Rebirth: Contract Husband Falls in Love with Me
Chapter 102 - 51 Satire and Counterattack_2

Chapter 102: Chapter 51 Satire and Counterattack_2

"Thank you, mother! It’s getting late; please return, Mrs. Feng! We can talk more after the banquet!" Sang Wan smiled.

If she messed up at the banquet, she certainly wouldn’t have the face to want these pieces of jewelry.

Understanding her intention, Mrs. Feng smiled and took her leave.

The next morning, Sang Wan dressed with utmost care and double-checked everything before proceeding with Mrs. Li, Liu Ya, and two younger maids to Mrs. Wang’s place.

Mrs. Wang had been waiting. Her eyes lit up upon seeing Sang Wan, and after examining her thoroughly and nodding repeatedly, she said with a smile, "Our Miss Wan is indeed stunning! Look at her, can you find a second one in all of Qingzhou with such presence and grace?"

Everyone laughed and said, "Not only is her presence and grace unmatched, but so is her attire and dressing - there’s surely no second in all of Qingzhou!"

Mrs. Wang, overjoyed, ordered her treasured Tianshui jade handkerchief to be brought out to replace the water-red silk handkerchief in Sang Wan’s hand.

Sang Wan took it with a smile and thanked her, suddenly reminded of the wooden puppet.

She was even less than a puppet, for puppets need not think, while today she was bound for a tough battle.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo, glamorous and radiant, left the residence with a troop of maids and elder women, riding a carriage toward the Zhuang family’s grand courtyard in the southern part of the city.

The Zhuang family was among Qingzhou’s most wealthy and noble, and their residence was naturally grand and ornate. Today, Mrs. Zhuang had set up a banquet in the Yuhua Pavilion located in the garden. The exquisite pavilion, with its extended roll-up eaves, was nestled amid flowers and bushes in all their splendor, by the waterside that even had a stage constructed. From the pavilion, one could enjoy picturesque scenery and the gentle music of water lapping against the shore, carried by the breeze - truly a scene of intricate and clever charm.

When Sang Wan and Mrs. Wang arrived, the Zhuang family’s garden was already filled with numerous noble ladies and misses, bathed in a mix of fragrance from clothes and hairdos, the glow of jewelry, the clear and cool sound of clinking accessories, and endless chatter and laughter, with the air filled with an elegant scent of flowers and face powder, all very lively indeed.

"Ah, Sister Shi has arrived!" Mrs. Zhuang greeted warmly with a smile, and her eyes brightened upon seeing Sang Wan. Taking Sang Wan’s hand, she inspected her closely and chuckled, "This must be Miss Wan, right? Haha, gold adorns Buddha and clothes adorn man! I almost couldn’t recognize you with such dressing!" And then, turning to the others with a laugh, she said, "Take a look, isn’t Sister Shi’s new daughter-in-law beautiful? At first glance, she’s on par with those pampered misses from wealthy families!"

The crowd, who loved a spectacle, and were unlikely to hide their envy for the Shi family, took this chance to join in the excitement, unanimously chiming in with "Indeed excellent!"

Mrs. Wang was so aggravated that her complexion changed; she felt a knot of frustration in her chest that she couldn’t swallow or spit out, and though she wanted to retort to Mrs. Zhuang, she was so flustered that she could only stare.

Sang Wan calmly withdrew her hand with a gentle smile, offered a modest curtsy, and, with a shy smile supporting Mrs. Wang, said to Mrs. Zhuang, "Madam, you flatter Miss Wan too much; I dare not accept such praise! The Sang family is but a humble family of scholars, far from the wealth and nobility of yours. Thanks to Master’s generous affection and mother-in-law’s decision, Miss Wan is fortunate to have married into the Shi family; truly, it is Miss Wan’s blessing. My mother-in-law is kind-hearted, treating Miss Wan as if her own daughter, ensuring that not a single aspect of my clothing, food, housing, or travel is overlooked; I am sincerely humbled! The only way to repay my mother-in-law’s profound kindness is to serve and be filial diligently - that is the least I can do to show my gratitude!"

With those words, she not only extricated herself from the surrounding scrutiny but also showered Mrs. Wang with high praise.

Mrs. Wang, thrilled, felt her resentment dissipate in an instant, and patting Sang Wan’s hand proudly, she declared, "Once you’ve entered our Shi family, you are part of Shi family, and what belongs to the Shi family is also yours! Miss Wan, with your knowledgeable and reasonable nature, and your virtuous and filial demeanor, you naturally stand above the common throng; it’s hardly surprising that the Zhuang family miss was so astonished!" And with that, she laughed heartily.

Everyone thought it made sense, after all, Sang Wan was now the legitimate eldest daughter-in-law of the Shi family, and all that belonged to the Shi family was hers, wasn’t it? The marriage arranged by the elder was firmly settled, and as long as no serious faux pas were committed, there was no chance of the Shi family unilaterally divorcing her! In future dealings, they would have plenty of interactions with her, so why offend her for no reason? It was better to take this opportunity to actively foster good relations and earn some favor!

Thus, they all scrambled to smooth things over with jokes and lavish praise.

Mrs. Zhuang, somewhat disinterested, also simply smiled and ceased the playful banter, inviting everyone into the pavilion to take their seats.

It was customary for the gathering of noble ladies to start with a meal, followed by enjoying flowers, watching plays, and entertainment.

Before long, the banquet was laid out and the ladies and misses took their seats. As the wife of Qingzhou’s wealthiest man, Mrs. Wang naturally occupied the main table and introduced Sang Wan to all the ladies present. They included the governor of Qingzhou’s wife, Mrs. Li, and her daughter; the proprietress of Xiaji Bank, Mrs. Xia, and her daughter-in-law; the landowning Li family’s wife and daughters; Mrs. Zhuang’s sister-in-law from her natal family, Mrs. Jiang; Mrs. Jiang’s niece, Tang Yuzhen - the so-called talented lady as mentioned by Mrs. Zhuang, and others.

Subconsciously, Sang Wan stole a few glances at Tang Yuzhen, who was about her age, with an oval face and sloping shoulders, her skin fair and silky, her features delicate and charming. Adorned in an embroidered dress of pine blossom color, Tang was graceful and elegant, modest and restrained, exuding an atmosphere of an avid reader of poetry and books.

Noticing Sang Wan’s gaze with her keen perception, Tang Yuzhen lifted her eyebrows ever so slightly and offered Sang Wan a friendly smile. Sang Wan, momentarily embarrassed, returned the smile.

The dignity and composure in Tang Yuzhen’s smile conveyed a sense of superiority yet also tranquility and peace. Without genuine talent and learning, how could she possess such distinguished self-regard?

Feeling uneasy, Sang Wan was hoping that Mrs. Zhuang had changed her ways and would not cause any mischief – though even she did not believe it very likely.

At the dining table, the food was exquisite and lavish, needless to say; even the ladies and misses who were usually picky couldn’t help but praise it without end. Only Sang Wan ate without tasting, preoccupied with what would unfold next.

After the meal, the servants and maids removed the tables, burned fragrant incense, and poured fresh tea. Once the ladies and misses had rinsed their mouths, they sat in the hall, sipping tea and chatting leisurely.