When An Qingran woke up the next morning, she felt that the courtyard was particularly lively, with people coming and going at the gate.
"Linde, why is it so lively?" An Qingran knew that with more people in the mansion, it would naturally be lively, but it wouldn't be lively so early. Usually she would wake up to the sound of birds, but this time she woke up to the sound of people.
After asking, she remembered that the general's mansion was holding a banquet today to welcome the old lady.
Her mother and she studied the lists last night and felt that although Lian Jinrong's people were rather sinister, they were still capable of doing things. All her previous arrangements were extremely appropriate.
Therefore, the mother and daughter were able to enjoy this ready-made thing.
An Qingran quickly got dressed, but by the time she was done, An Yanran and An Ranyue were already in the main hall. They were talking about something around their mother. An Yanran had a very happy face, and it didn't seem like she had just been released from confinement, so she didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt.
She saw An Qingran coming over and said affectionately, "Sister, you're late! If you don't come later, Ranyue and I are going to make trouble in your yard!"
"Well, mother, is there anything else that you haven't prepared?" An Qingran looked at her mother.
Today she was dressed particularly elegantly and appropriately, wearing a bright yellow material that was silky and drapey, which was rare.
Mother is so beautiful.
An Qingran said sincerely.
"Qingran, you take Yanran here to wait for the young ladies from various mansions. Take everyone to the Tingyu Pavilion next door to rest. I have asked the maids to prepare tea, music, chess, calligraphy and paintings there!"
"Yes!" An Qingran took the order and walked towards Tingyu Pavilion to check how the preparations were going.
An Yanran and An Ranyue followed. An Ranyue asked, "Sister, is Tingyu Pavilion a place where guests are usually received?"
"Not entirely. The main hall for receiving guests is on the east side of the general's mansion, and most of the visitors who come are usually received in the front hall. The backyard is the living area, and guests are rarely received there. Why are you asking these questions, sister? Are you thinking about receiving distinguished guests?"
"Yes, I thought that if I stayed longer, maybe I could get to know some caring people!" An Ranyue said with a smile.
An Yanran also said: "Sister Ranyue is very smart. Those rich girls will definitely be eager to meet you. But I am also a concubine's daughter. They all have a desire for wealth and fame, and they only care about the rich and powerful..."
An Qingran rarely heard her true feelings, so she glanced at her but didn't say anything. No matter who she was talking to, her previous behavior was much more overbearing than that of a legitimate daughter. Was she repenting now? Or was she trying to get close to An Ranyue?
An Ranyue said, "Sister, why do you have to belittle yourself? Look at your demeanor. If you didn't tell me, I wouldn't have noticed. Besides, Second Aunt and Aunt are sisters, what else can I say!"
I don't know if she really didn't know or was just too naive, but she didn't avoid An Qingran anyway, and An Qingran was unwilling to flatter them.
These conversations were the same in the previous life, and they still did not stop them from doing evil.
Tingyu Pavilion has always been a place to receive female guests, so it is very warm.
When An Qingran arrived, lily incense had already begun to burn in the incense burner. This was a gift from the emperor. Her mother only got a small bit, and her father gave the rest to her aunt. Obviously, she had donated it all.
And at the moment she was standing there giving orders: "This flower is too conspicuous here, move it over there. And why hasn't the jade screen been brought here yet? If the ladies want to change their clothes or put on rouge in secret, do they have to do it in front of everyone? Also, be more skillful, the fruit on that table, the cake plate is too ugly, change it to the jade plate with gold and winding branches given by the emperor..."
When she said this, she saw them coming over and couldn't help but smile: "Why are you here?"
An Qingran said, "My mother asked Yanran and I to receive the young ladies, so we came here first to see if there is anything we can help with."
"Oh, there's no need for you to interfere here. I'm here to do it. It's just that my sister's arrangement is really thoughtful. You sisters must perform well!" Lian Jinrong smiled like a flower, but she felt itchy with hatred in her heart.
She was helping in the front just now, but An Zhongtao said that she didn't need to greet the guests in front, and should go to the back to prepare, and let the welcoming task be left to the lady. The old lady was also present at the time, and when she knew that she was not liked by her son, she didn't say anything. After all, he was her son, and her concubine was dispensable!
What she couldn't stand the most was the look in An Zhongtao's eyes when he looked at Lian Jinyu. The tenderness and trust that naturally revealed in his eyes made her feel angry and hateful. Could such a big change happen in just one or two months?
Have you forgotten all the kindness we showed you before?
It’s okay for him to dislike me, but why does he dislike Yanran too? Just now she asked Yanran to help with the welcoming guests, but she said no, what does she, a little kid, know.
Fortunately, Lian Jinyu is a kind-hearted person and now he has arranged a task for Yanran.
Lian Jinrong's mind was full of mixed feelings, but her face was as beautiful as a flower, and she was very kind to An Ranyue. An Ranyue felt that the aunt in front of her was so nice.
Lian Jinrong was expanding her camp, but she didn't expect that she didn't understand the affairs of this camp very well. Everyone had their own plans in mind. Who could fight for her?
That’s all for later.
Seeing that there was no one she could help with, An Qingran found an excuse to leave. She couldn't bear to hear Lian Jinrong's hypocritical voice. Seeing her three enemies from her previous life happily together, she was afraid that she couldn't control herself.
Because the guests had not arrived yet, she returned to her own yard.
An Ranyue followed and said from behind, "Sister, wait for me!"
An Qingran suppressed all the impatience in her heart and turned around to ask, "Why did you follow me? Look how lively you and Auntie are talking."
"I'm being lazy. I feel so tired after today!" An Ranyue sighed.
An Qingran just smiled and didn't know what to say.
There were only two maids left in Xiwu Courtyard. They made tea and went downstairs.
An Ranyue sat on the chair and talked a lot, trying to get close to An Qingran. An Qingran responded to her in a random manner. She didn't practice martial arts this morning, so she felt a little tight all over. She stretched her body a little and took off the white jade hairpin on her head and put it on the table. An Ranyue saw it and her eyes lit up. She picked it up and said, "What a beautiful hairpin. White jade is rare nowadays!"
An Qingran just nodded, and the white jade was naturally good.
An Ranyue actually compared it to her own head: "I didn't think the white jade hairpin was pretty before, but now I realize that it makes me look elegant and graceful..."
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