The recognition ceremony concluded, and as it approached midday, the banquet began.
The Fang Family had also invited a troupe to perform.
Yang Ruyu watched as Yang Ruxin was fawned over by everyone, her eyes cast down to hide the resentment within. Why was she always so lucky? Why?
Of course, there was no answer to that.
While everyone was enjoying themselves, someone rushed in and whispered something into the butler’s ear.
The butler frowned slightly before striding over to Fang Dehua and murmuring a few words to him.
Fang Dehua nodded, and then directed the butler towards Yuan Mengzhu: "Madam, someone from the Dai Family has arrived."
Yuan Mengzhu’s brows furrowed, clearly displaying disgust, but she didn’t lash out. Instead, she smiled, "After all, Lord Dai is your husband’s colleague and also a Seventh-rank official. Let’s receive them."
The butler nodded and turned to leave.
Soon after, the butler was seen leading Chen Family’s madam inside, but this time not accompanied by Dai Xiyan, rather by another tall and graceful girl. Not only were her features delicate, but her figure was also strikingly curvaceous. The sound of her jingling ornaments added a touch of charm to her movements.
A light flickered in Yang Ruxin’s eyes. Dai Xiyan had been ousted, and now, where had the Dai Family found this beauty? Were they not satisfied until they had won over Zeze?
The Chen Family’s former arrogance had long since vanished, and she carefully approached with a placating smile. After all, they had come uninvited, which was quite awkward, but for the sake of the entire Dai Family, she had to attend.
"Mrs. Dai, please take a seat," Yuan Mengzhu offered, maintaining impeccable etiquette and a genuine smile as if the past incidents had never occurred, yet there was a hint of distance, "It’s quite a journey from your home, I didn’t expect you to come..."
"How could I miss my sister’s auspicious day?" Dai Chenshi pretended not to notice the host’s aloofness, "I know my sister lacks for nothing, but here are some small tokens of my regard. Now that you have both son and daughter..." She then turned to Yang Ruxin, "Miss, please don’t look down upon these gifts," signaling the servant to bring them forward.
Miss? Yang Ruxin was indifferent to the title—it was, after all, just a form of address.
"You have gone to such expense," Yuan Mengzhu said with a laugh, glancing over the gifts, "But this Smoke Cloud Silk is a tribute; there’s very little of it each year. Even the ladies in the palace may not have access to it. It’s too much for a little girl. You should take it back... However, these two lengths of Light Cotton are quite nice, suitable for little girls’ skirts. I will accept them on behalf of Xinxin..."
Not rejecting all nor accepting all, the message was clear: future relations would be carefully considered.
Dai Chenshi felt a rage boiling within. Indeed, it was her daughter’s fault, but wasn’t that because she had been misled by the Fang Family? Did they think she was unaware of their schemes? Fang Tiangang had long wished to be adopted by the second branch. He would have been all too happy for Fang Tianze to die. Her foolish daughter was also hopelessly in love with Fang Tianze and had fallen for Fang Tiangang’s strategy, becoming the scapegoat. And now, they were putting all the blame on her daughter—why should that be? So incensed was she that she didn’t even feel the pain as a needle hidden in her sleeve pricked her palm. Yet, she still had to keep a sincere smile on her face.
Of course, Dai Chenshi seemed to have forgotten that it was the Dai Family who had initiated the annulment of the betrothal and that there was no longer any matrimonial connection between the Dai and Fang Families.