Daily life of the mistress

Chapter 72 Cedar Picture

Lu Lingjun made a new friend.
    She stayed in Duke Xu's mansion for a long time and had a very sumptuous lunch with Qin.

    The dining standards at the Duke's Mansion opened her eyes again. They were second only to the state banquets she had attended in the imperial palace in her previous life.

    There are things like steamed lamb with milk, steamed bear paw, lamb face soup, venison ham slices, steamed duck with rice wine, sour bamboo shoots and chicken skin soup, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and even some side dishes like tofu skin buns, sugar-filled rose dumplings, Laba porridge, chicken fat rolls, and four saucers, all of which are full of secrets.

    A wealthy family like the Duke's Mansion would not eat out-of-season dishes. For example, now that winter has arrived, crabs are no longer available, but fresh fish are no longer available. It's not that they can't be eaten, but that people only want to eat what is fresh and in season.

    What to eat when is best and when is the most plump.

    Snow fluttered outside as Lu Lingjun and a large group of female relatives from the Duke's Mansion were enjoying a simple meal in a warm house.

    The maids and nannies served her very attentively and meticulously, and she did not feel uncomfortable at all.

    Lu Lingjun had also experienced big occasions before, and had even learned the table manners required for entering the palace. She ate the sumptuous meal without showing any shyness or impoliteness, and was no different from the other noble ladies in the room.

    Cui and the people from the Duke's Mansion looked at her several times, with satisfaction and surprise in their eyes.

    At first, Li Niyue was wondering if Lu Lingjun might have some confusion during the meal, so she sat next to her on purpose, hoping to help her out. However, she didn't expect that it was totally unnecessary.

    After finishing the meal, the whole family chatted for a while. As Qin and Cui were reluctant to leave each other, Lu Lingjun finally left the Duke's Mansion with Qin.

    When leaving, Cui pulled Qin aside and said, "Good sister, if you have nothing to do, come to my place more often."

    "I understand." Qin smiled.

    Cui turned to look at Lu Lingyun. She held out her hand, and Lu Lingyun sensibly held out her hand. Cui laughed, "Your daughter-in-law comes from a scholarly family, is generous and decent, and is really likable."

    "It's all because of my aunt and mother-in-law's kindness."

    Cui held Lu Lingyun's hand and winked at Nanny Jiang, "Since you are here for the first time, I have to give you a gift. I just happened to get a painting by Ning Song, a great painter from the previous dynasty. We are all rough people and can't see what it is. It would be great if you could keep it."

    Ning Song, the painter of the previous dynasty?

    Lu Lingjun's eyes lit up when he heard this, "But the cedar painting?"

    "Look, look, it's worthy of what I called a scholarly family. I know it's worthy of being collected by someone like Ling Yun!" Cui smiled.

    Others in the room also laughed.

    But Lu Lingjun's heart couldn't help but beat fast.

    She knew Ning Song's cedar painting very well. In her early previous life, she missed an opportunity for Li Wenxun to return to Beijing because of the cedar painting.

    At that time, Grand Tutor Zhao Jue had a quota for selecting Beijing officials. As long as he proposed a candidate to the emperor, there was a 99% chance that he would be selected.