The day before news of the battle in Qingchuan City reached Jincheng.
A major event has occurred in Jincheng.
The Song family, the most prominent family in Jincheng, held a snow-appreciation banquet at Song Garden.
The event attracted a large number of powerful and wealthy people from Jincheng, a spectacle that is rare to see once every seven or eight years.
In an instant, the long street, which had been quiet all winter, became bustling with activity, and the whole city came alive with lively activity.
Qi Su also thought this was a good thing.
Who doesn't like parties?
Such a large party is a great opportunity to either crash the party, broaden one's horizons, or settle personal scores.
.
As dawn broke, Song Garden, located directly east of Jincheng, was already bustling with activity.
A bright red new sun slowly emerged in the eastern sky.
Qi Su glanced to the side; it was indeed unfortunate.
This day for enjoying the snow turned out to be a rare sunny day.
But it's fine that it's sunny; we can still enjoy the snow even when it's sunny.
"—You, that girl, what are you looking at? Get out of here!" The steward in front frowned and glared at her.
Qi Su straightened her maid's hair.
They lowered their heads and joined the queue.
"We have quite a few guests in our garden today, all of them wealthy and powerful. Keep your eyes peeled! If anyone does anything foolish and disgraces the Song family, I'll skin you alive..."
The maids walked through the withered flower corridor in winter.
The steward gave instructions while leading the way.
There were just too many guests today, otherwise there would have been no need to bring these clumsy maids from the master's courtyard.
…
When Qin Shang led A Yan into Tingfang Garden of Song Garden, it was already noon.
Tingfang Garden, the garden lives up to its name.
The entire garden has hot spring water piped in, and the garden is full of flowers and fragrant aromas.
The beautiful scenery is certainly delightful, but the financial resources behind it are truly astonishing.
The head of the Song family personally came to welcome the Qin merchant.
Although the highest-ranking official in Jincheng at present is the Chief Secretary of the Grand General's Office.
That person also came from the Song family, although from a collateral branch, but had always had a close relationship with the head of the family.
However, the old man is getting on in years and is not patient with social engagements.
Today's main guests are the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the garrison commander of Jincheng, and the military commander of Jincheng. Other gentry and powerful families are also guests.
The Song family, as expected of an old aristocratic family that has been entrenched in the Northwest for hundreds of years, has a keen sense of smell.
Not only did he agree to the Qin merchants' proposed strategy of jointly defending against the enemy, he also took the initiative to act as a go-between, gathering wealthy merchants from Jincheng to discuss important matters.
This is today's Song Garden Banquet.
Such tact and understanding naturally earned him the appreciation of Lord Qin, the Embroidered-Robe Envoy. What promises were made behind the scenes, however, remained unknown to outsiders.
Before the main banquet began, Lord Qin was enjoying the flowers in Tingfang Garden with his female companions.
Qin merchant: "What are you looking at?"
Ayan shook her head and looked away.
Not far away, the maids serving tea disappeared into the moon gate.
"nothing."
I just felt like I recognized a figure from behind.
.
After serving the tea and observing the layout of the main banquet hall, Qi Su seized an opportunity to slip away.
She wanted to see how the party was organized.
They're not really here to be treated like cattle or horses.
The banquet is about to start, and everyone is already there. Let her think about who she should go to.
…
Meanwhile, outside Qingfeng Bridge, not far from Tingfang Garden.
A young man dressed in a bright red robe, holding a folding fan, and with an orchid-shaped jade pendant hanging from his waist was stopped by a servant.
"Young master, there is a banquet in the garden today, you cannot go any further."
The young man raised an eyebrow.
He had fox-like eyes with brown pupils. The corners of his eyes slanted upwards, giving him a charming and alluring look even when he wasn't smiling.
What's more, he had a smile on his face.
"Oh, what kind of banquet is it that I can't attend?"
The servant Nono.
But they didn't dare say they wouldn't let him participate.
He pleaded, "Young master, please go back. If Sixth Master finds out, I'm afraid he will be very unhappy."
The young man tapped the jade-shaped bone fan in his palm.
He laughed and said, "Oh, Sixth Master is going to be unhappy. Yes, I have to rely on him to continue living in this garden. I'd better not be a spoilsport."
As he said that, he turned and left.
The servant guarding Qingfeng Bridge wiped the sweat from his brow and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, today, this ancestor listened to advice.
If he gets into a rage, nobody can control him. To put it bluntly, he's mentally ill.
Even Sixth Master has to be appeased.
With such a handsome appearance, he certainly has all the advantages. Despite his lowly birth, he can still live in this Song Garden and pretend to be a master.
…
Inside Tingfang Garden, a scene of guests and hosts enjoying themselves in harmony and happiness unfolded.
Outside Tingfang Garden, many people could no longer laugh.
The old lady of the Sun family was one of them.
The Sun family and the Song family have a feud, so they shouldn't have come. It was the old man who forced them, saying that war was imminent in Jincheng and the family's survival was at stake, so why bother with these petty grudges?
Xiao Chou?
Her son, the son she had raised for twenty years, was beaten to death.
Is this Xiao Chou?
Madam Sun wished she could eat Song Liulang's flesh.
If it weren't for him stealing Feng'er's male lover, how could Feng'er have acted impulsively and fought with them?
What's even more hateful is that after Feng'er passed away, Old Madam Sun came to demand the male lover, wanting to be buried with her son.
The Song family actually arrogantly refused outright!
Throughout the entire process, Song Liulang never even showed his face.
In the end, only two thousand taels of gold were sent over.
Could this thing save her son's life?
…
Madam Sun sat in the Qingdai Courtyard, where the women's banquet was being held, unable to sit still for even a moment.
Seeing her get up, Mrs. Sun, who was beside her, also hurriedly got up to take care of her mother-in-law.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law arrived at the dressing room behind the Shoushan Stone Pavilion.
Madam Sun sat there, tears streaming down her face.
Madam Sun, who was standing to the side, did not dare to speak, but quietly handed over a handkerchief.
Past experience taught her that no matter what she said at this time, she would be angered by her mother-in-law.
Madam Sun began to curse.
She started by cursing the male concubine, then Song Liulang, and finally turned her anger towards her own daughter-in-law.
"She's a spineless coward. If she could win Feng'er's heart, how could Feng'er have gone out and fooled around with those men? She even cheated on Feng'er. That despicable wretch, why didn't she drown in the pond before..."
Mrs. Sun remained silent.
She was present when her sister-in-law was drowned on the fifteenth of August.
She still remembers the young girl, who had just turned eighteen, clutching her hand and pleading with tears streaming down her face to save her.
Her husband was gay, and she had never received any affection from him as husband and wife, yet she was about to lose her life because of it.
But what could she do? She was just a stay-at-home wife; it was all her mother-in-law's decision.
Mrs. Sun's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by something.
She stared at the bronze mirror in the dressing room with a puzzled look.
Just now, a face flashed faintly in the mirror. The face was so familiar it was chilling, and it even had a mocking smile on it.
However, upon closer inspection, it was completely empty.
Mrs. Sun felt a little flustered.
She poured herself a cup of tea, thought for a moment, and then handed it to her mother-in-law first.
"Mother, are you tired from crying? Have some tea and rest."
.
Inside the Shoushan Stone Pavilion.
The maid with her hair in a bun stared blankly at her feet as the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, their eyes red, walked out of the dressing room and slowly made their way back to the Qingdai Courtyard where the women's banquet was being held.
Suddenly, a sound came from behind.
"What did you put in their tea?"
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