When the main guests arrived, Princess Duan He personally led the guests to see the scenery of the estate. However, in Hua Xi Wan's view, the brightly decorated estate was not as magnificent as the other furen had described it to be, but she still cooperated and made an expression of amazement.
After admiring the exquisiteness of the estate, it was time for a game of throwing pots that was suitable for both men and women. Hua Xi Wan looked at the slender long pot and then at the male and female guests who were rubbing their palms together. She tried to make her expression appear more excited.
"We are old and will just watch you young people play." Xu Wang Fei and the other older womenfolk expressed that it was enough for them to sit on the side and be referees. The other people did not have any objections. This kind of game was what young people liked to play. Older people did not have good eyesight and could not throw arrows into the mouth of the pot.
Princess Duan He was the host and should let the honored guests throw first. However, because she was the only daughter and was favored, no one present dared to throw before her. After delaying for a while, Princess Duan He threw the first arrow. The arrow tilted at the mouth of the pot and almost fell in.
"Ah, so close." Princess Duan He clapped her hands and took an arrow from a servant girl. She turned her head and scanned the crowd. Then she handed the arrow in front of Hua Xi Wan. "Tang Dimei is a newlywed. This second arrow is yours. But if you do not hit, you will be punished with a cup of wine." When she said this, Princess Duan He looked wryly at the male guests standing at the side. "If someone is unwilling, they can take the punishment for you in three generations."
Hua Xi Wan took the arrow and shook her head with a smile. She said, "This is not good." Finishing, she walked a few steps forward and stood on the line of throwing pots. She threw the arrow neatly into the mouth of the pot.
The arrow hit the pot with a tinkling sound and fell to the side.
"Dixi is not as skilled as Imperial Sister. I have embarrassed myself." Hua Xi Wan sighed and then turned to look at Yan Jinqiu.
。
"My wife is not good at drinking. Let me drink three cups on her behalf." Yan Jinqiu took a few steps forward and walked to Hua Xi Wan's side. He smiled faintly and bowed to Princess Duan He, "Please have mercy, Imperial Sister."
Princess Duan He clapped her hands and said with a smile, "I knew someone would love his wife. Come, pour some wine for Prince Xian."
The wine was quickly served. The three cups the size of the woman's fist were filled to the brim with wine. Yan Jinqiu did not refuse. He reached out and lifted the cup, raised his head, and drank the entire cup. He wiped away the wine stain at the corner of his mouth with his index finger and chuckled. "Good wine." Then, he smiled at Hua Xi Wan and raised his head to drink the second cup.
When the womenfolk saw this, they all teased that he loved his Wang Fei. Some were envious, but they only thought about it inside. Their expressions were still lively.
Princess Minhye watched as Yan Jinqiu unhesitatingly drank three cups of wine for Hua Xi Wan. She couldn't help but feel a thread of resentment. Other than having some beauty, what part of this woman was worthy of Xian Junw.a.n.g? She knew that if she did not hit the mark, she would cause Xian Junw.a.n.g to be punished with drinking, but she was still so unconcerned. She was really hateful.
After the three cups of wine, Yan Jinqiu's expression did not change. He elegantly took the arrow that Princess Duan He handed to him. Under everyone's gaze, he easily threw the arrow into the pot.
"Good," Princess Duan He smiled and said, "I knew this kind of little game wouldn't be difficult for you."
"It's just good luck. Imperial Sister is too kind." Yan Jinqiu took the tea that a servant brought over to rinse his mouth to get rid of the taste of wine in his mouth.
Hua Xi Wan handed her handkerchief to him. He took it with a smile, wiped his mouth, and put the handkerchief into his sleeve. "Next time, I'll teach you how to throw the pot. It's fine if you don't hit the pot. My alcohol tolerance isn't bad. "
"You won't fall even after a thousand cups?" Hua Xi Wan was just about to speak and joke with Yan Jinqiu when she heard a servant report that Princess Linping and her junma had arrived.
Hua Xi Wan raised an eyebrow and looked at Yan Jinqiu whose expression did not change. Her lips curled as she thought, this Princess Linping really did come. She was right.
Not long after, she saw several servant girls escorting a man and a woman walk in.
The well-dressed woman looked to be in her early twenties. Her appearance did not have much in common with Yan Jinqiu. She could only be considered delicate and pretty. However, the young man beside her had red lips and white teeth. He was gentle and elegant, and had a good appearance.
When Princess Linping arrived, she apologized to Princess Duan He, saying that she had encountered some problems on the way and was a bit late.
Princess Duan He immediately laughed and let the matter pass. Then she pointed at Hua Xi Wan and said, "You only cared about chatting with me. Look at who this is."
Princess Linping followed her gesture and tilted her head to look at Hua Xi Wan. After a few glances, she said neutrally, "This must be my sister-in-law, Fahrenheit. She has a good appearance."
Probably because these words did not seem right, the womenfolk present felt that something was wrong. For a moment, no one interjected. Only a few looked sympathetically at Hua Xi Wan.
"Greetings to Jiejie and Brother-in-law." Hua Xi Wan gracefully walked forward and curtsied. Then she smiled and glanced at Junma Luo Zhongzhen, "Brother-in-law also has a good appearance."
