Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 205 - 189: Stunning the Audience with a Quartet

Chapter 205: Chapter 189: Stunning the Audience with a Quartet

Princess Wanping left the palace earlier than Meng Qianqian, but even so, she had been "locked up" for twenty days. Upon emerging from the palace, it was only fitting to host a lively banquet to announce to all that Wanping had returned.

As such, the mansion was bustling with guests today.

Madam Lin and her daughter, as well as Madam Zhou and her daughter, had arrived. Madam Wang was resting during her pregnancy, so Wang Rou stayed home to accompany her.

Logically speaking, Zhou Nanyan, soon to enter the palace as a consort, should avoid public appearances, but because Princess Wanping was Zong Zhengxi’s elder sister, her etiquette instructor had no choice but to make an exception.

The banquet was set in a shaded small garden, where a stage had been constructed in the south. The most renowned opera troupe in the Capital City was performing "Baihua Pavilion," which tells the story of the Imperial Concubine intoxicated by wine.

The guests were enchanted by the performance.

"It’s Sister Meng!"

Zhou Nanyan was the first to notice Meng Qianqian.

"Where?" Lin Xiaoru raised her eyes and looked around in confusion, "Oh, I see—she really came. But who’s the woman by her side?"

"What a stunning woman," Zhou Nanyan remarked in surprise before shaking her head, "I’ve never seen her before."

She tugged at the hands of the two madams, "Aunt Lin, Mother, Sister Meng has arrived! Do you know the lady accompanying her?"

The two were immersed in the opera, but upon hearing Meng Qianqian had come, they simultaneously followed Zhou Nanyan’s pointed direction.

Meng Qianqian was already a rare beauty in the Capital City, yet her companion was equally unmatched.

The woman was dressed in the attire of a Miaojiang lady, adorned with a glittering silver headdress. Her skin was like jade, and her features were exquisitely refined—her beauty mysterious and ethereal.

"A woman from Miaojiang?" Madam Lin covered her mouth with a handkerchief, "Could she be..."

Madam Zhou exchanged a glance with her, "I suspect she is."

"What do you mean, Mother?" Zhou Nanyan was perplexed by their cryptic words.

Madam Zhou explained, "I heard that last night a group of Miaojiang people arrived at the South City Gate, claiming to be Lu Yuan’s family. One of the women among them even asserted herself to be Lu Yuan’s biological mother."

Zhou Nanyan asked in confusion, "Isn’t Sister Meng’s husband an orphan?"

Madam Zhou turned to Madam Lin, "I recall over a decade ago, when Lu Yuan was working as Xun Yu’s attendant student, he studied at your family’s estate. Did he ever mention anything about his relatives?"

Madam Lin shook her head, "Never."

Zhou Nanyan stood up decisively, "Why don’t we go and ask directly? Lin Xiaoru!"

"Alright."

Lin Xiaoru set down her book and placed a bookmark in it, "Mother, please hold onto this for me."

Zhou Nanyan took Lin Xiaoru’s hand in one of hers while lifting her skirt with the other, traversing the small garden with graceful steps.

"Sister Meng!"

"Yan’er? Xiaoru!" Meng Qianqian’s eyes lit up; meeting these two here was a delightful surprise.

Zhou Nanyan offered a charming smile, glanced at Liu Qingyun cradling Bao Shu, and asked, "Sister Meng, who might this be—?"

Meng Qianqian smiled as she introduced, "My mother-in-law."

Zhou Nanyan was dumbfounded—Lu Yuan’s biological mother really did exist?

The pair respectfully offered a junior’s salute to Liu Qingyun.

Meng Qianqian said to Liu Qingyun, "Mother, these are my friends—Zhou Nanyan and Lin Xiaoru."

Liu Qingyun’s gaze swept over the two young women, then returned to Meng Qianqian.

Forget it; this girl’s still the prettiest.

Liu Qingyun, holding a sleeping Bao Shu, departed.

"Uh..."

Zhou Nanyan raised her hand to gesture.

Meng Qianqian quickly explained, "Don’t take it to heart. My mother-in-law is a kind person; she’s just new here and isn’t accustomed to the ways of interaction in the Central Plains."

