Chapter 895 Attending the Wedding Banquet 2

The crowd began to murmur again, "I heard that a wealthy merchant named Bai has come to Shengjing City. Could it be the Bai family? The Bai family is very generous and rich... Madam Bai has been buying things at various shops lately, she's really extravagant!"

Upon hearing that they were very wealthy, everyone looked at them with even more respect. Bai He came with Madam Bai and Qin Yunyan. Bai He was invited by General Shang to have drinks, while Madam Bai and Qin Yunyan went to the women's section, causing a sensation.

When Madam Shang, who was standing to the side, saw the newcomer, she was taken aback at first, and a hint of contempt flashed in her eyes. She quickly put on a smile and said, "Oh, Madam Bai, welcome, welcome! It's true that seeing is believing. Madam Bai has such a wonderful temperament!"

Madam Shang couldn't really say that she was very beautiful, because Madam Bai was indeed not very beautiful and was quite old, but she was certainly rich.

The fact that she could wear gold hairpins and gold rings all over her head and hands made Madam Shang scoff at her, saying it was vulgar and she wasn't afraid of being robbed.

The Shang family held a high position in the Great Zhou Dynasty, enjoying both fame and fortune. However, the women in the Shang family could not dress as extravagantly and ostentatiously as Madam Bai.

On the other hand, the woman beside her kept calling her "Mother," which made everyone wonder how Madam Bai could give birth to such a beautiful daughter.

Qin Yunyan appeared shy and refined, like a lady from a prominent family. Her red lips were slightly pursed, and she exuded an otherworldly elegance.

At this moment, Madam Bai was overwhelmed by the sudden enthusiasm, and for a moment she mingled with the women again.

Then, Madam Bai began promoting the Bai family's cosmetics again. Perhaps because she was wealthy and had a beautiful daughter, she attracted the attention of the women and young ladies present.

The Bai family mother and daughter suddenly became even more prominent.

Madam Bai had a petty, unsophisticated air about her, and Qin Yunyan's eyes flashed with disdain as she gently called out, "Mother, where are you going?"

Have you forgotten your husband's instructions? You're not here to sell cosmetics today; you're here for a wedding banquet. Why are you keeping pushing your blush and lipstick?

Qin Yunyan squeezed her wrist, and Madam Bai immediately understood. She was also a little nervous. Had she just embarrassed the Bai family?

She unconsciously adjusted the golden hairpin in her hair to hide her guilty conscience.

Just as the woman was about to ask her about the type and color of the lip rouge, Madam Bai suddenly stopped smiling and said calmly, "I will have the shopkeeper introduce it to everyone."

The phrase "this lady" immediately created distance between everyone.

Qin Yunyan thought: The Bai family needs to give people a feeling of being rich and mysterious, so as to attract everyone's attention.

Madam Shang glanced at Madam Bai and realized that she was indeed a woman from a merchant family, reeking of money. She couldn't even pretend to be a noblewoman; she couldn't pass the test of demeanor.

Jiang Fenghua raised her teacup and took a sip. She had seen through Qin Yunyan and Madam Bai's interaction but kept quiet. They were indeed a rather interesting "mother and daughter" pair.

Jiang Fenghua suddenly said to Madam Bai, "Why didn't Madam Bai bring Yuhan with her? I haven't seen her for a long time, and I miss her."

Madam Bai gave Qin Yunyan a forced smile, then quickly knelt down and replied, "Your Majesty, Han'er is unwell, so she did not come."

Jiang Fenghua had Hongxiu help Madam Bai up, and then said, "Madam and I are both here today to attend the Shang family's celebratory banquet. There's no need for formalities. Please get up and sit down!"

Madam Bai was flattered and quickly nodded, "Yes, thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."

Jiang Fenghua then said to Qin Yunyan, "Miss Bai, please sit down too! You are indeed prettier than your sister, but Yuhan is more lively than you."

Jiang Fenghua addressed her as "Yuhan" repeatedly, as if they were truly friends.

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."

Qin Yunyan didn't know how to reply, so she sat obediently to the side, her posture quite proper and upright.

Madam Shang held her eyes high. No matter how beautiful she was, she was still a merchant's daughter, a low-class woman who couldn't be brought to the table. She had a foxy face and only wanted to seduce men.

Why is the Empress so polite to a woman like her?

Because the merchant was holding a wedding banquet, Madam Shang did not go to the hunting grounds, so she did not know that Qin Yunyan wanted to seduce the emperor. She only saw that the men present were all staring at "Bai Zhiyan" and looked down on her because of her lowly status.

Madam Shang said, "Does Miss Bai have a younger sister? The Empress seems to be quite familiar with the Bai family's daughter."

Jiang Fenghua said, "I and the youngest daughter of the Bai family were friends for many years. The two sisters have opposite personalities."

"Is that so?" Madam Shang added, "Now that Your Majesty has said that, I am quite eager to meet Miss Yuhan. Being so highly regarded by the Empress, she must be an exceptionally good girl, perhaps even better than Miss Bai!"

Qin Yunyan could easily see the strange look in Madam Shang's eyes. She smiled and said, "Zhiyan and my sister do have different personalities. She is more lively and active, and her smile is as warm as the sun." She had once been a concubine in the palace, but unfortunately, she was foolish and did not seize the opportunity.

Madam Shang was taken aback, but said nothing more.

Qin Yunyan was not a true merchant's daughter; she was the daughter of an official, and her conversation and knowledge were quite compatible with those of the noblewomen.

For a time, her demeanor impressed everyone, who never expected that a businessman's daughter would have such an air about her.

Jiang Fenghua always had a faint smile on her lips. She made no comment on Qin Yunyan. In her previous life, she had defeated Su Tingwan and become a favored concubine with power in the harem. Her son became emperor. Regardless of whether the Great Zhou Dynasty perished, she stood at the highest position.

The wedding banquet began one after another, and the sound of drums could be heard outside the door, creating a lively scene.

Suddenly someone shouted, "The bride is here! The bride is here!"

Attracted by the noise outside, everyone rushed out to watch. This was not the first time Shang Hong had married, and the marriage between the Shang and Chen families had caused quite a stir in Shengjing City.

Although the daughter of a concubine was married into the Shen family, she was still more precious than the legitimate daughter of an ordinary family. Just by looking at the ten-mile-long dowry and the long wedding procession, one could tell how grand this wedding banquet was.

Madam Shang and Empress Jiang took their leave and followed her out. She was very satisfied with the marriage to the Shen family, and her lips and eyebrows were full of smiles.

Madam Bai also wanted to see how wealthy families arranged marriages, so she kept shifting her position and glancing at Qin Yunyan.

Qin Yunyan felt annoyed but smiled and said, "Mother, why don't you go and see what's going on?"

Madam Bai quickly exclaimed, "Oh!"

She ran faster than a rabbit, as if afraid that Qin Yunyan would change her mind.

Jiang Fenghua sat calmly in the main seat, sipping her tea casually. She was thinking about Helan Yanran. If Helan Yanran saw this scene, she would probably be filled with resentment and heartache to the point of death!