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Daohua was also busy, following behind the adults and bidding farewell to the young girls one by one.

“Yiyi, my family also hosts banquets from time to time, and when the time comes, I will send you an invitation,” Zhou Jingwan, the young girl, still had an air of arrogance, but after a day’s interaction, her attitude had improved a great deal. At least she no longer looked down on people with her nose in the air.

Daohua smiled and nodded, “Then I’ll be looking forward to it.”

In these days, Madam Li had briefed her on the situation of the prominent families in Xingzhou, and the Zhou Family was a well-known aristocratic family there. Having been in the ancient times for so long, she hadn’t yet visited an ancient mansion.

Zhou Jingwan reservedly nodded her head, then followed Madam Zhou into the carriage, holding a basket full of wildflowers in her hands.

After boarding the carriage, Madam Zhou glanced at her daughter. She knew her daughter’s temper well-being rather spoiled at home, she rarely looked favorably upon others and was quite proud.

“So, you like the Yan Family’s eldest daughter very much?”

Zhou Jingwan played with the flower basket in her hand, first nodding her head, then shaking it, “Not that I like her that much, but she’s different from other girls. She doesn’t always crowd around me. Getting along with her is… well, quite comfortable.”

Madam Zhou glanced at the flower basket in her daughter’s hand and smiled,

“I heard that you were arranging flower baskets all day today?”

Zhou Jingwan nodded vigorously, “We even had a competition.” She said while moving the flower basket in front of Madam Zhou, lifting her chin with a proud expression, “How is it, Mother? Didn’t I arrange it beautifully? I won second place!”

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou’s eyebrows rose. Whenever they visited other families, no matter the actual talent shown, her daughter always got first place; of course, she knew that this was out of regard for the Zhou Family’s face.

This was the first time she heard her daughter didn’t win first place, which piqued her curiosity.

“Then who got first place?”

Zhou Jingwan: “Qian Bilan won first place. Mother, I tell you, the flower basket she arranged was so beautiful. I originally wanted to trade with her, but Yiyi said that this was the first flower basket we independently arranged in our lives and had special significance, so we should keep our own.”

“After thinking about it, I felt she was quite right. If I brought home Qian Bilan’s flower basket, everyone would just praise its beauty, but my own arrangement would certainly earn Grandpa’s compliments.”

Madam Zhou tapped her daughter’s head, “I’m impressed. You’ve actually started to use your head.” After finishing speaking, she took the flower basket to examine it, “This eldest daughter of the Yan Family is really quite thoughtful.”

She didn’t stubbornly pit her weaknesses against the talents of other ladies. Instead, she used something familiar to attract the girls’ attention, taking control of the home field advantage while not making others feel uncomfortable. She is someone who knows what she’s doing.

“Oh, what’s this?” There was actually a bamboo container in the flower basket!

Zhou Jingwan: “This is the jasmine tea that Yiyi gave us. Mother, this tea is so delicious. It s even better than the West Lake Longjing Tea specially sent to Grandpa by my second uncle.”

Madam Zhou remembered the tea she had at Madam Li’s courtyard and nodded in agreement, Indeed, it’s not bad. Since Dragon Boat Festival is coming up, and you have accepted their tea, it’s inevitable to send something back in return.”

Zhou Jingwan: “Hmm, I’ll think about it when I get back.”

A bit behind, in the Tongzhi family’s carriage, Lord Tongzhi was also discussing with his wife and daughter their visit to the Yan Family.

Qian Tongzhi: “From the dishes served at this banquet, our new Prefectural Governor seems to be quite an honest man.”

Madam Qian hesitated: “Maybe… it was something Yan Zhigao deliberately showed everyone? I have heard that this Yan Zhigao served as a county magistrate for three terms, a period of 9 years without any promotion. Perhaps there is some stain on his reputation?”

Qian Tongzhi shook his head: “You have long hair but short insight. Do you think an official promotion is that easy to come by? It’s all too common for those from humble families like the Yan Family to be suppressed in the officialdom and to have their merits usurped by others.”

“For Yan Zhigao to be promoted directly from a Seventh-rank County Magistrate to a Fifth-rank Prefectural Governor, he must have some ability.” Madam Qian pouted: “But I’ve heard that Yan Zhigao’s promotion this time seems to be due to him latching onto a powerful patron, not because of his own abilities.”

