The Challenge of a Farmhouse Son-in-Law-Chapter 490 - 500: The Gossip of the Lu Family

The worship of the Dragon King and Dragon Mother is indispensable for all officials.

In the Lin Residence, the aunt had sent someone to inform Youyou the day before, saying that she would take Youyou and her sisters to worship the Dragon Mother. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Meanwhile, the uncle was going to take the boys of the family to worship the Dragon King under the leadership of the Emperor and the State Preceptor.

Gu Youyou put on the new clothes sent by her aunt and got up early in the morning.

The Dragon King Temple was twenty miles outside of the city; traveling there by carriage, when Youyou alighted, she found the temple already packed with people.

Both men and women were present, but stood separated on the left and right sides respectively.

The Dragon King and Dragon Mother sat at the front, on the left and right. It was said that men should worship the Dragon King and women the Dragon Mother, but in fact, people queued up in mixed groups to worship them together. This was also the day when young ladies from Beijing’s boudoirs could openly and closely observe the young masters from other families.

If a man and a woman ended up worshipping the Dragon King and the Dragon Mother together, that was considered a rare affinity.

Youyou looked ahead and saw that apart from the Empress Dowager, who was elderly and had difficulty walking and thus was seated, everyone else stood.

Gu Youyou’s maternal grandmother had not come, having heard that the State Preceptor would recite the ceremonial words for four hours; the elderly ladies without the privilege to sit would not attend. Hearing this, even the young Youyou felt daunted.

The aunt handed Youyou a basket and instructed her, "This is your first time coming to worship the Dragon Mother. If you don’t know how, just follow what others do. Don’t worry, just follow the crowd behind you, it’s very simple."

Seeing that the young ladies and masters from other families had also received baskets, Youyou obediently nodded.

Her elder cousin Lin Qianjing excitedly pulled Youyou aside to introduce everyone: "That is the legitimate daughter of the family of the director from Zongrenfu, she used to sit behind me at school, three years older than me, and is now married to the family of the junior preceptor."

Ah, Zhuzhao Country is so enlightened that it even has schools dedicated for females.

"That one with the peach blossom eyes is the son of General Lu. General Lu’s concubines bore him a bunch of daughters, and he treasures his only legitimate son deeply. Madam Lu and General Lu were childhood betrothed, and since she is somewhat coarse and not to General Lu’s liking, she could only secure her position as his main wife because she bore him a son; otherwise, he would have demoted her to a concubine long ago."

Youyou was surprised: "Can she be demoted just like that?" Shouldn’t there be a reason to divorce her instead?

Lin Qianqing pursed her lips and laughed, "Oh, the stories of General Lu’s house are the most and the most entertaining. Take Madam Lu, for example, she’s been demoted to a concubine before, more than once."

"What?" Youyou was very surprised.

A main wife being demoted to a concubine for fun? And more than once.

"Come on over here, and I’ll tell you all about it slowly."

Lin Qianqing pulled Youyou aside, suppressing her laughter, and whispered, "Madam Lu’s father is a second-ranked official from the Ministry of Personnel, and General Lu was originally a third-ranked military official. In times of peace, civil officials generally have an easier time than military officials, so the childhood betrothal was actually General Lu marrying above his station. The thing is, General Lu had never met Madam Lu before their wedding, so he had no idea what she looked like..."

Just as she was saying this, a robust woman sent a basket to the peach-eyed son of General Lu, and Qianqing excitedly pulled Youyou, saying, "Did you see? That’s Madam Lu. Cousin, how can a woman look like that? If I didn’t know she was indeed a woman, I’d think she was a burly man in disguise."

Youyou followed the direction Qianqing was pointing and was startled at the sight.