Huai Zhi left the house together with Madam He and the others. According to Madam He, since they were all one family, going separately would only give others something to gossip about.
Madam He was a stepmother, and being a stepmother—no matter how she conducted herself or to what extent—was always easy to criticize. If she went only with her own son and daughter-in-law, but not with Cui Jingci's wife, and people found out, there was no telling what stories they would fabricate about her.
Cui Yongxin had come along this time as well, but the moment she saw Huai Zhi, she was reminded of the two slaps she had received last time, and her teeth itched with resentment. The moment she got on the carriage, she began making a sour face.
Huai Zhi played dead, pretending she saw nothing. Madam He put on a show and said a few pleasant words, and when they arrived at the Duke's mansion, they were welcomed inside.
The Duke's mansion was indeed very large—comparable to the Cui family estate. Huai Zhi's eyes were dazzled by the flowers, plants, and exquisite ornaments, and she could no longer tell which household was more impressive.
Fortunately, Nanny Yao had drilled her thoroughly over the past days. Even better, she had lived in the Cui household for over a month before coming to the Duke's mansion; otherwise, she would surely have revealed herself as someone who had never seen the world and made a fool of herself.
Following what Nanny Yao had taught her, Huai Zhi kept her mouth shut unless necessary and quietly stayed by Madam He's side.
Though Madam He didn't particularly care for her, she feared others' gossip and so looked after her properly, keeping up a clean appearance on the surface.
They had not arrived particularly early. The guests were already gathered in small clusters in the main hall, chatting among themselves—both men and women present.
The banquet had not yet begun, and people were gradually going into the inner chambers to pay their respects to the old madam.
After Madam He arrived, some familiar ladies spotted her and came forward with smiles, and the group fell into idle chatter together.
Huai Zhi stood to one side without speaking, her quiet demeanor making her look rather well-behaved.
Someone noticed her and asked Madam He, "Is this your new daughter-in-law from the Cui family?"
Madam He said with a smile, "Indeed she is. The eldest son's wife—married just a month or two ago."
When she finished speaking, the noble ladies immediately looked Huai Zhi up and down, their eyes barely concealing a hint of contempt. After scanning her, they huddled together and whispered in each other's ears. Huai Zhi vaguely caught the words "village girl" and "poor household." She pressed her lips together and said nothing, but she understood their meaning.
In truth, such contempt had been far from rare since she married Cui Jingci. The people of Lan Chun Courtyard were good—they wouldn't say anything about her—but outsiders were always gossiping behind her back.
Someone clicked their tongue, shook their head, and sighed, saying, "What a pity, what a pity. Such a fine man as the eldest young master… how could he…"
How could he have married someone like that?
Even as foolish as Huai Zhi was, she knew exactly what was coming next.
At that moment, Madam He put on her act, presenting the image of a kind and compassionate mother-in-law. She took Huai Zhi's hand and patted it gently, saying, "Our Huai Zhi, though her family background isn't very good, and though she isn't particularly clever—well, with Ci Ge'er's health being what it is, sometimes good and sometimes bad, being able to marry at all is a blessing."
Those words managed to disparage both of them at once—saying how inadequate Huai Zhi was, and also saying that Cui Jingci's health was poor, so being able to find a wife at all was already good enough. What right did he have to be picky? Did he even have room to choose?
Neither of them was any good—so weren't they a perfect match for each other?
If everyone savored the implications beneath her words, they would soon detect the contempt within them—a malice so thinly veiled that even Huai Zhi could feel it.
Huai Zhi knew that saying nothing at all was the best course of action.
Just as Nanny Yao had taught her before, she had said: Madam He might well mock you openly or subtly. It's best if you don't catch the meaning; but even if you do, let it pass. After all, saying nothing invites no fault. But if you open your mouth, no matter what you say, you're handing the opening to others to use against you.
Yet hearing Madam He's words, Huai Zhi couldn't help herself.
She said earnestly, "It is my fortune."
Madam He hadn't expected Huai Zhi to suddenly speak up. She asked, "What did you say?"
Huai Zhi looked at Madam He with the same serious expression and repeated, "I said, being able to marry Xuan Shuang is my fortune."
How earnest. How pitifully foolish.
The women were stunned for a moment at her words, then burst into mocking laughter in unison. Madam He patted Huai Zhi's hand, laughing even harder, and said, "Yes, yes, fortune indeed—you're all fortunate, good children."
