bookrebus Chapter 449 Xiuying's Gift
Chapter 449 Xiuying's Gift
She wore a set of silver jewelry on her head, exquisitely crafted and simple yet elegant. The silver jewelry, shining in the sunlight, radiated a gentle glow that complemented her gentle temperament. It seemed both generous and appropriate, yet not at all ostentatious, adding a touch of dignity and beauty to her.
Everyone's eyes were involuntarily attracted to her, and for a moment, the whole yard was silent.
Someone said, "How beautiful!" Everyone seemed to be ignited and the courtyard became restless in an instant.
"Oh my God, this is like a fairy descending to earth!" An aunt in the crowd couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Who says she isn't? Taohua is a fairy from heaven! Her looks and temperament are simply amazing!" An old man also agreed, shaking his head in admiration.
"If a family can marry Peach Blossom, their ancestors will be filled with blessings!" A young man said with a smile, his eyes full of envy.
Amidst the crowd's overflowing blessings, Taohua walked slowly onto the stage with light and graceful steps.
Xiuying stood on the stage, her eyes filled with joy as she gazed at the graceful peach blossoms. She smiled and said, "Fellow villagers, thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend my daughter's coming-of-age banquet. We're all from the same village, and usually we're like one family. Let's not get into all the formalities today. Let's just eat, drink, and have fun!"
"Wait a moment!" Just as everyone was immersed in the joyful atmosphere, Master Chen approached with a beaming smile. He stopped, looked around, and said loudly, "Today, since all the villagers are here, I would like to take advantage of this auspicious occasion to propose marriage on behalf of my youngest son, Chen Zexi, to Xiuying's eldest daughter, Taohua. Today is not only Taohua's coming-of-age celebration, but also our engagement banquet."
With these words, Master Chen waved his hand majestically, and a group of servants, carrying boxes adorned with large red flowers, entered the courtyard in an orderly fashion. Immediately following, another person slowly advanced, carrying piles of colorful silks and satins. The sheer value of these items was evident. In the sunlight, the threads of the silks and satins shimmered with a luxurious luster, drawing a wave of astonishment from the crowd.
"Wow, so many things!" A sister-in-law in the crowd couldn't help but exclaim in amazement with her face full of shock and envy.
"I've lived for most of my life, and I've never seen so many rare things." A white-haired old man sighed as he shook his head.
"Mr. Chen really lives up to his reputation and is worthy of being the number one businessman in Dayan! He is so generous." A young man exclaimed with admiration.
"Taohua, this girl, has finally fallen into a golden nest! She will enjoy wealth and glory in the days to come." An aunt said with a smile.
Master Chen's face was filled with smiles. He extended his hand and gently pointed at the mountain of gifts and said to Xiuying, "Sister Xiuying, these are the engagement gifts I prepared for Taohua and Zexi. They're just a token of my appreciation. I hope you won't mind them."
Xiuying wore a gentle smile, bowed slightly, and politely replied, "Master Chen, this is really too expensive. Actually, I also prepared some gifts for the children."
After saying that, Xiuying turned to look at Wang Daya beside her and whispered, "Notify Dali, it's done."
"Yes, ma'am." Wang Daya responded and then turned around and ran to the back.
Hearing that Xiuying had also prepared gifts, no one was too surprised. After all, with Xiuying's current wealth, it was reasonable for her to prepare a dowry of quilts, cloth, and food for her daughter.
These things were just everyday items for Xiuying. With her financial resources, it was effortless for her to produce them. The villagers thought to themselves, with expressions of familiarity on their faces, quietly waiting for the next display.
Master Chen was about to persuade Xiuying not to spend the money, thinking that there was nothing in the entire Great Yan Kingdom that he had not seen or owned, and that he had no shortage of treasures like pearls from the South China Sea and ginseng from the North. But before he could finish his words, he heard a sudden and unexpected explosion in the sky.
"Bang~" The loud noise was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake.
Immediately afterwards, a sharp sound of "whoosh" pierced the sky, as if some object was rushing towards the sky at high speed.
Then, "Wow...Wow", a series of brilliant sounds spread in the air.
Everyone was attracted by the sudden movement and looked up at the sky involuntarily, their eyes full of astonishment.
Some of the less courageous people in the crowd turned pale with fear. They hurriedly hugged their heads with both hands and hid under the table in panic, their bodies still trembling slightly.
But those who were brave were not afraid at all. Instead, they looked up at the sky with excitement.
A magnificent scene unfolded in the sky. Its colors resembled the most magnificent sunset glow in the sky, or a gorgeous red flower blooming leisurely in the sky.
Then, this "flower" slowly dissipated like a dream bubble, leaving only a faint trace, as if it had never appeared.
"How beautiful!" The crowd burst into exclamations and the children jumped up excitedly.
"It's so beautiful!" The adults couldn't help but express their sincere admiration, with shock written all over their faces.
Master Chen was even more mesmerized, staring at the sky without blinking. After a while, he came back to his senses and turned to look at Xiuying, his tone full of surprise and curiosity: "Sister Xiuying, no, my dear, what on earth is this? Why is it so magical? I have never seen such a wonderful sight in my life."
Xiuying raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a confident and proud smile, and slowly said, "This is called Fireworks. It's a coming-of-age gift I specially prepared for Taohua."
In the back mountain, Wang Dali crouched down, staring intently at the fireworks marked in front of him.
He carefully picked up the tinder and gently brought it close to the fuse. With a "crackling" sound, the fuse was ignited and the flashing sparks spread rapidly along the fuse.
His wife had specifically instructed him to only light fireworks with red shells, so he didn't dare to be careless. Nearby, there were some bundled objects piled together, which looked slightly different from fireworks.
His wife had warned him that these were called explosives, and were used to save lives in times of danger. They must be stored safely, and not even a spark could splash on them, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.
Xiuying looked up at the brilliant fireworks blooming in the sky, and a smile of relief unconsciously spread across the corners of her mouth.
This seemingly simple red firework actually embodies a lot of her thoughts. She mixed saltpeter, sulfur and carbon in a certain proportion, and then added an appropriate amount of calcium. After repeated adjustments, she made this firework that can emit beautiful red light.