The Shen family dinner is set for two days later.

  The family banquet was proposed by Old Lady Shen herself, but every year's family banquet was handled by Ren Yuanyun. This year's family banquet had to be handed over to Chen Ruoqiu. Nowadays, the power of the middle hall in the Shen Mansion is all in Chen Ruoqiu's hands. Old Lady Shen thought she had given Chen Ruoqiu a great face, but unexpectedly this seemingly glorious task was secretly making people unbearable.

  In the autumn water courtyard, Chen Ruoqiu sat in front of the desk, holding an account book with one hand and clumsily playing abacus with the other. The two maids standing behind her said: "Madam, you have been calculating for a whole morning, why not take a rest?"

  "The silver just doesn't add up." Chen Ruoqiu shook his head in distress: "Tomorrow, this sum of silver will have to come out of my own pocket." As he spoke, a hint of anger appeared on his face.

  Chen Ruoqiu considered herself a noble lady from a scholarly family, elegant and proud, and couldn't stand the smell of copper. When Old Lady Shen handed over the power to manage the household to Ren Yuanyun, she wasn't jealous in her heart, but was too embarrassed to fight for it, so she left a knot in her heart. After all these years of hard work, she finally became the mistress of the Shen family, only to find that managing the household wasn't as easy as she thought.

  Ren Yuanyun was born into a wealthy family, and her mother-in-law, Old Lady Shen, often spent lavishly. Ren Yuanyun could afford to deduct some from her own dowry, after all, she wasn't short on silver. However, the Chen family was only a literary official's household, which meant they were either "clean and uncorrupted" or simply poor and stingy, with no extra silver to spare. Chen Ruoqiu thought that taking over the management of the household would allow her to allocate some silver to supplement their expenses. But now, looking at it, Ren Yuanyun had also made a tidy sum over the years, and many of the silver coins in the account couldn't be accounted for. And just as they were about to host a family banquet, they found themselves somewhat short on silver.

  It used to be fine, Shen Xin's annual rewards from the palace were quite generous, and they could make up for some of the surplus. But now Shen Xin and the Shen family are at odds with each other, and there is no intention of making up for the public house, Chen Ruoqiu just feels a headache.

  "It's clear that the Gong family doesn't have enough silver, yet Old Lady is still hosting a banquet at this time. Isn't this bullying Madam?" Chen Ruoqiu's maid Shi Qing was indignant on her behalf.

  "Master also intends to abandon her, Madam's silver is not enough, or ask Master for some?" Hua Yi said.

  "What nonsense are you talking about?" Chen Ruoqiu said, "The old master's salary is not enough to grease the wheels of officialdom, how can he be asked to pay more silver?" She said, "I'll think again about what to do." Shen Wanyi had a mind to climb up the official career ladder, but Shen Gui was different. Shen Gui was ambitious and liked to curry favor with those in power, but didn't have any real ability of his own. Shen Wanyi, on the other hand, climbed up step by step through his own efforts, although his progress was a bit slow, it was more solid than Shen Gui's approach.

  Chen Ruoqiu had always known that she did not give birth to a son, and in the second room, she could only rely on Shen Wan's love for her. So in order to control Shen Wan, she was gentle and careful, if even this small matter of silver at home couldn't be resolved properly, wouldn't it make Shen Wan worried? With Shen Wan's conditions, there were many women outside who wanted to enter the second room, how could she let herself be at a disadvantage.

  "Besides, this silver wasn't spent in vain." Chen Ruoqiu's eyes sparkled: "If we can gain something from it, then it was worth spending."

  "What the wife means is..."

  Chen Ruoqiu smiled: "Old lady, it's not early to hold a family banquet, nor is it late. Holding a family banquet at this time is quite strange. Besides, I heard that the cousin from Suzhou who came over recently likes to run to the West Wing...". Chen Ruoqiu said, her eyes showing a hint of disgust: "Old lady, this move is really beneath you, but... coincidentally, I don't like Shen Qiu either."

