Fu Yunyang fell silent for a moment. Her fingers traced the edge of the invitation a few more times.
“The Shen family truly lives up to being…” She paused, searching for a phrase that was neither harsh nor inaccurate. “Swift and decisive in military matters.”
Xiaodie froze for a second before understanding.
A laugh burst out of her.
“Miss, are you praising them, or are you saying they’re rushing things?”
“What do you think?”
Fu Yunyang closed the invitation and set it aside, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Xiaodie thought seriously before answering.
“I think you’re saying they’re rushing things. Who sends out banquet invitations only one day in advance? Either they did it on purpose, or they couldn’t decide whether to invite people until the last minute.”
The more she talked, the more animated she became.
Planting her hands on her hips, she continued:
“And listen to the date tomorrow! They didn’t leave anyone any time to prepare. What if you didn’t have a suitable dress? What if you weren’t feeling well? What if ”
“Xiaodie.”
Fu Yunyang interrupted gently.
“Yes, Miss.”
Fu Yunyang didn’t answer immediately.
She lowered her head and looked at the hands resting on her lap.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
“Make preparations tomorrow morning.”
Her voice was soft.
“If… if I’m feeling well enough tomorrow, then we’ll go.”
Xiaodie’s eyes instantly lit up.
Her mouth opened as if she were about to cheer.
“Don’t celebrate too soon.”
Fu Yunyang glanced at her calmly.
“I said it depends on my condition. If I can’t get out of bed, or if the coughing is too severe, then I won’t go.”
“Of course! Of course!”
Xiaodie nodded repeatedly, spinning around happily in place.
“Don’t worry, Miss. I’ll come check on you first thing tomorrow morning. If you’re feeling well, we’ll go. If you’re not, we’ll stay home and rest. No forcing anything!”
Seeing her maid so delighted, Fu Yunyang smiled faintly.
She said nothing more, picked up her book, and lowered her head to continue reading.
Knowing better than to chatter further, Xiaodie quietly retreated to prepare for the next day.
Opening the wardrobe, she began sorting through Fu Yunyang’s clothes one piece at a time.
“This one’s too plain… this color isn’t flattering… this fabric will be too warm for spring…”
The rustling sounds continued behind her.
Fu Yunyang turned another page.
Her eyes rested on the words before her.
Yet she didn’t absorb a single sentence.
The next day, at the Shen residence.
Before dawn had fully broken, the entire household was already bustling.
Servants swept the courtyards, arranged banquet tables, and hurried back and forth.
Steam billowed from the kitchens from sunrise until noon, and the aroma of food drifted throughout the entire lane.
Shen Dingjiang personally supervised the servants setting up tables and chairs at the entrance.
Meanwhile, Liu Yunshuang directed the maids in the flower hall arranging fresh flowers, lighting incense, and spreading tablecloths.
Even the myna bird hanging beneath the corridor had its cage thoroughly cleaned.
When Liu Yunshuang dragged Shen Jinghong out of bed, dawn was only beginning to break.
“Get up!”
She yanked away his blanket.
The cool spring air immediately rushed in.
Shen Jinghong shivered and curled into a ball.
“Mother! It’s still early!”
With his eyes closed, he tried to retreat farther into the corner of the bed.
“Isn’t the banquet starting at noon…?”
“You should already be awake before noon!”
Liu Yunshuang tossed his clothes onto his head.
“Wash your face, comb your hair, and get dressed. I’ve had the kitchen prepare a hangover remedy for you. Drink a bowl before your complexion scares everyone.”
“I haven’t even been drinking. What hangover?”
“Your father gets angry just looking at that permanently hungover face of yours.”
She showed no mercy.
“Do you want him to beat you again in front of the guests?”
That finally silenced him.
Still half-asleep, Shen Jinghong sat up and fumbled around.
His hair resembled a bird’s nest, and red pillow marks still covered his face.
Seeing him like that, Liu Yunshuang took a deep breath, resisted the urge to twist his ear, and walked out.
Half an hour later, Shen Jinghong stood before a bronze mirror.
A moon-white round-collared robe.
A silver-gray belt.
A white jade hair crown.
Everything from head to toe had been chosen by Liu Yunshuang.
Normally he dressed however he pleased, but today he had been polished into a respectable young nobleman.
His sharp brows, bright eyes, straight nose, and unusually red lips stood out even more.
And after being confined at home for so long, his complexion had grown noticeably fairer.
The banquet was held beside a waterside pavilion in the Shen family’s rear garden.
Spring flowers were in full bloom.
Several old flowering crabapple trees were covered in pink-and-white blossoms.
Whenever the wind blew, petals drifted into the pond below, attracting colorful koi that eagerly chased after them.
Several low tables were arranged throughout the pavilion.
Each was furnished with embroidered cushions and laden with seasonal fruits, delicate pastries, fine Daughter’s Red wine, and freshly harvested Longjing tea from this year’s imperial tribute.
