Wen Ningshuang followed Wen Ninghan to this flower-viewing banquet, naturally with her own purpose.
Although the humiliation she suffered at the last flower-viewing banquet left a deep psychological shadow on Wen Ningshuang, since the Fifth Prince wished for her to come, she naturally would not refuse.
Unfortunately, Princess Huiling is proud and stubborn person. Even though her relationship with the Fifth Prince was quite good, no matter how he hinted openly or subtly, she was unwilling to give Wen Ningshuang an invitation to the banquet.
As a result, Princess Huiling turned around and sent a flower-viewing invitation to Wen Ninghan, who had just returned to the capital, making her provocative intent abundantly clear.
Yet Wen Ningshuang not only didn’t mind but also confidently tagged along with Wen Ninghan using her invitation.
It was said that when Princess Huiling knew Wen Ningshuang had come with Wen Ninghan, her face darkened.
Wen Ninghan couldn’t understand why Princess Huiling harbored such strong hostility toward Wen Ningshuang.
Even though Princess Huiling had always shown a cold attitude toward illegitimate daughters due to the troubles of the Cheng Wang Estate, Wen Ningshuang had consistently maintained an outward image of being obedient, sensible, and respectful.
There was no reason for her to provoke Princess Huiling.
The only explanation was probably her background—Princess Huiling was simply naturally predisposed to dislike Wen Ning-shuang, and there was nothing that could be done about it.
At the flower-viewing banquet, the two recently acquainted “fake sisters” each had their own motives.
Wen Ninghan didn’t even wait for Wen Ningshuang to make an excuse and ran off on her own. Wen Ningshuang, however, felt uneasy.
First, she was worried that Wen Ninghan, who seemed completely clueless, might cause trouble at the banquet, and if that happened, it would likely end up causing trouble for her.
Second, Wen Ningshuang was well aware that her presence at the banquet was due to Wen Ninghan’s invitation.
If anything happened, Wen Ninghan would naturally be the one to shield her.
After exchanging a few words with the Fifth Prince, the conversation naturally turned to Wen Ninghan.
The Fifth Prince was also curious about the eldest daughter who had just returned to the Yong’an Marquis’s residence.
However, after searching for a long time, neither of them could find Wen Ninghan, as if she had completely disappeared from the Autumn Chrysanthemum Garden.
Wen Ningshuang became so worried that she asked the Fifth Prince to send someone to search outside the garden, fearing that Wen Ninghan, being reckless, might have wandered somewhere else and provoked Princess Huiling’s displeasure.
Then, hearing the commotion, they came over to take a look. They didn’t see the heir to the Duke of Dingguo yet, but they saw Wen Ninghan sitting alone in the pavilion, drinking tea and eating snacks, looking completely at ease.
There was nothing to be done. In a crowd where everyone was dressed up in flashy attire, Wen Ninghan’s “simple” green skirt made her stand out by being too understated.
Only Wen Ningshuang, having seen Wen Ninghan’s dress made entirely of Wanyunsha, would never underestimate any “simplicity” in Wen Ninghan’s attire again.
Who knew, this might be a new piece from the Qin family’s Jinxiu Workshop? Although it looked simple, the material of the green dress, in the sunlight, revealed hidden cloud patterns.
It seemed similar to the nature of Wan yun sha, but Wen Ningshuang was certain that, with her understanding of Wanyunsha, she had never seen anything like it at the capital’s Jin Yi Workshop.
Wanyunsha is usually white, and there had never been any mention of other colors. The emphasis was always on highlighting the “Wanyun”[mfn]”Wanyun” literally translates to “clouds” or “to gather clouds,” and “sha” refers to a type of gauze or light, sheer fabric. In the context of the story, Wanyunsha seems to be a luxurious, high-quality material, possibly with a cloud-like pattern, often used for refined garments.[/mfn] part of the name.
The fabric Wen Ninghan wore now was either a new creation from the Qin family, or perhaps a unique piece reserved exclusively for Wen Ninghan’s use.
Though Wen Ningshuang had known Wen Ninghan for only a short time, she had never seen her wear anything other than shades of green.
Her older sister truly had a special fondness for this color. Every time she appeared, she wore a different shade of green, with layers of varying tones, creating a look that was neither dull nor monotonous, and it highlighted Wen Ninghan’s unique charm.
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t envious, but once the gap became too wide, she realized that there were many things that simply couldn’t be envied.
Wen Ningshuang was only briefly lost in thought, but her smile quickly returned to its usual gentle expression.
“Where did you go earlier, sister? I was looking for you.”
“Oh, I was just wandering around. The scenery in the Autumn Chrysanthemum Garden is quite nice. Since it’s a flower-viewing banquet, the main purpose is to appreciate the flowers. Where else could I go? Naturally, I chose a good spot to carefully enjoy the autumn scenery of the garden.”
