"Miss, those clothes are all in the latest styles. You should at least keep one to wear when you go to the Qi Prince's Mansion!"
Even after they walked out of the yard, Hongrui's heart was still aching. It was really satisfying to cut the clothes in front of the third miss, but they didn't need to cut every single one!
"Those are clothes that others have tried on. Do you think I'll wear them?"
Lu Yinxi gave the little maid a sidelong glance, and immediately there was silence around her. In fact, her thought was very simple. Since Concubine Wang didn't want to make new clothes for her, then she wouldn't let them have them either. Anyway, she couldn't be the only one suffering, right?
"Don't tell Mother about today's incident," the young girl instructed after a moment's thought.
After being influenced by Buddhist teachings for more than a decade, unless it involved her children, Madam Lu was always very calm about other things. Lu Yinxi didn't want to bother her with such trivial matters.
On the other side, Lu Jinran kept her word. As soon as she heard that Prime Minister Lu had returned home, she immediately took the clothes that Lu Yinxi had cut into shreds to complain.
Concubine Wang didn't stop her. In this matter, it was indeed more appropriate for her daughter to step forward.
"Daddy, Ran'er knows that I'm a concubine's daughter and can't compare to the fourth younger sister, who is a legitimate daughter. But I also want to bring glory to the Prime Minister's Mansion at the Spring Banquet. But third younger sister..."
At this point, Lu Jinran paused for a moment, as if she was too aggrieved to speak. Then she continued to play the victim in a whisper, "Now that I have no clothes, I... I..."
Looking at his third daughter standing in front of the table with glistening tears in her eyes, Lu Wenhan only felt extremely annoyed. There were still a bunch of things waiting for him in the court. He didn't have the time to deal with such trivial matters, so his words were not kind.
"You said you have no clothes. Then what are you wearing?"
The aggrieved look froze on her face. Lu Jinran stood there stunned, but the blow from her father didn't end there.
"Not to mention other things, you've had five or six sets of clothes made every season. But your younger sister has been back from the village for more than a month. How many sets of new clothes has your aunt made for her? Has she ever complained?"
"Daddy... Daughter..."
"That's enough!" Prime Minister Lu closed his old eyes. Obviously, he didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Go back and tell your aunt that if she can't even handle such a trivial matter well, then she doesn't need to manage this family in the future!"
"Why? Why is this happening?"
Hearing her daughter's words, Concubine Wang almost fell to the ground.
She didn't understand. Didn't the Prime Minister dislike Lu Yinxi? If he really cared, then why didn't he intervene when she had treated Lu Yinxi badly over the years?
But if he didn't care, then why did this happen to Ran'er today?
While Concubine Wang was still trying to figure out the mind of the head of the family, Lu Yinxi also found it strange. Why didn't Prime Minister Lu come to cause trouble for her?
She had heard from Hongrui that as soon as her cheap father came back, Lu Jinran had gone to complain. Calculating the time, it should be about right by now, right?
Considering Prime Minister Lu's previous attitude towards her, the young girl thought that he would definitely scold her or punish her in some way.
However, she waited for a whole day and night, but didn't even see Prime Minister Lu's shadow. Instead, she received a set of clothes.
It was a begonia-red silver-patterned embroidered hundred-butterfly gilded flower gauze dress with gold-threaded edges. It was very beautiful and very much in line with Lu Yinxi's dressing style.
"Miss?"
Seeing the calm expression on the fourth miss's face, Hongmei felt very uneasy. She could only brace herself and explain, "The mistress said that if you have any troubles, you should tell her. So, this servant..."
"Put it away!"
The young girl calmly shifted her gaze and focused back on the book in her hand.
"Miss, aren't you going to wear it?"
Thinking that she was angry, Hongmei was so anxious that she was sweating. Just as she was about to explain, Lu Yinxi spoke again.
"It's too eye-catching. There's no need."
The Spring Banquet at the Qi Prince's Mansion was her first official appearance in the upper circles of the capital. If she wore such a dress, it would be beautiful, but it would also steal the limelight from the host. It would be better to dress as usual so that she could be more comfortable.
However, there were still some things she needed to emphasize.
Bending her fingers, the young girl's knuckles gently tapped on the table. Her expression remained calm as she said, "Hongmei, I know you're from Shangluo Tree, but nominally, I'm also your mistress."
The implication was clear to Hongmei. She had indeed gone too far this time.
The dispute over the clothes was ultimately a matter within the inner courtyard of the Prime Minister's Mansion. It was indeed inappropriate for her to tell an outsider about it.
"This servant knows her mistake. Please punish this servant, miss."
"Forget about the punishment. Just remember it in your heart."
On the first day of April, the weather was very cooperative. The sky was clear and the gentle breeze was blowing. In such a season, it was really wonderful to hold a Spring Banquet for the young men and women in the capital.
Although they had had a quarrel a few days ago, the two sisters still had to go to the Qi Prince's Mansion together.
As soon as they got in the carriage, Lu Jinran sat in the corner, clearly not wanting to talk to anyone. This suited Lu Yinxi just fine. She didn't want to bother talking to this third elder sister.
This time when going to the Qi Prince's Mansion, Lu Yinxi took Hongmei with her. Not only was she steady in her work, but she also knew a great deal about the taboos and preferences of the upper-class figures in the capital, so she could answer her questions in a timely manner.
The carriage passed through the bustling streets. The slight jolting along the way made the young girl a little drowsy. Just as she was about to fall asleep, the voice of the servant finally came from outside.
"Third miss, fourth miss, the Qi Prince's Mansion is here."
After presenting the invitation, as soon as they stepped into the mansion gate, Lu Jinran left silently with her maid, obviously very familiar with the place.
Lu Yinxi didn't care. She smiled at the maid who came to lead the way and said, "Please lead the way, miss."
After bypassing the front yard and walking through the winding corridors, the voices of various young ladies gradually reached their ears. Before long, the maid leading the way stopped at the entrance of a courtyard.
"Miss Lu Si, all the young ladies from the noble families are inside."
"Thank you."
The maid curtsied and turned back the way she came. Presumably, she was going to lead other guests.
She was about to enter a new circle. The young girl took a deep breath to prepare herself mentally and was about to step forward. Just then, two figures came into her sight.
"Brother Zihan, you can stop here. You should go back quickly. Don't keep those scholars waiting." Although she was reluctant in her heart, Zhang Lingyue still smiled and urged Lin Zihan to leave.
"I'll go back after I see you go in," Lin Shaoqing said softly.
Almost at the same time, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a strange yet familiar face.
That... girl?
His eyes narrowed into a slit. The scene from that day flashed before his eyes. If he remembered correctly, that girl had claimed to be from an ordinary family.
Could a daughter from an ordinary family attend the Spring Banquet?
Zhang Lingyue was about to say something else, but when she looked up, she found that her future husband's gaze had passed through her and was looking behind her.
She looked in that direction and saw a young lady from a noble family standing beside the flower bushes not far away. Because she was against the light, Zhang Lingyue couldn't see her face clearly, but a sense of crisis welled up in her heart.
This girl knew Brother Zihan!