CHAPTER 268: CHAPTER 249: ENGAGEMENT BANQUET: BEGINS.

Time: 10:55

Location: Main Hall, 5th Floor, Jinfo Grand Hotel

The engagement banquet in Yuanfeng City is essentially the first meeting between the families of the couple.

According to tradition, for this engagement banquet:

In addition to the groom, the male side must bring eight family members and friends, making a total of nine to symbolize eternal unity.

Due to special family circumstances, Shen Yanhua brought his grandmother and seven friends as his eight attendees.

Besides the bride and her parents, the female side must also have eight relatives and friends and an elder as a witness.

Jiang Zhenguo brought five uncles of Jiang Jiaying and three elder family members.

Additionally, there is also a highly respected elder over 100 years old in Yuanfeng City to witness this engagement concerning the couple’s lifelong happiness.

The theme of this so-called engagement banquet revolves around the conditions set by both parties to have a ’friendly’ discussion.

However, with the evolution of the times, now the engagement banquet has become:

Both parties decide on the dowry/bride price (amount) before the engagement banquet.

Then, the agreed amount is presented during the banquet.

If both parties have no objections, a designated witness announces the couple’s relationship in front of both families.

When the engagement banquet concludes, only then can the couple take the household registration booklet given by their parents to register the marriage.

The wedding ceremony will afterward be held on a chosen auspicious date by the female side.

This is the wedding process in Yuanfeng City.

This shows that whether the couple can become husband and wife depends on whether this engagement banquet can be held and completed smoothly.

Initially, Jiang Zhenguo set the bride price for Shen Yanhua at 480,000, with only 10,000 as a dowry.

Shen Yanhua can choose not to accept it, but not accepting means losing the other party forever.

For Shen Yanhua, this is absolutely unacceptable.

To gather this 480,000 in the stipulated time, Shen Yanhua has exhausted all means...

If he can’t present that 480,000 at the engagement banquet, he might miss the only opportunity to be legitimately with the other party.

Because if missed this time, according to Yuanfeng City’s customs:

A future engagement banquet requires not only the consent of the girl’s parents but also can only be held in the following year.

During this year, the man must not have any contact with the woman, as it is considered a taboo in traditional customs.

If a taboo is breached, the man can never step into the woman’s household again.

So Shen Yanhua dare not gamble that in a year without him, unforeseen changes might occur.

After all, Shen Yanhua knows that many in Yuanfeng City covet his beautiful girlfriend.

Only by legitimately marrying her can Shen Yanhua truly be at ease and reassure the other party as well.

...

When Shen Yanhua and his entourage entered the banquet hall, the Jiang Zhenguo family was already seated.

But Jiang Jiaying was nowhere to be seen.

According to traditional customs, Jiang Jiaying should be behind the large screen on one side of the banquet hall now.

Jiang Jiaying will only appear after both parties agree on all conditions.

If the negotiation breaks down and both sides part unhappily, Jiang Jiaying will leave through the side door behind the screen.

From the start of disagreement, Shen Yanhua will not have any contact with Jiang Jiaying for at least a year, including phone communications.

If discovered to have secretly contacted, the couple’s chance to become legally married will be completely lost.

This is the ancestral home rule passed down through generations in Yuanfeng City.

As Shen Yanhua and the others opened the door to enter the banquet hall, a host immediately followed, saying:

"Is this the groom Shen Yanhua and his relatives?"

Shen Yanhua nodded:

"Yes!"

The host pointed to a round table next to Jiang Zhenguo:

"Please have a seat."

Shen Yanhua nodded politely, then invited everyone to sit down one by one.

After Shen Yanhua and his group sat down, the host spoke again:

"Since the representatives of both parties are here, then..."

At this moment, the tightly closed doors of the banquet hall were suddenly opened from the outside.

Then a group of people swaggered into the hall, led by Song Tianyang, who said:

"Sorry to interrupt, please continue."

The host seemed puzzled:

"May I ask to which side these people belong?"

Song Tianyang directly led the group to sit at another round table, then said to the host:

"We are just here to join in the fun, ignore us and continue."

"Uh..."

The host probably encountered such a situation for the first time and didn’t know what to say, so he cast an inquiring look at Jiang Zhenguo.

Jiang Zhenguo gestured to the host to continue:

"Continue."

Seeing that the host had been instructed, the host quickly adjusted his posture and then said enthusiastically:

"Ladies and gentlemen, dear guests, good afternoon!"

"On behalf of Mr. Jiang Zhenguo, I warmly welcome and sincerely thank everyone for attending!"

"It’s a pleasure to gather here at Jinfo Grand Hotel during this golden autumn and harvest season for the engagement banquet of Mr. Shen Yanhua and Miss Jiang Jiaying."

"Before the engagement ceremony, which concerns the lifelong happiness of Mr. Shen Yanhua and Miss Jiang Jiaying, let’s first enjoy the various delicacies that Jinfo Grand Hotel has prepared for us."

"Please, our staff, begin serving!"

"Bang!"

The two double doors of the banquet hall were pushed open simultaneously, and a line of waiters walked in with various dishes.

Jiang Zhenguo pointed to Song Tianyang’s table, saying to the waiter about to serve his table:

"Serve them first, and let the kitchen prepare another table."

The waiter understood and immediately called others to head to Song Tianyang’s table.

Song Tianyang smiled at Jiang Zhenguo:

"Thanks, Uncle Jiang."

Jiang Zhenguo smiled slightly:

"Guests come first, can’t neglect."

At this moment, an elder next to Jiang Zhenguo whispered in his ear:

"There’s something unusual today, and I see the third uncle and others are acting oddly. Should we postpone the engagement banquet?"

Jiang Zhenguo glanced at the tense-looking Shen Yanhua across the table and said expressionlessly:

"If this kid is truly capable, whatever tricks they play are useless."

"And if this kid really has no ability, even if he gets through this, what about next time and the time after?"

"I won’t hand my only daughter over to a man who can’t protect her adequately."

"Don’t worry, Second Master, I have my plans."

The elder referred to as Second Master sighed softly and stopped speaking.

Soon, dishes were served to all three tables, including a separate portion for Jiang Jiaying behind the screen.

For some reason, after the dishes were served, the people at Jiang Zhenguo’s table seemed not hungry and ate sparingly.

As for Shen Yanhua’s side, perhaps they had already tried Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, so they barely touched the food.

Only Song Tianyang’s table seemed to enjoy their meal enthusiastically.

After eating and drinking, the host stepped onto the stage, and after a dull speech, announced the main part of the engagement banquet.

Suddenly, a square table covered in red cloth was brought in, called the "joy table."

Shen Yanhua adjusted his attire, sat upright in front of the joy table, and said to the female representative at Jiang Zhenguo’s table:

"Let’s begin."

......

Today’s update is finished.