Exquisitely prepared delicacies from land and sea were served in gilded silver platters with animal motifs or silver bowls adorned with pomegranate branch patterns. The dishes flowed continuously from the small path deep in the bamboo grove, steaming hot as they filled the tables before the guests. The wine was the finest Wucheng brew, perfect for accompanying the meal. The chopsticks were gold-plated with rhinoceros horn tips. Two beautiful young women in green silk dresses played the pipa nearby, singing to entertain the guests with their superb skills and clear voices. From the variety and taste of the food to the utensils and the performance of the singing courtesans, everything was meticulously prepared.
Pan Rong nodded with satisfaction, swaying his head as he said, “Chengfeng, you’ve put a lot of effort into this. If not for the location being off, the variety insufficient, and the utensils too precious, I’d almost think this was a royal banquet. How do I deserve such lavish treatment?”
Jiang Changyang smiled slightly. “You feel you don’t deserve it?”
Pan Rong blinked and burst into laughter. “Of course I deserve it! Who says I don’t?” He glanced at someone nearby, thinking to himself, “So that’s how it is, indeed.”
Jiang Changyang said calmly, “I hope you’ll always deserve such treatment from me.”
Pan Rong raised his cup to him, flashing a row of white teeth. “I do deserve it, Young Master Jiang.”
Liu Chang frowned imperceptibly, while Madam Bai quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
This small feast didn’t end until nearly dusk, with the atmosphere remaining barely cordial. Jiang Changyang’s statement had declared an end to all disputes, and everyone tried their best to play their role as guests. However, this didn’t mean Wu Xilian could refrain from observing Mudan at every moment, silently speculating on the meaning behind Liu Chang’s words. Nor did it prevent Liu Chang from quietly calculating in his mind. As a result, they ate the least, while Mudan, on the contrary, enjoyed the meal thoroughly. She also delighted in the courtesans’ excellent performance, savoring the food while listening attentively.
After the feast dispersed, Jiang Changyang led the men, including Pan Jing, to see the horses in his stable. Meanwhile, Madam Bai, Wu Xilian, and Mudan strolled through the estate’s garden to aid digestion.
Wu Xilian broke the silence first. “Sister Mudan, Liu Shu is truly detestable. The way he spoke about you… But you ate well at dinner.”
Mudan calmly replied, “Without eating well, I wouldn’t have the strength to stand up.” Wu Xilian’s implication was clear – how could Mudan still eat after being insulted? Shouldn’t she be too grief-stricken to eat? But how could one fight without energy? Not only should one eat enough, but eat well. Whatever Liu Chang wanted to say was his business. She couldn’t sew his mouth shut, nor could she block others’ ears, just as she couldn’t when Liu Shu spread rumors before. As for Jiang Changyang, this was who she was, and if he truly cared, he should understand.
Wu Xilian looked at Mudan in surprise but decided to press on. “He said you and Li Xing…”
Madam Bai’s face darkened. “Alian, she’s my good friend! Don’t you know what kind of person Liu Chang is?”
Wu Xilian bit her lip and said firmly, “No, this concerns Sister Nineteen. I must get to the bottom of this.”
Mudan stopped Madam Bai and looked at Wu Xilian frankly. “If you’re asking whether Li Xing and I have an affair, then I’ll tell you, we don’t!”
Wu Xilian frowned. “Do you dare to swear on it?”
Mudan smiled wryly. “Swear? On what grounds? If people spread such rumors every day, should I swear every day? Sister Seventeen, whether you believe me or not, this is my answer.”
Wu Xilian said, “But…”
Mudan spoke seriously, “I won’t answer such questions again. If you bring it up, I’ll splash water in your face.”
Wu Xilian grew irritated. “It was Liu Shu. You should splash him.”
Mudan winked at her playfully. “He’s not worth it. You’re slightly better.”
Wu Xilian’s face instantly turned red, unclear whether from anger or embarrassment. Mudan turned to Madam Bai, who was frowning with an apologetic expression and waved. “It’s getting late, and my two nieces are waiting for me. I must go. If you’d like, you can bring Ajing to play at my estate. Steward Wu knows the way.”
Mudan didn’t ask how long she would stay here, which meant she wouldn’t be coming back. After all, facing someone like Liu Chang couldn’t be comfortable. Madam Bai sighed and said softly to Wu Xilian, “Alian, go wait for me over there. I have something to say to Sister Mudan.”
“Whatever,” Wu Xilian walked away dejectedly.
Madam Bai walked alongside Mudan, speaking in a low voice. “I originally wanted to help you, but it seems I’ve made things worse. If you don’t want to come, then don’t. Next time, I’ll visit you at Fang Garden. There’s one more thing I need to tell you. Before we came, there were rumors in the capital that Madam Wang is to remarry. The man is Fang Bohui, the Jiedushi of Anxi.”
Mudan frowned slightly. “So? Does he know?”
Madam Bai smiled faintly. “What do you think? He’s Madam Wang’s son and Fang Bohui’s adopted son. Do you think he knows or not?”
