Wen Feng handed over the bamboo basket with a smile, “They’re peach blossom cakes.”

Wen Rusheng’s eyes lit up as he removed the fine cloth covering the bamboo basket, “I was just feeling my mouth was bland and wanted something sweet. Oh my, these pastries are so finely made. Which pastry shop are they from?”

As Wen Rusheng spoke, he picked up a piece of peach blossom cake and stuffed it in his mouth.

With a plop, the half-eaten pastry fell to the ground.

“Who sent this?” Wen Rusheng asked, the pastry still in his mouth, his eyes glazed.

Wen Feng paused, remembering his father’s wariness of Ah Hao.

Wen Rusheng spat out the pastry he hadn’t yet swallowed, nervously staring at the pastries in the bamboo basket, “Why did Ah Hao send you peach blossom cakes?”

“Father, Ah Hao is my cousin. She doesn’t need a special reason to send me pastries.”

“No, no, no.” Wen Rusheng waved his hands repeatedly, staring unblinkingly at the peach blossom cakes.

“You think there’s something wrong with the pastries?”

“Shh—” Wen Rusheng raised his finger in a shushing gesture, looking at the exquisite pastries with a vigilant expression.

“What are you looking at?” Wen Feng asked helplessly.

Could the peach blossom cakes jump up and bite someone?

Wen Rusheng lowered his voice, “I’m afraid these peach blossom cakes will suddenly turn into little mice.”

Monsters knew illusionary techniques!

Wen Feng: “…”

After a long while, Wen Feng collected himself, “If you’re afraid, I’ll put the pastries in my study.”

“Put them in the study for what? Quickly throw them in the slop bucket.”

“Father, stop imagining things.” Wen Feng carried the bamboo basket toward his study.

Behind him, Wen Rusheng stamped his feet, “Not listening to an adult’s words will lead to great losses!”

When his son wouldn’t listen, Wen Rusheng went to complain to Wen Ping.

Because of Lin Hao, he and Wen Ping still had things to talk about.

Wen Ping’s eyes flashed as he gave bad advice, “If Master doesn’t want the Second Miss clinging to the Young Master, why not find something to occupy the Second Miss?”

“What thing?”

Wen Ping smiled, “Although Tenth Master and Madam Lin severed ties, the blood relationship between father and daughter with the Second Miss cannot be severed. Now Tenth Master’s family is squeezed into a small house living miserably. When a father lives poorly, shouldn’t his daughter care at all?”

For his former master, Wen Ping had called him “Master” for over twenty years. Now changing to “Tenth Master” came quite naturally.

“You mean—”

“Master could occasionally go sit at Tenth Master’s place and remind Tenth Master that he still has two daughters to rely on.”

“No, no.” Wen Rusheng refused without hesitation.

Wen Ping looked confused.

Wen Rusheng explained in a small voice, “What if Ah Hao finds out I was the one who reminded him?”

Wen Ping’s expression twisted for a moment, nearly spitting blood.

So this fool didn’t despise the Second Miss—he was afraid of her.

Heaven was unjust! How could such a completely useless fool have produced such a good son?

Wen Ping’s rotten scheme failed, leaving a mouthful of old blood stuck in his heart.

Lin Hao told Lin Chan what she had learned from Wen Feng. Lin Chan shyly expressed to Lin Shi her wish to find an opportunity to meet Han Baocheng.

Lin Shi had someone send word to the Minister’s mansion.

“The General’s Mansion is willing to meet me?” Hearing his mother relay the General’s Mansion’s response, Han Baocheng was overjoyed.

Willingness to meet meant progress.

He knew his two friends had also taken action and had been nervous these past days.

Seeing her son grinning foolishly, Mother Han was somewhat annoyed, “You’re at least the Minister’s grandson. Don’t act like you can’t get a wife.”

If not for bearing to disappoint her son, she wouldn’t have even considered Miss Lin.

“Mother, you know there are two other families proposing to Miss Lin. The General’s Mansion wanting to see me first shows your son is the most outstanding!”

