After singing in the crabapple garden for most of the day, the guests invited to today’s banquet finally arrived one after another.

Song Wan and Madam Jiang welcomed the female guests toward Luling Courtyard for the meal. But as soon as they entered the courtyard, everyone froze at the entrance.

The vast courtyard had not a single table or chair. At the very front, a large platform had been erected, piled high with abundant flowers and standing red silk scrolls bearing the characters “Huanyan Pavilion.” In front were arranged rows of long tables, covered entirely with extravagantly shaped and luxuriously priced rouge and powder cosmetics.

On the left and right sides of the courtyard were also arranged entire rows of long tables, laden with every kind of delicacy and refreshment imaginable—the sight was quite spectacular.

Song Wan looked at Lin Jiayue standing in the center of the large platform with a face full of joy, and pressed her lips together slightly.

Heng Zhi was startled when she saw the scene in the courtyard, then said: “Is this how Lin Yiniang manages the estate’s household affairs? This is simply absurd.”

Song Wan glanced back at her. Heng Zhi lowered her head: “This servant has overstepped.”

Song Wan knew that Heng Zhi was deliberately exposing that the estate was controlled by Lin Yiniang in front of all the capital’s madams to extricate her from the situation.

Song Wan lowered her eyes and said apologetically to everyone: “This is Wan’er’s failure in managing the household, causing such a farce.”

Hearing this, Madam Jiang seemed to suddenly react, hurriedly pressing her forehead: “What misfortune for the family, what misfortune…”

No matter how much Madam Jiang wanted silver, she never could have imagined that Lin Jiayue’s behavior would be so unseemly.

What was this supposed to be? Not only were the banquet foods displayed in the open air, but there wasn’t even a single chair? Could it be that Lin Jiayue’s so-called “large sum of silver to be earned today” meant that these madams could only get a chair and eat hot food after buying her rouge and powder?

As soon as this thought surfaced in her mind, Madam Jiang felt her old face burning fiercely.

How did that little harlot have the face to do such a thing?

Just thinking about the scornful looks from everyone shortly, Madam Jiang’s vision went dark. She conveniently closed her eyes and pretended to faint.

With such a shameful incident occurring, she absolutely could not bear this responsibility.

Those invited to today’s banquet were all matriarchs of various prominent families in the capital. Having managed households for a lifetime, how could they not see through Madam Jiang’s thoughts? One after another, suppressing their contempt, they pointed to the maids beside them to go forward and help, while they themselves stood at the courtyard entrance and refused to take another step forward.

Seeing Madam Jiang collapse straight away upon entering the courtyard, Lin Jiayue on the platform hurriedly ran before everyone.

Song Wan had the maid beside her summon the estate physician and escort Madam Jiang away. Then she curtsied to everyone: “Today, it is Wan’er who failed to properly receive you all. My mother-in-law’s health is unwell, so this banquet… shall be dismissed.”

“Song Wan, what are you saying?”

Seeing that her product launch hadn’t even begun before Song Wan declared it over, Lin Jiayue glared at her with furrowed brows.

She had written countless versions of the script for today’s launch event. Every sentence had been carefully considered. Even today’s products had been selected and re-selected, and she had even taken out her store’s treasure to prepare an auction segment. Now, with one sentence from Song Wan, over half a month’s effort was directly nullified.

“Presumptuous.”

Before Song Wan could speak, an old woman leaning on a gold-inlaid agate walking stick spoke sternly: “How does Lianjin manage the marquis estate? A concubine of lowly birth actually dares to shout at a proper mistress? Is this how she has ruined the marquis estate’s discipline and reputation after Qingzhou’s passing?”

Lianjin was Old Madam Jiang’s given name, while Qingzhou was the courtesy name of the old marquis.

When Song Wan heard this elderly woman address Old Madam Jiang this way, she knew she must be the Old Grand Lady of Duke Yuanguo’s estate—the old marquis’s great-aunt.

“Great-Aunt Grandmother, please calm your anger. It’s not worth harming your health.”

