When the three of them came out of the pavilion, the sun was already slanting westward. The three had spent the entire afternoon in the pavilion drinking tea, chatting, and playing with Sha Niu until Princess Consort sent someone to find them.

Throughout the afternoon, the colorful and lively scene outside the garden didn’t seem to affect the peaceful and pleasant atmosphere inside the courtyard at all.

Ren Yaoqi kept checking on Xiao Jingxi’s injury from time to time. By the time they left the garden, Xiao Jingxi’s fingers had completely recovered from the swelling. This change amazed Ren Yaoqi, and she couldn’t help but wonder in her heart what kind of poison Xiao Jingxi had been afflicted with.

When she had accompanied Master Pei in compiling books for the court years ago, she had read quite a few medical texts and pharmaceutical classics. Although most of it was cursory reading, she had some understanding of most of the difficult and complicated diseases in this world. However, Ren Yaoqi really couldn’t think of any poison or medicine that could make someone immune to all poisons.

“Yaoqi? Yaoqi?”

Xiao Jinglin’s voice brought Ren Yaoqi back to her senses. They were passing through Butterfly Garden on their way out.

“What were you thinking about so intently?” Xiao Jinglin asked.

Xiao Jingxi, who was walking a few steps ahead, also stopped and turned back to look. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t very well say she was thinking about Young Master Xiao Er’s condition, so she vaguely changed the subject: “My mind wandered. What were you just saying?”

Xiao Jinglin was holding Sha Niu in her arms. Although Sha Niu didn’t look very heavy, it weighed quite a bit. Ren Yaoqi had tried holding it briefly and found it rather cumbersome—at least much heavier than Brother Cen—but Xiao Jinglin showed no signs of strain while carrying it.

“We were talking about your name. Do you have a courtesy name?” Xiao Jinglin pulled her waist ornament from Sha Niu’s mouth and casually slapped it.

Sha Niu looked at Xiao Jinglin in bewilderment: “Ao wu—”

Xiao Jinglin was informal around acquaintances and didn’t think there was anything wrong with mentioning Ren Yaoqi’s given name in front of Xiao Jingxi, a male. After all, everyone around was her people—those who talked too much would die.

Instead, Xiao Jingxi cleared his throat softly, turned around somewhat uncomfortably with an appearance of not paying attention, but walked extremely slowly.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t mind: “I was born in the fourth month, right when the jade flowers of Yanbei were blooming. Jade flowers are also called yao flowers. On the day I was born, Father happened to paint a picture of jade flowers, so he named me Yaoqi. As for a courtesy name… I haven’t yet had my coming-of-age ceremony, so I don’t have one.”

As Ren Yaoqi spoke, her expression became somewhat melancholy. In her previous life, she had had courtesy names—two of them. One was “Wushuang” (Unparalleled), which her father gave her during her coming-of-age ceremony. Later, when she followed Pei Zhiqian, Master Pei said that flower seasons were too short, which was why her life was so full of misfortune. He gave her the courtesy name “Biqing” (Surely Pure), taken from Zhuangzi’s “Be still, be pure, do not labor your body, do not shake your essence, and you can live long.”

Seeing the strange expression on Ren Yaoqi’s face, Xiao Jinglin said, “I don’t have a courtesy name either. How about when we have our coming-of-age ceremonies, we give each other one?”

Ren Yaoqi was startled upon hearing this, then smiled and nodded: “Good.”

According to Yanbei customs, courtesy names were generally bestowed by elders during the coming-of-age ceremony, and there were also those used between husband and wife. What Xiao Jinglin suggested—peers and friends giving each other courtesy names—was rarely seen. However, Xiao Jinglin didn’t care about such rules, and Ren Yaoqi, having lived through one lifetime, didn’t care much about them either.

Xiao Jinglin was pleased and gave Sha Niu’s fur a gentle stroke.

Xiao Jingxi shook his head and turned back to look at Xiao Jinglin, about to tell her she didn’t understand propriety.

But Xiao Jinglin looked at Xiao Jingxi and smiled quietly, saying meaningfully, “Too bad I’ve always been poor at literature.” So when the time came, she might need to consult those who were good at literary composition.

Ren Yaoqi thought Xiao Jinglin was talking to her and smiled: “It doesn’t matter.”

Xiao Jingxi paused, silently turned back around, and continued walking.

Xiao Jinglin narrowed her eyes slightly, smugly giving Sha Niu a casual flick on the head.

Sha Niu: “Ao wu—”

When they were about to leave Rare Treasures Garden, Xiao Jingxi stopped first, turned around, and smiled: “You go ahead. I still have some matters to handle.”

Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jingxi, knowing he didn’t want to appear in public with them and be seen, which might cause gossip. Just now in the garden, after Yun Wenting and the others left, all the attending servants had been replaced with Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin’s people.

Ren Yaoqi was very grateful for Xiao Jingxi’s thoughtfulness and curtsied to him.

Xiao Jinglin nodded and pulled Ren Yaoqi out of the garden. Xiao Jingxi watched them leave before turning to take another path.

After returning to Embracing Moon Pavilion, no one mentioned the poisonous spiders in the teacups at Rare Treasures Garden, nor did Princess Consort send anyone to inquire. Whether it was because the Xiao siblings had done too good a job keeping it secret so the matter hadn’t spread, or because there were too many people at the hot spring manor now and everyone didn’t want to make a big fuss, was unclear.

The day passed peacefully like this.

The next day was the day for all the young ladies to perform their talents, and also the official beginning of the Thousand Gold Banquet.

Early in the morning, Princess Consort sent her maids and matrons to dress and prepare Xiao Jinglin. The rather spacious room was surrounded by maids and matrons so tightly that not even water could leak through.

