Out of the blue, she was going to host a banquet inviting women from various families?
Pang Xiao had distinguished military achievements and held the highest ministerial position, yet he only had one principal consort by his side. Even though this principal consort had given him a pair of twins upon entering the household, the fact remained that his inner quarters were undeniably sparse.
Among those high-ranking and powerful officials in the court, who didn’t have three wives and five concubines in their courtyards? In Yao Shi’s mind, her son was far superior to all of them – why should others be allowed to take concubines while her son couldn’t?
Now fortunately Qin Yining was being sensible. Her willingness to host a flower-viewing banquet and invite renowned ladies and noble daughters to attend – the purpose was naturally self-evident. This would also save her, as the mother-in-law, considerable effort. Otherwise, if she forced her to take concubines for Pang Xiao, she might end up being resented by Pang Xiao instead.
Yao Shi was satisfied in her heart, but still wanted to needle Qin Yining a few times.
“Oh my, isn’t this directly defying your mother-in-law? What happened to saying you were the jealous type?”
Qin Yining wiped her embroidery needle against her temple twice and smiled. “You’ll know when the time comes.”
This answer was somewhat subtle. Yao Shi’s triumphant smile froze and turned to confusion and wariness.
Ma Shi also didn’t understand what Qin Yining intended to do, but she trusted Qin Yining’s character. Moreover, she had always felt that as long as the younger generation lived well, the elders shouldn’t interfere. Times were different now – how could young people’s way of life be the same as their generation? Their so-called experience was actually wrong to impose on the children.
Clearly, Yao Shi’s thoughts differed from hers.
Ma Shi said, “It’s good for Yi girl to host a banquet and make more acquaintances. You still have to live your life going forward. You shouldn’t put all your heart into business either – don’t exhaust yourself. It’s good to know some people for future leisure activities.”
Qin Yining smiled. “Grandmother is right.”
“What business could she have? Just small trifles that already tire her out?” Yao Shi grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds to crack.
Pan Keyu, though standing aside with lowered eyes and obedient demeanor, also showed undisguised disdain and mockery on her face, as if the Pan family simply looked down on Qin Yining’s so-called business ventures.
After doing needlework for a while and having lunch together, Qin Yining returned to her room.
Yao Shi held Pan Keyu’s hand and smiled. “Good girl, don’t mind others – I have high hopes for you. Look, Dafu just left and she’s already organizing this Hundred Flowers Banquet. Don’t you understand?”
Pan Keyu’s cheeks flushed as she smiled softly. “Old Madam, I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Silly girl.” Yao Shi lovingly stroked Pan Keyu’s delicate hand and smiled. “That person is wild and arrogant, completely improper. But as soon as Dafu leaves, she wants to host a flower-viewing banquet and invite so many noble ladies and maidens. Do you really not understand at all?”
“Could it be that His Highness…” Pan Keyu’s watery eyes shimmered, her cheeks flushed red as if intoxicated.
“Exactly!” Yao Shi laughed heartily. “You can ask around freely – besides you, who else has been kept to stay in this mansion?”
Pan Keyu felt as if she were holding a lively little rabbit – her heart was beating so fast she couldn’t count the beats. Blushing, she lowered her head. “But I heard that when the Princess first came to the capital, she also stayed at the mansion…”
“She doesn’t count.” Yao Shi said. “Just look at everyone else. Her situation was due to court affairs, unrelated to private feelings.”
Pan Keyu’s heart beat even faster. Could this really be true?
Thinking of that tall, imposing, and incomparably handsome man, she didn’t even dare meet his gaze. With such a proud and domineering nature, he probably wouldn’t bow before women, would he? Perhaps he really had arranged for the Princess to host this Hundred Flowers Banquet to give her a legitimate status.
Thinking of this, Pan Keyu was extremely excited, both thrilled and proud.
Father had said her family could provide Pang Xiao with what he needed most right now. With the family’s support, her future days in the Prince’s mansion would be brilliantly promising. And once she entered the Prince’s mansion, would the Pan family still worry about not being able to defeat that wild girl Qiu Feishan?
They just needed to form a strong alliance and mutually benefit each other.
Pan Keyu smiled. “Old Madam truly has the greatest wisdom. Things I couldn’t figure out, you understood completely with just a glance. Without your guidance, I’d still be like a headless fly.”
Yao Shi waved her hand indifferently and smiled. “It doesn’t matter – these are small things. In the future, behind closed doors, we’ll be one family. What’s there to be polite about?”
This single sentence made Pan Keyu’s face even redder.
After Pan Keyu returned to her room, she instructed people to send Yao Shi a complete set of jade jewelry. Yao Shi couldn’t put it down and immediately had her maids help her re-do her hair to try wearing it.
Meanwhile, Qin Yining told Jingzhe, “Take people and carefully spread the news that I’ll be hosting a Hundred Flowers Banquet at Changchun Garden in three days, inviting eligible noble daughters from various mansions to attend. Be careful not to let anyone discover that we’re the ones spreading the word.”
“Yes, I’ll go immediately!” Jingzhe was most familiar with such tasks, having done them regularly when serving the Great Yan Emperor.
Soon rumors flew throughout the old capital. In corners Qin Yining hadn’t noticed, news that Prince Zhongshun’s consort would host a Hundred Flowers Banquet at Changchun Garden, intending to select a secondary consort for Prince Zhongshun, became known to everyone.
Many local officials and wealthy gentry families who learned the news were somewhat moved.
A large portion of these people had long wanted to befriend Pang Xiao but couldn’t find a method. They all took the Changchun Garden Hundred Flowers Banquet to heart.
Three days later, Qin Yining had already arranged Changchun Garden and instructed her subordinates: “For today’s banquet, I haven’t sent formal invitations, and anyone can enter here. Everyone, don’t obstruct them – just maintain security in the surrounding area.”
Therefore, when those families who harbored thoughts of befriending Pang Xiao or wanted their daughters to serve in the Prince’s mansion arrived at Changchun Garden, they encountered no obstacles whatsoever.
Changchun Garden was where the previous dynasty’s empress entertained guests. The former dynasty’s prosperity had long faded, and after recent renovations, this place was like the old capital’s imperial palace – anyone could come.
For Qin Yining, coming here was revisiting an old place.
She had been present when the demon empress entertained guests, and Ning Garden, not far from Changchun Garden, was still her property. During the famine, she had sheltered many refugees in Ning Garden. Most of those disaster victims had now become key figures in her estates.
“Princess, quite a crowd has gathered outside,” Bingtang hurried in to report.
Ji Yun stretched her neck to look outside and smiled. “Princess didn’t send formal invitations or specify exact times – you just said it would be today. Look outside – how many people came early in the morning.”
Qin Yining wore a light blue arrow-sleeved jacket with an ivory-white eight-panel skirt, facing the mirror while inserting a plain silver hairpin into her coiffure. “Since it’s called a Hundred Flowers Banquet, everyone naturally assumes they’re coming to view flowers. Of course they need broad daylight to see clearly. No wonder they came early.”
Qiu Lu detected something suspicious in this and smiled. “Could it be the Princess’s plan isn’t actually for flower viewing?”
“Of course it’s for flower viewing.” Qin Yining stood up and smiled. “Look at those young ladies outside – each one is flower-like in age. Aren’t these flowers?”
“So this is what the Hundred Flowers Banquet means?”