Qiao Zhao returned the courtesy with a bow: “Miss Ouyang is too kind.”

Ouyang Wei Yu fell silent for a moment, then asked: “Miss Li, the Jinlin Guards didn’t make things difficult for Scholar Li afterward, did they?”

“Huh?”

“That day, I saw the Jinlin Guards take Scholar Li away.”

“No, my father is fine.” Qiao Zhao sighed.

Her father was fine, but she was the one who suffered!

She had sent her father clothing materials, but as a result, her father came to lecture her for a full hour, forbidding her from making friends carelessly and specifically instructing her to distance herself from Jiang Yuanchao, whom they had encountered at the Five Flavors Teahouse that day.

She finally promised that she and Jiang Yuanchao were merely acquaintances and not friends. Only then did her father, satisfied after educating her for a full hour, finally give up and leave contentedly.

“It’s good that Scholar Li is fine, otherwise my father would certainly feel uneasy.” After Ouyang Wei Yu finished speaking, she raised her hand to shade her eyes and said to Kou Zimo, “Sister Zimo, it’s getting rather warm. I’d like to return to the pavilion.”

Seeing Ouyang Wei Yu’s expression return to normal, Kou Zimo breathed a sigh of relief and said politely to Qiao Zhao: “Third Miss Li, we’re going back. What about you?”

Qiao Zhao sensed that Kou Zimo’s attitude toward her had become somewhat warmer than before, indicating that Miss Ouyang held considerable importance in Kou Zimo’s heart.

Perhaps she could work through Ouyang Wei Yu to draw closer to Cousin Zimo.

This thought flashed through Qiao Zhao’s mind as she curved her lips in a smile: “I don’t know where that cat went either. I’d like to return as well.”

The three returned to the pavilion together. Du Feixue spotted Kou Zimo at once and pulled her over, saying: “Miss Kou, I was just about to send someone to find you.”

“Why—”

Du Feixue explained with a smile: “Everyone wants to play matching couplets, and those who can’t match will be penalized with wine. You’re skilled at matching couplets—how could we do without you?”

“But I—” Kou Zimo couldn’t help but look back toward Ouyang Wei Yu.

Ouyang Wei Yu instead walked to one side.

“Come quickly, Miss Kou.” Du Feixue directly dragged Kou Zimo to sit at the long table, glancing sideways at Ouyang Wei Yu’s profile and sneering inwardly: Here’s another one who doesn’t know her place. Her father has gotten into trouble, yet she still comes to participate in gatherings. Du Feixue hadn’t even sent her an invitation, yet somehow Ouyang Wei Yu had learned the specific time and location of this gathering and came rushing over.

However, since Ouyang Wei Yu was originally a member of the Fushan Society and had an admission token, Du Feixue couldn’t very well drive her away.

“Third Sister Li, would you like to join the couplet matching?” Su Luo Yi waved at Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao smiled: “No, I’ll just watch.”

Hearing Qiao Zhao say this, Su Luo Yi assumed she wasn’t skilled in this area and didn’t press further, to avoid putting her in a difficult position.

The young ladies participating in couplet matching divided into two teams with the long table as the boundary. Following the rules, one team would present the first line of a couplet, and the other team would provide the matching second line. If they couldn’t answer, all team members would have to drink wine, and so it would continue.

Many young ladies had come to participate in this small gathering. With limited seating at the long table, those who dared to sit down were all skilled at matching couplets. Thus, many others like Qiao Zhao stood on both sides to watch the excitement.

Du Feixue, as the host of this gathering, naturally served as the moderator.

The method adopted this time was to toss a copper coin—heads represented the left team, tails the right team.

She threw the coin high, and when it landed on the stone table showing heads, she smiled: “Then let Miss Lan present the first line.”

Lan Xinong was the granddaughter of Chief Minister Lan Shan and one of the vice presidents of the Fushan Society. With her status, no one had any objections to her presenting the first couplet.

