Chapter Fifteen
On the twenty-ninth day of the third month, an auspicious day for all endeavors, news spread that the Yao family was hosting a relocation banquet. The Emperor had even decreed that the customary day of rest on the thirtieth be moved forward by a day—a privilege rarely granted, with the Li family being the only other to have received such honor.
After the Emperor's announcement, the Li family proactively requested an invitation from the Yao family, expressing their intention to attend the banquet.
When Prince Wei was five years old, Emperor Xuanning welcomed a cousin of Empress Dowager Li into the palace, bestowing upon her the title of Concubine Li Shu. This move made it clear that the Emperor hoped for a prince of Li bloodline, leaving the Yao family—Prince Wei's maternal relatives—in an awkward position. To avoid conflict with the Li family, the Yaos retreated to Suzhou.
Now that Concubine Li Shu had given birth to Prince Duan and the Li family had consolidated their power, there was no need to suppress the Yaos further. Establishing goodwill with Prince Wei seemed a favorable move.
Though Chief Minister Li would not attend in person, his family's presence alone was extraordinary. Households that might have hesitated now felt compelled to come.
Despite the early hour, the alleyway before the Yao residence was already lined with carriages from noble families. Stewards and servants bustled about, guiding the arrivals and relaying messages all the way to the entrance of the lane.
At the wide-open gates, several young masters of the Yao family stood to greet guests, while the young ladies waited inside the inner courtyard, warmly ushering visitors further into the estate.
The Yao family was a prominent clan of the Jiangnan region, and many officials had risen through the ranks after studying in the Yao family's school. Their influence among scholars was unparalleled.
Even after years of retreat, the Yaos' prestige remained. Their banquet customs stayed unchanged: the elder generation typically did not greet guests personally. Even when the Li family arrived, it was Fifth Young Master Yao who escorted them through the main gate, with only Third Master Yao and Fifth Master Yao stepping out halfway into the courtyard—a gesture no one found improper.
At most banquets, all expected guests would arrive by the Hour of the Goat (around 2 PM), after which the hosts would retire, leaving only stewards at the entrance. Yet the Yao young masters remained at their posts, signaling to all that they were awaiting Prince Wei.
It was only upon arrival that guests learned the matriarch of the Yao family's fourth branch had reached Yingcheng the previous evening, accompanied by her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.
The fourth branch was distinct. Consort Yao hailed from this branch, and the matriarch was her elder sister-in-law—Prince Wei's own maternal aunt.
This dynasty upheld strict rites, and even the Emperor deferred to maternal elders. Thus, Prince Wei's attendance was inevitable.
Sure enough, before long, the steward stationed at the alley's entrance spotted Prince Wei's carriage and hurried back to inform the Yao young masters. Fifth Young Master Yao promptly sent word inside, and soon Third Master Yao and Fifth Master Yao strode out to welcome the prince at the gate.
Having interacted with him before, the Yaos had a sense of Prince Wei's temperament. After exchanging formalities, they refrained from unnecessary conversation and simply escorted him into the estate.
Just as they were about to guide Prince Wei to the men's quarters, he paused. His attendant spoke on his behalf: "His Highness wishes to first pay respects to the matriarch of the fourth branch."
While modern times were not as strict about gender segregation as previous dynasties—relatives of both sexes often dined and conversed together—formal banquets like this adhered to ritual propriety, with men and women seated separately.
After the feast, unmarried young men and women could mingle in the gardens for games and sightseeing, though always chaperoned by maids and servants. Close contact was forbidden, but such gatherings often served as opportunities for families to evaluate potential matches.
Since Prince Wei intended only a brief visit to the women's quarters, there was no need for elaborate precautions.
Thus, the Yao lords and young masters accompanied Prince Wei to where the ladies were gathered.
The ladies' banquet was held in the Shadowed Radiance Pavilion within the Yao family's garden, the most spacious and well-lit hall in the estate. Its open corridors, lined with adjustable lattice windows, stretched elegantly into the distance, making it the perfect venue for admiring the scenery and hosting gatherings in all seasons.
The pavilion was adorned with rare and exquisite flowers and trees, interspersed with delicately crafted rock formations. A winding stream of crystal-clear water meandered through the landscape, while the prized Xifu crabapple blossoms and peonies beneath the corridors were in full, resplendent bloom.
Only upon arriving did Cui Lanyin learn that this estate was not newly acquired by the Yao family but rather a generational inheritance. This was the mark of an established noble house—possessing wealth and influence beyond ordinary imagination. It also explained why the Li family had once regarded the Yaos with such wariness.
After witnessing the grandeur of the Yao household, the lingering resentment in Cui Lanyin’s heart dissipated entirely. Lady Xiang’s choice to ally with the Yao family through marriage was undoubtedly wise—Tan Shao’s descendants would surely become the most illustrious branch of the Tan lineage.
Today, all five members of the Cui family’s eldest branch wore new garments fashioned from fabrics bestowed by Empress Dowager Chen. The family, already striking in appearance, looked even more radiant in their fine attire, standing out conspicuously among the sea of guests. Since they seldom made public appearances, many inquired about their origins.
Lady Jiang possessed remarkable ingenuity in dress design. From a single bolt of pomegranate-red brocade, she had tailored short jackets for both Cui Lanyin and her sister, along with an additional outer garment for each.
Cui Lanyin wore a pomegranate-red brocade waist-length jacket over a jade-colored wide-paneled skirt, accessorized with a set of pearl jewelry.
After Empress Dowager Chen had remarked that Prince Wei was no mere figurehead and advised her against disguising her looks, Cui Lanyin took the words to heart. Who would willingly cake their face in heavy powder? Her delicate skin reddened and itched for days afterward whenever she washed it off. So today, she appeared bare-faced, with only a faint touch of rouge on her lips.