  Chen Ruoqiu didn't like Shen Yuan, and she also didn't like Shen Qiu. If she had some fear towards Shen Yuan, then towards Shen Qiu it was true disdain. She herself couldn't give birth to a son, so she couldn't bear to see other people's excellent sons. And regarding Shen Qiu, Chen Ruoqiu only thought he was just a rough person who knew how to dance with knives and guns, why did he get so many people's praise? People want to destroy what they can't get for themselves. Shen Yuan had deep schemes and she didn't dare act, but Shen Qiu was straightforward and honest, and hadn't survived in the inner courtyard struggles, so it was easier to deal with him. Most importantly, she didn't even need to act herself, this time the one acting was Old Lady Shen, and Chen Ruoqiu just needed to sit back and watch the show.

  "I'll write a few more posters," said Chen Ruoqiu, "You find someone to deliver the posters to each of the ladies' residences." The more onlookers there are, the better.

  Two days later, there was a family banquet at the Shen residence.

  Since Ren Yuanyun went mad, those noble ladies cut off their relationship with her. After all, having an unmarried pregnant girl is not something to be proud of. Although no one knows what happened to Ren Yuanyun later, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter, and none of them asked about her again.

  The ladies who were originally close to Ruan Yun gradually got closer to Chen Ruqiu. Although Ruan Yun could no longer come and go, the relationship with the Shen family still had to be maintained. The Shen family was not just one lady, compared to Luo Xueyan who was not in the capital for many years and had a rough reputation, Chen Ruqiu from a scholarly family was obviously better to curry favor with.

  Mrs. Yi and Mrs. Jiang had arrived long ago, Jiang Xiaoxuan and Yi Peilan were chatting with Shen Yue, saying: "After the New Year's festival, we will go to Guangwen Hall, these days are so boring being locked up in the mansion."

  They chatted idly, completely forgetting Shen Qing's death and the fact that they were truly good friends with Shen Qing not long ago. The friendship among the noblewomen of Dingjing City was also as shallow as this; after all, friendships couldn't compare to benefits, and the people they socialized with weren't individuals, but rather the power and influence behind them.

  Shen Yue also smiled and responded to them, so Shen Qing's matter was tacitly forgotten by several people at the same time. It was Bai Wei who looked at the figure in the distance and said: "Ah, who is that? Is it the cousin you guys were talking about?"

  She raised her chin and nodded towards the girl standing not far away, wearing an apricot-colored dress with simple and unadorned clothing, standing and talking to the maid beside her.

  "That's Sanmei Donglian," Shen Yue said with a smile: "The daughter of Auntie, she didn't come out before because her body was not good, you haven't seen her is also natural." She deliberately emphasized the two words "Auntie".

  Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiao Xuan and several others immediately looked at her with disdain. Yi Pei Lan said: "What's wrong with your body? It's not like... it just came out, these concubines' daughters are the most cunning, Yu'e Niang, don't be deceived by her."

  Shen Yue smiled and said: "Third sister doesn't often go out of the house. Look at her, that's really my cousin."

  As Shen Qiang spoke, he saw Jing Chu walking past from one side, she probably didn't see Shen Yue and the others here, nor did she come over to greet them. It was Bai Wei who had sharp eyes, and asked in doubt: "Yue Niang, didn't you say your cousin is from Suzhou? Why did I just see her clothes and jewelry looking very expensive too? Look at that bracelet she's wearing, it's even better than the one you're wearing."

  Bai Wei was just speaking carelessly, but Shen Yue's face turned pale, and she forced a smile: "I don't know either, probably it was sent by my grandmother."

  "What's there to see?" Jiang Xiaojuan said: "From Suzhou, can't compare with our girls in the capital? Clothes and jewelry can be dressed up, but vision and temperament are not good, look at that delicate and timid appearance, how can it go on stage?"

  Shen Yue shook her head and said, "Don't say that about my cousin."

  "You're just too kind-hearted." Yi Pei Lan resented the fact that iron wasn't being made into steel: "You get close to all sorts of people, even the good-for-nothing from your own household was protected by you in the past. Now that they've become someone with status, they still don't put you in their eyes. Speaking of which, where's that good-for-nothing?"

