Disposal

The fifth day of the first lunar month is the true festival day. Among the noble families of the capital, many matrons observe a vegetarian diet for the spring season. In addition to the first and fifteenth days of the month, they also observe this vegetarian rule on the fifth. Therefore, the Shen family's Spring-Welcoming Banquet was, as custom dictated, scheduled for the sixth. As for the Shen family's banquet, its splendor went without saying; virtually all the matrons in the capital who could attend were present, and even Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess honored the occasion with her personal presence. The Shen family was well-practiced in receiving imperial guests—after all, when they welcomed their daughter-in-law, the Empress Dowager herself had graced the estate. They immediately prepared the main courtyard to receive the phoenix carriage.

The Ye sisters were naturally all present. In Han Yueqi's words, "This is our own family banquet, and we can do as we please." Thus, compared to the cold receptions of previous banquets, this time the Ye sisters were treated as honored guests, seated directly at the chief table. Qinglan, in particular, sat as a companion to Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess, sharing a table with the Princess Consort Ping and Mesdames Shen and Chen.

Madam Chen naturally still harbored resentment over the previous incident involving Chen Mengliu, and she feigned casualness as she asked, "Why is it that only the younger generation of the Ye family has come to attend the banquet?"

Han Yueqi replied with lightning speed, "Lord Ye's household is currently managed by a concubine, so it is the eldest young lady who attends banquets."

Her consistent protection of Qinglan was unbroken, and those young matrons who routinely followed her lead understood her intent immediately. The most capable Young Madam Wang promptly chimed in, "Speaking of the eldest Miss Ye, we truly admire her. She manages an entire family estate all by herself—if the few of us were tied together, we still wouldn't match her."

"Indeed, indeed. I wonder which household will be so fortunate as to claim her this year," the others chimed in. Qinglan merely replied with modest humility, "You ladies flatter me too much." Madam Chen knew very well that this was Han Yueqi's territory and she could do nothing against her, so she had no choice but to quell her anger and take her seat.

Lu Wenying, however, had been relegated to a table three rows away. The Shen family was presently the head of the civil officials in the court, and Han Yueqi was the leader of the young matrons in the capital; she naturally possessed a commanding presence of her own. In her words, while one might have to exercise restraint in other people's homes, today was their own family banquet, so what was there to hold back?

Though young, she was blessed with striking beauty, an aristocratic lineage, and genuine capability, and her personality was exceptionally forthright—quite unlike Lu Wenying's sweet-smiling malice. Madam Shen was thoroughly satisfied with this daughter-in-law and elevated her at every turn; otherwise, she would never have handed over complete management of the household to her. On an occasion like this, the proceedings revolved entirely around her. Han Yueqi proved herself fully worthy of that trust, executing the banquet brilliantly. The reception of the imperial guest, the feast, the theatrical performances, and even the hospitality extended to the male guests outside were all handled with meticulous care. Across more than thirty tables, not a single mishap occurred. It was even more serene and tranquil than an imperial banquet, denying anyone the opportunity to display their crisis-management skills the way Lu Wenying had previously. Lingbo could not help instructing A Cuo, "Now *that* is what you call a master of warfare achieving victory without the clamor of battle."

Yet, she never expected that the unexpected would strike precisely at this moment.

The matrons were all seated in the main hall—ten tables in the main hall, ten tables in the floral hall, and another dozen or so tables in the warm alcoves, perfectly encircling the three sides of the stage. In the courtyard stood roughly a hundred potted spring-welcoming flowers, blooming with brilliant golden blossoms sent overnight from the heated greenhouses in the suburbs of the capital, a testament to the boundless wealth of the Shen family.

It was at this exact moment that the delicate, dainty woman appeared.

Originally, the ten tables in the main hall were reserved exclusively for matrons of high status and influence, and the seating arrangements had been meticulously fixed. The appearance of an unfamiliar face was strange enough, let alone one of such striking beauty. With a face like a hibiscus blossom, a waist like a weeping willow, and hair styled in the capital's most fashionable flying-swallow knot, her demeanor nonetheless possessed a certain strange quality—she lacked the dignified uprightness of a matron.

And indeed, she proved not to be a matron at all.

