Chapter Eighty-two Attending the Banquet

  Lin Zhaoyan also knew, but she felt that it wouldn't be Zhou Wanyu's intention. From the time she made a promise to invite her as a guest until today when there was finally news, it proved that previously someone had been obstructing them.

  She guessed it was Madame Chengnanbo Miao.

  Yesterday, for some reason, no one from the Chen Nan Bo Fu entered the palace to participate in the hunt, presumably to use this opportunity to ask her for information.

  Lin Zhaoyan was very resistant to invitations with ulterior motives, but since the other party had already posted about it, not going would be a public humiliation.

  Mrs. Lin still wanted to curry favor with Chengnan Bo's family, knowing that she had taken the lead in offending them and wouldn't be given good fruit to eat.

  It was still Liu who made the decision for her, "You go, just be careful."

  Lin Zhaoyan had no choice but to agree.

  Ma had prepared a carriage for her and also said goodbye to Old Lady Lin.

  Old Lady Lin heard that Lin Zhaoyan was going to Chengnan Bo's mansion, and her eyebrows and eyes were full of smiles. She was worried that she couldn't find an opportunity to get into Chengnan Bo's mansion, as the masters of the mansion were not easy to deal with. If Lin Zhaoyan could get along well with Miss Zhou, it would save a lot of effort.

  She instructed Lin Zhaoyan to be careful and cautious, and to treat the young lady of Chengnan Bo's mansion with humility and gentleness.

  Lin Zhaoyan felt that he was not going to sit as a guest, but rather to conduct diplomacy.

  Chengnan Bo's mansion was a newly risen noble family, and it couldn't be compared to the old aristocratic families that lived outside the Forbidden City in Bali Lane, but instead bought a new and prosperous residential area - Qingjiao Hutong.

  Liu's mansion is also located in Qingjiao Alley.

  Lin Zhaoyan sat in the carriage all the way, still couldn't help but lift the curtain to look towards the Liu's mansion.

  Liu Wenyuan's mourning period has passed, but outside the Liu mansion, white lanterns with the character "dian" are still hung high, fluttering and swaying in the wind, piercing one's heart.

  Lu didn't leave the house again after Liu Wenyuan's death. Liu went to see her twice, and it was said that she had become very thin. Her cheeks were sunken, if not for the fact that she still had a breath of life left in her, one would have suspected that she had died.

  She and Lin Ruoyan have never been there either.

  Lin Ruoyan hated her and thought she deserved it.

  And she felt inexplicably guilty.

  Often when holding a snowball, my heart would ache with a dull pain, feeling unreal, as if Liu Wenyuan was still alive.

  Lin Zhaoyan sighed and pulled down the car curtain.

  It's no use reminiscing anymore. Everything has become a thing of the past.

  The carriage soon arrived at the mansion of Chengnan Bo.

  Autumn Dew Hou, the maid beside Zhou Wan-yu, was waiting outside the mansion gate. As soon as she saw her appear, she immediately came forward and said, "Sixth Young Lady has been expecting Miss Lin to arrive."

  Lin Zhaoyan smiled and didn't say much more.

  The mansion of Chengnan Bo is similar to that of Jian'an Hou, both are large houses with five entrances and three exits. Because the mansion of Chengnan Bo was built on the glory of horseback riding, the buildings and decorations in the mansion have a strong flavor of the vast desert, unlike other noble families who imitate the elegance of southern architecture with small bridges and flowing water, but instead everywhere is high walls and vermilion gates, the floor is made of gray-green marble. It gives people a sense of solemnity and oppression.

  Lin Zhaoyan walked around the courtyard and felt a bit suffocated, unable to understand how such an environment could cultivate Zhou Wanyu's lively and simple personality.

  Qiu Tang led her through the halls and courtyards, arriving at a small courtyard located on the east side of the Bo Mansion - Qingyuan Pavilion.

  Qingwen Pavilion is as its name suggests, especially elegant and beautiful. The courtyard is planted with various kinds of roses, red and pink alternating, petals scattered all over. It's really enchanting.

