Chapter 345: She Was Truly Happy for Xingnong
Xingnong carefully examined the small quilt. It was made of high-quality crimson cloud brocade, with different fortune patterns embroidered in gold thread. Each fortune character was unique in shape and stitching, reflecting the different handwriting and embroidery skills of the contributors. However, the overall effect was exquisite and beautiful.
Most importantly, it represented the goodwill of the people. Xingnong accepted it and said solemnly, “Auntie, please thank everyone on my behalf. This gift is too precious. I will give this quilt to each of my children and treasure it.”
The Village Chief’s Wife smiled. “It’s good that the Crown Princess likes it! We also have hundred-families cloth from the people of Futai County as a dowry gift for the Crown Princess. It would be good to use some of it to make quilts for the children. Covering them with hundred-families quilts means receiving blessings from a hundred families. They will be free from illness, pain, and disasters, and live a safe and smooth life!”
Xingnong laughed after hearing the Village Chief’s Wife’s words. “That’s what I was thinking too. Many people in Jin Kingdom sent cloth scraps, and I also plan to use hundred-families cloth to make a few quilts, cushions, and the like. It has a good meaning.”
She had already thought about the patterns for the quilt covers. She would take a small piece of cloth, fold it into the shape of a petal, and then embroider petal by petal into three-dimensional peonies or peonies, symbolizing wealth and prosperity.
Fortunately, the cloth scraps sent by the people were all crimson. She would use gold thread to embroider the stamens and sew the edges. A dark red quilt, blooming with several three-dimensional peonies in different postures, with golden stamens, should look beautiful.
The Village Chief’s Wife was very happy to hear this. “The people of Jin Kingdom also sent you hundred-families cloth? The Crown Princess is truly loved by the people. And everyone will be happy to know that the Crown Princess used the cloth scraps they gave as dowry gifts!”
This Xingnong girl was really good. Even though her status was now extremely noble, she never looked down on them, these humble farmers.
Xingnong smiled. “It’s all thanks to those high-yielding grain seeds. But the Crown Prince bought those seeds, so I’m just benefiting from his light.”
Shen Ruolan said happily, “You and the Crown Prince are husband and wife, inseparable. You share honor and disgrace. The Crown Princess is both a princess of Jin Kingdom and the Crown Princess of Chu State, full of blessings! This is a dowry gift from this official’s wife, Princess Changle, and Yong’an Heir Apparent to the Crown Princess.”
She was truly happy for Xingnong!
Her own daughter was a princess, and her niece was a princess. She couldn’t even imagine this in her dreams.
The Minister of Justice’s Wife felt a bit envious when she saw the “Ten Thousand Fortunes” quilt and the hundred-families cloth.
The Minister of Justice’s Wife was also a bit envious of the “Ten Thousand Fortunes” quilt and the hundred-families cloth. She wondered if it was something that Xingnong had actively requested, or if those blessed women had offered it voluntarily.
Although this Crown Princess grew up in the countryside, she had to admit that her fate was good!
Not only was she a princess of Jin Kingdom, but now she was also the Crown Princess of Chu State, the future empress. She had to compliment her. “This ‘Ten Thousand Fortunes’ quilt, and quilts made of hundred-families cloth, are not something that everyone can receive. The Crown Princess is truly loved by the people.”
After saying that, she turned to the Village Chief’s Wife. “This madam is thoughtful, to have obtained such a blessing of ten thousand families for the Crown Princess. Truly thoughtful! This dowry gift is the first of its kind!”
The Village Chief’s Wife glanced at her and smiled. “This madam is too kind. It’s not just me who is thoughtful, everyone is. This blessing wasn’t something I requested. Originally, some women in our village thought of making a ‘Hundred Fortunes’ quilt as a dowry gift for the Crown Princess. Later, women from other villages came to entrust us with sending dowry gifts to the Crown Princess. When they heard that we were preparing a ‘Hundred Fortunes’ quilt for the Crown Princess, they all expressed their desire to join in. Later, the entire county knew about it. There were too many people, so after discussing it, we came up with this ‘Ten Thousand Fortunes’ quilt, made jointly by tens of thousands of blessed women and virtuous and talented elders! This is truly a blessing from the people! It’s different from ordinary ‘Hundred Fortunes’ quilts!”
