On the other side, at the main gate of the Marquis of Chengen's residence.
After relaying Song Zhiyu's exact words to the coachman, Lu Bai stood quietly at the door and waited.
Just as she was feeling utterly bored, a figure in emerald green suddenly darted in front of her and said anxiously, "Sister Lu Bai, can you do me a favor? Only you can help me."
"Xiao Cui, what's wrong? Tell me slowly." Lu Bai couldn't help but feel worried when she saw the tear stains on Xiao Cui's eyes.
Xiao Cui bit her lower lip tightly, her anxiety genuine. "I accidentally tore a hole in the dress that Madam is going to wear to Old Madam Ling's birthday banquet. The banquet is just around the corner, and I really don't know what to do."
"Sister Lu Bai, your embroidery skills are the best among all the maids in the manor. Could you please help me?"
"But I can't get away right now..." Lu Bai was a little embarrassed. She had a good relationship with Xiao Cui, so she would help if she could.
Seeing that Lu Bai was wavering, Xiao Cui pressed her advantage, not giving her a chance to refuse at all, "The second young lady hasn't arrived yet, it's okay for you to leave for a while."
Besides, with your embroidery skills, mending a small tear is just a matter of lifting your hand. Sister Lu Bai, can you bear to see me punished?
"Alright, I'll go with you to take a look." Having said that much, Lu Bai couldn't resist Xiao Cui's pleading and softened, but she was clear-headed and always put her young mistress first.
If the clothes really can't be repaired, there's nothing she can do to help.
"I knew Sister Lu Bai was the best." Xiao Cui's face lit up instantly, and she grabbed Lu Bai's arm and hurried into her courtyard.
Lu Bai was focused on the road ahead and didn't notice that Xiao Cui was giving a wink to the maid hiding behind a pillar not far away.
*
Half a cup of tea's time passed quickly. After resolving Chun Tao's matter, Song Zhiyu rushed to the front door and immediately saw Lu Bai standing straight, holding a brocade box in both hands and waiting for her.
"Let's go, we can't be late."
No sooner had Song Zhiyu finished speaking than a slightly smug voice rang out from behind her, "Second sister, are you also going to Old Madam Ling's birthday banquet? I wonder what kind of gift you prepared?"
Shen Jinhua had dressed up deliberately today, and her cheerful expression added even more beauty to her exquisite face.
As Song Zhiyu's gaze fell upon her, she subtly turned to reveal the congratulatory gift behind her, which was none other than a jade ruyi.
Song Zhiyu was somewhat surprised, but quickly regained her composure. Shen Jinhua's action was both expected and unexpected.
However, it seems that Old Madam Ling's birthday banquet today will not be peaceful.
"I wonder if Second Sister's congratulatory gift can compare to my jade ruyi? But Second Sister is always generous, so she must have already prepared a lavish gift. My jade ruyi is not worthy of being compared to Second Sister's congratulatory gift." Shen Jinhua took a deep look at the congratulatory gift in Lu Bai's hand, and the smile on her face became wider and wider.
Song Zhiyu merely glanced at her indifferently, a half-smile on her face, "Fourth Sister is quite self-aware."
"You..." Shen Jinhua was indeed furious. She really wanted to tear Song Zhiyu's mouth apart, as she always managed to make her lose her composure.
Shen Jinhua twitched the corner of her mouth, glancing at the brocade box behind Song Zhiyu out of the corner of her eye, and her anger dissipated instantly. "Since Second Sister is so confident, I am very much looking forward to seeing Second Sister's congratulatory gift. It will definitely broaden my horizons."
She really wanted to see if Song Zhiyu could still smile when she embarrassed herself at the birthday banquet.
Shen Jinhua concealed the malice in her eyes, turned and walked away, heading straight for the most luxurious carriage outside the mansion gate.
She subconsciously felt that the two carriages parked outside the mansion gate were arranged by Shen Feng, and the more luxurious one was obviously prepared for her.
"If Second Sister doesn't like sitting in the carriage behind, she can squeeze in with me, so that others won't mistakenly think that Marquis Chengen has become so poor." Shen Jinhua raised the corners of her lips, looking arrogant, as if it was a great favor for her and Song Zhiyu to sit in the same carriage.
Seeing Shen Jinhua rushing towards the carriage arranged by the Duke of Ling's mansion, Lu Bai's eyes widened suddenly, "Miss, she..."
Song Zhiyu shook her head at her, her smile enigmatic.
Just like that, Lu Bai's words, which were on the tip of her tongue, were cut off by Song Zhiyu. She looked at Shen Jinhua's back with a complicated expression, her lips twitching incessantly.
Shen Jinhua arrived at the carriage, nodded in satisfaction, and, under the coachman's suspicious gaze, stepped onto the stool to get into the carriage.
"Young lady, have you gotten into the wrong carriage?" The coachman hurriedly stopped her.
Shen Jinhua was embarrassed and angrily said, "What do you mean? I am the fourth young lady of the Marquis's mansion. How dare you stop me?"
"This servant is here on the orders of the old lady of the Duke's mansion to escort Miss Song Zhiyu to the banquet. This has nothing to do with the Marquis's mansion. Are you perhaps Miss Song?" The coachman's words made Shen Jinhua's face turn pale instantly, and under Song Zhiyu's contemptuous gaze, she almost swayed.
Shen Jinhua gritted her teeth and, with the help of her maid, got off the carriage, trying to make amends, "This young lady has mistaken the carriage for hers."
She made a huge fool of herself, especially in front of Song Zhiyu, whom she hated the most. Shen Jinhua wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
"This carriage in the back is so shabby, I imagine Fourth Sister wouldn't be used to riding in it. More importantly, we can't tarnish the reputation of the Marquis's mansion. If Second Sister doesn't mind..."
Song Zhiyu returned Shen Jinhua's words verbatim, using a subtle, scathing approach that left Shen Jinhua seething with hatred, yet unable to refute her.
"No need," Shen Jinhua refused outright; she would never bow down to Song Zhiyu.
Although the Marquis's carriage was not as luxurious as that of the Duke of Ling's mansion, it was still quite ornately decorated and certainly not poor.
Unfortunately, Shen Jinhua had a preconceived notion, so now she naturally finds everything about it displeasing.
*
At the same moment, two carriages that had departed from the Chengen Marquis's residence slowly drove into the bustling street, coming into the view of everyone.
The stark difference between the two carriages caused people to pause for a moment and utter a few soft exclamations of admiration.
This infuriated Shen Jinhua, who was sitting in the carriage. Her chest heaved slightly as she sulked.
"Miss, you must learn to be patient. When the Second Miss loses face at the birthday banquet, it will be your chance to shine." The maid's earnest advice finally calmed Shen Jinhua down a lot.
Thinking of the wonderful possibilities, Shen Jinhua couldn't help but laugh out loud, "You're right, this time I'm going to make Song Zhiyu lose face completely."
She asked again, still not entirely sure, "Are all the things inside? I want to make sure everything is safe."
"They've all been put in. I guarantee the Second Miss won't find out." The maid nodded emphatically, her face bearing the same smile as Shen Jinhua's, tinged with deep calculation.
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