Zhao craned her neck to look back, but Jiang Juncai was nowhere to be seen. She then feigned surprise and asked, "Why didn't the young master come?"
She knew perfectly well that Jiang Juncai cared about the humiliation of Sun Qiao'er's broken engagement years ago, so she never visited him for many years. Even when they met outside, she was very polite but distant.
Sun Qiao'er didn't just break off a marriage proposal; she broke off Jiang Juncai's reputation.
Xiangli Mingzhu knew that Zhao was doing it on purpose. She scolded Jiang Juncai with a half-smile: "I told him a few days ago that I wanted him to come along, but he said that he was too busy with things in the palace and His Majesty could not do without him. A while ago, His Majesty simply let him live in the palace and he did not go home for more than a month. The safety of the palace is of paramount importance and cannot be delayed, so I did not force him."
Zhao's sense of superiority vanished instantly. She sighed, "It's my daughter's bad luck, and she's also ignorant. Otherwise, the young master would be our son-in-law now. Such a good man, the leader of 100,000 Imperial Guards, a general personally appointed by the Emperor, and so handsome. There aren't many men in the capital as good-looking as him. Tell me, how could my daughter... sigh..."
Xiangli Mingzhu could tell that Sun Qiao'er was genuinely repentant. She also knew that Sun Qiao'er's husband's official position was still very low. The Duke of Zhenguo had mentioned his son-in-law to the Emperor several times and had spent money on people in the Ministry of Personnel, but his son-in-law was still a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. She didn't know when he would be able to get promoted.
The Duke of Zhenguo also knew that the Jiang family was secretly suppressing his son-in-law to avenge the humiliation of breaking off the engagement years ago.
For this matter, the Duke of Zhenguo tried to persuade Jiang Zhengqing to eat and speak kindly to him many times, but Jiang Zhengqing simply wouldn't listen.
Left with no other option, Zhao had to swallow her pride and go to Zhao's house to beg for peace.
Xiangli Mingzhu's attitude softened a bit, telling Jiang Zhengqing to stop making things difficult for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. However, Jiang Zhengqing was a vengeful person and felt that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had not been taught a lesson enough, so he refused to agree no matter what.
Xiangli Mingzhu pleaded with him at length before he finally agreed to stop making things difficult for the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, but to expect him to let Sun Qiao'er's husband go and allow him to rise in rank was a pipe dream. Sun Qiao'er's husband would never amount to anything.
As a result, Zhao was very grateful to Xiangli Mingzhu.
Xiangli Mingzhu pulled Feng Caiyi, who was heavily pregnant, over and said in a very gentle tone, "This is my daughter-in-law, Feng Caiyi, the eldest daughter of the Feng family. Caiyi, please greet Madam Zhao."
Feng Caiyi glanced at Zhao Shi indifferently. Zhao Shi was about the same age as her mother-in-law, but Zhao Shi looked much older. Feng Caiyi felt a natural sense of superiority and bowed to Zhao Shi generously: "Caiyi greets the Lady of the Duke of Zhenguo. May you be well, Madam."
Seeing that Feng Caiyi surpassed her daughter in both background and appearance, Madam Zhao turned and glared at her daughter: "Qiao'er, do you see that? Do you regret it?"
If you don't marry him, he'll marry someone better.
Sun Qiao'er felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She had indeed been in love with that poor scholar, but it was all a moment of impulsive passion in those years. Now that the couple was living a simple, ordinary life, she realized that power was the real, tangible thing. What was a passionate love worth? It couldn't put food on the table.
When others mention her, they all have a strange expression on their face. When they talk about her, they either feel sorry for her or think that the poor boy is not good enough for Sun Qiao'er.
Not a single person offered her their blessings, and no one had any faith in Zheng Yiwen, the poor student.
Today, Zhao is holding a flower-viewing banquet, and Sun Qiao'er wants Zheng Yiwen to come and make a name for himself. Zhao refuses to let Zheng Yiwen come and embarrass himself.
