Chapter 40

Chapter Forty-One: Spring Banquet (Part One)

Luo Zhenkai and Luo Zhenyu were still as lively and sharp-witted as ever. Eleven Miss smiled and greeted them. Soon after, Fifth Miss arrived. After they performed the customary greetings, a young maid brought over small stools for them to sit on. Third Wife, however, stood up to take her leave. "I really need to thank both of you for your help these past few days," she said, her eyes turning red. "I came here just to thank you, Elder Sister-in-law!"

"We’re family; there’s no need for formalities," said the matriarch, standing up and taking Third Wife’s hand. "I wanted you to stay and relax here, but I understand that even a mirage couldn’t keep you right now. I’ll spare you the polite words. Go home and get some rest. There’s no problem we can’t get through. After a few days, when you’re feeling better, come back, and we’ll gather with Second Sister-in-law. The three of us sisters-in-law should have a good reunion."

Third Wife nodded repeatedly. "Elder Sister-in-law, then I’ll take the children home for now."

Fifth Lord and Sixth Lord bid farewell to the matriarch.

The matriarch patted their heads and smiled as she saw Third Wife off. "The kids are tired too, so let them rest for a bit. As a mother, I know how much you want your children to succeed. But as the saying goes, haste makes waste. Some things need to be taken slowly."

"What you said is true, Elder Sister-in-law," replied Third Wife, looking somewhat tired. "Thank you for the reminder."

Standing behind, Eleven Miss thought back to the first time she met Third Wife. She had worn her hair in a peony bun, adorned with large green leaves and flowers. She was dressed in a rose-purple double-satin jacket. Her gaze had been slightly sideways, exuding a sense of superiority.

Now, that confidence was long gone...

Without a prominent natal family, she had lost her former confidence. After all, Third Wife had less life experience...

Eleven Miss stood behind the matriarch, smiling as she watched Third Wife leave, then accompanied the matriarch back to the main house.

On the way back, the matriarch casually asked Fifth Miss and Eleven Miss, "What have you been up to lately?"

Fifth Miss smiled. "I’ve been practicing calligraphy. After seeing the signboards in Elder Sister’s garden, I realized there’s always ‘a higher mountain, a greater person.’ If I don’t focus and practice, I’ll embarrass Elder Sister."

"The signboards at Yongping Marquis Estate were either bestowed by the emperor or written by the heads of the Hanlin Academy. It’s perfectly normal if you don’t quite measure up. Don’t worry about it," said the matriarch with a smile. She then turned to Eleven Miss.

Eleven Miss hurriedly said, "I've been doing needlework at home—preparing to make spring attire in apricot yellow for Brother Rui and lake-colored spring attire for Chun Ge."

The lady of the house nodded.

Before the lady of the house could lift the curtain, Luoqiao rushed ahead to do it, but a young maid ran in and reported, "Lady of the house, the nannies from Yongping Marquis Estate have come to deliver an invitation."

The lady of the house turned around and said, "Please bring them in right away!"

The young maid responded and soon brought in two women in their forties.

The two women quickly came forward and bowed to the lady of the house, who courteously invited them to sit inside.

Everyone returned to their seats, and the maids served tea. One of the women, who had a red mole on the corner of her mouth, handed over a red lacquer box with a carved peony design and said, "Our lady of the house said that the third day of March is the Daughter's Festival. She invites you, the marquis's wife, the young misses, and Brother Rui to join the festivities at our estate. The elder lady has invited the Deyin Troupe to perform a private show."

Luoqiao hurriedly took the box and retrieved the large red gilt invitation inside, showing it to the lady of the house.

Since she already knew the contents, the lady of the house gave it a symbolic glance and then smiled, "Please ask the two nannies to convey my thanks to the elder lady. I assure her that I will bring my daughter-in-law, daughters, and grandsons to join the festivities on that day."

"Then I will thank you on behalf of the elder lady," said the woman with the red mole, rising to perform a curtsy. After some pleasantries, she took her leave.

The lady of the house gazed at the tender buds just beginning to appear on the branches outside and instructed Fifth Miss and Eleven Miss, "It's time to switch to spring outfits."

The two young misses responded with "Yes," and after sitting with the lady of the house for a while, they rose and returned to their own rooms.

On the third day of March, Eleven Miss gathered her jet-black hair into a bun at the back of her head, wore a coral and turquoise bead flower, and dressed in a sky-blue interlocking jacket and a moon-white lined skirt. Confident in her youthful beauty, she lightly applied jasmine-scented lotion to her face and went to the lady of the house's place with a natural look.

Fifth Miss had already arrived.

She wore a silver-red interlocking jacket, a fallen-horse hairstyle, and three combs inlaid with various gemstones, with gold lantern earrings. She had painted eyebrows, outlined eyes, and lightly powdered skin, appearing even more vibrant than usual.

The matriarch looked at the two of them with a satisfied expression and gave a few instructions, "When you see people, greet them politely and confidently. There are actors inside the inner courtyard, so don't run around and be careful not to see people you shouldn't." When Elder Madam Luo led Brother Rui, who was dressed in red silk, they all got up and boarded the carriage to the Xu family's residence.

At the hanging flower gate of the Xu family's residence, they encountered an elegantly dressed elderly woman with silver hair.

The elderly woman greeted them warmly, "Are you relatives of the elder madam Xu?"

Although she didn't know the woman, seeing the crowd of twenty or so gold-wearing maids and older women surrounding her, the matriarch didn't dare to be careless. She hurriedly stepped forward with a smile and said, "I am Madam Luo Xu."

The elderly woman nodded with a smile. Someone nearby introduced the matriarch, "This is the elder madam of the Duke of Ding's residence."

