"Taste our newly brewed peach blossom wine, which is made from the petals of peach blossoms. It’s so sweet and fragrant. What do you think?"
A girl dressed in a goose yellow brocade pleated skirt spoke coquettishly, and her tone was somewhat proud. As she spoke, she adjusted the warm jade hairpin on her head, which had a high value at first glance.
"Jun Yao, your family’s peach blossom wine truly lives up to its reputation. It’s sweet and tasty!" A young girl flattered diligently. Judging from her dress and appearance, she must also be a lady of the Jincheng aristocracy.
How could the guests who were qualified to visit Le Yuanhou Mansion be of low status?
"Of course!" Li Junyao raised her chin: "Just look at all the peach blossom trees in this courtyard, how delicate they are. These peach blossom trees have been carefully cultivated by skilled craftsmen, not daring to neglect them in the slightest. Not to mention the peach blossom wine, which is specially brewed by the best wine brewing master from Ruifu Building. Only my Le Yuanhou Mansion has it, and other families can’t even think about it!"
"Ah, it’s nice to come and enjoy the scenery in the spring days. Otherwise, it would be boring to stay in the room all day long."
The speaker was the daughter of the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works, Shen Yilin. While speaking, she casually fiddled with her rouge-covered nails:"By the way, Jun Yao, is your birthday coming soon? How do you plan to celebrate? Don’t just spend it casually like before, it’s too boring."
Li Junyao said, "That’s true, I need to think about it."
"Your hairpin is really beautiful. What kind of jade is it made of? The luster and transparency seem really extraordinary."
Finally, someone asked about her hairpin. Li Junyao’s eyes were full of pride: "The old lady gave it to me, saying it was an early birthday gift. This is a high-quality warm jade, with a touch of warmth, so rare and extraordinary. It was hard to obtain such a small piece of jade. The old lady specially had it made into a hairpin for me as a birthday gift."
"The old lady really loves you so much. Among our sisters, who else is as pampered as you? Just your monthly allowance, it’s twice as much as mine. Thinking about it makes me feel bad." This flattering girl was the daughter of the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works, Sun Yan.
Because her family background was the most ordinary among these high-ranking ladies, she could only rely on flattering others to find a place to hold on to.
Li Junyao gave a proud snort, looking very arrogant.
Although these ladies smiled on their faces, many of them secretly despised her in their hearts. If you hadn’t lost your mother, would your old lady be so fond of you?
"Speaking of which, isn’t your marriage with Duan Lan approaching? I heard that the Emperor is now planning to promote the Duan family, and he attaches great importance to the marriage between Duan Lan and you. It seems that he intends to grant the marriage personally. By then, you will be really honored." Sun Yan continued to flatter.
Shen Yilin was taken aback when she heard this: "The Emperor wants to make use of the Duan family? Why?"
Li Junyao sneered, "Don’t you know it? Old Man Chen has already resigned and is now enjoying his retirement. Such a huge amount of power has been handed over, and someone has to take it."
Shen Yilin said with a smile that wasn’t a smile: "Oh~ no wonder."
Just as they were talking, a little maid came in hurriedly and said, "Just now, someone from the Chen family said that Miss Chen is feeling unwell today and will not be attending the Peach Blossom Banquet."
Li Junyao sneered contemptuously, "She indeed shouldn’t come out. Now that her family has lost power, and she herself has lost face in public, if I were her, I wouldn’t go out either."
"It’s not just losing face; it’s more like a slap in the face." Shen Yilin also joined in the mockery: "That day at Ruifu Building, Mu Xiang was cuddling another woman in front of her. Although the woman’s face wasn’t clear, you didn’t see Chen Yining’s face at that time. She boasted about being childhood sweethearts and a match made in heaven, but Mu Xiang didn’t even give her a straight look that day! It’s really a waste of her always posing as the future wife of the Prime Minister. Now, her face is really loud and clear!"
When Shen Yilin said this, the look on her face was very refreshing. Chen Yining used to be unparalleled in the capital city, especially the story of her and Mu Houchu’s love, which had spread all over. No one knew how many people were secretly jealous.
Now that Chen’s family has fallen, countless people have started to step on her openly or secretly.
Li Junyao said disdainfully, "Just by her? Worthy? Everything that happened today, she deserved it."
As she looked up, she saw that the little maid who had just come to report the news was still standing there without moving. Li Junyao impatiently said, "What are you doing standing there? Are you an eyesore?"
But the little maid trembled and said, "It’s Miss Chen, she also asked someone to bring a message, saying that she must tell the young lady."
"What?" Li Junyao asked.
The little maid swallowed her saliva and said, "Miss Chen said, she doesn’t know if the young lady’s marriage with Young Master Duan is over or not. A few days ago, at Ruifu Building, she saw Young Master Duan with a girl, and Young Master Duan even specially won a peony lamp for her. They were talking and laughing, and it was quite lively."
With a "bang," the tea cup in Li Junyao’s hand was smashed to the ground. Her face instantly darkened, and she angrily asked, "What did you say?"
The little maid was so scared that she quickly knelt down and kowtowed, "Forgive me, young lady, I am just passing on the message. I don’t know what’s going on."
Chen Yining was obviously trying to humiliate Li Junyao on purpose with this matter.
"Who is that mean person who dares to seduce my fiance?!" Li Junyao’s face was extremely dark. Chen Yining, this woman, deliberately had someone announce this matter in public to make her lose face!
Now, everyone in the whole garden must have heard it, and no one knows how many people are going to laugh at her behind her back.
"Why are you getting angry, Jun Yao? It’s normal for Young Master Duan to be admired by others in the capital city. Jun Yao, you often take pride in your future husband’s talents, don’t you know the saying ’talent and romanticism’?" Shen Yilin’s words carried a hint of mockery.
Li Junyao was so angry that she was half-dead. With a flick of her sleeve, she stormed away.
Li Junyao’s personal maid, Lu Lan, hurriedly followed her: "Young lady, young lady, what are you going to do?"
"I’m going to find my dad and ask the Duan family to explain. Since Duan Lan is making me lose face like this, I can’t let the Duan family have a good time either!" Li Junyao said angrily.
When Lu Lan heard this, her face turned pale, and she immediately stopped Li Junyao: "Young lady, you can’t do this. Didn’t you just say that the Emperor is planning to use the Duan family now? In the future, the Duan family’s position will rise with the tide, and they are not to be offended easily!"
"So do I just let this go? Do you see how much face I lost today?" Li Junyao cared most about her reputation. She had always bragged about Duan Lan’s talents and fame, but who would have thought that today she would be so embarrassed because of him?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
