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The women surrounding Xu Muqing felt both envious and regretful. If she had stood up for Lin Yuan at Yao Hanai’s party instead of Xu Muqing, could she have been the one to receive the mirror today?

Sadly, the world has never had a remedy for regret.

A clever woman secretly nudged Xu Muqing’s arm.

This time Xu Muqing wasn’t foolish. Previously, asking for help to open a shop was only a matter of a few words, but now, if she were to ask for a favor, it would be a significant loss for Lin Yuan.

She wasn’t foolish enough to use her own favor to coerce someone else.

However, Xu Muqing looked down at Yan Ruchun, who was cracking sunflower seeds, and after much deliberation, decided to help her get one. Despite Yan Ruchun’s offensive mouth and temper, her intentions weren’t bad. She would even be willing to pay for it with her own Silver.

"Yuanyuan, can you give the stinky..."

"Ha! Fatty Xu! I tell you, in this room, you are the one who needs this mirror the most." Yan Ruchun suddenly interrupted Xu Muqing before she could finish, then loudly asked, "Know why?"

Xu Muqing, simple-minded, was immediately sidetracked by Yan Ruchun’s change of topic, "No, I don’t."

Yan Ruchun chuckled to herself but kept a serious face, "Because, you’re the fattest, of course. If you look at your pig-like self in the mirror every day, you’ll learn to control your mouth! Otherwise, the day your silly Brother Rong stops liking you, you’ll have nowhere to cry!"

So that was it!

"Stinky mouth! You’re talking nonsense!" Xu Muqing, who had been nodding in agreement, suddenly flared up, her chubby face red with anger, "Don’t call Brother Rong a fool. Brother Rong is not stupid! He’s the smartest man in the world, no one can compare to him!"

Pfft!

Someone suddenly laughed, and all the women in the room burst into laughter. They were all amused by Xu Muqing, who always had Brother Rong on her mind, lips, and heart. She hadn’t heard Yan Ruchun calling her a pig, but she always remembered Yan Ruchun calling her Brother Rong a fool!

Lin Yuan also shook her head in amusement, finding herself speechless at Xu Muqing.

Since Lin Yuan’s gift was so astonishingly unique, none of the other gifts that followed could compare, and they didn’t attract much attention anymore.

As the auspicious time was approaching, Lin Yuan and the others presented their wedding gifts and then headed back on their own.

Su Qiu Yu and Yao Hanai had been glaring at each other since they arrived, and surprisingly, they hadn’t spoken a single word throughout the event.

And with another banquet to attend at the General Mansion, they naturally hurried back to change into new dresses.

After all, someone dear to them was waiting at the General Mansion!

Lin Yuan had fewer worries. When they left for Tian Mansion this morning, Lady Liu had already headed to the General Mansion early to help Princess Anle receive guests. Thus, after leaving the Tian Mansion, the sisters went directly to the General Mansion.

Today’s General Mansion was extraordinarily lively, not only filled with officials from the capital and their families, but also Princess Anle’s close friends.

There was Su Qiu Yu’s mother, Lady Han, Yao Hanai’s mother, Lady Meng, Madam Cheng from Red Smoke Pavilion, and even Lady Jiang from the Chen family of Jiangnan had arrived early.

Princess Anle had gotten up early to greet everyone, and as this was her first time managing such an event, she was not very accustomed to it. With her being the only woman in the General Mansion, the lack of assistance added to her confusion.

It was with great difficulty that the ladies were seated in the flower hall before the steward Sister called Princess Anle away again—it was said that she had to inspect the arrangement of the new son’s room.

Being a servant, she had no final say in these matters, so it was necessary for Princess Anle to approve.

As soon as Princess Anle left, the originally harmonious atmosphere in the flower hall changed instantly.

Among those present, apart from Lady Liu, the husbands of the other women were high-ranking officials—Prime Minister, The Grand Scholar, Chief of Staff, etc. Consequently, Lady Liu, a commoner, seemed increasingly out of place.

Although Lady Liu had a few good friends in the capital, their friendship was based on Princess Anle’s influence. Now that Princess Anle was not around, faced with others’ afflictions, naturally, not many were willing to stand up for her.