Sure enough, before the time for Song Chaoyu’s banquet, Han Furen’s maid was the first to arrive.
She said that Han Furen had been unwell since yesterday, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, and feared she had contracted a plague, thus unable to go out. She would not be coming today and hoped Song Chaoyu would forgive her.
Song Chaoyu naturally obliged. She gave Qiu Qing a meaningful look before saying to the maid, “It so happens that the maid I have with me is exceptionally skilled in medicine. Let her accompany you to see your Furen and prescribe a couple of doses of medicine. If your Furen is still like this tomorrow, then it will be my maid’s fault.”
“No… no, that won’t be necessary, will it?”
The maid beside Han Furen naturally knew that Han Furen was not truly ill and was now hastily trying to refuse, “This is the head maid by the Wangfei’s side, how could she be someone our Furen could use? The manor also has a physician who has been attending to Furen all along, there’s truly no need to trouble the Wangfei’s maid.”
Song Chaoyu did not fall for this. She took a sip of tea before slowly saying, “If she cannot cure your Furen, I will skin her alive when she returns. Take her with you. Besides, having one more person to see your Furen’s illness will not hurt. You are quite a straightforward girl!”
Without giving the maid another chance to refuse, she winked at Qiu Qing and whispered a few words to her. Qiu Qing then pulled the maid along and headed towards the Han manor.
As they left together, Tiao Hong curiously stepped forward, “Why is the Wangfei being so kind? What did you say to Qiu Qing just now?”
Song Chaoyu covered her mouth and chuckled, “Han Furen is suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, isn’t she? I’ve asked Qiu Qing to treat her well, ensuring she cannot expel anything. Since she wants to use these low-level jokes to deceive me, I’ll let her know what that feels like.”
“Oh! I understand!”
Tiao Hong also covered her mouth and laughed, “You’re making her constipated! Hehe, Qiu Qing’s medical skills are certainly capable of that. I’m afraid tomorrow, the cascara sagrada in Yuezhou City will be sold out! It’s the Wangfei who has the ideas, and she should properly deal with people like them!”
Seeing Tiao Hong’s smug expression, Song Chaoyu felt a little helpless.
One must use the right method to deal with the right person.
Since Han Furen was clearly bent on opposing her, how could she let Han Furen have an easy time?
—
Aside from Han Furen, the official families who were usually on good terms with the Han family also sent messages, always with various excuses for not being able to come.
Song Chaoyu was not in a hurry. Instead, she instructed the servants to open the doors to welcome guests when the time came.
In reality, the number of people who actually arrived at the banquet was even fewer than Song Chaoyu had imagined!
She had sent out sixteen invitations.
Now that the time specified on the invitations had passed, there were only six official ladies seated before Song Chaoyu.
Moreover, the husbands of these six were not of high status in Yuezhou City. Among them, two were the wives of Yuanwai (wealthy merchants/officials) and ladies from merchant families.
Seeing the empty hall, they did not seem surprised.
One of them was Madam Zhang, wife of Yuanwai Zhang, who resided permanently in Yuezhou City. Yuanwai Zhang had also served in the capital ten years ago, reaching the rank of fourth grade, and was from a family of upright officials.
Madam Zhang was also spirited. Upon seeing Song Chaoyu, she led everyone forward to pay their respects.
Their manners and actions were impeccable, appearing graceful and dignified.
Song Chaoyu nodded, gesturing for them to sit, “I should have invited all you ladies to gather when I first arrived in Yuezhou City. However, I was truly busy and it was delayed until today. Please do not take offense, ladies.”
“Not at all, we are overjoyed that the Niangniang has invited us!”
A young woman standing behind Madam Zhang, who appeared to be newly married, also stepped forward with a smile, “Your humble servant is from the Liu family, the household registration official in Yuezhou City. To be able to see the Wangfei Niangniang, my heart is truly filled with joy.”
She glanced at the empty seats around them and then let out a cold snort, “Unlike other ladies in Yuezhou City, who only know how to follow that Madam Han. Niangniang, please do not take it to heart, the atmosphere in Yuezhou City has always been like this.”
It seemed she strongly disliked Madam Han and disdained to associate with them.
Song Chaoyu smiled and gestured for them to sit and talk, “It’s alright. Those who should come have come, and those who shouldn’t, would only feel awkward even if they did. I am in Yuezhou now, and I do not wish to put on airs as the Chang Wangfei. Let us all chat, and may today’s meal be a happy one.”
Seeing that they had all taken their seats, Song Chaoyu then called for the dishes to be served, “Today, I have not prepared anything particularly delicious. To be honest, it is rather humble, all common and ordinary things, even less than what we eat daily. However, these are things that the Wangye and I ate with the disaster victims on our journey. There are a few items that I found very interesting, and I’ve invited all of you ladies to try them. Let us all enjoy ourselves and talk about the disaster relief, shall we?”
As the maids and servants brought the dishes, they were indeed the kind of food eaten by ordinary commoners.
They were not exactly fine delicacies, but they were not entirely unpresentable either.
Only a few items, such as tree roots, grass roots, or birds and insects, looked somewhat different from the usual.
Song Chaoyu specifically explained that these were things she saw the disaster victims eating, so she wanted to try them as well.
The main dishes were the most ordinary ones.
While eating, she specifically observed the expressions of these six ladies.
Except for Madam Qian, who sat at the very back and had a furrowed brow throughout, the others did not seem to have any particular thoughts.
Madam Zhang and Madam Liu ate happily.
Song Chaoyu did not know Madam Zhang, but this Madam Liu was from a cloth merchant family in Yuezhou City.
Song Chaoyu had heard that since Yuezhou was hit by the disaster, the Liu family had opened several porridge kitchens to provide porridge to the disaster victims. They had also done their best to vacate two courtyards to house the disaster victims.
Therefore, Song Chaoyu admired the Liu family, and naturally, she admired Madam Liu as well.
Since no one else seemed to have an issue, Song Chaoyu’s gaze fell upon Madam Qian, who was frowning.
The Qian family was another Yuanwai family in Yuezhou City. Their official position was not high, but it was heard that they had deep roots in Yuezhou City.
“Madam Qian.”
Song Chaoyu gently called out to Madam Qian, “You seem to have some difficulty eating?”
Madam Qian dropped her chopsticks and then sighed, “I did not come here today to eat these things. I merely wanted to tell the Wangfei that there is no need for the Wangfei to hold any banquets here in the future. The official ladies of Yuezhou City will not come. We know whether we are closer to the Wangfei Niangniang or to Madam Han!”
Her directness caught Song Chaoyu off guard.
Song Chaoyu’s brow furrowed slightly, and she was truly unsure of what to say for a moment.
“What do you mean?”
Madam Zhang, however, stood up and walked to Madam Qian’s side, “You are always the one who sings the most contrary tune. Are you now disregarding the Wangfei’s dignity as well?”