Wang Qingyao said she would take He Rufang to the Yuejun Prince's mansion's conservatory banquet.
He Rufang was overjoyed, and even though she tried to suppress it, a smile couldn't be kept from her face.
Just now, Wang Qingyao had said a lot to her, and she had thought that before the family reunion banquet, she would not be able to attend any banquets of Duanjing's upper society.
She hadn't expected Wang Qingyao to be willing to bring her along!
She was both excited and grateful, and her good feelings towards the Xiao family were like a surging river, never-ending.
Especially Wang Qingyao, she was almost falling in love with her.
Her ability to enter the Xiao family, to become the adopted daughter of the Old Grand Consort in the future, and then to reach the pinnacle of life, all these benefits were brought to her by Wang Qingyao!
Wang Qingyao was her lucky star!
She made up her mind that even though she couldn't marry Xiao Yun as a concubine, after she got married in the future, she would still support Wang Qingyao, and not let others bully her because Wang Qingyao was blind!
He Rufang considered herself a grateful person.
In her eyes, Wang Qingyao was her benefactor.
As for Old Madam Wang, who had brought her to Duanjing and whom she had then caused to die, she had long since forgotten her.
"Only the rich and noble attend the Yuejun Prince's mansion," Wang Qingyao instructed her. "There are many royals. Remember, you must not make any mistakes in etiquette. Before the conservatory banquet, you are temporarily not to go out. I will have wet nurse Nian train you urgently. Don't complain about the hardship! I am doing this for your own good!"
He Rufang nodded vigorously, touched. "Princess Consort is doing this for Fangfang's good. Fangfang knows. Fangfang will definitely not fear hardship or fatigue, and will diligently learn etiquette and rules, so as not to shame Princess Consort or the Xiao family."
Wang Qingyao patted her hand and nodded with satisfaction.
As soon as He Rufang left, Yin Zhu pouted unhappily. "Your Majesty, why are you so good to this He Rufang? She was brought by Old Madam Wang, and she must have bad intentions. Are you not afraid of being repaid with ingratitude if you are so sincere? You're not captivated by her beauty, are you? That's not right, Your Majesty, you can't see, can you?"
Zhen Zhu looked at her like an idiot. Please, Your Majesty is a woman.
Wang Qingyao smiled faintly. "How do you know what is good and what is not good for her? My heart and sincerity are not so easily given away."
Yin Zhu was stunned, not quite understanding Wang Qingyao's words.
The taciturn Zhi Zi said for the first time, "Stop worrying about Your Majesty. Is Your Majesty dumber than you?"
Yin Zhu: "..."
This didn't sound like a compliment!
After this, He Rufang rarely appeared in front of others, focusing all her attention on learning rules from wet nurse Nian.
Under the name of the Old Grand Consort, Wang Qingyao prepared four sets of clothes and a set of hair ornaments for her, along with rouge, powder, and other cosmetics, ensuring that she would make a stunning debut at the Yuejun Prince's mansion's conservatory banquet and amaze the Crown Prince.
"You shouldn't refuse this," Wang Qingyao told her. "You can't be shabby when attending the Yuejun Prince's mansion's conservatory banquet. You will be a young lady of the Ding'an Prince's mansion in the future. If others see you wearing ordinary clothes, they will think the Old Grand Consort and we are mistreating you!"
Wang Qingyao said this half-jokingly, half-seriously.
He Rufang's face turned red, and she did not refuse.
She knew Wang Qingyao was right.
For her first formal banquet, she indeed needed to be dressed beautifully to make an unforgettable impression on Duanjing's upper society.
"Thank you, Princess Consort. I will go and thank the Old Grand Consort later."
Wang Qingyao nodded.
He Rufang's features were delicate and bright, and her figure was also voluptuous. Although she had some talent, compared to the talented women of Duanjing, she was not enough.
In the past, she relied on her beauty and thought that all men in the world would revolve around her. She unconsciously exuded a seductive aura, which felt a bit unrefined.
Wang Qingyao had wet nurse Nian train her in a dignified, elegant, and slightly aloof style.
Only a sacred and inviolable beauty could be unforgettable.
Like the Little Dragon Girl.
Being seductive and alluring like a courtesan would only be fresh for a while.
After all, He Rufang, though beautiful, was not so stunningly beautiful that people would overlook everything else.
If she were truly that beautiful, she wouldn't need to do anything.
Just standing there, countless men would flock to her.
Let alone men, perhaps women too.
Under wet nurse Nian's rigorous training, He Rufang's etiquette was flawless.
She moved with light steps, walking out slowly. She was truly dignified and radiant, noble and grand, as dazzling as the bright sun, making it impossible for people to look away.
The Yuejun Prince's mansion's conservatory banquet was held after the Mid-Autumn Festival.
This year, the Emperor was unwell, so he did not host a banquet for his officials in the palace.
Wang Qingyao suspected he was not ill at all, but was feigning illness to avoid the banquet for Xiao Yun's safety, preventing Shun Feng from making a move during the banquet.
The Emperor's painstaking efforts touched Xiao Yun greatly. He quietly said to Wang Qingyao, "I wonder when I can call him Father Emperor."
"That day will come," Wang Qingyao comforted her.
There was no reason for He Rufang not to be invited to the Xiao family's Mid-Autumn banquet.
Consort Fang, as usual, did not attend, even for a simple family meal, she found an excuse to refuse.
Wang Qingyao guessed that she did not want to see her.
That was fine, as she also did not particularly want to see her.
Since she claimed to be cultivating a pure and detached life and worshipping Buddha, she should not defile the Buddha. She should stay in Jingwu Courtyard and accompany the Buddha. She should not be tempted by the secular world and interfere again.
Not long after the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was the Yuejun Prince's mansion's conservatory banquet.
The Seventh Prince was not yet married, so the Yuejun Prince's mansion temporarily had no mistress.
Although the Imperial Household Department would be responsible for the conservatory banquet, a hostess was needed to entertain the female guests.
Originally, Consort Chen would have been the most suitable, but she was pregnant and not supposed to be overworked.
Consort Chen's intention was for Princess Mu Jin to host the female guests as the mistress of the house, as she would be the future mistress of the Yuejun Prince's mansion.
However, the incident a few years ago where the legitimate daughter of the Kang family hanged herself at the Qi Prince's conservatory banquet was still fresh in memory. Madam Mu did not allow Princess Mu Jin to interfere in the affairs of the Yuejun Prince's mansion before she was truly married to the Seventh Prince.
Consort Chen had no choice but to give up.
Another suitable candidate was the Crown Princess Wei Yu.
However, for some unknown reason, Wei Yu refused, using a cold as an excuse.
Heh, the transition between summer and autumn indeed made people catch a cold easily.
Finally, this task fell to Princess Rong, Wei Qing.
Wei Qing was the eldest sister-in-law, so it was understandable.