

As they spoke, the carriage had already reached the side gate of Dou Juan. Tuoniang and Cui Jiu's wife heard the usually taciturn Cui Da suddenly curse. "…That Tian Fugui actually got a pair of golden pheasants as a congratulatory gift for the Fourth Miss!"

Everyone could not help looking over at once, and saw a very fat man carrying a gilded birdcage in each hand, each cage containing a brilliantly colored male pheasant. Under everyone's gaze, he stepped through the side gate of Dou Juan with a face full of pride.

"They really are golden pheasants!" Cui Da's wife exclaimed.

The people nearby were all buzzing with discussion: "…Who is this person? He actually gave a pair of golden pheasants!"

"It seems to be Tian Fugui, the farm manager from the Tian Estate at the east end!"

"Where did he get them? He really has a way!"

Cui Da laughed heartily and said to Cui Min, "Now Fatty Tian is famous!"

Cui Min laughed too. "You can't tell—this fatty is quite good at handling things." He thought about whether to bring this man to the shop in the capital. His business was getting better and better, and he needed to find a capable helper.

The thought flashed by. Behind them came the rumbling sound of carriages, and the driver shouted arrogantly, "Make way. Carriage of the Jining Marquis Estate—those in front, make way!"

That voice was like a huge rock thrown into a small river, and the side gate immediately became clamorous.

"It's people from the Fourth Miss's future in-laws!"

"As expected of a marquis estate—look at those horses, so magnificent!"

"Three carriages came in all!"

Everyone discussed animatedly while busily making way for the Wei family.

Over there, the Dou family got the message and opened the main gate.

The carriages stopped in front of the main gate.

Servants in blue carried brocade boxes inside one by one.

"I wonder what they're giving?" The people at the side gate stood on tiptoe and craned their necks to peer over. "So many!"

"Of course!" Someone beside them picked up the thread. "Think about what kind of family that is! A marquis estate! Our Fourth Miss is going to be a marchioness in the future!"

"That's right. That's right!"

Before the exclamations here had finished, someone over there shouted, "Look, look, another carriage is coming."

Everyone's gaze was drawn over.

In the courtyard, Dou Fan jumped out of the main room joyfully and threw her arms around Sixth Aunt Ji, who had just entered the hanging flower gate.

"Sixth Aunt!" Joy was written all over her face and brows. "Why have you come? Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

Looking at Dou Yan, who had grown a bit taller, Ji beamed with affection and put her arm around Dou Zhiwei's shoulders. "If I had told you earlier, could you have been this happy?"

Dou Yan giggled.

The maids, wives, and old women nearby all laughed too.

Before her fifteenth birthday had even arrived, the Dou household was already filled everywhere with an atmosphere of joy.

Ji turned slightly and introduced the young girl behind her to Dou Yan. "This is my niece, her maiden name is Lingze. She is three years older than you. I specially brought her to introduce you two."

Dou Yan felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

Ji Lingze—she was the cousin from the Ji family who had eloped with Dou Dezhao.

She could not help blinking, and only then did she see clearly the graceful young girl before her.

Her ink-black hair was held up by a single hairpin inlaid with southern pearls; her skin was warm and smooth as jade, her features lovely as a peak, and she had an even more refined air, like empty mountains in a spirit rain, unforgettable once seen.

"Cousin Ji!" Dou Yan curtsied to Ji Lingze, but inside she smiled bitterly without end.

At this time, Ji Lingze had not yet married, but she was already betrothed to the sixth young master of the Han family of Huzhou.

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Brothers, sisters, today's update.

o(n_n)o~

ps: I was in meetings all day today, and later I still have to go eat a working meal. I can only fix the typos later.

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