Xiao Jinglin sat at the dressing table with a cold face, enduring as she listened to Nanny Xin from Princess Consort’s side directing a roomful of people in circles. The grand scene left Ren Yaoqi both amazed and unable to suppress her laughter.

Ren Yaoqi occupied another dressing table that Nanny Xin had ordered brought in, unhurriedly letting Pingguo and Sangshen help her change clothes and do her hair, while listening to Xiao Jinglin on the other side of the room say in exasperation: “I won’t wear that!”

Nanny Xin patiently coaxed: “Princess, today all the young ladies will be dressed in their finest. Please just bear with it. Princess Consort had this phoenix crown altered again—it’s not that heavy anymore.”

Xiao Jinglin said petulantly with rare childishness: “Mother always says I’m too rough and don’t act like a girl. Those young ladies who daily wear dozens of pounds of hair ornaments and jewelry without changing expression are the real warriors! Even soldiers’ sabers aren’t that heavy!”

Ren Yaoqi laughed so hard she nearly fell off her stool, and the room was filled with giggles and laughter.

Nanny Xin looked at Xiao Jinglin with mixed laughter and tears: “My dear Princess…”

In the end, Xiao Jinglin still put on that set of hair ornaments that proved she was a true warrior. There was no choice—Princess Consort had given a death order that Xiao Jinglin couldn’t disobey.

Xiao Jinglin’s attire today was more formal than yesterday’s. She wore a gorgeous long jacket of true purple embroidered with flying phoenix patterns, and her phoenix crown was set with a large luminous pearl, making her look very luxurious and dignified, very befitting her status as a princess.

Nanny Xin then came over to see how Ren Yaoqi’s preparation was going.

Today Ren Yaoqi wore the lake-green jacket and skirt embroidered with pink lotus flowers that the Ren family had prepared for her, and the hair ornaments and jewelry the Ren family had also prepared. Neither clothes nor jewelry were particularly outstanding, but once worn, she still looked graceful and elegant like a budding new lotus. Even standing beside Xiao Jinglin, she wasn’t overshadowed by her imposing presence.

Nanny Xin had originally thought to help Ren Yaoqi dress up grandly as well, but seeing her appearance, she gave up the idea.

Today’s venue for the Thousand Gold Banquet was a peach grove behind the hot spring manor. The peach trees in this grove at the hot spring manor were of some unknown variety, still in full bloom with pink peach blossoms covering the branches. As far as the eye could see, fallen petals drifted everywhere.

Dozens of yellow rosewood low tables were set up in the peach grove, each table set with fruit plates, fruit wine, and cups, somewhat like the palace banquet scenes Ren Yaoqi had heard described.

Quite a few people had already arrived in the peach grove. Ren Yaoqi saw that several sisters from the Ren family were already there, seated in relatively front positions. The Yun family must have given the Ren family special consideration.

“Would you like to sit with me?” Xiao Jinglin looked around and said to Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi saw that it was two people sharing one table. Princess Consort and Old Princess Consort were seated at the head, and Xiao Jinglin should be sitting with Princess Consort. Ren Yaoqi didn’t want to attract attention at this time, so she declined.

“I’d better go sit over there.” Ren Yaohua was looking in their direction, so Ren Yaoqi pointed toward Ren Yaohua and the others.

Xiao Jinglin thought that today she had to sit with Old Princess Consort Xiao Wei and the others, and if Ren Yaoqi followed her, she might become a target, so she didn’t insist.

“Then I’ll go over there. If anything happens, send someone to find me.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded. After Xiao Jinglin left, she went to where the Ren family members were.

Ren Yaohua had spotted her early on and gestured for her to sit and share a low table with her when she came over.

Ren Yaoying smiled: “Fifth Sister is back? I was wondering if you would sit with the Princess today.”

Ren Yaoyu glanced at Xiao Jinglin seated at the head and pouted: “Those seated up there are all people from the Prince’s Manor. What would it mean for Fifth Sister to sit up there? It would only make people laugh at the Ren family women for having no propriety.”

Ren Yaohua looked at them coldly: “Are you complaining that the seats are too good? Then go sit back there!”

Ren Yaoying smiled and stopped talking. Ren Yaoyu opened her mouth but swallowed her words.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but look at Ren Yaohua in surprise. After just a few days, these people had become so obedient?

Ren Yaohua sneered without speaking. The maid Xiangqin, standing behind Ren Yaohua, immediately came forward and whispered in Ren Yaoqi’s ear: “Fifth Miss, we were originally seated in the back, but a nanny from Princess Consort’s side had Eldest Madam Yun move us to the front. Everyone is benefiting from your favor.”

So that was it. Ren Yaoqi understood.

It seemed her decision to sit back here was correct. Princess Consort probably didn’t want her to see the internal scheming within Yanbei Prince’s Manor either. The last time she witnessed Xiao Jinglin and Xiao Wei fighting over the courtyard, it Manor had also lost face for Yanbei Prince’s Manor.

Ren Yaoting had come with the Su family. The Su family’s seats were arranged to the lower right of the main seats, better positioned than the Ren family’s, so Ren Yaoting sat with Su Fangfei. Seeing them, Ren Yaoting nodded in greeting.

Adjacent to the Ren family’s seats was the seat of Miss Qiu Hong from the Qiu family, while Guo Yujiao and Jiang Yuanniang, whom they had met yesterday, sat diagonally across from them.

Upon meeting, they all nodded and greeted each other.

Finally, Princess Consort and Xiao Wei came supporting Old Princess Consort. The young ladies who had been talking and laughing in low voices all stopped their conversations and stood up.