The gilded carved invitation looked light and delicate, but it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in Madam Feng's hands.
She read it over and over again, and confirmed that it was undoubtedly addressed to the Fourth Young Lady of the Dongping Marquis's Mansion. She then picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp. With excitement that could not be concealed, she ordered Ah Fu, "Go and ask the Fourth Young Lady to come over!"
Ah Fu trotted all the way to Haitangju to ask for help. On the way back to Cixintang with Jiang Si, he bent his waist again and again, and looked at Jiang Si with confusion and awe in his eyes.
How did the fourth girl get the invitation from the palace without saying anything?
It's incredible!
"Madam, the fourth lady is here."
Madam Feng held the invitation in her hand and said, "Please come in, Fourth Miss."
The maid guarding the gate opened the cotton curtain, and a young girl in a bright red cloak walked in lightly.
Seeing the bright red dress, Mrs. Feng suddenly felt refreshed.
The fourth girl likes to wear bright colors, unlike those little girls who insist on wearing plain colors and think they are uniquely pretty. Little do they know that whether you are pretty or not has nothing to do with the color of clothes you wear; it all depends on your face.
Judging from the fourth girl's face, it's no wonder that she is blessed with good fortune.
Jiang Si entered the house, took off his cloak and handed it to the maid beside him, then bowed to Old Madam Feng and said, "Grandma."
Madam Feng extended her hand and said in a rare friendly manner: "Come and sit next to Grandmother."
Jiang Si walked forward calmly.
Madam Feng looked at her granddaughter carefully, with a smile on her face: "Today the palace sent you a letter, take a look."
Jiang Si looked at Old Madam Feng pushing over an exquisite invitation and reached out to pick it up.
Looking down, Jiang seemed to be stroking the hollow pattern on the post unconsciously, and the image of Yu Jin's smile emerged in his mind.
He actually found a way to get her to receive the post.
Now she has received an invitation to the plum blossom viewing banquet and will go to the palace to attend the banquet in two days. How can he make himself the only choice to be the Princess of Yan?
Jiang Si thought about these silently, and couldn't help but smile slightly.
No matter what, she believed he could do it.
This trust probably comes from the previous life.
At that time, she was the Holy Maiden of Wu Miao, and her marriage to the Prince of Great Zhou was related to the relationship between the two countries, which was definitely not something that could be accomplished by an individual. However, Yu Qi issued an imperial decree to grant her marriage.
Madam Feng stared at the faint smile on Jiang Si's lips, her eyes flickering slightly, and asked tentatively: "Fourth girl, do you know why you received this invitation?"
Jiang Si smiled: "Grandma, you are joking. How could I know that the nobles in the palace would arrange a plum blossom viewing banquet, let alone whether I could receive an invitation. In fact, I am also wondering why I could get an invitation to such a flower banquet."
Old Madam Feng didn't believe it. Her eyes kept wandering around Jiang Si's face, but she still saw that calm and indifferent expression.
"Since you know nothing about it, why aren't you surprised?"
Jiang looked at Madam Feng in surprise: "Didn't our grandmother teach us that being calm even when faced with a huge disaster is what a lady from a noble family should be like?"
This rhetorical question made Mrs. Feng feel quite embarrassed. She wanted to get angry but she didn't have the temper to do so.
Yes, this invitation alone was enough to calm her temper.
This is an invitation to choose a concubine for the prince!
Regardless of whether she can be chosen or not, the fact that the fourth girl received such an invitation out of nowhere is enough to make her proud. She can hold her head high when talking about the fourth girl's marriage in the future.
What? Your fourth daughter broke off an engagement? And she has a reputation for being reckless?
So what? Since she has become a candidate for the princess and has been strictly selected by the nobles in the palace, it proves that the fourth young lady of the Dongping Marquis's Mansion has a flawless character, and no one can openly challenge her on this issue in the future.
When Old Madam Feng thought about this, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her heart.
It is really terrible that the two married girls in the Bo family met with accidents one after another.
Of course, even if she received an invitation from the palace, Old Madam Feng did not think that Jiang Si would be chosen.
Princess, that is something I dare not even think about.
"Go back and prepare well. If you need anything, just tell the steward. Grandmother still has two sets of head ornaments that she used when she was young. I'll pack them up and ask Ah Fu to send them to you..." Old Madam Feng said a lot in one breath, and smiled as she took Jiang's hand and gently stroked it, "Don't let our Bo's Mansion lose face."
"My granddaughter knows."
Seeing Jiang Si's calm look, Old Madam Feng wanted to give him a few more instructions, but in the end she swallowed her words and signaled Jiang Si that he could leave.
The news that the fourth young lady had received the invitation to the plum blossom viewing banquet spread quickly throughout the Earl's mansion.
Since the arrival of cousin Dou, Second Madam Xiao has changed her previous sickly demeanor and has become more attentive to the housekeeper, making sure that every task, no matter how big or small, is done in a way that leaves no room for criticism.
She heard the news almost immediately and was speechless for a while, holding the scalding teacup in her hand.
Mrs. Xiao seemed to have gotten over the pain of losing her daughter and had regained her shrewdness and efficiency. She had been doing her best for the Xiao family these days and had regained their trust and support.
Seeing Xiao like this, she persuaded her again and again in a gentle voice.
Xiao then calmed down a lot and instructed, "It's spring now. Spring clothes should be prepared in advance for everyone in the mansion, as well as bed curtains. I remember that we used up the stock last year, so it's time to buy new ones. Oh, and go to Qian'er in person, so that the servants won't look down on her and neglect her."
"Don't worry, Madam. I'll go over and take a look later."
After leaving Xiao's place, Mrs. Xiao gently stroked the plain silk flowers on her temples and walked towards Jiang Qian's residence.
Since Jiang Qian returned to the Bo's Mansion, she rarely left the courtyard.
It's not that she doesn't want to, but she can't.
With Madam Feng's words in mind, she, as a married woman who had returned to her parents' home after breaking off all ties with her husband, naturally had to be more obedient and at least get through these days.
Jiang Qian had thought that she could hold her head up high once her brother succeeded, but she never expected that something unexpected would happen to her brother's sure success. This year has been extremely unlucky.
Hearing that Mrs. Xiao was coming, Jiang Qian perked up and went to meet her, enduring her impatience as she listened to Mrs. Xiao talking about trivial matters.
When had she fallen into such a situation, she had to listen patiently to even the words of a maid beside her mother.
Jiang Qian felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
Mrs. Xiao raised her lips quietly, and casually said, "The fourth young lady is so lucky that she actually received an invitation to the flower viewing banquet in the palace."
"A flower viewing party in the palace?"
"Yes, I heard that it is to select a concubine for the prince who has never married."
Jiang Qian's eyes suddenly narrowed, and she tugged at the handkerchief with all her strength: "Why did the fourth sister receive it? What about the other sisters?"
Mrs. Xiao smiled and said, "Only the fourth young lady received it. People in the mansion said that maybe the fourth young lady could really become a princess—"
"impossible!"
Mrs. Xiao stopped.
Jiang Qian pursed her lips and slowly calmed down, forcing a smile and saying, "Mother Xiao, come over often in the future and tell me what's going on outside."
"Don't worry, Miss. Madam has told me to have this old servant come here more often."
As soon as Granny Xiao left, Jiang Qian's face suddenly darkened, and she murmured to comfort herself: "What kind of person is Jiang Si? How can the daughter of an uncle who can't even pass on the title become a princess? Dream on!"
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