♂?，，

  On this side, Lin Lan and Feng Shu Min were teasing the child to play, on that side, another noble guest arrived, Qiao hurriedly went to welcome, as if the atmosphere of the entire flower hall was lifted.

  Lin Lan looked back and saw a group of people surrounding a noblewoman wearing a golden phoenix coronet with fluttering golden pendants, Qiao Yunxiao seemed particularly affectionate towards her, the other women also went to pay their respects.

  "This is Princess Qi Wang, her maiden name was Zhang." Feng Shu Min introduced.

  Her gaze fell on a young girl standing beside the three empresses, who was wearing a silver-lined jade-colored top with scattered flowers and misty green pleated skirt, her hair low-hanging and slanted with a jade phoenix hairpin, her figure slender and elegant, her eyebrows like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn water, her complexion clear and lovely, her temperament quiet... She just stood there quietly, not glancing around, with a faint smile, unassuming beauty that made one unable to look away. Lin Lan secretly praised: What is called a beautiful temperament, it should be like this!

  "Whose daughter is she?" Lin Lan asked curiously.

  "Feng Shumin smiled and said: 'She... she is the granddaughter of Pei Taifu, the daughter of Hanlin University's Grand Scholar, Pei Zhiqian.'"

  Pei Zhiqian, this name seems to have been heard somewhere before. Lin Lan racked her brains and finally remembered that Chen Ziyuan had mentioned this name during the time in Feng'an.

  "Come, let me introduce you." Qiao Yun Xiao led Princess Qi Wang Zhang towards Lin Lan.

  Lin Lan hurriedly returned the child to the nanny.

  "This is Mrs. Li whom I mentioned to the princess." Qiao Yun Xiao smiled and introduced.

  Lin Lan made a polite and dignified bow.

  The Queen of Qi carefully examined Mrs. Li, seeing that although she was not a stunning beauty, her skin was as white and delicate as condensed fat, with clear eyebrows and eyes, a pair of big eyes especially lively, but had a lucky aura about her. Looking at her again, the way she curtsied was like floating clouds and flowing water, without any pretentiousness. Most importantly, her husband was currently a highly sought-after person, being the focus of both the Crown Prince and the King of Qi's attention. The Queen of Qi pretended to be very fond of Lin Lan, taking a step forward and holding her hand with a smile: "Today can be considered as finally meeting Mrs. Li, truly hearing about someone is not like seeing them in person. I just realized that the top scholar's talent surpasses the world, and his taste in choosing a wife is also exceptional."

  "The princess is overpraising." Lin Lan said with a smile.

  The princess of Zhi looked at Qiao Yun and smiled sarcastically: "I didn't expect that at such a young age, you would have such excellent medical skills. Look how you've nursed the madam back to health - she's even more radiant than when she was a maiden!"

  Qiao Yun Xiao also smiled and said: "Is the princess praising me or mocking me?"

  The queen of Qi smiled and glanced at her: "Can't you see for yourself by looking in the mirror?"

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  Lin Lan found that Pei Ziqian's gaze had been quietly sizing her up, and she couldn't help but look back at him. However, he didn't show the slightest bit of embarrassment, instead smiling slightly.

  Before long, the maid came to ask: "The banquet is ready, shall we start now?"

  Qiao Yunxi looked at the time and said, "Let's start the banquet!"

  The banquet was set up in a small building in the back garden, with south-facing doors and windows open. A stage was set up opposite, but there was no movement on it yet.

  Qiao Yunxi arranged Lin Lan at the main table, Lin Lan repeatedly declined. The main table was not the queen or the wife of a high-ranking official in the court, what was she? A small six-product officer's wife, it was inconvenient to sit and talk with these people, of course, if Queen Qi was not there, she would still go. Ming Rong had told her that King Qi, also known as the third prince, was a loyal supporter of the crown prince's party. Queen Qi was so enthusiastic about her, definitely not because of herself, so it was better to grasp some measure.

  Qiao Yunxiao couldn't outdo her, so she had to arrange her at the second table. As soon as Lin Lan sat down, she felt a burning sensation on her back. She turned around and saw that everyone at the table behind her was staring at her, including Pei Zhiqian. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, disdain, and even hatred...

  "Alright! She admitted that Cinderella's transformation was attractive enough, but people didn't have to be so curious about it! Lin Lan suddenly thought of what Chen Ziyuan had mentioned before - Li Mingyu's popularity among the ladies in the capital, and wondered if these young women were all Li Mingyu's admirers?"

  Lin Lan's face broke into a sweet smile, and she turned back around, her posture even more upright, her chin raised higher. She also imitated Ming Yu's mannerisms, elegantly picking up the teacup in front of her, and delicately taking a sip. Let them watch all they want!

  It's almost there~

  Lin Lan's eyes rolled around in a circle, and she found that several ladies quickly excused themselves to leave. However, she was very curious about what kind of wine order the ancients used, so she sat down to listen carefully. If she didn't understand, it wouldn't be too late for her to leave either.

  Qiao Yunxiao said: "The acting commander also needs an acting commander, who is suitable for the job?"

  The princess of Zhi said: "Let Qian come!"

  Someone immediately objected: "No way, no way, Pei's daughter is full of poetry and books in her belly. If the entire poem comes out, it will be unbearable."

  Pei Zhiqian stood up and smiled: "Why not, let the ladies play guessing games, we sisters will play something else." Qi Wangfei smiled: "Alright, since you girls usually like to recite poetry and make couplets, we won't bother with that, you can go play by yourselves!"

  "Mrs. Li can play with us too!" said Pei Zhiqian.

  Lin Lan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said: "I won't!"

