Chapter 181 The Eldest Son Sends a Letter
With that huge label slapped on their heads, the atmosphere in the hall instantly plummeted to freezing point.
"you……"
Zhao Yueru's face darkened instantly.
She knew that her older sister had a mouth that could make even the living sound like the dead.
"When did I ever say anything negative? Don't talk nonsense in front of the younger generation."
Zhao Yuelian pressed on, "Then why won't you even eat a meal? What else could it be but disdain?"
"I……"
Zhao Yueru was speechless for a moment. Lu's father sat uneasily to the side, wanting to persuade him but not daring to. Lu Xinghe's face also turned red, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
"Mother, stop talking!"
Seeing that Zhao Yueru was speechless, Zhao Yuelian's arrogance grew even stronger.
"Xinghe, look at this! This is your good aunt. Now that she's climbed the social ladder, she doesn't even care about blood ties anymore. Even having a meal together has become a luxury!"
The more she spoke, the more convinced she felt she was in the right, her eyes reddening. "Oh dear, back when the Su family was at their lowest point, I pawned all my dowry silver bracelets to raise money for them. Now that they're successful, they can't even afford to treat them to a simple home-cooked meal. Have they lost all their conscience?"
After saying that, Zhao Yuelian made a move to leave with Lu Xinghe, but hesitated, waiting for Zhao Yueru to ask her to stay.
Zhao Yueru was also so angry that her chest felt tight, and her face didn't look good. Su Zhong also frowned, and the atmosphere in the hall was extremely tense.
Just as Zhao Yueru was about to give in, a servant rushed in to report.
"Reporting to the General, Madam, and Miss, the Princess's residence has sent someone to deliver an invitation to Miss."
"The Princess's residence?" Su Zhong and his wife were both taken aback, puzzled.
"Quick! Bring them in!" Zhao Yueru reacted the fastest, quickly straightening her clothes and giving Su Xiaoyu a wink to cheer her up.
Before long, a woman in her early thirties, dressed in a light purple palace gown with her hair neatly styled in a high bun, entered gracefully. She was tall and slender, with light and measured steps, delicate features, and a dignified yet humble demeanor. Her overall bearing was quite different from that of ordinary palace maids.
"This servant, Yun Shu, greets General Su and Madam Su."
Yun Shu kept her eyes straight ahead, her movements as precise as if measured with a ruler. Then she turned and curtsied to Su Xiaoyu: "Greetings, Princess Jiahe."
Su Xiaoyu quickly said, "Aunt Yunshu, please rise."
Yun Shu then straightened up, her gaze sweeping over the Lu family members in the hall, each with a different expression, before presenting them with a gold-embossed invitation card.
"This servant is here on the orders of Her Highness the Eldest Princess to deliver an invitation to Princess Jiahe. The day after tomorrow, Her Highness will be hosting a flower-viewing banquet at the Eldest Princess's residence, and has specially invited all the young ladies and talented young men in the capital to appreciate the winter plum blossoms together. Her Highness has heard that the Princess is commendable for her loyalty and bravery, and has a unique charm, and has specifically instructed that the Princess must make time to attend."
She paused, then added, "His Highness specifically instructed that the County Princess must... dress up carefully, so that the banquet will be a riot of colors and flowers in full bloom. His Highness is very much looking forward to the County Princess's arrival."
This seemingly brief statement is packed with information.
The eldest princess personally extended the invitation, using the word "must." This demonstrates the importance and special status she places on Su Xiaoyu. Moreover, the flower-viewing banquet has always been a barometer of the capital's top social circles, and an important occasion for families to choose their partners and arrange marriages.
No sooner had Su Xiaoyu been granted the title of County Princess than she received a personal invitation from the Eldest Princess.
The level of importance attached to this is self-evident.
As expected, Zhao Yuelian was stunned when she heard this, as were Lu's father and Lu Xinghe, who were clearly taken aback by the sudden news.
Especially for Lu Xinghe, the last bit of resentment and hope in his heart turned into cold self-mockery.
He realized with a profound realization that he would never be worthy of Xiaoyu in his entire life.
