Chapter 326 - The Doubts on the Birthday Banquet

Three days later, after Song Yixiao sent her husband off to court, she specially summoned the people serving Jian Qingyue to come and give her instruction. Then she entrusted Aunt Yun to take good care of her daughter before she led the maids to board the carriage and departed.

When the carriage entered the Qiu Family’s mansion, Gu Tongxu personally greeted her in the courtyard where she got off. The two greeted enthusiastically, and then they went to the back hall together to greet Madam Jiang.

Madam Jiang was very happy to see Song Yixiao and asked about Jian Qingyue. Song Yixiao apologized, “I was afraid that she is ignorant and would annoy others, so I didn’t bring her with me. Aunt, thank you for your concern.”

In fact, because Jian Qingyue was too young, she was afraid that a crowded place would be bad for her.

Madam Jiang also knew it, so she asked only to show her concern. But hearing this, she scolded her, “What does it matter? The birthday banquet should be lively, and it’s only fun to have the kids around!”

But then she said, “So, let’s make it a deal, when Qingyue grows up, next time you come over, you must bring her with you!”

Song Yixiao naturally hurriedly agreed.

After all, the main character today was Gu Tongxu, and the Qiu Family still counted on this daughter-in-law in the future. So after exchanging pleasantries, Madam Jiang said, “Today is a good day for Tongxu, you youngsters should go and gather. I will not go to spoil the fun!”

“What are you talking about, Aunt?” Song Yixiao smiled and said, “Look at your spirited appearance. If anyone says you are old, he should be the one to be suspected of Dim-eyed.”

Gu Tongxu also said that her mother-in-law thought that she was old but was actually young. Although she knew it was a lie, Madam Jiang was still amused. After she urged them twice with a smile, Song Yixiao and Gu Tongxu got up to leave.

They went to Biyu Villa, where the banquet was held, and saw that there were already a few guests who had arrived first.

Seeing that Song Yixiao was guided in by Gu Tongxu, they all came to greet her. Those who were close to Song Yixiao, such as Xie Yiren and Jiang Muting, were even waving their hands, gesturing for Song Yixiao to sit there.

“Yixiao, please make yourself comfortable!” Gu Tongxu stopped by the door, explaining, “There are still a few sisters who have not arrived yet, and I have to go and welcome them. Please bear with me if I’m not treating you well!”

“Tongxu, don’t stand on ceremony!” Song Yixiao originally came here to avoid losing face in front of the Queen Mother and Emperor Xianjia, so she would not feel neglected. She politely said, “Tongxu, you can go on your own. We are all acquaintances here. Will I still behave prudishly?”

This remark made several people nearby laugh, “Exactly! We haven’t seen each other for a while, so we should take this opportunity to talk.”

After Gu Tongxu left, Song Yixiao exchanged pleasantries with everyone while sitting across from Xie Yiren and Jiang Muting, laughing, “You’re so early! I thought I would be here first!”

“You’re a mother now. How old is little Qingyue?” Xie Yiren said, half enviously and half self-deprecatingly, “No matter how much you want to go out early, you have to settle the child. How can you compare with us?”

Jiang Muting had just gotten married. Besides, Yuan Xuepei’s seniors who were still alive were only his step-grandmother and his uncle’s family, and his relationship with these people was already more than not good, but very bad. So naturally there was no pressure from the elders to urge for an heir.

Therefore, she was not like Xie Yiren who had complicated feelings. She just smiled and said, “After all, the Qiu Family has few people. As an elder, it is impossible for Madam Jiang to come out to help her daughter-in-law to greet the guests.”

“And Young Mistress Gu set the banquet for the first time in the imperial capital, so she did not dare to set a very high posture. Most of the guests had to be welcomed personally. Therefore, the guests who arrived first could only make themselves comfortable like this. It was not interesting to come early.”

She naturally said this quietly. Xie Yiren and Song Yixiao heard it and did not make any comments on it, but only smiled slightly.

The three of them were chatting for a long time, when Song Yixiao shifted her eyes and saw someone a little farther away. She said, “When did Sixth Young Lady arrive? I didn’t even notice when I walked over just now!”

“I think she just arrived? I just saw that there seemed to be no one?” Hearing that, Xie Yiren took a glance and said.

