After one night, Lu Nianfu changed her mind. After breakfast, she excitedly called Qingmiao and Mian'er to help her dress and groom.
Because she suddenly remembered something. Today, the Prince Ning's manor had a grand show, a truly exciting one, and she absolutely couldn't miss it. Primarily, so much time had passed that many memories had become blurred. Yesterday, she had received the invitation but hadn't reacted at all. Fortunately, it wasn't too late now; she could still make it.
Situ Yan, who was on leave at home, didn't understand. "Didn't we agree not to go yesterday? His Majesty rewarded us with a leg of venison yesterday, and I was planning to take you to the garden to roast it."
Lu Nianfu said, "We can eat roasted meat after we return. Why don't you come with me? I heard the chrysanthemums in Prince Ning's manor are blooming beautifully."
Situ Yan got a headache just hearing about flower viewing.
His father summoned him to the palace to keep him company from time to time. Whenever they passed the imperial gardens, he would ask him to compose poetry on the spot, claiming it was to improve his literary cultivation. He didn't consider that he, a coarse man, had any such leisure inclinations.
At that moment, he shook his head with a vigor comparable to a rattle drum. "I'm busy. Dali Temple has a pile of things to attend to."
Didn't he just say they were going to roast meat in the garden?
Lu Nianfu saw through his excuse with a single glance and very kindly offered him a way out. "The invitation came from the Princess Ning. It's likely only female guests were invited. It really wouldn't be appropriate for a man like you to go."
What a shame. It seemed he would have no part in this grand show.
Perhaps because the memory of her death was too vivid, Lu Nianfu couldn't recall what Prince Ning's manor looked like, apart from that room in the northwest corner which could barely block the wind. It wasn't until she alighted from the carriage and saw the pair of stone lions with琉球 (Liúqiú - an archaic term for Okinawa, here likely referring to decorative elements resembling them) that she felt a slight sense of familiarity.
The one greeting guests at the entrance was not Princess Ning, Jian Yuzi, but Jian Yuyan, dressed all in red.
Well, she was also the protagonist of today's grand show.
In her previous life, she had arrived at the manor late. By then, Jian Yuzi had already passed away from illness. Jian Yuyan, the legitimate second daughter of Marquis Qiying's manor, did not continue her sister's role and become the new Princess Ning. Instead, she was brought into the manor through a side door in a small sedan chair, and that was that.
She didn't even get the position of a concubine.
It wasn't that Situ Jue didn't give face to Marquis Qiying's manor. It was that Jian Yuzi had set a trap for Jian Yuyan at today's chrysanthemum appreciation banquet.
When she entered the manor, Jian Yuyan had caused her no small amount of trouble, both overtly and covertly, but she had never attacked her reputation. After all, they were all in the same boat; no one could laugh at anyone else.
Lu Nianfu was a vengeful person. She had no chance to witness Jian Yuyan's miserable plight in her past life, so she absolutely could not miss it this lifetime.
Looking at Jian Yuyan, who was acting as flamboyantly as if she were already the mistress of Prince Ning's manor, Lu Nianfu couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile. She took the gift box from Qingya's hands and handed it over herself. "It has been quite some time since Nianfu came to the capital, and this is my first time meeting Fifth Sister-in-law. Fifth Sister-in-law looks truly dignified."
Anyway, she had lived in seclusion since arriving in the capital and had never met Jian Yuzi. Mistaking her for someone else was quite normal, wasn't it?
Jian Yuyan's smile froze instantly.
A light laugh came from the side. "Seventh Sister-in-law, this is not Fifth Sister-in-law, but her own younger sister. Because Fifth Sister-in-law is not feeling well, she has specially come to the manor to help out."
Lu Nianfu showed a perfectly timed look of surprise. "A sister-in-law helping out at her brother-in-law's house? Does Prince Ning's manor have no stewards? Or are the maids by Fifth Sister-in-law's side incompetent? Tsk, and they say noble families in the capital are the most particular about rules. It seems they are nothing special."