  "Madam Li is a first lady, and her poetry and songs are certainly not inferior. Don't be modest," said a young lady beside her.

  Qiao Yunxi smiled and said, "Mrs. Li, let's play Guessing the Number of Fingers Together."

  Pei Zhiyin quietly looked at Lin Lan, waiting for her response.

  Lin Lan smiled and said: "You guys play first, I'll watch, if it's fun, I'll join in later."

  Pei Zhiyuan smiled and said, "It's very simple, it must be." He then announced the drinking game: "Today we won't compose poems, let's play a word game. Those who match drink or not as they please, those who don't match will be penalized with a cup of wine."

  A maid immediately brought up a cup and the young lady sitting next to Pei Zhiyuan said, "This is too small, bring a larger one."

  Lin Lan's heart skipped a beat as she wondered if these girls were plotting against her.

  The maid brought a large cup again, and Pei Zhiqian smiled and said: "I'll go first. With water, it's pronounced 'qing', without water, it's also pronounced 'qing'. If you remove the 'qing' radical from 'water', add a 'sun' to make 'tian', in the east the sun rises, in the west there is rain, but it says there is no 'qing' yet there is 'qing'."

  Everyone applauded and cheered. Pei Ziqian smiled slightly and raised his cup for a light sip.

  Lin Lan thought silently, this didn't seem very difficult either.

  "It's Zhuang sister's turn."

  A slender and elegant young lady stood up and recited: "When there is water, Xiang is pronounced as 'water', when there is no water, it's pronounced as 'mutual'. If the water of Xiang River is gone, adding rain will form frost. Everyone should sweep the snow in front of their own door, don't bother with the frost on others' roofs."

  Another round of applause.

  "It's Older Sister Wei..."

  Today, Lin Lan was particularly sensitive to the surname Wei. The previous Mrs. Wei had spoken ill of her in a car, and now another Miss Wei appeared, Lin Lan couldn't help but take a few more glances at her. This miss also had high cheekbones and an arrogant expression, somewhat similar to that Mrs. Wei.

  She only heard her recite: "With water, the creek is called a stream; without water, it's still called a stream. If you remove the water from the creek and add birds, then it becomes a chicken. The mountain chicken is ashamed of the green water and doesn't dare to show its feathers."

  She finished speaking and provocatively glanced at Lin Lan.

  Qiao Yunxi's face had already fallen, and this Wei family's young lady was too arrogant, openly mocking Lin Lan to vent her private grievances.

  Qiao Yunxiao was about to speak when Queen Qi pressed down on her hand and shook her head slightly. She wanted to see how Lin Lan would react.

  Lin Lan naturally heard the sarcasm in Wei's words, smiled and said slowly: "With a wooden bridge, without wood it is still a bridge. If you remove the 'wood' from the bridge, add a 'woman' to become 'weak', originally weak women, why must be too proud?"

  Qiao Yunxi heard this and sat back down with a relieved heart. It seemed that Lin Lan wasn't someone to be trifled with either.

  Wei Zi-xuan's face turned red and white, her expression was just like her blind mother's. She thought for a moment before speaking again:

  "There is wood that thinks of material, no wood also thinks of talent. Gone to the side of the material wood, add treasure and become wealth. Dare to ask madam, do you love material or wealth?"

  Lin Lan feigned surprise and asked Pei Ziqian, "Can we issue consecutive orders?"

  "Zi Xuan, you disobeyed orders, punish yourself with a cup!" Pei Zhiyan smiled slightly.

  Wei Zixuan's face turned bright red, her eyes staring angrily at Lin Lan, stubbornly saying: "I admit defeat for this cup, but please ask Mrs. Li to make another pair."

  Lin Lan smiled calmly and recited: "With wood, think of the trough, without wood, also think of Cao, remove the wooden edge of the trough, add rice to make it a nest, talented men and beautiful women are originally a perfect match, but now they are in a mess."

  Wei Zixuan was so angry that she almost couldn't stand up, who knew this village girl was sharp-tongued and compared her to a sparrow trying to occupy an owl's nest, making her lose face in front of so many people.

  Lin Lan watched her chest heaving with anger, and calmly took a sip from her wine cup. She thought to herself: "It's better if she dies of rage, then she'll know that Lin Lan is not someone to be trifled with." Today was the perfect opportunity to teach these rich young ladies who had ill intentions towards Li Mingyu a lesson. With Lin Lan around, they wouldn't dare to have any wicked thoughts. Come one by one, and she would deal with them one by one - those who weren't afraid of humiliating themselves could come at her anytime.

  "As expected of the champion's wife, your thoughts are quick and clever. We can't help but admit defeat. Come, let us all toast to the champion's wife." Pei Zhiqian stepped in to mediate.

  Lin Lan smiled and said: "I don't dare, please let Miss Wei take the first penalty drink."

  Wei Zixuan glared at Lin Lan fiercely, and in a huff, she picked up her wine glass and downed it in one gulp. The ladies at the same table looked at her with sympathetic eyes, which made Wei Zixuan feel even more humiliated, and in her heart, she cursed Lin Lan's ancestors for eight generations.

  Pei Zhi was holding a wine cup, looking thoughtful as he gazed at Lin Lan's gentle smile. He recalled the words of Princess Qi earlier and thought that Li Mingyu's insight was indeed exceptional.

  The Princess of Qi said softly: "This Mrs. Li is not simple!"

  Qiao Yun Xiao smiled and said, "That's natural."

  The princess of Zhi said: "She is very suitable for my temper, another day, bring her to my home and sit down."

  Qiao Yun Xiao smiled slightly and nodded.

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