After the gift presentation, Lady Lu no longer kept her eyes on Lin Wanwan and instead engaged in conversation with others—mainly with her speaking and others chiming in. In the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, two more groups of people arrived at the antechamber, all being members of Qiantang’s high society invited to the banquet. The idle chatter continued, still centering on Lady Lu, while little Qingyu found these dull conversations sleep-inducing. The little one was very well-behaved, clearly understanding the importance of maintaining decorum in public. Although she was restless, she didn’t make any noise; she simply moved quietly from her spot to Lin Wanwan’s side, nestling into her arms for a nap. Both little Qingyu and her mother, Lin Wanwan, showed little interest in the brewed tea offered by the servants. Originally, Lin Wanwan only wished to be a wallflower, but who knew that after her speech, Lady Lu would become interested in her again and start asking questions as if conducting a household survey. Lin Wanwan found it thoroughly annoying, yet she endeavored to respond calmly and composedly, shifting the topic when there were things she didn’t want to say. But this Lady Lu was not one to back down easily; she continued to press Lin Wanwan, saying, "So, you and your fiancé have not yet married? It’s senseless to guard the gates like a widow. The Great Tang does not uphold such customs. Where did you learn these old rules? Now that the world is stabilizing, our foremost duty as women is to procreate and raise talented offspring to contribute to the court, which is the right path." Seeing her so self-righteous, one might mistake her for a representative of a childbirth promotion office! Lin Wanwan’s mouth twitched, and she couldn’t help but retort, which angered Lady Lu. Just as she was about to scold her, a series of footsteps were heard outside, and before the maid could speak, Lady Lu’s son, Lu Haoming, shouted, "Mother, Cousin Zifang has arrived!" Lin Wanwan had been kneeling here for a long time, nearly fainting from the sandalwood fumes, and upon hearing this, her spirits slightly lifted. The next moment, the curtain was lifted, and in walked a young man with drooping eyelids, followed by Xiao Chong, who bore a slight, indifferent smile. Today, he was dressed in a concise crescent-white brocade robe, draped with a white fur cloak, and wearing a jade crown of the same color on his head. With narrow sleeves and broad shoulders, his face was like cold jade, adding a touch of majestic energy to this powder-scented antechamber. Both the men and women in the room were impressed at the sight of him. Lu Ying’er, who had been lazily silent, leapt up and grabbed Xiao Chong’s arm, exclaiming excitedly, "Cousin Zifang, you finally found time to come! Come, sit down. I’ll brew tea for you myself. Recently, I’ve learned a new tea brewing method from the matron tutors who came from the palace. You must give me your opinion." Xiao Chong lightly patted her wrist, discreetly withdrawing his arm, then bowed towards Lady Lu and said, "Nephew greets Aunt, wishing you peace." "No need for formality." Lady Lu was also delighted by Xiao Chong’s presence, unable to hide her joy. She greeted him eagerly, instructing the removal of his cloak and the brewing of new tea. After a flurry of activity, she finally seated him at her left side. Xiao Chong nodded slightly in Lin Wanwan’s direction as a form of greeting, and Lin Wanwan smiled back. "It must have been tiring on the way here, was it smooth sailing?" "Very smooth, Aunt." He replied, then looked around and laughed, "It seems I came at an inopportune time, disturbing your conversation. I beg your pardon." Lu Ying’er had already knelt beside the newly prepared tea set and said with a smile, "Cousin Zifang, you’re too polite. We were just about done talking." She then drew everyone’s attention and commenced a seamless tea-brewing process. It was evident that she had practiced extensively, and it carried a refined air of a noble lady. Lin Wanwan found it amusing; the affection Lu Ying’er held for Xiao Chong was evident from her eyebrows to her fingertips—completely unabashed and uninhibited. Indeed, a maiden in love behaves with a silly, wild array of emotions. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝙣𝙚𝙩 It wasn’t just Lu Ying’er; even the other girls in the room blushed, all equally struck by Xiao Chong’s extraordinary looks. Xiao Jingkun found another person to idolize. For the exceptional direct-line descendant of the Qi Liang Room, who was also a young County Magistrate, he spared no effort in socializing, wishing he could transform into a servant, pouring tea and fetching water for him. After showing concern for Xiao Chong, Lady Lu hurriedly introduced everyone to him, and everyone in the room greeted Xiao Chong with warm smiles. The first cup of tea brewed by Lu Ying’er was, of course, offered to Xiao Chong, who casually praised it. Keen listeners could perceive the perfunctory nature, yet Lu Ying’er was elated. Little Qingyu fell asleep in Lin Wanwan’s arms. Seeing this, Lady Lu whispered an instruction to a nearby maid. The maid approached Lin Wanwan, signaling to take little Qingyu away for rest. Lin Wanwan got up and went along, somewhat regretting bringing little Qingyu to this gathering. She thought it would have been better to leave her at home to play with the elder household’s children. At the very least, she should have brought the little maid Rongrong, to let little Qingyu have a companion. The maid didn’t take Lin Wanwan far, just to another antechamber, furnished with an Imperial Concubine Couch and a simple bed, evidently a place for the masters to nap during the day. Lin Wanwan laid little Qingyu on the bed, removed her outer clothing and shoes, used a thick fur cloak as a blanket, and said to the maid, "I will stay here with her, you can go about your tasks." The maid certainly wouldn’t leave Lin Wanwan alone, initially assuring her that she would take good care of the young lady so Lin Wanwan could leave without worries. Seeing Lin Wanwan’s resolute attitude, the maid stood by her side, quietly accompanying her, awaiting instructions. With nothing else to do, Lin Wanwan decided to take a short nap herself. She didn’t know how long had passed when the maid’s voice entered her ears: "Madam Lin, Madam Lin, wake up, the evening meal is being served outside." Lin Wanwan abruptly opened her eyes, glancing at little Qingyu beside her. The little one had also woken up and was staring at the ceiling with big eyes, drowsily asking, "Mother, where are we?" Lin Wanwan smiled and replied, "We are visiting, did you forget?" "Oh." Little Qingyu remembered and mumbled, "Not fun." Laughing, Lin Wanwan got up and, with the help of the maid, dressed little Qingyu and did her hair. Once they were ready, they followed the maid to the banquet hall. The seats had already been arranged inside. Unlike what Lin Wanwan imagined, there were no separate tables for men and women, but rather individual dining cases for each person, arranged to the left and right. There was also a traditional music band and a woman dressed in a flamboyant, charming manner. Naturally, Lin Wanwan sat with the Xiao family members, with Xiao Xianghua, the eldest daughter of the Xiao family’s main house, on her left. Lin Wanwan quietly asked her, "Who is the woman standing next to the main seat?" Xiao Xianghua whispered, "She’s the acclaimed figure invited to preside over the event." Though she didn’t specify who, Lin Wanwan understood. Having done her homework, she knew that at Great Tang noble gatherings, it was popular to invite renowned courtesans to grace the occasion. Hosting an event with an Oiran as the special guest was a prestigious affair.