The architectural style of the Yun family was somewhat similar to that of the Han family—not ornate but dignified. Ren Yaoqi only needed a casual glance to get a general understanding of the layout of the Yun family’s grand mansion, though she couldn’t see anything particularly surprising. Even the plants decorating the estate had few flowers and many trees.

Old Madam Yun’s courtyard was located on the central axis of the entire Yun family compound, appearing larger than any other courtyard Ren Yaoqi had seen along the way. The more ancient a family, the more they emphasized hierarchy and respect for elders, which could be seen from the architectural layout.

Ren Yaoqi followed Xiao Jinglin directly to Old Madam Yun’s courtyard. Gong Nanny, who led them over, was a very talkative person with a great affinity. Although she hadn’t stopped talking the entire way, she didn’t seem annoying. Even the usually aloof Xiao Jinglin had responded to her a few times.

Even before reaching the house, they could hear laughter and conversation from inside. Judging by the voices, there were quite a few people inside, and they were in high spirits.

Someone spotted them from afar, and the person waiting at the door immediately went in to report. When Ren Yaoqi followed Xiao Jinglin to the doorway, before the little maid waiting outside could lift the curtain, it was pushed aside from within. Then an elderly woman with a full forehead and prosperous appearance walked out. Upon seeing Xiao Jinglin, her face immediately broke into a warm and loving smile, and she stepped forward to grasp Xiao Jinglin’s hands.

“Lin’er, let your great-aunt see if you’ve gotten thinner.”

When someone pulled her so intimately, Xiao Jinglin’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly, but she still endured it without shaking the person off, even pursing her lips in a smile: “Great-aunt.”

The old madam laughed heartily, patted Xiao Jinglin’s hand before releasing it, then turned her gaze to Ren Yaoqi’s face. After sizing her up, she smiled and said, “This is the Ren family girl?”

Ren Yaoqi lowered her head in a curtsy and softly called out, “Great-aunt.”

Like Old Madam Ren, Old Madam Yun was born into the Qiu family. Originally, they were distant relatives beyond the fifth degree of kinship with no regular contact. However, Old Madam Yun’s father, who was the previous clan leader of the Qiu clan, had adopted Old Madam Ren’s elder brother in his later years.

Although this relationship didn’t make Old Madam Yun and Old Madam Ren actual sisters, they weren’t completely unrelated either. Since both were born into the Qiu family, it was perfectly reasonable for Ren Yaoqi to address Old Madam Yun as great-aunt.

Old Madam Yun smiled very lovingly and praised, “Good child, you’re truly lovely.”

At this moment, a voice behind Old Madam Yun laughed, “Mother, we understand your joy at seeing the Princess, but blocking people at the door and not letting them in isn’t quite proper, is it?”

Following the voice, Ren Yaoqi saw a dignified middle-aged woman. Although she was no longer young, her features were extremely fine, and she bore some resemblance to the brothers Yun Wenfang and Yun Wenting.

Only then did Old Madam Yun react. She patted her forehead and shook her head with a smile: “Look at me, getting muddled in my old age.”

So everyone moved inside together.

Once inside, Ren Yaoqi discovered that it wasn’t just Eldest Madam who had been behind the old madam earlier—there were quite a few others as well. It was just that the doorway wasn’t wide enough, and there was a screen blocking the view, so she hadn’t seen them.

Old Madam Yun looked very happy and wanted to pull Xiao Jinglin to sit on the arhat bed on the north side of the room, but Xiao Jinglin declined.

The old madam said half-seriously, half-jokingly, “If the Princess won’t accompany this old woman in sitting together, then I can only invite the Princess to take the seat of honor alone.”

Xiao Jinglin wore a proper smile, her tone gentler than usual: “What Princess is there here? Today I’ve come to visit great-aunt and all the uncles and aunts. Speaking of propriety, we should follow family etiquette.” As she spoke, she curtsied to Old Madam Yun.

Old Madam Yun was stunned. When she recovered, she looked at Xiao Jinglin with even more loving eyes, shaking her head with a smile: “You child!”

Ren Yaoqi was somewhat surprised as she glanced at Xiao Jinglin. She had thought that Xiao Jinglin disliked socializing with inner quarter women and thus disdained such back-and-forth maneuvering and probing. Facts proved she was wrong again. Xiao Jinglin did dislike these inner quarter social obligations, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t handle them. Not only could she handle them, she did so very properly.

However, Ren Yaoqi also understood why Xiao Jinglin disliked socializing with inner quarter women.

Just like when they had entered earlier, if they followed proper protocol based on status, everyone in the Yun family, including Old Madam Yun, should have curtsied to Xiao Jinglin. But Old Madam Yun had come out to greet them first, appearing to outsiders as someone who couldn’t wait to see a beloved junior, thus avoiding the need to curtsy.

Once inside, Old Madam Yun said she wanted to invite Xiao Jinglin alone to take the seat of honor. If Xiao Jinglin had sat there, Old Madam Yun would certainly have immediately led the Yun family members in curtsying to Xiao Jinglin. However, Xiao Jinglin declined, and with one phrase about following family etiquette, she gave Old Madam Yun plenty of face.

