CHAPTER 229: CHAPTER 115: THE SANG FAMILY GOSSIP (PART 2)

Mrs. Fang could only smile and accept, feeling quite embarrassed, "Look at me, asking you for advice and now making you spend money. It’s really—"

"If older sister-in-law talks like this, aren’t you treating me as an outsider!" Sang Wan laughed, "I’m happy for my second brother’s success in the Xie Yuan exam! You shouldn’t say such things. Some might even accuse me of being sycophantic!"

"Nonsense! The Shi family doesn’t need to suck up to a newly successful Xie Yuan!" Mrs. Fang quickly retorted.

"That’s not the same thing!" Sang Wan, holding her hand, laughed, "So, neither of us should say such things about the other, or it would be like we’re strangers!"

Mrs. Fang paused, then laughed self-deprecatingly, "Alright, then I won’t say it! We’ll keep grandmother and uncle’s kindness in our hearts, that’s enough!"

Sang Wan chuckled, then said, "Right, with such a joyous event, shouldn’t we also invite the villagers for a meal? I wonder what elder brother and older sister-in-law are thinking?"

Although it was Sang Yufei who passed the Xie Yuan, as the eldest brothers are like fathers and their wives like mothers, it was naturally Sang Hong and his wife who made the decisions. Sang Wan was married and considered an adult, so Mrs. Fang could discuss with her, which ironically made Sang Yufei somewhat of an outsider to the arrangements.

"Of course, we must invite them! We were discussing to go all out with big fish and big meat to really treat them well!" Mrs. Fang emphatically said, "Not to mention anything else, just for our pride, we must make a grand display and show everyone! Our Sang family is no longer the same Sang family as before! After enduring so many years of scorn, I must vent it out thoroughly this time!"

"Older sister-in-law is right!" Sang Wan couldn’t help but laugh. Over the years, the Sang family had put up with countless sneers and ridicule, longing for this day to come, and now that it had arrived, they certainly couldn’t miss it!

"Villagers aren’t so particular. Having fish, meat, and chicken at the banquet is already quite good. If we organize about twenty or thirty tables, your elder brother and I can still afford it! You all don’t need to worry about this!" Mrs. Fang, anticipating Sang Wan’s objection, hurriedly intercepted.

"That’s not the way to talk about it!" Sang Wan laughed, "If we’re going to make a statement, we should do it thoroughly and splendidly. We can’t skimp! Let’s set a date, invite chefs from the town’s restaurant, and spare no expense with shark’s fin, bird’s nest, and various delicacies. At most, a table would cost about eight to ten taels of silver. Older sister-in-law, think about it, everyone knows I married into the Shi family. If the banquet seems too ordinary, people will definitely criticize us for being stingy, so you don’t need to worry about this with me!"

"This—" Mrs. Fang was momentarily dumbfounded and at a loss for words.

What Sang Wan said seemed to make sense. Her in-laws were the wealthiest in Qingzhou, a family with mountains of silver. With her natal family’s brother achieving the distinction of Xie Yuan, if the banquet appeared too modest, it really wouldn’t look good. If not labeled miserly, they’d be accused of sibling discord.

"But to spend so much silver at once, you," Mrs. Fang glanced at Xingzhi then asked, "Wouldn’t my brother-in-law have some thoughts on this?"

Suddenly spending a few hundred or even a thousand taels of silver is no small sum.

"He won’t," Sang Wan smiled, "It was actually his idea. He couldn’t just say it, so it had to come from me."

Mrs. Fang nodded, laughing resigningly, "If both grandmother and uncle have said so, I’ve got nothing more to say! Ah, well, we’re used to owing favors anyway. It doesn’t matter if we owe some more," she said, making Sang Wan laugh.

"Then it’s settled! I’ll let the young master know later!" Sang Wan smiled.

Mrs. Fang nodded in agreement, then leaned in and whispered, "Now I don’t have any other concerns, but there is one thing troubling me, and I don’t have anyone to discuss it with!"

Mrs. Fang gestured towards the direction of Sang Pingliang’s house by nudging her mouth and stretching two fingers, frowning, "I know too well the nature of those two! I’m afraid that once the government officials arrive with the good news, there’s going to be a real spectacle! What should we do if that couple comes over to put on airs and act arrogantly?"

Sang Wan was stunned for a moment. The bitterness between the two branches of the Sang family was well-known in the village, but not to those in the town. And it was not a matter that could be explained clearly in an instant.

If Sang Pingliang and Mrs. Li came to show off, there truly was no way to deal with it, certainly not by quarreling in front of so many people!

Those from the town, unaware of the details, would just see the juniors not recognizing their own biological uncle, and assume, prejudice leading, that the Sang brothers were unfilial, and that would indeed create quite a stir!

"What does elder brother say about this?"

"Him!" Mrs. Fang curled her lip, "What can he do? He says we can only bear with it, and we’ll talk after the officials leave."

Mrs. Fang was obviously discontented, saying indignantly, "Why should we let them have that limelight?"

But Sang Wan sighed, "Older sister-in-law, I think elder brother is right this time. We have to let them be! After all, we can’t stop them from coming, can we? We surely can’t tie them up with rope, right? It wouldn’t be proper to make a scene in front of the government officials. It would only cast a shadow over a happy event. I believe elder brother’s approach to bear with it is right."

Mrs. Fang remained silent for a while, then said discontentedly, "Do we really have to let them have it so easily?"

Sang Wan laughed, "Other than a temporary advantage in face, what else can they take? Older sister-in-law, let’s not dwell on it!"

After some thought, Mrs. Fang also nodded and laughed, "You’re right! It’s just a short-term matter. We’ll just let them be!"

While the sisters-in-law were conversing, a sudden commotion arose outside with distant and close shouts flurrying, "They’re here! They’re here!"

Mrs. Fang quickly stood up, "Oh dear, I must hurry out to see! Grandmother, please rest here for a while!"

Since it wasn’t proper for Sang Wan to go out, she smiled and agreed, escorting her to the door.

They could see a few idle men running ahead to report the news, saying the officials delivering the happy news were just behind, likely to arrive in about a quarter of an hour!