  The "country bumpkin" she mentioned was naturally referring to Shen Miao. Since the verbal dispute between Guang Wenhall and Shen Miao, Yi Peilan had regarded Shen Miao as her arch-nemesis, and couldn't wait to step on her at every turn.

  And what she said was Shen Miao, who was now in the West Wing House watching Shen Qiu drink tea.

  "What's going on with Grandma?" Shen Qiu frowned and said, "Why invite so many women, wherever they go, they're chattering nonstop, it's deafening."

  "Almost all the people Third Aunt knows have been invited." Shen Miao handed Shen Qiu a cup of tea: "Perhaps they admire General's demeanor."

  "Spare me, sister." Shen Qiu waved his hand: "One is already enough trouble, so many women, the battlefield isn't even that scary."

  Shen Miao couldn't help but laugh, Shen Qiu's expression of viewing women as fierce beasts was indeed comical. But thinking about it, the women surrounding him were mostly those with ulterior motives, and the women in the Shen household weren't any better, each one not being a simpleton. For someone like Shen Qiu who valued straightforwardness, they were truly like a den of demons.

  "There are also those who are not so troublesome." Shen Miao tried to comfort him: "In the future, when you meet a girl you like, you won't think this way."

  Shen Qiu didn't speak, staring at her as if he had seen a ghost. After a moment, he shook his head and said, "Sister, the expression you just used when saying that is really similar to Mother's."

  Shen Miao: “......” Thinking about it this way, I really did treat Shen Qiu as Fu Ming.

  She was about to speak, but suddenly saw some movement outside and exchanged a glance with Shen Qiu. The two of them went out together, only to see someone shouting at the gate: "What's going on here? I just came to see Shen Miao, let me in!"

  Shen Miao was taken aback: "Feng An Ning?"

  That person heard Shen Miao's voice and, despite being held back by the guards, still waved at her: "It's me, Shen Miao! Hurry up and let them release me!"

  "Let her go." Shen Miao said: "She is Miss Feng of the Feng family."

  Feng Anning was released by the two men, and only then did he pat the dust off his body in a flurry, angrily saying: "What's going on? Why are there so many guards surrounding your own courtyard? I thought something had happened to you and that's why I came in. With so many people blocking the way outside, Shen Miao, are you sick or something?"

  Feng Anning was probably stopped for the first time, and the big sister's temper flared up. She scolded Shen Miao severely without caring about her own dignity. However, she had accidentally stepped on Shen Qiu's sore spot. Shen Qiu stepped forward, his eyebrows furrowed in a cold expression: "Who are you? You're shouting loudly in someone else's house, do you know any manners?"

  Shen Miao: "......" As Shen Qiu said, the words "knowing or not knowing courtesy" are indeed thought-provoking.

  Feng Anning raised his head to refute, but when he saw Shen Qiu, he couldn't help but pause for a moment. Shen Qiu's sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes were extremely handsome, unlike the soft and weak young masters of Dingjing City. His usual smile was warm and gentle, like a sunny day, but when he had a cold face, he looked like a young general on the battlefield who made people tremble with fear, with a strong and heroic aura.

  Feng Anning's arrogant demeanor immediately subsided, and she asked in a low voice: "Who are you again?"

  "This is my elder brother." Shen Miao said.

  Shen Qiu was still a bit famous in the capital, with people often comparing him to Xie Jingxuan, the young master of the Xie family and Shen's own younger brother. Unfortunately, Xie refused to take office, otherwise these two would have been outstanding figures among the military leaders of their generation.

  "What are you doing here?" Shen Miao asked, seeing that Feng Anning looked a bit embarrassed.

  Feng Anning complained as soon as he heard this: "I came to talk to you, and you also know that the people of Guangwen Hall have been excluding me together with you since they knew I was on good terms with you. Who cares? That's why I came to find you."

  Shen Qiu's face relaxed a bit upon hearing this. He knew Shen Miao was often ostracized in school, but unfortunately, he was rarely around to protect her. Now that Shen Miao had found a friend, although the friend was arrogant and ignorant of etiquette, well... she would have to make do.

  Of course, he and Feng Anning didn't know that "being on good terms" was just what Feng Anning thought, Shen Miao really didn't have the leisure to make friends with people.

