Chapter 9 Marquis Wu'an has indeed arrived.

"How did you know that the Duke of Guangping's mansion was going to hold a birthday banquet?" Madam Lou asked Lou Xueying in surprise. "I didn't even plan to go, and I figured you wouldn't be interested either. I was just about to have someone turn me away."

Lou Xueying hugged her mother's arm and said sweetly, "Who said I'm not interested? Cailing went out to buy pastries for me just now, and when she heard about this, she came to tell me. Mother, you're so kind as to not even ask my opinion before you want to turn it off."

Madam Lou: "We don't have a deep relationship with the Duke of Guangping, so it's fine if we don't go. It's his 80th birthday, and the old lady is hard of hearing. All that playing of instruments and singing with gongs and drums will be incredibly noisy. Can you stand it?"

Lou Xueying smiled and said, "I'm not really interested in the birthday banquet. I just heard that the peonies at the Duke's mansion are in full bloom, and I wanted to go and feast my eyes on them. A few days ago, there was a heavy rain, and most of the flowers in our mansion were damaged. Even the Grand Princess's Huaichang Garden didn't have many flowers left. But the peonies at the Duke's mansion are grown in pots, so they must have been brought indoors when it rained. They should be in full bloom now!"

Madam Lou pondered.

Lou Xueying said, "If Mother finds it too noisy, I will take Cailing with me. There is no need for Mother to go."

"Third sister, are you going to see the peonies?" The younger sister, who had been sitting to the side pretending to read a book but was actually eavesdropping, came over excitedly. "Take me with you, I want to go too!"

Lou Xueying remained calm and composed.

Madam Lou thought for a moment and said, "I think I'd better not go. Your father probably doesn't want to go either. It's not appropriate for an unmarried girl like you to go to someone's birthday banquet alone. If you really want to go, wait until your second brother comes back tonight and tell him. Then he can take you and Pengpeng with him. It'll be like a few juniors going to offer birthday wishes on behalf of your father and me."

Lou Xueying obediently replied, "Alright, then I'll listen to Mother."

That evening, Lou Zhongyan heard that Lou Xueying wanted to attend the banquet and was quite surprised: "You know what kind of people the Duke of Guangping's family are. They always want their birthday banquet to be as lively as possible. You can actually tolerate such noise just for a peony?"

Lou Xueying feigned anger: "I just wanted to see some flowers, why are you making fun of me like this? Just say so if you don't want to."

"I'll go, I'll go, okay?" Lou Zhongyan sighed. "I finally get a day off, and I still have to go to the banquet with you. If only my elder brother were here, he wouldn't be in the capital. He's really avoiding a lot of trouble."

With the banquet arrangements finalized, Lou Xueying got up early the next morning and did nothing but try on clothes and jewelry. By the afternoon, she still hadn't decided what to wear to the banquet the next day.

"Miss, you've tried on all your new clothes this year. Isn't there a single one you like?" Cai Ling slumped in her chair and took a sip of tea.

Lou Xueying turned around in front of the mirror, frowning as she asked, "What kind of person do you think Li Pan would like?"

Cailing wiped her face and sighed heavily, "Miss, what merit does Marquis Wu'an possess that makes you value him so much? Any normal man would never think you're not beautiful! When you wear green, you look fresh and lively; when you wear pink, you look delicate and radiant; when you wear blue, you look elegant and noble. Marquis Wu'an must be blind to look down on you!"

Lou Xueying pondered, "What color casual clothes has Li Pan been wearing these past few days?"

Cailing was taken aback: "This servant really hasn't inquired about this."

Lou Xueying wiped her hands, walked to Cailing's side, personally picked up a piece of pastry and brought it to her lips, smiling, "Good sister, please ask him again for me. Although the clothes he is wearing may not be his favorite color, at least they are not colors he dislikes."

Cailing took a bite of the pastry, then shook her head helplessly: "Miss, you're really hooked." She sighed again, stood up, and said, "Never mind, it's not hard to find out. I'll just make another trip."

"I knew it, Cailing treats me the best." Lou Xueying smiled and saw her out the door.

An hour later, Cailing returned.

"It is said that the Marquis of Wu'an's casual clothes these days are mainly three colors: black, indigo, and brown. Miss, none of them would be suitable for you to wear."

Men's clothes are not as varied as women's, and Li Pan, being a military general, was dressed plainly, which was within Lou Xueying's expectations.

She paced around the room a few times before finally saying, "Wear that sky-blue one." The color shouldn't be wrong; it's suitable for a birthday banquet and won't displease Li Pan.

Cai Ling breathed a sigh of relief, kept the sky-blue dress, and put the rest of her clothes back into her trunk.

"You've worked hard today, go and rest." Lou Xueying sat in front of the dressing table and began to slowly try on her makeup. "I'll stay a little longer. Call me when my father and brothers come home."

Cai Ling clicked her tongue twice and withdrew.

