"What did you say? The Yao family took the initiative to propose marriage?"

"Did she come right after the talent show ended?"

Pei Jing said with a shocked expression.

"That's right. The talent show just ended, and the old lady just told me to take Shushu out for a stroll to see if there were any suitable families. I didn't expect that the Yao family would come to propose marriage so soon after I agreed. They were so eager, they didn't want to wait even a day longer."

Feigning composure, Pei Jing covered his mouth with a handkerchief, "Fourth Sister is a young lady confined to her quarters, rarely going out. How could the Yao family suddenly come to propose marriage like this? Could it be that they've met in private..."

That's an insult. Although she had met Yao Zhijie more than once, their meetings were completely different from what Pei Jing described.

Pei Shushu puffed up her cheeks in anger, but Jiang Shuwan grabbed her hand and laughed, "I have indeed seen it, it was last year when Shushu was distributing porridge and medicine to the people."

"..."

"They say you should do good deeds and not worry about the future, but I think it's more like good people will be rewarded."

"..."

These words silenced Pei Jinggan. She hadn't expected that instead of humiliating someone, she would lose face herself.

With a flick of his sleeve, Pei Jing turned and left.

At this moment, tears finally fell from Pei Shushu's face. She knew that there was a big gap between her and Yao Zhijie, but she didn't expect Pei Jing to say this to her face.

However, she quickly stopped crying. Jiang Shuwan had taught her that crying wouldn't solve anything.

Once she can stand up, she will naturally live a comfortable life from now on.

On the contrary, Pei Jing did not go to the Duke of Liu's mansion during the New Year. Instead, he went back to the Marquis's mansion alone, which means he must have been mistreated at the Duke's mansion again.

...

The next day, Jiang Shuwan also heard about Pei Jing's matter.

"Miss, you don't know, my aunt is too impatient. It was just that Jin Jiaoniang used the excuse of being too pregnant to give her a perfunctory bow. During the New Year, she actually turned her sleeves and went back to the Marquis's mansion, leaving all the relatives of the Duke of Liu's mansion standing there."

"I don't know where my aunt learned this temper from. I don't think the old Marquis is like this, and neither is his wife."

“Having been pampered since childhood, I naturally can’t stand the slightest disrespect,” Jiang Shuwan said as she closed her eyes and let Xiao Tao apply her makeup.

As far as she knew, Jin Jiaoniang had returned from the estate several months earlier, and her pregnancy did not prevent her from being favored.

Especially now that Jin Jiaoniang is heavily pregnant, she is increasingly disregarding Pei Jing.

In fact, Pei Jing's ability to endure until now and return to the Marquis's residence to cry and complain was already far beyond her expectations.

"Now that you mention it, I understand you, Miss. You were pampered at home, but you suffer every day after you get married. But it's not good for you to be like this. I heard that the old lady doesn't take it out on you either, saying that you only know how to throw tantrums and act willfully."

"The lady felt sorry for her and held her for a long time, calling her her darling."

Hearing this, Jiang Shuwan didn't say anything. Everyone has their own destiny. She had told Pei Jing before that as long as the Marquis's mansion didn't fall, her position would be as stable as Mount Tai.

But Pei Jing insisted on competing with Jin Jiaoniang for Liu Xiaogongye's affections, and they fought over Liu Xiaogongye and Jin Jiaoniang every day.

In this situation, even a god couldn't save them.

Let her be.

"Miss, which of these three headdresses do you think is the best?"

Just then, Granny Tao brought over three sets of headdresses: one made of pearls, one set of gold inlaid with jade, and one set of exquisite kingfisher feather headdresses.

The complete set of kingfisher feather headdress consists of twenty-nine pieces and is extremely valuable. It was a gift from the old lady this morning when I paid my respects to her.

"The old lady is so generous; she gave away an exquisite kingfisher feather headdress."

"That's because Miss manages the household well, which is why the old lady is willing to spend money. Besides, today is a palace banquet. The old lady isn't going, so Miss is going alone. She has to wear some nice jewelry to make a good impression."

As the maids talked, Qingxing became nervous for Jiang Shuwan.

In the past, Jiang Shuwan always accompanied the old lady when she entered the palace, and the old lady made all the decisions. Today, Jiang Shuwan is entering alone. What if she is made difficult?

"Don't worry, who would dare to act recklessly at the palace banquet during the New Year?"

Jiang Shuwan patted Qingxing's hand reassuringly, and the girl pointed her finger, allowing Xiaotao to adorn half of a kingfisher feather headdress for her.

At the palace banquet, the ladies would compete to outshine each other; she only needed to avoid being impolite.

However, once she finished dressing up, all the maids in the room felt they couldn't see enough of her, and even Pei Yanzhi was stunned for a moment when he came to pick her up.

The winter wind was biting cold. Pei Yanzhi, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with dark patterns and covered with a dark fox fur cloak, stood outside Jiang Shuwan's door.

The young man stood proudly like a lone pine tree in the snow, his expression indifferent. When he saw Jiang Shu, his fingers tightened slightly inside his sleeve.

He blinked and said softly, "Let's go, the carriage is ready."

"Wait a minute, let me get a hand warmer."

Turning around, Jiang Shuwan picked up the warm peony-patterned hand warmer, added a cloak over her white dress, and walked out.

The carriage was already waiting at the entrance of the Marquis's residence.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the old emperor held a grand banquet for his officials, and the inner palace also hosted a banquet to entertain the ladies of noble families and other dignitaries.

This banquet was the most prestigious in the Great Jing Dynasty, and they dared not delay. The carriage quickly arrived at the palace gate.

Holding a hand warmer, Jiang Shuwan lifted the carriage curtain to get out, but unexpectedly, Pei Yanzhi, who got out of the carriage first, suddenly stretched out an arm towards her.

"..."

Just like before at the entrance of the Marquis's mansion, she was about to hold onto the maid's hand to get into the carriage when Pei Yanzhi suddenly stretched out his arm as well.

Without much hesitation, only pausing for a moment, the girl put her hand on his arm and helped him down from the carriage. Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, she noticed that he had taken a step in her direction.

"There's good news today."

"..."

His words seemed out of nowhere, and Jiang Shuwan couldn't immediately recall what he meant.

The girl paused for a moment, then turned her fair face slightly and took a small step closer.

Pei Yanzhi: "..."

Unaware that his hand tightened its grip on her sleeve, Jiang Shuwan lowered her voice and whispered, "Have the taxes been paid?"

"Hmm." His voice was very tense.

"How much did you collect?"

"More than six million taels."

"..."

Good heavens! Last year, the Great Jing Dynasty's commercial tax revenue was only two million taels of silver. Now it has tripled. The old emperor is going to reward those who have made contributions.

With a quick blink, Jiang Shuwan understood the situation and felt more composed attending the palace banquet alone.

Thank you.

They whispered twice, then entered the palace gates together. After walking together for a while, they soon parted ways again.

"This way, Your Highness's wife."

The palace maid who was leading the way brought Jiang Shuwan all the way inside, and they soon arrived at Shaohua Palace.

A long red carpet stretched from the palace gate all the way to the main seat, with fresh flowers fresh from the greenhouse placed on both sides of the carpet, filling the air with their fragrance.

As soon as Jiang Shuwan entered, she saw many ladies from noble families admiring the flowers, especially a pot of white magnolia flowers, which had seven or eight people gathered around it, all of them marveling at how rare it was.