Chapter 25: Banquet
On the day of the Song family's old lady's birthday banquet, the sky was clear and the sun was bright.
Qu Ling got up early and prepared to go to the banquet.
"Miss, among the maids and servants rewarded by the eldest princess, there is one named Huan'er, who has recently had contact with people from the main courtyard." Tingqin was combing Qu Ling's hair, and Guanqi was talking beside her.
After returning to the capital, Qu Ling had Su Shang by his side.
Most of the time when he went out, he took Su Shang and Ting Qin with him, and Guan Qi stayed at Nuanshanju to look after the yard.
Qu Ling doesn't trust anyone she doesn't know well.
Even if it was given by the eldest princess, she would not believe anyone except Li Ma and Su Shang.
"Find a reason and send him away." Tingqin was very direct.
Qu Ling's eyes flashed, "Sister Yuan Rong will definitely be at the birthday banquet today. I'll tell her to take Huan Er away. The maids in the Princess Mansion will be handled by the Princess Mansion."
Tingqin felt that this was more appropriate, so she said nothing more and just concentrated on dressing up Qu Ling.
When the time came, Qu Ling went to Yunsong Hall first.
She arrived the earliest, so the old lady talked to her in detail about the various households in the capital to avoid making any mistakes at the banquet.
Soon, He came with Qu Lianjia.
After waiting for a long time, there was no sign of Song.
"Send someone to ask," the old lady said displeasedly, "If you are not fully recovered, don't go."
When the people who went came back, they had strange expressions on their faces.
"The lady left with the two girls before daybreak, saying she had agreed to go back to her parents' home to help out."
He was the first to get impatient. "Mother hasn't left yet. Even if you want to leave first, you should send someone to tell her. How can you let her wait for so long?"
Qu Ling asked, "Did Madam take the fourth young lady away as well?"
The servant nodded.
"Mother, my sister-in-law is so arrogant. You put Lian Xue under house arrest, but she took people away without permission. Who is in charge of this mansion?" He added fuel to the fire.
Qu Lianjia winked at her mother, but it was completely useless.
The old lady was furious and pointed at He and cursed, "What's the point of you saying this here? No one is in charge of the Marquis' Mansion, and it's not your turn to make the decision."
He felt wronged after being scolded.
"Grandma, let's set off too." Qu Ling advised, and the old lady listened.
The Song Mansion was decorated with lights and was crowded with guests.
Qu Ling followed him into the mansion, and after he and Qu Lianjia kowtowed to Old Madam Song, they were led to the flower hall where the girls played.
"Sister Lianzhi, I heard that your sister stabbed your mother again after returning to Beijing. Is it true or false?" Someone asked this question.
Someone immediately chimed in, "Last time at Guoqing Temple, she was still talking nonsense."
As for the matter of Song poisoning her mother-in-law, they naturally didn't dare to ask.
Regardless of whether it is true or not, I am here to visit, not to make enemies.
The Dingxiang Marquisate did not pursue the matter.
"Sister Han, don't say that. What happened back then was just a misunderstanding." Qu Lianzhi was obviously familiar with the ladies in the hall and looked calm.
Her words were vague, which made it easy for people to misunderstand her.
In front of outsiders, she also restrained her fierceness at home and said with a smile, "My sister is sick. This disease can easily make people lose their minds..."
"Who is sick?" Qu Ling came in at this time.
As soon as she came in, everyone's eyes were on her.
"Sister is here," Qu Lianzhi walked forward and took her arm, not mentioning what he had just said. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."
He squeezed her hand again and said, "Why is it so cold? Hurry up and give me some hot tea."
Qu Ling watched her busying herself without saying a word.
"I was just talking about my elder sister with my sisters. There are some misunderstandings. Sister, please tell them, how is mother treating you?" Qu Lianzhi began to exert her strength.
She was not afraid of Qu Ling telling the truth.
The incident was over. The old lady was fine, and Qu Ling was alive and well. Poisoning? Who would believe it?
