In an instant, Shen Jiaojiao grasped her mother's intent, and her eyes lit up.
Madam Shen looked at her and said meaningfully, "Don't get your hopes up too soon. Madam Xiao is exceptionally fastidious; even for Shen Mingzhu, it took her a long time to observe and evaluate her before she was satisfied."
"Mother is right. But I am not inferior to Shen Mingzhu!"
Shen Jiaojiao was unwilling to admit she was less than Shen Mingzhu, especially in front of Madam Shen. Madam Shen glanced at her biological daughter and sighed inwardly. Even with all the self-persuasion in the world, she had to admit that when it came to poise and social sophistication, Jiaojiao was indeed no match for Mingzhu. If Mingzhu were here, she would be able to handle even the sharp-tongued Minister of Revenue's Wife with ease.
"Go on and find someone to play with."
A few young ladies in the prime of their youth, dressed in relatively fresh and elegant styles, were walking toward them. One of them wore a pale blue silk blouse paired with a light purple long skirt, the colors soft and harmonious. The blouse was embroidered with subtle orchids, and a white ribbon tied at her waist accentuated her graceful figure. Her hairstyle was simple yet elegant, adorned with only a single white jade hairpin topped with a tiny, fresh jasmine flower.
Shen Jiaojiao searched her memory for this person, but found no impression at all. As for the other women by her side, though their faces looked familiar, she could not name them. That made sense; in her past life, whenever Shen Jiaojiao attended this flower-viewing banquet, she had always stayed right by Shen Mingzhu’s side. Although Mingzhu had introduced the noble ladies to her one by one, she hadn't paid any attention at all. Furthermore, she never truly fit in with this circle. The more she interacted with them, the more Shen Jiaojiao realized the gap between them, and eventually, she lost all interest in socializing with them. Especially after she married, burdened by the trifles of daily life, she had drifted away from this circle entirely.
But now, she could no longer afford to be so headstrong, because she wanted the position of the young mistress of the Duke Xiao Manor! And to be the young mistress of the Duke Xiao Manor, she would inevitably have to deal with these noble ladies and wives in the future. Therefore, Shen Jiaojiao could not just turn around and leave.
Meanwhile, Madam Shen had left on her own after giving her a few final instructions.
A young woman in a lotus-root-pink gauze dress, embroidered with delicate plum blossoms in silver and pale pink thread—giving her an air that was both proud like frost-defying snow and yet soft and beautiful—spoke up first.
"Oh? Which family is this young lady from? I don't believe I've seen you before."
Shen Jiaojiao raised a smile. "I am the legitimate daughter of the Jian'an Marquis Manor."
As soon as she said this, the group looked at one another in confusion. The legitimate daughter of the Jian'an Marquis Manor? Wasn't that Shen Mingzhu? Was she the "fake" daughter who had been swapped? They would have to find out.
The atmosphere grew slightly awkward. A woman in a moon-white skirt smiled apologetically at Shen Jiaojiao. "My apologies, could you repeat which manor you are from? We didn't quite catch it just now."
The other noble ladies nodded slightly. Shen Jiaojiao almost swore out loud: *Quit the pretense!* Her voice was loud and her diction clear; how could they have not heard her! But, remembering the purpose of her attendance, she held her tongue.
"My name is Shen Jiaojiao. I am the legitimate daughter of the Jian'an Marquis Manor." She paused, then added, "Shen Mingzhu and I were switched at birth. Now that our identities have been restored, I am the true legitimate daughter of the Jian'an Marquis Manor."
The group exchanged glances. The girl in the lotus-root-pink dress smiled. "So that's how it is. We had heard some rumors, but we didn't believe them, thinking they were false."
Another young lady smiled as well. "Is this your first time at a banquet, Miss Shen? Why don't you join us for some flower-viewing and a stroll? We can chat a while."
They echoed each other, and Shen Jiaojiao felt a sense of unease. However, seeing their smiling faces, she convinced herself she was overthinking it.
"Let me introduce you, Miss Shen. This is Zhou Yaoyao, the daughter of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. This is Zhao Xiaoxiao, daughter of an Imperial Academy tutor. And this is..."
The woman in the moon-white skirt smiled. "I’ll introduce myself. I am a distant relative of the Duke Xiao Manor, Pu Ying."
If Shen Mingzhu were here, she would surely be startled: *Isn't this Xiao Yi’s long-dead 'white moonlight'?*
Pu Ying claimed to be a relative of the Duke Xiao Manor, but the relation was incredibly distant. In the previous life, there had been an ambiguous relationship between Xiao Yi and Pu Ying. However, Madam Xiao had looked down upon this relative from a common background and had forcefully separated the pair. It was during this very banquet in the previous life that Madam Xiao had hinted to Madam Shen that she wanted Shen Mingzhu as her daughter-in-law. If she had been considering it before, this banquet was when she had made up her mind. Madam Shen had naturally been pleased with this union, and the two families grew closer.
Not long before Shen Mingzhu and Xiao Yi were to be married, Pu Ying had suddenly fallen into the water and died. For reasons unknown, Xiao Yi became convinced that Shen Mingzhu had harmed his "white moonlight." No matter how much she explained, he refused to listen to a word. Although the wedding proceeded as planned, the couple never truly consummated their marriage, which was why Shen Mingzhu remained childless for years after marrying into the Duke Xiao Manor. Even when they eventually divorced in their forties or fifties, Xiao Yi still harbored that groundless resentment toward her.
Upon hearing that the young woman was a relative of the Duke Xiao Manor, Shen Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up. Without needing further invitation, she took the initiative to step forward and converse with them.
"I’m so glad to have met you all. I’m not familiar with the surroundings here, and I was feeling quite timid."
"Don't be nervous, Miss Shen. All the noble ladies at this banquet are very kind," Pu Ying said.
Just as Shen Jiaojiao was about to respond, someone else interjected, "So, is Sister Mingzhu here today?"
Shen Jiaojiao’s expression soured. She turned to look at the speaker—who was being so tactless?
Pu Ying leaned in close to Shen Jiaojiao’s ear and whispered, "That is the daughter of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. She is exceptionally close with Shen Mingzhu. She’s very straightforward and has a fiery temper—don't offend her."
Shen Jiaojiao glanced at the woman in the goose-yellow dress. She was speaking with a smile, not looking like someone difficult to deal with at all. She rolled her eyes. "Of course Shen Mingzhu isn't here." *Shen Mingzhu is now just a merchant’s daughter; how could she possibly qualify for a banquet like this?* She had completely forgotten that Shen Mingzhu also held an invitation.
"Oh? Really? I just heard the Madam of the Marquis of Chengen say that she sent an invitation to Sister Mingzhu a few days ago, so I thought she might be coming today."