Spring Secrets

Chapter 42: ·peony

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Only those who have something to hide would think about making amends.

The eldest lady looked up at Old Madam Wei, and said in despair, "Mother, then should we not go to this party?"

The invitation from Duke Yansheng's family was still placed in a conspicuous place, but the eldest lady didn't dare to even look at it. She herself could not go there. She was a widow, or to put it bluntly, a widower, and was not suitable to attend such a lively banquet.

But Old Madam Wei was different. She was an old imperial concubine with a long-standing status and an extraordinary identity. If she had gone there, the Zhu family would not have dared to act too presumptuously no matter what.

But given the tense situation now, even if Old Lady Wei were to go, it would probably make no difference.

Old Madam Wei shook her head and told someone to pass on a message to the Third Madam. She turned to look at the First Madam and said, "The Zhu family has a good plan. They have already heard about the activities of those gossiping censors, but they still urged me to go to the party. If I don't go, I'm afraid they will embarrass Amin on the spot at the party."

But what would it matter if she went? The eldest lady hung her head and said nothing for a long time, feeling very tired.

The old lady was a super-ranking official, and this status also meant that she was not suitable to go to the Pingyang Marquis' Mansion. There was no old lady of equal status to receive her in the Pingyang Marquis' Mansion, so it would have been inappropriate for her to go there.

Since she couldn't go, and the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion wouldn't let anyone go back to her parents' home, the old lady had to go to the family gathering at the Yansheng Duke's house.

Regardless of whether to go or not, the Zhu family must have already thought of a plan to deal with it.

But being there is better than not being there.

Old Madam Wei had someone reply to the post, and told the haggard Madam: "It's nothing serious, don't scare yourself." She calmed herself down, her eyes far away with a hint of pain and relief: "If that day really comes, I will always have a way, I will never watch them die."

The eldest lady was so frightened by her eyes that she broke out in a cold sweat, and all the self-pity that had just arisen in her mind was suppressed.

Over the years, Old Mrs. Wei has treated Wei Yumin and Wei Yumei very well. As an old lady, she has dedicated everything to this family and her beloved children.

Just as the old lady said, what would it matter if that day really came? The eldest lady lowered her head. The worst that could happen was death. She had already lived enough.

After thinking it through, the eldest lady stopped nagging about it, declined the old lady's offer to keep her for dinner, and went out, passing the corridor, where she happened to meet Wei An who was walking back.

Wei An has become much more likable these days. The eldest lady's expression has eased. She smiled and called her, looking at the girl behind her, a little startled: "Xiao Qi, what are you doing?"

Lan He and Yu Qing each held a pot of flowers of unknown variety. The eldest lady was a little surprised: "Are you going to grow flowers yourself?"

This is not something Wei An would do.

The eldest lady didn’t like flowers, so she couldn’t tell that the flowers held in Lan He and Yu Qing’s hands were extremely rare and famous items. One pot was of the Black Gold Yaohui variety, and the other was of the World-class Black Jade.

Wei An smiled, pointed at the flower and told the eldest lady: "I heard that the wife of Duke Yansheng loves peonies the most. Even the Queen gave a few pots of famous flowers to their family's party. I remember that my grandmother's house happened to have two pots of peonies, so I thought..."

Wei An actually gave a gift. The first lady raised her eyebrows but didn't pay much attention. She saw Wei Kun and the second lady come in later. She exchanged a few words with them before going back to her room.

Old Madam Wei looked at the two pots of flowers with a complicated look: "You are willing to give them up."

In recent years, peony banquets have become popular in Shengjing, and there is a reason for this - it is said that the empress dowager at that time attracted the peony-loving Emperor Longqing with a pot of zhaofen. The emperor praised her for being as beautiful as the zhaofen she raised, so he married her as the empress dowager.

However, although peonies are easy to obtain, famous products are very rare, and in recent years it has become difficult to find outstanding varieties.

The two pots in Wei An's hands are undoubtedly worth a fortune, and there is still a shortage of them.

Wei An did not make any overly intimate gestures. He sat below Old Madam Wei, his eyes frank and clear: "One basin is for the wife of Duke Yansheng, and the other basin of the world-class black jade is for the wife of Marquis Pingyang."

Mrs. Wei's heart moved, and she looked at Wei An and raised her eyebrows: "Why send them separately?"

"They are all given in the name of the eldest sister." Wei An lowered his eyes: "I think that on the day of the party, the wife of the Marquis of Pingyang will be happier to receive the same gift as the wife of the Duke of Yansheng."

Wouldn't it make you happier

Even for this priceless flower, Lady Pingyang Hou would have to reconsider the importance of Wei Yumin.

Old Madam Wei glanced at Wei An's face and smiled after a while: "An An now knows how to care for others."

Wei An wanted to please her. The status of the Yansheng Duke's family was extraordinary. If she sent the right thing, then the wife of the Yansheng Duke would say a few good words for Wei Yumin alone, or... treat Wei Yumin with a little more care, then perhaps the things that happened in the previous life could have been avoided.

Mrs. Wei sent the Second Lady and Wei Kun away, and then she had the heart to ask her, "Why didn't you ask Zhuang Feng to come back from the trip to the palace?"

In the past, the Prince of Zhennan would personally send Wei An back, but this time he was nowhere to be seen. Old Madam Wei said to Wei An thoughtfully, "You seem a little different from before."

Wei An naturally held up the headband he had embroidered and tried to put it on Old Lady Wei. His voice was light but not exaggerated: "I just feel that it is not mine, and it is useless to force it."

These were not words that a ten-year-old child could say. Old Mrs. Wei's inquiring eyes stayed on her for a moment, but she said nothing.

There is a saying in Buddhism about enlightenment. Perhaps Wei An had some kind of good fortune and understood that he should not cling to things that do not belong to him. This will lead to fewer setbacks in the future.

In the past, Old Lady Wei looked down on Wei An, partly because Wei An resembled her mother, Princess Changning - they both insisted on taking things by force and would not let go of anything they set their eyes on.

Princess Changning treated Wei Yangqing like that in the past, and later her daughter Wei An treated the prince of Zhennan Palace, Zhuang Feng, like that too. You don't know how to read other people's faces at all. If it weren't for the old princess keeping her in check, how would they know who you are

Pian Wei'an doesn't know how to read people's faces.

Now Wei An finally knew the pros and cons of her. Old Madam Wei looked at her features and thought about her recent behavior. She actually felt a little dazed. Wei An like this didn't look like Princess Changning at all.

Maybe it's because I update too slowly, so everyone feels a bit long-winded, but in fact there are still many foreshadowings... ...