It would only confirm that Qu Ling was really ill.
"Madam treats me well," Qu Ling chuckled. "Not only did she let my sister move out of Nuanshanju to let me live there, she also gave me half of her dowry. I'll ask around the capital to find a stepmother as kind as Madam."
In his previous life, Qu Ling was cut into pieces by a soft knife like Qu Lianzhi, until his face was completely disfigured.
Targeting everyone at home and caring about everyone outside.
With her straightforward personality, she was eager to expose Qu Lianzhi's disguise in front of outsiders, but it backfired.
Later, Liu Xuan said, "Your sister treated you so well, how could you bear to make her cry? Even if you were a concubine and she were the mistress, she wouldn't treat you harshly."
Qu Ling smiled brightly and held Qu Lianzhi's hand. "I'm sorry, sister, you've been wronged. I told my father that we didn't have to move out of Nuanshanju. Although Nuanshanju was prepared for me by my mother before she passed away, it's where you're used to living."
Isn't it just acting? She can do it too.
Qu Lianzhi almost lost his balance.
The noble ladies present were all very perceptive and could tell that Qu Ling was finding various ways to accuse Qu Lianzhi of usurping his position.
They were good friends with Qu Lianzhi and didn't mind teasing Qu Ling.
It was obvious that Qu Ling was not someone who was easy to control, so he stopped thinking and talked about the new popular rouge and powder in the capital.
Qu Ling noticed that Qu Lianxue and Song Yujin were not there, so he winked at Su Shang, and Su Shang quietly retreated, leaving only Tingqin to serve.
Several noble ladies were sitting around a rosewood carved table, chatting and sipping new tea with smiles on their faces. Qu Ling was also holding a cup. Amidst the aroma of tea, they suddenly heard the jingling of bells and ornaments coming from outside the door.
"Princess Jiaping has arrived—"
Qu Ling's fingertips trembled and the teacup almost slipped out of his hand.
She suddenly raised her eyes and saw a familiar figure stepping into the hall.
Zhao Yuanrong was wearing a goose yellow jacket embroidered with crabapple flowers. Her features were picturesque, just as bright and lively as she was in her memory.
Qu Ling's chest suddenly tightened.
In her previous life, Zhao Yuanrong had always treated her very well.
Before going to Jiangzhou, she went to the princess's mansion many times and almost grew up with Zhao Yuanrong.
When they arrived in Jiangzhou, Nanny Zhou said, "If it weren't for her, your mother wouldn't have died."
"You're trapped here, and she never comes to see you or thinks of taking you back."
She was provoked to be unfriendly towards Zhao Yuanrong.
Even so, Zhao Yuanrong never blamed her and protected her no matter where she was.
When Liu Xuan betrayed her, Zhao Yuanrong said angrily, "It's better not to have a man like that. I'm going to beat him up to vent your anger."
Later, she was plotted to marry a merchant family, and it was Zhao Yuanrong who said, "If you don't marry, I don't believe they can force you to death."
At that time, her reputation was ruined by the Marquis' Mansion, and everyone thought that she had fallen into depravity and had an affair with merchants.
Zhao Yuanrong sneered, "What's so great about reputation? It's just a cage that binds people. As long as you don't care, no one can use these shackles to frame you."
Unfortunately, Qu Ling only understood this truth after he died once.
Finally, she was imprisoned in the Dali Temple. Nanny Li said that Zhao Yuanrong went to see the prince again, and probably had a big fight with the prince because of her.
Qu Ling once overheard Song's exasperated words, "The Crown Prince has been blinded by Zhao Yuanrong. He's willing to bear the eternal infamy of having Zhao Yuanrong conceive a child in such an unknown and nameless state. He simply doesn't take Yuzhen seriously..."
She didn't know what happened to the child in the end.
But the suffering behind Zhao Yuanrong's bright and lively life must be no less than hers.
Despite such difficulties, he still went to ask the prince for help for her.
Qu Ling was overwhelmed with indescribable emotions.
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