Everyone exchanged glances and finally noticed Yi Qing standing in the back.
"Hi!" Yi Qing greeted them.
This was Yi Qing's first time greeting the noble ladies in the capital. Although they all looked utterly confused.
"Yi Qing," Mrs. Di quickly reminded her to pay respects.
But for Yi Qing, who didn't even know how to pay respects to the emperor, it was really a tough task.
"I've only heard that the wife of the first - rank general acts quite unusually. Now that I've seen her in person, she truly lives up to the reputation," the princess said, sizing up Yi Qing with a half - smile.
"Your Highness, please forgive her. It's my fault for neglecting her upbringing," Mrs. Di quickly bowed.
"That's right. She's just a concubine's daughter who was raised on a manor since childhood," the princess said indifferently.
Yi Qing felt that she was being targeted. The princess seemed to know a lot about her. Suddenly, she thought of Yi Weiwei.
Mrs. Di hesitated for a moment. She had never officially recognized Yi Qing. Now that Yi Qing was already the general's wife, if others still misunderstood her, it would make her look bad. "She's my own daughter," Mrs. Di said.
As soon as Mrs. Di said this, there was an uproar among the people around. The information they had received was that the wife of the first - rank general was a concubine's daughter who had been ill - treated since childhood. That was why they had the audacity to inquire about her in the general's mansion. If she was Mrs. Di's own daughter, wouldn't she be the direct granddaughter of Duke Di?
Qin Miao covered her mouth and giggled when she heard Mrs. Di say this. Her laughter was clear and crisp. She was wearing a long smoke - purple gauze robe, a tall purple - gold crown on her head, and the tassels on it were trembling slightly. Although she was only sixteen or seventeen, she exuded a coquettish charm.
"What are you laughing at, Miao'er?" the princess asked with a smile.
"Mrs. Di says she's the biological mother of General Xiao's wife. As everyone knows, General Xiao's wife is from a concubine's branch. Mrs. Di has been in the Marquis Huai'en's mansion for so many years. Could it be that she's just a concubine?" Qin Miao said self - righteously.
This was a powerful show of strength. But Yi Qing thought that the princess's daughter was really stupid. With just one sentence, she had offended both the Duke Di's mansion and the first - rank general's mansion. Did she really think that the princess's mansion could do whatever it wanted?
"Don't make jokes," the princess scolded, but she wasn't really angry.
"Your Highness," Mrs. Lu stepped forward. "I still have some things to attend to at home, so I'll take my leave first." After saying that, she turned around and left.
Yi Qing was finally happy to see a familiar face, but then she heard that the person was leaving.
"Mrs. Lu just arrived. What could be so urgent at home?" the princess said, looking displeased.
She had her eye on Lu Tianxun, the eldest son of the Lu family. It was a pity that Lu Tianxun had suffered from a leg injury before. Now that his leg had recovered and he was the headmaster of Yunyang Academy, there were countless noble ladies in the capital eyeing him.
There was also Lu Tianzuo, the second son of the Lu family. Although he was not as outstanding as his elder brother, he had managed to get a position in the military on his own at a young age, and his future was limitless.
"Naturally, I'm going to discipline my children so that they won't make a fool of themselves in public," Mrs. Lu said calmly and firmly.
Yi Qing almost cheered out loud. The last time she saw Mrs. Lu, the situation wasn't right, and she hadn't had a proper conversation with her. She didn't expect Mrs. Lu to stand up for them in front of the princess.
The princess was embarrassed. "Disciplining children is a long - term task. It doesn't have to be done right away."
"The Lu family has a family motto: 'Human life is limited, but knowledge is boundless. One should strive for learning day and night.' " Mrs. Lu said sharply.
The head of the Lu family was the emperor's teacher. He had taught the former emperor, and then the crown prince and the current emperor. Although he didn't hold any official position, even the emperor treated him with respect.
The princess didn't expect Mrs. Lu to be so unyielding. "Mrs. Lu is also an elder. Why are you being so hard on a junior?"
"Your Highness, that's not right. If a daughter is not well - educated, it's the mother's fault," Yi Qing stepped forward and stood beside her mother.
"As if you're so well - behaved," Qin Miao sneered. "Who doesn't know that you had an affair with General Xiao's subordinate before and were also involved with many other men?"
Even if this were true, it shouldn't be said in front of so many people. Both sides would lose face.
Everyone was embarrassed. They all knew that the princess's banquet wasn't going to be a good thing, but they didn't expect such a thing to happen before it even started.
"Miao'er," the princess was really angry this time.
"I'm not wrong," Qin Miao said proudly.
Everyone looked at Yi Qing, the person involved. They had heard that the general's wife was very tough. Surely she wouldn't just swallow this insult?
"You're not wrong? Then explain it clearly to me!" Yi Qing's voice suddenly became several times louder. "You can casually say such things to slander others. I'm afraid you've done this kind of thing many times. With so many people here today, let them all be witnesses, so that there won't be all kinds of rumors after we leave this door."
Everyone was shocked by Yi Qing. Even a first - rank imperial order holder wouldn't dare to speak like this in front of the princess.
"Forget it. The banquet hasn't even started yet. What are you all arguing about?" the princess finally tried to smooth things over.
She usually didn't care much because no one dared to go against her. She did want to give Yi Qing a show of strength, but she didn't want to get herself into a difficult situation.
"Your Highness also knows that the banquet hasn't started yet. Saying such things before it starts, I really can't agree. Go and invite the general. If they say my reputation is bad, it's like putting dirt on the general's head," Yi Qing wasn't going to let it go.
"Mrs. Di!" the princess turned to Mrs. Di.
Mrs. Di sighed inwardly. "Go and invite the general."
Everyone was stunned. It seemed that this matter wasn't going to end well today.
"If you don't want to come to my banquet, just leave!" the princess was angry.
"My general's mansion wanted to hold a banquet, but you said you wanted to hold one, so others couldn't. Now I can leave, but this matter must be clarified," Yi Qing insisted.
"Yi Qing, how dare you talk to my mother like this!" Qin Miao was also anxious.
"What are you? You dare to talk to me, so why can't I talk to the princess?" Yi Qing looked at Qin Miao. "I'm a first - rank imperial order holder personally appointed by the emperor. I'm a subject. What title do you have? Shouldn't you call yourself a commoner?"
"You..." Qin Miao stamped her foot in anger.
The princess was noble and had a special status. But because the princess was so absurd and her daughter's father was unknown, the emperor had already been very magnanimous to tolerate them. How could they be given any titles?
"How dare you!" the princess was furious. "Who do you think you are? Throw her out!"
"I'd like to see who dares!" Xiao Jinghan strode in quickly.
Everyone was surprised. They didn't expect Xiao Jinghan to come.
Xiao Jinghan had a great reputation, but not many female relatives had seen him, especially the young ladies who were still unmarried. When they heard Xiao Jinghan's voice, they subconsciously looked over, and their hearts skipped a beat.
Rumors were misleading. Who said that Xiao Jinghan was as fierce as a demon? With such good looks, even without his general's status, he would still make girls fall in love with him.
Yi Qing immediately felt a sense of alarm. This was a matchmaking banquet. She had to be on guard against people trying to introduce other women to her husband. Now that the real - life version of Xiao Jinghan was here in person, she didn't know how many young girls' hearts he would steal.
"Why did you come?" Yi Qing immediately went over to claim her territory.
"I was worried about you attending this kind of banquet for the first time," Xiao Jinghan said with a doting smile at Yi Qing.