If you can't figure something out, just stop thinking about it.

Qingying has always been a person who takes things as they come, so she was only worried for a short while before returning to normal.

"What is the Spring Appreciation Banquet for?" she asked.

Yu Yue and Tong Xia both shook their heads.

Qingying had never attended these banquets before, and she wasn't interested in them anyway. Moreover, Madam Pan intentionally kept it from her, so she simply didn't bother to inquire. As for Yu Yue and Tong Xia, her personal maids, if she didn't bother to find out, they would have even less reason to know.

“Granny Zhang might know,” Tong Xia said.

In her early years, Granny Zhang worked for Madam Pan before becoming Qingying's wet nurse. As an elder in the household, she naturally knew more than the others.

So Qingying asked Yuyue to call Zhang Mama over.

Upon hearing that the madam was going to take her to the spring banquet, Zhang Mama frowned instinctively and muttered, "But the young lady is only thirteen this year..."

"What?" Qingying looked at her in confusion and asked, "Is there a problem, Granny?"

As if just coming to her senses, Zhang Mama said seriously, "I suppose Madam is doing this for your own good. The Spring Appreciation Banquet is organized by the Grand Princess and is held only once every other year. At that time, young gentlemen and noble ladies from all the families in the city will be invited to Biyuan Garden to enjoy the spring together. Just dress up beautifully and go. I believe Madam will take care of the rest."

Hearing her say that, Qingying's worries were largely dispelled.

Seeing that it was getting late, she washed, changed her clothes, and went to bed to rest.

However, she tossed and turned in bed, her heart filled with worry for the man in the storeroom of Chongfu Temple.

"I wonder how well he's recovered from the poison..."

He's suffered such severe injuries; he's bound to endure considerable hardship. I wonder who he is? What does he do? How did he manage to attract such ruthless enemies? If he's lucky enough to survive, it will be a good deed on her part. But if he's unlucky and doesn't make it, then I can only wish him a smooth journey to the afterlife, and that he'll be reborn into a good family in his next life.

Qingying pondered for a long time before drifting off to sleep.

To ensure she could attend the spring banquet in a presentable manner, Madam Pan took her out early the next morning. They went to try on clothes and buy jewelry, giving her a completely new look from head to toe.

After a day of sightseeing, it was already dark when they returned to the mansion.

For the first time, Qingying realized that she had to start working to save face for the General's Mansion.

...

The day of the spring appreciation banquet arrived quickly.

Qingying was woken up early to wash and dress up. She sat in front of her dressing table, still looking sleepy, with her eyelids drooping as a group of maids surrounded her and fussed over her.

"Miss, remember to be polite. Do whatever Madam asks you to do," Zhang Mama instructed from the side.

She'd heard these kinds of things so many times in the past two days that she was practically sick of them.

She yawned lazily, "I understand, Granny. I won't bring shame to the General's Mansion."

"Miss, please don't blame me for being long-winded. This is your first time attending such a grand banquet. All the guests are the families of high-ranking officials and noblemen, young masters and ladies. If you offend someone or lose your manners, you will not only lose face, but your status will also be criticized."

"My identity?" She scoffed and said, "If someone really doesn't like me, my identity will be the first thing they'll use against me."

Even though Madam Pan treated her very well, she was still labeled as a concubine's daughter. Over the years, no one in the General's Mansion had suggested that she be adopted by her stepmother.

However, Qingying was not an ungrateful person. She knew that as a concubine's daughter, she was already blessed by heaven to live a life of comfort and enjoy the favor of a legitimate daughter. She had seen that the lives of concubine's children in some noble families were not even as respectable as those of first-class maids.

Therefore, she never mentioned the matter of being adopted as the legitimate daughter. As long as her grandmother loved her, her parents loved her, and her brother doted on her, what did it matter whether she was the legitimate daughter or not?

Knowing she had spoken out of turn, Granny Zhang stopped lecturing her.

After she finished dressing up, a maid praised her, "Miss, you look even more beautiful now. With just a little makeup, you are absolutely stunning. I'm afraid all the gentlemen at the banquet will be captivated by you."

Who doesn't love to hear sweet words? Qingying was just an ordinary person. Even though she knew that the maid was flattering her and that there might be some truth to it, she still couldn't help but feel happy because of these words.

She looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in a light blue dress, her hair adorned with a red hairpin, and a pair of gold hair ornaments exuding nobility. Her pretty face was as smooth as jade, her eyebrows as dark as distant mountains, her phoenix eyes and red lips, and a dot of vermilion between her brows made her face look rosy and peach-like. She always knew she was beautiful, and she could truly accept being called a beauty of unparalleled grace.

"Your makeup is quite nice today, please take a look."

"Thank you for your generous gift, Miss." The maid knelt down to express her gratitude, her face beaming with undisguised joy.

At this moment, Madam Pan sent someone to summon her.

She finished getting ready and went out.

On the way to the spring banquet, Madam Pan held her hand and said gently, "When you meet people, I will tell you to bow, so please do so. Don't be nervous when you meet the Grand Princess. She is easygoing and easy to get along with."

"Yes." Qingying lowered her head, behaving very obediently.

"Throughout the year, there are countless banquets, big and small, in the capital. The reason I didn't let you go in the past was for your own good. Do you understand your mother's good intentions?"

“My daughter understands.”

"It's good that you understand." Madam Pan affectionately stroked the back of her hand.

They soon arrived at Biyuan Garden, where Qingying was helped down from the carriage by Yu Yue.

Many carriages were already parked around, and most of the people who got out were young girls, mostly around fifteen or sixteen years old. Some of them would link arms and chat as soon as they met, and their silvery laughter reached Qingying's ears.

She rarely went out, but she had been to Biyuan before. It was a popular spot for many noble ladies in the capital. The garden was large, with hills, lakes, pavilions, and towers scattered throughout. The scenery here was beautiful in every season: peach blossoms in spring, lotus flowers in summer, chrysanthemums in autumn, and plum blossoms in winter. It was a great place to enjoy flowers and scenery.

However, she only visited once. It was winter, and she passed by wanting to come in and admire the plum blossoms, but unfortunately, the plum blossoms had not yet bloomed; only a few flower buds adorned the brown branches of the trees. After returning home that time, she caught a cold and fell ill for a long time, spending the entire spring in bed without getting up.

As soon as Madam Pan entered the garden, someone came forward to greet her. It was a refined-looking noblewoman whose understated yet elegant attire clearly indicated her high status.

"Shushu, come and greet Madam Lu."

Shushu was the nickname given to her by Madam Pan.

Qingying stepped forward and respectfully bowed, saying, "Qingying greets Madam Lu."

Among the powerful and influential people in the capital, only the Duke of Lu's family had the surname Lu, which explains why the Pan family was on good terms with them.

"This is Shushu. She has grown into such a beautiful young woman. No wonder your stepmother always kept her hidden away. She was afraid that someone else would snatch her away."

Madam Pan scolded, "What are you saying? Shushu has been frail since childhood, which is why she rarely goes out. I have never restricted her."

Qingying listened to the back-and-forth between the two and could detect a hint of hostility in their words.

It seems that the Pan family did not necessarily have a good relationship with the Lu family.