Reborn Lady

Chapter 131

As night descended, the roast sheep feast officially commenced. Two cooks brought out a whole sheep and placed it on the bonfire. The sheep had been prepared in advance, with seasonings like onions, ginger, and salt stuffed into its belly, and its entire body coated with sugar and sesame oil. The moment it was set over the fire, the aroma of the meat wafted through the air.

Er Lang and San Lang both swallowed their saliva in anticipation, while Xiao Heng sat in the arms of his wet nurse, fixated on the dancing flames. A burst of hearty laughter from the male guests, including Yan Wang, caught the attention of Yin Hui and the others. They observed as the men raised their wine bowls one after another. In banquets, men always indulged in wine and lively conversations.

Conversely, the female guests engaged in quieter conversations, clustered together and mingling amidst the crackling of the firewood. The chef brought some roasted meat, and the maids placed a plate in front of each master.

Yin Hui could savor the meat, but Xiao Heng was too young, so she worried he might get overheated from only eating meat. She had arranged for the kitchen to prepare vegetable porridge. With meat and vegetables, Yin Hui tore a piece of meat and fed it to Xiao Heng. Once the little one had finished, the wet nurse would give him a spoonful of porridge.

Xu Qingwan and Ji Xianxian also provided food for their children. Er Lang couldn’t help but notice how delicious Xiao Heng’s food looked and inquired, “Third Aunt, what kind of porridge is Wu Lang eating?”

Although he was too far away to see clearly, he was convinced it must be tasty. Yin Hui replied with a smile, “It’s vegetable porridge. We chop cabbage leaves and cook them in the porridge.”

Er Lang immediately displayed a “very unappetizing” expression. He was quite selective about his food, only eating vegetables when his father was watching him.

Ji Xianxian cast an envious look at Yin Hui and said, “Wu Lang is so easy to raise, but Er Lang is picky about food. Getting him to eat vegetables is more challenging than making him memorize a book.”

Yin Hui couldn’t help but glance in the direction of Wei Luo, who was seated on the male guests’ side.

She had always been selective about her diet, while Wei Luo could eat anything. It seemed that Xiao Heng had inherited his father’s preferences.

When Yin Hui was about halfway full, she noticed a group of performers in Hu-style skirts slowly approaching in the distance. As they drew closer, she could clearly make out a dozen tall female singers. The females positioned themselves between the two bonfires and began to dance.

Each singer held a torch measuring four to five feet in length, and their dance was not overly extravagant. It appeared effortless, evoking images of shepherds tending their flocks on the open grasslands and carefree children at play. Yin Hui found herself swaying to the rhythm unconsciously.

The other female guests seemed equally entranced. Suddenly, Wei Ying, wiping her hands with a handkerchief, leaped up with a radiant smile and joined the singers. Her actions prompted a helpless headshake from Concubine Guo when her daughter failed to heed her.

On the male guests’ side, King Yan, upon spotting his daughter’s radiant face illuminated by the torch, paid no mind and continued to enjoy his drink. He cast careful glances at the younger generation present. He wasn’t particularly concerned about the sons. King Yan first noticed Feng Teng, who was heartily gnawing on a leg of the meat with his mouth smudged with oil. His gaze lingered on one singer for a while before shifting to another. Perhaps he was simply watching casually while enjoying his meal. Yang Pengju engaged in conversation with his father and didn’t appear particularly interested in the dancers. Cui Yu, with a sincere smile, watched them dance with genuine admiration, focusing on their performance rather than their appearances.

King Yan was quite content; none of the three young men from outside the family showed any signs of lust.

The following day, King Yan granted his sons a day off and requested they spend it with their wives and children.

Upon waking in the morning, Wei Luo broached the topic. Yin Hui, sitting at the bedside and donning her shoes, replied, “In that case, you can go catch grasshoppers with Xiao Heng. I’ve made plans to meet my second sister-in-law, second sister, and third sister for a horse race.”

Despite the occasional rivalries and jealousies between the sisters-in-law, their interactions were generally free of major disputes. Playing together was always enjoyable.

Wei Luo asked, “Where will you be racing?”

Yin Hui answered, “Just on the grassland near the other courtyard. Don’t worry; we won’t go far.”

She smiled and walked to the closet, retrieving three sets of horse-riding attire—one in red, one in sky blue, and one in lotus green. Holding them together, she inquired, “Which one do you think looks better?”

Wei Luo examined the options and suggested, “Green.” The red outfit seemed a bit too bright.

Yin Hui considered that it was her first time racing on horse in front of others, so it would be better to opt for something not bright. Besides, since she would be staying in the paddock for a month, all three sets of horse-riding attire would undoubtedly come in handy.

After breakfast, Yin Hui hugged Xiao Heng and gave him a kiss before heading to the front yard to wait.

Ji Xianxian arrived, dressed in a red attire adorned with floral embroidery, looking splendid and captivating. Seeing Yin Hui in her green attire, she teased, “The grassland is green enough; aren’t you worried we won’t be able to spot you?”

Yin Hui chuckled and replied, “My horse is a white one.”

In truth, she also had a white attire. According to Jinzhan, it gave her a fairy-like appearance, but it blended too well with Feixue’s snow-white fur, making it hard to spot while riding.

Ji Xianxian had never seen Yin Hui’s horse before, so she didn’t take it seriously and began to chat, “Our Si Lang vomited again last night. Let’s hope he doesn’t repeat it today. The Second Master couldn’t get out of bed this morning after his solo horse race.”

Yin Hui replied, “Second sister-in-law, don’t speak too soon. It’s been a while since we last raced, and our legs might get sore.”

Ji Xianxian quipped, “It’s just soreness. I can still ride once a month even in that case. But he was totally exhausted.”

Shortly thereafter, Wei Shan and Wei Ying arrived one after the other, with one dressed in cherry red and the other in light yellow, each displaying their unique beauty.

As they left the courtyard, a servant had already brought four horses. Ji Xianxian’s mount was a bay horse, while Wei Shan and Wei Ying rode dark ones.

Yin Hui approached Feixue, smiled, and stroked the horse’s neck. Ji Xianxian, on the other hand, couldn’t help but admire Feixue more as she observed it. She regretted choosing a bay horse over this beautiful white one. Well, a gorgeous horse might not necessarily be the fastest.

The four girls mounted their horses and headed toward the grassland. The grassland sprawled in front of them. Ji Xianxian selected a starting point, instructed a young eunuch to stay there, and then sent another young eunuch three miles away to act as the endpoint. They would ride back and forth, and the first one to return would be the winner.

While waiting for the young eunuch to position himself in the distance, the four girls dismounted to stretch their muscles.