The reason for the frequent tea parties hosted by Taihou Furen was simple – she was anxious about her son’s marriage.
Perhaps traumatized by his previous wife’s infidelity, Jiayu had been reluctant to agree to any marriage arrangements. He kept running off, spending considerable time in the Northwest previously.
Taihou Furen felt uneasy about his lack of a proper wife and legitimate heir at his age. This time, with her son back, she intended to keep him home and prevent him from leaving again. Knowing he was determined to find a good match, she frequently sent out invitations, gathering noble ladies to her tea parties. She hoped to foster connections and possibly find a suitable bride for her son.
Of course, married women were also invited, as their relatives might include eligible young ladies of appropriate background and age, expanding the pool of potential candidates.
This was Liu Mian Tang’s first appearance before the noblewoman of Zhenzhou. Chu Taifei, not wanting her future daughter-in-law to be outshone, took great care in preparing Mian Tang before they left.
Mian Tang’s hair was styled high, revealing her smooth, full forehead and lovely features. Her arched brows and bright eyes were accentuated by makeup. She wore a long, light blue strapless gown adorned with elegant cloud patterns. As she walked, the dress rippled, giving the impression of light clouds and rippling water.
On her feet were fully embroidered pearl shoes that exposed her ankles and the tops of her feet. A string of pearls, each the size of a small fingernail, encircled her slender ankles, making her skin appear even fairer. The pearlescent glow of her feet peeked out from beneath the constantly moving hem of her dress.
Taifei nodded with satisfaction as she looked at Huaisang County Lady beside her, once again feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Chu Taifei had always loved dressing up. When Lian Suilan was around, she often gave her advice on clothing and accessories. Unfortunately, Lian Suilan didn’t resemble her aunt in looks. Though her features were delicate, they had a common air, and many outfits didn’t suit her well.
Now, Chu Taifei felt she had found the perfect doll to dress up, able to indulge her passion fully. Every color and style looked good on Liu Mian Tang.
With her striking features, Mian Tang could carry off both light and heavy makeup, allowing Chu Taifei free rein in choosing color schemes. In her youth, Taifei had a slim waist and loved wearing such figure-hugging dresses. Now that she had gained weight, she could no longer wear them, so she lived vicariously through her daughter-in-law. She proudly told Mian Tang how graceful she had looked in such dresses when she was young.
Mian Tang hadn’t expected that after escaping the ordeal of the accounts, she’d nearly falter at the hurdle of dressing up. Though she loved beauty, Taifei’s enthusiasm for dressing her up like a doll was becoming overwhelming.
Seeing Taifei becoming almost addicted to the process, bringing out three or four boxes of her dowry jewelry for Mian Tang to try on, Mian Tang could only gently remind her that they would be late for the tea party if they didn’t leave soon.
Only then did Taifei reluctantly choose a set of jewelry for Mian Tang to wear.
Finally, with Taifei settling on the outfit and accessories, Mian Tang heaved a long sigh of relief.
Taifei had excellent taste, and when Mian Tang appeared before others, she naturally drew attention. People whispered, wondering about the identity of this stunning beauty.
Upon learning she was Huaiyang Wang’s fiancée, many nodded in understanding, thinking: No wonder he broke off the engagement with the Lian family, only to turn around and marry such a ravishing beauty!
After admiring the beauty, when people looked at the Lian mother and daughter, their gazes held a hint of pity.
Lian Suilan felt extremely embarrassed, silently cursing her mother for dragging her here to be compared unfavorably in public. When Lian Chushi recognized the jewelry Liu Mian Tang wore as her sister’s dowry, she felt even more agitated.
That set of jewelry had made Lian Chushi envious in the past, always hoping her mother would give it to her. But it had gone to her sister instead, which had always bothered Lian Chushi.
However, Taifei had once promised that the set would be passed down to her daughter-in-law. So even though Lian Chushi didn’t get it, it would ultimately belong to her daughter, Lian Suilan.
Now, with her daughter’s marriage prospects dashed, seeing the jewelry adorning someone else’s neck was unbearable for Lian Chushi.
She had originally hoped Taifei would assert herself and properly discipline this suddenly-appeared Huaisang County Lady while Huaiyang Wang was away. Who would have thought her useless sister would not only fail to do so but even dress her up so beautifully and give her the entire set of heirloom jewelry to wear? Wasn’t this giving her face and showing the Chu family elders’ approval of this daughter-in-law?
Finding an opportunity, Lian Chushi approached Taifei, greeted her, and sat down to speak privately.
Unaware of her son’s prohibition, Chu Taifei asked Lian Chushi why she hadn’t visited in so long. Lian Chushi, of course, explained the reason with a straight face.
