Reborn Divine Doctor: The Abandoned Girl's Legend
Chapter 155 - 25 Ghost Festival Palace Banquet

Chapter 155: Chapter 25 Ghost Festival Palace Banquet

As the Ghost Festival draws near, signs of festivity are visible throughout Xia Capital.

Since Eldest Miss Lan, Lan Cai, is still in closed-door cultivation, this year’s Ghost Festival will see Lan Yingwu attending the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet at the Imperial Palace, accompanied by his beloved wife Lady Lan and the newly recognized Second Miss Lan.

Autumn has arrived in Xia Capital, and the season is fragrant with the scent of osmanthus, permeating every corner.

Early in the morning, Lan Lingyue was carefully dressed by Lady Lan, and even General Lan, who usually cared little for appearances, had neatly shaven. By evening, the family of three took to the carriage, and set off rumbling towards the Imperial Palace.

Upon reaching the gate of the Imperial Palace, lanterns were already hung inside and outside. The carriages stopped outside the palace walls according to officials’ ranks.

Built over a thousand years ago, the Xia Capital Palace is a sprawling complex occupying more than a hundred acres.

It has been continually renovated over the years, exuding an air of ancient elegance.

"Ling Yue, the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet is separated into one for female and male guests. You and your mother will be attending the one set in the harem for female guests, hosted by the Empress Dowager this year. Just follow your mother," Lan Yingwu explained as they reached the outside of the Imperial Palace, before parting ways with the two.

Dressed in the attire of a Third-Grade Imperial Decree, Lady Lan took Lan Lingyue’s hand and they boarded a carriage.

The pathways in Xia Palace were winding and silent, with colorful palace lanterns strung along like dragons, illuminating the entire harem with resplendent light.

Ladies from various families brought their female relatives, all dressed to dazzle, and disembarked from the carriages in turn.

For the noblewomen of Xia Capital, the annual Ghost Festival was more than just a feast. At the banquet, aside from building connections, it was also a chance to showcase themselves and their daughters. Given the right opportunity, one might catch the eye of the Empress Dowager or the Lady Head of the Marquis Mansion, securing a favorable marital alliance.

As soon as Lady Lan and Lan Lingyue stepped off the carriage, they saw a group of splendidly dressed noblewomen and officials’ daughters heading towards the Empress Dowager’s Bai Feng Palace.

Having been away from Xia Capital for over a year, Lady Lan was about to greet a few acquaintances from years past when the noblewomen and ministers’ wives spotted her and Lan Lingyue, and hurriedly avoided them as if they were cats who had seen a mouse.

Even several old friends did the same, leaving Lady Lan feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Lady Lan," Just as Lady Lan was unsure of what to do, another carriage arrived beside her, from which a woman and a young girl alighted.

"Ling Yue, how fortunate to meet you here. I was just mentioning you to my mother earlier," the newcomer was none other than Feng Xue and her mother, Madam Feng.

Madam Feng appeared gentle and kind-hearted in her forties.

She did not have much contact with Lady Lan originally, but since her daughter Feng Xue and Lan Lingyue became friends, she had developed a fondness for the Lan Family.

Not long after, the mother of Liu Cheng arrived as well, bringing with her two daughters of the Taishi Mansion; Liu Cheng followed Minister Liu to the main palace banquet hall.

The mothers both showed great respect to Lady Lan, and soon struck up a conversation.

"I noticed everyone was avoiding me just then, has something happened?" Lady Lan wondered in her heart.

"Lady Lan, the other ladies ignoring you might have something to do with this invitation card," Madam Feng and Mrs. Liu both had an understanding of this matter, as they each brought out an invitation card.

The card was sent out by the Hong Residence the day before the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet. The wives of officials of Fifth-grade and above in the city had all received this invitation card, and they had agreed to attend the tea banquet at the Hong Residence.

Madam Feng and Mrs. Liu, due to their average relationship with the Hong Residence, did not attend the banquet; however, they heard from other ladies who went that there was some unfavorable gossip about Lady Lan during the tea party.

The gist was that Lady Lan was a frail and useless person who even acknowledged a child of unknown origin as her kin.

That second daughter of the Lan Family, a coarse village woman, failed to seduce a man and a few days earlier had openly competed with the young miss from Hong Residence for beast eggs at the Beast Pet Store.

This is just unbearable, in these times, which family doesn’t have several daughters yet to be wed? If they get involved with Second Miss Lan and are led astray, not to mention their character being tainted, how would they ever get married off?

Therefore, when the other official wives saw Lady Lan, they all showed clear aversion.

"What a petty Hong Residence, to resort to these means just because of a few stolen beast eggs," beside her, Feng Xue was immediately ablaze with anger, and stood in defense of Ye Lingyue.

Needless to say, this was related to Zhuge Rou and her daughter.

"Ling Yue, this sort of thing isn’t uncommon in the circles within Xia Capital. Mother doesn’t like to be friends with those who rashly believe in rumors, let’s go in and enjoy the banquet," Lady Lan said after listening, not taking it too seriously.

Her magnanimity impressed both Madam Feng and Mrs. Liu greatly. The three, chatting and laughing with their daughters, entered Bai Feng Palace.

Upon entering Bai Feng Palace, most of the seats were already taken.

According to rank, Lady Lan and Ye Lingyue should have been seated in the middle, but at this time, their seats had already been taken by several ladies and young misses of officials, leaving the mother and daughter to sit at the very lowest end.

At the banquet, Ye Lingyue suddenly felt the gaze of two unfriendly eyes, she turned her head and saw Hong Yuying and Nangong Qinglin.

Nangong Qinglin and Hong Yuying were close as sisters; the two were sitting side by side, whispering to each other. Although it wasn’t clear what they were talking about, from their grinding teeth and the venomous look they shot towards Ye Lingyue, it was evident they were not speaking well of her.

However, at the palace banquet, Ye Lingyue did not see An Minxia; presumably, after being stung by a poisonous bee, her face had not yet healed, and she dared not show herself at such a public event.

"Do you see that? That’s the newly acknowledged Second Miss Lan from the Lan Residence, look at her, she doesn’t even have any proper accessories."

"Exactly, even Eldest Miss Lan refused to attend the banquet, surely she also doesn’t acknowledge this wild seed."

In the dim light, Ye Lingyue heard all kinds of buzzing and whispering voices, feeling inwardly that it was fortunate Lan Cai’er was in closed-door cultivation and had not come, otherwise with her fiery temper, the palace banquet wouldn’t have started before a scolding match would have ensued.

Seeing that the Lan mother and daughter didn’t pay attention to the gossip of others, those noble ladies and young misses gradually lost interest, and the topic shifted to those subjects most beloved among women.

Such as which family’s lord or young master had been promoted, which family had taken in a new concubine, from clothes and accessories to beauty products, the content of the women’s conversation was varied and diverse.

"Lady Lan, you really look young, could it be that you are using some kind of beauty elixir?" Madam Feng, under the hazy palace lantern light, appraised Lady Lan.

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