Chapter 10: Preparing for the Recognition Banquet

Huai Ze: [The one with the most prominent pregnancy is your second uncle’s concubine’s maid, Xinghua. She is about to give birth in two months. This person was specially arranged by the concubine, Wei Yiniang, who has been helping conceal the pregnancy, intending to have her give birth to a son or daughter to upset your second aunt, Zhou Shi.]

[Your second aunt, having made a marriage connection with the Wang family, has been attending feasts frequently from spring until now, to secure a good marriage for Fang Xuze. But if there’s already a child born, proper families may not be willing to marry into it.]

Fang Yuean quickly asked: [What about the other two?]

Huai Ze continued: [One is a dancer named Mei’er from Xunhua Pavilion, and the other is a prostitute called Hua Niang from Chunxiang Courtyard. Their pregnancies are also progressing.]

[In the original fate, in a while, both of them would come knocking on the door, but Fang Xuze would deny them. When your second aunt finds out, afraid they’ll cause a ruckus and bring shame to the family if others hear of it, she would pretend to be polite, invite them in, give one a dose of abortion medicine, and directly beat the other, throwing her out from the back door.]

Fang Yuean clicked her tongue: [They are all unfortunate people, then I’ll help them break their calamities.]

Huai Ze became alert: [What are you planning to do?]

Fang Yuean envisioned: [If, when there are many people at the house, they both come with proof and present it at the door, how lively it would be!]

[In order to avoid suspicion about the harm done to the first household, Madam Meng is most afraid that the second household will gain a bad reputation. By then, she won’t dare dispose of them recklessly, and instead, she’ll need to let them live well, occasionally letting outsiders see how kind and benevolent the second household is.]

They heard Qin Xuan beside them say, “Xunli, I’m planning to hold a recognition banquet for An’an. I’ve looked at the calendar, and three days from now would be a good day. What do you think?”

Three days from now is the fifteenth, the day when the students have a break.

There would be more guests attending the banquet.

Fang Xunli saw the look Qin Xuan gave him and smiled, replying, “That sounds perfect. Mother, you make a list and see who we should invite. I’ll write the invitations tonight.”

Fang Yuean scratched her head: “Oh? How convenient. I’ll just help them deliver the tokens then.”

“I remember, every child of the Fang family has a wolf-patterned jade pendant. It was given by our great-grandfather to commemorate when a wolf pack diverted the enemy soldiers for him on the battlefield.”

“Fang Xuze’s pendant is green in color.”

These details were, of course, things that Huai Ze had told her.

She then heard Qin Xuan tell Fang Xunli, “Xuze is always losing his wolf-patterned jade pendant. A while ago, he told me, and I had two more made for him. I’ll give them to you later, and tomorrow, when you go to the Imperial College, give one to him. Tell him to take good care of it and not lose it again.”

Fang Xuze was always careless, and she had found two of his lost pendants in the past.

Fang Yuean couldn’t help but laugh internally: “Huai Ze, do you think this is mother and daughter being of one mind? Haha! I’ll get the pendant from Big Brother later and have Hong Ye send it to them. If it’s just me recognizing the relatives at the banquet, it would be so boring.”

Fang Yuean ate some snacks, no longer thinking aloud, as Qin Xuan and Fang Xunli left the room.

As they walked further, Qin Xuan said to her son, “Once the scandals of the second house are revealed, the reputation of the Fang family will surely suffer. The first house won’t be unaffected, and people will think all the Fang men are like that.”

Had she not known the true nature of Madam Meng and Zhou Shi, she would have tried to cover up these things, believing the Fang family was one unit.

But now, she had to make sure people understood that the first and second houses were not the same, to prepare for the future division of the family.

She thought of something and reminded him, “You should personally explain things to the Xu family. Uncle Xu has a good relationship with your father and has watched you grow up, so he will understand. But women can be overly sensitive, so don’t forget to talk to Wanyin.”

Fang Xunli walked beside his mother. “Mother, don’t worry, I won’t act recklessly like Xuze and won’t make Wanyin sad.”

He thought of Fang Yuean’s thoughts, and the outcome of Xu Wanyin, and his heart felt like a piece had been torn away.

Qin Xuan couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t say such things to me.”

Fang Xunli also smiled and scratched his head.

Qin Xuan’s expression turned serious again. “You’ve heard your sister’s thoughts. Though there are only three days left before the recognition banquet, in these three days, don’t go near those people she mentioned. If Fang Xuze asks you to go anywhere, don’t go.”

“Mother, don’t worry, I will be very careful.”

The two of them left Mingyue Courtyard and headed to Yunxiang Courtyard.

