The Princess of Northern Land
Chapter 498: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (5)_1

Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (5)_1

The majority of government officials are savvy enough to understand that Chu Suifeng’s good mood was inseparable from Lin Ziyin.

In the women’s quarters, the wives and favored legitimate daughters of each household treated Lin Ziyin as the center of attention. As for Li Yanran, who was so envious that her eyes had turned red, hardly anyone was willing to give her a glance. This stark contrast made Li Yanran feel even more aggrieved, and she despised Lin Ziyin so much she wished she would choke to death on a sip of water.

Lin Ziyin’s display of etiquette at the banquet astonished many wives. Proper manners were something that ladies from prominent families had to learn. In large families, they would typically invite a specialized nanny to teach them when the girls were eight or nine years old.

Yet Lin Ziyin, a mere country girl, seemed to understand these customs. Even if the prince had sent people to tutor her in secret, they wouldn’t have been able to make her as proficient in such a short time.

This banquet was the first time Lin Ziyin demonstrated her adaptability. Any flattery thrown her way, Lin Ziyin gently deflected with a faint smile. She didn’t display arrogance or act inferior, causing many wives to privately praise her. Given Lin Ziyin’s composed confidence, they doubted anyone would believe that she was just a young girl from a small village.

By the time the banquet concluded, it was late in the afternoon. Even though early autumn had arrived, the courtyard was still very hot. In order to entertain their guests, the Marquis Residence set up a stage in the courtyard for a play, even though the shade of the trees did little to cool down the place.

To entertain the dowager lady, they even placed blocks of ice around the tent where the guests were sitting. Even though the ice melted quickly due to the heat, the Marquis Residence didn’t mind the expense. They freely displayed buckets of ice, as if money meant nothing to them.

The script of the play was a bit old-fashioned, and Lin Ziyin, who didn’t take pleasure in the sing-song manner of speak, found it grating. But given her social standing, she had no choice but to stay.

"Do you enjoy it?" The old lady seemed to be quite fond of Lin Ziyin, always smiling and having her sit by her side.

"It’s enjoyable." Lin Ziyin responded with a nod and faint smile.

"My lady, it’s time for your afternoon nap." An old maid reminded her.

"Yes, I am tired. I can’t keep my eyes open without a little rest at noon." she said, looking a bit weary. She then turned to the other ladies and explained with an apologetic smile.

"We feel the same, we also need a bit nap during the day." Mrs. Wu replied with a smile. "If it wasn’t for the excellent performance, we all would have fallen asleep by now."

"My lady, don’t worry about us, have some rest. The play is almost over, we too are about to leave." Mrs. Luo chimed in too.

The lady nodded and looked towards Chu Suifeng’s direction.

Chu Suifeng seemed to sense her gaze, turned his head and walked over from the group of men. "Grandmother, are you tired?"

"Yes, I am tired." The lady responded apologetically, "You should also get going, I am sure we have delayed you from much of your work today?"

"A little delay won’t matter. I will leave with Ziyin once you’ve had a bit of rest." Chu Suifeng always spoke gently in front of the old lady.

"Good." The dowager lady looked at him kindly, then stood up, "Escort me into the house. Please, everyone, continue watching the play."

Upon hearing this, all the guests extended their courtesy.

Lord Li and Li Jiesong were growing anxious, they hadn’t yet found an opportunity to speak privately with Chu Suifeng. At present, many government offices in the Northern Land were understaffed due to Chu Suifeng’s purge of the aristocratic families.

Lord Li did not want to passively retire at home, he hoped he could leverage the old lady’s birthday banquet to foster a stronger relationship between Chu Suifeng and his house. If he could communicate well privately, perhaps Li Jiesong and Li Jieyong might even secure favorable positions.