I've never seen Miss dressed up so meticulously before. It seems she's truly determined to marry Marquis Wu'an. If he doesn't attend the banquet, or if he does but doesn't take a liking to Miss, wasting her sincere feelings, she'll definitely hurl insults at Marquis Wu'an behind his back!

-

The birthday banquet was held at noon. Lou Xueying had a good sleep and her complexion was very good. She spent more than an hour carefully doing her makeup before boarding the carriage to the Duke of Guangping's mansion.

Lou Zhongyan had been waiting idly in the carriage for a long time. When he caught sight of Lou Xueying, he immediately sat up straight and said in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, Miss has finally decided to come out. This old servant is finally—"

Lou Xueying looked up and glared at him.

Lou Zhongyan's last words caught in his throat. He hissed softly, looked at Lou Xueying, and stroked his chin.

Lou Xueying frowned slightly: "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Lou Zhongyan shook his head and said seriously, "Why do you look...exceptionally beautiful today?"

Cailing said, "Second Young Master, you are mistaken. When has Miss ever not been beautiful?"

“No, no, it’s different from before,” Lou Zhongyan said thoughtfully. “But I can’t quite put my finger on what makes it so beautiful.”

If we're talking about clothing, Lou Zhongyan had seen Lou Xueying wear it once before, so it wasn't particularly stunning; if we're talking about makeup, Lou Xueying's makeup wasn't heavy at all, but rather extremely light, and if you didn't look closely, you could hardly see any trace of makeup.

It's like... a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without any artifice.

Lou Xueying said, "Consider it as if you've finally said something nice." She beckoned to Pengpeng, who was sitting next to Lou Zhongyan, and smiled, "Pengpeng, would you like to sit with your third sister or your second brother?"

"I want to sit with Third Sister!" Pengpeng immediately climbed down from Lou Zhongyan's carriage and ran to Lou Xueying's side.

Lou Zhongyan: "Great, take him away quickly, I need some peace and quiet."

They each boarded their carriages, and the drivers cracked their whips, setting the two carriages off into the distance.

Before even reaching the gates of the Duke's mansion, the sounds of music and singing drifted into the carriage. Once alighting from the carriage and entering the mansion, the atmosphere became even more lively.

Lou Zhongyan delivered birthday gifts on behalf of his family. Servants from the Duke's mansion led the group into the courtyard and respectfully said, "Lord Lou, this way please; Misses, this way please."

Men and women did not sit together, but were separated by a long waterside pavilion, where they could only see blurry figures on the opposite side from afar.

Lou Zhongyan unfolded his folding fan, held it to his lips, and asked Lou Xueying in a low voice, "How long do you want to look at the peonies?"

Lou Xueying mumbled, "I'll do it as soon as possible."

Lou Zhongyan said, "There are only a few dozen pots of peonies at most. How long can we see them? Hurry up, there's wine at the banquet. People will get sleepy after eating, and I need to go back for a nap."

Lou Xueying: "Understood."

Lou Zhongyan glanced at Pengpeng, who was looking around curiously, and instructed Lou Xueying, "This is her first time at the Duke's mansion. Everything is new and exciting to her. Don't let her get too wild."

Lou Xueying: "Alright, alright, you should go now."

Lou Zhongyan finally left.

Lou Xueying led Pengpeng to the women's seats and sat down. Soon, some familiar ladies from official families came to greet her. While responding to them, she would occasionally glance across the waterside pavilion.

I haven't seen Li Pan at all. Is he really not coming today?

Not only was her carefully prepared outfit wasted, but who knows when they'll have another chance to meet?

Suddenly, Lou Xueying heard a few young ladies standing to the side laughing. She subconsciously looked over and saw them pushing and shoving each other while looking across the room, seemingly saying something about "Marquis Wu'an".

Lou Xueying also wanted to go over, but she was held up by someone and couldn't get away.

After the official's wife and young lady who had been chatting with her left, Lou Xueying hurriedly went to the side to look for Li Pan, but he had already disappeared completely.

Thankfully, we have water chestnuts.

“Miss, I just went to take a look, and Marquis Wu’an did indeed arrive, but he arrived just in time and was immediately surrounded by the officials attending the banquet.” Cai Ling whispered, “We can’t see Marquis Wu’an from where we are sitting, but don’t worry, he’s definitely here.”

Lou Xueying breathed a sigh of relief.

It's good that people are here.

"Miss, what do you plan to do?" Cailing asked her. "The Marquis of Wu'an certainly doesn't lack people around him, and he won't come here. If you deliberately go to find him, won't it be too obvious?"

Lou Xueying said softly, "Isn't there Pengpeng too?"

Pengpeng was sitting at the table, intently tasting the pastries, with a maid she had brought from home standing beside her, watching over her every step of the way.

"Fourth Miss?" Cai Ling asked in confusion.

Lou Xueying lowered her eyes: "She's only eight years old, cute, and innocent. No one will say anything if she does anything."

A note from the author:

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