Sun Qiao'er was helpless.
She noticed that Feng Caiyi was elegant and beautiful, with a tall figure. Although her body was rounder due to pregnancy, it did not diminish her noble air at all. Her clothes were made of expensive snow satin, and the jewelry on her head was custom-made by Phoenix Pavilion. Any one of her items was much more expensive than Sun Qiao'er's entire outfit.
Sun Qiao'er curled her lips sourly, looking disdainful.
Yuan Qi took in all of Sun Qiao'er's expressions and sighed inwardly that Sun Qiao'er was destined to have an ordinary life. She would push away wealth and honor if she had them. That was just how her face was. Who could she blame?
Jiang Jiulu muttered under her breath, "Look at how petty she is. It's a good thing she didn't marry my brother."
Zhao invited everyone to come inside and talk in the flower hall.
In the blink of an eye, Madam Zhao brought up Yuan Qi: "This must be the Seventh Miss, right? She's so pretty. I've heard about the Taoist sect's skills, haven't I?"
Yuan Qi had no choice but to come out to work, her face beaming with a bright smile. She looked innocent and adorable, and she bowed respectfully to Zhao Shi.
Xiangli Mingzhu said with considerable pride, "That's right, Xiao Qi does know some magic, he's quite impressive."
After exchanging pleasantries, the group arrived at an empty flower hall. Madam Zhao had tea and fruit served, and the group began to chat.
Yuan Qi took a sip of tea and put it aside; the taste was just too ordinary.
Sun Qiao'er walked over and sat down next to Yuan Qi: "Seventh Miss, I've heard of you. I heard you set up a fortune-telling stall on Tianshui Street."
Yuan Qi smiled slightly and said sweetly, "Yes, do you want your fortune told?"
Sun Qiao'er pursed her lips and thought for a moment: "I want to do a fortune telling for my husband to see when he will be promoted."
Yuan Qi hummed in agreement: "Sure, I haven't done three divinations yet today. I can do one for you. Just tell me his birth date and time."
Hearing the conversation between the two, Jiang Jiulu, Feng Caiyi, and Jiang Songlu all came over to join in the fun.
Sun Qiao'er gave Yuan Qi her birth date and time, and then waited anxiously for Yuan Qi's judgment.
Yuan Qi dipped his teacup in the tea and wrote Zheng Yiwen's birth date on the small table. He then solemnly told Sun Qiao'er, "Your husband will have a hard life in his early years, a mediocre middle age, and a wealthy old age. He is not destined for a successful official career and will at most reach the sixth rank. However, you have a good son who is worth nurturing."
Sun Qiao'er always felt that Zheng Yiwen was talented and ambitious, and that he was sure to be able to take on great responsibilities. She hoped that Yuan Qi would say that her husband would have a smooth career and great power.
So when Yuan Qi said this, she felt an indescribable disappointment and subconsciously retorted, "You're so young, how can you be so accurate? Are you just saying these disgusting things to get back at me because you resented me for breaking off your brother's engagement?"
Yuan Qi calmly retorted, "In the years since you two got married, has your husband been promoted? Has he ever done anything earth-shattering for the court, or been rewarded by the emperor?"
Sun Qiao'er looked unwell; she certainly didn't.
She was somewhat unconvinced: "But Zheng Yiwen was a third-rank scholar back then, with exceptional talent. How could he only become a sixth-rank official?"
Yuan Qi calmly asked, "A man from a poor family, proud and arrogant, disdains to curry favor with the powerful, but his own abilities are not enough to gain the emperor's appreciation, is that right?"
Sun Qiao'er bit her lip. It was indeed true. Every time Sun Qiao'er asked Zheng Yiwen to get closer to his father and associate more with his superiors and colleagues, he would feel disgusted. He looked down on the sycophantic behavior of the powerful and wealthy, and their mutual eating and drinking.
Yuan Qi continued, "In addition, he came from a poor family and had a stubborn personality. Although he was talented, it was difficult for him to get ahead."
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