The fifteenth of August, the Mid-Autumn Festival.
His Majesty hosted a banquet for his officials, and the female family members of officials ranked third and above were eligible to attend the Mid-Autumn banquet in the palace.
The Old Madam used the excuse of teaching Xiao Ling household management skills to take away some of the Third Mistress's authority, which made the Third Mistress resentful. However, she dared not confront the Old Madam and went to Xiao Man to complain. Before she could even speak, the smile on Xiao Man's face made her shiver, and she swallowed all the grievances that were about to be uttered.
"Eldest Sister, this is the palace attire for the Mid-Autumn banquet. It was custom-made to your measurements. I have checked it several times, and there are no issues." Xiao Xiang presented the palace attire. Xiao Xiang had become increasingly composed. Compared to the Third Mistress, Xiao Xiang appeared much more steady. If Xiao Xiang hadn't been there to guide the Third Mistress, the Third Mistress would have made many mistakes.
Xiao Man reached out and touched the fabric of the dress. "Is Second Sister's palace attire ready?"
Xiao Xiang's expression was a little downcast. "Eldest Sister, as an illegitimate daughter, I am not qualified to enter the palace to attend the banquet."
Xiao Man then realized that this was Yusheng, not Yunqi. In Yunqi, both legitimate and illegitimate daughters had the right to enter the palace. She had almost forgotten that in Yusheng, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was clear, and the status of illegitimate sons and daughters was not high.
"Eldest Sister, don't worry. I don't want to go to the palace either. There are too many rules there, and anyone could offend a distinguished guest. Eldest Sister's eyes have not yet recovered, yet you must enter the palace for the banquet. Please be careful."
Xiao Man nodded and asked a maid to help her change. Yin Zhu stood by the door, her brow furrowed. She had a feeling that today's banquet would not be simple, especially since the Third Young Lady would be attending the banquet with their mistress. She was even more uneasy.
"Mistress, please let me accompany you to the palace today," Yin Zhu volunteered.
Normally, when Xiao Man went out, she was accompanied by Ying Xue or Qiu Tong.
Qiu Tong had been serving by her side since childhood and had an extraordinary bond with her. Ying Xue, on the other hand, was her hidden guard and skilled in martial arts, a great help in times of danger. Yin Zhu did not know martial arts, but she was exceptionally meticulous and observant. There was no maid in this courtyard who could compare to her.
After a moment of thought, Xiao Man agreed. "Alright. Since my eyes are not convenient, you can stay by my side to serve me. You have always been careful, so I feel at ease with you accompanying me."
"Yin Zhu will not fail Mistress's trust!" Yin Zhu immediately breathed a sigh of relief. She had mustered the courage to propose accompanying Xiao Man to the palace not for favor, but because she truly worried about Xiao Man. Qiu Tong and Ying Xue were undoubtedly loyal to Xiao Man.
However, Qiu Tong was simple-minded and could not fathom the deadly schemes in the palace. Ying Xue was skilled and bold, but prone to carelessness. The palace was fraught with danger, and Mistress could not see. She was truly worried.
"I cannot follow you into the palace for the banquet. There are many experts in the Imperial Palace, and if I infiltrate, I might be mistaken for an assassin. I can only wait outside the palace," Dongfang Wei's voice sounded.
"It's alright. After what happened last time, it won't be easy for them to scheme against me. Moreover, my eyes are inconvenient now. As long as I'm not alone, no one will dare to attack me."
"Be careful yourself," Dongfang Wei reminded Xiao Man. The palace was a dangerous place, and one wrong step could lead to a trap. Caution was always wise.
"I understand. Don't worry."
Xiao Man changed her clothes. Ying Xue took the white silk cloth soaked in medicinal water and tied it around Xiao Man's eyes. Dongfang Wei sat outside, not leaving. Seeing Xiao Man emerge, his gaze fell upon her before shifting away to Xiao Xiang.
Xiao Xiang smiled friendly at Dongfang Wei. Dongfang Wei quickly averted his gaze, his earlobes turning suspiciously red. He then leaped out the window and disappeared.
Xiao Man was accustomed to Dongfang Wei's shy nature. Xiao Xiang, however, felt a little hurt, believing Dongfang Wei was avoiding her, thus her expression grew even more subdued. She thought to herself, it was her own fault, and she couldn't blame others for looking down on her.
"Eldest Sister, are you ready?" Xiao Ling's voice came from outside the courtyard.
Today, Xiao Ling wore a lotus-pink palace gown, making her appear even more alluring, like a budding flower, evoking tenderness.
Yin Zhu helped Xiao Man out of the room. Even with the white cloth covering her eyes, Xiao Man's demeanor was unaffected, composed and graceful, like plum blossoms blooming proudly in the frost, possessing an inherent elegance.
Xiao Ling's gaze darkened. She found it increasingly difficult to understand her Eldest Sister. Some called her overbearing, but she was measured and controlled. Some called her arrogant, yet she argued with reason and irrefutably. As for calling her a useless fool... after her performance at Xianle Pavilion captivated the capital, who would dare call her a fool?
"Eldest Sister, you look truly beautiful today."
"I cannot see, but I know that Third Sister must be very beautiful today. After all, you are always beautiful. Today, you will surely show all the young lords and ladies the elegance of my Third Sister, who is second to none." Xiao Man said unhurriedly.
Xiao Ling had expected Xiao Man to retort sharply. To her surprise, Xiao Man praised her so frankly that she momentarily forgot to reply. It wasn't until Yun Chang tugged at her sleeve that she snapped back to attention.
"Sister, it's like a vendor praising their own goods. How can you praise your own sister like this? People will laugh at us."
"My sister's elegance is outstanding. If they are not convinced, let them compete." Xiao Man said confidently. "Third Sister has always excelled in her studies and has been personally tutored by Madam Yan. Even when compared to young ladies from families with centuries of history, she is not inferior."
"Eldest Sister praises me so much that I feel embarrassed."
"Let's go, it's time to depart." Su Dan Novel Network
Xiao Man had a special carriage, her "Eight Treasures Fragrant Carriage," which had cost a considerable sum to customize. Yin Zhu helped Xiao Man into the carriage. Dongfang Wei disguised himself as the coachman and sat on the carriage shaft, ready to drive.
Xiao Ling got into the carriage in front, sharing it with the Old Madam. The Old Madam leaned against a small table, her eyes closed in a doze. Seeing Xiao Ling enter, she said, "Since you cannot see, don't trouble yourself. You're just restless."
"Grandmother, this is an imperial decree from the Empress. Even Eldest Sister cannot disobey. Besides, this incident is somewhat related to the Xue family. The Empress likely wishes to extend an olive branch at this opportunity."
The Old Madam understood perfectly but felt a headache at the thought of Xiao Man.
Master Wuyou had called her a heaven-ordained daughter, and Daoist Priest Tianda had called her a phoenix destined for greatness. She had thought Xiao Man would bring honor and prosperity to the General's Mansion, but instead, there was no honor, only endless trouble!
First, she angered the Crown Prince, then she offended Prince Han, and now she had forced her own son to sever ties with Prince Han's faction. Wasn't this ruining the future prospects of the General's Mansion?
Xiao Man was not the lucky star of the General's Mansion, the Old Madam thought resentfully. She was clearly a jinx!