What did she mean by “she requested”? Don’t think she couldn’t hear the implied meaning in her words.
Huh, these “Hundred Fortunes,” “Thousand Fortunes,” and “Ten Thousand Fortunes” quilts were popular because of their good meaning. Many official wives would try to get one for the younger generation in their families. Ordinary people would gather ten fortunes, while wealthy families would usually gather a hundred, as a good omen. But could those actively requested be the same as those given voluntarily by everyone!
The Minister of Justice’s Wife smiled. “That’s right! The Crown Princess brings benefits to the people, so naturally she is full of blessings.”
She wouldn’t be stupid enough to offend the Crown Princess.
Today she came mainly to see Xingqing. She glanced at the quiet and beautiful girl sitting by the side. Hmm, the more she looked, the more satisfied she felt!
The Village Chief’s Wife didn’t pay attention to her anymore and said to Xingnong with a smile, “Besides this ‘Ten Thousand Fortunes’ quilt, there’s also a cradle and a small baby bed, made of hundred-year-old peach wood, which can ward off evil spirits. Your Uncle Gu spread the word on the street where the lumber shops are, saying that he was looking for hundred-year-old peach wood, and immediately a lumber shop owner brought out the family heirloom ━ hundred-year-old peach wood! And he knew it was for making a cradle and a small baby bed, so he suggested carving longevity patterns and auspicious cloud patterns on them. The longevity characters on them were handwritten by a hundred elderly people over ninety years old, and then engraved by a carving craftsman! It symbolizes longevity, fortune, and a long life!”
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The villagers also sent many of their local products to Xingnong as dowry gifts, but those local specialties were not suitable to be brought out, so the Village Chief’s Wife didn’t list them one by one.
Shen Ruolan gestured for the maid behind her to hand over the brocade box.
Seeing that she asked the maid to give it to Xingnong, Wei Zi immediately took it and presented it to Xingnong.
Shen Ruolan said with a smile, “Xingnong, open it and see if you like it.”
One doesn’t hit a smiling face. Although Xingnong didn’t like her, it was a fact that she was Xingqing’s mother.
She had to give Xingqing this much face.
So she opened them one by one and glanced at them. Shen Ruolan sent a mutton fat jade bracelet, Princess Changle sent a set of head ornaments, and Yong’an Heir Apparent sent a jade pot. They were all good, but they lacked a bit of thoughtfulness.
As her aunt, she didn’t even hand over the dowry gift to her personally. It showed she didn’t care.
Xingnong thanked her politely and distantly. “Thank you.”
Shen Ruolan felt a bit unhappy about Xingnong’s attitude. After all, she was her aunt, yet she wasn’t as warm to her own aunt as she was to a peasant woman.
Next, it was the Minister of Justice’s Wife’s turn. She personally took the brocade box from the maid behind her, opened it, stepped forward, and presented it to Xingnong with both hands respectfully. “This official’s wife wishes the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince harmony like dragons and phoenixes, and a long and blessed life!”
Shen Ruolan happily introduced, “Xingnong, this is the Minister of Personnel’s Wife. She specially came to give you a dowry gift!”
After saying that, she glanced at Xingqing.
She had met the Minister of Personnel’s son. He was truly a fine young man, quite a good match for her Xingqing!
Xingnong took it with both hands and said lightly, “Madam Shen, it’s better to address me as Crown Princess. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be proper.”
Shen Ruolan’s expression stiffened.
Just now she asked the Village Chief’s Wife to address her by her name, but now she wanted her to address her as Crown Princess? Why didn’t she talk about propriety just now?
She was her aunt after all, didn’t she know who was closer and who was more distant?