Huai Zhi had a thin skin. Being laughed at like this made her feel embarrassed, and her cheeks flushed red a beat too late as she turned her face away.
It was precisely this movement that brought her gaze into collision with a young man standing nearby.
He was dressed in luxurious robes—she couldn't tell which family he belonged to. Perhaps he had noticed the commotion here and looked over.
Huai Zhi quickly lowered her eyes, afraid of meeting anyone else's gaze again, and dared not turn her head anymore.
Later, Madam He and her party went inside to offer birthday greetings to Old Madame Liang, but had Huai Zhi wait outside, not calling her in.
Huai Zhi understood—it was probably because they thought she couldn't hold herself properly in polite company.
She said nothing and simply waited outside.
Many people passed by, casting glances at her again and again.
There was an ice chest in the main hall, making it quite cool, yet Huai Zhi somehow broke out in a thin layer of sweat. She pretended not to notice the stares and lowered her head to play with her fingers.
After waiting outside for a while, someone came to summon her inside, saying Old Madame Liang wished to see her.
The Liang and Cui families had a decent relationship. When Old Madame Cui was still alive, she had occasionally socialized with Old Madame Liang.
The old lady had heard some days ago that Cui Jingci had taken a wife, yet today she saw no sign of her. Upon asking, she learned the girl was waiting outside.
The old lady understood at once what that meant.
She privately disapproved of Madam He's conduct, though she said nothing much aloud. In the end, she merely said she wanted to see the eldest son's wife and had someone call Huai Zhi in.
The old lady had a very zen-like bearing, with kind, gentle eyes. At sixty years of age, her hair was already fully white.
After Huai Zhi entered, she took her hand and looked her over again and again, then asked, "Why didn't you come in earlier?"
Madam He knew the question was aimed at her and immediately said, "She comes from a humble background and doesn't know proper manners. I was afraid she might offend you, Old Madame."
Old Madame Liang disliked people like Madam He and knew exactly what was going on in her mind. She smiled and said, "Is that so? She seems quite honest and obedient to me."
The atmosphere grew somewhat awkward. Old Madame Liang didn't press the matter further, ignored Madam He, and turned instead to chat casually with Huai Zhi.
Huai Zhi felt overwhelmed by the favor and, afraid of misspeaking, answered with great care. The old lady could see her nervousness and kept her questions to everyday matters. Just then, a young man's voice came from behind.
"Grandmother."
Huai Zhi turned her head to look and saw it was the young gentleman she had spotted outside earlier.
So he was a young master of the Liang family.
Huai Zhi was just about to quietly slip away to the side when she saw the youth looking at her with a smile and saying, "Is this Elder Brother Cui's little wife?"
He wore a robe of deep blue brocade, dressed rather flamboyantly, with exquisite silver-thread embroidery adorning his collar and cuffs. He walked with a breezy stride, his sleeves fluttering in the air, the jade pendant at his waist swaying gently with each step. As for his face—it was like the mid-autumn moon, with narrow, upturned eyes. When he smiled and asked his question, his lips were red and his teeth white, his features brimming with youthful vigor.
This was none other than the third young master of the Liang family, Liang Qisheng, eighteen years of age.
The question he directed at Huai Zhi seemed to come from mere curiosity, with no other intention behind it.
But even if there was no intention behind it, in a household that valued propriety, asking such a question in this kind of setting was still a breach of decorum.
Yet how could Huai Zhi detect the frivolity in his words? She simply didn't understand what he meant by the question, nor did she know how to answer it.
At that moment, she recalled what Nanny Yao had told her—that speaking less meant making fewer mistakes—and so she stood there blankly staring at Liang Qisheng.
Liang Qisheng looked back at her, and when she didn't speak, he blinked again and asked, "Little sister-in-law? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Old Madame Liang couldn't help but reach out and swat him, saying, "Shut your mouth. Even on the day of my birthday celebration, you can't behave yourself."
Liang Qisheng finally stopped his teasing and closed his mouth with a smile.
Just then, the banquet outside was just about to begin, and the gathering dispersed as everyone went to partake in the midday meal.
Huai Zhi followed behind Madam He and went together to the women's seating area.
Cui Jingci had told her that the Duke's mansion was a place of great prestige, and she should eat plenty of good food while she was there.
But Huai Zhi was afraid that eating too much would make her the subject of ridicule, so in the end, she didn't dare eat much. During the meal, she was especially quiet—if no one spoke to her, she said not a word, and if someone insisted on engaging her in conversation, she kept her replies to the bare minimum.
