On the eve of his departure, Xincheng Bo Zhao Zhilong held a banquet for Wang Pu Qianxing at the Aixiang Pavilion on the banks of the Qinhuai River. He also invited the two young men, Liu Kongzhao, Duke of Wei Xu Hongji, Chang Yanling, and Li Zushu, to accompany him.

At this time, there was still some time before the banquet started. The host and guests had not arrived yet, but there were already singing and dancing in the Aixiang Pavilion, with laughter and joy. Liu Rushi, Li Xiangjun, Dong Xiaowan, Li Shiniang, Gu Mei, Kou Baimen, and Bian Yujing were all here, and they were joking around Chen Yuanyuan.

After the sisters were chattering, Li Xiangjun asked first: "Sister Yuanyuan, I heard that General Wang would rather give himself a hostage to the Taihu water bandits in order to save you. Is this true?"

The other sisters also raised their ears. Although they had heard of this for a long time, they always had some doubts in their hearts. They all felt that it was unlikely that a general like Wang Pu, who had just made great contributions, would risk his life for a woman in turmoil.

"Yeah." Chen Yuanyuan recalled Wang Pu's firm tone at that time and acted as he took risks. Her eyes became gentle and responded, "This is true."

"Sister Yuanyuan, you are so happy." Li Xiangjun held his cheek with his hands and said enviously, "General Wang doesn't even want his own life to save you. Such a wishful husband is really hard to find with a lantern. And my younger sister also heard that General Wang has already swore in public that after entering Beijing, he will go back to Jiangnan to pave the floor with a red felt and carry a sedan chair to marry you through the door, right?"

The atmosphere in the attic became a little awkward.

Liu Rushi, Li Shiniang and Li Xiangjun, who are young, Dong Xiaowan is really happy for Chen Yuanyuan, but Kou Baimen, Gu Mei and Bian Yujing can't help but feel jealous in his heart, and sighed that Chen Yuanyuan's life is so good. Wang Pu not only has feelings for her, but also wants to marry her as his wife. What is really a good thing that she can take on?

"Good sister." Chen Yuanyuan was smart and could not feel the change in the atmosphere between her sisters. She gently hugged Li Xiangjun's shoulders and said softly, "The general said this, but my sister never dared to have such a luxury. After all, we are firework women. It is not easy to be able to have a good place. How can we still seek fame?"

"My sister Yuanyuan, you are wrong." Liu Rushi said, "Who said we firework women cannot ask for status? Since General Wang said this, if you go back to Jiangnan in the future, if he doesn't use the red felt to pave the floor and doesn't have to carry a sedan chair to marry you, my sister will not agree."

Liu Rushi's experience is the most miserable among the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, and his experience is the most bumpy, but he is also the most character.

Liu Rushi's father was an imperial physician in the court, but died unjustly because he was framed by a traitor. His mother asked someone to take Liu Rushi back to his parents' home and hand it over to his brothers and then committed suicide. Liu Rushi became an orphan at the age of three. When Liu Rushi was thirteen, his uncle was seriously ill. In order to treat his uncle, Liu Rushi had to sell himself to Zhou Daodeng, the cabinet minister who was dismissed from office and was a maid.

Zhou Daodeng was over 60 years old, but he forced Liu Rushi, who was only thirteen years old, as his concubine. This action aroused the jealousy of other wives and concubines. He designed to sell Liu Rushi into the homeyard in Shengze, Wujiang. Because Liu Rushi was still young, he first became a maid to Xu Fo, a famous lady from Nanqu who was returning home at that time.

Later, with the support of Xu Fo, Liu Rushi was able to redeem himself. From then on, she wandered in Songjiang, Suzhou, Nanjing, Yangzhou, Hangzhou and other places, and had many friends with scholars from all over the country. Liu Rushi's original intention was to find her wish-fulfilled husband from scholars from all over the country and give her life, but the result made her disappointed again and again.

However, the setbacks again and again did not make Liu Rushi lose confidence in life, but instead made her more persistent and stronger!

Among the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, Liu Ru is not the most beautiful or talented, but she is definitely the one who has the most pursuit and faith. She always has a dream in her heart: she not only wants to find her husband, but also wants her husband to pave the floor with a red felt and carry her sedan chair to marry her through the house. She also needs to use her knowledge to help her future husband come out and become the prime minister.

"Sister." Chen Yuanyuan held Liu Rushi's little hand and asked with concern, "I heard that you went to Changshu a while ago and met Mr. Qian?"

Liu Rushi showed a slightly embarrassed look on his face and nodded lightly.

Chen Yuanyuan widened her beautiful eyes and said anxiously: "Sister, you don't really plan to marry Qian Qianyi, is he? He is thirty-six years older than you."

