Just as Shen Youying had predicted, the next day Xu sent an invitation and Cai Wenxuan paid a visit.
Having just received the auspicious ornaments and jewelry from Cai Wenxuan, Shen Youying naturally wouldn't refuse him. Therefore, she instructed Liu Yunke to politely reply that the previous misunderstanding was over and that the two were welcome to visit.
Hearing this, Cai Wenxuan was still heartbroken about the Fulu Mansion that had been given away for nothing, but he was somewhat relieved. Although he had spent a lot of money this time, at least he had appeased the Prince of Qin's little lover. In the future, she could help him whisper in his ear and send this big shot away as soon as possible, so he wouldn't be so afraid that he couldn't sleep peacefully at night.
But while Cai Wenxuan was happy, Xu felt extremely aggrieved.
This morning, Cai Wenxuan went to the Xu family's door and brought her back. She originally thought that her father and brothers would help her and she was ready to vent her anger from yesterday. However, after hearing the whole story, her father and brothers did not protect her and blame Cai Wenxuan as before. Instead, they turned around and scolded her.
Feeling aggrieved and without any support from her family, Xu had no choice but to reluctantly return with Cai Wenxuan.
The sending of invitations today was also arranged by Cai Wenxuan, just using her name. Xu Shi watched from the side, feeling both angry and resentful, unable to understand why the governor and his wife would fawn over a vixen mistress.
Especially since Cai Wenxuan had given away the entire Fulu Mansion that Xin De had acquired. Not only was Cai Wenxuan heartbroken, but she was also furious. She couldn't help but say sarcastically, "You men are all the same. You neglect your wives at home and instead fawn over those vixens outside. I heard that Princess Qin is the most beautiful woman in the capital, and she comes from a high-ranking family. Yet, not only does the Prince of Qin keep that vixen by his side, he also fathered a son out of wedlock."
Cai Wenxuan couldn't stand her petty and sour remarks, and sneered, "You're really worried about Princess Qin. Instead of wasting your time, you should think about how to clear up the misunderstanding so that she won't make things difficult for us in front of Prince Qin."
"So what if he makes things difficult for a mistress? Does the King of Qin really think he can do anything to us for a woman? You are the governor of Xizhou, and my father is the General of Dingyuan. If he wants to touch us, he needs the Emperor's approval, right? Isn't it said that the Emperor would love for the King of Qin to die outside? The Emperor is not so foolish as to help the King of Qin."
Cai Wenxuan's expression changed repeatedly upon hearing her say anything she dared to say. He scolded her in a low voice, "Are you out of your mind? I always told you to read more books so you wouldn't say such stupid things that cause trouble!"
Xu was already holding back her anger, and when she saw him start to complain about her lack of education again, she stood up with her hands on her hips, glanced at him sideways, and sneered: "I may be ignorant, but there isn't a single scholar in our Xu family. You, on the other hand, are knowledgeable, a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), yet you still married an ignorant woman like me as your principal wife?"
Cai Wenxuan's face turned pale and then red, and he was so angry that he couldn't speak while pointing at her.
However, there was a reason why Madam Xu dared to be so arrogant. Madam Xu was unaware of the deal between him and the Xu family. She only knew that the two families had made money by doing business together in recent years, but she did not know how risky this business was, let alone that if the imperial court found out, her entire family would be executed.
Cai Wenxuan wanted to tell her to behave, but remembering her outspoken nature, he was afraid she would blurt things out, so he could only patiently say, "I won't argue with you, but I'm making this clear to you today: if you don't appease the Prince of Qin and send him away quickly, I, the Xu family, and all the officials in Xizhou City will be finished! If you want to continue to live a glorious life as the governor's wife, do as I say!"
Madam Xu had never seen him with such a ferocious expression before, and for a moment she was genuinely frightened. She tentatively asked, "Is it really that serious? Could the Prince of Qin really kill everyone in Xizhou City?"
Cai Wenxuan said impatiently, "Don't ask me anything else. Just use your brain and think about it. Even though you beat Xiao Niang to death before, your father-in-law and brother-in-law protected you and kept you in the Xu family. Why are they rushing to send you back this time?"
After thinking about it for a while, Ms. Xu also felt that what he said made sense.
She was the only daughter in her family, with four sons. Her father and brothers were fiercely protective of her. If it weren't for her family's support, she wouldn't have been able to act so arrogantly after marrying Cai Wenxuan. But the fact that her father and brothers made her come back with Cai Wenxuan without saying a word this time was indeed a bit strange.
After thinking for a moment, Xu calmed down and said, "I understand. I'll do as you say."
The thought of having to apologize to that vixen tomorrow made her uneasy. She sat down and ordered her maid, "Go and bring out my newly made set of red gold headdress. Even though we're going to apologize tomorrow, we can't afford to make a bad impression."
To everyone's surprise, the maid remained motionless upon hearing this, and looked at Cai Wenxuan with a troubled expression.
Seeing this, Xu scolded, "Are you deaf? What are you standing there for? Go get it!"
Cai Wenxuan then remembered that he had given away Xu's newly made headdress to appease the Prince of Qin's mistress. He coughed and tried to smooth things over, saying, "That headdress is made of gold, nothing special. Our family isn't short of gold. Didn't we get you a set of jade headdresses? You can wear that."
Upon hearing this, Madam Xu rolled her eyes: "I love gold, what's it to you?" She then scolded the maid: "What are you standing there for? Go and get it for me. I want to pick out a few pieces to wear tomorrow. That vixen probably has never seen such a large quantity of pure gold jewelry."
The maid hesitated and dared not speak. Seeing that Madam Xu was about to get angry, Cai Wenxuan had no choice but to say, "Alright, stop looking. I'll give the jewelry away."
Madam Xu was stunned, her eyes widening: "Given away? To whom?" She asked suspiciously, "Could it be that you gave it to that vixen?"
Cai Wenxuan had no patience to argue with her, so he gave a perfunctory reply: "No! I gave it to a colleague. Didn't you complain last time that the style of that headdress was too outdated? Once this batch is out, I'll have someone make two more sets for you."
Xu, who was about to get angry, paused upon hearing this, and then said with delight, "That's more like it."
*
Meanwhile, Shen Youying was also making preparations for Cai Wenxuan and his wife's visit the next day.
Now that the stage has been set and the show has begun, it's time to see it through to the end. She instructed Liu Yun Bailuo to give the order that when Cai Wenxuan and his wife visit tomorrow, they should only address her as "Madam," not "Princess," and to make sure they don't give themselves away.
After arranging for the servants, she picked out the dress she would wear to meet the guests the next day.
As a princess, she naturally brought many dignified dresses befitting her status to the Northwest. However, since she was now playing the role of a spoiled and arrogant mistress, these dresses were no longer appropriate.
After much deliberation, Shen Youying asked Bailuo to go to a clothing store and buy several sets of brightly colored, lively, and gorgeous dresses that immediately fit the image of a "vixen." She then had the embroiderer alter the dresses overnight to fit Shen Youying's measurements.
The next day, when Cai Wenxuan and Madam Xu arrived, they saw Shen Youying wearing an extremely elaborate crimson-purple dress, her long hair tied in a loose, disheveled bun, adorned with a heavy gold hairpin, and matching gold necklaces and bracelets around her neck and wrists. She looked radiant and dazzling.
Xu was dazzled by the gold ornaments on her head. She stared at them for a long time before her expression changed.
She glared fiercely at Cai Wenxuan—the jewelry that vixen was wearing was clearly her set of red gold headdress!
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