Feng Jinyao felt a pang of sympathy seeing her like this, so she spoke to comfort her.
"Alright, today is Grandmother's birthday. I saw they put up a pot-throwing game by the water pavilion. I guess both male and female guests can show off their skills. You can make an appearance then, so everyone knows that the Wei family upholds strict rules, and not everyone from the Bai family is mediocre."
"Really?" Bai Siruo's eyes lit up. Feng Jinyao coaxed her like a child, and she nodded along.
The two sisters chatted and laughed, growing closer. It wasn't until a maidservant announced the arrival of guests that they rose to greet them.
At this moment, the entrance of the Bai residence was bustling with guests. Carriages were lined up along more than half of Chang'an Street. Outside, vendors eagerly set up stalls nearby to join the festivities. Birthday wishes and shouts of vendors mingled, rising and falling in waves.
Steward Qin of the Bai residence had the doorkeepers hand out candied chestnuts to the eagerly watching children outside.
Receiving the treats, the children happily offered congratulations to Old Madam Bai. Steward Qin, seeing this, felt a warmth spread across his usually stern face.
The back courtyard was also lively.
When Old Madam Bai was young, she had two best friends from noble families: the wife of the Duke of Zheng, and the Grand Madam of the General of Cavalry's mansion. Today, the two were seated by her side, chatting.
"You are truly blessed. I heard your seventh daughter-in-law is also pregnant?"
Old Madam Bai asked the Duchess of Zheng with a happy smile. At their age, they most enjoyed discussing family matters.
The Duchess of Zheng had a difficult childbirth when she was young, which weakened her constitution. She only had one son. Initially, she thought bearing more children might be difficult, so she specially took in several concubines. However, the Duke of Zheng was a man who doted on his wife. He dismissed his concubines and lived only with his wife.
After their heir grew up and married a young lady from the Yin family, she seemed blessed with fertility. She had one child after another, bearing seven in total: four sons and three daughters, all outstanding. Now, even the youngest daughter was pregnant, and the family was thriving.
"Indeed. However, her pregnancy is not yet stable, so I told her to rest at home and not join the festivities. After she safely gives birth, she can come to pay her respects to you, my dear sister."
"Children are important. My old bones are fine. I'll have to prepare a good gift for my darling great-grandchild."
"You spoil them too much."
The two old ladies chatted animatedly. The Grand Madam beside them remained quiet, listening to their idle talk with a smile on her lips.
Bai Siruo brought Feng Jinyao with her. As soon as they entered the gate of Shou Kang Yuan, she excitedly called out to a woman.
"Mingyue, I'm over here!"
The person called Mingyue was the granddaughter of Scholar Xu, Xu Mingyue.
Her eyebrows were like crescent moons, her face like a peach blossom. From afar, she was as radiant as her name, a bright moon, making people feel both intimate and afraid to offend.
"This is my cousin from the Feng family. You can call her A'yao. She hasn't been very well before, so she rarely attended banquets. Today, with so many people, I brought her out to meet more acquaintances."
Bai Siruo introduced them, her words filled with affection.
"Hello, Sister Xu."
"You're too kind, A'yao. This little terror has never introduced any sisters to me before. It's not easy to gain her favor."
Xu Mingyue teased. She and Bai Siruo had become fast friends, their relationship exceptionally close.
Although Xu Mingyue came from a prominent family with extremely strict rules, she was not a rigid noble lady. She was graceful and knowledgeable, yet also possessed a straightforward temperament, never constrained or artificial.
Upon first meeting Feng Jinyao, she was captivated by her calm eyes.
Feng Jinyao, in turn, was impressed by Xu Mingyue, but more so by memories from her previous life.
In her past life, after her engagement to the Liang family was broken, Xu Mingyue neither despaired nor threw a tantrum. Instead, she went directly to Yunqi Academy and became a female instructor, no less capable than any man. Feng Jinyao deeply admired such a character and broad vision from the bottom of her heart.
Seeing her kindness, Feng Jinyao felt a desire for closeness.
The three chatted and laughed for a while before a group of people arrived, surrounding the leader.
The leader was naturally Wei Lanxuan, a renowned noble lady of the Eastern Capital. Her features were exquisite, her eyes sparkling. A fiery red fox fur cloak made her even more charming and alluring.
Following her were Liang Luo, the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Justice, who was devoted to her, and Wen Yuwei, the niece of the Minister of Personnel, along with the daughters of a few minor officials. They appeared in Shou Kang Yuan like stars surrounding the moon.
Feng Jinyao had no time to concern herself with others, but Wen Yuwei's gaze towards her was as if poisoned.
Whispering a few words into Wei Lanxuan's ear, the group's attention turned towards Feng Jinyao and her companions. Their expressions were not pleasant.
Wei Lanxuan approached the three with a smile. Just as Bai Siruo thought she was about to greet them, she merely nodded slightly and led her group into the main hall, leaving the three of them standing there.
"Such arrogance."
Bai Siruo frowned slightly. She had never had any conflict with Wei Lanxuan and her faction. Usually, they would exchange a few pleasantries when they met. What was happening today that she didn't say a word?
Xu Mingyue did not seem surprised. She said quietly to the two of them.
"I heard that Noble Consort Wei is arranging a marriage between her and the Ninth Prince. Soon, the Wei family will have another Imperial Consort, a joyous occasion that will further elevate their status."
No wonder she was so arrogant. It turned out she was about to marry into the imperial family again.
The Ninth Prince was Noble Consort Wei's only son. He was not only of age but also deeply favored by the Emperor, who reportedly intended to bestow upon him the title of Prince. If the news was true, he would be the first among his peers to receive such an honor, even outshining the First Prince, who was the Empress's legitimate son.
The Wei family's power and favor were indeed immense.
Bai Siruo pouted. She had no interest in such matters.
Rather than seeing people here fawn over the Wei family, it would be better to go to Qinxiang Yuan to guess lantern riddles.
"A'yao, let's go."
Bai Siruo turned and saw Feng Jinyao deep in thought, her left thumb and index finger rubbing back and forth.
When she saw Wei Lanxuan and Wen Yuwei standing together just now, she suddenly remembered something.
Previously, she had never understood why the Wen family had Wen Yuwei deliver jade, even at the cost of her legitimate son Wen Mengsheng's marriage.
It couldn't have been just to lure her, could it?
If it was because of the Feng family's power, then after their marriage, the Feng family had already been categorized by outsiders as belonging to the Ninth Prince's faction.
Moreover, after their marriage, she had indeed troubled her father and brothers with matters concerning her husband's family, and even her maternal grandfather's family was implicated.
For what reason would the Wei and Wen families be willing to cripple themselves to frame and destroy the Feng family?
Unless…