He Jin finally put down his pen and scrutinized Su Hele carefully.
Since she dared to let him ask Concubine Li, her words must be true. But...
"What do you want from me?"
It couldn't be just to tell him that she had won the favor of the noble ladies.
Su Hele gave a faint smile and said,
"Auntie ordered me to host a banquet in the name of our second household. I've come here specifically to discuss the details with you, my husband. I'm not sure which ladies' invitations would be beneficial to your official career. After all, I'm not interested in such worldly affairs, so I don't know much about it."
Hearing this, He Jin leaned back on his chair and said in a deep voice,
"Which ladies do you know?"
Su Hele simply named a few. Although she said she didn't know much, the ladies she mentioned were all the wives of He Jin's superiors.
"Are you familiar with all these ladies?"
He Jin was a bit surprised. He had never heard that she knew these ladies before.
"We got acquainted at yesterday's banquet. We hit it off immediately and felt like old friends." Su Hele held her head high with a haughty look.
She really should let He Jin see how much those ladies admired her just now.
She had said that as long as she wanted to, she could definitely do better than Su Nansheng. Just now was the proof.
Hearing this, He Jin lowered his head and pondered without saying a word.
Seeing this, Su Hele pulled at his sleeve and said softly,
"My husband has been tired all day. Why don't you go back to the bedroom with me to rest? We can also discuss the guest list."
He Jin drooped his eyelids and looked at the fair fingers on his sleeve. He sneered and stood up.
For the sake of Su Hele's efforts to win over those noble ladies for him, he would indulge her this time.
...
The next day, after helping He Jin wash and dress, and personally seeing him off at the mansion gate, Su Hele walked into Yurong Courtyard with her head held high.
This was the first time in a while that she came here on her own initiative, not because Concubine Li had summoned her.
"What are you doing here so early in the morning!"
Concubine Li had been on tenterhooks at the banquet yesterday, afraid that Su Hele would say something crazy and displease the ladies. So she was extremely tired, both physically and mentally.
Even after a whole night's rest, she still didn't feel relieved. She had just finished breakfast and was about to take a rest when she heard that Su Hele had come. Immediately, she felt irritated.
"I heard that the second young master went back to her bedroom with her last night." Nanny Wang said meaningfully.
Concubine Li curled her lips and said coldly,
"So that's it. She must think she has won A Jin's favor again and come here to provoke me. She's really mistaken. Whether she's in favor or not, I'll still deal with her."
Saying this, Concubine Li smoothed the hair on her temples and said in a deep voice,
"Let her in."
She really wanted to see what new tricks Su Hele was up to.
Su Hele came in, curtsied, and then held her head high and said,
"Auntie, I discussed the banquet with my husband yesterday. I'll start preparing for the banquet right away. Please support me."
Concubine Li frowned, looking displeased.
Support? Hadn't she supported enough?
If she hadn't accompanied her with a smiling face to beg Chen Wanrong, Su Hele wouldn't have had the chance to be introduced.
"Preparing a banquet is a complicated and trivial matter. It can't be done without enough people. There aren't enough servants in my courtyard. I'm afraid I'll mess things up."
Saying this, Su Hele showed a faint smile on her face and stared at Concubine Li.
Concubine Li sneered. So this was what she was waiting for.
"All you want is a few servants. I'll lend you some. You can return them after the banquet."
Hearing this, a look of displeasure flashed across Su Hele's calm face.
Lend?
Why was Concubine Li so stingy? She could just go and talk to Chen Wanrong and ask her to allocate some servants to her.
This business of lending and returning. Did the Marquis of Anshun's Mansion run out of servants?
"If you have any other requests, just say them all at once. Otherwise, you'll come here every day asking for this and that."
Hearing her obviously sarcastic tone, Su Hele drooped her eyelids and then held her head high again and said,
"There are many things needed for the banquet. I can't leave everything to others. I still have to personally select and purchase some things. So please go and talk to the mistress and allow me to go out of the mansion freely."
Concubine Li's half - closed eyes suddenly opened. She had underestimated Su Hele after all. She came up with one excuse after another. She really had a good imagination.
Go out of the mansion freely? Didn't she think about why she wasn't allowed to go out freely before?
Seeing that Concubine Li just stared at her without saying a word, Su Hele lifted her chin and said,
"Auntie, this banquet is related to my husband's official career. It can't afford any mistakes."
Concubine Li stared at Su Hele coldly for a while and then said,
"You can go back first. I'll discuss this with the mistress. Whether the mistress agrees or not depends on her mood."
After Su Hele left, Concubine Li no longer had the mood to rest. She rushed to Qionghua Courtyard in a hurry.
No matter how much she hated Su Hele, she was still He Jin's legitimate wife at present. She had to focus on the overall situation.
After this banquet, there might be many ladies inviting Su Hele back. Sooner or later, she would have to go out of the mansion to socialize.
Rather than going to plead with Chen Wanrong at that time and being taken advantage of by her, it was better to discuss it with her in advance and avoid punishing Su Hele.
...
Seeing the servants in Bitao Courtyard bustling in and out, Su Nansheng asked Bi Tao to go and find out what was going on.
When Bi Tao came back, she said,
"The second young mistress is really serious this time. She does everything herself. She said she was going out of the mansion to buy things. But Nanny Wang is following her every step of the way."
Bi Tao's tone was a bit regretful. With Nanny Wang watching Su Hele, there might not be any fun this time.
Su Nansheng gave a knowing smile. After so many things, Concubine Li should have learned her lesson. She couldn't really let Su Hele do whatever she wanted.
"Has the date of the banquet been set?"
Su Nansheng didn't care what Su Hele would do. She just wanted to know when the banquet would be held.
Bi Tao shook her head and said,
"I haven't heard about that. But judging from how seriously Bitao Courtyard is taking this, they probably won't set the date until everything is ready."
Saying this, Bi Tao leaned close to Su Nansheng's ear and whispered,
"I heard that the second young master has made up with her and they're no longer sleeping in separate rooms."
Hearing this, Su Nansheng raised her eyebrows.
He Jin was so angry before. How could they make up so soon? I wonder what tricks Su Hele used.
"Tell me as soon as the date of the banquet is set. I need to make arrangements."
Hearing Su Nansheng say this, Bi Tao was a bit reluctant and said,
"Why does my lady have to worry about her? Anyway, she won't appreciate it."
Su Nansheng just smiled but didn't say a word. Who said she was going to worry about Su Hele?
...
The carriage stopped on the street in Xishi. Su Hele couldn't wait to get off the carriage. She closed her eyes and smelled the mixed scents in the air.
She was finally out again.
"Second young mistress, please."
Nanny Wang's deep voice came from behind Su Hele, which annoyed her.
"What's the hurry? Don't be so impatient when doing things."
No matter where she went, Nanny Wang would follow her. She was really like a shadow.
If they didn't trust her, why did they let her organize the banquet?
If you use someone, don't suspect them; if you suspect someone, don't use them. Wasn't this such a simple truth?