When Lanqin saw Zhao Sijie, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of her previous prejudice against her. In fact, Zhao Sijie didn't look like a vixen at all; on the contrary, she was very dignified and beautiful.

"Sister Zhao, this is Consort Niu that I've been telling you about for so long," Zhao Jia introduced Lanqin to Zhao Sijie. Before Lanqin arrived, Zhao Jia had told her a lot about Lanqin, including how she herself had become the owner of Daqing Hot Pot, and how she had gone from being a poor prince's wife to the Thirteenth Prince's wife who no longer had to worry about money.

“Both of you are princes’ wives or concubines, while I am just a concubine. However, I will not follow these conventional etiquette rules with Sister Wenxiu, shall I?” Zhao Si’s words were surprising. She did not have the arrogance of a favored concubine at all, but rather seemed like a person who did not follow conventions.

“Of course it is. I have heard Wenxiu talk about Sister Zhao’s past as before. After hearing it, I felt that a woman like Sister Zhao was someone worth befriending. I didn’t expect to meet her today, and she is indeed different.” Lanqin smiled immediately upon hearing this.

Sister Zhao saw that Lanqin was indeed a very straightforward person, without any pretense of magnanimity. When those noble ladies outside spoke to her, they deliberately used a high-pitched voice, pretending not to care, but in fact, they were all eyeing her with suspicion.

No wonder, she was originally the legitimate daughter of a good family. Although she didn't have the illustrious family background of Lady Zhaojia, she naturally didn't have the means to become a prince's wife, but she could still marry into an official family and become a principal wife. Unfortunately, her family fell into decline, and she almost became a courtesan. Fortunately, she met Longkodo.

“Consort Niu, Wenxiu, let’s set up a table here, it’ll be quiet!” said Sister Zhao.

"That's what I meant too." Lanqin grew increasingly fond of Zhao Si'er. In this era, it was truly rare to encounter a woman who spoke her mind so frankly. Even Zhao Jia's family couldn't escape the feudal ethical norms and constraints imposed on women of this time.

Zhao Jia readily agreed. She went out to call the maids to set the table, and also went out to smooth things over and greet the guests outside. Actually, the main reason she held this spring flower-viewing banquet was for the couple inside. However, to cover up the truth, Zhao Jia also invited some noblewomen she knew well to join in, thus concealing the fact that Lanqin and Zhao Si had met.

After the maids had set the table, brought out the playing cards, and served all the fruits, tea, and snacks, Lady Zhaojia instructed them to stay outside and not to come in without prior notice.

Lanqin's maid, along with Wuxiha and Bechuk's maids, were left at the second gate to sit and eat tea and snacks.

Lanqin hadn't played cards so freely in a long time. In the south courtyard, she had her maids play with her, but they were always hesitant to play freely. Even with Song and Wu playing with her, they still couldn't play freely, and Song didn't like playing. This time, Zhao Si'er was a formidable card player, completely igniting Lanqin's card-playing addiction.

Zhao Jia was the type to deliberately lose, either giving Lan Qin a winning hand or giving Zhao Si'er a winning hand, but she didn't care about the money at all, because the money she earned this year was enough to cover the expenses of the Thirteenth Prince's residence for several years.

"I didn't expect Fourth Sister to be such a skilled fighter!" Lanqin and Fourth Sister Zhao were almost evenly matched; either Lanqin or Fourth Sister Zhao would win.

"The concubine plays cards really well; she's finally found a worthy opponent. I wonder if we could invite her to play cards sometime?" Zhao Si'er hadn't played so happily in a long time.

“Of course it’s great. I usually enjoy playing cards, but I can’t find any card-playing partners. Meeting Fourth Sister is like meeting a kindred spirit,” Lanqin said.

The two exchanged a smile, leaving Zhao Jia, who was standing to the side, dumbfounded. She hadn't expected the two to hit it off so well at first sight.

“Then you’ll have to call me next time. How can two people fight?” Zhao Jia said defiantly.

Zhao Si looked at Zhao Jia's golden melon seeds and said, "Sister Zhao Jia lost quite a few golden melon seeds today. We should invite Sister Zhao Jia to dinner. I know a place, would you like to go? The food there is really delicious, much better than the food in your mansion."

Zhao Jia looked at Zhao Si'er in surprise, then at Lan Qin, and said, "What about those people outside? We can't just leave them there, can we?"

"Why not!"

"Why not!"

Lanqin and Zhao Sijie said the same thing almost at the same time, which startled Zhaojia so much that she almost opened her mouth.

"No, that won't do. If I send out invitations later, who will come? No, no. Let's make an appointment next time!" Madam Zhao waved her hand hurriedly. "Besides, it's still the New Year holiday. How can we eat out?"

Zhao Si'er rolled her eyes at Zhao Jia Shi and said, "She's always been like this since she was a child, always worrying about this and that. Alright, you're treating today, so it's not good to leave so many people out. Next time I'll host, and I'll invite you and Consort Niu. You can't miss it!"

Lanqin nodded quickly. She also felt that it was inappropriate to take Zhaojia away like this. Seeing that Zhao Si had said so himself, she was naturally happy to agree.

After the sun began to set, Lanqin took her two daughters and bid farewell to Zhaojia. Zhao Si'er was the first to leave, without even going out to greet the noble ladies, and was led out by Zhaojia's maid. She didn't want Zhaojia to see her off, and left with Lanqin after exchanging letters.

Zhao Jia saw Lanqin and her daughter to the door. Uxiha and Bechuk were both listless and quickly got into the carriage.

"Qin'er, what do you think of Sister Zhao?" Zhao Jia asked, holding Lanqin's hand.

"She's a very nice person. Perhaps she's just having bad luck, and the matter between her and Lord Longkodo might not be as others say. Let's wait for her to send us an invitation," Lanqin said, patting Zhaojia's hand.

After Lanqin got into the carriage, she noticed that Ushiha and Bechuk looked listless, so she asked with a stern face, "What's wrong with you both? Why are you both looking so long-faced when you come to visit your thirteenth aunt today?"

"It's not fun. Those girls all like to say those polite, sisterly things, it's boring!" Ushiha sighed.

"Beichuk, what about you?" Lanqin ignored Ushiha. She knew that this child had been raised too much by her, but her youngest daughter shouldn't be.

“Sister is right. Bechuk doesn’t like them either. That Gao family’s daughter is very beautiful, and they all fawn over her like stars around the moon. It’s so boring,” Bechuk said.