Surely, she couldn’t be like those young ladies and noblewomen, searching for a husband amidst the autumn scenery, could she?
Although in this era, engagements were often made at a young age, and many married while still very young, Wen Ninghan couldn’t imagine marrying in her teens, or even the idea of becoming a mother.
She was still just a half-grown child herself!
Wen Ninghan was still holding a piece of golden chrysanthemum pastry in her hand. The pastry was sweet but not too rich, melting in her mouth.
After sitting down for a while, she had already eaten her third piece. Paired with the chilled chrysanthemum tea by her side, it was sweet but refreshing, perfectly balancing out the richness.
Wen Ninghan felt that if she kept eating like this, she might not even need lunch today.
When they arrived, she had heard that Princess Huiling had petitioned the Empress Dowager for a special favor for today’s autumn chrysanthemum banquet.
The pastry chefs who made the treats were all master chefs from the imperial kitchen, and their skills were truly impressive. These were treats that were usually hard to come by.
The pavilion was spacious enough to accommodate all the guests, but due to the lively atmosphere caused by the heir to the Duke of Dingguo, it was now left in an empty silence.
Sheng Xiaoze originally wanted to say something, but Wen Ninghan’s unique attitude put him in an awkward position, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to begin.
In fact, after the news of the return of the eldest daughter of the Yong’an Marquis’s residence spread in the capital, many people had taken some interest.
The Yong’an Marquis’s residence had already fallen into decline, with the current Marquis of Yong’an holding only a nominal position as an assistant minister in the Ministry of War, without any real power.
He simply lived on his salary, getting by day by day. Of course, if this situation continued, the Yong’an Marquis title would likely be lost, which was why the Marquis was anxiously searching for a way to make achievements and secure his position.
In the capital, there were countless declining noble families like this, and no one paid much attention.
However, this young lady, despite coming from a marquis’s family, had been taken in by her maternal family since she was young.
It was said that the Qin family’s daughter, who had married into the marquis’s family, had caused quite a stir back then, but in the end, she was quietly buried in the back courtyard of the marquis’s residence.
At the time, there was a brief period of heated discussion, but soon, the ripples faded away.
Although the Qin family was once a wealthy household in Jiangnan, there were many such families in the region.
However, in recent years, the Qin family, while remaining low-key, had accumulated wealth at an astonishing rate. Before anyone realized, they had become the wealthiest family in Jiangnan.
Though they were a merchant family, the Qin family’s success had reached such a level that even the noble families in the capital had to view them with new respect.
Wen Ninghan could be considered half a Qin family daughter. Although she had been living quietly in the back courtyard of the Qin family for many years with little news about her, being raised by the Qin family nonetheless made her a subject of curiosity.
If Wen Ninghan knew what they were thinking, she would only smile and tell them that they weren’t curious about the Qin family’s daughter. What they were truly curious about was the Qin family’s wealth.
More precisely, they were coveting it.
In the end, the vast wealth of the Qin family was all taken by the heroine’s hand and passed into the hands of the Fifth Prince!
From a broader perspective, after the crown prince was no longer in the picture, it seemed that the Fifth Prince taking the throne was the best option.
After all, on the surface, he appeared noble and upright, with any underhanded matters handled by others.
Even when he finally ascended to the throne, it was out of necessity, and he had repeatedly spared the Fourth Prince, unwilling to harm his brother.
This allowed for various plot twists and developments, ultimately leading him to claim the throne without a fight, thanks to the turn of events.
Of course, after ascending the throne, the Fifth Prince had the ambition to rule for the greater good, vigorously pushing for new reforms.
Under the leadership of the male and female protagonists, the entire Great Yan Dynasty flourished.
However, from Wen Ninghan’s perspective, the success of these reforms relied on the vast wealth the female protagonist obtained from the Qin family.
Additionally, the peace at the borders was secured through the death of the Duke of Dingguo’s heir, orchestrated as part of the plot, which allowed the male protagonist to implement his new policies with confidence.
While the entire country benefited, the Qin family was consumed by the process, and the Duke of Dingguo’s heir, who was sacrificed for the cause, certainly did not benefit.
Anyone else could have achieved what the male protagonist did.
Take the Crown Prince, for example. His abilities far surpassed those of the Fifth Prince. If we’re talking about being gentle, wise, and capable of handling affairs with strategy, the Fifth Prince was no match for the Crown Prince.
Compared to the Crown Prince, the Fifth Prince felt more like a high-quality imitation.
Although Wen Ninghan had never met the Crown Prince, his reputation in the capital was already well-established. Even with her understanding of the plot, and despite the Crown Prince’s passing years ago, his fame remained unchanged, still being regarded as a “moonlight” figure.
It is just a pity—
