He Jiuniang behaved modestly and generously, which surprised the prefect's wife, who knew the inside story. She thought that she would show off her husband's official position, since her husband's official position was indeed very high in Jingzhou City. Once she said it, even she would have to lead everyone to pay their respects to her.
However, He Jiuniang did not intend to say anything, clearly not wanting to show off her husband's position, and naturally also to give her, the wife of the prefect, face, so as not to make her, the host, too embarrassed.
These words not only pleased the prefect's wife, but also satisfied the other wives, which shows that He Jiuniang was quite sensible.
So, after exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone started eating Lu Hei Ya (a type of braised duck).
They ate and chatted at the same time, creating a rare harmonious atmosphere.
Only Madam Li remained restless while eating, her eyes constantly glancing towards He Jiu Niang.
She had intended to find fault with He Jiuniang and make fun of her, but she didn't expect that the woman would look so beautiful even when she was eating. Madam Li was a little annoyed, snorted coldly, and started eating her own food.
Among these ladies, some were in their thirties and others in their twenties. When they gathered together, they would talk about their husbands and children, eating while recounting interesting stories from their own families and praising how outstanding their children were.
He Jiuniang had no interest in talking about these things, and focused intently on gnawing on the duck neck in front of her, enjoying her meal immensely.
I just hope this banquet can go on forever, and then I can hurry home after I'm done eating.
But fate had other plans. She had only been eating for a short while when she heard a burst of laughter. When she looked up, she found that everyone was staring at her, covering their mouths and laughing happily.
He Jiuniang was a little confused, and turned to ask Yue Shu and Yue Yan, "Is there something dirty on my face?"
"No."
The two maids quickly looked her over, took out handkerchiefs to wipe her mouth, but still didn't know what everyone was laughing at.
Madam Li laughed for a while before speaking, "Young lady Lu, you've just arrived in Jingzhou City, so you must have never tasted anything so delicious before, right? It's no wonder, sister. This Lu Black Duck is a specialty of our Jingzhou City. It's from the same seller as the dress you're wearing, and it's sold in limited quantities every day. It's not something that ordinary people can buy. Since you like it so much, how about this: tomorrow I'll have my servants line up to buy some and then have it delivered to your residence."
Madam Li waited quite a while before finally seizing the opportunity to expose He Jiu Niang's embarrassing moment. What good was it if she ate so beautifully? She ate like a beggar, not daring to utter a single word. Madam Li would never believe that the men in He Jiu Niang's family held high official positions. If they were truly powerful, they wouldn't be unable to even buy Lu Hei Ya (a type of braised duck).
The prefect's wife saw everything but said nothing. She was determined to embarrass Huang Shi today!
The others assumed that the prefect's wife's attitude meant she had tacitly agreed, and they began to speak up as well.
Some people with ulterior motives wanted to take advantage of the situation like Madam Li, while others thought it was wrong to bully a young woman like this, so they offered to take He Jiu Niang around the city another day if she was willing, so she could get to know the various shops in the city.
Everyone thought that He Jiuniang would be embarrassed by their words, but to everyone's surprise, she agreed to everything. She even said to Madam Li, "Thank you for your kindness, Sister Li. If possible, please buy more for me. Oh, by the way, I like spicy food, so please buy more spicy ones!"
Madam Li choked for a moment. She was just teasing He Jiu Niang. If she wanted to eat it, she would have to have the servants line up, and each family could only buy it once a day. If she bought it for He Jiu Niang, she herself wouldn't be able to eat it.
Someone nearby immediately spoke up for her: "Oh dear, didn't Mrs. Lu hear what everyone was saying? This Lu Black Duck is a limited edition; there's a fixed quantity available, so you can't buy too many."
He Jiuniang replied with a regretful expression, "Is that so? I thought that Madam Li was so capable that she should be able to buy quite a lot. It seems that I overestimated Sister Li's abilities. Alas, it is my fault, I should be punished!"
As she spoke, she picked up a small wine cup filled with fruit wine from the table and drank the wine in one gulp.
Mrs. Li: ...
Everyone: ...
Madam Li was so angry that her face turned green. This bitch was openly looking down on her!
"You've got the guts..."
Before Madam Li could retort, the Prefect's wife immediately said, "Alright, alright, this is still a banquet! This young lady from the Lu family is new here and doesn't know much about Jingzhou. She is a bit blunt, so please don't take it to heart, Madam Li."
He Jiuniang still looked innocent and naive, as if she didn't know why Madam Li was angry with her.
Madam Li swallowed her anger out of respect for the prefect's wife.
After the meal, the unmarried young ladies prepared to perform their talents in front of these noble ladies, hoping to catch the eye of one of them and find a good marriage. This was the main reason why the ladies brought their daughters to the banquet.
With food to eat and a performance to watch, He Jiuniang was naturally happy. She didn't say much, just sat in her seat eating and watching. When she saw something exciting, she would applaud enthusiastically.
It was meant well, but the applause was so loud that the ladies turned their noses up at it.
They were trying to show themselves off, but He Jiuniang's loud shouts made them feel like singers and dancers, which lowered their status.
In He Jiuniang's eyes, there was no difference between the two, so she was thoroughly disliked.
"Madam Lu, you're calling out so loudly, do you perhaps want to perform a talent yourself? Or should we make room for you?"
The girl who spoke happened to be Madam Li's eldest daughter, who was fourteen years old this year. In He Jiuniang's eyes, she was just a little girl, but she didn't know why the girl had such malice towards her.
"No, no, no, I don't have any special talents to perform. I just think you guys are really amazing. You're all so talented in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting at such a young age. You have such a bright future!"
He Jiuniang waved her hand modestly, looking very timid, which made everyone think that she really didn't know anything.
Her words made Miss Li very proud, but she was still angry that her mother had cheered so loudly, making her feel like she was performing in some kind of brothel. So she was still very unhappy. She glanced at her mother and gave her a look.
Madam Li immediately understood her daughter's meaning and said to He Jiuniang with a smile, "Sister Lu, you are joking. You are so beautiful, you must be good at playing the zither, chess, calligraphy and painting. Why don't you play a piece for these children to see and learn from you?"
It's not a big deal if only one person says it, but soon others will join in, clearly showing they're just looking for trouble.
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