“That’s my Meng’er alright!” She turned to the second elder master. “Go have a chat with your brother and see what kind of position you want.”
That brought a frown to Qin Yining’s face. That wasn’t something her father could just decide.
At this time, Jiyun quietly snuck behind Qin Yining for a few whispers. Her mistress raised a brow and then nodded.
Jiyun walked over to the old dowager to curtsey. “Old Dowager, Madame Lu, wife of the late Marquis of Valiant Faith, has sent a banquet invitation for the fourth miss.” She handed over a card with gold embossed edges.
Chapter 351: The Lus, An Old and Well-Known Family
When the old dowager took the invitation, she didn’t immediately open it. She perused it carefully again and again, then caressed it lovingly with a jade ring adorned finger. The smile blossoming on her lips was one of both relief and satisfaction.
Her most beloved Meng’er was the one with true talent, alright! Good tidings had visited the family one after another ever since her eldest son’s return. They’d moved out of the inns, then the emperor showed high regard for her son, and now even Great Zhou aristocrats were sending invites to the family!
Wasn’t that the greatest sign that the Qins had finally vaulted back into the upper echelon of society, that they no longer needed to depend on the goodwill of others?
The Qin matriarch had been most afraid of the family crumbling while she was at the head of it. If that really happened, she wouldn’t be able to face the Qin ancestors after her death.
But everything would be fine now, her heart could finally dislodge from her throat.
Various thoughts ran through everyone’s minds when they saw how tenderly the old dowager stroked a piece of parchment. She was treating the paper more gently than her own grandchildren!
Amused, Qin Yining shook her head wordlessly. It looks like the old dowager could finally be at ease now that the luxurious days of old were once more upon them.
After taking in her fill of the invite, the old dowager opened it to peruse the contents inside. She immediately chuckled merrily, “The marchioness is certainly a pleasant and agreeable person.”
Pleasant? Agreeable?
Thinking back to Madame Lu’s pretty face and arrogant countenance, those would’ve been the last words that Qin Yining would’ve use on the marchioness. That woman was no ordinary run-of-the-mill character. If Qin Yining were to attend the banquet, she’d have to make quite a bit of preparations.
“Old Dowager is very right. We’re new in town, and those who take the initiative to extend a branch of friendship right now must all be pleasant people.” Qin Huining smiled in agreement.
“It’s all thanks to elder brother-in-law coming back,” piped in the second madame. “We’d still be living in the inns otherwise, and definitely wouldn’t have such wonderful things happening to us.”
Given how much the old dowager loved her eldest son, nothing made her happier than compliments of him. “The second branch is right, it’s all thanks to Meng’er this time as well.”
The two other elder masters looked at each other, then silently returned to their tea. They’d long since accepted their lot in life. Their mother’s bias knew no bounds.
Thankfully, big brother treated them very well and he was indeed very talented. Though the two brothers might be jealous sometimes, they never viewed Qin Huaiyuan as an enemy.
The second wife interjected, “But the marchioness didn’t do things well enough. She only invited cousin Yi—there’s other girls at home too.”
The fourth miss just looked at Qin Han’s wife quietly without protest.
When she’d first returned to the manor, Qin Han had helped her a great deal. After spending a long period of time together, she’d realized that this cousin of hers was a very open-minded and genuine person. This endeared him greatly to her.
Though his wife occasionally displayed the airs of a more selfish or small-minded person, she wasn’t a bad sort. But to speak so thoughtlessly would create some awkwardness.
Indeed, the smile on Qin Huining’s face became a bit stiff and turned wry. “Second cousin-in-law must be joking. I’m a foster girl and eighth sister is concubine-born. We’re naturally not fit for important occasions and aren’t as respectable as the fourth miss.”
The second madame glared at her daughter-in-law when she heard this; so did Qin-mama shake her head behind the old dowager.
