There was also a daybed in the room, which, though it looked quite spacious, was typically used by maids on night duty. How could Ren Yaoqi possibly let Xiao Jinglin sleep there? She quickly said, "Let's just share the bed."
Xiao Jinglin naturally wouldn't make Ren Yaoqi sleep on the daybed either, so Ren Yaoqi's suggestion was quite practical. Xiao Jinglin was not one to stand on ceremony, so the matter was settled just like that.
Pingguo was carefully checking the bedding together with Hongying and a few other maids when Sujin, the Princess Consort's head maid, came over to say that the Princess Consort had summoned the Commandery Princess to discuss some matters.
After Xiao Jinglin went to see the Princess Consort, Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and called Sangshen over. She asked her to check whether the Ren Family had arrived, where they were staying, and to inform First Madam that she had settled in with the Commandery Princess. Earlier, she had only brought Pingguo and Sangshen onto the carriage, while the other maids and matrons had taken separate carriages. For now, she could only let First Madam arrange accommodations for them.
When Sangshen returned, she told Ren Yaoqi that First Madam had already arrived with several young ladies of the Ren Family and was staying in guest rooms outside, which were quite far from their quarters. Old Madam Ren had also come to Yunyang City, but she did not stay at the hot spring villa. Instead, she was staying at a separate residence in Yunyang City to oversee matters. First Madam also instructed Ren Yaoqi to be cautious in her actions here and to send someone to inform her if she needed anything.
Not long after Sangshen returned, Xiao Jinglin also came back. Her expression gave nothing away, but Ren Yaoqi suspected that Xiao Jinglin had likely been reprimanded by the Princess Consort for her earlier conflict with Xiao Wei. Since Xiao Jinglin didn't mention it, Ren Yaoqi didn't ask.
Many people attended the Thousand Gold Banquet. Due to their geographical advantage, the young ladies from Yan Prefecture had more relaxed criteria for participation. Invitations for other prefectures were not as numerous as those for Yan Prefecture, so the attendees from elsewhere were truly renowned young ladies from prestigious families, all well-bred and refined. Even so, nearly one to two hundred young ladies had gathered.
Many young gentlemen from distinguished families also attended, though they did not stay at the Yanbei Prince's Mansion's hot spring villa. Fortunately, there were many estates near the Sun-Moon Springs, most of which were owned by these aristocratic families, and they were fully occupied these days. It was said that several young masters from the Ren Family had also come, but since the Ren Family did not own an estate nearby, they were staying at the Qiu Family's estate.
The Yun Family was already highly experienced in organizing such grand banquets, so by noon, all the guests from various families had been properly accommodated.
Since the Thousand Gold Banquet was essentially a matchmaking event in disguise, the first day of the banquet was dedicated to socializing and probing intentions among families with marriage prospects, allowing the young ladies to become acquainted with one another. The second and third days were for the young ladies to showcase their talents and compete for a good reputation. It was said that those who stood out at the Thousand Gold Banquet in previous years were able to secure favorable marriages.
Gradually, people came to pay their respects to the Princess Consort, who selectively received those from important families. Xiao Jinglin had no patience for the back-and-forth exchanges with the ladies and young misses, so she and Ren Yaoqi hid under a bodhi tree in the side courtyard to read. After the Princess Consort sent someone to check on her a few times, she let her be.
The two of them also had lunch in the side courtyard. The Princess Consort had brought the Prince's Mansion's chef, but Xiao Jinglin disliked the chef's bland cooking. At some point, she had sent someone out, and when it was time to eat, Hongying brought over two large food boxes. In addition to signature dishes from several major restaurants in Yunyang City, there were also snacks such as duck blood soup, lotus root starch balls, and potstickers.The sheer variety left Ren Yaoqi utterly astonished.
Xiao Jinglin was quite pleased to see Ren Yaoqi's stunned expression, though she maintained a calm demeanor. "Since you're my guest, I must find ways to treat you to the finest food and drink," she said. "The dishes prepared by the chef my mother currently employs, as my master puts it, are so bland they could bore a bird to death."
Ren Yaoqi was both amused and exasperated, but she still whispered, "Commandery Princess, you mustn't let others hear that." If the Princess Consort found out, not only would Xiao Jinglin be in trouble, but her master would also face consequences.
Xiao Jinglin blinked, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Don't worry, have you ever seen me caught in a slip-up?"
Having grown up on the frontier surrounded by rough-and-tumble men, Xiao Jinglin had heard plenty of their banter and was quite different from ordinary noble ladies. That was why she had dared to joke about her own father and grandmother when teaching Xiao Wei a lesson. However, Xiao Jinglin was well aware of what she could and couldn't do as the Commandery Princess of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. She played her role quite well, at least avoiding any major trouble.
After quietly enjoying a sumptuous lunch, the two continued sitting on the bamboo couch under the bodhi tree, sipping tea and reading. Even without speaking, they felt no boredom, only a sense of peace and tranquility.
Ren Yaoqi had initially thought it would be nice to spend the day in such quietude, but fate had other plans. In the afternoon, Yun Qiuchen arrived, accompanied not only by Yun Qiuping and Yun Qiufang but also by Ren Yaoyin.
"No wonder we couldn't find the two of you—you were hiding here enjoying your leisure," Yun Qiuchen said with a smile as she looked at them.
