No matter what storms or undercurrents surged within Fixed Capital, the surface always appeared peaceful and prosperous... The annual Chrysanthemum Banquet was approaching. Since the Hall of Extensive Learning's Verification happened to fall close to the banquet this year, the two events were combined.
Unlike previous years, this arrangement meant the Verification would now take place before a grand audience, turning it into a major gathering for noble families.
Early in the morning, Old Madam Shen sent her chief maid Xi'er to the West Courtyard, saying she had invited tailors to make dresses for the Chrysanthemum Banquet and asking Shen Miao to come choose her outfit.
Shen Miao nodded in agreement.
In past Verifications, Shen Miao had always dressed casually, as she was merely an afterthought—standing out would only invite ridicule. But now that the Verification coincided with the Chrysanthemum Banquet, not making proper attire would be inappropriate.
At the Chrysanthemum Banquet, the wives of various officials would attend, mostly to scout for potential daughters-in-law. Thus, families with daughters would dress them lavishly, hoping they would appear as beautiful as possible. Though Old Madam Shen disliked the eldest branch of the family, she still had to maintain appearances. Moreover, she was someone who prioritized her own interests—if Shen Miao could be traded for a beneficial marriage alliance, selling her off wouldn't be out of the question.
Bailu seemed quite happy as she accompanied Shen Miao to the Hall of Glory and Scenery, chattering, "I didn’t expect the Chrysanthemum Banquet to come so soon! Doesn’t the young miss love it the most? Soon you’ll get to admire the flowers again."
Shen Miao did like the Chrysanthemum Banquet, but not for the flowers. At such gatherings, she was always subtly isolated—partly due to Shen Yue and Shen Qing’s instigation, but also because of her own dull and clumsy nature. Her outfits were often unbecoming, earning her silent mockery she remained oblivious to.
Her fondness for the banquet stemmed from Fu Xiuyi.
A year ago, Fu Xiuyi had also attended the Chrysanthemum Banquet. That day, she had once again been mocked and left alone. Amidst the vibrant blooms in the garden, everyone sought the most striking flowers, while she wandered to a corner and spotted a lone white chrysanthemum.
White chrysanthemums were typically used for funerals, making them inherently unappealing. Moreover, this one looked particularly pitiful—its petals wilted, whether from rain or wind, standing solitary in the corner, unnoticed by anyone.
Perhaps out of empathy, Shen Miao felt she and the flower were kindred spirits—both lonely, overlooked little things. Just as she sighed in melancholy, she saw a finely dressed man approach the flower.
He lifted the stem gently, caressing its petals. Someone beside him asked, "Ninth Brother, why bother with such a sad-looking flower?"
The man smiled. "I pity its delicate helplessness. It’s pitiable."
That single phrase—"I pity its delicate helplessness"—stirred Shen Miao’s heart. When the man turned around, she was further captivated by his striking, noble appearance.
Later, she learned from the other ladies that he was the Ninth Prince, Prince Ding Fu Xiuyi.
Perhaps youthful infatuation needed no reason. Though Fu Xiuyi’s words had been about the flower, Shen Miao felt they resonated with her own plight. She thought, "Such a gentle man—if I married him, surely he would cherish me just as he pitied that lonely flower."Alas, she had still miscalculated in the end. Fu Xiuyi cherished delicate flowers, cherished the world, cherished Mei Furen, but never once cherished her. Everything she had given was, in his eyes, merely the "duty" a wife ought to fulfill. Those days of mutual respect were nothing more than a play he endured with concealed disgust.
Nor did he truly cherish those chrysanthemums—it was merely an offhand remark, yet she had taken it to heart.
"Miss?" Lost in thought, Shen Miao hadn’t noticed she had already arrived at the entrance of the Hall of Glory and Scenery. Bailu quickly called out to remind her, and only then did Shen Miao follow Xi'er inside.
Shen Yuanbai was absent today. Old Madam Shen wore a blue-and-white embroidered long coat. At her advanced age, the youthful blue hue made her face appear almost ghostly—yet she remained blissfully unaware.
Shen Yue and Shen Qing stood beside their respective mothers. The second branch originally had two other concubine-born daughters, but Ren Wanyun was far too domineering to allow them to attend such banquets and steal the spotlight. As for the third branch, apart from his principal wife Chen Ruoqiu, Shen Wan had only one bed warmer, let alone any concubine-born children.
Thus, only the legitimate daughters of each branch received invitations to the flower banquet.
After paying her respects to Old Madam Shen, Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Miao and said with a smile, "Little Fifth is here. Come quickly and pick your fabric. Li Niang will take your measurements shortly."
Shen Qing giggled. "Second Sister and I have already chosen. We were just waiting for you to pick."
Though Xi'er had arrived late, it now seemed as though Shen Miao were at fault for keeping everyone waiting in the Hall of Glory and Scenery. Shen Miao couldn’t be bothered to argue and simply walked over to the couch where the fabrics were spread out.
Li Niang was a middle-aged woman in her thirties. Every year, the Shen Mansion purchased its new garments from her shop. In her youth, she had learned embroidery from a palace seamstress, and her craftsmanship was exquisite.
Five or six bolts of fabric lay before them. A crabapple-red and a misty-pink one had already been set aside—undoubtedly chosen by Shen Qing and Shen Yue.
Memories of her past life flashed vividly before her eyes. At the Chrysanthemum Banquet, Shen Qing had worn the Scattered Flower Cloud Gauze Skirt in crabapple-red, appearing warm and generous, outshining even the flowers. Shen Yue, clad in the Bright Pink Embroidered White Pear Blossom Satin Lily Padded Skirt, looked delicate and pure. Meanwhile, Shen Miao, dressed in pale yellow and adorned with Old Madam Shen’s gaudy golden necklace and jewelry, had unwittingly made a fool of herself.
And that pale yellow fabric had been chosen under the coaxing of her aunts and sisters.
Shen Yue spoke up with a smile. "Fifth Sister has fair skin. Why not choose the pale yellow fabric? It would make you look lively and adorable—a perfect match."
Shen Qing nodded eagerly. "Indeed. Looking at the remaining fabrics, pale yellow seems the most suitable for Fifth Sister."
Chen Ruoqiu smiled faintly without a word. Ren Wanyun’s eyes gleamed with mockery.
Shen Miao had never been good at choosing clothes.
With her mother rarely at the mansion, a child naturally lacked guidance in such matters. The rest of the Shen household harbored ulterior motives—who would sincerely teach a young girl how to dress? Over time, Shen Miao had simply followed Shen Qing and Shen Yue’s lead, picking whatever they suggested.For instance, that pale yellow fabric did complement her complexion, but it made her look too childish and somewhat cheap. Combined with those gaudy golden accessories, she looked exactly like a landlord's daughter.
Gu Yu and the others wanted to persuade her to ditch those ornaments, but she stubbornly refused to see the problem, rushing headlong into embarrassment.
How ridiculous.
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