  "Now that your friend is here, you can chat with each other." Shen Qiu coughed lightly: "I'll go out and talk to Dad about something."

  Shen Miao nodded in response. After Shen Qiu left, Feng An Ning whispered: "Your older brother is so fierce and intimidating, he just scared me to death."

  Evil spirits and evil spirits... Shen Miao was too lazy to explain, so she just said: "Yes, he has always killed people like hemp."

  Feng Anning hastily patted his chest and said with a sigh of relief, "Fortunately, I admitted my mistake and bowed my head early. Next time, I won't dare to rush in like this."

  Before he knew it, the time had arrived for the Shen family's banquet to begin.

  The men and women were seated separately, the women were in the hall where Rong Jing Tang was entertaining guests, while the men were taken care of by Shen Gui and Shen Wan. Shen Xin, although not very interested in family banquets and without the leisure to deal with the flattery of the Beijing officialdom, sat alone drinking wine.

  The men who came were not many, and they were all literary officials who got along with Shen Gui and Shen Wan. They didn't get along with Shen Xin, so it seemed like Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were deliberately being left out of the lively table. However, Shen Qiu was not unhappy about this at all, and he ate his food with gusto. On the other hand, Shen Yuan seemed to be showing off a bit, trying to emulate Shen Gui's mannerisms, which made Shen Qiu feel a bit nauseous.

  On the other side, the ladies' seats were naturally occupied by Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao. As Chen Ruoqiu's sisters, they had to show their support for Chen Ruoqiu. Although they couldn't openly mock Shen Miao in front of Luo Xueyan, they could still give her the cold shoulder. So, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue were asked questions by the ladies, even Jing Chuchu and Shen Donglian received a few words of pretended concern, but only Shen Miao was deliberately ignored.

  Lu Xueyan was somewhat indignant, and if it were the former Shen Miao, she would also be sulking in distress. However, now it's different, no matter how lively and extraordinary those ladies and young misses were being, Shen Miao ate and drank with composure, her every move carrying a dignified and noble air, which gave people an illusion that it wasn't those people intentionally cold-shouldering her, but rather Shen Miao herself didn't deign to speak with these people.

  It was like a punch landed on soft cotton, after several times, the crowd also became somewhat disinterested.

  Mrs. Yi smiled and said, "It's often said that Suzhou produces clever and elegant women, but I didn't believe it until now when I've seen the young lady from this old lady's family. Indeed, such a lively girl cannot be raised in our capital city."

  Madam Shen showed great importance to Jing Chuchu at the banquet, although it was unclear why, but the other ladies were not fools. Since Madam Shen wanted to promote Jing Chuchu, speaking nicely wouldn't hurt anything.

  Jing Chu's face turned bright red with shame, and she lowered her head without making a sound. Old Lady Shen smiled: "If Mrs. Yi says so, I won't agree, Miss Yi is also very lovely, I like her just by looking at her."

  Yi Peilan smiled and thanked Shen Lao's praise, while Jing Chu Chu became even more curious, whispering to Shen Yue: "Old Madam seems to really like your cousin."

  Shen Yue responded vaguely, and she was also somewhat perplexed in her heart.

  Shen Dongling sat in the corner of the banquet, and Wan Niang had no chance to attend such a gathering. Without her birth mother's support and Shen Lao Furen's promotion, she seemed inconspicuous. However, Shen Dongling didn't show any discontent, but silently ate the food in her bowl, just like an obedient and unloved concubine-born daughter.

  Mrs. Shen instructed Jing Chuchu to eat more while speaking highly of her, making the clever and sensible Xiaojia Bixi praise her to the skies.

  It wasn't until the maid who was pouring tea accidentally splashed water on Jing Chu Chu that this commotion stopped. Old Lady Shen scolded the careless maid, "What are you doing? What if you scald Miss Jing?"

  "It's alright." Jing Chu Chu smiled and said: "The tea water isn't hot, I'm fine."

  "The clothes are all wet." Old Lady Shen looked at the large water stain on Jing Chu Chu's collar and said with concern: "On such a cold day, you can't wear wet clothes. Xi Er, take Miss Biao downstairs to change into some dry clothes." She also reminded Jing Chu Chu: "Don't catch a chill."

