“Wei Qiuju, is this what you called “a good idea’ that you worked out for me?” As soon as Wei Yuewu left, Wei Yan changed her expression, raising her chin arrogantly and snorting coldly. She really looked down upon Wei Qiuju, a concubine’s daughter. If the latter hadn’t come to her last night telling her the matter of the banquet, which was exactly what she had been looking forward to, she wouldn’t have paid attention to her.

Wei Qiuju was nothing but a parrot that followed behind Wei Qiufu.

Everybody knew that Wei Qiuju only echoed everything Wei Qiufu said. Hardly had Wei Qiufu left when Wei Qiuju came to curry favor with her, which was actually not a bad thing. She would let Wei Qiufu see who the truly noblest young lady was in the mansion. Wei Qiufu, who always assumed an air of purity, was really nothing in front of her.

“Second Elder Sister, don’t you not think this is a great idea? Everybody knows that you are the most respected young lady in the mansion. But now you see, what a mess Sixth Younger Sister has made in the mansion! She’s really annoying.” Wei Qiuju replied cautiously with a hypocritical smile. She really didn’t dare to offend Wei Yan.

Wei Qiuju always appeared timid when she met Wei Yan. In the presence of the stunning beauty of Wei Yan, the loveliness of her appearance was indeed nothing. She, nevertheless, did not have a good impression of Wei Yuewu. As she saw it, Wei Yuewu was merely a base girl from the countryside, so how could she receive more respect than her? Although she was born to a concubine, at least she was raised in the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. Why on earth was Wei Yuewu nobler than her?

“Have you made up your mind? Are you sure to stand on my side this time?” Wei Yan asked coldly.

“Yes, Second Elder Sister. I’m sure I’m on your side. She’s from the countryside and ill-bred. Who would want to stand by her?” Wei Qiuju hurriedly nodded in affirmation and patted on her chest to show her loyalty.

She had never had the chance to please Wei Yan. Now that the Fourth Elder Sister had reminded her, of course she would devote herself to helping Wei Yan deal with Wei Yuewu.

“Don’t worry, Second Elder Sister. When it happened, I will definitely speak up for you. She’s just an uncivilized girl from the countryside. She doesn’t deserve to get into the circle of aristocratic young ladies. Besides, no one can blame us when this incident takes place!” Wei Qiuju nodded her head vigorously and a trace of disdain flashed through her eyes.

Under the coat of the dark night, a figure quietly walked towards the Mid-Lake Pavilion. It was a quite sturdy-looking old maidservant. Seeing that there was no one around, she took careful steps to avoid the curtains hung in front of the pavilion and walked in from behind. A flash emitted from something in her hand onto the surface of the lake. It was a hammer!

She started to carefully strike with the hammer at the intersection of two wooden bars at the entrance of the pavilion…

The place was far away from the residential area and in the middle of the lake. Therefore, even if she made a little noise, no one would notice it. They would think it was the rustling of branches and leaves made by the winter wind.

After a few knocks, the joint of the two railings got loosened. It looked like that a slight push was enough to make one fall into the lake. The old maidservant was satisfied with her work and quietly left.

After she left, another black shadow nimbly jumped down from the top of the pavilion and walked to the railings. The person tried them with a hand, took out an item and worked on the railings. After that, the figure disappeared into the night as well…

The night was very quiet in mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. As they were going to entertain guests tomorrow, people in every courtyard went to bed early. No one noticed anything unusual here!

Early in the morning, a busy atmosphere pervaded the mansion. Today’s guests were all young ladies from aristocratic families. Though the Madam Dowager and the ladies didn’t have to show up, Wei Yan, Wei Qiuju, and Wei Yuewu, as the young ladies of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, must attend the banquet. They were the hostesses today.

Wei Yuewu wore upper clothes with plum-blossom patterns today. Down her waist was an eight-pleated purple skirt. Her hair was rolled up and decorated with two golden hairpins, each of which having a hanging pearl. As she walked, her hairpins glowed beautifully and the sunlight that fell on her face accentuated the jade-like fairness of her face.

“Sixth Younger Sister, where did you get your hairpins? They’re so beautiful!” Wei Qiuju’s eyes flashed with jealousy. Since she was a concubine’s daughter, she had to pick from the leftovers unwanted by Wei Yan and Wei Qiufu.

After all these years, she had already resigned herself to fate. However, she just didn’t feel comfortable with Wei Yuewu who came from nowhere. Why could she have better hairpins than those on her head?

Wei Yuewu was indeed a girl from the countryside. She would wear everything that was eye-catching. Her intention to show off was too obvious. Well, she wouldn’t smug for long and this was the only opportunity for her to flaunt. It was hard to say how she would meet her end.

Standing opposite Wei Qiuju, Wei Yuewu did not miss the trace of jealousy and disdain in Wei Qiuju’s eyes. The corner of her lips curled slightly. She had always been considered an outsider by these young ladies of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. Of course, apart from the young ladies, the Madam Dowager and others never regarded her as a true member of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang from the very beginning either.

“Grandmother gave them to me. There are plenty of them. If you like them, Fifth Elder Sister, you can pick some later.” Wei Yuewu smiled faintly. The Madam Dowager sent jewelry to her again last night.

“Really? That’ll be great. I’ll just do as you said.” A bright smile came over Wei Qiuju’s face when she heard that Wei Yuewu was willing to give her some of the jewelry from the Madam Dowager. She instantly took Wei Yuewu by the arm affectionately and her smile couldn’t be sweeter.

