Four or five days after Qin Chuyuan was injured at home, his injury recovered very well. He could get up and walk around, and the subordinate affairs were also moved to the mansion for processing.
This time, although Gong Xiaohua didn’t show any expression on her face because of Qin Chuyuan’s injury, she was still very shocked in her heart. In addition, her mother taught her all the way last time, and she knew that Qin Chuyuan really had other feelings for her, and these feelings may not be shallow.
As for herself, once she confirmed the other party's feelings, she re-examined her own feelings, which were very different from those she faced with others. Sometimes her eyes would involuntarily look at Qin Chuyuan, and sometimes she might feel flustered because of a small gesture Qin Chuyuan made to her. If this was a sign of beating heart, it was undeniable that she was happy about Qin Chuyuan.
One day, after Gong Xiaohua and Qin Chuyuan had just finished their dinner, Qin Chuqin walked in from outside with a bowl of medicine in her hand.
Handing the medicine to Qin Chuyuan: "Drink it while it's hot."
"Sister, let the subordinates do these trivial things, why do you need to do it yourself."
"It's just a matter of passing by. You two will rest the day after tomorrow, and it will be the princess' banquet too. I will talk to Xiaohua." Qin Chuqin said to Gong Xiaohua.
"What banquet?" Gong Xiaohua asked.
"Did you forget that the Eldest Princess gave you a post when you first returned from the border? It was originally intended to be held earlier, but due to the assassination incident on the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was postponed for some time to prevent any risks, and it was postponed until the day after tomorrow."
It seemed that she had heard Qin Chuyuan's mother say it before, but she hadn't taken it to heart.
"The Eldest Princess likes lively events, especially seeing us young people being lively and active. So every year at this time, she will hold a large-scale flower viewing banquet in her private manor, inviting major families in the city to participate. Among them, ah, there is also an implicit meaning of matchmaking."
Another large-scale matchmaking banquet. If she hadn’t been betrothed to Qin’s family by His Majesty, and married into this powerful Qin family, she really didn’t know that the entertainment activities of the upper-class women in Dayi Dynasty were so colorful.
"There is a hot spring in the Eldest Princess's manor. If you want to soak when the time comes, bring more clothes when you go." Qin Chuqin told Gong Xiaohua.
"Okay, thank you sister for telling me."
"Okay, I won't disturb you two anymore. I'll come to invite you the day after tomorrow." Qin Chuqin stood up and said to Gong Xiaohua.
"Okay"
After Qin Chuqin left, Gong Xiaohua looked at Qin Chuqin: "Has there been any outcome in the assassination case?"
"Not yet."
"The rules of the Wuji Sect are either you die or I perish. It is best to find their base and take the initiative to attack and destroy them." Gong Xiaohua suggested.
"The Wuji Sect is an assassin organization as well as an intelligence base planted by Wei Country in Dayi. The Crown Prince is already deploying to destroy their lair in one fell swoop."
The day after tomorrow came in the blink of an eye. The invited guests all took the carriage early to attend the banquet.
The place where the Eldest Princess held the banquet was the most beautiful garden in the imperial capital, and the only place with natural hot springs. This garden is usually uninhabited and is only used to host various banquets. It is very popular among the wives and daughters of the wealthy families in the imperial capital.
This garden was a private manor given by the Former Emperor when he married off the Eldest Princess. When the Former Emperor was alive, the Eldest Princess was deeply favored. The current emperor is also the younger brother of the same mother as the Eldest Princess. Her status, position, and favor are undiminished. She can be said to be the noblest woman at the moment, making others envious.
The manor occupies a very large area with all kinds of famous flowers.
Only the main and third branches of the Qin family participated in the banquet this time. The second branch was a concubine's son and did not yet have the qualifications to be invited by the Eldest Princess.
As soon as the young female members of the main house of Qin’s family arrived at the manor, they separated from the people of the third house. Except for Madam Qin of the third house, although the other two were generals, they still couldn’t change one’s low-ranking official origin, and the other was an infertile woman divorced from her husband’s family. They disdained to walk with them.
Madam Qin was also too lazy to be fake and polite with the main house, so she took Gong Xiaohua and her daughter to pay respects to the princess alone.
The princess was in the flower hall with noble ladies chatting. The old lady servants came in to announce that Madam Qin of the third house had come with her daughter-in-law and daughter to pay respects. The hall suddenly became quiet, and they had all heard of Madam Qin’s daughter-in-law and daughter of the third house. Some scoffed at them while others admired and respected them. It was not known what the princess’s attitude was.
"Please come in quickly." It was obvious that the Eldest Princess was very happy.
"Greetings to the Eldest Princess, may she have endless blessings." Madam Qin was at the front, while Gong Xiaohua and Qin Chuqin were on her left and right, saluting the princess.
"Please dispense with ceremony."
"Thank you princess."
The Eldest Princess looked at Gong Xiaohua who was standing behind Madam Qin on the left. Last time when she met her, she was still wearing general’s armor, but today she had taken off her armor and changed into women’s dresses. Tall figure, light yellow dress and simple hair decoration, fresh and elegant, quite stylish. She beckoned Gong Xiaohua to come over.
Gong Xiaohua walked towards the Eldest Princess gracefully. Because she was well maintained, the nearly fifty-year-old Eldest Princess looked only to be over thirty.
"When I saw you last time, it was when you were returning to Beijing after being recalled. On the street, you were heroic, no inferior to men. Now wearing beautiful women’s dresses, you are also a delicate and beautiful beauty. The young master of the Qin family is lucky to have married such a pleasant lady." said the Eldest Princess who smiled and praised Gong Xiaohua to the ladies in the hall.
The ladies in the hall were all knowledgeable people. seeing the princess’s praise, they echoed with praise even if they were disdainful inside. Only a few young women were so angry that they wanted to tear her to pieces on the spot.
There was still a long time before the start of the banquet. The Eldest Princess let everyone form small groups to visit the garden at will.
Madam Qin had her own social circles. She took Gong Xiaohua and Qin Chuqin to say greetings one by one with her acquaintances and then let her daughter take Gong Xiaohua for a walk in the garden.
This was the first time Gong Xiaohua participated in such a flower viewing banquet. There were many young men and women in the garden. The customs of Dayi were not conservative. Men and women did not avoid suspicion. There were many groups of three or five companions. Some appreciated flowers, some played throwing pots, archery, and so on, very lively.
The two walked side by side on a secluded path to appreciate the flowers in the garden. Suddenly they heard someone talking outside the flower wall ahead to the left.
"I heard that Master Zhou's Eldest Son is proposing marriage to the Wei Consort's sister from the concubine’s side. Although Master Zhou's Eldest Son has divorced before, he is a handsome talent and has a good family background. He is well-matched with the Wei Consort's sister."
"Yes, yes." people around echoed.
It was obvious that they were talking about Qin Chuqin’s ex-husband. Gong Xiaohua looked at Qin Chuqin, worried that she would be sad.
Qin Chuqin shook her head at Gong Xiaohua to signal that she was fine.
"Master Zhou's Eldest Son has been kind and righteous to the end. If it had fallen to any other man, wouldn’t he directly repudiate his wife?"
"There is also that Gong lady who is married to Junior commander Qin. She is a woman who plays with sabers and spears all day, and is with a group of men and women everyday, really damaging the wind and decorum, without the sense of shame, ruining Junior Commander Qin's reputation for no reason." the topic continued.
However, Gong Xiaohua and Qin Chuqin did not want to hide in the corner to listen to other people's gossip, especially since the protagonists they were talking about were them. The two smiled at each other and left this place of gossip.
