Qi Mingzhu naturally presented her gift next, holding a box in both hands as she slowly knelt down.
Her expression was reverent, her every movement graceful, making her appear like a celestial maiden.
"Granddaughter offers this to Grandmother on her birthday. May Grandmother's radiance endure eternally, just like this Mermaid's Tear."
With that, she opened the box.
A soft, gentle light emanated from within, revealing a luminous pearl the size of an adult's fist.
Many present had seen luminous pearls before, but one this large was a rarity. Its light was soft and not dazzling, providing a sense of comfort.
"Grandmother can take out the Mermaid's Tear when reading at night. Its light is gentle and won't strain your eyes. It is said that with prolonged use, it can even enhance vision," Qi Mingzhu added.
This was indeed a rare and precious treasure, both valuable and dignified. Qi Mingzhu earned considerable praise for it.
However, it was still slightly outshone by Qi Yi's gift, which was hand-carved and held greater sentimental value.
"Mother, this Mermaid's Tear is a treasure enshrined at Taihe Temple. A while ago, when I took Mingzhu to offer incense at Taihe Temple, we met Master Yuanjue. The Master said Mingzhu possessed Buddhist affinity and insight, and he asked Mingzhu to transcribe two Buddhist scriptures to be enshrined at the temple. As a token of gratitude, he gifted this Mermaid's Tear to Mingzhu," Qin shi explained. "Therefore, this Mermaid's Tear is not only precious but also imbued with Buddhist essence, and keeping it close will surely bless Grandmother with good health."
Taihe Temple? Master Yuanjue?
"Taihe Temple is the largest and most renowned temple in our Great Feng."
"Master Yuanjue is a highly accomplished monk, said to know the past and future, and to communicate with deities. For an ordinary person to receive even a sliver of his guidance is a lifelong blessing."
"The eldest young lady is truly a blessed soul."
"The Old Madam is also blessed to have such a granddaughter."
Suddenly, the focus of everyone's discussion shifted to Qi Mingzhu, who was almost being lauded as a celestial maiden descended from the heavens.
Qi Mingzhu maintained a composed demeanor, offering a curtsy to the crowd before gracefully moving to stand beside Qin shi, her detached elegance adding to her charm. Previously, people only knew of the eldest young lady of Changping Marquis Manor's exceptional talent. Now, it seemed talent was insignificant; to be praised by Master Yuanjue was truly remarkable. If one were to marry her, wouldn't the family's prosperity be within reach?
For a moment, the eyes of the ladies with eligible sons grew even more fervent as they looked at Qi Mingzhu.
The elderly often held greater faith, and the Old Madam was no exception. When the origin of the gift was not yet revealed, she only found the Mermaid's Tear's light to be soft and unobtrusive. After Qin shi's explanation, she finally recognized its true value, especially since it had been enshrined at Taihe Temple. What pleased her even more was that her granddaughter had been praised by Master Yuanjue for her Buddhist affinity, which was not just her own glory but the glory of the entire Marquis Manor. Once this news spread after today, the Changping Marquis Manor would be seen as a place blessed by Buddha. With that, the Marquis Manor's reputation would soar, and perhaps Tianming would receive even greater favor from the Emperor.
With Qi Mingzhu setting such a high standard, expectations for Qi Zhenzhen were low.
Qi Zhenzhen, however, was unconcerned. Her birthday gift had been presented earlier; what was to follow was merely a formality.
Earlier, while preparing tea, Qi Mingzhu had boasted to her maid. Today, Qi Zhenzhen intended to showcase her tea ceremony skills.
She was unfamiliar with the tea ceremony of Great Feng, but she had dedicated effort to mastering the art of tea ceremony passed down through the vast land of China.
"Granddaughter offers this to Grandmother on her birthday. May Grandmother be like a thousand-year-old green jade tree, walking with the vigor of spring and autumn; may she be like a lotus in a clear pond, fishing for the long days of sun and moon!" Qi Zhenzhen's voice was melodious, her birthday wish novel and evocative. In terms of the birthday wish alone, it surpassed those of Qi Yi and Qi Mingzhu.
"Is this the second young lady of the Marquis Manor? She stands tall and graceful, looking no less remarkable than the eldest young lady."
"I only know of the eldest young lady of this Marquis Manor, but I've never heard of the second young lady. She appears to be of a certain age, yet why is she not known?"
The curiosity of the guests was piqued more than when they had speculated about Qi Yi, wondering about the hidden matters surrounding an eligible young lady who remained unknown.
"Allow me to introduce our second daughter, Qi Zhenzhen, who is also the elder sister of my Yi'er. When Yi'er was unwell and recuperating in the separate villa, it was my little daughter who stayed by his side. Their sibling bond is deep, and fearing that the servants might not attend to him properly, she insisted on personally caring for her brother. Had it not been for her meticulous care, my son would likely still be recuperating in the separate villa."
Daughters of noble families typically appeared at various banquets after the age of ten, becoming known to families for potential marriage arrangements after their coming-of-age ceremony.
However, the second young lady of this Marquis Manor had prioritized her brother's care, putting all of that aside. Hearing this was deeply touching. What profound sibling affection this demonstrated!
Qi Zhenzhen mused inwardly, they had been driven out. Now, after being formally acknowledged in such a setting, their explanation for not appearing in public for years was perfect. Of course, there was also the benefit of it adding to her good reputation.
Qi Zhenzhen performed a deep curtsy and nodded to Er Xi, who was waiting nearby.
Er Xi brought over a tea table. The tea table, weighing a hundred pounds, was moved with ease, eliciting gasps from the ladies present. Such a sturdy tea table would not be moved so lightly even by an adult man. The maid possessed immense strength.
Qi Zhenzhen had prepared Taiping Houkui, a type of green tea.
She lit an incense burner, and a subtle, soul-refreshing fragrance gently diffused, an incense for calming the mind that she had commissioned from Li Nuan. Inhaling this scent would gradually pacify inner turmoil.
This was considered the first step: lighting incense to calm the mind and dispel distracting thoughts.
Next, Qi Zhenzhen used boiling water to rinse the teacups. Her movements were gentle as she washed each cup, softly murmuring, "White jade ice heart cleanses mortal dust."
Her actions were devout and elegant, captivating the onlookers.
Li Qing, standing nearby, let out a cold snort. "I don't see anything particularly special. It's just like preparing tea as usual. Is Zhenzhen sister trying to showcase your tea ceremony skills to everyone?"
Li Qing's sharp voice reached the ears of the assembled guests.
These people did not recognize Li Qing. They observed her; the young lady's appearance was quite striking, but her upbringing was questionable.
Tea preparation was inherently an act of calming the mind, and her impolite interruption, delivered with a tone of strong mockery, was truly ill-mannered.
Li Qing, seeing many people scrutinizing her, felt a surge of excitement. She held her head high, believing she had captured everyone's attention.
Her maid tugged at her, whispering, "Miss, you should really focus on watching Miss Zhenzhen prepare tea."
Only then did Li Qing notice the disdain in their gazes. In Yun Gui, she was accustomed to being adored, but in the capital, no one knew her, nor did they care about her. Realizing this, Li Qing became flustered and quickly lowered her head.
By this time, Qi Zhenzhen had begun brewing the tea. From the beginning until now, she had followed the steps of tea preparation. While visually pleasing, there was nothing particularly extraordinary about it.
Qi Zhenzhen took a deep breath; this was the most crucial step now—
Pouring water, the phoenix nods thrice.