The eighth miss cast a sidelong glance at Qin Huining and smiled naively. “It’s not a matter of concubine or official-born at all. They sent us a banquet invite for no reason at all—it’s obviously because of senior uncle’s influence. Senior uncle only has one official daughter, so it makes sense that fourth sister was the only one invited.”
Qin Huining struggled to keep a smile on her face. She really didn’t understand what the eighth miss was thinking! Aside from Qin Yining, only the eighth miss was a Qin descendent out of all the girls left. Didn’t she want to fight for herself?
There was nothing Qin Huining could do, being a foster daughter, or she would’ve plotted on how to get her own back a long time ago.
The second elder master coughed lowly. “The eighth lass is right. Although we don’t need you to do women's work to chip in with household finances, the most proper thing for girls to do is stay at home and practice your embroidery. Don’t become involved in outside matters. We’re lucky that only family is here today. If you’d acted like this outside, people would laugh at you for being so petty!”
He’d never liked Qin Huining’s style, so his tone was naturally harsh.
Humiliated by the lecture, Qin Huining’s face flushed hotly and she lowered her head without another word, tears spinning around in her eyes.
Qin Yining shook her head with exasperation. If she were the foster girl, she would be quietly preparing to be married off. The Qins wouldn’t find her a bad match, if only for the sake of their own dignity. Wouldn’t it be nice to live out a peaceful, undisturbed life?
But Qin Huining seemed blind to that philosophy and refused to give up.
Since the fourth miss had to go to the banquet, the old dowager was already rushing her off to go change before Qin Yining had stirred into action.
The girl called Xianyun to her side and asked softly, “Just who is this Madame Lu? When I saw her in the palace last time, she seemed to possess more dignity than the Princess of Anyang. Even the eldest princess called her big sister.”
Having resided in the capital for a long time, Xianyun was very familiar with everyone and everything in the capital. She whispered back, “What you don’t know, miss, is that Madame Lu is an official daughter of one of the Lu family side branches. The Lus are a great aristocratic family with more than a hundred years of history. Their roots were deep back in the Northern Ji times. Their family business span the entire nation and cross into all industries. Their network and mobilization is not to be underestimated.
“When His Majesty undertook the revolution, he wouldn’t have taken the capital if not for the Lus' financial help. Therefore, he values them highly and anyone from that clan has a high status and rank.
“Madame Lu was betrothed to General Mi. Ah, you might not know that General Mi, the prince, and the marquis were all battle comrades. Their bonds were forged in the fires of war.
“But General Mi came from a family of farmers, had ordinary looks, and was a decade older than Madame Lu. Therefore, the madame never liked him. Even when the general doted on her and loved her greatly, she was never satisfied. Playing off the fact that she was a Lu and so the general wouldn’t dare do anything to her, she began to openly keep male companions.”
“Companions? Ah, escorts? Male prostitutes??” Qin Yining froze in the act of applying powder and looked back incredulously at the maid.
“It’s very true, miss,” piped in Jiyun. “General Mi was cuckolded more times than we can count. He was made the Marquis of Valiant Faith when he died in battle, which ma
de the madame a marchioness. She grew even more out of control then. The gossips all say that General Mi fell in battle because he was so enraged by the madame. A right and proper man like him was held down into the ground by a wife like that! The pressure from his in-laws was too great and the emperor valued the Lus too much. The only way the general could be free of it all was if he died.”
Slack-jawed with surprise, Qin Yining nodded after a long while. “She really is something.”
A person like that would have no bottom line. She had to be extra careful.
After fixing her hair and makeup, Qin Yining took Jiyun and Xianyun with her in a carriage to the manor of the Marquis of Valiant Faith.
Their carriage had just paused in front of the main doors when a deft maid came up to curtsey. “Are you Miss Qin? The marchioness gave specific instructions for this servant to welcome you inside.”