It turned out to be the Zheng family, who had divided the elder Duke's courtyard with the Xu family and lived in front of them.

The matriarch hurriedly smiled, "I didn't realize it was the elder madam. Please forgive my rudeness," and then introduced Elder Madam Luo, Fifth Miss, Eleventh Miss, and Brother Rui to the elder madam Zheng.

The group stepped forward to greet the elder madam Zheng.

As the jade pendants clinked, another carriage rolled up.

Everyone looked in that direction.

It was a black lacquer, flat-topped carriage, just like the Luo family's.

The carriage stopped, and a woman jumped down, placing a footstool in front of the shaft. She extended her arm and, with respect, said to the person inside the carriage, "Miss, we have arrived!"

A delicate, pale hand emerged from the dark blue carriage curtain and lightly rested on the woman's arm, which was clothed in a dark green vest. The curtain was then lifted, and a graceful scarlet-clad figure slowly descended from the carriage.

Everyone gasped.

"Whose daughter is this? She is truly beautiful!" Elder Madam Zheng's eyes showed undisguised amazement.

At that moment, the matriarch's face turned ashen white as paper.

The scarlet-clad figure slowly approached the matriarch and, at a distance of five steps, gently squatted down, giving a respectful blessing, "Mother, I, Tenth Miss, offer you my greetings."

All eyes fell on the matriarch.

The matriarch's lips quirked slightly, and the color slowly returned to her face, "Tenth Miss..."

"It is indeed me," Tenth Miss replied, tilting her head to look at the matriarch, her wonderful eyes sparkling like gemstones, "The carriage you arranged for me moved slowly, Mother, so I have only just arrived."

"It's good that you've arrived, it's good that you've arrived!" Elder Madam Zheng said with a smile, looking at the matriarch, "Your daughters are each more beautiful than the last."

The matriarch's face turned a deep red, "Yes! Our family's misses are indeed beautiful, one more so than the last."

Tenth Miss had already stepped forward to greet Elder Madam Zheng.

Elder Madam Zheng personally took Tenth Miss's hand, "Quickly rise, quickly rise. Such a delicate young lady, don't let her get hurt. Rise quickly!"

Tenth Miss rose gracefully and took the elder madam's hand, "Madam, let me help you inside!"

"I wouldn't want your mother to get jealous," Elder Madam Zheng teased.

The matriarch smiled slightly, "If our family's miss can catch the eye of the elder madam, I am too happy to be jealous!"

Tenth Miss covered her mouth and laughed, her black eyes flashing, exuding an indescribable charm.

"Tenth Miss!" Fifth Miss, with a sullen face, darted forward from behind the matriarch, attempting to intercept Tenth Miss, but Elder Madam Luo grabbed her, "It's enough with Tenth Miss by the elder madam's side!" Her fingers, gripping Fifth Miss's hand, turned white.

Eleventh Miss stepped back two paces and stood behind Elder Madam Luo.

The atmosphere turned slightly awkward.

Elder Madam Zheng's gaze shifted, and she smiled. "It's getting late. We should go inside so the hosts won't have to wait much longer!" She then headed up the steps of the decorated gate without sparing a glance at Ten Miss.

Ten Miss gave the matriarch a flirtatious glance and, with a slight lift of her skirt, followed Elder Madam Zheng up the steps in front of the decorated gate.

The matriarch gave Fifth Miss a deep look.

Fifth Miss's face went pale. "Mother, it wasn't Fourth Brother..."

The matriarch's smile was strained as she instructed Elder Madam Luo, "There are many people here today, and it's quite chaotic. Brother Rui is still young and can't handle such noise. You should take him back first."

Elder Madam Luo, looking solemn, replied, "Yes," ignoring Brother Rui's protest of "I want to play with Chun Ge." She led her son back to the carriage. "Return to Gongxian Alley."

Watching the carriage turn south onto the stone path and leave the Xu family's residence, the matriarch's smile returned to its usual gentle demeanor. She instructed Fifth Miss and Eleven Miss, "Let's go inside so we won't keep others waiting."

The two young women, somewhat trembling, agreed and followed the matriarch into the decorated gate.

Behind the gate, a small green curtained carriage waited. Elder Madam Zheng and Ten Miss were nowhere to be seen.

Someone approached and said with a smile, "Elder Madam Zheng and your family's Ten Miss each took a carriage to the flower hall."

The matriarch smiled and led Fifth Miss and Eleven Miss onto the small green curtained carriage to the flower hall.

Ten Miss did not follow Elder Madam Zheng into the flower hall. Instead, she stood smiling in the roll-covered area in front of the hall, talking to a woman in a red embroidered jacket. Seeing the matriarch, she told the woman, "Mother is here!"

The woman turned her face.

With willow-like eyebrows and apricot eyes, it was the Xu family's Third Lady.

"We were just about to greet you when we ran into your family's Ten Miss," Third Lady greeted with a smile, "Oh, where's Elder Madam?"

"It's so hot today that I sent her home with Brother Rui," the matriarch replied cheerfully, "Thank you for your concern, Third Lady."

"What a shame! Today, the Deyin Troupe's leader, Zhou Dehui, is giving a private performance," she then looked at Ten Miss, "Is the matriarch planning to hide such a beautiful daughter? Afraid we might snatch her away?"

Ten Miss smiled directly at the matriarch.

The matriarch also smiled faintly.

No one spoke, and the scene became somewhat strange.

A flicker of suspicion passed through Third Lady's eyes.

At that moment, laughter came from the flower hall.

Third Lady grabbed the matriarch's arm without hesitation. "Hurry inside! They're waiting for you!"