This, of course, caused Jianghuai’s side to become increasingly frightened and unsettled. Only now did they realize that this provincial commissioner was nothing like those who had come before her. In the past, the big clans had always banded together and combined with their influential connections in the capital, it had always been the provincial governors who were eager to curry favor with them. When had they ever felt this kind of unease and dread? A single rumor that might not even be true had thrown the entire Jianghuai region into turmoil!

Half a month later, when everyone’s anxiety reached its peak, and their desperation to learn the truth had reached its peak, the Provincial Commissioner’s office sent out invitations. At Water-Moon Villa on the outskirts of Jianghuai Prefecture, the provincial office would host a banquet for the prominent Jianhuai families, led by the Liu and Li clans.

This time, the old man’s leg pain was gone, the one who had been away for the birthday celebration had returned, and the plans to take a new concubine were abandoned. The moment they received their invitations, they immediately sprang into action and hurried straight to Water-Moon Villa. 

On the ninth day of the fifth month, early in the morning, at the entrance of the government estate, Water Moon Villa was packed with carriages and horses. The line stretched for several miles. The various local gentry had long been sitting in the front hall, drinking tea with various government officials as they waited. 

Among all those carriages, one stood out in particular— a green-canopied carriage with a gold roof. Wherever it passed, its fragrance filled the air. One glance was enough to know that it belonged to a woman of a wealthy family. Under ordinary circumstances, it wouldn’t be anything too unusual, but at an occasion like this, it stood out sharply. As other carriages passed by, people could not help but lift their curtains for a peek. 

Someone recognized the Li family insignia on the carriage. Before long, people began whispering and pointing. Everyone had heard that the eldest grandson’s wife of Li clan had originally been the daughter of the Qiu family of the Five Armies Commandery. After the Qiu family fell into ruin, she ended up in Jianghuai because of her marriage. True to her military bloodline, Miss Qiu has a rather forceful temperament. Not long after arriving, she won the support of Grand Secretary Li and sidelined the clan uncle who had originally been in charge, taking over more than half of the family’s silk business. It was said that her husband was quite useless and had no interest in the family business, spending his days playing with his dandy friends. This new wife of the Li family didn’t seem to mind at all, allowing him to go out and amuse himself with whatever he pleased. She herself, however, organized the household affairs and seized the financial power. Shockingly, it seems she had apparently set her sights on taking the entire Li family- the second largest clan of Jianghuai, firmly into her hands. This was originally a rumor, but now, on an occasion like this, it was actually her who had come to represent the Li family— could it be that the rumor is true? 

The banquet was scheduled for noon. By late morning, all the guests had arrived. They were waiting impatiently when an announcement sounded. 

“His Highness the Prince of Chu has arrived——-” 

“First-rank Marquis, Commissioner of Jianghuai, Lord Wei, has arrived——-”         

The two announcements caused a stir among the crowd. No one had heard that Prince Chu, who was overseeing construction work in Bozhou, would also be attending the banquet. They hurried outside to pay their respects. A large mass of people knelt on the ground at the entrance of the villa. Two eight-man sedan chairs came slowly into view, one behind the other, surrounded by their own crowd of attendants and guards. 

Inside the second sedan, Feng Zhi Wei was frowning slightly. She too had not known that Ning Yi would be coming today. She had run into him halfway out of the commissioner’s office. After hearing about this “grand feast”, he immediately said that since the matter was more or less for his sake (for the construction cost), he naturally could not pretend ignorance. So he had accompanied her all the way here.

Still, there was no harm with him coming. With such a powerful prince presiding over the banquet, securing the money they needed should be much, much easier. 

Just as Ning Yi’s sedan chair came to a stop, the curtain of the jade-green carriage that had been parked among the other carriages suddenly lifted. The Li family’s young mistress, the Qiu family’s third miss, Qiu Yuluo, who had remained inside the carriage until now, stepped out, her back straight. 

She wore a light touch of makeup. Her features were delicate and refined. Although her clothes were glamorous, they were not gaudy. Clearly, she had dressed with considerable care. 

Feng Zhi Wei stared at her, narrowing her eyes. 

Naturally, Qiu Yuluo didn’t know that Feng Zhi Wei was in the second sedan. In full view of everyone, she calmly approached Ning Yi’s sedan and gracefully bowed. With a hint of shyness yet composed, she said, “This humble woman, Qiu Yuluo, pays her respects to Your Highness. And I also wish to thank Your Highness for your……assistance that day on the river.” 

Feng Zhi Wei’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. 

River? Which river? 

Was it the Li River, which flowed south from the capital toward Jianghuai, or some other distributary river that broke off from the main one?  

She was slightly lost in thought. The image of the awning boat on the river on a rainy night flashed through her mind…then her mind immediately snapped back to the present. She instead thought about the way Qiu Yuluo had phrased those words sounded rather suggestive. Assistance? If it had been plain assistance, then she could have just stated the fact. Why had she added the lingering pauses, making it sound strange? 

Qiu Yuluo’s appearance and action seemed rather bold. Prince Chu and Feng Zhi Wei had only just arrived, and before the crowd even had a chance to pay their respects, a married woman had rushed forward before everyone else. It seemed that the spoiled temperament she had as the pampered young lady of the Five Armies Commandery had not been curbed even after marriage. 

With a faint smile, she stepped down from the sedan. Normally, when someone of Qiu Yuluo’s status dared to casually approach a prince, there would be no need for Feng Zhi Wei to reprimand her, since someone else would have intervened long before. 

However, when she got off the sedan, she was unexpectedly met with silence all around. She saw Ning Cheng, who was standing beside Ning Yi, open his mouth as if to say something, but after glancing over at her, he abruptly shut his mouth and turned his face away. 

After taking another look, Feng Zhi Wei understood where the silence had come from. It was because Ning Yi had said nothing. Nor did he show any expression of surprise. He merely lowered his head slightly and looked at Qiu Yuluo. 

From Feng Zhi’s angle, she could not see his expression. She could only see the gradual change on Qiu Yuluo’s face. It was not panic or embarrassment. Instead, she became increasingly flustered, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. 

A woman only blushed under one particular kind of gaze from a man. 

Feng Zhi Wei watched calmly, her hands clasped behind her back. She didn’t intervene, nor did she say a word. 

The surrounding gentry, however, were becoming increasingly uneasy. None of them could figure out what was going on. When did this Li family’s young mistress become acquainted with Prince Chu? And judging from the way she spoke, His Highness had even helped her before? 

After a long while, Ning Yi finally spoke. He spoke very slowly and simply, “Rise.” 

The bland response gave no indication whether he acknowledged or denied what Qiu Yuluo had said. He then fell silent again. 

Qiu Yuluo quickly gave another bow and withdrew to the side. Only then did the crowd finally bow toward the two of them in unison, like rows of candles being lit. “Greetings, Your Highness. Greetings, Lord Wei!” 

Ning Yi merely raised a hand casually and proceeded inside first, displaying all the dignity and authority of an imperial prince. The crowd respectfully withdrew to either side to make way. 

Feng Zhi Wei, however, behaved in an entirely different manner. As she walked, she greeted people with a smile, “This must be Master Chen? You have already returned from the frontier? The scenery beyond the border must be beautiful. I heard the snow season came early this year. I wonder how rice prices are doing on the grasslands now?” 

All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com 

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