The entire meal was, to say the least, a nerve-wracking affair.
Fortunately, nothing major went wrong. It was just that, for some unknown reason, Cui Yongxin's expression toward her grew increasingly disdainful—ever since they left the old madame's room, she looked as if she wanted to glare Huai Zhi to death.
Had something happened just now? Could it be that the old madame letting her into the room had displeased Cui Yongxin?
Huai Zhi didn't understand, nor did she dwell on it further.
She felt that this kind of socializing was utterly terrifying, even more tedious than working in the embroidery workshop, and far more exhausting. But she also understood that one couldn't simply eat without doing anything at all—just like Cui Jingci, who, even though he was ill, still had to report for duty, didn't he?
Huai Zhi hadn't eaten her fill, but her stomach was full from all the thoughts churning through her mind.
After all, it was a banquet—people didn't come just to eat, since no household was lacking in a meal. Once everyone had more or less finished eating, they began seeking other forms of entertainment.
Someone suggested playing the flying flower game.
The flying flower game?
Huai Zhi had never even heard of such a thing, but just from the name alone, she could already tell she was in for trouble.
They went around asking if anyone had objections to playing. Naturally, everyone said they had none.
Huai Zhi wanted to say she didn't know how to play, but she could already tell that if she admitted she didn't know, she'd be done for—she'd immediately become their source of amusement again. But even if she played, she'd end up embarrassing herself either way.
Huai Zhi steeled herself and said, "I don't know how to play this. I've never heard of it."
Cui Yongxin immediately asked, "You don't know how? You can't even do something this simple?"
She looked as if she had heard something utterly astonishing—how could anyone not know how to play the Flower Command game?
Huai Zhi was speechless. Did the whole world have to know how to play it?
Madam He stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "It's very simple, really. It's just about continuing poems, much like the finger-guessing game among common folk. Each person takes turns reciting a line of poetry that contains the character 'flower.' The first person must have 'flower' as the first character, the second person as the second character, the third person as the third character, and so on. It's very easy—everyone plays it. Huai Zhi, are you the only one who won't join in?"
Huai Zhi couldn't wriggle out of it and was dragged into playing despite herself. Poor thing—she couldn't even understand the rules. First it was "flying flowers," and then it seemed to drift into "flying grass." They went through three rounds in total, and she ended up drinking three cups of wine.
Later, some young lady from the Liang family grew tired of playing, and a few others had also run out of poetic inspiration, so they took the opportunity to call it to a halt.
After those three cups of wine, Huai Zhi's head gradually began to spin, and her entire face flushed red.
Mianmian noticed that Huai Zhi was not in good shape and kept leaning close to her ear, telling her not to make a fuss and that they would be heading home soon.
Huai Zhi was a little drunk, but still obedient. Upon hearing her words, she nodded and said, "Alright."
Seeing her like this, Mianmian felt somewhat reassured.
They managed to hold on for another half an hour before the banquet finally came to an end. Mianmian half-supported Huai Zhi as they followed Madam He and the others on their way home.
Halfway there, Madam He suddenly said, "Oh dear, I've left my handkerchief at the banquet."
She pointed at Mianmian and said, "Quick, go fetch it for me."
Mianmian naturally refused, guessing at once that Madam He was up to no good. She said, "Doesn't the mistress have attendants by her side? There's no reason for me to run errands. My lady is drunk—I need to support her."
Madam He said with displeasure, "This old nurse of mine can hardly run at her age."
Mianmian was still reluctant, and Madam He sneered, "So I can't even command you now? You make excuses over a single handkerchief. If you won't go, then we'll all turn back together, chat a while longer, and sit until dark."
Huai Zhi could hardly bear to sit through any more of that.
Caught between the two of them, Mianmian had no choice but to turn back. Cui Yongxin took over supporting Huai Zhi and said, "Go on, then. Surely the rest of us can hold up one person."
Huai Zhi leaned against Cui Yongxin, unaware that she had switched to a different person for support.
She was half-supported by the other for a few steps, and could hear her letting out frequent, impatient clicks of her tongue. She walked along with her for a while, dazed and confused, when she was bumped into by someone—or perhaps shoved, quite forcefully—and then suddenly fell hard to the ground.
Huai Zhi was stunned by the fall and took a moment to recover. When she opened her eyes and looked around, there was no one beside her except for some flowers and grass.