Mrs. Li approached her eldest daughter from behind and, seeing her daughter’s makeup, nodded in satisfaction.
"Mother, you’re here. What do you think? Is this alright?"
Ye Luoqi’s heart was aflutter with intense shyness. As noon drew near, she was about to meet the man who had proposed to marry her. Her heart was a mix of joy and sorrow.
"I have five daughters, all of them exceptional. In all the surrounding hundred miles, there’s no farmer’s family with daughters as clever, agile, and virtuous as mine!"
Mrs. Li had just finished speaking when Ye Luoqi bashfully smiled. "Mother, you can say that in front of us, but please don’t boast like that in front of the guests."
"Hehe, I’m only speaking the honest truth!" Mrs. Li continued to joke, trying to ease her daughter’s nerves.
"Ha ha, although Mother speaks the truth, we better not say it in front of others. Otherwise, they might accuse us of praising our own wares too highly!" Ye Fengqi chimed in with a laugh.
Following this were the voices of the other daughters; Mrs. Li was immersed in her daughters’ laughter and chatter, looking at their young faces.
Soon it could be the turn of the second daughter, and then the youngest daughter would grow up.
The days of having her children by her side might become rarer and rarer. Not to mention frequent visits to their maternal home—she had married close by yet only returned a few times a year.
If the eldest daughter married off to the far-off Capital City, even one return visit a year would be quite good.
Mrs. Li made another decision. As her youngest daughter had suggested, they had to buy a house and a shop in the Capital City—at the very least provide a dowry for her eldest’s wedding, and give them a place to stay when visiting the Capital City in the future.
When they, mother and six daughters, entered the living room, four tables had already been set up, one of which was in the corridor for the workers the guests had brought to dine.
As for the house’s workers, they still ate in the workers’ room as always; at this moment, it was time to attend to the guests, and the workers were busy.
Ye Luoqi and her sisters lowered their heads as they entered the living room, greeting the gaze of the guests. Among these, of course, was Zhong Xingwang’s burning stare at her.
Mrs. Li, as a mother, introduced her eldest daughter to the matchmaker and the other guests. Among the many visitors, only the matchmaker had not seen her eldest daughter.
"Mrs. Ye, your daughter is indeed exceptional. With such looks, such a good girl, no wonder Young Master Zhong has come from far away to ask for her hand in marriage."
Mrs. Li replied with modest thanks to the matchmaker’s words, which, of course, pleased her; any mother would hope others would praise her children.
Zhong Xingwang... The matchmaker’s words about coming from far away were a bit of an exaggeration, as the Capital City was just over a hundred miles away.
However, the matchmaker’s words were very much in line with his desires; she was speaking in his favor!
Hongji, being an honest farmer, did not like to speak much when women were talking specifically, but he was very satisfied with others admiring his daughter.
The five Ye sisters, whether older or younger, sat at one table along with their cousin and Concubine Aunt.
The male host and the guests sat at another table. Hongji had just gone to invite his father, who had just woken up and asked him to return to the living room first, and now he was the last to arrive.
Li Zhihao had brought food in the morning and was ready to dine here at lunchtime, naturally wanting to try his niece’s specialty dishes.
Mrs. Lai, who still wasn’t feeling well, used to have workers deliver meals to her.
Aunt Lai also had a worker bring her meal. As she ate, hearing the lively atmosphere in the living room, her eyes filled with annoyance and poison. At that moment, a deadly scheme popped into her head.
Should she continue to live poorly in this house, she would let these people taste her poison at the first opportunity.
What did it matter that she couldn’t bear a son? She had a daughter and could just as well grab the inheritance!
At mealtime, Mrs. Li introduced to the guests the dishes her daughters had made themselves.
Zhong Xingwang... My future wife can cook so well? I must try it.
Mrs. Mo... My brother has good taste. A woman who can manage both kitchen and hall is indeed good fortune for their family!
Ye Shuying... I’ll eat the dishes my great-niece made; I’ll eat my fill.
Tang Weixing... How did I not manage to marry a woman who could cook so well? Ah, never mind, being able to bear and raise children, no one is perfect.
As for the younger children, they didn’t concern themselves with who made which dishes; they just ate what they saw, especially the meat dishes.
Whether children from a wealthy family or a merchant’s family, or the host’s children, they all happily gobbled up their food.
The matchmaker was very satisfied with the meal, praising the deliciousness of the food while continually offering compliments.
Ye Shiqi looked at the table full of dishes with fragrant smells and appealing looks. These were the dishes prepared by her and her sisters, but their names still followed some recipes.