As they walked, Qin Xuan looked back at Mingyue Courtyard and sighed lightly. “Xunli, your sister is still so young. We can’t keep letting her worry about these things. In the future, if we hear anything, we’ll discuss it and solve it ourselves. Don’t let her trouble herself. She’s only five, she should be eating, sleeping, and playing, growing up happily.”

Fang Xunli smiled lightly. “Mother, I’ve grown up, and I can protect my sisters along with you until Father returns.”

Tears welled in Qin Xuan’s eyes, and she smiled with comfort.

After Fang Xunli received the guest list, he returned to the study to write the invitations.

Qin Xuan then instructed Nanny Lei and others to prepare for the recognition banquet in three days.

Though time was tight, they still tried to make preparations as grand as possible.

That evening, Fang Yuean visited Fang Xunli’s study and delivered the deliberately drawn ugly painting she had made to her brother.

Before leaving, she picked up the two jade pendants from the table and took them with her.

Hong Ye received Fang Yuean’s task instructions and was somewhat conflicted. She didn’t immediately go to carry it out but instead went to Yunxiang Courtyard to report to Qin Xuan.

In the main room, Qin Xuan stood before the copper mirror, with Hong Xiang removing her hairpins for her.

Hong Ye knelt on the ground. “Madam, Miss Yuean instructed me to deliver these two jade pendants to two women in the pleasure quarters, but she didn’t explain the reason. I truly don’t know what to do.”

Qin Xuan took off her earrings and placed them in the vanity box, looking at Hong Ye through the mirror.

“From now on, when she tells you to do something, just do it without asking questions or talking about it to anyone. Do you understand?”

Hong Ye had always been her most trusted maid—skilled, loyal, and reliable, and never one to gossip.

“I understand.”

Qin Xuan reminded her, “When you go, conceal your identity well, and tell them about the recognition banquet in three days at the Marquis Mansion. They will know what to do.”

“Yes,” Hong Ye replied, then left.

Before bed, someone from the central courtyard came over.

Hong Xiang entered and reported, “Madam, someone from the central courtyard sent word that Old Madam’s face is swollen and painful, so she won’t be receiving guests for the next three days. The doctor has been consulted, and there’s no need to worry about checking on her.”

“I see,” Qin Xuan said as she leaned back on the bed, flipping through the account books. “Go and inform the young master and young miss.”

After Hong Xiang left, Qin Xuan told Nanny Lei, “On the day of the recognition banquet, let Miaoyi come out too. Little children like to play, and with the commotion, she won’t stay in her room.”

She thought for a moment and added, “Prepare identical silk flower headpieces for them, just different colors.”

“Madam, if the Fifth Miss sees another girl wearing a headpiece she likes, she might throw a tantrum,” Nanny Lei expressed some concern.

When the two children were still small, there was a time when they were obsessed with poking at Qin Xuan’s dimples. Unfortunately, Qin Xuan had only one dimple, and they often fought over it.

Even if a bird flew by, one saw it and the other didn’t, it was never okay.

There had been many similar situations.

After that, everything they were given had to be exactly the same.

The Madam wouldn’t forget.

At the recognition banquet, with so many people, if the Fifth Miss caused a scene, it would be a bad look.

Qin Xuan closed the account book without explaining, simply saying, “When you instruct them, be gentle, and don’t make it seem intentional.”

Nanny Lei quickly understood the Madam’s meaning and hurriedly agreed.

For the preparation of the recognition banquet, Qin Xuan had not specifically informed anyone in the central or western courtyards.

The next day, Zhou Huajin returned from attending a banquet and stopped by Yunxiang Courtyard for a short visit.

“Mother Xuan, you’re planning to hold a recognition banquet for An’an? Why didn’t you inform Mother and me? I only heard it from others,” Zhou Huajin said, taking a sip of tea to mask her displeasure.

Qin Xuan smiled as she sat down, her tone gentle. “I only just thought of it. It’s not a big matter, so I chose a date that was available.”

“Mother isn’t feeling well, and I didn’t want to bother her. She mentioned that the more joyous events at the house, the sooner the master will return, so I assumed she agreed.”

“You’ve been attending banquets at various households lately, and I couldn’t find you. I figured you would hear about it from others, so I was just waiting for you to come and ask me.”

“Is that so?” Zhou Huajin seemed somewhat distracted.

Qin Xuan refilled her tea. “By the way, I know you’ve been helping Xuze find a match, so I’ve invited more people this time. The day after tomorrow, you can stay at home and observe. There’s no need for you to run around outside anymore.”

Zhou Huajin finally smiled genuinely, holding Qin Xuan’s hand with great delight. “Ah, Mother Xuan, you really understand me. You’ve truly relieved my worries.”

Qin Xuan smiled without saying a word.