That meant he knew. However, Mudan hadn’t noticed any signs of displeasure from Jiang Changyang. So even if he wasn’t happy about it, he probably wasn’t too upset either. Mudan understood Madam Bai’s implication – remarriage wasn’t uncommon. If Jiang Changyang could accept his mother remarrying, perhaps he wouldn’t mind if his wife was also remarrying.
Madam Bai hinted no further. “Alright, I won’t see you off. If you want to leave, go early. I’ll make your excuses to Jiang Chengfeng.”
Mudan agreed and bid farewell to Madam Bai. She led Matron Feng and Shu’er along the pebble path by the river. Halfway through, a head suddenly popped out from behind a holly tree, stammering, “This lowly one, Qiushi, pays respects to Lady He.”
Mudan frowned in confusion, unable to recall ever seeing this servant before. It was Shu’er who had sharp eyes, whispering, “That’s Qiushi from the Liu family. He must have come with that Liu fellow.”
Mudan understood and said coolly, “You’re Liu Chang’s servant?”
Seeing that she recognized him, Qiushi’s tone became less nervous. He blinked excitedly, “Yes, this lowly one is indeed.”
Mudan looked behind him. “Where’s Xi Xia?”
Qiushi was taken aback and said softly, “His entire family was sold off.”
Mudan nodded and was about to leave when Qiushi, seeing her departing, hurriedly said, “My lady, my master asked me to tell you that Duke Zhu intends to request His Majesty to arrange a respectable marriage for Chang, allowing him to inherit the title.”
Mudan couldn’t help but look back at Qiushi. He cowered like a timid mouse, not daring to meet her gaze. With his head half-lowered and hands nervously wringing together, he stole glances at the furious Matron Feng beside them. Having followed Liu Chang for some time, he had become sensitive to danger and people’s anger. Now he sensed that Matron Feng’s fury was intense. He felt so uneasy that he didn’t even have time to properly bid farewell to Mudan before turning to run. But he had barely taken two steps when Matron Feng grabbed him by the collar and then savagely lifted him by the waistband, throwing him into the river.
The river wasn’t particularly deep, with a clear bottom visible, but it was already quite cold. Qiushi flailed about in the water for a few moments before standing up and raising his head to scream, “Help! Murder! Help!”
Matron Feng stood with her hands on her hips, shouting with full force, “You dog’s spawn, you lackey! Are your dog’s eyes blind? How dare you come before my lady and spout such nonsense! What does this have to do with my lady? I’ll drown you, you mutt!” She had been holding in her anger all day and had finally found someone to vent on.
Shu’er clapped her hands and cheered, “What a worthless creature, daring to offend our lady. He deserves it!”
Seeing that Qiushi’s life wasn’t in danger, Mudan pulled Matron Feng and Shu’er to continue walking. “Enough, he’s just following his master’s orders. Why blame him?”
“This old servant will go prepare the horses,” Matron Feng said angrily, pursing her lips and striding forward. She nearly collided with Wu, who was coming towards them. Wu grinned and bowed to her, “Where are you off to, Matron?” Matron Feng didn’t respond, just glared at him fiercely, shoved him aside, and continued on her way.
Wu swayed exaggeratedly, expecting to make Shu’er laugh, but was met with a cold face from the little girl. He rubbed his head dejectedly and grinned at Mudan, “Lady He, are you leaving?”
Mudan smiled slightly at him. “It’s getting late, so yes, I’m leaving.” She pointed at Qiushi, who was still splashing and screaming in the river not far away. “He accidentally fell into the river. Please trouble Steward Wu to have someone pull him out.”
Wu had come over after hearing the commotion and had already noticed it was Liu Chang’s servant. He said, “It’s fine, the boy’s just playing. Let him enjoy himself a bit longer.” He carefully studied Mudan’s expression, hoping to discern something. “Lady He, it’s still early. Our master invites you to stay a while longer. He’ll send you back later.”
Mudan smiled, “Thank your master for his kindness, but he has guests, and I don’t want to trouble him. I asked Madam Bai to convey my thanks earlier, but since you’re here, that’s even better. Please relay my gratitude to your master for his generous hospitality.” Having said this, Mudan led Shu’er around Wu and quickly disappeared behind the holly trees.
Wu stood there, frowning in confusion. Could it be that Lady He was upset about that Liu guest coming today? But that wasn’t Jiang Changyang’s fault. She didn’t seem particularly angry earlier, but now she couldn’t wait to leave. What was going on? He turned and instructed a nearby servant in gray, “Go find the master and tell him Lady He has just left.”
“Help! Help!” Qiushi clung to the slippery, moss-covered river bank, trying to climb out but kept fumbling clumsily. He could only call out to Wu for help. Wu approached and said in surprise, “Oh my, child, how did you fall in? The bank is so wide. Look, the water isn’t even up to your head. Can’t you climb out yourself?”
Qiushi said with a miserable face, “It’s too slippery, I can’t get up.”
Wu squatted down and sighed at him, “I’ve never seen a child as clumsy as you. Did you jump in to play?”
Qiushi sensed that this thin, dark man had an equally dark heart, and almost burst into tears. “No, I didn’t.”
Wu was still smiling, but he didn’t offer his hand. “Then what happened?”