The Wife Is First

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Visiting Parents

About the chapter title: A bride is supposed to return home and greet their parents with their new husband. 

“Yan Ji pays respects to Wang Fei. Wang Fei, please drink some tea.” Fourth Rank Concubine Liu greeted, full of respect. She gave Mu Hanzhang a kowtow, then offered up the small cup a servant girl passed to her. Her lovely face was lowered while her eyes did not have much expression.

Mu Hanzhang took a sip of tea and rewarded her with a string of pearls from the South China Sea; when she received it, he allowed her to rise.

“This servant kowtows to Wang Fei; congratulating Wang Fei on your new marriage and wishing you great happiness.” With a light and cheerful tone, hearing it, it was definitely one trying to curry favor. Concubine Li was a “Shi Qie”, a fifth rank concubine. She could not call herself by a title. It was only suitable to use “this servant”. However, she was originally born from a maid, so the words “this servant” flowed out extremely smoothly.

“Get up then.” Mu Hanzhang put down the tea cup and rewarded Concubine Li a pair of golden hairpins. Female accessories, naturally there were none in his “dowry”. The people at Marquis Bei Wei’s residence would also not buy them for him. This was all secretly given to him by his mother some night before he was married off; fearing that he would be belittled by the concubines. 

Meng Xi saw that when the Wang Fei gave out rewards, he was quite liberal, so her original sentiment of “staying to watch a show” was repressed. In her heart, she thought about how other people said that taking in a bastard son was worth more than the daughter of an official wife. When the daughter of the official wife was married off, she would only get her share of dowry silver, but after bastards were married off, they would still be able to claim their share of family property.

Mu Hanzhang looked down and said slowly: “I am a man. In the future, when you are doing or saying anything you must abide by the proper etiquette. For the morning and evening visits, you only need to come and informally give your greetings, other times it is not necessary for you to stay and wait upon me.” His clear and smooth voice was extremely nice to listen to and the not too fast, not too slow speed carried authority that one would not be able to defy.

The two hurriedly lifted themselves up and Concubine Li also put away her amused expression.

“If there is nothing else, then just go back.” Mu Hanzhang said indifferently.

Concubine Liu Yan gave a look to Concubine Li. Concubine Li rolled her eyes, and smiling she said: “Thanking Wang Fei, it’s just that Fu Ren has still not come, these servants will just wait outside the door to return the West Court together.” The good show was still not over, they couldn’t just go like this.

Through Mu Hanzhang’s lowered eyes flashed a cold light, he was slightly intolerant towards women’s little tricks. As he was about to have them go wait in the reception hall, he heard a woman’s laughter coming from outside the door: “Qie has never seen Wang Ye like this…”

The voices grew closer and closer, and soon they saw Jing Shao striding in. On his face was a faint smiling expression, but when he saw clearly the people in the room, his face immediately grew cold.

It was pardonable to have to walk with her after meeting her on his way, yet she was actually using him as a cover for being late to pay respects to the Wang Fei. The concubines were already here but she was not, who was she putting on airs for? The joyful and happy state of mind he was in after chatting freely with his brother for the whole afternoon was immediately annoyed away by Song Linxin. 

Brother…

When Mu Hanzhang heard this form of address, he only felt that the veins on his forehead were suddenly pulsing. Normally the Secondary Wife is allowed to address the Official Wife as “Sister”, but he was a man, and should be called “Brother”, but after hearing it, why did it sound so awkward?