Of everyone, Zhao Wan was the most displeased about Madam Wei hosting a banquet.
A month ago, she had brought her cousin Su Yingxue over, but who would have thought this pampered cousin of hers would be so useless—she couldn’t even manage to please a man. After delivering a tonic soup to Wei Xun just once, she was sent away and never allowed into the outer study again.
“Cousin, if Madam Wei is arranging a match for the Young Master, what will become of me?”
Su Yingxue was frantic. Ever since she had laid eyes on Wei Xun, her heart had been completely captivated.
Su Yingxue’s father was only a minor seventh-rank official, so the best she could hope for was to marry the son of another low-ranking official. How could that compare to Wei Xun?
Moreover, what she didn’t say aloud was that Zhao Wan’s family background and looks were inferior to hers, yet Zhao Wan had managed to marry into the Marquis Manor as the legitimate wife. How could someone as arrogant as Su Yingxue bear that?
Zhao Wan lowered her head, flicked her meticulously manicured nails, and rolled her eyes. “I already gave you the opportunity, but you failed to seize it. Now you come asking me—what am I supposed to do about it?”
Wasn’t she anxious too?
If Wei Xun took a wife, it would mean her authority would be stripped away!
But Su Yingxue was truly incompetent. Even if she did marry Wei Xun, she would never be able to win his heart.
Hearing the implication that Zhao Wan might abandon her, Su Yingxue panicked. “Cousin, I’m your own flesh and blood! If I marry the Young Master, it will benefit you too. You have to help me!”
“Hah!” Zhao Wan shook off the arm Su Yingxue was clutching and sneered. “If you weren’t my cousin, I wouldn’t have helped you this much in the first place.”
She understood Su Yingxue’s petty ambitions better than anyone—always trying to outshine her, without even considering whether she was worthy!
“Cousin…”
“Enough. Leave this matter to me. The Young Master won’t marry you, but he certainly won’t marry anyone else either.”
Zhao Wan narrowed her eyes, already forming a plan in her mind.
After dismissing Su Yingxue, she summoned Nanny Chen. “With the banquet being so busy and this being my first time organizing one, I’m afraid I might overlook some details. The one in Yuqing Courtyard is practically half a mistress herself. Go and relay a message: on the day of the banquet, she is to join me in receiving the guests.”
The Wei family banquet was being held to arrange a match for Wei Xun. Having A’Yuan present would clearly signal to others that Wei Xun had a charming and alluring concubine. What legitimate wife would want to be overshadowed by a concubine?
In the end, either those of noble status would refuse to marry into the family, or those willing to marry would be unable to tolerate A’Yuan. Either outcome would be a win for Zhao Wan.
When A’Yuan received Nanny Chen’s message, her lips lost their color. Her face, still pale from her recent illness, looked somewhat haggard. She forced a faint smile, trying not to appear too distressed. “I understand. That day… I will definitely go.”
Chun Tao felt sorry for her and didn’t want her to go to the front courtyard to suffer humiliation. A’Yuan patted her hand reassuringly. “Serving the mistress is what a concubine is supposed to do. How can that be considered humiliation?”
Though she smiled, her once-bright almond eyes now seemed clouded, as if covered in a layer of dust, devoid of their former sparkle.
After falling ill, her dreams had completely shattered.
…
On the third day of the third lunar month, as all things revived, the capital, quiet for a year, grew lively once more.
Especially at the Marquis Manor, where carriages filled the entrance, all carrying noble young ladies attending the banquet.
Shen Qiuyu entered with Wei Jin. She had dressed meticulously for the occasion, wearing a ruqun skirt made of red gossamer silk and a set of gold-inlaid ruby hair ornaments. Though her features were not particularly striking, she stood out vividly in the crowd.
“Mother, look who’s here?”
Wei Jin brought Shen Qiuyu into Cian Courtyard. Madam Wei had just finished her breakfast, and both Zhao Wan and A’Yuan were attending to her.