  Lin Zhaoyan was stunned.

  This place is completely different from the entire Bo Prefecture, it's like a paradise on earth.

  Zhou Wan Yu was sitting beside the stone table under the pomegranate tree in the courtyard, waiting for her. Although the pomegranate had not yet bloomed, she was wearing a pink skirt with a hundred butterflies fluttering about in spring. It set off her already fair and translucent skin, making it even more delicate and beautiful to the point of being stunning.

  "Xiao Yan, sister!" Zhou Wan Yu waved at her with a big smile, her large eyes twinkling cutely.

  Lin Zhaoyan put away his surprise and smiled at her with a curved lip, walking over.

  Zhou Wan Yu invited her to sit down on the stone bench, personally brewed a cup of tea and handed it to her, "This is the Kuqiao wheat tea that my father brought back from the northwest for the New Year, it's said to be good for the body."

  Lin Zhaoyan took it and thanked him.

  Zhou Wan Yu had the maid bring over various pastries and said to her, "I've always wanted to invite you to our estate as a guest, but I never had the chance. Today, I finally have some free time, and the first person I thought of was you. Don't you think my courtyard is nice? This is the most beautiful place in the entire Bo Estate."

  Lin Zhaoyan smiled and said, "Indeed very beautiful." It can also be seen that Zhou Wanyu is highly favored in the Bo Mansion, otherwise the Bo Mansion, which is known for its strictness and grandeur, would not tolerate such a delicate and beautiful existence.

  "Our courtyard has flowers from all over the world, I'll take you to see." Zhou Wan Yu felt like she had found a kindred spirit and quickly pulled her hand to invite her.

  Inside the Qingwen Pavilion, apart from various roses, Gu Zhen had indeed planted many varieties of flowers. Some she couldn't even name, and Zhou Wan Yu introduced them to her as they walked, her eyes shining with excitement, clearly a flower lover.

  Lin Zhaoyan didn't know much about flowers and plants, and they didn't have a lot of common language, so most of the time Zhou Wanyu was responsible for speaking, she was responsible for listening. Fortunately, Zhou Wanyu talked a lot, and it wasn't her turn to interrupt, so the atmosphere never got cold.

  "This is a pumpkin flower." Walking to a place, Lin Zhaoyan finally spoke up, she remembered that the last time she entered the palace, Zhou Wanyu said she wanted to see a pumpkin flower.

  Look at this patch of marigold, it should have been newly planted.

  Zhou Wanyu's face flushed with a hint of red, "It was only planted after I returned from the palace last time."

  "You seem to have a different feeling towards chrysanthemum." Lin Zhao spoke with a smile, looking at her. Last time she whispered something "He likes chrysanthemum very much", she guessed it was a man, now she's even more certain.

  And this man who likes chrysanthemum, should be the one who likes her lively personality.

  Zhou Wan Yu's face turned even redder, "No, I just...I just think it looks good."

  Lin Zhaoyan smiled and didn't expose him.

  Zhou Wan Yu deliberately changed the subject and started talking about gardening with her, then from gardening they talked about the customs of Northwest China.

  Just as they were chatting enthusiastically, Autumn walked in from the gate of the courtyard and interrupted her long speech. "Miss, Green Orchid, the maid by Madam's side, has come to invite you and Miss Lin to go over there."

  Zhou Wan Yu didn't think much and readily agreed. She then pulled Lin Zhao Yan's hand, "Let me take you to meet my mother and the others."

  Lin Zhaoyan knew that the right thing had finally arrived.

  The yard where Mrs. Chengnanbo Miao lived was connected to Qingyuan Pavilion, and it took only a few steps to get there.

  The style of the courtyard is the unified and solemn style of the Bo Mansion, with a blue-gray wall surface, not even a single flower, except for a red apricot tree planted next to the west courtyard wall.

  Zhou Wan Yu pulled her inside.