Song Yixiao was thinking whether she should go over to greet her. After all, everyone knew that she was raised in Prince of Hengshan’s mansion, and that she was a fellow student of the Prince of Hengshan’s daughters. So she should go over to greet Lu Chai’er first to show her gratitude when they met today. Otherwise, if Lu Chai’er came over first, someone would inevitably say that she was arrogant and forgot her root.

But Jiang Muting shook her head and said, “Yiren, you came later than I did, so you thought the seat was empty. Actually, Young Mistress Lu arrived only a while after I got here, she came long ago. She arrived early. But she went out and hung around just now and came back after Shanyao got here.”

“So that’s how it is!” Xie Yiren nodded and didn’t take it to heart. She didn’t know Lu Chai’er well.

But Jiang Muting then said, “The Gu Family’s children have been in Hongzhou earlier, so the people in imperial capital don’t know about them. But I’m speculating whether Young Mistress Gu’s brother is not much accomplishment.”

Hearing these words, Xie Yiren and Song Yixiao were both aroused by curiosity and said with one voice, “Why did you say that?”

“Just now, Young Mistress Lu’s face didn’t seem good, so that Young Mistress Gu did not feel at ease after guiding her in, and asked her repeatedly if she was not feeling well. She said if she was uncomfortable, don’t force herself. But she first denied it, and then suddenly her tears came down!” Jiang Muting covered her mouth with a round fan. She looked around in case anyone was eavesdropping, as she said in a low voice, “At that time, Young Mistress Gu and I, as well as some guests arriving early, were shocked!”

No matter how bad Lu Chai’er’s husband was, he was still Gu Tongxu’s younger brother. When Gu Tongxu saw this, she naturally hurriedly found an excuse to lead her younger sister-in-law out, so his brother’s all sorts of bad behaviors wouldn’t be heard by others.

“It took her a long time to come back, so you can see how much grievance she’s suffered!” Jiang Muting sighed, “Young Mistress Lu is at least from the prince’s mansion. How many days has it been since she got married? She was bullied to this extent. Her husband is a bit unruly!”

Speaking of this, Jiang Muting suddenly remembered that it was rumored that this marriage was facilitated by the step-wife of Prince of Hengshan and Song Yixiao’s birth mother, Wei Mengying. At this moment, she said that Lu Chai’er had been married to a bad person. Wouldn’t it mean that Wei Mengying was an unqualified step-mother? She quickly remedied, “Gu Shao is a famous scholar in the world, and now he owns the power on the court. Even if his children and grandchildren are not famous, the matchmaker will be busy walking through their threshold! Who is not proud to be married into the Gu Family nowadays? Princess Consort of Wei must have spent a lot of efforts to find this marriage for Young Mistress Lu! It’s just a matter of the uncertain fate between people. Parents are sparing no efforts when it comes to the marriage of their children, but there still are many unhappy couples.”

Song Yixiao was laughing coldly in her heart, “Of course my mother put a lot of effort into getting Lu Chai’er into this marriage! If Lu Chai’er doesn’t marry into the Gu Family, how can Prince of Hengshan’s idea of asking for Lu Guanqun’s marriage with a girl in Gu Family be dispelled?”

She had heard Wei Mengying said that it didn’t matter if Lu Chai’er’s husband was bad, as long as she could stop Lu Guanqun from marrying a girl in the Gu Family. She thought Wei Mengying was just saying that!

Who knew that the prophecy had unfortunately come true? The one whom Lu Chai’er married really was not a good man!

Song Yixiao thought of the occasional encounter with Lu Chai’er during the years when she lived in the prince’s mansion, and her kindness in bailing out Jinxun the time when she got married. Her emotions were mixed in her heart and she secretly regretted it.

When she and Lu Chai’er occasionally looked at each other, she found that the latter was looking at her in a very strange way.

There was not much resentment or jealousy, but rather some sympathy and regret?

Song Yixiao was suspicious. A few moments later, all the guests arrived, and Gu Tongxu finally returned to host the banquet herself. After some formalities, the time had come for the meal, so she announced the banquet to start.

After having several drinks, Song Yixiao took advantage of the excitement to find Lu Chai’er, “Chai’er, I saw the way you looked at me just now. Do you have any words to say to me?”