At that moment, Han Yueqi was personally serving a bowl of broth to Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess, while Madam Shen arranged the dishes. Just as Han Yueqi turned to receive a hand towel from a palace maid—at the very zenith of her glory—the woman drifted gracefully toward her like a wisp of smoke, performed a deep, fluid curtsy, and spoke with a voice as sweet as an oriole's.

"This lowly concubine, Su Yanliu, pays her respects to Madam, Young Madam, Madam, and Young Madam. May you be blessed with boundless fortune."

The entire hall fell into a sudden, stunned silence at these words. Young Madam Wang reacted the fastest, immediately flying into a rage as she snapped, "Who dares disrupt the imperial carriage? Someone, drag her away at once!"

The woman named Yanliu instantly fell to her knees with an expression of absolute terror, stammering repeatedly, "Young Madam, spare my life! I did not mean to do it."

It was at this precise juncture that Yang Qiaozhen stepped onto the stage.

"Oh dear, what a massive misunderstanding this is," she said, smiling broadly as she addressed Han Yueqi. "I only heard that Young Master Shen had kept a mistress in Little Flower Branch Lane and even brought her to a gathering of gentlemen. I assumed Young Madam Shen already knew about it. To think you had no idea at all."

She did not forget to turn to Yanliu and chide, "And you as well—why didn't you stay put in Flower Branch Lane instead of running all the way here?"

"I heard that Madam was hosting the Spring Festival Banquet today, and I hoped to come and share Madam's burdens," Yanliu said with an expression of earnest pleading. "Though Yanliu is of humble birth, I know that living outside is improper, and I have specifically come to beg the Young Madam to take me in. I beg the Young Madam to consider..."

Madam Shen abruptly cut her off and bowed low before Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess.

"Today's Spring-Welcoming Banquet was meant to be a most joyous occasion. Because this subject's wife failed to strictly supervise her servants, we have offended the phoenix carriage. I beg Your Highness to forgive our transgression."

"Think nothing of it," the Eldest Princess replied, her expression as cold as ice. "Since it is a festival banquet, such inner-court trifles are inevitable. Madam Shen, you take this too harshly."

The dignity of a second-rank matron of the current dynasty still carried weight; had it been anyone else, they would likely have ordered their carriage to depart immediately, and the host family's standing in the capital would have plummeted overnight.

Sensing that the situation was turning against her, Yanliu opened her mouth to speak, but at a single glance from Madam Shen, senior maidservants rushed forward, seized Yanliu by both arms, stuffed her mouth with cloth, and dragged her away.

Madam Shen was not in robust health. Although she was the sole daughter of the Duke of Yongguo's estate, she had lived in quiet seclusion for many years, having long since relinquished household management to Han Yueqi. Consequently, the matrons of the capital had not witnessed her methods in several years. Though shocked by such ruthless and decisive action, they could not help but feel a secret surge of admiration.

Though a wounded tiger, its residual majesty remained formidable.

"Yueqi," she called out her daughter-in-law's name. Han Yueqi lowered her head and stepped forward, while Madam Shen could not suppress a silent sigh.

Youthful after all, lacking in experience; clever under normal circumstances, yet inevitably flustered at a moment like this. She was not even as composed as the Ye sisters she usually socialized with. Qinglan wore a grave expression, and Lingbo's gaze was as sharp as a blade—clearly, both of them had already formulated countermeasures, yet they were constrained by their status as unmarried young ladies and could not step forward.

"My strength is failing me." Before the entire hall of matrons, she once again made her stance clear, reaffirming her delegation of authority to Han Yueqi. "Deal with this servant as you see fit."

Han Yueqi was clever after all. Though the incident had caught her off guard and left her momentarily stunned, she quickly recovered her composure.

"In that case, let Concubine Su be taken to the inner courtyard study to kneel in reflection, and we shall deal with her when my husband returns. Disrupting the phoenix carriage is a crime for which ten thousand deaths cannot atone. Mother Han, go and summon my husband back to acknowledge his crime and await Her Highness's disposition."

"As for your father-in-law..." Madam Shen prompted her gently, much like a mother guiding her own daughter.

