When Concubine Wei heard that the Lady of the House was going to take Jiang Sihe to the lotus - viewing banquet at the Marquis of Ning'an's mansion, she got another idea.
In the evening, she specially cooked rock - sugar lotus root soup and sent it to Jiang Zongyuan's study.
Jiang Zongyuan had just finished dealing with official business and was feeling a bit thirsty and anxious. Concubine Wei came at just the right time, so Jiang Zongyuan naturally showed a pleasant expression.
"My lord, I know you like cold drinks. I specially cooked this for you... Look, I even burned my finger!" Concubine Wei coquettishly complained.
Jiang Zongyuan's heart softened a bit more. The unpleasantness he had with the Lady of the House a few days ago was completely forgotten... He reached out and hugged Concubine Wei's slender waist, pulling her onto his lap.
"You..." Jiang Zongyuan's hand slowly groped along Concubine Wei's back...
Concubine Wei wriggled her body a bit. "My lord, I heard that the Lady of the House is going to the lotus - viewing banquet at the Marquis of Ning'an's mansion?"
Jiang Zongyuan squinted his eyes with a smile. "What, do you also want to join in the fun and have a look at this year's scholars who will take the autumn imperial examinations?"
Concubine Wei playfully pushed Jiang Zongyuan. "My lord, you always like to tease me... You were the third - place winner in the imperial examinations back then. Why would I need to go out and look at others?"
Jiang Zongyuan really enjoyed Concubine Wei's admiring and flattering words...
"Then why do you ask about this?"
Concubine Wei looked full of grievances. "My lord, I was just thinking that our Jiang family also has several young ladies, and they are all at the age for marriage... Well, I'm just over - worrying. Naturally, this matter is up to the Lady of the House. It's not my place to interfere..."
Jiang Zongyuan was somewhat reminded by Concubine Wei. He also had two daughters. If they could marry promising scholars selected from the imperial examinations, it would be a great help to him in the court in the future. He reached out and gently tapped Concubine Wei's nose. "You little smartie, you've really reminded me..."
But Concubine Wei frowned again. "Alas... I've reminded you, but the matter of choosing a husband for the young ladies in the inner courtyard is still decided by the mistress..."
Jiang Zongyuan was not happy to hear this. "Who said that? I'm the head of the family. Naturally, I have the right to interfere in the marriage affairs of my children!"
"But I heard that the Lady of the House doesn't like the Fourth Young Lady. She only plans to take the Second Young Lady to the banquet..."
Jiang Zongyuan frowned slightly upon hearing this. "How could this be? They are all the young ladies of the Jiang family. How could the Lady of the House treat them so differently?"
"I also think the Fourth Young Lady is pitiful. Her own sister has become the legitimate daughter. Instead of taking better care of the Fourth Young Lady, the Lady of the House... As a concubine myself, I feel... " Concubine Wei said this with a look of melancholy on her face, as if she was sighing about how difficult it was for concubines to live in the inner courtyard!
"I'll send Mo'er to Chunhua Pavilion later and ask the Lady of the House to take the Fourth Young Lady with them!"
Concubine Wei was secretly delighted. Jiang Jingshu was just like Concubine Ruan. The Lady of the House taking those two incompatible sisters to the lotus - viewing banquet tomorrow would surely lead to some good shows...
Just as Jiang Zongyuan finished speaking and was about to hug Concubine Wei and go to the couch behind the study to be intimate, he accidentally twisted his waist after taking a few steps.
"Ouch..."
"My lord, what's wrong with you?"
"My waist..."
Concubine Wei got off Jiang Zongyuan and quickly massaged his waist. "My lord, shall I help you go and rest?"
Jiang Zongyuan also felt embarrassed. How useless he was at this moment...
"No, you go back first. I still have some official business to deal with..."
Jiang Zongyuan wanted to cover it up. Concubine Wei was so smart that she immediately understood.
"Then I won't disturb you in dealing with your official business!"
