The carriage came to a halt. Shen Yiru was the first to jump out. She was extremely beautiful. Dressed in a pink dress and with the most fashionable Flying Swallow hair bun on her head adorned with a jade hairpin, she looked even more charming.
Moreover, as a relative of the Minister's Mansion, her appearance immediately caught everyone's attention, and all were full of praise for her.
Mu Fengqie got out of the carriage a bit later. As soon as she appeared, all the attention that had been on Shen Yiru shifted to her. Almost all the men were staring at Mu Fengqie, and some were even transfixed.
"Whose young lady is this? I've never seen her before."
"What a beautiful young woman! She truly deserves to be called the most beautiful!"
"I wonder which family this young lady belongs to. I wonder if she's already betrothed..."
Mu Fengqie took in everyone's reactions. The men's eyes were full of amazement and admiration, while the women's eyes were filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. Some women even glared at Mu Fengqie fiercely.
Mu Fengqie also spotted Lou Yueying. Obviously, Lou Yueying was a bit stunned when she saw Mu Fengqie, but then quickly regained her composure.
Before long, someone in the crowd revealed Mu Fengqie's identity. "This should be the adopted daughter of the Minister's Mansion, the one from the countryside."
"She's the one from the countryside? But her dressing and demeanor don't seem like it..."
"What do you know? Once she climbed onto a high branch, she turned into a phoenix. The Minister's Mansion won't treat her badly in terms of dressing, right?"
"She looks good but has a deep - scheming mind. How can such a person have the nerve to mingle in the noble circle? It's really bad luck!"
Mu Fengqie heard all their comments. She had already expected this situation, so she didn't show any sign of uneasiness. Hearing these words, the men also withdrew their gazes one by one.
This tea party seemed like a gathering for tea - drinking and poem - writing, but in fact, it was a matchmaking event for the young masters and ladies in the imperial city. Although these young masters lusted after Mu Fengqie's beauty, they also knew that a woman like Mu Fengqie, who had no status and was like a parasite, was definitely not someone they could marry.
However, Mu Fengqie didn't care at all. She just wanted to gain some fame. Whether it was a good or bad reputation didn't matter. As long as people remembered her, it was a success.
Hearing these people mock Mu Fengqie one after another, Shen Yiru wasn't particularly happy. She just got angry when she saw Mu Fengqie's submissive look.
Was this woman a fool? These people were clearly speaking ill of her. Didn't she know how to talk back? She really was a wild girl from the countryside!
This little episode about Mu Fengqie quickly passed. She followed the crowd into the tea - party venue. Lou Yueying sneaked up to Mu Fengqie and pulled her aside.
"Why did you come to the imperial city? Where's Brother Jing?" Lou Yueying looked around to make sure no one was around before asking her question nervously.
Mu Fengqie rolled her eyes in her heart but still patiently replied to Lou Yueying, "I don't know where your Brother Jing has gone. You'd better not mention him anymore. Otherwise, if something happens, neither you nor I can bear the responsibility."
Although Lou Yueying looked Mu Fengqie up and down, she still wasn't at ease. After all, the imperial city was different from a small town. Mu Fengqie firmly believed that there might be eavesdroppers. If someone with ill intentions heard their conversation, Jing Xunchao would be in danger.
Lou Yueying simply didn't believe Mu Fengqie's words. Mu Fengqie couldn't possibly not know where Jing Xunchao was. It seemed that this woman was deliberately hiding it from her.
Her eyes rolled. Jing Xunchao's current identity didn't allow him to come to the imperial city openly. And since Mu Fengqie had come to the imperial city now, it meant one thing: Jing Xunchao wasn't by Mu Fengqie's side.
Thinking of this, Lou Yueying's expression looked a bit better.
"Since you don't want to tell me, I won't ask anymore. I know Brother Jing isn't with you. You'd better take care of yourself." With that, Lou Yueying covered her mouth and left with a smile.
Mu Fengqie wasn't afraid. Before Jing Xunchao left, he had left a team of secret guards for her. Coupled with the help of the Minister's Mansion and the Fifth Prince, Mu Fengqie's life in the imperial city wouldn't be too difficult.
Xiao Qing had been looking for Mu Fengqie everywhere. The tea party was on a grand scale. She had just been a bit too curious and taken a few more glances. When she came to her senses, she found that her young lady had disappeared.
She searched for Mu Fengqie everywhere, but there were too many people at the tea party and the yard was too big. She was so anxious that she was about to cry. Finally, she met Mu Fengqie in the garden.
"Where did you go, young lady? I couldn't find you and was so worried!" Xiao Qing pouted and said aggrievedly.
Mu Fengqie reached out and patted Xiao Qing's shoulder to comfort her. "I'm standing right in front of you, aren't I? Those attending this tea party are all young masters and ladies from wealthy families. No one will get into trouble at the tea party."
Lou Yueying didn't take advantage of such a good opportunity just now. It was obvious that the daughter of a great general didn't dare to make trouble at the tea party. So Mu Fengqie had nothing to worry about.
The tea party began. Mu Fengqie had been observing the actions of those around her. The first step at the tea party was for the young ladies to make tea for the young masters. Since Mu Fengqie was already married, she naturally didn't do anything.
However, as the focus of this tea party, every move of Mu Fengqie didn't escape the eyes of these young masters and ladies. Seeing Mu Fengqie sitting there motionless, some even showed looks of contempt.
"As expected of someone from the countryside. She can't even do the simplest thing of making tea and still comes to the tea party. It's really a laughingstock!"
Sun Yuerou seemed to be deliberately targeting Mu Fengqie. After saying this, she didn't forget to look at Lou Yueying. Mu Fengqie snorted in her heart. So she was just a lackey of Lou Yueying.
"Someone from the countryside probably only knows how to farm. How could she know how to make tea?"
"She's really something that can't be put on the table. She doesn't even know how to learn on the spot. I really don't know how the Minister's Mansion could take a fancy to such a country bumpkin!"
Hearing this, Shen Yiru stood up abruptly. "Watch your mouth! You're just the daughter of a fifth - rank official. How dare you talk about the Minister's Mansion?"
Mu Fengqie originally didn't want to pay attention to these mockeries, but when some people dragged Mrs. Shen and Lord Shen into this, it annoyed her. Making tea? Such a simple thing. She had been doing it with ease when she was seven or eight years old in her previous life.
She also came from a famous family. It was just that her parents died early, and she had to inherit her grandfather's legacy and become a traditional Chinese doctor. But she was truly a famous and wealthy young lady. Although she usually stayed at home and rarely went out, she never worried about food, clothing, or daily necessities.
"This tea party is just for the young ladies and young masters to get engaged. It's not that I can't make tea. But since I'm already married, I just don't know who I should make the tea for."