"As for my father-in-law, someone shall be sent to inform him as well." Having finished issuing her commands, Han Yueqi knelt before the Eldest Princess and said, "Yueqi was negligent and allowed a household servant to offend the phoenix carriage. I beg Your Highness to punish me."

Naturally, the Eldest Princess had no intention of punishing Han Yueqi and let the matter pass lightly, though she departed the banquet early. Once the Eldest Princess left, what reason did anyone else have to stay? Everyone knew that a grave crisis had erupted within the inner chambers of the Shen family. Taking a concubine was a minor matter, and keeping a mistress outside was common enough; but today was the matron's banquet, attended by a full hall of titled noblewomen, yet a mistress had brazenly appeared to provoke them at a Spring Festival Banquet hosted by the mistress of the house. This demonstrated that Han Yueqi had lost control over her inner courtyard, and that was the most fatal blow of all.

Lu Wenying naturally seized the opportunity to kick her while she was down, taking Yang Qiaozhen and her followers and bidding farewell early, though her words sounded pleasant enough: "We are deeply grieved for our sister Han that such a thing should occur at her banquet. It is a pity about the Spring-Welcoming Banquet; when Sister Han has put her inner courtyard in order, our sisters will gather again without delay."

In Ye Lingbo's words, "What is she putting on airs for? Nine chances out of ten, this was her handiwork. That remark of Yang Qiaozhen's paved the way too smoothly—they must have planned this long in advance, all to catch Sister Han completely off guard today. How utterly disgusting! And to make matters worse, Shen Yunze is utterly spineless; he's supposed to be a top-three scholar, yet he pulls a stunt that saddens his loved ones and gladdens his enemies. What an absolute scoundrel!"

While she vented her fury in curses, Ye Qinglan busied herself helping Han Yueqi clean up the mess. Han Yueqi was, after all, an aristocratic daughter; having endured such an ordeal, she still managed to maintain her composure on the surface. It was only when Madam Han—who had been helping out in the floral hall—hurried over that her eyes finally reddened and she cried out, "Mother."

Madam Han's tears instantly began to fall as she pulled her into an embrace and soothed her, saying, "Don't panic, my child, Mother is right here." At the same time, she turned her anger upon her own head housekeeper, snapping, "Go ask Madam Shen what kind of rules her household runs by, and what she promised when she married off her son! How can she explain an outrage like this to us?"

Madam Han spoke these words in a small nearby alcove where there were no outsiders present. Upon hearing this, Han Yueqi turned around to pacify her instead. "Mother, please don't be like that. Madam's attitude has been quite good; Mother must not misjudge her. Madam has handed the entire matter over to me to handle, and I have my own measure of discretion."

She had a strong mind of her own, and though Madam Han's heart ached for her, she had no choice but to relent. "Don't worry, my child, your father and I are always here. If we let people bully our family like this, then your old father has lived these past decades in vain. Don't be afraid; our family has no shortage of methods. I'll have someone go call your brother back right now, and we'll impeach them until they're ruined."

Yet whom precisely to impeach, Madam Han did not yet know. Madam Shen's attitude was already exemplary, and her own daughter remained the young madam of the Shen family. If the Shen family engaged in internal infighting, it would only become a laughingstock for outsiders. Who was pulling the strings behind Yanliu remained to be investigated slowly; the hardest part was halting their current momentum.

Han Yueqi's expression also held a momentary trace of bewilderment, but Qinglan reached out and grasped her hand.

"Wisdom and benevolence cannot cover everything; our most urgent priority is now," she told Han Yueqi calmly. "Don't be afraid. Things must be tackled one by one. The evening banquet is still two hours away; let us resolve the matter of the evening banquet first, and deal with the rest afterward."

"Alright." Han Yueqi squeezed her hand in return. Even after four years as a young madam, she was still a young woman of merely twenty-four by traditional reckoning, and her palms were inevitably filmed with a thin layer of sweat. Yet her expression hardened, resembling a general regaining her confidence, growing resolute bit by bit.

"Mother, I must trouble you to help me tally which matrons have departed and which have remained," Han Yueqi instructed. "The Chen, Xue, Lu, and Sun families—led by Lu Wenying—can be disregarded. If they wish to leave, let them go; there is no need to keep them. The Wang, Ye, and Peng families are all on friendly terms with me, so you need not waste effort on them. The crucial ones are those led by the He family, as well as the imperial clan. I must trouble you to steady them, and if anything arises, send someone to find me at once."

