They were still discussing how to proceed and were waiting for Xu Yunci's investigation. Li Shiyue hadn't expected to meet this student so suddenly.

It was at a banquet hosted by Xu Lingzi, which was also Guo Xun's birthday. Various families were invited, and Li Shiyue was naturally among them.

With Xu Wan not in the capital, Xu Lingzi, as the current head of the household, also had no time to be idle.

This was the first time the Guo family had held such a grand banquet since she married Guo Xun, so she naturally took charge of everything herself, afraid that there might be any mistakes.

Today, Li Shiyue was wearing a light blue and silver-white patterned jacket and holding a silk tapestry fan. She sat with Qin Wanyin on the veranda.

This courtyard is named "Fan Yuan". The courtyard is decorated in an elegant style. Green cypress and pine trees can be seen everywhere. The houses surround the courtyard. With the doors open, you can vaguely see noble ladies chatting inside, or some young women sitting together, laughing and doing something.

The corridor is a long, wide "回"-shaped corridor, in the most common dark brown color, and is decorated with exquisite carvings.

Li Shiyue gently waved a round fan. Her hair was styled in a woman's bun, all tied up, and adorned with a ruby ​​headdress, making her look extremely noble.

Occasionally, the wives of officials would come over to say hello, but knowing they weren't very familiar with each other, they wouldn't stay too long.

After all, the purpose of this trip is to build rapport and make a good impression. If it causes any unpleasantness, wouldn't it be counterproductive?

“If you’re bored staying here, how about I accompany you for a walk? To be honest, this is my first time visiting the Guo residence. My cousin said that the scenery in various parts of the Guo residence is beautiful and worth seeing, and I’m very curious about it.”

Finally, with a smile, Li Shiyue watched as the umpteenth official's wife left, then couldn't help but turn to look at Qin Wanyin beside her.

Compared to Li Shiyue's womanly hairstyle, Qin Wanyin wore a maiden's hairstyle today, with half of her hair loose, and the light pink hairpins on her hair looked especially beautiful in the sunlight.

Today she is also wearing a rose-red begonia-patterned silk robe, the outermost layer of which is a light and airy beauty.

Upon hearing Li Shiyue's words, his eyes lit up and he was about to say something when he was suddenly interrupted by a woman's voice.

"May the magistrate of Yichang County be safe."

Another person came to pay their respects. Qin Wanyin pursed her lips helplessly, then lowered her head and kicked her feet idly.

The movements weren't large, and the hem of her skirt concealed them, so only she could feel her feet lifting off the ground beneath the skirt, indicating that she wasn't being very well-behaved.

She hadn't actually reached the point where her feet were off the ground, but she deliberately sat back a little. In the short time that followed, she barely spoke a few words to Li Shiyue, instead going up to greet one person after another.

Li Shiyue looked up at the person who had come. She was a very young woman with delicate features, who would have been easily overlooked in a crowd.

Upon closer inspection, the woman's eyes and brows seemed to possess a unique charm. After only a few glances, even Li Shiyue couldn't help but blush. How could the woman's gaze be so alluring?

If she were a man, she would understand why the ancients said that even heroes cannot resist the charms of a beautiful woman, even though she is not a hero.

"I don't know which family this young lady belongs to. Forgive my poor eyesight, but she looks unfamiliar to me."

Li Shiyue stood up with a sincere expression, nodded slightly, and respectfully accepted the young woman's greeting.

Li Shiyue carefully examined the woman's face, confirming that she had never seen her before. Perhaps the woman had seen her, but she had never seen her and could not recall her name. Li Shiyue felt somewhat ashamed.

"Your humble servant, Du Ling, pays her respects to the Princess of Yichang. It is understandable that the Princess does not recognize me, as I am born of a concubine and have rarely left the palace. I have come today because I heard that the Princess would be here, and I have come specifically to express my gratitude for the Princess's great kindness."

Li Shiyue was a little confused at first, but she grasped the key point in her words: surnamed Du? A concubine's daughter? She came specifically to express her gratitude?

She understood each word individually, but when they were put together, she felt confused.

"It was the county princess and Prince Xu who saved me and helped Chunlang."

When Du Linghui mentioned "Chunlang," a slight blush appeared on her face, the kind of shyness unique to a woman waiting to be married.

Li Shiyue suddenly thought of something, looked at Du Linghui, and saw her nod: "So it's Miss Du."

She was Du Liangdi's half-sister, the Du family's daughter who almost had her reputation ruined.

When Du Linghui saw that Li Shiyue remembered, her smile became even more pronounced. Her delicate features gained a touch of naivety from the sincere smile, just like a little sister in a family being affectionate with her older sister.

"I mustered up my courage that day and went to plead with Prince Xu. I was quick on my feet, otherwise I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to stop him."

“After that day, everyone said that I, a concubine’s daughter, was trying to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy, and they said the most filthy things to me. Only the county princess and Prince Xu, you two thought that I had my reasons and could help me break free from the control of my elder brothers and sisters.”

"And what the county princess did, for the sake of my reputation, Prince Xu even helped Chunlang restore his honor. I knew then that Chunlang would never be a corrupt person."

Du Linghui suppressed her smile, her eyes filled with gratitude, and she couldn't help but tear up as she spoke.

"corruption?"

Li Shiyue was somewhat surprised. Chunlang must be her fiancé, who came from a poor family and was betrothed to her since childhood.

Du Linghui nodded, a hint of bitterness on her lips, but her eyes held undisguised hatred: "In order to cancel my marriage with Chunlang and to get me into the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, the Du family deliberately framed Chunlang for embezzlement. He could have been an official, but he was delayed for a long time."

"Even so, he did not give up on me. If we had not met Prince Xu, we might have struggled with the Du family and ended up losing to each other."

"Although I was born out of wedlock, my birth mother was not that kind of lowly concubine. My birth mother was the daughter of a wealthy merchant in the capital. Previously, my maternal grandfather was deceived by the Du family and thought that I was one of the other young men who were to marry into the Rongguo Duke's mansion. Knowing that the Du family wanted to send me to the Rongguo Duke's mansion as a concubine, it was naturally impossible."

“My maternal family is not what it used to be. We will not let the Du family control us. Even if Chunlang is just a minor official and penniless for the rest of his life, I will accept it.”

"Make me a concubine, to scheme for the benefit of those bloodsucking bastards in the Du family? Bah! Dream on! I'd rather die than let them have their way."

She was a woman of strong character. She expressed her gratitude in a few words, but made no attempt to hide her hatred for the Du family. She clearly hadn't expected her own family members to scheme against her like this.

Judging from this, her birth mother's methods of getting into the Du family were not very good either; otherwise, what decent young lady would become someone else's concubine?

Li Shiyue's gaze towards her changed, becoming filled with admiration.