Chapter 352: A Banquet With Escorts
The waiting maid was one with delicate and pretty looks. She wore a downy pink, sleeveless tunic dress adorned with white, wispy fur around the openings. A jade-green cotton jacket peeked out from beneath it, presenting a clean-cut and graceful sight.
Qin Yining guessed this must be a trusted head maid at Madame Lu’s side.
“Thank you for your troubles.” She nodded with a slight smile and, with Jiyun and Xianyun’s help, stepped onto a wooden footstool to alight.
The Qin fourth miss was wearing a snow-white fur coat that was paired with a sky-blue vest top and an ivory eight-panel skirt. Her outfit was as elegant as an orchid, but given how stunning her looks were, even the plainest of clothes would do nothing to undercut her beauty.
The maid blanked for a second after catching a close look and quickly curtsied.
“No wonder the madame always says that the miss’ beauty is worth cities. Now that this servant has seen it for herself today, you are as remarkable as the shining moon!”
Flicking her skirt into order, Qin Yining smiled faintly. “His Majesty is as striking as the brilliant sun while the empress is as the shining moon. The sun and moon naturally reflect each other’s radiance. I am but a flickering candlelight and completely unworthy of such praise.”
The maid broke out in a cold sweat.
This Miss Qin is the daughter of the famous Qin Huaiyuan alright! She’s way too perceptive and cautious!
The maid actually hadn’t meant anything by her words. It’d been a sincere, heartfelt compliment to curry favor. But the fourth miss’ words made it seem like she’d misspoken.
The servant no longer dare tarry and showed the visitors into the manor.
Once into the manor proper of the Marquis of Valiant Faith, Qin Yining discovered that there was not a single person of an older age in the hallways. All the maids were young and pretty, and all the pageboys were handsome.
Some understanding descended when the girl thought of the rumors swirling around Madame Lu and the marchioness’ own beauty.
They travelled through the hallways to arrive at a main hall where two pageboys clad in blue were standing guard.
Qin Yining frowned slightly. What kind of banquet is this? If only ladies had been invited, why were there pageboys on duty here?
She stepped through the doors without a flicker of expression, handing off her coat to Xianyun and indicating for the maid to wait outside with a flick of her eyes. Taking only Jiyun and following her guide, they circled past a lazurite room divider to arrive at a spacious and warm lobby.
Crimson carpets from Persia lined the floor while braziers sat on the floor, wafting lily fragrance into the air. The light, sweet perfume snaked into noses.
There was an ornate bench [1] at the head seat, upon which Madame Lu and the Princess of Anyang were already seated upon. Two chairs each were set up off to the side, with three of them taken by young ladies. The empty seat on the left was plainly for the Qin fourth miss.
Qin Yining collected herself and walked up to make an amiable curtsey to the Princess of Anyang.
“Greetings to Your Highness.”
Used to the opulence and jewelry festooned of outfits the ladies, Li Helan narrowed her eyes slightly when she saw a simply attired Qin Yining, who nevertheless still presented a stunning sight.
She only lost her composure for a split second before responding benignly, “So little sister Qin is here. There’s no need to stand on ceremony. Big sister Lu is the host today.”
Qin Yining turned to curtsey to Madame Lu. “This little girl is newly come to the city. My deepest appreciation for Madame Lu’s generous hospitality. I am truly grateful to be invited today.”
Madame Lu only responded with a faint noise in her throat and pointed at the empty seat on her left. “Come have a seat. There are no outsiders present today. Little sister Qin’s only recently arrived in the capital. There must be plenty that you’re unfamiliar with. This is a gathering of sisters so we can all get to know each other.”
“Understood. Many thanks, Madame Lu.” Qin Yining took a seat in the empty chair.
Madame Lu cheerily introduced the three others to her.
The one around thirty years old with a well-rounded body was Madame Lu’s older sister of the same parents. Her husband was a merchant with a surname Cu, so everyone called her Cui née Lu.
A young woman in her twenties with a gloomy air and delicate features was Madame Cai. She’d been widowed for many years.
