This banquet was Fu Zhen's first real appearance in public. Before long, everyone in the capital knew that there was a second young lady in the Marquis Mansion.
Some wives from families of low - ranking officials thought it over and secretly inquired about her. Learning that she was an orphan, they started to get ideas.
As an orphan, although nominally the second young lady of the Marquis Mansion, her family background was humble. No noble family would propose marriage to her. But families like theirs didn't have such concerns. If they could marry her, it would be a good way to get in touch with the Marquis Mansion.
Some impatient ones even came to visit a few days later, hinting at their intentions.
Madam Bai found it rather funny. Although she thought these people were snobbish, she didn't reject them all. Instead, she called Fu Zhen over and asked for her opinion.
When Fu Zhen heard that they were all second - rate families, she immediately lowered her eyes and whispered, "Aunt, I'm not in a hurry yet."
Who would take a fancy to such families? Anyway, she wouldn't.
Besides, she hadn't fully learned the skills of managing the household yet. She wasn't going to get married.
Madam Bai also thought it was not urgent, so she comforted her, "Then I'll reject them all for you."
In Baiqu Courtyard.
Chen Tingfeng was practicing calligraphy in the study. Xie Yan, sitting beside him, was kicking his feet and playing with a folding fan, chatting with him off and on.
"I heard someone came to propose marriage these days?" Xie Yan tapped his hand with the fan.
Chen Tingfeng glanced at him, knowing what he wanted to ask. "I don't know."
"You're such an indifferent cousin. You didn't let me get involved with your cousin, and I thought you cared about her a lot." Xie Yan probed with a half - smile.
He did have a bit of a crush on such a gentle and charming woman like a still lake. If she was going to marry into a small official's family, it would be better for her to marry him as a concubine.
Did he care about her?
Chen Tingfeng sneered, "You're overthinking."
Based on his understanding of this cousin, she would never take a fancy to those families. At this moment, she was probably racking her brains to find an excuse to reject them in front of his mother.
Just thinking of her flustered look made Chen Tingfeng feel a bit better.
"It's better to marry her to me than to others," Xie Yan said, shaking his fan reluctantly.
"If you have nothing to do, go hunting in the suburbs. Don't bother me here." Chen Tingfeng flatly refused and started to drive him away.
Xie Yan let out a long sigh, "Your heart is as unfathomable as the sea~"
Saying that, he drawled and walked away slowly.
Chen Tingfeng picked up the brush and wanted to continue practicing calligraphy, but for some reason, Xie Yan's words "It's better to marry her to me than to others" suddenly filled his mind. His hand holding the brush tightened involuntarily.
He lowered his eyes and stared at the big characters for a while, then threw the brush away. He just felt that the characters he had written before were all unsatisfactory.
After Fu Zhen left the main courtyard, she couldn't help letting out a long breath.
She really didn't expect that just showing her face would attract so many suitors.
She didn't think it was because of her charm. Those families came because of the Marquis Mansion behind her, not because of her.
Their intentions were obvious. It was so boring.
When she returned to her courtyard and saw Chen Huanyun coming, her mood got even worse.
But she still had to put on a smiling face. "Sister Huanyun is here. Please sit down."
She gave a look to Cuihuan. Cuihuan immediately stepped forward to pour a cup of tea and put it beside Chen Huanyun, then called a little maid to serve pastries.
Chen Huanyun held the tea but didn't drink it. She looked at Fu Zhen and smiled, "Sister has really been in the limelight recently."
Fu Zhen raised her eyebrows. "I don't understand what you mean, sister. Where's the limelight?"
"Sister just showed her face at the banquet, and all the young talents in the capital came to propose marriage. Isn't that extremely glorious?" She said with a sweet smile, but her words were like knives.
Fu Zhen's expression turned cold. Chen Huanyun lived in the Marquis Mansion with her. How could she not know what had happened these days? Since she knew someone had come to propose marriage, how could she not know who they were?
Now saying "young talents" was clearly a veiled insult. What a sharp - tongued young lady from the Chen family.
"What's so great about this? It's not as glorious as sister's brilliant performance among the noble ladies," Fu Zhen said calmly.
That day, when the noble ladies got together and were bored before the banquet, they decided to play arrow - throwing to pass the time.
In such an occasion, the arrow - throwing was not about winning or losing but about social etiquette. But Chen Huanyun was very competitive and always came first.
In the end, some noble ladies looked unhappy.
Chen Huanyun naturally heard the mockery. She gritted her teeth secretly, but on the surface, she lowered her head to take a sip of tea. Then she looked up with a smile. "Sister is beautiful. I heard you're learning poetry. You must have a lot of knowledge. If sister was born in the Marquis Mansion, you wouldn't have to worry about getting married. It's a pity..."
Before she could finish her words, she suddenly stopped and observed Fu Zhen's expression carefully. She said timidly, "What I mean is that now that sister is in the Marquis Mansion, you will surely marry a good husband in the future."
With Fu Zhen's appearance, her background was also exposed. Now, which wealthy family in the capital didn't know that she was an orphan from the countryside?
Fu Zhen looked at her with a half - smile. She had experienced this kind of thing many times in her previous life. How could it affect her now?
"I'll take your kind words, sister. You have a good family background, and your mother is capable. I'm sure you'll marry into a good family in the future."
Bringing up family background, how good is yours anyway?
Seeing that Chen Huanyun wanted to say something else, Fu Zhen touched her forehead and showed a bit of tiredness. Cuihuan beside her understood immediately and quickly stepped forward to ask, "Second Miss, are you tired? Why don't you go and rest for a while?"
"I'm a bit tired," Fu Zhen looked at Chen Huanyun and showed an apologetic smile. "I'm really sorry. Next time when you come, sister will surely have a good chat with you."
How could Chen Huanyun not hear that this was a hint to leave?
She couldn't stay any longer. She stood up and said, "It doesn't matter. Sister's health is more important. I'll come and bother you next time."
Saying that, she left with her personal maid.
When they were out of sight, Fu Zhen straightened up and looked at Cuihuan with a smile. "Thanks to you. Otherwise, I don't know how long I would have to talk to her."
Cuihuan also smiled. "After being with Miss for so long, how could I not see your impatience?"
"I don't know what she came for. All her words were sarcastic. It's so boring," Fu Zhen frowned.
If you say Chen Huanyun is stupid, she can act quite decent on the surface. If you say she is smart, anyone can tell that her words were mockery. She came here to gloat.
"Miss Huanyun is always like this," Cuihuan said. "She seems kind to us maids, but I can always hear a sense of superiority in her words. I know she looks down on us."
Fu Zhen sneered. "She always talks about getting married. I haven't even had many suitors yet, and she's already in a hurry."
She's so shortsighted that it's laughable.