  Jing Chu lowered her head and looked at her own collar. Even if the winter clothes were thin, they still had weight to them. The tea water seeped into the cotton padding, making it uncomfortable to wear on her body. Without further ado, she nodded her head in agreement with Old Lady Shen, her face flushing red, then bid farewell to the other ladies present before following the leading maid out of the room.

  Madam Jiang said: "Miss Jing is truly a lucky one, being valued so much by Old Madam."

  "Where is her good fortune," Old Lady Shen's face wrinkled with a smile: "It's my good fortune, this girl is clever and sensible, I like her."

  Upon hearing this, everyone flattered again. Chen Ruoqiu took a glance at Old Lady Shen and her eyes unconsciously drifted towards Shen Miao, who seemed to have noticed her gaze, also looked back at Chen Ruoqiu with a hint of doubt in her eyes.

  Chen Ruoqiu smiled and lowered her head, a hint of comfort flashing in her heart. However, she didn't notice that in the instant she lowered her head, the doubt in Shen Miao's eyes had been completely replaced by an extremely faint smile, which seemed to contain some inexplicable excitement if one looked closely.

  It was Shen Dongling on the table who glanced at Shen Miao without a trace, and quickly lowered his head to eat the things in the bowl.

  The men's table was not as refined as the women's, but it was a style of its own, with everyone drunk and rowdy. Although Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were being ignored, they still had several colleagues come over to toast them, and after a few cups, Shen Qiu's head began to spin.

  "You stinky brat, you're drunk after just a few cups, didn't you eat dinner?" Shen Xin angrily said.

  Shen Qiu rubbed his brow and shook his head, "I don't know." As a man who grew up in the military camp, this little wine was naturally not to be underestimated. To think that normally they would drink from a vat in the military camp, and look down on the wine in the capital city, thinking it wasn't strong enough, but now he himself had been slapped in the face today.

  "It's all been for nothing after teaching you for so many years." Shen Xin was fed up with his ungrateful student.

  "Great Uncle is drunk." However, Jing Guansheng laughed and explained: "Brother-in-law isn't someone who can't hold his liquor, but rather he mixed the Fu Tou wine and Yin Guang wine together to drink." He pointed at the cup of wine in front of Shen Qiu, and indeed, the wine in that cup didn't have the reddish tint of Fu Tou wine, nor was it as transparent as Yin Guang wine. Instead, it had a mixed appearance. Jing Guansheng continued to explain: "There are people who drink Yin Guang wine here, and people who drink Fu Tou wine. Brother-in-law probably didn't notice and poured them together. Drinking Yin Guang wine and Fu Tou wine together, others would be drunk after half a cup, but brother-in-law is still sober now, which is truly not easy."

  "Haha," an elder laughed and said: "This young man's capacity for wine is already quite good, General Shen shouldn't blame him."

  "Big brother can't keep drinking like this, it's better to help him back to his room to rest."

  Shen Qiu waved his hand and muttered something incoherently, apparently already quite drunk.

  "Otherwise I'll send Brother Biao back." Jing Guansheng said with a smile.

  Don't hit a smiling face, although Shen Miao's affairs had caused Shen Xin to have some minor complaints about Jing Guansheng, but since the guards were posted at the gate, Jing Guansheng had been well-behaved. Shen Xin glanced at him: "In that case, would you please help Ah Zhi take him back?"

  Jing Guansheng was just about to get up when he saw Shen Qiu grab one side of Shen Yuan and shake his head, saying: "A Zhi, take me with you."

  Shen Yuan was taken aback, Shen Xin furrowed his brow: "This kid, he's treating you like Ah Zhi." Then he said to Shen Qiu: "You little stinker, hurry up and let go of your second brother."

  Shen Qiu didn't move. Shen Yuan's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "My younger brother is the same as me. Since that's the case, I'll send big brother back to his room." He helped Shen Qiu up, not waiting for Shen Xin to refuse, and headed out.

  Just as Shen Xinzhen was about to speak, Shen Wan had already come over with a cup of wine: "Big brother, let me toast you!"