Eldest Madam Yun introduced those present to Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi. Xiao Jinglin performed junior courtesies to Second Madam Yun and Third Madam Yun, just as Ren Yaoqi did.

When Eldest Madam Yun had her eldest daughter, Yun Qiuchen, come forward to greet Xiao Jinglin and her, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but take an extra look at this eldest Miss Yun. In her previous life, Yun Qiuchen had married Han Yunqian.

With eyebrows like distant hills, eyes like autumn waters, a face like a flower, and skin like snow, Yun Qiuchen was a rare beauty with an elegant temperament—a true daughter of a great family.

The appearances of Second Miss Yun and Third Miss Yun were quite good as well, but in Yun Qiuchen’s presence, they all paled in comparison.

Besides the Yun family members, there were several other madams and misses in Old Madam Yun’s room who had come to visit her today, all from prominent families in Yunyang City.

No wonder they had heard such liveliness inside before arriving, and no wonder Xiao Jinglin had cooperated with Old Madam Yun to give the Yun family face, making Old Madam Yun so happy. For families like the Yun family, face was more important than heaven, just as profit was more important than heaven for the Ren family.

After the round of greetings, Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi sat together in the guest seats.

Although Ren Yaoqi had come along, she knew that Xiao Jinglin was the main character, so she kept a very low profile in her words and actions. Although Xiao Jinglin didn’t like to talk much, she politely answered all questions from the Yun family elders, and the atmosphere was fairly harmonious. At least Xiao Jinglin didn’t create awkward silences, and Ren Yaoqi wasn’t given the cold shoulder.

However, Xiao Jinglin hadn’t planned to stay long at the Yun family in the first place, so after chatting for about half an hour, seeing that the time was about right, Xiao Jinglin suggested leaving.

Old Madam Yun refused to let them go and insisted on keeping Xiao Jinglin for a meal.

While they were at an impasse, eldest Miss Yun spoke softly: “Princess, grandmother has prepared several sets of clothes and jewelry for us sisters. Would you like to try them first? The seamstresses invited from the capital are still at our manor, so if anything doesn’t fit properly, alterations can be made.”

Old Madam Yun patted her forehead: “Look at my memory—if Chen’er hadn’t reminded me, I would have forgotten. Lin’er, listen to your great-aunt and go try on the clothes first.”

Third Miss Yun, Yun Qiufang, laughed cheerfully: “Yes, Princess, you absolutely must try them on, otherwise grandmother won’t let us choose first. After you pick, then we can choose from what’s left.”

Third, Miss Yun’s carefree laughter made others’ faces look unpleasant. Old Madam Yun set her teacup down on the table with a thud—the sound wasn’t heavy, but it successfully made everyone present put away their little schemes, and the scene fell silent.

Old Madam Yun acted as if nothing had happened, still smiling as she spoke to Xiao Jinglin: “Good child, go with your cousins.”

Naturally, Xiao Jinglin didn’t lack for those few sets of clothes, but precisely because she didn’t lack them, it became harder to refuse.

When you lack something, what others give you are things. When you don’t lack something, what others give you is their consideration. Xiao Jinglin couldn’t very well refuse an elder’s thoughtfulness.

So Xiao Jinglin obediently stood up and expressed her thanks. Taking advantage of when others weren’t paying attention, she gave Ren Yaoqi an apologetic look. Originally, the two had planned to leave immediately.

Old Madam Yun beamed with joy and kindly said to Ren Yaoqi: “Ren family girl, you should also pick out a couple of suitable outfits and jewelry to wear to the Thousand Gold Banquet in a few days.”

Ren Yaoqi knew about the Thousand Gold Banquet that Old Madam Yun mentioned—it was a tea gathering held by the Yun family every two years, inviting daughters of prominent families and sons of great houses from throughout Yanbei.

The origin of the Thousand Gold Banquet was the result of competition between the Yun and Su families. Back then, the Su family had taken over organizing the Dragon Boat Race during the Dragon Boat Festival to increase their influence. The Yun family, having been a step too late and missing the opportunity, finally came up with the idea of hosting a Thousand Gold Banquet.

When the Yun family first came up with this idea, they had no other intention than to secretly compete with the Su family. Unexpectedly, over the decades, the Yun family’s Thousand Gold Banquet had made a name for itself in Yanbei. Because the participants were all young ladies and gentlemen from good families, the Thousand Gold Banquet gradually became a matchmaking banquet among Yanbei’s upper nobility.

Ren Yaoqi hadn’t participated in her previous life because female participants not only needed to be from prominent families but also had to meet two conditions: they had to have had their coming-of-age ceremony and be unmarried. There were exceptions, though—those who received special invitations from the Yun family.

Yun family invitations weren’t easy to obtain. When she was underage, only Ren Yaoyin from the Ren family had received a Yun family invitation to participate.

Now, what Old Madam Yun was saying was giving Ren Yaoqi a verbal invitation.