Chapter 23: No Ending

"What concubine? Haven't you heard? Lord Lu said that he wants to marry Xu to his brother. The invitation has been sent to my master." A middle-aged woman swung her legs, with an expression of watching the fun.

Xu Miaoyan looked at the man in front of her with grievance. In fact, the two delicate and beautiful children had already made her jealous: "Lu Lang, I also have good intentions. You said that your children are my children. How can I not come and give them a gift on their birthday?"

Lu Lang's tender voice gave the guests goosebumps all over their bodies.

The Fang family's relatives all glared at him.

"Bah! Vixen!" Someone spat.

Everyone looked back and found that it was the oldest uncle in the Fang family, so they didn't know what to say. Instead, Yan Fenghua nodded approvingly at the old man.

"His child is your child?" Fang Qianxue felt sick to death and turned her head to look at Lu Changqing, who looked embarrassed.

When will the two children she gave birth to at the risk of her life recognize someone else as their mother?

Lu Changqing is really not worthy of being a father.

"There are distinguished guests here today, Miaoyan, you should go back." Lu Changqing put his arm around Xu Miaoyan's waist and whispered, "I will go to accompany you after the banquet is over."

Everyone's eyes fell on his face. Lu Changqing felt uncomfortable all over and wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The statement of marrying two wives at the same time was just a cover-up. Anyone with a little insight would know that he was attracted by Xu Miaoyan's young figure and auspicious identity.

Fang Qianxue is only in her early twenties this year, and time has left no trace on her. When standing next to Xu Miaoyan, she even looks better.

But Xu Miaoyan has a bit of the wildness of a country woman, which complements her youthful eyes and makes it difficult for men to resist.

"Lu Lang, I came here sincerely to present a gift to the Second Madam. I will go back after I have presented the gift." Xu Miaoyan gently pushed Lu Changqing aside and said to Fang Qianxue, "Since Miaoyan came to the Lu family, she has always been taken care of by the Second Madam. It is only natural for me to present a gift today."

Although she said she came to give a gift, she didn't even bend her waist, and there was a hint of provocation in her eyes.

"Giving gifts?" Cui Shuang couldn't stand it and shouted, "If you came to give gifts, why can't you even bow to our wife? You are such an unruly woman, I don't know what the Second Master likes about you."

"Shut up!"

“Bang!”

Lu Changqing slapped Cui Shuang hard, knocking her into the bushes nearby.

"Cui Shuang!" Fang Qianxue hurriedly supported the maid.

"Madam, I'm fine." Although Cui Shuang said this, there was a slap mark on her face and her body was scratched by the bushes. She looked extremely embarrassed.

Fang Qianxue looked at him with her eyes slightly narrowed.

Lu Changqing, you touched my people, today's matter will not end well!

"Is this what your master taught you? Miao Yan is a female official, so she naturally won't kneel down to someone without an official position!"

"Second Master, if you have any grudges, just tell me directly. There's no need to take it out on my maid." Fang Qianxue looked at Xu Miaoyan coldly, as if she wanted to stare holes into her face. "The eldest princess is here today. What is there for her, a sixth-rank female official, to brag about? Besides, I didn't ask her to kneel, but she didn't even have the most basic manners. Who is breaking the rules?"

It is the rule for the gift-giver to bow to the host. Even if Yan Fenghua and the eldest princess came to the banquet, they had to nod to Fang Qianxue. However, Xu Miaoyan has not even bent her neck since she entered the courtyard.

"Qianxue, who is breaking the rules?" Xiao Mingjie lifted the beaded curtain and asked in a deep voice, "Do you want me to teach you a lesson?"

"Your Highness, that's not the case! Miaoyan is new here and doesn't quite understand the rules of the capital. Ignorance is not a crime," Lu Changqing hurriedly pulled Xu Miaoyan to kneel down, "I was just angry at the moment and hit Cuishuang, it wasn't intentional."

The girl in yellow knelt down reluctantly and was forced to kowtow to Xiao Mingjie.

She was very unwilling because Fang Qianxue was still standing while she had to kneel down and kowtow, but when she heard Lu Changqing calling her "Your Highness", she had no choice but to do it.

"Qianxue, if anyone dares to disrespect you again, you can ask her to kneel down in the Princess's residence." After Xiao Mingjie finished speaking, she sat back behind the curtain and said contemptuously, "Let's start the banquet again. Don't let irrelevant people disturb our mood."

"Eh? What's that smell?"

A clear and subtle fragrance immediately filled the banquet. The fragrance was rich, yet deeper than the scent of flowers and fruits.

"Look, is that a white crane?" There was suddenly a commotion among the crowd sitting outdoors.

I saw two white birds circling slowly in the night sky not far away and landing on Xu Miaoyan's shoulders, one on each side.

After seeing it clearly, someone exclaimed: "It's a white crane. We haven't seen a white crane in Shangjing City for many years!"