Yi Peilan and the others would probably be present at the banquet next month. After all, at this time every year, the Shen family would invite all the good officials in Ming Qi.
“That’s right.” Bai Wei seemed to have just remembered. “I almost forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me, Yue, what gift did you prepare for your grandmother?”
As a talented girl in the capital, Shen Yue naturally made Old Madam Shen proud at the birthday banquet every year. If what Shen Qing prepared was something expensive, what Shen Yue prepared was unique and exquisite. Only Shen Miao would give something that made people laugh their heads off.
“It’s just a portrait that I embroidered,” Shen Yue said humbly.
“Now that you mention it, I’m starting to get curious.” Jiang Xiaoxuan said maliciously, “Then what will your fifth sister prepare? Don’t tell me she forgot about the birthday gift because she is busy embroidering her wedding dress.”
Feng Anning, who was lying on the table, snorted and left.
The conversation between the girls was heard by Pei Lang. These days, he had naturally heard the news of Shen Miao’s engagement, but he had a strange feeling. The girl’s eyes were like that of a beast. Would she be willing to marry just like that?
At the same time, Shen Miao lined up the chess pieces in front of her in the ancestral hall.
The wind in the ancestral hall was cold, and the ground was covered in green and gray stone slabs. If one knelt down, they would feel cold to the bones. Jingzhe and Gu Yu brought some soft cushions, but those cushions were useless. Shen Miao instructed them to boil some herbs and place them in the corner of the house to get rid of the humidity.
At first, Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not believe it. Later, when they saw that the herbs were really effective, they asked Shen Miao where she learned that. Shen Miao only said that she had heard it from others, but she knew very well that it was something she had learned after becoming a hostage in the State of Qin for a few years. It was too cold and there was not enough money, so she had to find the cheapest method to get warm. Now, what she experienced in the ancestral hall was nothing.
“Miss, why are you still in the mood to play chess?” Jingzhe stomped her feet anxiously.
Shen Miao lined up the chess pieces in front of her.
“Chun Tao even asked Mo Qing to send a message over.” Seeing that Shen Miao was silent, Jingzhe continued, “Second Madam wants to change the marriage between you and First Miss. That Young Master Huang is gay. What should we do? Miss, why are you still in the mood to play chess?”
The Shen family had already agreed to this marriage on behalf of Shen Miao. However, no one in the west courtyard knew about it. In other words, apart from Shen Miao, everyone knew that Shen Miao was getting married.
It would be fine if she married Wei Qian, at least he could be considered a righteous person. However, Huang Dexing was gay, so wouldn’t Shen Miao be a widow if she married him? When the girls heard this, they almost went crazy. Mo Qing also said that if Shen Miao was willing, he could help her escape.
Mo Qing didn’t know that once she escaped, it meant that she automatically gave people the chance to fabricate stories at will. Moreover, Shen Miao had no intention of escaping from the beginning, so she rejected him.
“If you don’t want to escape, at least ask Mo Qing to pass the message to Master. They want Miss to get married before Master returns to the capital. This way, nothing can be changed,” Gu Yu advised. She knew that Shen Miao had an idea now, but she didn’t tell them anything. The maids could only be anxious for her.