On the day it was time to attend the banquet, Old Madam Qi got up early and checked through everything Qi Yuan would need for going out.
She also specially instructed Third Madam Qi: “Your second sister-in-law can’t get away right now, so I’m entrusting Yuan Jie’er to you.”
She still felt a bit worried, coughed, and added, “You don’t need to do much anyway, just listen to Yuan Jie’er.”
Third Madam Qi agreed gently. After getting on the carriage, she said to Qi Yuan, “This time the Eldest Princess’s residence is hosting a plum-blossom appreciation banquet. Those young ladies will inevitably be composing some poetry. If you don’t like it, we’ll sit for a while and then come back.”
It was also the first time Third Madam was taking Qi Yuan out. She had not spent much time with Qi Yuan before, so judging only from how Qi Yuan had stood out at the polo gathering, she felt Qi Yuan probably didn’t like this kind of flower banquet.
Qi Yuan smiled and agreed.
Third Madam Qi immediately felt that her niece was truly well-behaved and lovable.
When they arrived at the Eldest Princess’s residence, Jiang Mama had already been waiting at the second gate. Upon seeing Qi Yuan, a genuine smile immediately appeared on her face. She quickly walked over to Qi Yuan and Third Madam Qi and gave a greeting.
Seeing Qi Yuan, Jiang Mama always felt a sense of closeness. “Miss has grown taller again, how wonderful.”
She then led Third Madam Qi and Qi Yuan inside while smilingly introducing, “Zhou Wangfei and Duke Cheng Madam’s residence have already arrived. Miss Wang and the others are here as well. Her Highness was just asking why Miss hasn’t come yet.”
Third Madam Qi listened with a smile, occasionally adding a few words. When they reached the reception hall, she couldn’t help but click her tongue in amazement. The Eldest Princess’s residence claimed it was a plum appreciation banquet, and indeed, the hall displayed plum blossom screens, and by the window stood a nearly person-tall vase holding a branch of plum blossoms in full bloom, the fragrance rich and drifting everywhere.
She quickly composed herself and brought Qi Yuan forward to pay respects.
The Eldest Princess smiled warmly and told them to rise. After asking a few questions, she clasped Qi Yuan’s hand. “Some time ago the household was so busy that I didn’t even know you had returned to your hometown. Now how are you? You’ve finally come back.”
Her happiness at seeing Qi Yuan was obvious.
Zhou Wangfei couldn’t help but glance at Qi Yuan again, feeling it was somewhat unpleasant to the eyes.
She truly didn’t understand what the Eldest Princess liked about this troublemaker, always looking at Qi Yuan differently.
What was so worthy about this Qi Yuan?
She didn’t understand, and Commandery Princess Luochuan understood even less.
Her mood had originally been good, but the moment she saw Qi Yuan, it immediately vanished.
Especially when she saw Wang Chan flutter toward Qi Yuan like a small bird, she lowered her eyes and heavily placed her teacup on the table with a bang.
Everyone immediately looked toward Commandery Princess Luochuan.
Commandery Princess Luochuan’s expression did not change; her eyes were filled with undisguised mockery. “Nowadays, just anyone has the nerve to go out, huh?”
As she spoke, she looked at Commandery Princess Xianning with a half-smile. “I seem to smell something foul. What has mixed in here?”
Commandery Princess Xianning was her cousin and also her inseparable playmate. Upon hearing this, she immediately understood what she meant and gently shook her head at her.
She also knew Commandery Princess Luochuan disliked Qi Yuan, but Qi Yuan had been invited by the Eldest Princess after all, openly throwing a tantrum like this was not good.
The atmosphere instantly stiffened. Everyone felt somewhat at a loss. Fortunately, at this moment, Commandery Princess Xianning saw a serving woman approaching, so she hurriedly pulled Commandery Princess Luochuan to stand up. “Come, let’s go pick some plum blossoms from the garden to arrange in vases. Aren’t we going to have a painting competition later?”
Commandery Princess Luochuan followed her out of the side hall unwillingly and couldn’t help sneering as she shook off Commandery Princess Xianning’s hand. “What does it have to do with you? You really love to meddle.”
Commandery Princess Xianning was so angry she almost laughed. She reached out and poked Commandery Princess Luochuan’s forehead. “You ungrateful thing, who do you think I’m doing this for?”
As she spoke, she looked toward the serving woman standing not far away with a half-smile and snorted lightly. “Didn’t you come today to look at marriage prospects? You’re not here to cause trouble for Qi Yuan, are you?”
Only then did Commandery Princess Luochuan react, snorting in an unfriendly tone.
But she still suppressed her anger in the end.
Commandery Princess Xianning glanced at that mama and nudged Commandery Princess Luochuan. “Alright, alright, take care of your own matters first, then talk about the rest!”
Commandery Princess Luochuan took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes.
When Commandery Princess Xianning returned to the side hall, her gaze immediately swept to Qi Yuan, who was talking with Wang Chan in the corner. She couldn’t help but frown slightly.
People naturally have closeness and distance. Commandery Princess Xianning herself didn’t have any prejudice against Qi Yuan, but since Commandery Princess Luochuan disliked Qi Yuan, she inevitably carried a bit of bias toward Qi Yuan as well.
And indeed, it was somewhat like that.
In the past, Liu Mingzhu targeting Qi Yuan had also had its reasons.
They had grown up playing within the same circle; they were the same kind of people. But what was Qi Yuan?
Just a village girl who had grown up in the countryside, yet now she could step over all of them and become the most dazzling presence.
No matter who it was, they would probably have to ask why.
Besides, Qi Yuan seemed to insert herself into everything.
Wang Chan had already sensed the difference in how everyone treated them this time. She couldn’t help softly apologizing to Qi Yuan, “I’m sorry, Yuan Jie’er.”
It was all because she had been too close to her that Qi Yuan was being isolated.
Qi Yuan raised her brows in surprise, then let out a soft laugh. “What are you apologizing to me for? It has nothing to do with you. On the contrary, you’re the one being implicated by me.”
She poured Wang Chan a cup of tea and yawned. “There’s no need to worry about such trivial matters. Friends you need to flatter and curry favor with in order to keep weren’t really friends to begin with.”
There are too many difficult things in life. If even making friends requires constantly lowering yourself and wagging your tail, then what’s the point of living?
It was the first time Wang Chan had heard such a theory. She looked at Qi Yuan with a hint of shock. “Yuan Jie’er, then if you don’t fit in…”
“Then you don’t need to fit in.” Qi Yuan looked at her steadily. “There’s only one thing you must never follow the crowd on, that is a person’s conscience.”
Wang Chan was stunned for a moment, and only after a long while did she understand Qi Yuan’s meaning.
She understood.
If today the ones being isolated were not Qi Yuan and herself but someone else, then would she and Qi Yuan also have to help isolate that person just to fit in?
No, she didn’t want to be that kind of person.
Wang Chan took a deep breath, pressed her lips together, and nodded at Qi Yuan. “I understand.”
Qi Yuan tapped her fingers lightly on the table and lowered her eyes. She actually wasn’t interested in this kind of banquet at all.
The reason she came was entirely because she was curious about Lu Jintang’s marriage.
Now it seemed that this marriage was not as simple as she had thought.
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