Chapter 783: 327 Mingzhu Gets Married (Part 1)
On the third day of June, Yueyao went to Marquis Jingning’s Residence.
Mingzhu looked at the painting scroll that Yueyao had given her and chuckled, "Others might add to their dowry or send jewelry or embroidery, but you, you sent a painting! However, since your painting is quite valuable, I’ll accept it."
Yueyao laughed, "This painting is only for your personal use, you can’t sell it!"
Mingzhu laughed, "What kind of painting can only be used by oneself and can’t be given away?" After saying this, she opened the scroll, and her face suddenly turned red.
The painting Yueyao had given was neither a landscape nor flowers, birds, or animals, but a "Picture of Guanyin for Blessing with Children."
Xiang Wei said by her side, "Miss, in order to create this painting, she bathed and fasted for a month, and after finishing, she continuously recited the Fertility Sutra in front of the painting, all to bless you with an early childbirth! No matter how good a woman’s family is, having children is essential to fully establish her footing."
Mingzhu laughed, "Yueyao, I’ve heard from your sister-in-law that the ’Picture of Guanyin for Blessing with Children’ you painted is very effective. I think next year I will definitely give birth to a big chubby boy!"
Yueyao, holding Mingzhu’s hand, said, "As long as you like it!" Yueyao didn’t actually believe her painting was miraculous; it was just a coincidence. However, she still hoped that Mingzhu would thrive in the Niu Family.
Mingzhu beamed, "Of course, I like it! This is a treasure hard to come by. Once I’ve given the Niu Family a few big chubby sons, then I’ll really be able to walk tall in their house."
Yueyao had originally planned to leave after delivering the gift, but Mingzhu wouldn’t let her go, "Yueyao, it’s just the last few days, stay and keep me company."
Bai Yi, laughing beside her, said, "Miss Yueyao, please stay and keep our lady company! You don’t know how anxious she has been these past few days, hardly able to sleep at all. If she still can’t sleep in these next few days, it wouldn’t be good on the wedding day."
Mingzhu nodded continuously like a pecking chick, "Yes, yes, Yueyao, imagine if I fell asleep on the marriage palanquin on the wedding day, how embarrassing would that be!"
Xiang Wei joked beside her, "Falling asleep in the marriage palanquin wouldn’t be a problem, but it would be embarrassing if you fell asleep in the bridal chamber. Imagine, when the groom enters and finds the bride has fallen asleep without waiting for him, that would really be awkward!"
Yueyao scolded with a laugh, "Can’t you say something nice? This woman is so blunt with her words, not knowing when to hold back."
Mingzhu was already used to Xiang Wei’s pessimistic words, "Yueyao, just stay and keep me company, alright?"
Yueyao hesitated, "Mingzhu, you know everything about me. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be proper for me to stay." Although Yueyao didn’t really care about the loss of her parents, people generally are superstitious about this during joyful occasions, so she didn’t really want to stay.
Mingzhu scoffed, "Yueyao, why worry about what people say? We’ve been friends for so many years, why would I care about that?"
Ultimately, Yueyao couldn’t resist Mingzhu’s pleading and decided to stay and keep her company, even sleeping together at night.
The Palm Oil Lamp in the room had been taken out by Bai Yi, but the moonlight shining in from outside made everything in the room still clearly visible.
After mulling it over for a long time, Mingzhu said, "Yueyao, what are your plans for the future?"
Yueyao asked curiously, "Why bring this up all of a sudden?"
Mingzhu expressed her concern, "I’m worried that you’re so devoted to painting that you might neglect your lifelong matters. Yueyao, although now the requirements are not as stringent as when the nation was founded for girls to marry by sixteen, being older than eighteen isn’t seen as advantageous either. Yueyao, you need to hurry, you can’t keep such a nonchalant attitude."
Yueyao laughed, "Let fate decide!"
Mingzhu was worried about Yueyao’s attitude, "What does ’let fate decide’ mean? If you have no plans to marry, even if there’s fate, it will just fly away."
Yueyao asked in surprise, "How do you know I have no plans to marry?"
Mingzhu gave Yueyao a look, "I’ve known you for seven years, wouldn’t I know what you’re thinking? Yueyao, you can’t keep this attitude. Ultimately, a woman must marry to have someone to rely on."
Yueyao turned over and then said, "Is it so that without marrying, I have no one to rely on? I think being on my own is quite nice."
Mingzhu sighed deeply, she had been worried about Yueyao having this mindset, which was why she had brought up the topic today, "Being on your own might be nice, but don’t you think it’s too lonely? I know you enjoy painting, but when you are lonely, can those paintings talk with you, laugh with you? Can they console you when you’re feeling down? They can’t, can they?"