CHAPTER 547: CHAPTER 547 FAMILY FEAST

Peony Garden.

Princess Nanzhang was feeling a bit tired and planned to take a nap.

Just as she closed her eyes, a maid came in and said, "Commandery Princess, the Old Madam has sent the maid Lanzhi to deliver a message to you."

Princess Nanzhang opened her eyes, a hint of impatience flickering in her gaze.

In the past few days, the Old Madam had been frequently sending maids to find her.

Yesterday, it was to remind her not to tamper with Lady Chi’s medicine.

Now she didn’t know what it was about again.

"Let her in," Princess Nanzhang said.

She did not sit properly, just reclined on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch.

After Lanzhi entered, she bowed and said, "Commandery Princess, the Old Madam asks you to arrange a family banquet tonight."

"Family banquet?" Princess Nanzhang furrowed her brows.

"Why suddenly think of holding a family banquet?"

Especially since today is the burial day of the Heir of Uncle Yongcheng.

Princess Nanzhang did not believe the Old Madam would have such leisure and elegance.

Such obviously troublesome words from the Old Madam were best let go in one ear and out the other, Lanzhi decided.

Why the Old Madam wanted to hold a family banquet, she didn’t know either.

Although the poisoning attempt failed, the Old Madam did not blame her, but Lanzhi was still uneasy.

She didn’t know what kind of poison the Old Madam asked her to use on the eldest cousin.

But for a grandmother to do such a thing seemed overly vicious.

After Lanzhi reported, she bowed and left.

Leaving Princess Nanzhang with a face full of displeasure.

"Commandery Princess?" Mrs. Zhao looked at her.

"Go prepare for tonight’s family banquet," Princess Nanzhang instructed.

She didn’t care about the family banquet at all.

The affairs of the Prince Zhenbei Mansion were under her control.

How could the inner residence affairs be meddled with by outsiders?

This feeling of being ordered around was something Princess Nanzhang greatly disliked.

She wanted to see what kind of trick the Old Madam had up her sleeve.

After giving her instructions, Princess Nanzhang lay down to rest.

Mrs. Zhao, who had been by Princess Nanzhang’s side for many years, found organizing a family banquet to be a trivial matter.

She first called the main kitchen steward, finalized the dishes for the family banquet, and notified the various halls to attend.

Mrs. Zhao only had to move her mouth, but the main kitchen ran itself ragged.

Although there was no shortage of anything in the mansion, some dishes needed to be prepared from early morning.

In the past, family banquets started preparation one or two days in advance, unlike today, when it was almost noon before any mention was made.

This spontaneous family banquet kept everyone busy and dizzy.

Although it was the main kitchen that was busy, it wasn’t entirely unrelated to the Agarwood Pavilion.

Indeed.

It wasn’t completely unrelated.

The main kitchen, short-handed, borrowed a cook from the Agarwood Pavilion to help cut vegetables.

Su Jin read half a book, took a nap.

The family banquet was set up to relieve the shocks for her and Xie Jingchen; they were the main focus of the banquet.

To show her seriousness, Su Jin took a bath and changed into new clothes.

Once she was done, it was almost time.

Su Jin and Xie Jingchen left Agarwood Pavilion together.

Qihao Hall.

Main hall.

A gathering of many.

Except for the Old Prince and the Prince, everyone else was more or less present.

As soon as they entered the room, all eyes focused on Su Jin and Xie Jingchen.

After all, this family banquet was to calm their nerves.

However!

Indeed, there was no hint of fright on Su Jin and Xie Jingchen’s faces.

It felt like they had fallen off a fake cliff.

"Did the heir’s wife really fall off a cliff?" the Third Madam asked.

Su Jin looked at her, "Why does Auntie ask that?"

"I’ve never seen someone who fell off a cliff be as composed as the heir’s wife," the Third Madam said.

Calm.

No helping it.

Su Jin glanced at Xie Jingchen and said, "With my husband here, there’s nothing to fear."

With one sentence, the Third Madam’s face turned red.

She turned her head and glared fiercely at the Third Master.

Third Master, "...."

What did it have to do with him?

The Third Madam was angry.

Look at others, willing to jump off a cliff together, live and die together, and then look at the Third Master, not to mention dying for her, he didn’t even want to touch her.

Even though he agreed to bring Aunt Xue into the mansion, with the Old Prince in the mansion, the Third Master didn’t dare go too far.

He spent more than half his time in the Third Madam’s room, definitely not daring to spoil the concubine and neglect the wife.

But though he slept there, he never touched the Third Madam.

Talk to him a bit more, and he’d either complain of fatigue or say he had to attend the morning court early and went to bed early.

The Third Madam, mindful of her reputation, didn’t dare speak of her resentment, her frustration and bitterness known only to herself.

Su Jin’s casual display of affection nearly choked the Third Madam.

"The Prince hasn’t returned to the mansion?" the Old Madam asked.

A maid replied, "The Prince has already returned, saying he’ll come after bathing and changing clothes."

Just as the maid withdrew, the Prince walked in.

He glanced to the right, where there was an empty seat.

Princess Nanzhang’s face stiffened.

The Prince actually noticed whether Lady Chi had come to the family banquet.

Such a subtle change made Princess Nanzhang unhappy and even a bit uneasy.

"Why hasn’t Lady Chi come yet, making so many people wait for her is quite improper," Princess Nanzhang said coldly.

A maid entered and bowed, "Lady Chi isn’t feeling well, she says she’ll attend the next family banquet."

Princess Nanzhang glanced at the Prince and said, "We invited a doctor for her yesterday, and there was nothing seriously wrong. The heir’s wife fell off a cliff and was frightened but still came to the family banquet, yet for some minor ailments, she can’t come. Since when has she become so delicate?"

"Alright, it’s not the first or second time she hasn’t attended a family banquet; why force her?" the Prince said.

Already unhappy, Princess Nanzhang was even more annoyed when the Prince defended Lady Chi, and she said, "Since it’s a family banquet, everyone should be present. If the Prince doesn’t care whether Lady Chi comes or not, naturally I don’t mind either."

The Old Prince walked in, terminating this sour topic.

The Old Prince sat down and drank a few sips of tea.

Maidservants brought the food to the table.

Once the Old Prince set down his teacup, the family banquet began.

Lanzhi stood aside, quite reserved.

She glanced several times toward Mrs. Wang.

When Mrs. Wang left the Old Madam’s side, Lanzhi quickly followed her.

Mrs. Wang looked at her and said, "Why aren’t you serving, what are you doing following me?"

Lanzhi anxiously said, "Mrs. Wang, please don’t be angry, Lanzhi didn’t do it on purpose today."

Saying this, she poured a cup of tea and offered it to Mrs. Wang, saying, "Lanzhi offers this tea to apologize."

Mrs. Wang never blamed her.

Even having served the Old Madam for decades, she often felt she had no choice, let alone speaking of a young maid.

Such a timid maid, with courage estimated to be less than half of Lv Xiu’s, how she caught the Old Madam’s eyes was questionable?

Seeing Lanzhi’s pleading face, Mrs. Wang knew that if she didn’t drink her apology tea, the maid would probably find it hard to rest at ease.

Mrs. Wang softened her heart and took the teacup, taking a sip.

"Alright, get back to work."

Lanzhi took back the teacup, satisfied, and left.

Mrs. Wang refilled the wine and turned back.

After standing for about half a cup of tea, Mrs. Wang began to feel dizzy.

Suddenly her vision went black, and she fell backward.

Amidst the banquet’s clinks and laughter.

A harmonious atmosphere.

Mrs. Wang’s sudden collapse really frightened everyone.