"Understood," Madam Han replied. "Rest assured, they still care about your mother's face. If anyone jumps ship now, they needn't blame me for being ruthless later on."

"I will handle the Wei family," Qinglan said. "The female dependents of the Northern Garrison, as well as several noble military households of the Ministry of War, all take Madam Wei as their leader. I understand her; although she is on good terms with Lu Wenying, she is not someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong."

"Thank you for your trouble." No one knew better than Han Yueqi what this signified.

Given that Madam Wei had previously offended her, Han Yueqi had refused to explain herself regarding the old betrothal agreement, yet Qinglan was willing to strategize for Han Yueqi's sake.

"I must also borrow Lingbo for a moment," Han Yueqi turned to Ye Lingbo, who was practically radiating a murderous aura. "The situation happened suddenly; I must trouble you to gather some information."

"Rest assured. As long as things are done in this world, they leave traces." Lingbo did not wait for her to say more. Scarcely had she uttered those words when little Liuer hurried in and whispered something into her ear. Frowning slightly, Lingbo informed Han Yueqi, "Sister Han, this is the work of either Yang Qiaozhen or Lu Wenying. Her husband Chen Yaoqing has been hosting lavish banquets since the beginning of the new year, helping Prince Ping entertain all sorts of figures—Northern Garrison generals, officials from the six ministries in the capital, and newly minted scholars. Your Shen Yunze was dragged along by his colleagues like a foolish, plump piece of meat. Once Lu Wenying caught wind of it, how could she resist casting a line? She immediately set a trap, and this so-called Yanliu was sent by her. Those two husband and wife are truly a match made in heaven: the husband acts as a pimp and the wife as a procuress, procuring a batch of young girls from Yangzhou—they even have a fancy term for them called 'slender horses.' Once they're trained, they go around gifting them to people. This Yanliu's background must be of that sort. Don't worry, I'll have men sent down to Yangzhou to investigate right now; in half a month, I guarantee I'll dig up her eighteen generations of ancestors."

Madam Han had previously only known that the Ye sisters were on good terms with her daughter, and she had heard that Qinglan was widely read in history and literature; but she had no idea just how formidable Lingbo truly was. Upon hearing this speech, she was struck dumb with astonishment.

Her methods were secondary; listening to her words, she possessed both a grasp of the grand strategic picture and an eye for minute details. In her phrasing, she showed not the slightest regard for the matrons and princes of the capital. Clearly, she was merely a young woman of nineteen or twenty, yet her words were sharper and more ruthless than those of seasoned matrons like themselves.

Seeing her mother's shock, Han Yueqi couldn't help but smile.

"Very well, Mother, you should go ahead. I still need to see Madam," she instructed.

As soon as Madam Han departed, Lingbo discarded all restraint and complained with utter disdain, "Where is Shen Biwei? She's always sticking her nose into other people's business, yet just when she's actually needed, she's nowhere to be found."

Maid Han stepped forward and murmured a few words in her ear. Hearing this, Han Yueqi couldn't help laughing.

"Her perspective is far broader than ours," Han Yueqi told her. "As soon as the incident broke out, she went and hauled her brother back, and she has already shoved him into Father's study. Right now, she's rushing to drag Father back as well. There's been a bit of a disturbance among the male guests outside, but thankfully, she even asked me if we needed to go drag Grandfather out."

"Which grandfather?" Ye Lingbo was momentarily baffled.

"Naturally, the Duke of Yongguo." Han Yueqi lowered her gaze, unable to hide a wry smile. "She was worried I couldn't handle the situation and wanted the Duke to come and back me up. Her intentions are genuine, but unfortunately..."

No matter how kind the people of one's husband's family were, a barrier still existed; they were not like her and the Ye sisters, who were truly bonded like real sisters.

"What's unfortunate about it? If Sister Han hadn't taken his family into account in the first place, you wouldn't have fallen into such a massive trap," Lingbo quipped playfully. "Never mind, at worst we'll just kick Shen Yunze out, and you can live your life with your own family; it'll still be just fine."