Chapter 4

The cultural differences between the north and south are most evidently reflected in spoken language. Many terms differ in usage; for instance, what is called a "hutong" in Suzhou is referred to as a "longtang," corn is called "pearl rice," and children are referred to as "xiaonian." Nanqin smiles awkwardly, as she has been constantly asked about children since her marriage. It is quite normal for the older generation to wish for grandchildren, but being asked every time they meet, combined with her and Liang Yan's current situation, inevitably brings about a sense of guilt and melancholy. She can only respond perfunctorily, "That is for checking gynecological issues; I feel quite embarrassed and have not gone." The older generation's desire for grandchildren is understandable, yet being asked repeatedly, along with her and Liang Yan's current circumstances, inevitably evokes feelings of guilt and sadness. She can only respond perfunctorily, "That is for checking gynecological issues; I feel quite embarrassed and have not gone."

Nan Qin asked with a smile: "Who is the maid of honor today?"

Nan Qin dared not let her turn it over again, fearing that a slight misalignment would reveal the bruise underneath. There was nothing else to say; explaining it further would only be a mental strain. So, he ambiguously changed the subject, "I don't quite understand this either. He gave it to me this morning before I left, saying it would look good with this cheongsam." She deliberately raised her hand, "Does it look good?"

The elegant words were not casually spoken, and with a blush on her cheeks, she said: "What are you being so poor about? Being able to tease the second brother when you see him is what truly counts as your skill"

Mrs. Feng, however, was very magnanimous, waving her hand and saying, "They have only been married for a year; there is plenty of time ahead, no need to rush! A healthy couple should not worry about not having a daughter." As she spoke, she glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window and noticed that a car had already arrived on the path in front of the main entrance. She then instructed Nan Qin, "You should go upstairs; you girls might not be able to handle those officer's wives. It is important for you to keep De Yin company."

As soon as the car came to a stop, someone immediately approached to open the door. Nan Qin took the other person's hand to get out, and upon looking up, he saw a face resembling Liang Yan's; it was the Fifth Young Master, Feng Liangze

Madam Feng has fair skin and is tall, having gained a bit of weight with age, but from the old photographs, she is undoubtedly a true beauty. Nan Qin has always felt a bit intimidated by this mother-in-law, her memories lingering on the first visit, the face that never smiled from beginning to end. Therefore, even though her attitude has changed now, she still feels an involuntary sense of trepidation. However, since she is here, she must face it; she stepped forward, took a deep breath, and gently called out "Mother".

Liang Ze smiled with great delight, "Who made me the son of Feng Kewan! Moreover, with the renowned name of Liang Yan, I am quite well-known in the Huangpu Military Academy. It is better to consider my background than to look at others, which certainly grants me some advantages."

Zhìtái is a restricted area delineated by Yángzhōu, with stringent security measures in place. The owners of the vehicles in the garden are all known, thus they are allowed to pass through the checkpoints without the need to present identification.

Madam San let out a sound, feeling somewhat disappointed

In the room, besides the bride, there were four other girls; apart from Yayan, the other three were cousins from the Feng family, all of whom were unmarried. The wedding not only provided a union but also served as a valuable social experience for the young participants, which is why everyone was dressed elegantly.

Nan Qin deliberately chose an unconventional path and casually remarked, "A tree of pear blossoms weighs down the crabapple."

Laughter erupted inside as they clamored, saying it was the second sister-in-law, and they opened the door to welcome her in

The lively chatter continued upstairs while the band played below. Yayan glanced at the clock and said, "It's almost 11 o'clock, let's get ready. My brother-in-law should be arriving soon, and the officiant will need to give a speech at 12 o'clock."

A force has arrived inside, pressing against the door panel to exchange secret signals, "How can the jade bell's message be delivered?"

Thus, everyone was busy applying makeup for the groom and putting lipstick on the bridesmaids A wedding is a rebirth, chaotic yet sweet

She looked at Liang Yan as a mouse would at a cat, and everyone blindly accepted this appearance, unaware that they were actually at a loss for words, indicating that their previous disguises had been quite successful. Nan Qin smiled faintly, lacking any desire to refute.

The Shuai residence is located deep within the Zhi Tai. Nan Qin lifted the gauze curtain at the window to look outside. The foreign sycamores by the roadside had not yet sprouted new leaves, and a flock of pigeons soared into the air, quickly sweeping past overhead. She squinted into the distance; the sky was a deep blue, as if the sea had been turned upside down, ready to drip water at any moment. She had heard a saying back in her hometown that when the heavens are favorable, newlyweds will have a blissful marriage. De Yin should have a good life ahead, unlike her, who on her wedding day returned to the courtyard drenched from the rain after getting out of the car.

She playfully raised her voice and said: "I."

Yayan crossed her arms and nodded, her tightly curled hair bouncing back and forth like a spring. "Don't be fooled by those Indians with red cloth wrapped around their heads, looking like beggars; all the largest shops in Yangzhou are run by Indians. A few time-honored brands are actually outperformed by these outsiders, it's truly embarrassing for them"

Madam Feng shook her head and said, "You have already been conferred a title, yet you still act like a child. Be careful, or your father will see and scold you. There are many dignitaries here today, so pull yourself together and do not bring shame to your father."

Liang Ze gestured towards the door with his hand, leading her inside while saying, "Actually, I graduated a few years ago, and I received my commission at the military academy at the end of the year. After that, I went directly to the 71st Army. This time I came back, it was still thanks to the influence of my third sister." He then asked, "Did you come alone? Where is my second brother?"