  As they drew closer, they saw two little maidservants in crimson spring jackets kneeling in the middle of the spacious courtyard, their foreheads pressed against the bluestone ground, their bodies trembling like autumn leaves in the cold wind.

  Which two little maids made mistakes?

  Lin Zhaoyan walked past them and caught a whiff of a faint bloody smell. She looked back curiously and was shocked to discover that the two maids' backs were already stained with fresh blood, but because they were wearing red clothes, it wasn't very noticeable from a distance.

  And the reason they were shivering with fear was probably not because they were scared, but because their bodies couldn't take it anymore.

  Lin Zhaoyan had an indescribable feeling.

  Today is the day when Chengnan Bo's mansion invited her to sit as a guest. By rights, even if the maidservant made a big mistake, she couldn't be scolded in front of the guests. But Miao Shi not only didn't think about hiding it but also let these two injured maidservants kneel here so openly and honestly, making it clear that she doesn't care about her opinion.

  It's just that she doesn't bother to interact with the Jian'an Marquis' estate, or perhaps her own personality is too arrogant and she doesn't care about other people's opinions.

  However, no matter which one it is, she thinks that Miao Shi is not a person worth getting close to. Old Lady Lin wants to fawn on and make use of Cheng Nan Bo Fu, but who knows who will end up using whom in the end!

  Zhou Wan-yu seemed to be used to such a situation, pulled her hand and walked forward with a nonchalant expression. After walking far away, she said: "It's just two ignorant maidservants, don't bother about them." Her tone was light and airy, without any of the kindness and compassion she had shown when trying to save the Seventh Prince in the palace.

  Lin Zhaoyan felt it was necessary for her to reacquaint herself with Zhou Wanyu, or rather, get a good understanding of the Chengnan Bo Fu.

  The furnishings of the main house are as simple and solemn as those in the courtyard, with heavy red wood furniture and square tables and chairs of uniform color. There is not even a common stone arrangement in the hall, only a pair of Huangshan welcoming pine paintings hanging in the center.

  It really suits Miao's temperament.

  Miao sat at the top waiting for them.

  Wearing a bright purple silk brocade with silver and gold cloud patterns, her hair was styled in an impeccable morning phoenix bun, adorned with a red kingfisher feather hairpin and a golden step shake, reflecting dazzling light.

  This is a typical noblewoman.

  She had heard Zhou Wan-yu say that Miao's maternal family was a well-known wealthy family in northern Jiangsu, and it was the result of Old Lady Zhou's efforts to marry into the family back then. Therefore, her current status in the Hou Mansion was very high, almost unparalleled, which naturally made her exude an air of superiority.

  This is very similar to Madame Hou and Mrs. Lu.

  Lu's family head emphasizes being tactful and doesn't want to offend anyone, but Miao's family is clearly strict and straightforward, saying one thing and meaning it.

  Such a mistress, the servants dare not make mistakes easily, but they also cannot get loyal hearts.

  Zhou Wan-yu led her forward to pay respects to Miao's family.

  Miao smiled and said, "Wan'er always says she wants to invite Lin Si to our house as a guest, but it's always busy. Today I finally got my wish."

  Lin Zhaoyan smiled and didn't say much in response.

  Mrs. Miao ordered the maid to bring a chair and make some tea, and politely said: "Lin Si's daughter is gentle and steady, it's great that Wan'er can be friends with you, and also correct her impulsive personality."

  Zhou Wan Yu can't be too playful, at most she's just naive and romantic.

  Lin Zhaoyan knew that Miao was being polite and also flattered: "Sixth sister is lively and kind, it's a rare good temperament."

  "Where was it, last time in the palace, if it wasn't for Lin Si's carefulness, Wan'er would have offended those imperial concubines."

  Announcement: Next chapter will have a new male character appearing!

  And also has an inexplicable relationship with the heroine!

  As for what relatives say about Xiao Qi's heart being ruthless and his hands being cruel, cough, there is a reason for that.

  And now, if he doesn't toughen up, how will he show his entanglement and change in the future? (Can only give a sneak peek up to this point...)