As Concubine Wei walked out of Jiang Zongyuan's study, a flash of ridicule passed through her eyes. A handsome but useless man, just having a good - looking appearance...
Cuizhu was a bit surprised to see Concubine Wei come out. Every time Concubine Wei came to the study on her own initiative, she would always have a good time with the lord inside. Why did she come out so quickly today? And the concubine didn't look very happy.
"Concubine, was something not going smoothly?"
Concubine Wei shook her head. "It was smooth!"
"Then why aren't you happy?"
Concubine Wei didn't answer and just walked back. After walking a few steps, she said again, "Get things ready tomorrow. I'm going to Yisheng Bank!"
Cuizhu's face changed greatly and her voice trembled a bit.
"Concubine, the Lady of the House is also going out tomorrow. What if we run into her...?"
Concubine Wei raised her eyebrows and looked at Cuizhu. "Then we'll wait until the Lady of the House has left and go out through the side gate!"
Seeing that the concubine was so determined, Cuizhu had no choice but to whisper in a low voice, "I'll get things ready as soon as I get back!"
Concubine Wei nodded in satisfaction.
...
Jiang Sihe's long hair was loose behind her. She was sitting in front of the bronze mirror. Her face was free of makeup, but her skin was as fair as snow. Her charming and bright appearance was really lovable.
Xiuyue, who was combing her hair behind, was a bit dazed.
Danfeng came in at this moment to report.
"Miss, your clothes have been delivered!"
"So soon?"
Jiang Sihe couldn't help being a bit surprised. After the measurements were taken the day before yesterday, the Lady of the House had asked for them to be ready today. She thought it would at least be noon before they were delivered, but unexpectedly they were here so early!
"There are more than a hundred master tailors in Jinxiu Pavilion. More than a dozen of them were specially assigned to make clothes for you... If you like the skills of these master tailors, you can ask them to make clothes for you in the future. If not, you can change to other master tailors!"
Jiang Sihe only came to know what the life of a noble young lady in the capital was like these days.
Xiuyue simply combed a hair bun for her before letting the maids carry the clothes into the room.
Jiang Sihe looked over. She remembered that she had chosen six sets of clothes, but now there were twelve maids holding them. She stepped forward and took a closer look.
"Why are there two sets of each of these clothes?"
"Miss, this is in case your dress gets stained during the banquet or in case there are people who deliberately do something bad..."
Jiang Sihe immediately understood. Some people would deliberately frame others... This was very common in the inner courtyard. She had seen it many times.
"Many powerful families will prepare a set of the same dress for the young ladies in the mansion!"
Danfeng explained that it was not only the Jiang family that did this. Other mansions also did the same!
Jiang Sihe couldn't help sighing. These noble families really thought things through.
After changing her clothes, she went to the main house to pay respects to the Lady of the House. As soon as she entered the room, she heard the Lady of the House talking to Nanny Qiu.
"Have you sent someone to inform the Fourth Young Lady?"
"Yes, I have!"
When Jiang Sihe came in, she heard these two sentences. She was just feeling puzzled when the Lady of the House had already seen her.
"Sihe is here..."
"Mother!"
Jiang Sihe saluted the Lady of the House. The Lady of the House looked at the dress on her and was very satisfied. The pink color made the little girl in front of her look even more soft and cute. She had a tassel hair bun. The hair on both sides was pulled up, looking like butterfly wings hanging by her ears. The hairpins on both sides had colorful gemstones on the heads and tassel pendants hanging from the bodies. Her pair of clear and obedient eyes looked at the Lady of the House.
The Lady of the House felt that her heart was almost melted by the little girl in front of her.
When Nanny Qiu looked back, she was also shocked. In just a few days, the Second Young Lady had become more beautiful than before!
"Mother, I just heard you two talking..."
Nanny Qiu's face darkened. "The lord has asked the Lady of the House to take the Fourth Young Lady to the lotus - viewing banquet together!"