The Marquis' Wife
Dinner

"Mommy's pain, you're so strong that you clutch my hand" Lu Lian brushed off her mother's hand and rubbed the sore arm.

"Tell me Lu Lian. Do you have any thoughts you shouldn't have?".

Lu Lian was silent. "What does mother mean? I don't get it".

"Take me right!. Do you have such thoughts? Are you not satisfied to have your family resold because of you?!"

Her mother's shout made Lu Lian become annoyed. "Mother! I just want happiness. Did I not deserve it?".

"But happiness is exchanged for the sacrifice of your family. Don't you pity to see Lu Feng? He was able to adapt to his new boss. Lucky now he has an employer and a friend who can make him happy".

"Lu Feng's! Lu Feng's! Lu Feng's. Is it just Lu Feng in mom's eyes? How's me?!".

"You can't seduce master Lu!! Don't you realize how much Master Lu respects and loves his wife? Stop dreaming!!" Lu Fang was furious at his selfish son. He did not mind if his master also put his heart on Lu Lian but Lu Xiang was not that type, he was very afraid of the consequences of his son's actions.

Lu Lian flinched and sat down crying, she hated her mother for not supporting her in the slightest. What's wrong with trying? Wouldn't a man have 3 wives and 4 concubines? He only wanted the status of a concubine, was it also inappropriate for him just because he was a slave?!. Not his will to be a slave!!.

"Smoke your tears. I don't want to make the mistress suspicious, eliminate all the feelings that you are currently feeling towards Master Lu. I'll find you a good man". Lu Fang immediately left because he did not want to make Adelia wait.

Lu Lian's eyes widened at her mother's back, not expecting that her mother would marry her to another man. He knew that his mother would only marry a slave because of her status.

He didn't want that to happen! He will not marry a despicable man and will only marry an honorable man, no matter what.

&&&

By nightfall, the maids were busy arranging 10 tables as well as putting the ingredients for the hotpot cuisine that filled the tables in the backyard which was originally an empty lot that Lu Xiang then bought to expand the area of their house.

There is tofu, vegetables, thin meat rolled pretty, mushrooms and shellfish and shrimp that are placed on each plate around a large pot that is divided into two parts, part of the white sauce is not spicy and red sauce that invites appetite.

The waiter also did not forget to put a bottle of fruit wine in the corners of the table and the glass. Colorful cooking ingredients make their own artistic value and burn smokeless charcoal and put it in an iron heater.

Shortly after, Lu Xiang's friends came with visiting gifts. Adelia, her husband and sister who had been wearing nice clothes warmly welcomed the scholars and their wives.

Adelia wears a transparent satin hanfu in light blue with a graded silk ombre fabric of light blue with blue dongker coated by a fur jacket in matching colors. Her hair she bun with Qing dynasty style and wear a set of silver blue dongker colored jewelry perfected with natural makeup, looks so beautiful and perfect.

Lu Xiang wore a lotus-patterned male hanfu on his chest lined with a large student jacket, looking so elegant and dignified. Her sisters also wear the same hanfu as their older sister, seen to be father and son clothes.

"This is Li Jin, Li Jin this is my wife Adelia".

Adelia, Lu Cheng and Lu Shan slightly bowed in a slow motion while smiling knots. "Welcome sir".

Li Jin regained his senses and immediately introduced himself and his wife."Nice to meet you, this is my wife Xiao Wen".

Xiao Wen immediately introduced herself, she was a beautiful 23-year-old woman with a slim and tall body as tall as she could for a woman.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Lu. I've heard a lot about you because of De Xiang's pastry shop. You really are an inspiring woman" Xiao Wen tried to get closer to Adelia, she really admired that woman for successfully making a name in Cheng city through her unique cake shop.

Xiao Wen did not expect that the owner of De Xiang was very beautiful, he had never heard rumors about Adelia's beauty because the woman was dressed modestly and did not dress up when visiting the cake shop.

"Call me Adelia. It's nice to also meet you madam Li, this is Lu Xiang's sister named Lu Cheng and Lu Shan. Greet Mr. Hsien Li and Mrs Li, Lu Cheng, Lu Shan".

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Hsien Li and Ms. Li" Lu Cheng and Lu Shan greeted courteously making the couple happy.

"Alright, I'll call you Adelia but you should also call Xiao Wen".

In a few sentences, the two women became close and were able to talk comfortably.

Lu Xiang introduced Adelia to her fellow students, except for Chen Xirang, Zhang Yunlei, Shao Yunan and Miao Sheng, who knew Adelia. Lu Xiang's actions astonished some of his friends because in their eyes women could only mingle with other women, there was no place for women in the place of men.

Of the 12 scholars who passed the Hsien examination, only five were married including Lu Xiang so the number of guests visiting was only 16.

"Sister-in-law. Is dinner ready? I'm so hungry?" Chen Xirang deliberately did not stuff his stomach with snacks before he came because he had tasted Adelia's delicious cuisine through Lu Xiang's lunch.

Adelia smiled amusedly. "Evening is ready, please ladies and gentlemen".

Adelia and Lu Xiang led the Hsien scholars to the back of the house courtyard which had been ornamented with lanterns on ropes fixed overhead as well as some lanterns on the unflowered tree making an impression celebration and festive.

But the focus of scholars and their wives was the dishes that lay on the table. They only saw ingredients that had not been cooked on the table, there was not a single ready-to-eat meal.

"It's..." They were reluctant to open their mouths and make Lu Xiang uncomfortable yet it was impossible for them to cook these ingredients?!.

"Master, madam. Have seat. The name of this dish is hotpot, the way you eat is you cook your own ingredients that you like like like this". Adelia demonstrates how to eat hotpots.

The wives of scholars are interested to try it, fresh and varied culinary ingredients look pleasing to the eye. They dipped the thinly rolled meat for a while as Adelia did then ate it carefully.

Their eyes widened, tender flesh and delicious gravy complement each other making their tongues seem open by the intense flavor that spits all the flavor cells.

"It's very tasty. Husband, try!" The wives put the cooked meat into the bowl of her husband.

The reaction of scholars is no different from women, taste buds tongue is hit strongly by the taste of tender meat berkuah that is so appetizing.

"It's very tasty. How can you think of eating like this Madame Xie Hsien?". One scholar named Lin Zheng asked.

Adelia feels awkward because this is not the cuisine of her creation but she also cannot tell the truth. "I just want to eat hot food because it's so cold so I'm thinking of eating this way".

"You're Adelia's genius" Xiao Wen stared in astonishment. This will be a unique way of eating something and definitely of high value.

Adelia helped Lu Shan and Lu Cheng cook the hotpot ingredients then placed them into their bowls. His two younger siblings were so quiet because of the many people yet were very enthusiastic in their

Lu Xiang saw the servants hinting to pour a fruit wine drink, he stood up while raising the wine glass.

"I'm very grateful for your coming here. I hope we can be good friends and help each other in the exam preparation, may we all pass the fu-shih exam, toast!!".

"Return!!" Scholars gulped down fruit wine and gulped.

!!!