Hearing her son say this, Mother Han smiled, “Only you know how to talk.”

Mother Han turned around and arranged for someone to send word to the General’s Mansion, saying that seven days later she would bring her son to Tianyuan Temple to pray for blessings.

Tianyuan Temple was right in the city, convenient to reach. Seven days later, there would be a disaster-averting blessing ceremony being held. Taking this opportunity to meet wouldn’t attract attention, and if it didn’t work out, it wouldn’t be awkward in the future.

The General’s Mansion quickly replied, saying they would also bring their two young ladies to Tianyuan Temple seven days later.

With both families settled, Han Baocheng, thinking he would soon meet the young lady who gave him sweet apples, felt his spirits soar. Unable to restrain himself, he invited his two friends (romantic rivals) for drinks.

“Brother Han, don’t be so smug. The first one is usually the one who gets eliminated.” The youngest son of the Court Gentleman of the Court of Imperial Stud was named Zhang Liangyu. Hearing Han Baocheng’s bragging, he sourly took a gulp of wine.

The other person was named Li Lan. He silently gripped his wine cup, his feelings for Lin Chan cooling.

It wasn’t that he absolutely had to marry her. He just felt Miss Lin was beautiful and gentle, which had moved him to propose marriage.

Had he known early on that friends Wen and Zhang were proposing, he wouldn’t have gotten involved at all. However, by the time he found out, he had already invited a matchmaker to call, and it wouldn’t be good to casually back out. But now knowing he wasn’t the Lin family’s most favored choice, naturally he wouldn’t continue to court rejection.

After the drinking session ended, Han Baocheng hummed a little tune as he walked home and encountered Yang Zhe.

Seeing Yang Zhe carrying books, Han Baocheng was startled, “Brother Yang, you can’t have just finished work?”

Yang Zhe had entered the Hanlin Academy. Because of his outstanding performance, he was sometimes borrowed by the Grand Secretariat to do various tasks.

Yang Zhe observed Han Baocheng’s expression and couldn’t help smiling, “Will there be celebratory wine to drink?”

“There will definitely be celebratory wine.” Han Baocheng’s mood was soaring. He showed concern for his friend, “Brother Yang, you need to hurry too. Don’t let being busy delay your lifelong happiness.”

Yang Zhe curved his lips, “I’ll hurry. I hope to share in Brother Han’s good fortune.”

Han Baocheng detected some meaning, “Does this mean Brother Yang has someone in mind?”

“Brother Han has been drinking. Go home and rest early.” Yang Zhe smiled and patted Han Baocheng’s shoulder, walking toward his rented house.

For the meeting seven days later, Lin Shi specially bought two sets of jewelry—one set of bright ruby for her eldest daughter, one set of elegant jade for her second daughter.

Unexpectedly, an invitation sent from the palace allowed the new jewelry to be used early.

Consort Zhuang would hold a chrysanthemum-viewing banquet in three days, inviting ladies and young misses from various households to attend.

Lin Shi held the invitation, finding it curious, “The palace hasn’t held such banquets in quite some time. Why has Consort Zhuang suddenly taken an interest?”

The Old Madam specifically asked, “Is it only being held by Consort Zhuang?”

“That’s what the invitation says.”

“Then perhaps she’s been bored in the palace too long and wants to see people.” The Old Madam speculated thus.

If Consort Jing were involved, she could guess whether it was to select a consort for Prince Wei. With only Consort Zhuang organizing it, it probably wasn’t—who ever heard of a mother not participating in selecting a consort for her son?

Many households were confused by the invitation and guessed wrong. Three days later, they brought beautifully dressed daughters or granddaughters into the palace.

The chrysanthemum-viewing banquet was set up in Cuijin Pavilion in the garden, with long corridors and scattered halls on all sides. Sitting within, one could conveniently observe the garden scenery.

The invited ladies from various households arrived one after another. When Consort Zhuang and Consort Jing appeared together, the ladies finally realized that today’s chrysanthemum-viewing banquet was probably being held to select a Princess Consort for Prince Wei.

Realizing this, some were immediately delighted while others worried.