Chapter 51 : The Palace Banquet Approaches

Despite being someone unconcerned with fame and fortune, Xue Qinghe couldn’t help but feel a stir of interest upon hearing this news, alleviating some of her previous frustration.

Soon, a court physician was led to the small courtyard.

Qiu Xin stretched her neck, peering outside but saw no sign of Lady Xue.

“Why didn’t Madam come? It’s a court physician after all,” Qiu Xin muttered under her breath.

In truth, she simply wanted to see Lady Xue’s displeased expression.
With no one to boast to, her joy was considerably diminished.

Inside, Xue Qinghe propped herself up despite her lingering headache. Qiu Xin led the court physician inside.

The physician, around forty, greeted from afar: “Are you Second Miss Xue? I’ve come at the Princess Golden Finch’s orders to treat you.”

“Princess Golden Finch?” Qiu Xin blurted out, “Not the King Wei’s household?”

The court physician looked confused and asked, “Why would it be the King Wei’s household?”

Qiu Xin was stunned and wished she could dig a hole and bury herself.

Xue Qinghe’s face instantly turned pale with embarrassment. Reflecting on Qiu Xin’s earlier naive question about the King Wei, she felt even more mortified.

Suppressing her awkwardness, Xue Qinghe said, “This maid was mistaken. Please don’t mind her, Physician.”

Qiu Xin hesitated but eventually kept her grievances to herself.

News of the palace banquet quickly spread.

Madam  Xue called Xue Qingyin home for this reason. He Songning, unaware of these developments, woke to find Qingyin gone.

Furious, he clenched his jaw and sneered. “Am I supposed to tolerate this?”

His page nervously asked, “Young Master, should we return to the manor then?”

The page, unfamiliar with hidden intrigues, only knew his master had come to mend sibling ties with the eldest daughter by studying at the villa.

He Songning, dark-eyed, growled, “We’re not going back.”

Resigned, the page quietly retreated to let him study.

Suddenly, He Songning asked, “Has the Duke Zhao’s household left?”

“Yes, they’ve gone.”

His temper flared again. “She even took Zhao Xufeng without notifying me? Truly audacious!”

Upon returning home, Xue Qingyin sneezed. Supporting herself on two maids, she hobbled inside.

Lady Xue, concerned, asked, “What happened? Did you fall?”

Qingyin admitted honestly, “Horse riding.”

Madam  Xue rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you afraid of falling sick again?”

Qingyin leaned on her mother’s shoulder, cooing, “I’m fine now. I’ll only get stronger from here. You’ll never have to worry again.”

Madam Xue sighed. “Save that talk for when you’re fully healed. A mother always worries—whether it’s about your meals or your happiness.”

Qingyin leaned closer, basking in her mother’s affection.

However, Madam Xue gently pushed her away and asked, “But what about the palace banquet?”

Qingyin froze. “The banquet?”

She had completely forgotten about it! What now?

Meanwhile, Xue Qinghe breathed a sigh of relief after her diagnosis. The court physician reassured her that with rest, she would recover in seven or eight days.

Qiu Xin, however, returned in a huff. “Second Miss, the Eldest Miss is back.”

“Qiu Xin, stop obsessing over your sister’s affairs.”

“But Second Miss, listen! She returned because of the banquet. At the lake outing, it seems the prince didn’t choose her. Now there’s another banquet in a few days! And who knows who pushed you that day? Can we still attend?”

Moved by her maid’s concern, Qinghe set aside her reprimand.

Qiu Xin wiped her tears, her tone shifting angrily. “Also, Eldest Miss came back limping! She even walked step by step, just like you. Do you think she’s mocking you?”

Qinghe said nothing, her emotions tangled. She desperately wanted to see her elder brother.

Elsewhere, the Duke Zhao marveled at his son Zhao Xufeng’s transformation. Having learned to ride a horse, the once-awkward young man exuded newfound confidence.

“What a great girl from the Xue family, I must thank her, thank her very much!” Duke Zhao was so excited that he was a little incoherent, “If she has a way to teach Afeng to be able to take care of himself, I will not be afraid of anything in the future.”

“There is one more thing to report to the Duke.” Steward Zhao seemed much calmer. After all, when he was at the farm, he had almost calmed down.

“You say.”

“I know why the young master recognized Miss Xue as his mother.”

“Why?”

“The smell… Miss Xue was weak when she was young and always had to take medicine, so she had a faint smell of medicine on her body.”

Duke Zhao was silent for a while, and said in a hoarse voice: “That should be the reason. When Zhenzhu was bedridden, she also took a lot of medicine. She couldn’t bear to leave Afeng and me, and refused to close her eyes. But after taking medicine to keep her alive for so long, she still couldn’t be kept. Afeng must have a deep memory of those days…”

“Yes…” Steward Zhao hesitated and said: “Since we know the reason, it is also very easy for us to create a few more people with similar smells.”

“But how many people have the courage to teach Afeng these things, as you said, and can accept Afeng’s kindness openly?”

Manager Zhao smiled: “To be honest, I think so too. But how can I make the decision without your permission? I have something else to tell you. Miss Xue has just taken over the Xue family’s business, and the business of Xue’s tea house is a bit bleak…”

Duke Zhao listened to him seriously.

In Duke Zhao’s mansion, there was only the sound of chattering, which revealed a rare warmth.

…

The palace banquet was approaching soon.

While the girls from various families were still worrying about how to dress appropriately and outstandingly for such an important occasion, a gray fluffy carriage stopped at the door of the Xue family.