SGEIRS -Chapter 463 A True Mother and Son

That day, Meng Jinyao went to the Shen family to attend the full-month banquet for Song Xinning and Shen Shuxian’s son.

Originally, Gu Jingxi would have accompanied her, but he had to escort the emperor to the hunting grounds for the winter hunt, and she didn’t want to go alone, so she directly brought her niece-in-law, Madam Jiang, along.

Madam Zhang was also delighted that Meng Jinyao brought her daughter-in-law to the banquet. The Shen family was not of low status: Song Xinning’s father-in-law held the position of Minister of Works (third rank), and Song Xinning herself was the legitimate daughter of the head of the National Academy. The guests at the banquet were all from respectable families. Attending such events and making connections with well-born ladies would be useful later, when Xiuyuan entered officialdom, so that she could better serve as a virtuous wife.

Madam Jiang was gentle and soft-spoken, and Meng Jinyao felt comfortable around her; they had plenty to talk about.

For the Shen family’s eldest grandson’s full-month banquet, Master Shen didn’t have the wealth to host it extravagantly, but Madam Shen did. She wouldn’t let her grandson be slighted and spent generously to make it a grand affair.

The guests at the banquet included Master Shen’s colleagues, officials he was close with and their families, people from Madam Shen’s family, friends and relatives of Song Xinning, and Shen Shuxian’s colleagues and friends.

A successful full-month banquet brought face to Master Shen, but in his heart, he was somewhat frustrated. His wife was wealthy, yet she didn’t give him even a single coin to spend. Wasn’t he merely taking a concubine? Which accomplished man would remain devoted to just one woman?

Meanwhile, Meng Jinyao looked at the baby in the swaddling clothes. The child’s face was plump and rosy, with bright black eyes, and she sighed, “The little one changes day by day; he’s not the same as when I last saw him.”

Princess Jingning agreed, “Exactly! When we saw him last time, he already seemed adorable. Now, at a month old, he’s even plumper and cuter.”

Song Xinning teased with a smile, “A-Yan, you’re getting married next month; who knows, by the end of next year, you might have such an adorable child too.”

Princess Jingning blushed, scolding her with a glance, “A-Ning, all you know is teasing me. Why don’t I ever see you teasing A-Yao?”

Song Xinning covered her mouth and laughed softly. “It’s fun to tease unmarried girls. Teasing A-Yao wouldn’t make her shy at all. Look at you, all flushed and bashful—it’s so amusing.”

Meng Jinyao was puzzled. “…Is my face really that thick-skinned?”

Song Xinning looked at her and subtly added, “A-Yao is already expecting; next year, she’ll also have such an adorable child.”

As soon as she said that, Meng Jinyao touched her belly, smiling with a confident, assured tone, and replied, “The Marquis and I aren’t unattractive; the child will definitely be adorable too.”

Song Xinning laughed, “See, that’s the difference.”

Meng Jinyao: “…”

Princess Jingning: “…”

Soon, other ladies also gathered around. Seeing the child, they all showered compliments. Each lady had excellent social skills, and their praise was all different. Even though Song Xinning knew it was all courtesy, she still enjoyed hearing it.

Madam Shen took her little grandson from her daughter-in-law’s arms, her joy evident. Ever since last year, when her husband angered her and her old illness flared up seriously, she had come to terms with things—she no longer cared so much about men. She no longer worried about whether her husband was happy, well-fed, or warmly clothed, or if he had unpleasant affairs at work. She felt much freer.

Madam Qi Yunwen, upon seeing Meng Jinyao, immediately came over to chat. She was the friend of her niece and the wife of a friend and colleague of her husband; making a good connection was certainly beneficial.

Madam Qi was talkative, and Meng Jinyao was happy to engage, so they got along very well.

Suddenly, Madam Qi said, “Madam Gu, everyone says you’re fortunate to have married the Marquis Gu. If you ask me, it’s actually the Marquis who’s lucky—to have married a beautiful, charming, gentle, and virtuous wife like you.”

Meng Jinyao looked confused. She considered herself fairly gentle toward her husband and reasonably virtuous, but… had she really reached the point where people would publicly praise her as gentle and virtuous just for showing up?

She replied modestly, “Madam Qi, you flatter me.”

Madam Qi continued, “Madam Gu is known in the Court of Justice for being virtuous. Which official there doesn’t envy the Marquis Gu for having such a wife?”

Meng Jinyao became even more bewildered. She hadn’t done anything—how had she become famous?

Seeing that Meng Jinyao was completely unaware, Madam Qi added, “My husband often complains to me, saying I don’t care for him enough.” She imitated her husband’s tone: “Madam, after all these years of marriage, have you grown tired of me? You made winter clothes for the child, but why not for me? Today, Lady Yaoling made a set for him, and I’m really envious.”

Madam Qi resumed her normal tone and laughed, “Then I agreed to make a set for him, but the next day he came back and said that Madam Gu made a cloak for Marquis Gu and he wanted a new cloak too.”

Meng Jinyao was shocked. “!!!”

Could her husband possibly have a side she didn’t know about? Normally, she would make clothes or shoes for him and he would say that the servants could handle it and not to tire herself. Yet he would go and show off to others? Otherwise, how would anyone know she made them?

She asked anxiously, “Madam Qi, did I cause trouble for others?”

Madam Qi shook her head repeatedly. “Not at all. Madam Gu, don’t overthink. Without you, we wouldn’t have realized that men also need to be pampered. I’m friendly with the wives of my husband’s colleagues, and they all say that because Madam Gu is virtuous—always making sachets, pouches, clothes for Marquis Gu—their husbands see it and want the same, so their marriages feel as if they’ve returned to the newlywed stage.”

Meng Jinyao listened in amazement and timidly asked, “Madam Qi, you never did this for your husband before?”

Madam Qi replied, “We did, but it’s different. We didn’t know that even a man wearing a sachet would like a little love poem embroidered on it by his wife.”

Meng Jinyao was stunned. “?”

Was it really that outrageous?

She had never embroidered love poems—only patterns representing affection between husband and wife. Anyone seeing the sachet would know she made it, representing her feelings. How did it become “embroidering a love poem” in others’ mouths?

Madam Qi continued, “Our matriarch also says that Madam Gu is a filial daughter-in-law, always making new clothes for her mother-in-law to show respect.” She laughed, “Of course, she didn’t mean that I’m not filial, just that she wanted the daughter-in-law’s new clothes. I made her a set, and truly—it’s a mother and son thing. That’s just their nature; if someone else has it, they want it too.”

Meng Jinyao nodded in agreement. Indeed, it was a mother and son thing. The son would show off when he went out, and the mother would do the same. She had always thought her husband and mother-in-law were different in character, but now she realized the two were quite alike.

After that, Madam Qi chatted with her for quite a while.

Hearing about herself from others made Meng Jinyao feel a bit unfamiliar with her own image. This was largely thanks to her husband and mother-in-law, who had spoken highly of her in public.