Liu Yunshuang was meticulous in everything she did.
Since she had called it a small spring gathering, she truly kept it modest.
Only a dozen or so guests were invited.
Most were close friends of the Shen family or military families who had served alongside Shen Dingjiang.
The atmosphere was intentionally relaxed.
No poetry contests.
No pretentious literary displays.
Just food, wine, flowers, and conversation.
By the time Shen Jinghong arrived, most of the guests had already come.
Zhao Zheng was the first.
The moment he entered the residence, he headed straight for the garden as if it were his own home.
Seeing Shen Jinghong, he grinned broadly and slapped him hard on the shoulder.
“Well, look who’s finally free! I thought you’d be locked up for life!”
The force of the blow nearly knocked Shen Jinghong sideways.
He shoved Zhao Zheng’s hand away irritably.
“My mother let me out.”
“Lady Shen is truly wise!”
Zhao Zheng gave a dramatic thumbs-up.
Then he looked Shen Jinghong up and down.
“Not bad. Once you’re cleaned up, you almost look respectable. Much better than when you fell off that horse and came back looking like you’d lost a fight with a wall.”
Shen Jinghong kicked at him.
Zhao Zheng dodged effortlessly and ran into the pavilion laughing.
Soon after, Fang Ziheng and Zhou Yanzhi arrived together.
Fang Ziheng wore a sapphire-blue brocade robe.
His hair was perfectly arranged.
He had even applied fragrance.
Walking beside him, Zhou Yanzhi couldn’t stop frowning.
“Why are you so fragrant today?”
Fang Ziheng casually adjusted his collar.
“Am I? I’m always like this.”
Zhou Yanzhi gave him a look.
He knew perfectly well that Fang Ziheng usually hated perfumes.
Today’s scent was strong enough to be detected from several paces away.
He had obviously made a special effort.
The moment they entered the garden, Fang Ziheng spotted Shen Jinghong leaning against the railing.
Immediately, he walked over with a smile.
“Jinghong! I heard you’ve been locked up for a month. I’ve missed you terribly!”
Seeing his friend’s extravagant appearance, Shen Jinghong twitched a corner of his mouth.
“Are you here for a banquet or a marriage interview?”
Fang Ziheng’s smile froze briefly.
Then he recovered.
“I just dressed normally.”
From nearby, Zhao Zheng peeled peanuts without even looking up.
“Normally? You smell like a scented sachet that came to life.”
Fang Ziheng immediately kicked at him.
But Zhao Zheng was prepared.
Holding his plate of peanuts, he dodged away while laughing so hard he nearly doubled over.
The group joked around for a while.
Yet Shen Jinghong’s eyes kept drifting toward the garden entrance.
He would glance over.
Pull his gaze back.
Then glance again moments later.
Fang Ziheng noticed.
Following his gaze, he saw nothing.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
Shen Jinghong quickly withdrew his gaze and lifted his teacup, pretending to drink.
Fang Ziheng raised an eyebrow, ready to press further.
At that moment, voices and footsteps sounded from the garden entrance.
Everyone turned to look.
Shen Dingjiang was personally escorting a group of guests inside.
Leading them was a broad-shouldered middle-aged man with a square face and thick brows.
His movements carried the unmistakable bearing of a military man.
It was Marquis Qiuhongyuan of Dingyuan father of Qiu Lingxi and Shen Dingjiang’s longtime comrade-in-arms.
Half a step behind him walked a young woman dressed in a crimson riding outfit with narrow sleeves.
Qiu Lingxi.
Today she wore no dress.
Her dark hair was tied high and secured with a red-gold hairpin.
As she strode forward, she looked less like a noble lady and more like a female general fresh from the battlefield.
Heroic.
Confident.
Radiant.
The instant Fang Ziheng saw her, his eyes lit up.
He practically sprang upright.
Without thinking, he straightened his back, smoothed his hair, and adjusted his collar.
Only after completing the entire sequence did he realize how obvious he was being.
He quickly sat back down and pretended to drink tea.
Zhao Zheng witnessed every second of it.
Leaning toward Shen Jinghong, he whispered:
“Look at Fang Ziheng. He’s like a peacock showing off its feathers.”
Shen Jinghong glanced at Fang Ziheng.
For once, he merely smiled and said nothing.
Shen Dingjiang led the Qiu father and daughter into the pavilion.
The moment Qiu Hongyuan entered, he burst into hearty laughter.
“Old Shen! It’s been ages since I’ve visited your residence! The last time I came was when you had just returned from the frontier, wasn’t it?”
“Exactly!”
Shen Dingjiang laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.
As soldiers, neither man cared for elaborate formalities.
“Come, come, sit down!
“I’ve prepared some excellent wine today the kind you haven’t tasted in years.
“You’d better drink a few extra cups!”
“Now that’s what I like to hear!”
Qiu Hongyuan laughed loudly and dropped into a seat.