A Fifty-Table Wedding Banquet

When it comes to these things, Old Madam Zhou is actually quite guilty.

Wasn't she the one who caused all of this?

She knew, of course, that the eldest princess had nothing left.

She looked at the gold bracelet on the princess's wrist and said, "Actually, the gold bracelet you're wearing, and the jewels in your hair, are quite nice too..."

The princess's lips twitched. She really was from the countryside; how shameless!

She sighed and said, "Since you want it, I'll give you all my jewelry."

Old Madam Zhou looked at Liu Su'e shamelessly. Liu Su'e looked at the two gold bracelets on her wrists, then at the gold necklace around her neck, and said, "You mean...?"

Old Madam Zhou said, "You're Fourth Aunt, surely you wouldn't be so reluctant to take even this little thing?"

Liu Su'e gritted her teeth and said, "If I give you these things, you can't ask us for money anymore. We don't have any."

Old Madam Zhou laughed and said, "Alright, as long as you give me these things, I promise I won't ask you for any more money."

Liu Su'e then took off all her jewelry.

Qian Huihui, who was standing next to her, said:

"Oh, thank you so much, Fourth Sister-in-law! It seems you really dote on Qingzhou!"

Qingzhou, thank you, Fourth Aunt.

Zhou Qingzhou glanced at them sideways, then remained silent and cold.

This attitude is simply unappealing.

Old Madam Zhou looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Why don't you take off all that gold jewelry you're wearing? Your cousin is getting married soon, you should do your part."

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Okay, okay, I'll certainly do my part."

She took off all her jewelry, which made the old lady very happy.

Old Madam Zhou never expected that Zhou Wanwan would be so obedient now.

This also proves that the Empress Dowager's words worked last time!

She looked at the plate of gold jewelry and couldn't stop smiling.

Zhou Wanwan, the eldest princess, Liu Su'e, Zhou Fusheng slowly walked out of the hall.

The eldest princess breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Wanwan, how are you so clever? How did you guess that Old Madam Zhou was going to say that?"

Zhou Wanwan pouted and said, "She's always been like this. Anyway, these are all gilded, they're worthless."

Zhou Wanwan waved her hand and said, "Go out and spread the word that our family has taken out all our gold jewelry to help this cousin get married."

The eldest princess chuckled, "I'm afraid the whole capital knows how good we've been to him."

These gossip stories quickly spread through special channels.

You should know that Zhou Wanwan has quite a few people under her command, and she has spies in every household.

Soon even Madam Yu found out, and she was furious.

"The Zhou Family is utterly shameless! They even stole someone's gold jewelry just to get a wife. Are they robbers or bandits?"

"Will our daughter have a good life after marrying into that family?"

Upon hearing Yu Shu nearly fainted.

Yu Fei walked in and said:

My third sister is getting married tomorrow.

I heard that your husband's family went to great lengths to marry you, even stealing the princess's gold jewelry.

Yu Shu was furious inside, but she still stubbornly insisted, "So what? If I go, I'll be the principal wife, unlike you, who can only be a concubine."

Yu Fei was so angry her face turned green. Yu Yao walked in and looked at them, saying:

"What's all the noise about? Aren't you embarrassed enough already?"

If outsiders found out that the three of us sisters don't get along, wouldn't we be laughed at to death?

If you didn't marry well, then you have to climb up on your own. What kind of place is this, with sisters bickering and arguing?

Yu Fei's face turned pale:

Climb up? How do you climb up? And where do you climb to?

One of us married a scholar, the other a peasant, and I married the crown prince, who is a fickle and easily bored man.

Yu Yao frowned and said:

"So what? I'll analyze the advantages of our families. I want to marry a man who's fallen on hard times."

But he does have some talent, so it would be good if he could pass the exam.

The third sister did marry a peasant, but her grandmother is now highly regarded by the Empress Dowager.

Moreover, Zhou Wanwan is exceptionally clever; she owns all sorts of shops.

Yu Fei frowned and said, "So what? Will she hand over those shops?"

Yu Yao smiled faintly and said:

Why should they hand over their shops?

They're naturally unwilling, but we can cooperate!

She owns a snack shop, a cosmetics shop, a restaurant, a pharmacy...

We can cooperate with anyone, no matter who they are.

Yu Shu's eyes lit up. "Are they willing to cooperate with us?"

Yu Yao smiled and said:

"If the money is right, why wouldn't people want to cooperate?"

So it depends on whether you know how to handle things. When you go there, you should try your best to please your fourth uncle and aunt.

You need to build a good relationship with your fourth uncle and aunt, and even more importantly, with Zhou Wanwan.

She's just a child; you can easily find out her supply channels by lying to her.

Once we know where she gets her supplies, you won't need her anymore.

Yu Shu shook her head and said, "Even if we had the channels, were we going to open those shops in the capital?"

Yu Yao sighed:

Do you intend to fight Princess Jianing?

We can't open a branch in Beijing, but our family has businesses elsewhere!

Yu Shu immediately understood, and nodded, saying, "It's just a child, right? I can definitely handle it."

The wedding procession arrived early the next morning.

Yu Shu also arrived at the Zhou Family. Old Madam Zhou asked in a low voice, "Zhou Fusheng, Liu Su'e, I asked you to prepare 50 tables of food. Have you finished?"

Zhou Fusheng stared blankly at Old Madam Zhou and said, "What fifty tables? I didn't know that!"

Old Madam Zhou questioned loudly, "I clearly told you as soon as I arrived that I needed you to prepare 50 tables of food, how could you forget?"

Zhou Fusheng thought for a moment and said:

"Oh! Which day are you talking about? Didn't I already answer you that day?"

"The food delivery issue isn't my responsibility; I can't make that decision."

Qian Huihui was so anxious she was pacing around in circles:

"Zhou Fusheng, how could you and your husband do such a thing?"

Today is your nephew's big day, what's wrong with preparing 50 tables for your feast?

Didn't we agree that you pay first, and we'll reimburse you later?

Zhou Fusheng sighed and said, "Alas! How can we pay first if we don't have the money?"

Qian Huihui was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes. She was about to receive the bride when she was told that there wasn't a single table of food available.

How could she not be anxious?

Qian Huihui knelt down in front of them with a thud and said:

"Fusheng, I beg you, please save your nephew!"

If we don't book the banquet now, it will be too late!

The surrounding guests pointed and whispered, "The bride is about to enter the house, and this family hasn't even prepared a banquet?"

"These uncle and aunt are really going too far! They already agreed, how can they go back on their word?"

Liu Su'e's tears flowed down her cheeks:

"I didn't originally intend to say this in front of so many people."

But I just gave you all my gold jewelry yesterday. Didn't you say we didn't need to worry about anything else?

Why are you forcing us to prepare a feast for you today?