A slender woman stood at the door. Upon seeing Madam Ping and Xu Zhi, she quickly went to greet them, smiling and saying, "Oh, Madam Feng, Madam Zheng, please come in, please come in. The old lady told us yesterday that she must have a good talk with Madam Feng today."

Xu Zhi recognized the woman; she was the eldest daughter-in-law of the second branch of the Yun family. She was shrewd and had a good rapport with all the ladies in Miaozhou City.

They exchanged a curtsy, and Madam Ping said with a smile, "Is the old lady inside? I'll go and talk to her now."

Ming held Ping's hand, her face slightly worried, and said, "The old lady is happy, but she was greedy last night and ate a few extra pieces of fruit. She got up twice in the middle of the night and asked a doctor from the city to examine her early this morning. He said there was nothing wrong, just that she needs to rest well. He is still at home and hasn't come over yet. The old lady instructed me to entertain all the ladies well today."

Upon hearing this, Madam Ping quickly added, "The old man is getting on in years; he really should be more careful."

Feng Shaoli was in charge of various affairs in the city. These merchants were extremely eager to curry favor with Feng Shaoli, who was in charge of the city. It was also because neither Feng Shaoli nor the Ping family were greedy people and had never accepted gifts from the merchants.

Ping was a kind and generous person. Although she did not accept gifts from others, she got along very well with the ladies of various families. In the government offices of Miaozhou City, it was generally difficult for ordinary people to invite the wife of the prefect. The wife of the assistant prefect was a concubine. Although everyone would invite the concubine, Shen, to come, it was still somewhat improper. The Great Liang Dynasty was lenient towards legitimate and illegitimate children, but not so friendly towards concubines.

Even if merchant families were lenient in some respects, they would always have some reservations about the existence of concubines.

The eldest mistress of the second branch of the Yun family led Ping Shi and Xu Zhi into the inner courtyard, smiling as she said, "The lotus flowers in our pond are blooming exceptionally well this year. A few days ago, our second young master found a cook who can prepare lotus flower banquets. Today, we will use lotus flowers to make a feast."

Xu Zhi simply smiled and nodded, but Madam Ping replied, "That's wonderful! We're in for a treat today."

The eldest daughter-in-law of the second branch of the Yun family looked at Xu Zhi and said with a smile, "Everyone says that Madam Zheng is beautiful. After seeing her up close today, I can confirm that Madam Zheng is indeed beautiful."

Xu Zhi smiled and said that the second wife was too kind, but the second wife took Xu Zhi's hand and said warmly, "My maiden name is Ming. I felt close to you as soon as I met you, Madam. We sisters should get closer in the future."

Xu Zhi felt a little awkward, but since they were in someone else's house, she couldn't just pull her hand away directly. She glanced at Ping Shi, who smiled and pulled Ming Shi's arm, saying, "Oh, Madam, hurry up, I see there are already quite a few people over there, let's go take a look."

Xu Zhi smiled and nodded to Ming Shi. She could clearly see a hint of disappointment in Ming Shi's eyes, but she still smiled and beckoned the two of them to the lotus pond not far away. The smile seemed somewhat forced. Xu Zhi understood that today's lotus banquet was probably prepared specifically for her. The Yun family had something they wanted her help with.

The lotus pond covers a vast area, stretching as far as the eye can see. It is filled with lotus flowers, and it is already the season when the lotus flowers are in full bloom. It is truly a scene where the lotus leaves stretch to the sky, an endless expanse of green, and the lotus flowers, bathed in sunlight, are a uniquely vibrant red.

A long covered walkway has been built along the lotus pond. The side closest to the pond is made of very wide wooden planks, where people can sit and rest. Right now, the walkway is full of beautifully dressed women, and some tables and chairs have been set up inside, so it is estimated that a banquet will be held here later.

Xu Zhi slowly walked into the corridor, feeling a gentle breeze on her face. The sweat she had accumulated along the way was immediately blown away, leaving her feeling refreshed and her mind much clearer.

The veranda has been built for many years. Although the wood is somewhat rotten, it has been repainted. However, what catches the eye is the long row of tables and chairs placed in the veranda, all made of excellent ebony. Even though Xu Zhi doesn't know much about wood, she just felt that it was warm and smooth, with a muted light that exuded a grand and noble air, making people feel happy just looking at it.

Many ladies from various families who had arrived earlier quickly stood up to greet Ping and Xu Zhi. Ping stood in front of Xu Zhi, offering a few words of thanks, and then pulled Xu Zhi to a place to sit down.

The maidservant serving nearby quickly brought over a tray with several plates of uniquely shaped pastries, including one shaped like a lotus flower. The pastry was even dyed the same color as the lotus flower, and I really don't know how it was made.

Ping looked at the pastries in surprise, then at the magnificent scene around her. She was shocked and whispered to Xu Zhi, "I think today's banquet is really lavish. The Yun family has always been a very simple family and never spends so much money. I don't know why they are doing this today."

Xu Zhi knew in her heart that this was probably done for her to see, to show her the Yun family's financial strength. Xu Zhi felt that what the Yun family was asking for this time was probably not small, or rather, the matter was somewhat tricky.

Xu Zhi began to consider whether to continue contacting the Yun family and listen to their demands. However, this would inevitably lead to a direct confrontation with some forces. Xu Zhi and Zheng Boyuan did not come to Miaozhou to make a name for themselves; they just wanted a place to live a peaceful life.

Xu Zhi really wanted to talk to Xu Di and ask him what he thought, but unfortunately Xu Di was thousands of miles away, so it was not something she could see whenever she wanted.

Xu Zhi had something on her mind, but she didn't show it on her face. She chatted casually with Madam Ping and some other ladies. Although Xu Zhi was young, she had experiences that these ladies didn't have. Although it was just casual conversation, she had a lot to say. She told many stories in detail, which attracted the attention of several ladies sitting next to her.

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