The youngest one was Madame Lu’s concubine-born younger sister. Since her name wasn’t given, Qin Yining privately called her Little née Lu.
Given that the participants today were Madame Lu’s blood sister, concubine-born younger sister, the Princess of Anyang, and a Madame Cai, Qin Yining could tell that the banquet today had likely been thrown because the family side branch that Madame Lu belonged to wanted to make a friendly overture to the Qins.
Even if the two parties didn’t know if they would be on opposing sides in the future, a gesture like this was very necessary. It was highly likely that the Lus had already made their plans with regards to Qin Huaiyuan.
Madame Lu began with a smile. “I invited younger sister Qin today because for one, I wanted to introduce you to my friends. Secondly, I feel that younger sister has weathered a bumpy road in life. Given the level of our looks, you and I walk the same path. I feel the desire to become good friends with you.” Her tone was a marked difference from the unsheathed swords and drawn daggers of last time.
“That’s right.” Cui née Lu nodded with a smile. “I’d thought that girls with my younger sister and the princess’ looks are few and far in between. But seeing younger sister Qin today helps me understand why the Faithful Prince of the First Rank is so enamored with you. Even I melt at the sight of you, much less a man!”
That sounds… weird? Wrong? I don’t know. Since she didn’t know these people too well, Qin Yining only smiled in return.
Madame Lu arched a brow with her smile and clapped her flawless hands three times.
Refined music drifted in in the next moment.
* * *
1. Usually used for decoration
Chapter 352.2: A Banquet With Escorts (II)
Qin Yining looked in the direction of the sounds to discover a group of musicians; they had been waiting behind pearl curtains hanging from the scarlet-red pillars around them.
Several dancers wearing gauze drifted in with the euphonious melody. Stepping lightly in time to elegant dance, their footsteps were so airy that they seemed to be walking on lotus flowers.
At this time, several men slowly walked into the room.
They were all dressed differently, built and looked differently, and had differing auras. But all of them were uncommonly eye-catching with remarkable bearing. There were tall, scholarly types and buff, stocky types. There were also two arresting young men who looked the same. One was dressed in red and the other in white, offsetting each other like red and white plum blossoms.
It was puzzling to Qin Yining why so many men had come,
but of one thing she was certain of: she disliked this banquet more and more so.
It looks like Madame Lu really doesn’t care about the rules. How can outside males enter a ladies’ banquet?
The madame smiled when she saw the arrivals. She pointed at bulky young man with a chiseled face, wearing a silvery-white tunic with cut-off sleeves. “Go fill the princess’ wine cup. Step to it.”
She then pointed at another elegant and demure scholar clad in white, who looked roughly eighteen years old. “Go serve Miss Qin wine as well.”
The reserved scholar smiled faintly and moved to Qin Yining’s side. His pale, slender fingers grasped the jade wine jug and filled the jade cup in front of the Qin fourth miss.
He then took a seat in a chair right by Qin Yining!
Expressionless, the girl watched as the muscular man eerily reminiscent of Pang Xiao sat next to the princess. Pouring wine with his left hand, his right arm draped intimately over the seat back of the princess’ chair. When faced with such an affront, the princess blushed furiously and ducked her head after looking bashfully at the man’s profile.
Qin Yining finally understood what these people were here for!
Just like men had female escorts keep them company during business meetings, this was what Madame Lu had invited her here today for!
But she was an unmarried girl! What did the madame mean by this??
Thinking back to the host’s opening remarks, Qin Yining grew so furious that the scarlet of her face crept to her neck.
These people must feel that since she’d already been carried off by Pang Xiao, she already knew of matters between men and women. And given how Pang Xiao had taken her, she might not like brawny and ferocious type, which was why a genteel and tender scholar had been sent to serve her.
Meanwhile, the princess liked Pang Xiao, but they weren’t close. This was why Madame Lu had arranged for a man similar to the prince to serve her.
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