That elderly woman glanced at Song Wan, feeling dissatisfied in her heart.

Three generations of mistresses in the entire City-Yang Marquis Estate were all worthless, allowing such an unsuitable creature to swagger about—truly losing face for their Jiang family.

The Old Grand Lady of Duke Yuanguo grew angrier the more she thought about it. She struck her walking stick heavily on the ground, turned without looking back, and returned home.

Seeing this, the female guests smiled apologetically at Song Wan, greeted her, offered a few comforting words, and then left one after another. In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they had all departed cleanly. Lin Jiayue tried to stop them several times without success. Just as she was preparing to rush toward Song Wan, Song Wan had already left Luling Courtyard with Heng Zhi.

As soon as they left the courtyard, Song Wan said: “Go find some young maids…”

She whispered a few words in Heng Zhi’s ear. Hearing this, Heng Zhi nodded and hurried away.

While the female guests had all dispersed on this side, Jiang Xingjian in the outer courtyard also had a face dark with fury.

“The three guests symbolize the three celestial bodies, seating on four sides symbolizes the four seasons. The host honors the guests, thus seats the guests in the northwest…”

“The guests receive people with righteousness, the host receives people with benevolence, thus sits in the southeast.”

“These protocols have been established since ancient times. The seating and conduct of hosts and guests all have fixed rules. How is it that when these ancestral rules reach you, Jiang Xingjian, they can be discarded and abandoned? Among today’s guests, all ages are present. Do you intend to have Minister Song, who has passed his fiftieth year, and my great-grandson stand together scrambling for food? What kind of propriety is this?”

“Jiang Xingjian, you go too far!”

The court censor, Minister Fang, finished his scolding tirade, flicked his sleeves and left. Behind him followed a middle-aged man with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“The City-Yang Marquis has quite the airs. I am impressed.”

That man left, and then a white-bearded elder stepped forward: “I don’t ask that the world achieve universal care for the young and respect for elders, or ruler benevolence and minister loyalty, but a family like the City-Yang Marquis Estate should at least know how to write the four characters of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. Lord Marquis Jiang, conduct yourself well.”

Song Lan’an and his son Song Fu stood in the distance. Song Lan’an’s face was solemn. Seeing this scene, he said coldly: “What a pity for Wan’er.”

Song Fu’s face was full of cold anger, looking at Jiang Xingjian with an unfriendly expression.

The male guests who came to the banquet left one after another with cold faces. After leaving the marquis estate and meeting up with their own female family members, they began to scold bitterly.

Madam Sun was severely reproached by Minister Sun. Madam Sun clutched her handkerchief and said in a low voice: “The marquis and madam knew nothing about today’s events. It was all caused by the little concubine the estate brought back.”

“After all, she’s something from a small household who can’t rise to the occasion. Not only is she shallow-minded, but after gaining a bit of power, she became arrogant.”

Minister Sun said: “How could Song Lan’an’s daughter be unable to handle even a concubine? And let her cause such chaos? That Jiang Xingjian is also a worthless fool. I don’t agree to Xiuxiu’s marriage with the marquis estate. Such a family—no matter how wealthy and noble, I will not form a marriage alliance with them.”

“Making such a spectacle, losing all face.”

Hearing this, Madam Sun hurriedly explained: “I wasn’t going for the City-Yang Marquis Estate with this marriage. Besides, didn’t you also say before that Jiang Yan was talented? That he matched Xiuxiu perfectly?”

Seeing Minister Sun remain silent, as if weighing the matter, Madam Sun sighed softly: “Moreover, today’s matter cannot be blamed on Song Wan. It’s not that she’s incompetent, it’s really…”

Madam Sun pointed upward at the carriage roof: “That one in the palace is troublesome.”

“Consort Jiang?”

“Mm. When coming out just now, I heard several little maids from the marquis estate whispering. If not for Consort Jiang’s backing, how would that concubine dare to be so arrogant?”

Minister Sun’s sword-like brows shot up: “What a fool. With such a birth mother, the Fifth Prince cannot achieve great things…”