Li Jin saw his wife's triumphant look, and he understood exactly what was going on in her mind.
"Alright, since it's decided, she should learn properly with Nanny Li."
"I believe in you. You will definitely learn very well."
Li Jin encouraged his daughter.
Xu Jinxin pulled Yingniang along in a show of defiance, "You guessed wrong. We are going to play with the Princess Consort."
After Xu Jinxin finished speaking, she smiled and left with Yingniang.
Li Jin also smiled; his wife was being mischievous again.
Xu Jinxin personally escorted Yingniang to the Bamboo Pavilion. Duoduo was very happy to see Yingniang.
However, with Nanny Li present, Duoduo only nodded at Yingniang.
Nanny Li frowned slightly upon seeing Yingniang.
"Madam Li, this is?"
Xu Jinxin smiled and curtsied to Nanny Li.
"The child had a slight stomachache just now, which delayed us."
"See, as soon as she felt a little better, she clamored to come over and study with the Princess."
Yingniang respectfully curtsied to Nanny Li.
"Nanny, I am sorry for being late."
"Nanny, Yingniang is my study companion!" Duoduo explained to Nanny Li.
Nanny Li sized Yingniang up. "Go sit down!"
Yingniang bowed and walked over to sit next to Duoduo.
"Thank you for your hard work, Nanny."
Xu Jinxin nodded and quickly left.
She was also intimidated by Nanny Li's imposing manner!
Facing Nanny Li, Xu Jinxin couldn't help but feel a deep-seated awe, reminding her of a certain someone from a certain time.
Slipping away was the best policy.
Anyway, she wasn't the one who had to study.
Nanny Li did not start over from the beginning just because Yingniang had missed part of the class.
Because her purpose was to teach the Princess; Yingniang was merely a student sitting in on the class.
Duoduo had already been trained in the etiquette of sitting, standing, and walking.
Although she was a bit rusty, she would quickly adapt.
Nanny Li primarily lectured on dining etiquette and taboos at the table.
Beyond just dining, she also talked about what kinds of dishes should be prepared for the table during different seasons, and which foods could not be eaten together.
She covered the banquets that could be held in each season, the festival gifts to prepare, and various etiquette taboos.
Duoduo listened very attentively because Nanny Li had said that she would encounter all the things taught today in the future.
Yingniang was also quite fascinated.
She had never imagined that there could be so many banquets to host throughout the year.
In spring, there were flower-viewing banquets and spring outing banquets; in autumn, fruit-tasting and autumn hunts; in winter, gathering around the stove and plum-blossom viewing banquets.
Throughout the four seasons, everything could be an occasion for a banquet.
There were also banquets for childbirth, one-month celebrations for babies, passing the imperial examinations, and promotions...
Hosting a banquet was no simple matter.
First, one had to list the people to invite, then personally write the invitation cards, and order a trusted servant to deliver them into the guests' hands.
Once the invitations were sent, the food, fruits, and pastries for the banquet had to be prepared.
During this process, one also needed to know if anyone invited had food allergies, so those ingredients could be excluded.
Furthermore, one had to know the favorite dishes of the important VIPs and specially add them to the menu!
After the food was settled, the next step was to plan the activities for the banquet.
They needed to be novel, but not too outrageous, and not too difficult.
With so many guests invited, ensuring everyone's convenience was a must, so there had to be a systematic arrangement for the servants.
Once the banquet arrangements were in order, the final step was to prepare parting gifts.
Every attendee would receive a parting gift.
This was also the best time to build closer relationships.
For close friends and important figures, special gifts needed to be prepared.
For the rest, standard gifts could be mass-produced.
Finally, safely escorting every guest back home completed a perfect banquet.
From the initial planning to the final conclusion, the entire process could take anywhere from a month or two to half a year.
As Duoduo listened, her mouth fell open in astonishment.
"Nanny, what is the purpose of hosting a banquet?"
"With so much time, wouldn't it be better to read books or do some work?" Duoduo raised her question.
She couldn't understand the point of something so mentally exhausting, expensive, and time-consuming.
Nanny Li glanced at Duoduo.
"Princess, this old servant explained it to you just now."
"Certain banquets are hosted to build closer relationships with specific people; they are absolutely necessary."
"Moreover, in the capital, hosting a banquet is the best time to test the capabilities of a noble lady."
"If you are in the capital in the future, you must definitely know how to do this."
"But I live in Xianyang, not the capital." Duoduo found it troublesome.
Nanny Li was silent for a moment.
"His Highness asked this old servant to teach you the things that noble ladies in the capital learn. I am merely following orders."
Duoduo understood; Nanny Li was doing this at her father's request.
Duoduo stood up and bowed to Nanny Li.
"I'm sorry, Nanny. Please continue."
Seeing that Duoduo was no longer resisting, Nanny Li resumed her lecture.
The next topic was how one should dress for these banquets.
Yingniang looked at Nanny Li with some curiosity.
Just now, when Duoduo objected, Yingniang had broken out in a cold sweat for her.
She was worried that if Nanny Li got angry, she might punish Duoduo.
Fortunately, Nanny Li merely explained things to Duoduo.
Yingniang's attention was quickly drawn back by Nanny Li's words.
While Yingniang was completely engrossed, over on the other side, Xu Jinxin was worrying about her.
"Ouch!"
Xu Jinxin pricked her own finger with a needle, and a bead of blood welled up.
"Ah! What are you thinking about? You stabbed the needle right into your finger!"
"Quick, bring the medicine box!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang saw Xu Jinxin get hurt and immediately felt a surge of distress.
"No need!" Xu Jinxin called out to stop the maid.
She put her finger in her mouth and sucked on it. "It's fine, look."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked at the hand that was no longer bleeding and felt very helpless.
"You really are so ungraceful, and it's not clean either."
"By the way, what were you thinking about just now? You were so lost in thought."
Xu Jinxin tossed the embroidery pattern in her hand to the side.
"I am naturally at odds with this thing!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang was amused and laughed.
"Sigh, I'm worried about Yingniang," Xu Jinxin sighed.
"She is afraid of Nanny Li. Today, she even pretended to be sick so she wouldn't have to go to her."
"Li Jin insisted she go learn. Later, I finally managed to coax her into going to Nanny Li."
"But my heart is all over the place; I just can't feel at ease."
The Princess Consort of Pingyang smiled and waved to Lianxin.
"Go sneak a peek at the Bamboo Pavilion and see how the Princess and Yingniang are doing."
Lianxin nodded and walked away briskly.
"You don't need to worry now, right? You'll know once Lianxin comes back."
As the Princess Consort of Pingyang spoke, she lowered her head and resumed embroidering.
The embroidery work in her hands was a new dress for Duoduo.
Xu Jinxin watched her skillful movements with great envy.
"You're such a good mother. I can only buy clothes for Yingniang to wear."
"I'm just passing the time. Otherwise, how would I get through the days?"
A hint of melancholy flashed in the eyes of the Princess Consort of Pingyang.
Through the long, slow years of living in the inner courtyard, one always had to find something to do. Otherwise, how could one survive?