Liu Rushi whispered: "Sister hasn't thought about it yet."

"Then don't think about it." Chen Yuanyuan said anxiously, "Sister, you can't marry him."

Liu Rushi smiled slightly, held Chen Yuanyuan's small hand, and said softly: "Good sister, not every sister can be as blessed as you."

"Or, or..." Chen Yuanyuan mustered up the courage and whispered, "Why don't you go and talk to the general and let him marry you too? I'm willing to be a young girl. Really, sister, you look like a fairy and have extraordinary talent. Staying by the general's side will definitely help you a lot. Unlike the younger sister, you can't do anything except singing and dancing."

"Good sister." Liu Rushi gently hugged Chen Yuanyuan, feeling grateful and pity in his heart, and said softly, "You are such a silly sister. Other women are trying to stop their husband from taking concubines. How could they be like you? Before they officially passed the door, they were planning to marry their husband."

"But we are good sisters." Chen Yuanyuan said anxiously, "And sister, you are extremely talented and will definitely be very busy with the general. If you help the general, you are just helping the younger sister. It's too late to be grateful to the younger sister, so why would you be jealous?"

"Silly sister." Liu Rushi closed Chen Yuanyuan's hair and smiled, "Then don't ask your sister if she is willing? The sister wants to marry a talented man in Shilin, not the general of the border town of the court. Okay, sister, you should talk about you and General Wang, sisters, all the sisters want to hear it."

Chen Yuanyuan's face looked shy and said in a low voice: "What's there to say?"

Only then could Gu Mei get into the conversation and asked, "My sister Yuanyuan, my sister heard that your husband brought back a large amount of gold, silver, ginseng and Dongzhu from Liaodong. My sister wanted to ask you to help me and buy some gold, silver and hand jewelry from your husband. If you can buy two Dongzhu, it would be great."

As Gu Mei finished speaking, the rest of Kou Baimen, Bian Yujing, Li Shiniang and others were also moved. There was nothing strange about gold, silver jewelry, ginseng, etc. This Dongzhu is a rare treasure and is priceless in Jiangnan! Grinding the Dongzhu into powder and applying it on the face has a miraculous effect on beauty, and has always been a rare treasure that fireworks women dream of.

Chen Yuanyuan smiled sweetly and said in a sweet voice: "No need to say, the younger sisters are all ready."

After saying that, Chen Yuanyuan turned around and shouted out of the attic: "Mom, present everything."

Aunt Li, the madam from Aixiang Pavilion, twisted her waist and swayed her hips and walked in. There were seven maids following her. The seven of them held trays in their hands, and each of them placed two brocade boxes one long and one square on them. The brocade boxes were well-crafted and had dark patterns on their faces. At first glance, they were boutiques from Nanjing Jinxiufang.

Chen Yuanyuan smiled and said, "This is a gift prepared by the little sister for the sisters. Sisters, please open it and take a look."

Gu Mei, Kou Baimen, Bian Yujing and Li Xiangjun, Dong Xiaowan opened his two brocade boxes one after another, and saw that the long box contained an old mountain ginseng, while the square box contained an egg-sized East Pearl! Gu Mei, Li Xiangjun and Dong Xiaowan's beautiful eyes lit up instantly, but a hint of undetectable color appeared in Bian Yujing's beautiful eyes.

"Oh, hey." The madam, Aunt Li, clapped her hands and screamed, "Miss Yuanyuan, your gift is so heavy."

Chen Yuanyuan smiled and said, "Mom, Yuanyuan has prepared a copy for you, and I will send it to you if I look back."

Aunt Li smiled charmingly and said, "How can you be so embarrassed?"

Chen Yuanyuan, Li Xiangjun and Dong Xiaowan covered their mouths and laughed secretly. Aunt Li said tactfully: "Okay, you sisters are having a good chat. I'll go to the kitchen to watch. Today, let you sisters taste your mother's skills."

After Aunt Li left, Liu Rushi said, "Good sister, this gift is too heavy, and my sister cannot accept it."

"Sister." Chen Yuanyuan held Liu Rushi's little hand and said without hesitation, "This is the betrothal gift from the general to Yufeng class. Wang Bantou only accepted half of it, and the other half returned to make dowry for the little sister. This is the little sister's wish. If you don't accept it, you will not have my sister in your heart."

Gu Mei smiled and said, "Sister Rushi, it's rare that Sister Yuanyuan has a good intention, you can accept it."

"Yes, Sister Rushi, please accept it."

"Please accept it."

Li Xiangjun and Dong Xiaowan also spoke out to persuade each other.
Chapter completed!