Chapter 243: Flower Appreciation Banquet
The backyard of the General’s Mansion didn’t look particularly exquisite, but it seemed very full of life, and the flowers were truly beautiful.
Madam Jiang liked it very much.
The flower garden was so beautiful, and there was a whole wall of rose flowers.
The various floral scents mingled together but were not unpleasant; they were even refreshing.
Jiang Yao also liked the pretty flowers very much.
While Madam Jiang was enjoying the flowers here, Qin Wanwan took Jiang Yao to her room to look at the plump and cute succulents.
“These are very easy to care for and look good on a table. I’ll give you a few more pots.”
Jiang Yao happily nodded in agreement.
This visit, apart from the initial fright, the two female relatives from the Jiang family had a happy time later.
When they left, Madam Jiang even spent money to buy four pots of flowers.
She happened to feel that the single chrysanthemum at home was not enough to see, and today she had certainly broadened her horizons.
Originally, Qin Wanwan wanted to give them to her directly, but Madam Jiang was not someone who liked to take advantage of others. After some reasoning and persuasion, Qin Wanwan finally accepted the money.
“It’s actually I who am taking advantage. Wanwan, any of these flowers you grow could sell for quite a bit elsewhere. For such a small amount of silver to buy four pots of your flowers, it’s a great deal for me no matter where you say it.”
Qin Wanwan: “I have many more flowers.”
“Being able to grow them is your skill. As an elder, I can’t shamelessly take them just because I want them.”
And so, Qin Wanwan accepted one hundred taels of silver from Madam Jiang.
Jiang Yao also took two pots of succulents back.
When they left, the smile on Madam Jiang’s face never faded; she had long forgotten about being scared earlier.
But for her to visit the General’s Mansion again would be impossible.
She was still afraid.
In the next three days, Qin Wanwan received an invitation to a Flower Appreciation Banquet.
It was from Madam Jiang.
It was currently the season when many flowers bloomed, and having obtained several rare pots of flowers from Qin Wanwan, Madam Jiang was busy preparing for the Flower Appreciation Banquet.
Qin Wanwan was naturally also invited.
“There’s a banquet with flower appreciation?”
It was Qin Wanwan’s first time receiving such a formal invitation, and she found it a little strange.
Lu He had previously worked as a maid for a wealthy family, so she knew some things and began to explain to Qin Wanwan.
“Many madams like to host banquets, such as flower appreciation banquets, tea parties, and poetry gatherings. Although these are not very popular here, there are several wives of officials who have come from Shangjing. These banquets are held first to foster relationships among the women in their households, and second, to help find suitable matches for their marriageable children.”
So there were so many subtleties to it.
“Keke, come with me.”
Flower Appreciation Banquets are for female relatives, so it’s not suitable to bring large animals from home, nor can too many be brought.
Keke held his head high: “These kinds of banquets are the most likely to have incidents, Keke will definitely protect Wanwan!”
Qin Wanwan nodded heavily. Keke had read many storybooks to her, and some of them described how such banquets often had problems.
On the day of the banquet, Qin Wanwan wore a pale purple skirt and dressed beautifully.
Xie Chong pinched his daughter’s plump little face. At breakfast, he kept feeding her, giving her all the food she liked.
Qin Wanwan sat obediently on her stool. Before she could even do much herself, her Daddy had already fed her until she was full.
“Burp~ Daddy, I’m full.”
Xie Chong nodded contentedly; feeding his daughter was a bit addictive.
He used to be more reserved, but now he cared less and less about his image. All that talk of the cold-faced, black-faced Great General completely disappeared in front of his daughter.
“Let Lu He and Wolf Fang accompany you. Don’t be afraid of trouble at the banquet. If anyone bullies you, just have Snowflake come find me, and Daddy will deal with their families for you.”
He doesn’t hit women, so couldn’t he hit those women’s husbands and sons?
As he spoke, he also wiped the corners of his good daughter’s mouth clean.
Qin Wanwan nodded: “I know.”
Then, accompanied by Wolf Fang and Lu He, she left in a carriage, watched by her Daddy.
Little Red was pulling the carriage, and Snowflake stood steadily on the roof of the carriage.
Eagle Boss also wanted to come, but it was too big and too conspicuous.
The carriage trotted to the Jiang Mansion, instantly attracting the gaze of everyone around.
This was Little Red’s charm.
“Isn’t that the General’s Mansion’s carriage?”
They might not recognize the carriage, but they recognized the horse.
Even though they rarely went out in the inner chambers, they had heard of it.
“Doesn’t the General’s family have no female relatives? Why are they attending the Jiang Mansion’s Flower Appreciation Banquet today?”
“It should be General Xie’s daughter.”
“I wonder what the origin of General Xie’s daughter is. After so long, we still haven’t heard any news about her mother.”
“Perhaps her identity is something that cannot be revealed.”
“I heard this daughter isn’t his biological child, but seems to be an adopted daughter.”
The female relatives in the inner chambers were more fond of exploring gossip than men.
Mainly, quite a few people were eyeing the position of the General’s wife.
Xie Chong was still young, capable, and not bad-looking. Didn’t these female relatives have suitable relatives? They all wanted to introduce their younger sisters, nieces, or even daughters to Xie Chong.
Unfortunately, it had never been successful before.
Last year, a daughter suddenly appeared. Many of them inquired for news, but unfortunately, they didn’t get much information.
After such a long time, they finally got to see the daughter of General Xie’s family.
Many people were secretly staring at the little girl who got out of the carriage.
Upon seeing her, they were all astonished; what a naturally gifted and refined little girl.
Although she was young, judging from her tender and exquisite facial features, it was not hard to see that she would definitely grow up to be a beauty!
Madam Jiang personally brought her two daughters to welcome Qin Wanwan.
That’s right, her eldest married daughter had also returned to attend the banquet.
“I’ve heard Mother say many times that Sister Wanwan is intelligent and beautiful. What a blessed child has come to us; we’ve been waiting for you.”
The eldest daughter of the Jiang family was also very smooth-talking, and her words were very pleasant to hear.
She even made Qin Wanwan, a little milk bun who had never seen the world, feel shy.
Fearing that Qin Wanwan would not adapt, Madam Jiang had her youngest daughter accompany her the entire time.
“Keke, you’re here too.”
Keke greeted Jiang Yao: “Hello, little beauty.”
Jiang Yao chuckled and led them to find her companions.
“Wanwan, I’ll take you to play with the others.”
There were only six little girls of similar age attending the banquet.
Two of them were strangely familiar.
“Is your name Nan Jie’er?”
Qin Wanwan asked a slightly dark-skinned little girl in a water-green skirt standing next to her.
“Yes, you know me?”
Lin Nan, also known as Nan Jie’er, had a straightforward personality.
Although she was dressed like a pretty young lady, her actions indicated that she was someone who could lift her skirt and go fight.