The banquet was held in the garden that was adjacent to the lake. As it was winter, the site was in fact not a suitable one, but it accorded with the high taste of the aristocratic young ladies. Therefore, curtains were put up around the shady sides of the waterside pavilions and the rest ones. Many aristocratic young ladies came, but Wei Yuewu didn’t know any of them. She sat in an outermost pavilion, enjoying the scenery and listening to others chat.

“Sixth Younger Sister, come here.” Wei Qiuju came over from a pavilion in the front and beckoned her, a signal for her to go there quickly.

Wei Yuewu shook her head with a smile. “Fifth Elder Sister, you go and have fun. I’ll just sit here.”

“Nonsense. They heard that you were the Sixth Young Lady of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang and are all very curious about you. Come and meet them.” Wei Qiuju said smilingly.

Wei Yuewu glanced at Wei Qiuju’s face out of the corner of her eyes. After seemingly thinking for a while, she shook her head again. “Fifth Elder Sister, I’m still sick and might not be able to hold on. I’ll leave early later.”

“Since you want to go back earlier, you had better meet the guests first. This is your first time to be a hostess and receive guests. You can’t leave earlier than them. Let’s go. After you met them, if you really don’t feel well, you can go back first.” Wei Qiuju’s smile became brighter and sweeter as she came to grab Wei Yuewu’s hand and uttered those words.

It seemed as if Wei Yuewu had no choice but to go.

“There are a few young ladies over there who had distinguished statuses. Sixth Younger Sister, go and say a few words with them.” She lowered her voice and added those words to remind Wei Yuewu in an affectionate tone.

She was pointing in the direction of the Mid-Lake Pavilion, which was at the end of the line of the waterside pavilions. At this moment, Wei Yan was talking with several young ladies over there, who were supposed to be the young ladies Wei Qiuju referred to.

Since Wei Qiuju put it this way, Wei Yuewu couldn’t insist on refusing. She stood up resignedly and Wei Qiuju pulled her forward by the hand. Wei Yuewu’s eyelids were slightly drooped, and her eyes were filled with icy coldness that was unnoticed by Wei Qiuju. Well, Wei Qiuju, you could stay away from this mess, but if you wanted to hurt me with Wei Yan, don’t blame me for being ruthless…

Jin Ling followed them closely behind with vigilance.

“This is the Sixth Young Lady of this mansion? She looks so skinny. Is there no food in the countryside? How come they brought her up to be so small?” Just as Wei Yuewu arrived at the pavilion, she heard a shrill voice. Seeing that the speaker had a pretty face similar to that of Wei Yan, Wei Yuewu knew she should be from the Li family.

Hardly had they met than this person made personal attacks against her, saying that she was from the countryside. Her remarks were the same as telling people that she was an uncivilized, ignorant and ill-informed girl from the countryside.

She lifted her watery eyes and looked at the brightly dressed young lady in front of her with a cold smile. “Whether there is plenty of food to eat or not in the countryside, I’m not sure. My granny always kept me in my boudoir. But is there so much delicious food in the capital?”

Wei Yuewu sized up the young lady from the Li family and slightly curled up the corner of her lips. She revealed a smile that was as beautiful as an orchid. And there was not a single trace on her showing she was intimidated because she had not seen much of the world.

Coincidentally, this young lady was round and plump. Now she was mocked by Wei Yuewu and saw others having a knowing smile on their faces, her face immediately flushed. She was so embarrassed that she could not utter a word for a while.

The young ladies of aristocratic families regarded slender as beautiful. A shape like hers could be considered fat.

“Are… you that untalented and plain-looking Sixth Young Lady of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang?” The young ladies here were actually Wei Yan’s bosom friends. When they had heard Wei Yan say what had happened yesterday was designed by her sixth younger sister, none of them had a good impression of Wei Yuewu. At this time, another young lady stood up. She looked at Wei Yuewu with disdain and uttered those unpleasant words.

Although this kind of banquet was held in different mansions on different days, it was in fact an occasion for the circle of young ladies. Although those on the periphery of the circle constantly changed, those at the core remained the same. Wei Yan’s position determined that she was one of those who were at the core.

“Yes, I am the untalented and plain-looking Sixth Young Lady of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. I felt that what people said about me was indeed true when I saw you, and I felt ashamed of my ungainly appearance upon seeing your beauty.” Wei Yuewu replied calmly with a smile. Her long eyes blinked and her delicate features looked peerlessly charming under the glow of the shining pearls.

If a girl with her beauty could be said to be plain-looking, how should one rate the appearance of the questioner, who was passably pretty but now seemed to be inferior? Whether Wei Yuewu was talented or not was unclear, but the rumor about her being plain-looking was indeed false.

That young lady said Wei Yuewu was plain-looking when she actually had such an extremely charming face. Now the young lady who questioned her was so mortified that even her neck turned red. Everyone could tell that her appearance was absolutely inferior to that of Wei Yuewu.

“How sharp-tongued you are, Sixth Miss Wei.”

“Sixth Miss Wei, have you read A Lady’s Etiquette and The Dos and Don’ts of Women?” Two young ladies beside Wei Yan questioned Wei Yuewu one after another. They looked like twins. Their eyes landed on Wei Yuewu with some contempt.

“I read a little.” Wei Yuewu simply stopped her steps and replied with her lips curled up. Her eyes swept past Wei Yan and landed on a maid who was sidling towards her.

The maid had been standing behind Wei Yan and with her back against the curtain, so she couldn’t tell what was in her hand. Now the maid slowly moved toward her, Wei Yuewu saw that she was holding a fruit plate. However, it was more than a fruit plate, because there was not only fruit but also a lamp.