When these words came out, some womenfolk used handkerchiefs to cover their mouths to hide their smiles. Four years ago, Princess Linping had wanted to marry because she liked this Talent Luo's appearance. Now that she had just returned to Jing, she was so impolite to her sister-in-law whom she had never met. No wonder Princess Xian did not give her face.
"Didi really has married a good wife. Her family education and etiquette are rare." Princess Linping hadn't expected that Hua Xi Wan would speak to her like this. Her expression was ugly. As to Luo Zhongzhen, who had been praised by Hua Xi Wan on the surface but was actually being mocked for relying on his face to live off a woman, there wasn't any anger on his face.
"Xi Wan's personality has always been like this. Even Imperial Grandmother, the Emperor, and the Empress praise her and are worried that I will bully her," Yan Jinqiu said neutrally, "If it wasn't for the fact that Xi Wan is rare, the Emperor wouldn't have betrothed her to me."
Hearing this, Princess Linping's expression became even uglier. Luo Zhongzhen next to her was the first to speak: "Didi has married such a beauty, congratulations."
Seeing Luo Zhongzhen speak, Princess Linping's expression was ugly, but she didn't speak again. After looking at Yan Jinqiu and Hua Xi Wan, she sat down with a dark face.
Seeing this, the womenfolk didn't show it on their faces, but they didn't understand. Prince Xian's fu was Princess Linping's paternal home. Her parents had passed away, and she only had her didi as her support. Why did she have to make things so difficult? Wasn't this pulling her and her didi further and further apart?
No matter what Lin Ping Junzhu wanted to do, seeing Xian Junw.a.n.g's attitude towards Xian Junw.a.n.g Fei and Xian Junw.a.n.g Fei's attitude towards Lin Ping Junzhu caused some of the womenfolk to stay away from Lin Ping Junzhu. After all, one was a junzhu who was estranged from her paternal family and whose husband's family wasn't conspicuous. The other was a Jun Wang Fei who was valued by her paternal family and whose husband's family was prominent. Anyone with eyes knew who they couldn't offend.
"Cousin, you came at the right time. Right now, we're playing pitch-pot. Come and play with us." Princess Minhye saw that the atmosphere was a bit tense, so she took an arrow and brought it to Princess Minhye. Holding her hand, she smiled and explained the rules of the game. "Cousin, you were able to hit nine times out of ten when you played pitch-pot. I still can't forget your heroic performance."
"That was a few years ago." Princess Linping pulled her hand out of Princess Minhye's hand and walked to the pitch-pot line. She missed her shot. Smiling faintly, she said, "I haven't played in the last two years. My skills are rusty."
Hearing this, Hua Xi Wan's eyebrows moved slightly. When aristocratic families invited guests to banquets, they often played elegant games like pitch-pot. Princess Linping had been married to Jiang City for four years. Why didn't she play these games that aristocratic families often played?
When the wine was served, Princess Linping didn't refuse. She covered her sleeves and drank a cup of wine. Wiping the corners of her mouth, she said, "You guys should play this game. My skills aren't good enough."
Seeing this, everyone chatted and laughed. After one round, it was Hua Xi Wan's turn. Although her pitch-pot skills weren't good, she was very confident.
Under Yan Jinqiu's guidance, the second arrow still fell out of the pot. She said helplessly, "It seems that I have no hope of becoming a master pitch-pot in this life."
Hearing this, the womenfolk laughed. Yan Jinqiu also smiled and shook his head. He said to everyone, "I'm getting closer and closer to not getting drunk after a thousand cups." After saying this, he didn't wait for anyone to urge him and drank three cups of wine.
Princess Linping looked at the three empty cups on the tray. She felt that the wine she drank just now was burning her throat. Even her tongue felt bitter.
After the fun, everyone went to the front hall to eat. After eating and drinking, they began to enjoy the opera and listen to music. Halfway through, a taijian from the palace came to pass on the Empress' orders, summoning Princess Duan He and Princess Linping into the palace.
Since the masters were leaving, the guests naturally had no reason to stay and play. Everyone sat on the carriage and left the princess's estate.
Hua Xi Wan sat in the carriage and looked at the busy streets. She didn't look at Yan Jinqiu's expression. "Jinqiu, does Sister Chang have some misunderstanding about me?"
Yan Jinqiu held her hand. "Don't think too much."
Hua Xi Wan turned to look at him. She smiled but didn't speak.
"You are the mistress of Prince Xian's fu. It doesn't matter if other people misunderstand, as long as I don't misunderstand you." He reached out to touch the hairpin in her hair. "I only believe what I want to believe. What other people do has nothing to do with me."
Did this mean that he wouldn't take other people's words to heart, wouldn't be influenced by other people, and was willing to protect her?
Hua Xi Wan still smiled. She knew that Yan Jinqiu wasn't as simple as he appeared. Yan Jinqiu had intentionally or unintentionally made her realize this.
Yan Jinqiu wanted her to stand on the same battle line as him? Unfortunately, she was too lazy. How could a person who didn't even want to stand go onto the battlefield?
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