Liangze said impatiently, probably tired of listening to her nagging, and then turned around and left after picking at two things. Mrs. Feng scolded him verbally, but she was not truly angry in her heart. Liangze was her youngest son, and naturally, she loved him even more. Moreover, he was quite likable, being in his twenties, yet the family still did not regard him as an adult. Whatever he did was understandable, and everyone exchanged tolerant smiles.

"There are some matters to attend to at the office, I will come once I am done," Nan Qin said, "The 71st Army is the backbone, you will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel upon graduation, that's impressive!"

Upon entering the small hall in the east, Nan Qin looked inside and saw Madam Feng verifying the list of gifts sent by the Jiang family with two concubines.

The Feng family hails from a lineage of officials in Suzhou, and their speech occasionally reflects the Suzhou dialect. In Suzhou, people refer to their mothers as "Mu Ma," and Mrs. Feng seems particularly fond of this local accent, as her children all address her according to the customs of their hometown

The Grand Duke's residence has a total of three wives. Although Madam Feng is the primary wife, she gave birth relatively late, and only later did she have Liang Yan, Liang Ze, and De Yin. Originally, there was an elder brother above Liang Yan, who was born of the second wife, but unfortunately, he died in the Battle of Pingchang while serving the country. The remaining fourth young lady, Ya Yan, is the daughter of the third wife, Madam Meng. To be precise, the Feng family currently regards Liang Yan as the eldest.

The second lady reviewed Nan Qin from top to bottom, saying, "This outfit is quite good. I have always said that when one is young, one should not dress so plainly. If one does not wear bright red and green at this time, one will regret it when old."

De Yin resembles her father more, with features that are somewhat androgynous and a pair of strikingly handsome eyes. The Feng family holds a prominent position, with their children serving in the military. De Yin usually seldom adorns herself, but today, dressed in a wedding gown and with her face made up, she exudes an unexpectedly charming allure. Blushing, she said thank you, opened the velvet box for a glance, and gasped in surprise, "This is the set I admired last time, but I hesitated because it was too expensive." As she spoke, she wrapped her arms around Nan Qin's waist, saying, "Oh, this is truly to my liking, Second Sister-in-law, you are too kind!"

The girl in the lace dress raised her hand, smiling shyly, "It's me"

"Second brother has something to attend to and will arrive a bit late." Liang Ze replied for Nan Qin, prying a liqueur chocolate from the candy wrapper and popping it into his mouth

Nan Qin was not interested in discussing those matters, merely responding with a soft agreement, "Next time you get married, I will also give you a gift like this"

"You have been a bridesmaid, but you seem to have a penchant for it; the next wedding should be yours." Nan Qin teased her, handing the gift box to De Yin amidst Yun's playful pouting. "Today is your special day, and I wasn't sure what to give you. This is a small token from me and your second brother, wishing you and Young Master Jiang a lifetime of happiness together"

Nan Qindao exited the side hall. The mother she brought hurriedly approached her as she came out, presenting the gifts she had brought. She accepted the items and then turned to ascend the stairs.

Madam San nodded repeatedly, "Don't say when we are old, even if we have a little girl in the future, it will be different." Changing the subject, she inquired, "Nan Qin, how has your health been lately? There was a large gynecological examination at the Air Force Hospital last time, and many ladies went. Did you go?"

The bride's room is filled with roses at first glance. This month, roses are scarce, and given that Young Master Jiang Si has a rough manner, it is likely that they were airlifted after mobilizing troops. Nan Qin also loves flowers, and upon falling into the sea of blossoms, he is so delighted that he cannot sit still

"This bracelet of yours is quite unique," said Liang Yan's cousin Shouyun, as she examined her arm. "It must be a gift from Second Brother, right? The last time I passed by the Longfeng Silver Shop, I saw him there, and he was picking this one... Oh, isn't it the same style? I remember that model had three rubies set in it, but this one does not. However, the plain design is more appealing; it was originally hollowed out, and adding rubies would make it too common."

Madam Feng took off her reading glasses and set them aside, responding, "Have you arrived?" She glanced behind her, asking, "Where is Liang Yan? Did he not come with you?"

The young ladies all yearn for marriage, and whenever one of their friends holds a wedding, the others also share in the joy. As Nan Qin stepped onto the second-floor platform, she heard laughter coming from the other side of the wall, so cheerful that it seemed as if there was nothing in the world worth worrying about. Her mood lightened as well, and she stood at the door, knocking gently. Inside, they probably thought it was the groom arriving, and asked alertly, "Who is it?"

Everyone naturally says it is good, what could possibly be wrong with such a couple!

His temperament and Liang Yan are completely two extremes; if one is ice, the other is fire. It is indeed rare to see such a significant personality difference between siblings. In contrast, Nan Qin prefers to spend time with him; he is the most straightforward person in the Feng family, and aside from their uncle-niece relationship, there is more of a sense of friendship. She smiled as she looked at him, "It has been about half a year since we last met. Have you graduated? When did you come back?"

She exclaimed in surprise, and Liangze straightened his chest and pulled in his stomach, giving her a standard military salute, "Lieutenant Colonel Feng Liangze of the 71st Army, at your service, madam." He initially intended to be serious, but ultimately couldn't hold it in and broke into a big smile, "Second sister-in-law, long time no see"

From the entrance to the governor's residence, it is approximately two to three li. It is still early, and the guests have not yet arrived. Upon entering the main gate, one can only see the servants bustling about below, moving flower baskets and pulling ribbons, transforming the usually solemn official residence into a lively and festive atmosphere