On the day of the dinner party, Gu Xi dressed up nicely and went to the main courtyard where the second wife lived early.

The Second Wife was explaining something to Nanny Jin. When she saw her coming, she greeted her hurriedly: "You're here! A'dan is still in her room getting dressed. If you're bored, go to her room and sit down. You two can talk." Then she continued talking to Nanny Jin and the others.

Gu Xi didn't see Yu Tang around and wanted to ask about Yu Tang's whereabouts, but after hearing what the Second Madam said, she didn't know what to say and had to go to the Fifth Madam.

The Fifth Miss was still confused and didn't know why the Qin family was being entertained today. She just listened to her mother's words, dressed up well, got along well with the Qin family, and was a generous and enthusiastic host, so as not to be looked down upon. So when Gu Xi came over, she was seriously choosing the clothes she was going to wear.

Gu Xi couldn't help but feel anxious for her and said, "What time is it now? The Qin family will be here any minute, why haven't you dressed yet?"

Miss Fifth blushed and whispered, "I chose a light green dress yesterday, but when I woke up this morning I saw that the banquet was held in the flower hall, so I had to change my clothes."

There are many trees planted in the flower hall. In the midsummer season, the green trees are like shadows. If you wear light green clothes, you can't be seen.

Gu Xi sighed and said, "Even if the banquet is not held in the flower hall, it is definitely inappropriate to wear green at this time of year. What kind of clothes are you going to change into? It's best to choose goose yellow or silver red, pink is also good. The weather is so hot, it's better to keep the jewelry simple."

The Fifth Miss nodded repeatedly and changed her clothes under Gu Xi's advice. The nanny beside the Second Madam came to urge them: "The Third Madam is here. The First Madam and the Fifth Miss should also hurry over. The people from the Qin Residence should be here soon."

Gu Xi and the fifth lady went to the living room.

Yu Tang was still wearing the silver-white jacket, but this time it was made of fine striped gauze and had pearl buttons the size of lotus seeds. She wore no jewelry at all, except for a row of jasmine flowers pinned between her cloud-like black hair. When you approached her, you could smell her light fragrance, fresh and simple, but her dark eyebrows, fair face, and rosy lips gave off an indescribable beauty that attracted people to look at her again and again.

She is talking to the second wife.

Gu Xi thought, Yu Tang has worn white several times since she wore it at the Jiang family’s wedding banquet. Does she think that white suits her very well?

She and the Fifth Miss went forward to greet the Second Madam and Yu Tang.

Yu Tang felt that Gu Xi's makeup was a bit too much. In such a hot day, she wore a scarlet silk jacket with yellow flower ruffles. There were too many colors and it made people feel tired.

It was pretty much the same as her previous life, not much different.

Maybe Gu Xi likes to dress like this?

She greeted Gu Xi with a smile and asked Miss Five, "Did you sleep well last night? I got a kind of incense a few days ago, which is said to kill insects. I took it out and used it last night, and the effect was surprisingly good. Do you want to take some and try it?"

Miss Five said yes repeatedly, and complained: "I don't know why, those mosquitoes just stare at me and bite me, but Ah Shan is fine."

Asan pursed her lips and smiled.

Yu Tang patted the Fifth Miss's head lovingly and said to Gu Xi, "You guys go sit in the flower hall for a while. The Qin family is here. I'll have someone call you."

She and the second wife are going to take a look at the back garden later. There is a flower shed in the back garden, but it was not set up when they went to see it last night. I wonder if it has been set up today?

Gu Xi and the fifth lady went to the flower hall.

Miss Five was carefully looking at a pair of three-foot-long ivory tusks that had just been put on display on the shelf in the flower hall. She asked Gu Xi, "Does our family have something to ask of the Qin family? Why is it so grand?"

Gu Xi couldn't guess it either.

But she was a little worried.

The Yang family asked her to bring a message, but the Pei family remained calm, as if they didn't understand.

I don’t know what the Pei family’s plans are?

Should she go and ask Yu Tang?

The thought of having to speak honorifics to Yu Tang made her feel very uncomfortable.

But before she and Yu Tang met, a servant ran in sweating and asked, "Where are the second and third wives?"

Could it be that the Qin family is not coming? !

Gu Xi guessed and asked casually, "Why are you so anxious? What happened?"

Seeing that it was the eldest young lady, the servant hurriedly said, "The eldest lady of the Yang family is here, but she doesn't have an invitation..."

Today's banquet is mainly for the Qin family, but the Yang family came uninvited. Is it a coincidence or intentional?

Gu Xi regretted that he had just spoken, and hurriedly said, "The second and third wives went to the garden at the back."

The servant ran away in a flash.

Miss Five asked in confusion, "Did we invite people from the Yang family today as well?"

Probably not.

But the Yang family is Pei Tong's maternal family, and Gu Xi would lose face if he said it out loud.

She responded vaguely.

Who knew that Miss Wu pulled Gu Xi and said, "Let me go with you to greet the people from the Yang family. They are all guests!"

Looking at the room full of maids and old women, Gu Xi had no choice but to go.

