Chapter 829: Hairpin Ceremony and Building a School (2)
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On the third day of the third month, a long string of firecrackers broke the quiet of the early morning, waking people like Mrs. Wu, Aunt Cai, Mrs. Zhou, and others from their sleep. They hurriedly got up, dressed and swiftly got themselves ready before grabbing the gifts they had prepared the day before and rushing towards the Mo Family’s residence.
Apart from Mo Yan, everyone in the Mo Family had gotten up unusually early. Before the sound of firecrackers began, they had already sorted out all the ingredients for today’s feast and placed them in the courtyard, washed what needed washing and chopped what needed chopping. Even the youngest, Shengsheng, was sitting on a small stool, washing one bright red radish after another.
This time, the guests the Mo Family invited were more numerous than for any previous occasion, not because the Mo Family wanted to show off, but rather because the village heads from the nearby villages had heard about the event and requested to come and observe the ceremony.
For a girl’s coming-of-age ceremony, the more guests to witness it, the better. The Mo Family had no reason to refuse, so they sent out invitations to several village heads. As for the folks from the village, there was no need to mention them. Every household that had no issues with the Mo Family said they would come to watch. It didn’t matter to them whether there was a meal provided or not; just being able to witness such a lively and grand event was enough to give them something to boast about in conversations in the future and bring honor to their faces.
Today was also a joyous occasion for Xiao Ruiyuan. He came to the Mo Family’s house alone at an early hour, while the go-betweens, the betrothal gifts, and the engagement letter would arrive later with Chu Heng.
In Great Chu, when a man and woman enter into marriage, they must follow their parents’ orders and the matchmaker’s words, unless, of course, it is a marriage bestowed by the Emperor.
In normal families, the day their children get engaged, the parents of the groom must visit the bride’s home to show respect. However, Xiao Xiong and Lady Wei couldn’t wait for Xiao Ruiyuan to remain unmarried for life because only then would the title of the Hou Mansion have a chance to fall on Xiao Ruiqing’s lineage. So, how could they possibly come to the Mo Family in person?