Xiao Jinglin motioned for those who had bowed to her to rise. Without defending herself, she simply smiled and asked, "Cousin, are you here to see my mother?"
Putting aside the marriage alliance between the Yun Family and the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, the Princess Consort had always been fond of her niece Yun Qiuchen, who often visited the mansion to pay her respects. During her previous visit to the Yun Family, Ren Yaoqi had heard Xiao Jinglin refer to Old Madam Yun as "Grandaunt," a term derived from her grandmother's generation.
Ren Yaoqi later learned that although the Princess Consort of Yanbei was the daughter of Old Master Yun's elder brother, she had been raised by Old Madam Yun from a young age. Old Madam Yun brought her up alongside her own daughter, treating them equally. Before her marriage, the Princess Consort had been as close to Old Madam Yun as a mother and daughter.
Yun Qiuchen smiled and said, "We came to pay our respects to the Princess Consort. Yaoyin mentioned she hadn't seen her fifth sister since arriving, so I brought her along. The Princess Consort asked us to fetch you both so you wouldn't be cooped up here. Commandery Princess, would you like to join us for a stroll to the Sunlit Spring? Many young ladies are gathered there."
Yun Qiufang chimed in, "Yes, Commandery Princess, come with us! You spend so little time in Yunyang City that many people still don't know you."
Xiao Jinglin truly had no desire to go out, finding these people noisy and troublesome. However, since Yun Qiuchen said the Princess Consort had sent them to fetch her, she couldn't easily refuse.
After a moment's thought, she glanced at Ren Yaoqi. "Shall we go for a walk?" she asked, her eyes betraying a hint of helplessness.
Ren Yaoqi nodded. "A walk might be nice."
Hearing this, the Yun sisters were delighted. It was likely the Princess Consort had instructed them to find a way to bring Xiao Jinglin out.The group left the Moon Embracing Pavilion. The main courtyard, inhabited only by the Prince's household, remained relatively quiet. However, as soon as Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin stepped out of the main courtyard, they could sense the lively atmosphere that filled the entire garden.
Young ladies, either in small groups or larger gatherings, filled the mountain villa, their presence infusing the air with a lingering, delicate fragrance. Soft, gentle voices could be faintly heard, yet it did not feel overly noisy or chaotic.
Ren Yaoyin said to Ren Yaoqi, "Third Sister and the others seem to have come out as well. They should be near the Sunlight Spring now."
Ren Yaoqi glanced around and noticed that most people seemed to be gathered in the southeastern area. Presumably, the legendary Sunlight Spring was located nearby.
Sure enough, Yun Qiuchen led them toward the southeast.
Along the way, they encountered several young ladies. Some of them recognized Yun Qiuchen and came forward to greet her. Xiao Jinglin, however, remained silent throughout the journey. Since no one had seen her before, no one approached to disturb her. Yun Qiuchen seemed well aware of Xiao Jinglin's temperament and did not deliberately introduce her.
As they drew closer to the Sunlight Spring, the crowd grew larger. The Sunlight Spring was a large warm spring, surrounded by exotic flowers and rare plants said to bloom all year round. The area around the spring was enclosed by red-painted wooden railings, and from a distance, one could see the misty steam rising from the water. Despite it being summer, the place did not feel stiflingly hot. Instead, a gentle, warm breeze brushed against their faces, soft and soothing—a truly unique sensation.
Outside the railings, numerous stone tables and chairs were scattered about, with young ladies either sitting or standing in their respective circles. The arrival of Xiao Jinglin and her companions attracted quite a few glances, though the young ladies' gazes remained discreet. More eyes lingered on Xiao Jinglin. Although few had seen Commandery Princess Xiao before, her striking appearance and the natural, unapproachable aura she exuded in the crowd allowed some discerning individuals to guess her identity.
Not far away, a beautiful young lady in a pink dress leaned against the railing, chatting with several girls her age. Her voice, clear and melodious like silver bells, drew the attention of many. When her gaze fell upon the group, she paused briefly before immediately stepping forward, exclaiming with delight, "Sister Qiuchen, you've finally arrived! We've been waiting for you. If you hadn't come soon, I would have gone looking for you."
Yun Qiuchen smiled upon seeing her. "What brings you to seek me out, Miss Guo?"
Miss Guo pouted playfully. "Didn't you promise to show us around, Sister Qiuchen? You even said you'd take us to see the peacocks the Princess Consort keeps here. Have you forgotten? That won't do! Miss Jiang heard it too—you can't go back on your word. Miss Jiang, come over here!"
As she spoke, Miss Guo turned and beckoned. Among the girls who had been standing with her earlier, a young lady in a pale yellow dress hesitated for a moment before slowly stepping forward. She nodded with a smile in their direction and was then pulled over by Miss Guo.
Yun Qiuchen introduced them to Xiao Jinglin with a smile. "This is the eldest daughter of the Guo family from Weizhou, and this is the Eighth Miss of the Jiang family from Shunzhou. They paid their respects to my grandmother earlier, and she took a liking to them, so she asked me to show them around the mountain villa."
Miss Guo was surprised to see Yun Qiuchen specifically introducing them to the young lady beside her without immediately revealing her identity.According to custom, when introducing two strangers, one should first introduce the person of lower status to the one of higher status, and then introduce the person of higher status to the one of lower status.
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