Su Xiaoyu took the invitation from Yun Shu's hand, her fingertips trembling, and forcibly suppressed her nervousness: "Thank you for making this trip in person, Aunt Yun Shu. Please inform Her Highness that I will definitely attend the banquet on time the day after tomorrow. Thank you for your kindness."
Yun Shu nodded in satisfaction, bowed again, and politely swept her gaze across the room. "This servant takes her leave."
After saying that, she gracefully withdrew, just as she had come.
The hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop. The atmosphere was completely different from before. Zhao Yuelian's face was pale and flushed; she didn't know whether to leave or stay.
Looking back on my earlier antics, I feel my face burning hot.
"Oh my... look! Our little fish... oh no, Princess Jiahe, her status is definitely different now!"
Zhao Yuelian tried to ease the awkwardness and regain some face, saying, "Even Her Highness the Princess personally sent an invitation, this is an immense honor!"
Su Xiaoyu was also confused. She had never been in contact with the princess, but she had a vague feeling that there was a hand behind the scenes pushing everything.
She didn't want to think about it too deeply, afraid that she would overthink it.
Taking the opportunity, Zhao Yuelian grabbed Zhao Yueru's hand again, trying to get closer to her: "Sister, I'm so happy for Xiaoyu! This child! She's been clever since she was little, and she's destined for great things! In the future, our two families should visit each other more often. We're all family, connected by blood!"
As she spoke, she kept giving Lu Xinghe meaningful glances, signaling him to say something quickly to salvage the impression.
This time, however, Lu Xinghe did not fawn over his mother or bring up the past like she did.
Upon hearing the news that the Princess had invited Xiaoyu to a banquet, the last bit of resentment and entanglement in his heart was released and transformed into sincere blessings.
His dazzling cousin was no longer a match for him.
My cousin deserves better.
Lu Xinghe took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said to Su Xiaoyu, "Cousin, the flower viewing banquet the day after tomorrow will be a gathering of nobles from the capital. There will be many rules and a lot of eyes and ears around. You have just been awarded a title and this is your first time attending such an occasion as a county princess. It is inevitable that some people will be curious and scrutinizing you."
If my cousin doesn't mind, the day after tomorrow, I, as her older cousin, will personally escort you to the Princess's residence and wait outside. In case anything happens at the banquet, I can help you and protect you.”
Fearing that Su Xiaoyu might misunderstand, he added, "Don't worry, this time... it's just as an older brother."
Su Xiaoyu was taken aback, not expecting Lu Xinghe to make such a request, and even specifically emphasizing his status as an 'elder brother'.
“Yes, yes, Xinghe is right. Xiaoyu is a county princess now, she’s very precious! There are all sorts of people at the flower viewing banquet, it’s always good to have someone look after her. Xinghe works in the Imperial Guard, he’s skilled and reliable. With him escorting her, you can rest assured, sister and brother-in-law, right?”
Although Zhao Yuelian was somewhat dissatisfied with her son only referring to himself as an 'elder brother', she thought that if they could get to know each other better and show him more of his abilities, who could say what would happen in the future?
The key is to ease tensions first and get back to normal contact.
Su Xiaoyu was both amused and exasperated: "I went to a banquet, not to cause trouble..."
“Oh dear, Xiaoyu, look at all the noble ladies in the capital. Every one of them has a whole bunch of maids, servants, and guards behind her when she goes out. You’re a county princess now, your status is much higher than many people’s. What if some jealous people come looking for trouble on the spot?” Zhao Yuelian said hurriedly.
Zhao Yueru and Su Zhong exchanged a glance, both seeing the same concerns in each other's eyes.
The main reason was that it was Xiaoyu's first time attending such a banquet, and they were indeed a little worried.
Zhao Yueru pondered for a moment, then asked, "Little Fish, what do you think..."
Seeing that her parents' attitude had softened, and looking at Lu Xinghe with genuine concern in their eyes, Su Xiaoyu stopped refusing.
"Then... I'll have to trouble you, cousin."
Lu Xinghe smiled brightly, relieved: "Don't worry."
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