By the ti afternoon arrived, the Xi Manor had beco livelier than it had been in months.
The ladies’ banquet that had required days of preparation was finally about to begin.
The atmosphere appeared festive yet beneath that polished surface, several mbers of the Xi family found themselves distracted by sothing else entirely.
The physician’s diagnosis from earlier had cast a shadow over the household.
Although the matter had been temporarily concealed from the servants and guests, the family mbers involved could not simply forget it.
Especially Lin iyun.
At this mont, the Duchess stood near the entrance of the manor alongside several female relatives, personally welcoming arriving guests.
Normally, she would have appeared relaxed and composed.
Today, however, her attention seed divided.
Every ti a new carriage arrived, her gaze would instinctively move toward it.
Then, after identifying the guest, a faint look of disappointnt would flash through her eyes.
Xi Ronghua noticed imdiately.
After watching her sister-in-law repeat the sa action for nearly half an hour, she finally sighed.
"You’ve looked at every carriage as though it contains the Imperial Decree itself."
Lin iyun smiled helplessly.
"Is it that obvious?"
Xi Ronghua folded her arms.
"Painfully obvious."
A few steps away, Xi Lanyin stood quietly beside her mother.
She knew exactly why Lin iyun was behaving this way.
The Pri Minister’s wife.
They were waiting for the Pri Minister’s wife.
Or more accurately...
They were waiting to see whether Su Yueqing’s prediction would co true yet again.
If the Pri Minister’s wife appeared at the banquet, perhaps everything Su Yueqing had implied about the Pri Minister’s son would also be true.
But if she failed to appear...
Then the situation would beco much harder to ignore.
Lin iyun glanced toward the road once more.
Another carriage approached, for a brief mont, hope appeared in her eyes.
Then the carriage stopped.
But a different family stepped out and imdiately her hope vanished.
Xi Ronghua rubbed her forehead.
"You’re making yourself nervous."
Lin iyun sighed softly.
"I know."
She paused before lowering her voice.
"But can you really bla ?"
Xi Ronghua couldn’t answer.
Because she couldn’t stop thinking about it either.
The poison had been real.
Every warning Su Yueqing had accidentally revealed had turned out to be true.
So naturally...
Everyone was wondering about this as well.
Nearby, Xi Lanyin quietly spoke.
"Mother."
Lin iyun turned toward her daughter.
"It’s still early."
Xi Lanyin forced a small smile.
"The Pri Minister’s residence may simply be delayed."
Lin iyun studied her daughter carefully.
The reassurance sounded reasonable.
But she knew her daughter too well.
She could see the tension hidden behind that smile.
And honestly...
She understood why.
Because Xi Lanyin herself desperately wanted Su Yueqing to be wrong.
Perhaps more than anyone else.
After all, if Su Yueqing was right...
Then Zhao Mingyuan truly had been deceiving her, the thought alone made Xi Lanyin’s chest feel tight.
Over the past several years, she had exchanged letters with him, gradually opened her heart to him.
And now...
One person’s thoughts had thrown all of it into question.
Deep down, Xi Lanyin still couldn’t bring herself to believe it completely.
She wanted to, logic told her she should but emotions were not so easily controlled.
A small part of her stubbornly held onto hope.
Hope that Su Yueqing had misunderstood.
Hope that Zhao Mingyuan wasn’t the person everyone was beginning to suspect.
Hope that the man she had spent years caring about wasn’t simply playing a role.
Lin iyun gently squeezed her daughter’s hand.
The gesture startled Xi Lanyin.
"You don’t have to force yourself."
Xi Lanyin lowered her eyes.
"I know."
Lin iyun’s expression softened.
"No matter what happens today, we will discover the truth eventually."
Xi Lanyin nodded.
But her heart remained unsettled.
Just then, another announcent ca from the gate.
"The wife of Minister Wang has arrived!"
Imdiately, servants stepped forward to greet the newly arrived guests.
A noblewoman in her forties entered alongside two elegantly dressed young ladies.
Lin iyun instantly pushed aside her worries and welcod them with a warm smile.
As the hostess, she could not allow her personal concerns to interfere with the banquet.
One after another, more guests arrived.
So were older noblewon.
Others brought their daughters.
Soon, the entrance beca increasingly lively.
Pleasantries were exchanged and laughter filled the air.
Conversations began forming throughout the courtyard.
anwhile, preparations inside the manor continued smoothly.
Several young ladies from the Xi family had already been assigned specific responsibilities.
Xi Lanyin and Xi Qianqian would help escort guests of their own generation.
Gu Yue would assist with introductions and seating arrangents.
As for Su Yueqing...
The thought of Su Yueqing imdiately caused Xi Ronghua to snort.
Lin iyun glanced at her.
"What now?"
Xi Ronghua looked amused.
"I was just wondering how many disasters can happen before sunset."
Lin iyun nearly laughed despite herself.
Unfortunately...
The concern was entirely reasonable.
Because whenever Su Yueqing appeared, peace rarely lasted long.
At that exact mont, far deeper inside the manor, one particular Young Madam was still completely unaware that multiple mbers of the Xi family were currently worried about her potential contribution to today’s chaos.
Back at the entrance, another carriage slowly appeared in the distance.
Unlike the previous arrivals, this carriage was larger.
More elaborate.
And carried a familiar insignia.
The mont Lin iyun saw it, her entire body stiffened.
Xi Ronghua noticed imdiately.
"What is it?"
Lin iyun didn’t answer.
Her eyes remained fixed on the approaching carriage.
Beside her, Xi Lanyin unconsciously followed her mother’s gaze.
Then she froze as well.
Because she recognized that insignia.
Everyone did.
The carriage belonged to the Pri Minister’s residence.
The carriage continued approaching.
Closer.
And closer.
Until it finally stopped directly outside the gates of the Xi Manor.
The surrounding conversations gradually quieted as many guests turned toward the entrance.
After all, the Pri Minister’s family rarely attended social gatherings personally.
A servant quickly stepped forward and opened the carriage door.
Lin iyun’s heartbeat accelerated.
Xi Lanyin held her breath.
Then the first figure stepped out.
And the mont everyone saw who it was...
Several expressions changed instantly.
Reviews
All reviews (0)