Qian Qiyue, as always, was quite guileless, chattering away while clinging to Tang Ning’s arm.
“Isn’t Jinrou quite pretty? But her temperament is too soft. When Old Lady Fu was arranging a marriage for her, she was bullied but didn’t say a word. If someone hadn’t happened to catch the other family’s daughter mistreating her, who knows what would’ve happened.”
Tang Ning asked curiously, “Caught by whom?”
Qian Qiyue replied, “Fu Laiqing, along with the eldest son of the Qi family and the youngest son of the Minister of Justice.”
During the Qixi Festival incident with the drowning, Tang Ning had met the Qi family’s young master by Fu Laiqing’s side. She knew he was the eldest son of the Zhennan General’s household, who had previously served with his father guarding the southern border and had only returned to the capital in the past couple of years.
As for the youngest son of He Cheng, the Minister of Justice, she vaguely recalled he was upright and forthright in both appearance and character.
If Fu Jinrou had a dispute with another family’s daughter, it surely wouldn’t have been in public. After all, any family chosen by Old Lady Fu would at least care about appearances and propriety.
Old Master Fu may not have come from a prominent background, and his clan wasn’t particularly distinguished, but he later became a great meritorious minister of Wei, enshrined alongside the imperial family in the ancestral temple. While the status of a daughter from a branch of the Fu family might not be exceptionally high, she still had the backing of the distantly related Cao family. Even the most foolish family discussing marriage with the Fu family wouldn’t dare openly mistreat Fu Jinrou.
So, how could it be such a coincidence that Fu Laiqing and the other two just happened to witness her being bullied?
Recalling the odd remark Fu Jinrou made about Fu Laiqing earlier, Tang Ning’s brow furrowed slightly, a seed of doubt sprouting in her heart.
Qian Qiyue, oblivious to anything amiss, continued hugging her arm and said, “You don’t know, Jinrou was almost engaged to that family. But the daughter from that household was domineering, saying things like Jinrou was climbing too high to marry her brother and that the Fu family came from humble origins. She even claimed that if not for Old Master Fu, they’d still be country bumpkins. And she laid hands on Jinrou.”
“Fu Laiqing was furious at the time. After bringing her back, the engagement fell through.”
“Old Lady Fu felt terribly guilty for her poor judgment and has been especially remorseful toward Jinrou. She even asked my mother, Lady Wenxinhou, and Old Lady Cao to help find a suitable match for her.”
As Qian Qiyue spoke, she glanced at Fu Jinrou standing beside Old Lady Fu, her expression shy, and whispered to Tang Ning, “With Jinrou’s status, she wouldn’t normally be eligible to attend today’s palace banquet. Old Lady Fu specially requested a favor from the Empress Dowager to secure her permission to attend.”
“I think Old Lady Fu’s intention is to boost Jinrou’s reputation, letting her meet various families and showing how much the Fu family values her.”
In other words, Old Lady Fu, out of guilt, was elevating Fu Jinrou’s status. Once others saw the Fu family’s attitude, they wouldn’t dare underestimate her.
Following Qian Qiyue’s gaze, Tang Ning saw Fu Jinrou seemingly sense their attention and turn to offer a smile.
Tang Ning returned a smile, but her eyes remained cool.
“Which family was she discussing marriage with?”
“I think it was the eldest son of a Langzhong from the Ministry of Works.”
“What’s their surname?”
“Chai, I think?”
The Ministry of Works oversaw numerous departments, with several Langzhong officials in charge. Qian Qiyue had only vaguely heard her mother mention it in passing and hadn’t asked for specifics.
She turned her head. “Tang Ning, why are you asking about this?”
Tang Ning took note of Qian Qiyue’s words, planning to have someone look into the matter later, but her expression remained calm.
“Nothing, just curious. Miss Fu is beautiful and gentle, with the Fu family backing her. I was wondering which family was so blind as to mistreat her.”
Qian Qiyue nodded in agreement. Exactly—how foolish! The Fu and Cao families’ connections were coveted by many, and even distant relations were carefully maintained.
While Fu Jinrou’s immediate family might be of lower status, she was still a Fu family daughter.
Offending the Fu family like that would likely sour relations with the Cao family as well.
Tang Ning kept the matter in mind but didn’t want to keep discussing this sudden appearance of a Fu family girl.
Seeing Qian Qiyue muttering on, she changed the subject. “Why didn’t I see Sister Zhou today?”
“You mean Yuchang? She’s preparing for her wedding.”
Speaking of Zhou Yuchang, Qian Qiyue was clearly even closer to her. “You didn’t know? Lady Wenxinhou arranged a marriage for her with the youngest son of the Minister of Justice.”
“When did this happen?” Tang Ning asked, surprised.
“Just a few days ago. The two families exchanged birth charts, and as long as the auspicious date is confirmed, they’ll proceed with the betrothal.”
Unlike Tang Ning, who preferred to stay out of the spotlight, Qian Qiyue seemed to know everything happening in the capital. She continued, “I heard from Yuchang that Young Master He’s mother is in poor health and might only have a year or two left. They’re worried about delaying the marriage, and a joyous event might lift her spirits. So, Yuchang and Young Master He’s wedding will be set for soon, likely after the New Year.”
It was mid-August now, with only about three months until the New Year. Even pushing it back another month after the New Year, time was tight.
A marriage between the Wenxinhou Mansion and the Minister of Justice’s household couldn’t be simple. Preparing the wedding, dowry, and going through the formalities of betrothal and gift exchanges all took time.
With Lady He’s uncertain health, if Young Master He’s mother passed suddenly, the He family would observe three years of mourning.
Zhou Yuchang was already seventeen, and waiting another three years would be too late.
Qian Qiyue whispered, “Lady Wenxinhou is very fond of Young Master He, and Yuchang is satisfied with him too. Though the He family is rushing, they’re sincere. Both families agreed to speed up the process. Yuchang is busy preparing her trousseau and embroidering her wedding dress, so she didn’t come to the banquet.”
Tang Ning understood. In that case, she’d need to prepare a congratulatory gift soon.
…
The sky was still light, and the palace banquet hadn’t yet started. Many ladies and young women in the hall had gone to the nearby Imperial Garden in groups, while those who remained chatted quietly in small clusters.
Tang Ning glanced at Rong Yue, who was laughing and talking with Lady Wenxinhou and others not far away, and lazily stayed in a corner with Qian Qiyue, listening to her chatter about the latest gossip in the capital. Tang Ning listened with relish, while Qian Qiyue spoke animatedly.
As the sky darkened and the hall grew more crowded, a few young women friendly with Qian Qiyue came over, prompting her to pause her gossip-sharing.
Tang Ning was quite “famous” in the capital, but because she kept a low profile and rarely socialized, declining most invitations to banquets sent to Jiyun Lane, she seemed rather mysterious. Many in the capital rarely saw her.
Her Rongsheng Academy already drew attention, and the recent news of her topping the academy’s minor exam made the daughters of noble families particularly curious about her.
Tang Ning wasn’t haughty, and her disposition had matured from before. With her intentional friendliness, she quickly won the favor of a group of young women.
They gathered to chat, and someone brought up the academy.
“Princess Xiangning, can women also study at Rongsheng Academy?” The question came from a young lady surnamed Wang from the Hanlin family.
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You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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