Today, A’Yuan was dressed plainly as usual, not even wearing makeup, yet her still somewhat pale and delicate face remained breathtakingly beautiful.
Shen Qiuyu had imagined A’Yuan’s appearance before coming and had even inquired about her through Wei Jin, but upon seeing her in person, her heart still skipped a beat.
Wei Xun’s bedmaid was simply too beautiful.
As a woman herself, she could naturally tell that A’Yuan was deliberately downplaying her beauty. Yet, it was precisely this that made her own careful grooming seem like a joke.
Shen Qiuyu’s eyes turned cold, but since she was in front of Madam Wei, she quickly put on a gentle smile again.
“Madam, A Yu pays her respects to you.”
“Come, sit quickly! Second daughter-in-law, serve the tea!”
Madam Wei was in high spirits, pulling Shen Qiuyu to sit beside her.
The Shen family was of respectable status, barely considered a match for the Marquis Manor. Moreover, Shen Qiuyu was widely known for her beauty and gentle, virtuous nature, so Madam Wei was naturally pleased with her.
“Ah, Miss Shen, you must try this. This is our Madam’s treasured tea. She wouldn’t even bring it out for others!”
Zhao Wan, shrewd as she was, might have been unhappy about Wei Xun getting married, but she never made a mistake in her outward demeanor.
Madam Wei was amused by her words and laughed heartily, patting Shen Qiuyu’s hand as she said, “This second daughter-in-law of mine has always been sharp-tongued. Just because I withheld a couple of cups of tea from her, she has to complain in front of you all. Don’t let her scare you—drink all the tea and leave none for her!”
Shen Qiuyu smiled gracefully, appearing poised and dignified. “Then A Yu will humbly accept your offer. Madam, please don’t regret it later!”
“No regrets, no regrets! If you can’t finish it, take it with you. I remember your mother also enjoys tea. Let her taste my pre-rain Longjing and see how it fares.”
“Yes.”
Shen Qiuyu picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and a smile already began to form in her eyes.
Madam Wei had specifically mentioned her mother, clearly indicating a desire to be closer. That meant her marriage to Wei Xun was more or less settled.
The group sat and chatted for a while about everyday matters until Wei Jin grew restless.
She glanced at A’Yuan, who was massaging Madam Wei’s back, and a look of disgust flashed across her face. “Mother, where is Third Brother?”
“Your third brother is usually so busy he barely has time to rest. He’s probably still at the government office and hasn’t returned yet. If you’re feeling bored, why not go to the front courtyard to listen to the opera?”
Madam Wei, being older, lacked the energy to entertain, so she had specially invited an opera troupe.
Wei Jin hadn’t come for the opera either, but since Wei Xun wasn’t here, there was no point in just sitting around.
“Alright, then I’ll take A Yu to the front courtyard.”
As she stood up, her gaze fell on A’Yuan, and she paused. “You, come along and attend to us.”
A’Yuan clenched her palms inside her sleeves and lowered her head, answering meekly, “Yes.”
Wei Jin had a proud and willful temperament and despised seductive concubines the most. In the past, relying on her favored status, she had often bullied A’Yuan.
A’Yuan followed carefully behind them, afraid of making any mistake that might anger her.
But she didn’t know that when a master wanted to make things difficult for a servant, they never needed a reason.
The front courtyard’s flower hall was already filled with many noble young ladies. Wei Jin pulled Shen Qiuyu to sit in the main seat, and when the others saw A’Yuan behind them, their expressions varied.
It was no secret in the capital that Wei Xun had a beautiful bedmaid, but no one had expected her to be this stunning.
Some of the more proud and haughty noble ladies had already lost interest—after all, he was just a man, and they were not so desperate as to compete with a mere concubine for favor. Others, however, were unwilling to give up. Yet when they saw how highly Wei Jin regarded Shen Qiuyu, they understood that the position of the Wei family’s future mistress was practically settled.
Today, they had merely come as guests.