“Madam Gu, it sounds like someone is calling you over there!” Chang Xi stepped forward.
Madam Mei's expression stiffened slightly: "Oh, I'll go take a look right away."
He quickened his pace as he spoke.
Changxi snorted softly. She had also learned from Madam Shen's maid that as a daughter-in-law of the Shen family, she didn't need to worry too much.
If you don't like someone, just block them out or send them away.
Lin Yaxian, who was in the distance, turned around and glanced in this direction.
His hands were clenched tightly under his sleeves.
Watching Ye Caiping become more and more accustomed to her identity as the daughter-in-law of the Shen family, she felt a tightness in her chest, as if a thousand sharp knives were cutting into her heart.
As Ye Caiping and the others entered the plum garden, they were greeted by a vibrant pink hue.
Ye Jin'er said, "This plum grove is in even more bloom than the one in the Shen family's."
Ye Huan'er said, "But the Shen family's is more rustic."
Shen Manman slightly raised her chin: "The princess's residence has a royal style, with everything being orderly and dignified. Our family, on the other hand, aims to let the plum blossoms grow freely, which has its own unique wild charm. The two styles are different, each with its own merits."
Ye Caiping patted their heads one by one and said with a smile, "Oh, you're both so eloquent."
"You've finally arrived!" A laugh rang out, and Grand Princess Fushun was surrounded by people as she came over. "Quickly, please take your seats."
As he spoke, he took Madam Shen's hand in one hand and Ye Caiping's hand in the other, and they walked forward together.
This time, the host did not eat around a large round table, but rather sat on two separate sides.
There were several rows of low tables on both sides, which were already filled with all kinds of fruits, exquisite snacks and fine wines.
The eldest princess took the seat of honor.
Madam Shen sat at one table with Ye Caiping, while Ye Jin'er and her sister sat at another table with Shen Manman.
Madam Mei and her daughter tried to squeeze in, but their rank was too low, so they could only sit far away.
The Lin sisters and Bai Xiaohong were sitting right across from Ye Caiping.
Lin Yating, eager to regain her composure, looked at Princess Fushun with a beaming smile:
"Your Highness, is today also a game of musical chairs?"
Banquets always involve fun activities, and musical chairs are a common game.
First, a certain character is designated, such as the character "plum". Whoever receives the flower must recite a poem containing the character "plum". Whoever cannot recite it is penalized by drinking a wine.
The Grand Princess nodded: "Yes, Yun'er, go and pick a plum blossom."
The maidservant Fuli left and returned shortly after, having broken off a sprig of plum blossom.
The Grand Princess took it and examined it closely: "Very good."
Lin Yating said, "Your Highness, in previous years we only recited one line of poetry, which was too simple. Why not send it to someone and have them compose a poem on the topic of a limited number of characters?"
Ye Caiping thought... Hmm, this method of making things difficult for people is so predictable! It's not original at all.
She looked at the Grand Princess with a smile: "Your Highness, I can't compose poetry. Can I not participate in this game?"
Lin Yating was taken aback.
She knew Ye Caiping definitely wouldn't do it, but in her imagination, Ye Caiping would look troubled and anxious, and when it was her turn, it would be Ye Caiping's time to make a fool of herself.
Who would have thought that Ye Caiping would say it so bluntly!
Isn't she afraid of making a fool of herself?
The fact that Ye Caiping said it so openly and honestly made her seem rather virtuous and upright.
Lin Yating's face darkened; this was not what she wanted! What she wanted was for Ye Caiping to lose face!
Lin Yating snorted: "How about we switch to playing the piano?"
Keep denying and rejecting!
She couldn't write poetry, couldn't play the zither, and was completely ignorant of the arts. She wanted to show everyone present that a lowly peasant woman was just a peasant woman, and she was not one of them.
Ye Caiping continued with a smile: "Playing the piano is getting boring, isn't it? How about we try making glass?"
Lin Yating choked for a moment, then said angrily, "We don't know how to make glass, so what are we doing playing around with glassmaking!"
Ye Caiping suddenly realized: "So you also know that you can't play if you don't know how. Then why did Madam Fang specifically pick the ones I didn't know how to play?"
Lin Yating's husband's surname is Fang.
Lin Yating's face turned ashen from the rebuttal; she wanted to retort, but couldn't utter a single word.
Ye Caiping then looked at Lin Yaxian: "I know that Madam Lin is the most talented woman in the capital, proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. This is truly commendable."
"But some people are good at poetry, some are good at embroidery, and some are good at growing flowers or making wine... Everyone has their own strengths. Madam Fang knew I didn't know any of these things, yet she made me do them anyway, clearly deliberately making things difficult for me. Using one's own strengths to attack another's weaknesses, is this the upbringing of the Grand Secretary's daughter?"
Upon hearing this, the Lin sisters' expressions changed.
The ladies around them nodded in agreement; many of them had long disliked the Lin sisters.
Lin Yaxian is the most talented woman, but Lin Yating's talent is equally impressive.
Relying on their outstanding talents, they always try to steal the spotlight at banquets or parties, regardless of the well-being of others.
But because they were the daughters of the Grand Secretary, and because everyone present was too embarrassed to admit they didn't know how, they could only keep enduring it.
Now that Ye Caiping has started, others have begun to speak out.
Mrs. Liao spoke in a delicate voice: "I can't write poetry, and I'm not good at playing the zither. But everyone praises my osmanthus pastries."
A slightly plump, wealthy woman said, "I get a headache just looking at poetry, but I'm quite good at painting. I enjoy painting, but I won't compete with people who can't paint."
The ladies whispered about what they were good at.
Every statement was like a slap in the face to the Lin sisters.
Madam Shen chuckled and looked at Lin Yaxian with satisfaction.
She never really liked Lin Yaxian. Before marriage, this former sister-in-law was quiet and reserved, with a talent that she didn't flaunt.
But after getting married, she would spend every day competing with this person in poetry or with that person in playing the zither, as if she wanted everyone in the capital to praise her as a talented woman.
The Grand Princess looked at Ye Caiping with great interest. She was indeed a perceptive person, thinking from a different perspective than others; no wonder Shen Zhiyan liked her.
What the princess didn't know was that Ye Caiping's next words would be the biggest surprise for her.
Ye Caiping looked at Lin Yating and said, "Besides, you can learn the four arts (music, chess, calligraphy, and painting) as long as you spend time, but you may not know what I do."
Lin Yating, who has always been strong-willed, finally snapped: "So what if I can make glass? What's so great about that?"
"Yes, what's so great about it! But at least I can make glass, while you, Madam, can't do anything except play the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting."
"Pah, you're only in the glass business to make a few bucks, you're all money-grubbing."
Ye Caiping raised an eyebrow: "Oh, Mrs. Fang, you don't like money?"
Lin Yating retorted angrily, "What do you mean by liking or disliking money? How utterly vulgar! How utterly vulgar!"
Lin Yaxian stared coldly at Ye Caiping: "She really is a businesswoman."
Ye Caiping looked her up and down and sneered, "Vulgar? Madam Lin, you look dressed in plain white, but those two pearls on your head are worth a thousand gold pieces, and the brocade you're wearing is worth a hundred taels per inch! The jade bracelet on your wrist is also worth a thousand taels."
The ladies around Ye Caiping kept glancing at Lin Yaxian and nodding in agreement. Yes, all of these things were valuable.
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