There are numerous banquets in the capital.
Welcoming banquets, farewell banquets, flower - viewing banquets, lake - touring banquets, Mid - Autumn banquets, Lantern Festival banquets... Not to mention various banquets for weddings, funerals, baby - month celebrations, and birthday feasts.
Almost every month, there are banquets held in the houses of officials in the capital.
Receiving guests and handling gift lists have become compulsory courses for every mistress in the capital.
Except for Princess Chengping.
Her husband passed away early, and her son died on the battlefield many years ago.
In the vast princess mansion, only she remained.
She became the most well - known widow in the capital.
People respected and pitied her, but they also feared and kept their distance from her.
It seemed that from the moment her husband and son died, she had automatically stepped into another world, and from then on, all the joy and brightness in this world had nothing to do with her.
Princess Chengping never held any banquets.
Moreover, except for the festivals in the palace, she never attended any banquets.
Everyone knew this.
However, no one knew what had happened this year. First, she went to a small official's house of the fourth rank to congratulate his mother on her birthday. Then, she announced that she would hold a grand flower - viewing banquet in the princess mansion, inviting all the noble ladies in the capital to her mansion to enjoy the lotus flowers together.
The capital has a relatively cold climate, and lotus flowers usually don't bloom until July.
But the situation in Princess Chengping's mansion is different.
There is a lake in her garden, filled with warm spring water. All kinds of flowers in the mansion bloom earlier and are more beautiful and delicate than those elsewhere.
Especially the lotus flowers, which stand gracefully in midsummer. Their white or crimson petals are like jade carvings, covering the entire lake as far as the eye can see.
Princess Chengping's mansion is the best place to enjoy lotus flowers in the capital.
Everyone knows this, but few people have actually seen it.
Therefore, as soon as the news that the princess was going to hold a flower - viewing banquet came out, the whole capital was in an uproar.
Li Wanming was a bit incredulous. "The princess... invited me?"
Chuntao replied, "Yes! The invitation was personally delivered by Lady Wang, the palace steward. Miss, Lady Wang is now in the Qinghui Hall, talking to the lord and the lady. Do you want to go there and ask her?"
Lady Wang was the female official who always attended the princess during Lady Li's birthday banquet.
She used to serve in the palace and was familiar with the princess. After leaving the palace, she became the housekeeper of the princess's mansion.
However, everyone still respectfully called her "palace steward" according to the old custom.
"How can we keep Lady Wang waiting?" Li Wanming stood up and was about to go outside.
Xiao Jingnan stopped her. "Have you decided what to say to Lady Wang, my lady?"
Li Wanming asked, "Do you mean the reward? Well... how much do you think is appropriate? Ten taels of silver enough?"
She had never interacted with these nobles before and didn't know the proper amount.
Xiao Jingnan smiled. "I mean you can talk to her about a business deal."
"Princess Chengping is holding a flower - viewing banquet, and she must need to prepare wine. Lady Wang is the housekeeper of the princess's mansion, and she decides all the purchases in the mansion."
"Why don't you ask her if we can supply the wine from our Li family's wine shop?"
Li Wanming was stunned for a moment, and then her heart filled with joy. "Right! If we can secure this deal, our family won't have to worry about food and drink for five years!"
In the Qinghui Hall.
Lady Wang stood respectfully below, answering the questions of the Prince of Ning and the Princess of Ning.
"Why has Yunhan suddenly decided to hold a flower - viewing banquet? She has always been impatient with these kinds of banquets."
Lady Wang replied respectfully, "Although Miss Li San is now living in Pingkangfang with the lord and the lady, since she has married the heir, she will eventually enter the prince's mansion."
"There are many banquets among the nobles. This might be a lesson Miss Li San will have to learn sooner or later. The princess said that in this case, it's better for her to get familiar with these things before entering the prince's mansion. It can be regarded as a preparation."
The Prince of Ning was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said to the Princess of Ning, "Yunhan is worried. She wants to use this banquet to help us evaluate our daughter - in - law."
Lady Wang lowered her head and said nothing.
The Princess of Ning showed a bit of worry between her eyebrows. "Wanming has only been in the capital for a short time. She doesn't understand the rules in the mansion. Will she make a fool of herself then..."
"Your Highness, please rest assured. The princess said that this is just a flower - viewing event, and there are no other arrangements such as poetry, calligraphy, and painting appreciation."
"Even so, which of those noble ladies is easy to deal with? Wanming's current status is low. They will surely make fun of her..."
"The princess said that there is a huge gap in status between Miss Li San and the Prince of Ning's mansion. If she can't even handle a simple flower - viewing banquet, her future path may be difficult."
"But..."
The Princess of Ning was about to say something more, but was stopped by the Prince of Ning. "Yunhan's words make sense. If Wanming really enters the prince's mansion in the future, if she is completely unprepared, she will surely suffer."
Hearing the Prince of Ning's implication, the Princess of Ning also lowered her head and said nothing.
"Alright. Let this flower - viewing banquet be a training for Wanming."
"However, I have to remind Yunhan," the Prince of Ning stroked his beard and laughed. "My daughter - in - law is not an ordinary person. If she ruins her flower - viewing banquet, don't come to me to complain."
Lady Wang nodded in agreement.
Actually, she didn't quite agree in her heart.
No matter how unique she was, Li Wanming was just the little daughter of a fourth - rank official's family. From a small family with a simple household, how capable could she be?
At Lady Li's birthday banquet last time, she didn't interact much with Li Wanming.
She remembered that this seemed to be a reckless and brainless silly girl.
Why did she come up to talk about business this time?
Moreover, she was well - organized and behaved gracefully.
Lady Wang regained her calm expression, looked at Xiao Jingnan, saw him nod slightly, then smiled gently and agreed, "In that case, we'll order the wine from your family."
"Really?"
Li Wanming was overjoyed.
She didn't expect the business deal to go so smoothly.
Lady Wang's answer was cautious and appropriate. "My princess said that the young lady is straightforward and cheerful, and she quite likes her. She trusts the young lady's work."
Li Wanming was extremely excited and asked, "I wonder how many jars of wine the princess needs? We can make preparations in advance."
Lady Wang thought for a while and said, "Let's order five hundred jars first."