"What are you still standing there for? Pour the wine." Li Junyao snorted lightly, holding her head high. In her eyes, she was the daughter of the Hou Mansion, a legitimate lady from an illustrious family, incomparable to a peasant-born businesswoman like Ji Xinhe. She had every right to humiliate her thoroughly!
Ji Xinhe could already sense Li Junyao’s hostility and became alert. She signaled Fuquan, who quickly took a spoon to scoop the wine.
Just as Li Junyao pulled a long face, she glared at Fuquan and said, "You lowly thing, how dare you touch my wine!" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Fuquan trembled in fright and hurriedly put down the spoon, "I apologize for my offense."
Li Junyao scoffed, "As expected from people who can’t go on stage—clueless and without manners. My Hou Mansion is no small household. Don’t bring your rules here from your own home! Don’t forget where you are. That’s the difference in social class. Don’t think that climbing high branches can turn you into phoenixes. Sparrows will always remain noble-less sparrows!"
Although her words seemed to admonish Fuquan, they were clearly aimed at Ji Xinhe.
Using Fuquan to provoke her? Ji Xinhe raised her eyebrows, puzzled by the animosity from Miss Li, who she had never seen before.
At Li Junyao’s words, all the young ladies raised their handkerchiefs to cover their lips and laughed, mocking her together.
Ji Xinhe sneered inwardly, thinking that these supposedly well-educated ladies of noble birth were nothing special in reality.
"Since Miss Li dislikes my servant, please let the servants of your mansion pour the wine." Ji Xinhe spoke with an untroubled tone.
Ji Xinhe’s expression didn’t change; she didn’t show the embarrassment and inferiority that Li Junyao hoped for, nor did she lose her temper. She stood there with a serene and graceful presence, dressed in the most simple and plain clothes, emanating an innate nobility that one couldn’t ignore.
Her unflappable demeanor only infuriated Li Junyao more, and there was nowhere to vent her pent-up anger. A trace of malice flickered in her eyes—she was determined to disgrace Ji Xinhe today!
Li Junyao glared at Ji Xinhe fiercely before signaling to Lu Lan, "Come, pour the wine, so we can taste what kind of good stuff this grape wine is."
Shen Yilin whispered to the young ladies beside her, giggling, "This is the show Junyao wanted us to watch, right? There’ll be something worth watching now."
They had grown up together, and Shen Yilin knew Li Junyao’s cunning tactics all too well. She couldn’t believe that Ji Xinhe was invited here just for good intentions.
Lu Lan followed the order, opened the wine vat’s lid, and was immediately met with the intoxicating aroma of the wine.
The aroma filled the entire Ming Xiang Stage, even Li Junyao couldn’t help but take a closer look at the wine vat—indeed, it was a fine wine.
Lu Lan took the wine pot and spoon from a little maid and started scooping wine carefully.
Ji Xinhe watched from the side, noticing the maid seemingly taking out a purse from her sleeve and placing it into the wine vat, hidden by her clothing.
With a flick of her wrist, Ji Xinhe’s stone hit Lu Lan’s calf, causing a numbing sensation. "Ah!" Lu Lan cried out, staggering.
Ji Xinhe stepped forward quickly and "supported" her, "Miss Lu Lan, please be careful. This wine is very precious. What if you spill it because you’re not steady on your feet?"
Lu Lan managed not to fall and steadied herself, her face pale. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the shock or her own guilty conscience, "This servant is fine."
Li Junyao glared at her, "Useless! You are so clumsy. Have you finished pouring the wine?"
The filled wine pot was in Lu Lan’s hand, visible to everyone. Li Junyao’s question clearly held a deeper meaning.
Lowering her head, Lu Lan glanced at the emptied purse inside her sleeve and let out a sigh of relief. She nodded slightly, "The wine is ready, Miss. Please taste it."
Li Junyao’s cold eyes flashed over Ji Xinhe, filled with a hint of a mocking smile. She snorted, "Bring it here."
Everyone was watching with the intention to enjoy the show, and Shen Yilin couldn’t help but laugh quietly. This merchant girl was going to get a taste of her own medicine now. For these well-born ladies, humiliating a peasant-born merchant girl meant nothing, as the difference in social class between them was vast. After all, who asked her to be born into a lowly family?
However, just as Shen Yilin turned her head to look at Chen Yining, she noticed her seemingly lost in thought, appearing somewhat absent-minded.
"Yining, what’s wrong? Are you not enjoying this good show?"
Chen Yining snapped out of her thoughts, shaking her head, "I’m fine."
But she couldn’t help taking another look at that elegant figure, feeling as if she had seen it somewhere before—so familiar, but she couldn’t remember whose figure it was. As an inexplicable anxiousness arose in her heart, she couldn’t figure out why.
Just then, a little maid announced, "Miss, Young Master Duan is here."
Li Junyao’s eyes lit up, "Quickly invite him in."
She wanted him to witness this excellent show—it would be more fun that way!
Duan Lan entered with a relaxed gait and carefree demeanor. His father had already agreed to him observing Li Junyao, and if he wasn’t fond of her, he could call off the engagement. With this in mind, he felt at ease.
However, upon entering, he saw Ji Xinhe standing among the ladies and his face immediately changed, filled with surprise. What was she doing here?
Li Junyao, resentful that Duan Lan only had eyes for Ji Xinhe upon his arrival, forced a smile, "Young Master Duan, I am truly honored that you took time out of your busy schedule to attend my birthday party. You’ve come at the perfect time. Today, I heard that the new Qinghe shop in the capital has excellent grape wine, so I specially ordered twenty jin. We are tasting the wine right now."
Only then did Duan Lan understand and smiled at Xinhe, "So that’s it. Miss Ji’s grape wine is unique in the entire Daqian Dynasty. Today, we are indeed fortunate."
Li Junyao gritted her teeth in hatred, as Duan Lan dared to openly show his fondness for Ji Xinhe in front of her!
Li Junyao picked up the wine cup from Lu Lan, intending to drink it. As soon as it reached her lips, her expression suddenly changed and she threw the cup, "What is this? Ji Xinhe, you have a lot of nerve!"
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