“Words?” When Lu Chai’er saw Song Yixiao approaching, her expression was a bit strange, as if she wanted to walk away. But she was seated, and Song Yixiao came quickly, so she was blocked. At this moment, she was asked directly by Song Yixiao. Her face changed a little. As if she had thought for a while, then she said, “Right! The gift you gave me when I got married was too expensive! I’ve been looking for an opportunity to thank you, but I didn’t come across it until today!”

Speaking of this, she held the cup filled with wine in front of her and said sincerely, “When I was young and ignorant, so I offended you a lot. But I didn’t expect you to repay my grievances with virtue. I’m really ashamed! Now I’m going to make amends with you with this cup of wine!”

After saying that, she drank it all.

Song Yixiao hurriedly said, “Chai’er, what kind of words are you saying? The prince’s family has raised me…”

“I don’t belong to the prince’s mansion!” Lu Chai’er interrupted her words, smiled with self-mockery, put down the wine cup and said, “Anyway, drinking this cup of wine makes me feel better!”

Although she said that, then she mentioned the things she had done wrong to Song Yixiao. They were all trivial matters. If people around heard about them, they would only think Song Yixiao was being petty. Living in the prince’s mansion, eating the family’s food and drinking the family’s water, but she was reluctant to feel wronged. She was even more squeamish than the Prince’s own children. Were they raising a person who was just living in their mansion or a noble lady?

After Song Yixiao digressed several times unsuccessfully, she could only find an opportunity to leave, so as not to make the scene more and more awkward.

She had just turned around, but Lu Chai’er was already relieved, showing a look of relief!

Although Song Yixiao didn’t see this, she also sensed that Lu Chai’er wasn’t telling the truth and was afraid that she would ask for the truth.

So after she returned to her seat, Xie Yiren and Jiang Muting asked her about the result. She said truthfully, “I always felt that she had guessed my intention, and deliberately used the pretext of making amends to prevent me from asking. I’m not sure what to do with this scene, and it’s fruitless to stay, so I came back first.”

Xie Yiren guessed, “Is it because she thinks the family scandal cannot be disclosed?”

She thought it was very likely. Lu Chai’er was the child of Prince before, but Song Yixiao was only a person who lived there.

At present, the two had successively married. Song Yixiao first, and it was a good marriage. Her husband was noble and handsome among the crowd. The couple loved each other and had a daughter; Lu Chai’er later, and it was an equal marriage. Her husband’s background was okay, but he was recognized ordinary. They just married, regardless of offspring, at least from the information provided by Jiang Muting, she and her husband really did not get along well.

Comparing the past and the present, even if Lu Chai’er was full of grievances, how could she be willing to tell Song Yixiao?

“After all, she is a lady of Prince’s family, so she can’t put down her dignity for a while.” Xie Yiren comforted Song Yixiao, “Moreover, they just got married, and maybe they are not used to it. Perhaps it will be better after they spend more time together. You should not worry too much.”

Jiang Muting aside rolled up the sleeves and fixed them with bracelets. She was picking cherries from the ice basin to eat. When she heard the words, she spit out a cherry core, and said, “I just went to Young Mistress Gu to toast, and took the opportunity to ask about Young Mistress Lu’s crying. Can you guess what Young Mistress Gu said?”

“What did she say?” Xie Yiren and Song Yixiao asked hurriedly.

“She said that Young Mistress Lu’s birth mother, Concubine Sun in the Prince’s mansion, was dying, so she was sad.” Jiang Muting asked Song Yixiao, “Is this true or not?”

“How do I know? I’ve only met Concubine Sun three or two times in total.” Song Yixiao mused, “But I’ll send someone to ask about it later!”

This thing ended up at this moment, and there was no other thing at that day’s banquet. After the banquet, everyone went to the back hall to say goodbye to Madam Jiang. After exchanging pleasantries with Gu Tongxu, they boarded their respective cars and left.

As soon as Song Yixiao arrived at the mansion, she heard the news, “Princess Changxing had an accident. Because the imperial physician and the princess have a different gender, the diagnosis and treatment are inconvenient. The mansion of Princess sent someone to invite Aunt Yun to go!”