Hearing this, Qian Tongzhi sighed. His wife was generally smooth and considerate in her social interactions, but her humble origins limited her perspective, “Having the ability to catch the eye of the nobility is a skill in itself.”

Sitting nearby, Qian Bilan sensed that her father seemed a bit angry and quickly changed the subject with a smile, “Dad, Mom, I won first place in the flower-arranging contest this time. Look, this is the basket I arranged.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Qian was not pleased but looked at Qian Bilan with an accusing face, “You girl, why do you love showing off so much? Haven’t I warned you to give way to Miss Zhou from the Zhou Family? How could you take the first place?”

The smile on Qian Bilan’s face instantly froze, and her hand holding the basket stiffened mid-air, her joy disappearing without a trace.

Qian Tongzhi cast a glance at Madam Qian, “What are you talking about?” He then took the initiative to take Qian Bilan’s basket and praised her, “Our Lan has skilled hands; this flower basket is arranged beautifully.”

Qian Bilan’s expression improved slightly, and after hesitating, she said in a low voice, “I will definitely be careful next time and not compete for attention with Miss Zhou.”

Qian Tongzhi waved his hand dismissively, “It’s not your fault. You were a guest and naturally followed the host’s lead. The result of the contest was decided by the eldest miss of the Yan Family, right?”

Qian Bilan nodded, “Not entirely, everyone had a say.”

Qian Tongzhi asked with a smile, “None of you young ladies ended up quarreling?”

Qian Bilan shook her head, “Miss Zhou was a bit resentful at first, but later Sister Yan said something to Miss Zhou, and Miss Zhou stopped talking.”

Qian Tongzhi thought for a moment, then smiled and said to Qian Bilan, “When you have time, try to get closer to the eldest miss of the Yan Family; she’s quite astute.”

Qian Bilan agreed wholeheartedly, “Miss Zhou has a bad temper and is arrogant, but Sister Yan is not afraid of her at all. Today, when Miss Zhou and Madam Tongzhi’s daughter Wang Yuwei had a dispute, she did not blindly side with Miss Zhou.”

Qian Tongzhi, “It’s rare for her not to flatter the influential.”

Madam Qian disagreed somewhat, “What’s so rare about that? The Yan Family has just arrived in Xingzhou. If they offend the Zhou Family, Lord Yan’s position as Prefectural Governor won’t last long.”

Qian Tongzhi shook his head, not bothering to explain to his wife, and continued talking with Qian Bilan.

Meanwhile, in the carriage of the consultant’s family.

“The Yan Family’s background may be modest, but the home-cooked meals they serve are quite good,” the consultant was still reminiscing about the Yan Family’s food.

Madam Wang chuckled disdainfully, “Look at what you ‘ve come to, even such meals are good enough for your taste?”

Wang Jiahua, the son of the Wang Family, spoke fairly for the consultant,

“Mom, the food prepared by the Yan Family is indeed good.”

Wang Yuwei curled her lip, “Brother, you and dad must have had too much of exotic delicacies to find plain congee and simple dishes tasty.”

The consultant, “All right, stop talking about these trivial matters. Tell dad, what do you think of the Yan Family’s young master and miss?”

Wang Jiahua thought for a moment, “The eldest son of the Yan Family is well- learned and also steady.”

Wang Yuwei, “The eldest miss of the Yan Family is not great, she’s crafty inside. Today, I had a little disagreement with Zhou Jingwan, and we could have settled it ourselves, but she just had to interfere, taking the opportunity to ingratiate herself with Zhou Jingwan. Anyway, I don’t like her.”

Madam Wang, “If you don’t like her, then you don’t. I took a look today as well, and the rules of the Yan Family aren’t impressive. Mrs. Li has a merchant background, and though she seems virtuous, I’m pretty sure she is intolerant inside. The concubine-born daughters in the family are extremely petty, which is very embarrassing and noticeable.”

The consultant touched the beard on his chin and looked at Madam Wang, “Did

you find out the information I asked you to inquire about?”

Madam Wang shook her head, “Madam Zhou didn’t say anything, but Madam Tongzhi actually asked aloud in front of everyone, unfortunately, Mrs. Li acted as if she didn’t understand and changed the subject.”

“My lord, looking at the Yan Family, they don’t seem like they can mingle with nobles. Could you have made a mistake?”

The consultant didn’t reply, his mind troubled by the message that had been relayed to him from the consultant.