From the moment she stepped out of the carriage at the Yao family’s inner gate, she drew repeated glances along the path to the Shadowed Radiance Pavilion. Once it was discovered that she was the Cui daughter twice summoned by Empress Dowager Chen, several noble matrons sought out Lady Chang and Lady Jiang to converse.
Thanks to Cui Lanyin, both the eldest and second branches of the Cui family were ushered into the main hall. Though seated in the innermost section of the westernmost chamber among the five grand halls, this was an unprecedented honor compared to their previous social engagements—especially when they noticed the Meng family’s women placed even further inside the second western chamber. Lady Chang’s chin lifted imperceptibly in pride.
Grateful and eager to reciprocate, she took charge of all inquiries without relying on Lady Jiang, skillfully weaving praise for Cui Lanyin into her responses.
Cui Lanting whispered into her ear, "Mark my words—you’ll soon have suitors knocking at your door, likely seeking matches for their favored youngest sons."
Parents doted on their youngest, who bore no burden of upholding the family’s legacy and could live freely. Yet, noble households often feared their indulgence might lead to waywardness, so many arranged beautiful brides for their youngest sons to keep them content at home.
This was precisely the kind of marriage Cui Lanyin secretly desired.
As the cousins exchanged whispers, a maidservant approached the Yao family’s women and announced, "Prince Wei has come to pay respects to the Fourth Elder Madam."
At the mention of Prince Wei’s arrival, the hall fell into momentary silence, and many eyes drifted toward the entrance.
Before long, Prince Wei and his retinue entered the hall, making their way toward the central black-lacquered couch inlaid with mother-of-pearl floral and avian motifs, where the Yao family’s Fourth Elder Madam sat conversing with the matriarchs of prestigious families like the Lis.
Prince Wei halted at a respectful distance and bowed. "Greetings to my honored aunt."
"Good, good! The last time I saw you was when you were five years old. In the blink of an eye, over twenty years have passed. Your uncle was most worried about you when he left us..." By the end of her words, Fourth Madam Yao was choked with tears, unable to continue.
"It's all in the past," Prince Wei replied tersely, his demeanor as aloof as ever.
It was the young eunuch accompanying him who stepped forward and said, "His Highness asks that Madam Yao take care of her health."
Everyone knew what Prince Wei was like—even in front of the Emperor, he spoke little. For him to utter a few words now and have his eunuch speak on his behalf was already a sign of extraordinary regard for the Yao family.
Only Cui Lanyin knew the truth. She was certain the eunuch's words had not been instructed by Prince Wei but by someone else. Based on what she had seen at the teahouse that day, it was likely Bailin.
Over there, Fourth Madam Yao was persuaded to dry her tears and remembered the main matter at hand. "Since this area is reserved for the ladies, we won't keep you longer. However, after the banquet in the front hall, you must not leave immediately. You should take a stroll in the rear garden—our family's garden has quite a few scenic spots worth admiring."
Seeing Prince Wei frown, Fourth Madam Yao didn’t wait for his refusal and added, "This was instructed by His Majesty to your fifth cousin. You mustn’t make it difficult for him to fulfill his duty. The Moon-Viewing Pavilion in the garden is an exact replica of the one in our ancestral home. Back then, your mother, Consort Yao, loved to go there to enjoy the breeze and the garden views..." At this, she raised her handkerchief to cover her eyes again.
"I'll go," Prince Wei replied softly, then bowed to Fourth Madam Yao before turning to leave.
"Why leave so soon? Our sisters-in-law and nieces haven’t even had the chance to greet His Highness properly," Fifth Madam Yao said with a helpless smile.
Cui Lanyin noticed the gazes of several young ladies unconsciously following Prince Wei’s retreating figure and understood—these were all candidates vying for the position of Princess Wei.
Knowing that Prince Wei had shown her favor because of the Tan family, Cui Lanyin felt a surge of confidence. She thought that no matter who became Princess Wei in the future, it would no longer affect her or the Cui family’s main branch.
The Yao family had spared no effort in preparing the banquet dishes, earning unanimous praise. Even Lady Li remarked that no other household could rival the Yao family’s culinary excellence.
After the banquet concluded, close acquaintances gathered in small groups to chat, while the five Yao sisters invited the young ladies from various families to admire the garden scenery.
Tan Lian caught up from behind and, as usual, affectionately looped her arm through Cui Lanyin’s. "My mother and I were just saying how long it’s been since our families last gathered, and we hoped to sit together and talk. Who would’ve thought we’d end up separated at opposite ends of the hall?"
"It was our oversight," Seventh Miss Yao interjected softly as she approached. "Having been away from Yingcheng for so long, we’ve lost touch with proper arrangements. It won’t happen next time."
Tan Lian awkwardly released Cui Lanyin’s arm. "No need for formalities among family. Cousin Ying should attend to the other guests instead."
"My elder sisters are already ahead. I’ll just follow along," Seventh Miss Yao replied with a smile before turning to Cui Lanyin. "Cousin Lanyin..."
Before she could continue, a young eunuch approached and bowed to Cui Lanyin. "Greetings, Second Miss. The carriage attendants just reported that Elder Brother Dayou went to inquire after Lord Bai and Lord Qing. Was there something you needed?"
"Yes, a small matter. Just mention the teahouse—whether it’s Lord Bai or Lord Qing, they’ll understand."
"Understood. I’ll relay this to Lord Bai at once. He’ll likely seek out Elder Brother Dayou. Please rest assured, Second Miss."
