Li Zhiyue warned Xue Ling firmly before leaving by carriage.

Aunt Yuan nervously said, “Miss, perhaps it’s better to let the Marquis handle meeting Lord Cheng. If Lord Cheng spreads what happened today, your reputation will be ruined.”

Li Zhiyue took a sip of tea and said, “Tell me about this Lord Cheng.”

“Lord Cheng investigates cases every day and rarely attends banquets. It’s normal that you don’t know him,” Aunt Yuan opened up, “I heard that Lord Cheng passed the county exam at twelve, passed the provincial exam at sixteen, then passed the imperial exam and was personally appointed as the top scorer by the Emperor. Within a year of entering the Hanlin Academy, he was promoted to Third Rank official at the Dali Temple. No one in the whole Great Wei has ever risen so fast.”

Li Zhiyue was surprised. “He looks no older than twenty.”

“Apparently only nineteen,” Aunt Yuan sighed. “Other scholars rely on ancestry, family connections, or networks, and none could rise so quickly. But Lord Cheng is a commoner, raised by a widowed mother alone, yet he soared to fame and honor. Truly rare.”

Li Zhiyue narrowed her eyes.

Top scholars have always been prodigies, but holding a third-rank official position at under twenty is unprecedented.

Such a man surely would not bother with her trivial matters.

The next day was the poetry gathering hosted by the Grand Princess.

The Grand Princess was the Emperor’s full sister, in her forties, the highest-ranking noblewoman in the capital’s social circle. Naturally, everyone eagerly attended her banquet.

At dawn, Li Zhiyue got up, dressed in the exquisitely embroidered outfit specially made for her original self, wore sparkling golden jewelry and makeup, then followed Bai Ruzhu onto the carriage.

Because it was a poetry gathering, some scholars were invited too.

Li Muyun rode ahead on horseback: “Sister, didn’t grandfather buy you a pure white colt? It’s time to ride it.”

Li Zhiyue cleared her throat, “It’s too hot outside, better not.”

After coming here, she only inherited the original body’s beauty and memories, but neither writing nor riding skills.

She started practicing calligraphy at night these days, but used to pen writing, she was clumsy with the brush—her characters looked like a dog crawling.

As for riding… she really needed to pick it up again.

Like learning to drive, once she learned to ride, it would be so convenient to go wherever she wanted.

The Marquis’s residence was not far from the Princess’s mansion; within the time of a cup of tea, they arrived.

Getting off the carriage, many people had already gathered, standing in groups chatting.

“Lady Marquis of Xiangyang, your complexion looks even better.”

“That must be Miss Yue, looking more graceful than before.”

Li Zhiyue smiled and greeted the noblewomen one by one.

When the topic turned to marriage, she quickly found an excuse to slip away.

Leaving the circle of noblewomen, she ran into a group of young ladies from noble families.

Checking her original memories, she recognized them as daughters of powerful families, but the original self was only on indifferent terms with them.

First, because the original self was beautiful, inevitably attracting jealousy.

Second, these young ladies all had many siblings, both legitimate and illegitimate, so family resources were split; but the original self was the only cherished daughter, able to buy or spend as she pleased, naturally arousing envy.

Although everyone had different thoughts, they maintained a surface of civility.

“Miss Li’s outfit is from the Brocade Workshop, probably worth at least a hundred taels of silver.”

“And that headpiece must be from the master of the Liuxia Pavilion, not cheap either. The Marquis’s household surely spends money lavishly.”

“That’s nothing; I heard the Marquis’s household is buying large amounts of expensive goat milk daily. How do they drink so much? Could it be… they use it for milk baths?”

At the words “milk bath,” all the ladies fell silent.

Though from noble families, none could afford such luxury—a single tub of milk bath cost at least dozens of taels of silver, while their monthly allowance was only a few taels, not enough to save up for even one bath in half a year…

Li Zhiyue didn’t explain, saying calmly, “I must go pay respects to the Princess, so I won’t accompany you further.”

She had barely left when the young ladies started whispering.

“Even if the Marquis’s household has mountains of gold and silver, they can’t keep up with her spending.”

“There’s no real work in the Marquis’s estate. Sooner or later they’ll eat themselves into poverty. When that happens, let’s see where she’ll cry.”

“What a prodigal, who’d dare marry her?”

“…”

Li Zhiyue paid no mind to these words.

She passed through the second gate into the rear garden.

The Princess sat on the main seat, with some noblewomen and young ladies accompanying her, chatting and laughing.

She stood aside waiting for Bai Ruzhu, then followed her mother to bow together: “Paying respects to the Princess.”

“Lady Marquis, there’s no need for formalities,” the Grand Princess sighed. “Your Marquis’s estate must have good feng shui; otherwise, why do you look younger and younger, unlike me, getting old?”

Bai Ruzhu smiled and said, “Time never defeats a beauty. The Princess is only older in age, still as beautiful as ever. If I reach my forties with half the grace of the Princess, I’d wake up laughing in my dreams.”

The Grand Princess chuckled.

She finally understood why the Marquis’s household, so dull in reputation, still occasionally received imperial favors—kind words truly make people feel refreshed.

The noblewomen nearby rolled their eyes.

The Marquis’s family was ridiculous.

The Marquis flatters the Emperor.

The Marchioness flatters the Princess.

All the compliments left to them made others feel ignorant and awkward.

Li Zhiyue stepped forward: “When Miss Yue came of age, the Princess kindly attended. To repay this favor, Miss Yue personally made a dessert to offer.”

Behind her, Mo Yu carried the tray.

It was the pearl milk tea that Aunt Zhang and Qiu’er had made early this morning, kept cold in the carriage’s ice chest, still steaming cold.

She lifted the milk tea with both hands and presented it.

A palace maid by the Princess’s side took the tea and placed it before her.

Bai Ruzhu proudly said, “My daughter studied long and hard to make such a delicious dessert. Though plain in appearance, its taste is heavenly. The Princess will know once she tries it.”

The Princess stirred the tea with a spoon, noticing the black particles in the cup.

This looked poisonous…

But surely the Marquis’s household wouldn’t be so bold as to poison a royal family member openly?

At that moment, a hand reached out beside her.

It was the Grand Princess’s daughter, the Qingping Princess, personally granted her title by the Emperor.

“Mother, let me try it,” Qingping said. “Everyone knows Miss Yue is picky and only uses the best ingredients. If she offers this dessert eagerly, it can’t be bad.”