Zhou Nanyan said, "I was actually wondering—was that Bao Shu just now?"

Dressed in traditional Miaojiang attire for babies, Bao Shu was unrecognizable—too adorable for words! Zhou Nanyan couldn’t help but want one herself.

Liu Qingyun’s presence had instantly captivated everyone’s attention.

An exotic woman was already a rarity, let alone one as stunning as a goddess, cradling an exquisitely endearing child like a precious rice dumpling.

Even the performance on stage paled in comparison.

Liu Qingyun ignored the stares, taking the seat at the head of the table.

Traditionally, the left side was the seat of honor—the most distinguished position of the day.

However, just as she settled herself with Bao Shu in her arms, a richly dressed madam approached in a haughty manner, gesturing to her maidservant.

The maidservant, seeing Liu Qingyun’s peculiar attire, promptly barked imperiously, "Where does this actress think she’s sitting? How dare she occupy our madam’s seat? You performers were invited here to sing for the Princess Mansion—not to be treated as honored guests!"

From nearby, whispers began to spread among the other ladies.

"An actress? Weren’t they saying she’s the Grand Commander’s biological mother?"

"That’s what the rumor said."

"So who made the mistake?"

"It must have been Madam Zhou. Do you happen to know whose presence this lady commands?"

"Whose madam are you talking about?" Liu Qingyun asked flatly.

The maidservant replied arrogantly, "Listen closely—my madam is the sister of the Duke Xun, personally conferred her title by His Majesty!"

The ladies gasped behind their hands.

The sister of Prime Minister Xun?

Liu Qingyun let out a mocking laugh, "Oh, I thought the one personally conferred a title by His Majesty was your madam herself."

The maidservant was taken aback, "You—"

Liu Qingyun spoke indifferently, "What? What are you ’you’-ing about? You’re blocking the light—move along immediately, and don’t make fools of yourselves for no reason."

The maidservant snapped angrily, "Who are you calling a fool?"

Liu Qingyun glanced at the cluster of servants, then at Madam Wei, "Each one uglier than the next."

The maidservant gritted her teeth, "An actress like you dares to insult my madam? Today I’ll teach you, a lowly performer, a lesson you won’t forget on behalf of the princess!"

As she spoke, she raised her hand to slap Liu Qingyun across the face.

Suddenly, an icy hand caught her wrist mid-air. The accompanying words, however, were directed at Madam Wei: "To cause trouble in the Princess Mansion—is this showing Princess Wanping disrespect, or openly defying the Grand Commander’s Mansion?"

Meng Qianqian shoved the maidservant backward, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.

Madam Wei’s expression darkened, "You mean to say you’re from the Grand Commander’s Mansion?"

Meng Qianqian replied firmly, "Indeed we are."

Madam Wei squinted her eyes, trying to suppress her anger, "Lu Yuan seriously injured my son, and I haven’t even gone to your mansion to hold you accountable, yet here you are, rushing into trouble yourselves."

Meng Qianqian sneered, "Your son, Wei Mingxuan, is a disgrace with an abhorrent character, causing a commotion at someone else’s wedding banquet. On one hand, my husband was doing divine justice; on the other, he was simply enforcing the law impartially. With such a son raised by you, not only do you refuse to contemplate your failures at home or offer apologies, but you even have the audacity to say you’ll trouble us? Is such thick skin universal among members of the Prime Minister’s Mansion?"

"You—"

Madam Wei was so enraged she nearly fainted.

Liu Qingyun glanced down at the sleeping Bao Shu in her arms and said impatiently, "You all are so noisy. If you don’t quiet down, I won’t hold back."

"Alright."

Meng Qianqian obediently took her seat beside Liu Qingyun.

Madam Wei, unaware of Liu Qingyun’s identity as Lu Yuan’s mother, assumed Liu was merely another guest of the Grand Commander’s Mansion.

Though others might fear the Grand Commander’s Mansion, the Prime Minister’s Mansion had no such concerns.

She completely dismissed Liu Qingyun, saying with disdain, "Does being from the Grand Commander’s Mansion mean you can sit here? In Great Zhou, the Xun family is the foremost household—this seat belongs to the Prime Minister’s Mansion!"