  This little disturbance at the banquet, no one took it to heart. It was quite normal for people to come and go in the middle of the feast. Only until the end of the banquet, when the ladies were chatting and taking a stroll in the courtyard, did Mrs. Bai seem to remember: "Why hasn't Miss Jing returned yet?"

  After being splashed with tea water by the maid, Jingchu went back to change her clothes. But since then, she hasn't appeared. Old Lady Shen was taken aback and asked Xi'er beside her: "Go ask someone why Miss Biao still hasn't come?"

  "Perhaps she's a bit drunk." Shen Yue smiled and said, "Just now, she drank quite a lot of honey wine. Although it's very sweet, the aftereffect is strong. Cousin likes sweet things, just now I forgot to stop her, maybe she's feeling dizzy and resting in her room."

  Xi'er responded and went out.

  Feng Anning rolled her eyes and quietly pushed Shen Miao: "I thought that with so many daughters in your household, the family banquet would be very lively. I didn't expect to follow my mother, but now it seems that it's just as boring." Feng Anning was the eldest daughter of the Guanglu Xuanfu, without many sisters, but Shen Miao had many sisters yet they were not close, and were even intentionally neglected. In Feng Anning's eyes, she simply found it uninteresting.

  "It has always been this way." Shen Miao replied.

  Feng Anning glanced around: "I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be back later, wait for me."

  After Feng Anning left with her maid, Xi'er also returned to Shen's old lady and shook her head: "Old lady, the young lady is not in the room."

  "Isn't he in the house?" Old Lady Shen raised her voice, and all the ladies' eyes turned to look at her. Old Lady Shen hastily lowered her voice and asked, "Then where is he?"

  Xi'er shook her head: "The people below don't know either."

  "This girl," said Old Lady Shen with some anxiety: "I hope nothing has happened to her?"

  Her appearance, falling into the eyes of each noble lady who had become a spirit, naturally gave rise to thoughts in their hearts.

  "Old Madam?" Just then, Chen Ruoqiu walked over from the other end and asked what had happened. After being informed, she smiled and said: "Don't worry, Old Madam. I just came back from Master's place. It seems that Chuchu got drunk. Coincidentally, Qiu'er also got drunk and has been sent back to her room to rest. The aftereffects of the wine at our family banquet are quite strong. Who knows which room Chuchu might have stumbled into."

  She intentionally or unintentionally mentioned the fact that "Shen Qiu also got drunk", and Shen Miao's eyes suddenly became sharp.

  Mrs. Shen shook her head and said, "You go find a few people to look for Chu Chu, after all, she's still in this mansion, just hope she doesn't catch a cold." She looked at the crowd again: "Speaking of which, I recently got a Golden Buddha embroidery, it's a double-sided embroidery by Zhang Qiao Xian, hanging in my main hall. If any of you are interested in seeing it, I'd be happy to take you there."

  Zhang Qiao Xian was a famous embroidery master, and one of her embroideries was priceless. When people heard that Old Lady Shen had one, everyone wanted to see it. Shen Miao sneered, "That double-sided embroidery is a reward from the palace, and it was given to Old Lady Shen by Shen Xin several years ago. She's just been too stingy to show it off until now." Now that she's willing to take it out, there must be another reason behind it.

  Is it really possible...to fulfill Old Lady Shen's wish?

  The ladies indeed followed Old Lady Shen to take a look at the embroidery. The main hall of Rong Jing Tang was a room similar to a tea house where guests could rest, and it was rarely visited because Old Lady Shen had few guests, so the tea house was usually empty.

  However, Fang walked to the door and found something unusual at the entrance.

  Some noise came from behind the tightly closed door, and for a moment it was unclear what the sound was, as if something had been knocked to the ground.

  Everyone suddenly stopped in their tracks.

  "Who's inside? Where did the gatekeeper go?" asked Old Lady Shen.

  "Returning to Old Lady, she was just here before, shouldn't there be no one in the tea room?" Xi'er asked doubtfully.

  "It's really raised a bunch of idle people! Can't even guard the door properly," Old Lady Shen was somewhat enraged: "Open the door!"