Qiao Zhao observed coldly and saw Ouyang Wei Yu suddenly look up at Lan Xinong, then quickly lower her eyes again. In that glance, there was a heart-stopping hatred.

Thinking of the resolute tone in Ouyang Wei Yu’s voice when she overheard her conversation with Kou Zimo among the flowering branches, Qiao Zhao’s heart stirred: Could it be that Ouyang Wei Yu’s attendance at today’s gathering was not truly to bid farewell to Kou Zimo, but rather to do something to Chief Minister Lan Shan’s granddaughter Lan Xinong?

The more Qiao Zhao thought about it, the more possible it seemed. Otherwise, from Ouyang Wei Yu’s standpoint, she really couldn’t understand why a daughter whose father had been taken away by the Jinlin Guards with an uncertain fate would still attend such a gathering, even to bid farewell to a close friend—it would be far too inappropriate.

Thinking carefully, what Ouyang Wei Yu had just said to Kou Zimo sounded more like instructions for Kou Zimo to remember to stay out of trouble and not get involved once she fell into difficulties.

With this speculation, Qiao Zhao focused most of her attention on Ouyang Wei Yu.

“Alright then, I’ll present a first line. Listen carefully.” Lan Xinong’s expression was indifferent as she unhurriedly presented a first line: “Phoenix falls on phoenix tree, phoenix tree drops phoenix.”

Once this couplet was presented, the pavilion fell silent. None of the ladies had expected that the first couplet, meant to break the ice, would be such a challenging palindromic couplet: “Phoenix falls on phoenix tree, phoenix tree drops phoenix”—it read the same whether from front to back or back to front, and subtly suggested the presenter’s superior status.

Many couldn’t help but look toward Lan Xinong. Seeing her dressed in blue with a proud expression, they sighed inwardly: Having a good background certainly allows one to be so willful.

“Please present the matching line.” Lan Xinong said indifferently.

The young ladies on the opposite side either frowned or pondered deeply. Those who had no immediate ideas couldn’t help but look toward a young lady seated in the center.

The young lady wore a moon-white dress with a pearl headband, her features cold and clear. This was Xu Jinghong, daughter of Vice Minister Xu.

She seemed to sense everyone’s gaze and lived up to expectations, speaking coldly: “My match: Mountain connects water moon, water connects mountain.”

Phoenix falls on the phoenix tree, the phoenix tree drops phoenix. Mountain connects water, moon, water connects mountain.

“Excellent couplet!” The young ladies on Xu Jinghong’s team applauded and breathed sighs of relief.

The noble ladies standing aside to watch the excitement nodded along—Miss Xu’s matching line was indeed very good.

Xu Jinghong’s face showed not the slightest trace of pride, maintaining her icy cold appearance.

Lan Xinong glanced at Xu Jinghong, then suddenly turned to Du Feixue: “Miss Du, I think we should change the rules.”

Du Feixue was somewhat surprised but didn’t dare offend Lan Xinong, so she quickly asked: “How does Miss Lan think we should change them?”

Lan Xinong smiled: “Since we are supposedly the most talented group among the capital’s noble ladies, presenting one first line and matching with one second line is too simple. I suggest this: when one team presents a first line, the other team must match at least two lines to pass. If they can match three lines, they earn an extra point. When it’s time to switch, if the other side only matches two lines while this side matched three, the side that matched only two must drink the penalty wine. Having some difficulty makes it interesting.”

Du Feixue looked around at everyone, and under Lan Xinong’s pressing gaze, nodded: “I think Miss Lan’s suggestion is good. What does everyone else think?”

The young ladies present all had some pride in their talents, so naturally, no one voiced objections.

With the rules changed, the young ladies on Xu Jinghong’s team had to think of another matching line. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Kou Zimo suddenly spoke: “I have a matching line here: Boat follows wave tide, wave follows boat.”

“Excellent couplet! Miss Kou truly has quick wit!” The ladies praised in unison.

“Is there a third match?” Lan Xinong asked indifferently.