Gu Xi cursed the Yang family in his heart, but still went to meet them.

The eldest wife of the Yang family got off the carriage and stood at the gate of the Pei family waiting.

The gatekeeper of Pei family looked very nervous. He let her in without an invitation. If he didn't let her in, she would show up regardless.

The gatekeeper only hoped that the women from the Pei family would arrive quickly, no matter who they were.

But Gu Xi really didn't want to be in the spotlight, so he walked slowly with the Fifth Miss and asked, "Should we wait for your mother and Third Uncle?"

The Fifth Miss didn't know why the Yang family came even though they hadn't received an invitation, but in her mind, a treat should be given with wholeheartedness. Today they said they were inviting the Qin family, but they also invited Madam Fei and Madam Yin to accompany them. It would not be appropriate for the Yang family, who had no dealings with these families, to show up at this time.

She said, "If we run into someone from the Qin family, it would be more or less disrespectful."

Gu Xi thought of what the Yang family said when she went to Yang's house last time. Sweat broke out on her forehead and she said hurriedly, "Then let's go over quickly."

It would be troublesome if Mrs. Yang came here to cause trouble!

She pulled the fifth young lady and ran out.

The fifth young lady almost dropped the gold hairpin on her head.

When they saw Mrs. Yang, they couldn't help but gasp for breath and asked someone to invite Mrs. Yang in.

Mrs. Yang was quite surprised to see these two and asked, "Where are the second and third wives in your house?"

That's what it means to not want to talk to them.

It's because they are not the ones who can take charge.

Gu Xi felt that Mrs. Yang must have come for a purpose, so she smiled and said, "The two ladies in our family are in the back garden, and we are in the front hall. They must not be as fast as us. Please come in and have a cup of tea in my room!"

Mrs. Yang thought about it, agreed with a smile, and went through the Chuihua Gate with Gu Xi and the Fifth Miss, heading towards where Gu Xi lived.

Gu Xi winked at the Fifth Miss and said to her at the fork in the corridor, "Go and tell your Second and Third Aunts that Madam Yang is with me, so that they won't go to the main gate and get nothing."

The fifth young lady agreed and ran away in a flash.

Madam Yang looked at him with a sneer and said to Gu Xi, "I didn't realize that you really think you are the eldest lady of the Pei family! Why, I heard that the Pei family is hosting a banquet for Madam Qin today, and you are in such a hurry. Are you afraid that I will disturb your family's enjoyment if I come uninvited?"

Gu Xi had been treated like this before, but they were all her elders who had taught her and raised her. Why should Madam Yang, who was still making demands on the relatives of the Pei family, give her any face?

She wanted to slap him.

But she still held back and said with a smile: "Aunt, what are you talking about? My place is very chaotic, and I can't even invite you to come normally. You finally came today, and I'm so happy. How can I say that I'm disturbing you? It's just that I thought that you are the closest to our family, so I thought of inviting you to have a cup of tea."

She acted as if to say, "It seems I have overestimated myself." She looked at Madam Yang with some uneasiness and said, "How about we go to the flower hall and wait for the two ladies? That's where the Qin family is entertained, and the two ladies are closer to that place."

Mrs. Yang did come here to quarrel, but she did not come here to break up the partnership.

She glanced at Gu Xi with a half-smile and said, "I didn't realize you were such a opinionated person." After that, regardless of Gu Xi's reaction, she continued, "Since that's the case, I won't beat around the bush. Your family must give me an explanation today, or we'll go to the Golden Palace and see who loses face? Who gets spurned by the literati?"

What a bad luck!

Gu Xi was complaining in her heart, but she didn't show it on her face. She said gently and dignifiedly, "Aunt, I told Yu Tang everything you said. Why, has she been quiet for a while?"

Otherwise, why would she come here without caring about her manners?

Madam Yang blushed and had to admit: "Not only did she not reply to me, but the two masters of the Pei Mansion also did not reply to our family. Did that Yu Shi listen to your words? What did you say to her?"

The Pei family might even be exterminated for what they did, so how could they act as if nothing had happened and not make any move at all?

Gu Xi really didn't expect that the Pei family would leave the Yang family alone. Is this okay?

She was a little flustered and said, "Aunt, let's talk in the room."

Seeing that she did not act hypocritically, Mrs. Yang followed Gu Xi to where she lived, full of confusion.

Pei Tong is not at home.

Madam Yang sat down, and after the maid brought tea and left, she couldn't help but ask, "What has Ah-Tong been doing these days? Why hasn't she come to our place?"

Gu Xi said hurriedly: "My sister-in-law asked Lord Yin to help guide my husband's policy. My husband has been visiting the Yin Mansion these days."

Yin Mingyuan's articles were famously good, so even if Mrs. Yang was dissatisfied, she couldn't say anything.

She frowned and said, "It still depends on who is hosting the competition. It would be better to consult a few more scholars."

Gu Xi smiled and said, "My brother said the same thing. So sometimes I would take him to the Hanlin Academy for a walk."

Mrs. Yang was speechless.

A little maid ran in and said, "The Third Madam is here."