No matter what storms brewed in the capital of Dingjing, or what currents churned beneath the surface, the city always appeared peaceful and prosperous. The annual Chrysanthemum Banquet was approaching, and the validation at Guangwen Hall happened to fall shortly after it. This year, the two events would be held together.
This arrangement was different from previous years. It turned the validation into a grand public affair, one that noble families would attend.
Early that morning, Old Madam Shen sent her senior maid Xi'er to the west courtyard. She had invited tailors to make clothes for the Chrysanthemum Banquet and wanted Shen Miao to come select fabrics.
Shen Miao nodded in agreement.
At previous validations, Shen Miao would wear whatever was convenient. She was always at the bottom of the rankings, so wearing something too fancy would only bring ridicule. But now that the validation and Chrysanthemum Banquet were combined, it would look odd not to have new clothes made.
At the Chrysanthemum Banquet, the wives of various officials would attend, most of them searching for potential daughters-in-law. Every family with daughters would come dressed in their finest, hoping their girls would look as beautiful as possible. Old Madam Shen might dislike the first branch, but she still needed to keep up appearances. Besides, she was someone who only cared about her own interests. If she could trade Shen Miao for a marriage alliance that would benefit her, she wouldn't hesitate to do it.
Bailu seemed excited as she walked with Shen Miao toward Rongjing Hall. "I didn't expect the Chrysanthemum Banquet to arrive so quickly. Miss loves the Chrysanthemum Banquet the most, don't you? There will be flowers to appreciate."
Shen Miao did enjoy the Chrysanthemum Banquet, but not for the flowers. At such gatherings, she was always quietly excluded. Part of it was because of Shen Yue and Shen Qing's influence, but her own foolish and dull nature played a role too. She often dressed badly and was mocked behind her back without even knowing it.
She loved the Chrysanthemum Banquet only because of Fu Xiuyi.
At last year's banquet, Fu Xiuyi had been there. That day, she had been mocked and isolated again. The chrysanthemum garden was full of bright colors, with everyone looking for the reddest and most beautiful blooms. She had wandered to a corner by herself and spotted a white chrysanthemum in the distance.
White chrysanthemums were usually for funerals and naturally unpopular. This one looked especially pitiful. Some of its petals had fallen, maybe from rain or wind. It bloomed alone in a corner, ignored by everyone.
Maybe because she felt a connection, Shen Miao thought she and the flower were alike—lonely and unnoticed, a pitiful little thing. As she stood there with these thoughts, she saw a well-dressed man approach the chrysanthemum.
He reached out to lift the flower's stem, gently touching the petals. Someone beside him asked, "Ninth Brother, this flower looks so miserable, what's there to admire?"
The well-dressed man smiled and said, "I pity its fragile and helpless state."
That single phrase—"I pity its fragile and helpless state"—sparked Shen Miao's feelings for the man. When he turned around, she was even more drawn in by his handsome and refined appearance.
Later, Shen Miao learned from the other ladies that the man was the Ninth Prince, Prince Ding Fu Xiuyi, son of the current Emperor.
Young love is always foolish. Fu Xiuyi's words were clearly about the chrysanthemum, but she felt they spoke to her. She thought that such a gentle person would surely treasure her the way he treasured that lonely flower if she married him.
She had been wrong. Fu Xiuyi treasured delicate flowers, treasured the world, treasured Madam Mei, but he had never treasured her. Everything she did for him was just a "duty" in his eyes, something expected of a wife. Those days of seeming harmony were just an act he put on while hiding his disgust.
He hadn't treasured that chrysanthemum either. It was just a casual remark that she had taken to heart.
"Miss?" Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed they'd arrived at Rongjing Hall. Bailu quickly reminded her, and Shen Miao followed Xi'er inside.
Shen Yuanbai wasn't there today. Old Madam Shen wore a long blue-white brocade coat. Despite her age, she still chose to wear such a fresh blue color, which made her face look ghostly pale. She didn't seem to notice.
Shen Yue and Shen Qing stood beside their mothers. The second branch had two concubine-born daughters, but Ren Wanyun was too controlling. For events like this, she never allowed concubine-born daughters to attend and steal attention. As for the third branch, Shen Wan had only one official wife, Chen Ruoqiu, and one chamber concubine, so there were no concubine-born children.
Only the legitimate daughters from each branch received invitations to the Flower Banquet.
Shen Miao paid her respects to Old Madam Shen. Ren Wanyun looked at her and smiled. "Little Fifth has arrived. Come quickly to choose your fabric. Limniang will take your measurements shortly."
Shen Qing said with a grin, "My sister and I have already made our selections. We've been waiting for you."
It was Xi'er who had arrived late, but somehow it seemed like her fault, keeping everyone waiting in Rongjing Hall. Shen Miao didn't bother to argue and simply walked to the couch where the fabrics were displayed.
Limniang was a middle-aged woman in her thirties. She tailored all the new clothes for the Shen household every year. In her youth, she had learned embroidery skills from palace female officials and was excellent at making beautiful clothes.
Five or six bolts of fabric lay spread out. A begonia-colored piece and a smoky pink piece had already been set aside—chosen by Shen Qing and Shen Yue.
The scene from her previous life was clear in her memory. At that Chrysanthemum Banquet, Shen Qing had worn a begonia-colored scattered flower cloud skirt, looking warm and gracious, more beautiful than the flowers. Shen Yue had worn a bright pink dress embroidered with white pear blossoms, appearing delicate and pure. She had worn a tender yellow outfit, paired with golden necklaces and jewelry given by Old Madam Shen, making herself look like a joke without realizing it.
That tender yellow fabric was what she had chosen under the persuasion of her aunts and sisters.
Shen Yue spoke up with a smile. "Fifth Sister has fair skin, why not choose that tender yellow fabric? It will make you look lively and adorable, which suits you well."
Shen Qing nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, looking at the remaining fabrics, the tender yellow seems to suit Fifth Sister best."
Chen Ruoqiu smiled silently. Ren Wanyun's gaze showed a hint of mockery.
Shen Miao was not good at choosing clothes.
With Lady Shen rarely at home, a child without a mother naturally lacked many advantages. The others in the Shen household all had their own agendas, so who would sincerely teach a young girl how to match colors and styles? Shen Miao would just follow Shen Qing and Shen Yue, choosing whatever they suggested.
The tender yellow fabric did suit her complexion, but it made her look too childish and cheap. Combined with those flashy golden ornaments, she looked like a country landlord's daughter.
Guyu and the others had tried to convince her to discard those ornaments, but she had stubbornly refused, eagerly rushing to embarrass herself.
How ridiculous.
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