Jian Yuyan's face turned pale and then flushed.
The woman who had spoken earlier became even more gleeful. "Oh, Seventh Sister-in-law, please stop. You are a guest, and you shouldn't make people feel so awkward."
Lu Nianfu made a gesture of silencing. "I was just too surprised and couldn't help myself. Miss Jian, you wouldn't mind, would you?"
Jian Yuyan gritted her teeth. "Of course not."
"Then we shall go admire the flowers. Does Sixth Sister-in-law know where Prince Ning's manor's gardens are?"
"Of course I do. Come, Sixth Sister-in-law will take you." The Sixth Prince's Consort didn't even glance at Jian Yuyan. She signaled a maid to hand the gift to a maid beside Jian Yuyan and then took Lu Nianfu's arm, leaving.
The two of them, with their coordinated act, almost slapped Jian Yuyan's face and also publicly exposed the lack of etiquette in Prince Ning's manor, making it difficult to ignore. The ladies present, though lacking their boldness, started gossiping after they were out of Jian Yuyan's sight.
"Don't hit someone's face, but the Prince Rui's Consort is doing just that. She's so tactless. Who would dare invite her to their home in the future?"
"As if you could invite her even if you wanted to."
"Hmph, who would want to invite her? If not for the title of Prince Rui's Consort, a merchant's daughter with such lack of manners wouldn't even have the chance to step into my house."
"If she wasn't so ill-mannered, how could she say such cutting words?"
"You all... if you don't know, don't spread rumors. Although Prince Rui's Consort has been living in seclusion since arriving in the capital, she hasn't attended banquets without reason. Have you ever heard her speak so harshly? This act today is clearly intentional."
"Intentional?"
"Of course. She even knows the reclusive Sixth Prince's Consort, so how could she mistake Princess Ning? It's clear she deliberately embarrassed her. Who in the capital doesn't know that Prince Rui and Prince Ning are at odds? As for the Sixth Prince's Consort, her husband is currently serving time in the imperial mausoleum for Prince Ning's offenses. Prince Ning hasn't offered any assistance to the Sixth Prince's manor either." Madam Qu sighed.
She also subtly reminded everyone: See how unfeeling Prince Ning is.
Today, Princess Ning had invited a mixed group of guests, not only those loyal to Prince Ning but also members of the Crown Prince's faction, and of course, a considerable number of neutral parties. Madam Qu's husband was a Grand Academician of the Grand Secretariat, a trusted minister of the Emperor, and a staunch neutral.
Her words carried considerable weight. The expressions of the ladies from various families remained unchanged, but they all silently weighed the implications in their hearts.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Sixth Prince's Consort, Mu Shanshan, had already let go of Lu Nianfu's hand. "Seventh Sister-in-law, I suddenly remembered I have something to attend to. You can go to the rear garden by yourself."
Her husband was indeed taking the blame for Situ Jue, but the incident had occurred in Yangzhou. Who knew if it had anything to do with Situ Yan?
Lu Nianfu didn't care much. Her objective was only to embarrass Jian Yuyan. She waved her hand. "Sixth Sister-in-law, go ahead and be busy. With so many maids and servants, I'm sure there's no shortage of people to guide you."
The Sixth Prince's Consort snorted and left with a flick of her sleeve.
After the Sixth Prince's Consort had walked away, Qingya quietly said, "My lady, Sixth Sister-in-law's expression changed so quickly."
"A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Who knows what she's thinking? Also, outside, you must call her 'Princess Consort.' If outsiders hear you, they might start spreading rumors."
Qingya touched her head. "Alas, I'm just used to calling you that."
Lu Nianfu glared at her. "No, from now on, when we're at home, you should change how you address me, lest you slip up outside and reveal something."
"Yes, Princess Consort."
Only then was Lu Nianfu satisfied. She led Qingya forward. She didn't need anyone to guide them; she would just follow the scent of the flowers.