Chu Taifei could only apologize for her son’s poor manners and bad temper to comfort her sister. Lian Chushi, watching Liu Mian Tang talking with Taihou Furen, lowered her voice and asked, “Taifei, what’s her background? I heard from people returning from the capital that she’s of humble birth, just a commoner elevated by Xingzhou and rewarded by His Majesty…”
Chu Taifei had always been dissatisfied with Liu Mian Tang’s background, but she knew how to differentiate between family matters and public affairs. How could she allow others to look down on them? Hearing her sister’s words, she replied indifferently, “My Xingzhou is so capable, does he need support from his wife’s family? It’s not like the previous dynasty where noble families wouldn’t marry commoners. If he likes her and the girl is virtuous and proper, that’s fine. Besides, it’s His Majesty’s bestowal, who dares to look down on that?”
Lian Chushi hadn’t expected to be rebuffed by her usually mild-mannered sister. Unwilling to give up, she asked again, “Then… what about that North Street mistress…”
Chu Taifei was even more unwilling for people to know about this part of Liu Mian Tang’s history. Before Lian Chushi could finish, she impatiently said, “I’ve already told him not to go to North Street anymore. Let’s just pretend it never happened. Don’t mention it to anyone else.”
Once again silenced by Taifei, Lian Chushi felt very uncomfortable. Just as she was about to speak, Liu Mian Tang returned with her maid.
Chu Taifei then introduced her to Lian Chushi and Lian Suilan.
This was Liu Mian Tang’s first formal meeting with Cui Xingzhou’s former fiancée. Pretending not to know, she greeted them with a slight smile.
Lian Chushi was quite impolite, looking her up and down before asking loudly, “May I ask where the County Lady’s father holds office?”
Mian Tang raised her eyes to look at her, detecting the malice in her words. She kept smiling and carefully observed this aunt.
All the noble ladies at the tea party had some connections. Anyone who cared to inquire would know about the County Lady’s background. But out of respect for Huaiyang Wang, no one mentioned it. After all, only a thoughtless person would do something that offends others without any benefit.
But Lian Chushi, having been scolded by her husband and unable to visit Taifei these past few days, was further angered by seeing the complete set of dowry jewelry on Mian Tang’s neck. She recklessly decided to try to intimidate Liu Mian Tang.
Seeing her mother display such useless malice and stupidity again, Lian Suilan felt exasperated. If her mother offended Liu Mian Tang today, she wouldn’t just be making things difficult for Liu Mian Tang, but tarnishing the entire Wang Fu’s reputation.
She still hoped there might be a chance to reconcile with her cousin and leave a good impression on the Zhennan Hou Fu, lest they lose both opportunities. How could she allow her mother to act this way? So she deliberately tilted her cup, exclaiming “Oh no!” as she spilled tea on her dress.
She then stood up opportunely, pulling at her mother and using the excuse of needing to change her clothes to drag Lian Chushi away.
After Lian Chushi left, Chu Taifei finally breathed a sigh of relief.
In the past, although she had found her sister too aggressive and sharp-tongued, she had always been able to tolerate it because they were family. But she hadn’t expected that at her age, her sister would still be so inconsiderate, nearly embarrassing the entire Wang Fu by challenging Mian Tang in public.
So Chu Taifei silently reminded herself never to tell her sister that the North Street mistress and Liu Mian Tang were the same person.
If outsiders learned that Liu Mian Tang had lived with Cui Xingzhou before marriage, what would people say? She would never be able to face the other ladies again.
Fortunately, at this tea party, Zhennan Hou Fu’s Taihou Furen was the main focus, with everyone’s attention on the potential candidates for Zhennan Hou’s new wife.
Taihou Furen was on good terms with Chu Taifei. As they sat chatting, she couldn’t help but praise Taifei’s future daughter-in-law as charming and lively. She lamented that her son seemed to have his eyes on the top of his head, finding fault with everyone and waiting for a celestial maiden to descend from heaven before he would marry.
Mian Tang listened quietly, secretly hoping that Zhennan Hou Zhao Quan would find a good match soon.
Soon after, Lian Chushi, having been reprimanded by her daughter, also came over. Perhaps due to her daughter’s stern warnings, this time she didn’t try to make things difficult for Liu Mian Tang. Instead, she focused on flattering Taihou Furen, constantly steering the conversation toward her daughter.
Taihou Furen initially pretended not to understand, but when Lian Chushi became too blatant, constantly mentioning “strengthening family ties,” she finally smiled at Lian Suilan and said, “As your aunt, I naturally care about your marriage prospects. If your cousin Zhao were suitable, it would be wonderful for our families to become even closer. Unfortunately, your cousin’s standards are too high. He recently met several exceptionally beautiful girls but came back saying they were ugly! He’s now the Hou in charge of the household, and as his mother, I can’t make decisions for him…”
Though Taihou Furen spoke tactfully, her meaning was clear – her son Zhao was also concerned with looks, and if he had rejected those beautiful girls, there was little hope for someone with Lian Suilan’s modest beauty.
Hearing this, both Lian Chushi and Lian Suilan’s expressions changed slightly.
Lian Chushi finally realized that her initial calculations had been too optimistic. She had thought that if the Cui family didn’t work out, there was still the Zhao family. Who would have thought that both families might slip away?
As the Lian mother and daughter were lost in their momentary disappointment, the crowd suddenly stirred. Someone announced that Wang Fei from the Sui Wang Fu had also come to attend the tea party.