Chapter 16: The Banquet

Chapter 16

The Banquet

In the carriage, the man and woman sat in silence like statues. They made a handsome pair, a perfect match like a golden branch and a jade leaf, but the atmosphere between them was cold and distant.

Nie Shuang was deep in thought. She didn’t care how others would view her. She hadn’t come to the banquet to be mocked. If anyone dared to insult her, she would strike back without holding back!

On the other hand, Song Qilin was preoccupied with concern for the woman beside him. He feared she might be mistreated. Last night, he had come to a realization. As a man, he could endure being laughed at; it didn’t hurt him. But she was still young, inexperienced in the ways of the nobility. If someone tried to humiliate her, would she be able to handle it?

It seemed he was worrying too much...

When the carriage came to a halt, he stepped down first, then turned to help her alight. As soon as the Yong An Hou Manor’s carriage arrived, the crowd paused to watch with curiosity. Everyone knew that General Song had just married, and there had been much talk about his principal wife. She wasn’t a woman of noble birth, merely the daughter of a merchant’s concubine. Today would be the first time she would make her appearance, and many eyes were eagerly watching.

A delicate, beautiful hand emerged from the carriage and rested in the General’s strong hand. Just seeing her hand caused the onlookers to hold their breath in anticipation. If her hand was this beautiful, what about the rest of her...?

When the woman finally stepped out...the crowd collectively forgot to breathe.

Was this...the wife the General didn’t care for? The one that was surrounded by all sorts of rumors?

They could only describe her in three words:

Beautiful—beyond—measure!

She was dressed modestly but elegantly, without being ostentatious. Her pearl earrings, dangling beside her cheeks, drew everyone’s gaze. Once she stepped out and stood firmly, she gracefully linked arms with her husband, ready to walk forward. It was the perfect image of a beauty paired with a hero, a sight that made hearts race. This Young Furen was no ordinary woman. Walking beside the General, she exuded an air of grace and elegance, nothing like a woman from a humble background.

The rumors must have been false. The way General Song looked at her—wasn’t it full of affection? Even if he had reservations about her at first, all heroes fell to the charms of a beautiful woman, didn’t they? And with a beauty like hers...the General would surely be no exception.

The banquet hadn’t started yet, so small groups were mingling and chatting. Song Qilin didn’t let go of her hand, keeping her close at all times. His friends teased him, saying he was overly protective of his wife. He merely smiled and didn’t deny it. It was Nie Shuang who felt uncomfortable with such displays.

Fool! Did he think she’s a child that needed to be coddled? Why dragged her into his conversations!? Did he think she would embarrass him that badly!? Didn’t he notice that all the other women were chatting amongst themselves? He and his friends were discussing court politics—what could she possibly contribute? Hence, Nie Shuang tried to pull her hand free from his grip hidden beneath his sleeve. When that failed, she stood on her tiptoes and whispered softly into his ear. To those watching, the gesture looked sweet and intimate.

"I need to use the restroom."

Song Qilin’s ears flushed red. Hearing this, he let go of her hand but continued to watch her suspiciously as she walked away. His friends laughed behind him.

"Oh, Qilin...you’re done for!"

Nie Shuang, feeling free at last, wandered off on her own to find a quiet corner to rest. However, a group of women dressed in bright colors like a field of flowers approached her.

"Young Furen,"

One of them called out. Nie Shuang turned to see that it was Chen Yuelan, so she offered a polite smile in return.

"Young Miss Chen."

Chen Yuelan stepped closer and said,

"So, no one’s talking to you, huh? What a waste of all that money your father spent, hiring tutors for etiquette lessons. But I suppose money can’t buy you friends among the highborn, can it?"

Nie Shuang rolled her eyes. Ridiculous!

"Brother Qilin asked me to keep you company, probably afraid you’d embarrass him. Out of the long-standing friendship between the Chen family and the General’s manor, I’ll introduce you to some of my friends today."

A group of a dozen women moved to surround Nie Shuang, eyeing her up and down without any sense of courtesy. Their gazes were filled with envy. After all...who wouldn’t want a husband like General Song? Yet he had ended up with this lowborn woman. It was like a flower being stuck in a pile of manure!

"Being part of the elite isn’t easy. Just dressing in fine clothes won’t erase your common background. Otherwise, Brother Qilin wouldn’t have asked me to teach you etiquette at his manor. You understand that by now, don’t you?"

Chen Yuelan’s words were deliberately loud enough for her friends to hear, clearly intended to paint Nie Shuang as an uncouth, uneducated woman whom even her husband couldn’t trust to attend events. Hearing this, the women smirked, some pretending to cover their laughter with handkerchiefs.

Nie Shuang laughed softly, as if she had just heard a funny joke.

"Young Miss Chen, you must be joking. What skills do you have to teach me? Simply being born into a noble family, associating with people of the same circle, and attending lavish banquets—are those really considered talents? Speaking of which, what exactly did you teach me? I wouldn’t want to tell anyone else, though, for fear of embarrassing you."

Nie Shuang stood tall, exuding grace and confidence, her words delivered with clarity and poise. She appeared far more dignified than Chen Yuelan. Everyone had seen this evidence with their own eyes. Since she stepped out of the carriage, who hadn’t been paying attention to her? She didn’t show any fear or panic, and she was calm and collected while walking beside the General. These qualities couldn’t be learned in just a few days. Some of the young misses here couldn’t even do it. They knew fully well that Chen Yuelan, with her average demeanor and unremarkable abilities, and was at the same age, could never produce a student like Nie Shuang. The idea was laughable!

The young misses, hearing Nie Shuang’s retort, smiled secretly. Nie Shuang, adhering to her principle of not making enemies with everyone, spared them for now and focused her attack on Chen Yuelan.

"I’ve heard that you’ve been friends with the General since childhood, while he and I come from entirely different worlds. Yet, here I am, standing beside him today. Wouldn’t you say that shows my capability? Perhaps you should bow and acknowledge me as your master instead,"

Nie Shuang said with a subtle glance at the other party. Chen Yuelan’s face turned red with rage, so flustered that she couldn’t respond for a long while. The other young misses around them could barely stifle their laughter, hurriedly lifting their handkerchiefs to cover their amused expressions.

This merchant’s daughter sure knew how to cut deep with her words. They were grateful they hadn’t said anything to offend her. With just two sharp remarks, Nie Shuang had dismantled Chen Yuelan’s dignity entirely.

Though some of them found this fierce woman a bit jarring, they couldn’t deny her skill. Chen Yuelan often acted as if she were superior to everyone, constantly boasting about her close relationship with people in the General’s manor, especially Song Qilin. The noblewomen had long grown weary of her arrogance, and this was the first time they had seen her cornered like this.In truth, among the elite, there were no permanent friends or foes. Even though Nie Shuang came from a lower family background, it didn’t change the fact that she was now the Young Furen of the General’s manor. Observing her demeanor, it was clear that her future position would be anything but ordinary. She was clever and quick-witted—better to form a friendship than an enmity. With this realization, the young misses’ attitudes towards her began to be more friendly.