Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 679 - 632 Showing Off Wealth But Lost to Li Yuzhu (1)
Li Yu En looked at the food and wine, frowning slightly.
Because this feast was even more lavish than when she and Lou Chengye returned last time, it was the standard for entertaining distinguished guests.
And she was obviously not a distinguished guest, as it was not as lavish last time.
Attending the banquet were all of the Lou family’s sons and daughters-in-law, as well as Old Mrs. Lou.
Prefect Lou, having made arrangements, also came to the inner residence.
Li Yuzhu whispered to Li Yu En, "Second Sister, did the Lou Mansion always hold banquets like this?"
If so, it seems the Lou Mansion treated the Li Family quite well.
Unexpectedly, Li Yu En snorted lightly, "Not at all. Last time Chengye and I left the Lou Mansion for about three months, and when we returned, the banquet was much poorer than this."
Li Yuzhu blinked, "Can it really be like that?" To hold the same banquet, all for family, but with different standards?
Li Yu En slightly raised her eyebrows, "I’ve seen a lot; anyway, as long as I have food to eat, the rest doesn’t concern me."
After getting married, she became more mature and stable. The ridicule and criticism from the outside world could not shake Li Yu En.
She still only cared about eating.
For Li Yu En, who didn’t care about anything else, to snort angrily showed that the Lou family was still perfunctory towards her.
Li Yuzhu began to worry about Li Yu En.
As is often the case, worry brings about the very things you dread.
Li Yuzhu worried that the Lou family didn’t treat Li Yu En well and looked down on the Li Family. During the banquet, several conversations with pointed remarks emerged.
Second Lady Lou smiled slightly at Li Yu En, "Fifth sister-in-law, I heard your third sister is a doctor. After the banquet, let her take a look at my condition. My shoulder often aches, and I don’t know why."
The maid beside her laughed, "Second young mistress, there’s nothing wrong with your shoulder. The young master said it was just because you’re tired from wearing this new hairpin."
Li Yuzhu glanced at Second Lady Lou’s head and saw a large hair crown of gold and pearls, weighing at least a pound and a half.
With such a heavy hairstyle, her shoulders and neck would indeed get sore after wearing it for a long time.
This isn’t complaining about fatigue; it’s flaunting wealth!
"Nonsense, it’s not because of the hairstyle. It must be something else. Don’t listen to the young master’s nonsense," Second Lady Lou glanced at her maid.
Lou San Niangzi and Lou Si Niangzi both looked towards Second Lady Lou’s head and praised her hair crown.
Second Lady Lou seized the opportunity to ask Li Yuzhu, "By the way, Li San Niang, what kind of hairpins do you usually like to wear? Pearl, or gold and jade?"
"When it comes to pearls, South Sea Golden Pearls are the top choice, but... they are not easy to come by," Second Lady Lou smiled faintly.
Everybody looked at Second Lady Lou’s head. Her pearl hair crown had a circle of flowers made from golden pearls, about ten of them.
Although each gold pearl was only the size of a bean, they were quite dazzling under the candlelight.
This drew envious glances from several Lou Family ladies towards Second Lady Lou.
Lady Lou lightly snorted and rolled her eyes.
She looked down on Second Lady Lou’s actions, thinking it beneath her to flaunt wealth against a country bumpkin.
Li Yuzhu glanced at Second Lady Lou’s hair crown and extended her left wrist, "I don’t like wearing heavy crowns because it’s inconvenient when I need to lower my head to treat patients. I like to wear pearls as bracelets."
Her golden beads were a gift from Ling Yuezi, containing over a hundred pieces. Mu Yuanxiu, having spare time, had drilled holes in them to make bracelets and small hairpins, as well as several pairs of earrings for Li Yuzhu.
Li Yuzhu gave one hairpin and a pair of earrings to Li Yu En.
However, Li Yu En had her jewelry, which she didn’t wear today.
When Second Lady Lou saw Li Yuzhu’s bracelet, her face changed instantly.
Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she couldn’t speak for a long time.
Lady Lou, who did not know the Li Family’s status and didn’t particularly like them, had no problem using the Li Family to slight the Second Lady Lou, whom she disliked even more.
"Second sister-in-law, your golden beads are so small, only the size of a bean. Of course, they make a nice flower crown. If your gold beads were as large as Li San Niang’s like broad beans, wouldn’t they weigh Li San Niang’s head down?" Lady Lou covered her mouth and laughed.
The large flower crown on Second Lady Lou’s bun was mostly made of cheap small white pearls. The most valuable golden beads were only a dozen or so and were much smaller than those on Li Yuzhu’s bracelet.
Li Yuzhu’s bracelet’s gold beads were plump and large, also numbering about ten.
In comparison, Li Yuzhu’s bracelet was much more expensive than the hair crown of Second Lady Lou.
Golden pearls the size of soybean were common, but golden pearls the size of broad beans were rare treasures, not something money could easily buy, except for the tributes to the Imperial Palace or sourced from the Southern Ocean.
Sometimes, golden pearls the size of broad beans were sold by coastal merchants for over a hundred taels of silver each.
Without a doubt, Li Yuzhu’s bracelet was a rare treasure.
Second Lady Lou noticed that several sisters-in-law and maids were looking at her with strange expressions. She wished she could tear off her pearl crown and throw it away.
But that would be impolite.
With no choice, Second Lady Lou had to swallow her shame and anger, saying nothing more.
Li Yuzhu glanced at her indifferently, turned, and started conversing with Lady Lou.
In the Lou family, besides Li Yu En, she was only familiar with this Lady Lou, who had gone to the Li Family to receive the bride.
In order to annoy Second Lady Lou, Lady Lou intentionally engaged in conversation with Li Yuzhu.
She would occasionally call a maid to serve Li Yuzhu tea, making her enjoy a very pleasant meal.
As for the men’s banquet on the other side of a bamboo screen, it was much more harmonious, without the overt and covert competitions of the women’s side.
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