Having said this, Qin Shuying didn’t even glance at Qin Feifei’s ugly expression or the changing faces of the maids and servants who had come with Qin Feifei, and strode away.
Lu Changju endured the severe pain while pondering Qin Shuying’s words. Somehow, she felt what she said made a lot of sense.
Lu Changju’s gaze toward Qin Feifei turned hostile. It was all because of this troublemaker! Besides pestering Big Brother, she had no other abilities! The family shops had declined under her management. If not for her, how would Big Brother have been suspended? Second Brother failed the examinations because he had no money for bribes!
Previously, when Lu Changju wanted any kind of clothes or jewelry, Qin Yaoyao would buy them for her. Now, when she wanted silk clothes, Qin Feifei said she couldn’t afford them and coaxed her to come here instead, claiming the cotton and hemp clothes here were good.
No matter how good they were, how could they compare to silk?
“Sister-in-law, are you dead? Why don’t you have someone help me up!”
Lu Changju was very angry and shouted. Qin Feifei snapped back to her senses and hurriedly called the equally dazed maid to help Lu Changju up.
Qin Feifei looked down on Lu Changju’s capabilities but had no choice but to appease her: “Changju, my Seventh Sister is too spoiled. I’ll inform Grandmother later to properly discipline her and definitely get revenge for you.”
Lu Changju glanced at her: “The Qin manor won’t even let you through the door anymore. Where are you going to inform your grandmother? Sister-in-law, do you still think I’m a fool?”
“Those were just words Grandmother said in anger. Once she calms down and I coax her properly, after all I’m her legitimate granddaughter—how could she really forbid me from entering?”
This reasoning made sense. Lu Changju snorted: “Sister-in-law, remember what you said. If you don’t help me get revenge, I won’t let you off either!”
Qin Feifei secretly harbored resentment but could only say: “Don’t worry. Besides, who is my eldest sister? Can’t she help you get revenge?”
Lu Changju pursed her lips. This Concubine Lian was technically a relative by marriage, but their family had never benefited from Concubine Lian’s influence. Moreover, with so many nobles in the capital, Concubine Lian’s reputation wasn’t particularly useful.
However, since she was a noble personage, no matter how foolish Lu Changju was, she wouldn’t randomly say disparaging things about Concubine Lian.
After appeasing Lu Changju, Qin Feifei felt utterly wronged. She had never imagined that after getting rid of Qin Yaoyao and marrying Lu Changxuan, the good life she had envisioned wouldn’t come. Instead, there were countless troubles.
Even Changxuan now only dealt with her perfunctorily, no longer showing any of his former tender care and deep affection.
At this moment, Lu Changxuan was at the Che residence, drinking with Che Jiaming and appreciating calligraphy and paintings, thoroughly at ease.
Every day Qin Feifei asked him for money, tactfully describing various household hardships and the difficulties of managing the home, beating around the bush about Old Madam Lu’s difficulties and his younger sister’s unreasonableness—it was truly unbearable.
Che Jiaming stuffed some black fragrant paste into a long pipe, took a puff, and his expression became content, as if he had become an immortal.
Under Che Jiaming’s daily influence, Lu Changxuan had also tried a few puffs. Indeed, as Che Jiaming had said, it felt like floating toward immortality—the sensation was wonderful.
But he knew this substance was extremely addictive after consumption, so he only sampled it lightly. Che Jiaming didn’t force him either, only smoking it himself, claiming he had rheumatism and other ailments, and that during this damp season, a few puffs would reduce the pain.
Even though Lu Changxuan didn’t actively smoke, he would still have a pipe every few days. He didn’t realize that from the very first pipe, the intervals between his smoking sessions grew shorter and shorter. Now, coming to the Che residence every day, he would inevitably smoke one or two pipes.
Strangely enough, after smoking this, all worries disappeared.
Ju’er bustled about with her graceful figure and charming smile, making Lu Changxuan even more attached to the Che residence, to the point where he couldn’t be bothered to return home.
A few days later, at Yilan Garden.
Looking at the invitation in her hand, Ziteng said: “Miss, have the wounds on Princess Fu’an’s face healed? She’s already inviting you to a banquet.”
Qin Shuying said indifferently: “It’s been over twenty days since the Flower Pinning Banquet. If there were skilled physicians and good medicinal ointments, Princess Fu’an’s facial wounds should have healed.”
Ziteng set the invitation aside and said: “Princess Fu’an’s thirteenth birthday, inviting the capital’s noble ladies to attend—Miss, there’s probably something suspicious about this.”
“This banquet is specifically arranged for me.”
Ziteng nodded: “Guangbin Tower is one of the capital’s finest restaurants. Though called a restaurant, it’s almost like a garden. It’s not easy for the capital’s noble ladies to visit even once, and now Princess Fu’an has reserved the entire place—what a grand gesture.”
Ziteng meant that to take revenge on Qin Shuying, Princess Fu’an had really invested heavily, actually spending so much money to book the entire venue and having so many people accompany her in this performance to provide cover.
Guangbin Tower occupied an extremely large area with multi-story pavilions and elaborate architecture. The private rooms within were ingeniously and interestingly designed, with song and dance entertainment available on demand, plus rest rooms and bathing facilities.
Called a restaurant, it had rooms for people to rest; called an inn, it served three meals a day.
Moreover, the garden behind was quite large for touring. Sitting in the private rooms, surrounded by lush trees, bright flowers, babbling streams, and clear bird songs, one felt as if placed in a forest.
This was unique in the capital, much beloved by high officials and nobles. Although the prices were steep, people still flocked to enjoy themselves.
Besides its unique setup, the variety of dishes was another major attraction. Among the various cuisines here, there was only what you couldn’t imagine, nothing they couldn’t prepare. Many items were unheard of and unseen. Every period brought innovations, with new dishes priced expensively—the first serving required winning a bid to eat.
One dish could cost over a hundred taels of silver—truly eating silver!
However, the identity of Guangbin Tower’s owner remained mysteriously unknown.
But since this place was usually frequented by men, with unmarried women rarely having opportunities to visit, Princess Fu’an’s reservation would naturally make the capital’s noble ladies overjoyed.
Moreover, she had invited not only noble ladies but also famous young men from the capital.
Since it was celebrating a princess’s birthday, the Emperor had approved it without using the separation of men and women as an obstacle.
However, only legitimate sons and daughters from various manors were invited—even someone like Qin Lulu, a secondary wife’s daughter treated as legitimate, wasn’t invited.
Counting throughout the entire Qin manor, only Qin Shuying and Qin Yue were invited.
Actually, the invitation also included Qin Yunyun’s name, but Qin Yunyun couldn’t attend.
It was said that Qin Yunyun’s courtyard had been in uproar all night. Dong Shi had no choice but to comfort her, and judging by Dong Shi’s expression, Qin Yunyun definitely hadn’t said anything pleasant to her.
However, Qin Fangfang had specifically gone to visit Qin Yunyun. No one knew what she said, but Qin Yunyun immediately quieted down.
The maid that Qin Shuying had bribed with five hundred taels secretly sent word to Ziteng, so Qin Shuying learned the general content of their private conversation.
Reportedly, Qin Fangfang had said: “Sixth Sister, if you keep making a fuss, Sister-in-law and Concubine will think you’re desperate to marry, and they’ll probably arrange your marriage very soon!”