A Quiet Homecoming
That was exactly what made it all the more puzzling for Chen Yao.
According to how the story was supposed to go, the Empress Dowager wouldn't extend her favor to Chen Yao as the female lead's wife until some time after being saved by the female lead.
Of course, this also set the stage for future trouble. After all, the supporting female character never realized that the Empress Dowager's fondness for her stemmed primarily from the female lead's influence. Instead, she mistakenly believed she was genuinely favored, and when she eventually tried to use the Empress Dowager's influence to expose and frame the female lead, she lost everything.
"But here's the thing: the plot where the female lead saves the Empress Dowager at Baohua Temple hasn't even happened yet."
Staring at the invitation to the flower-viewing banquet before her, Chen Yao lowered her eyes, utterly bewildered. "Is the Empress Dowager already showing such special regard for the female lead now?"
Enough to specifically summon her—the new top scholar's wife—to a flower-viewing banquet held in the Imperial Garden?
System 04 was also a bit confused and offered a reasonable guess: "Maybe it's because the female lead has been so outstanding in court that the Empress Dowager, like the Emperor, holds her in high regard."
Chen Yao felt it couldn't be that simple, but with too few clues at hand, she couldn't be bothered to rack her brain over it, so she let the matter drop.
Of course, once Shen Yunxiu returned from the yamen, Chen Yao still told her everything about the invitation.
"Yunxiu, I'm a little nervous. Since arriving in the capital, I haven't even attended an ordinary banquet. Now I have to go to the Empress Dowager's flower-viewing banquet in the palace—I'm really afraid I'll make a mistake."
Chen Yao bit her lower lip, her delicate fingers nervously twisting the silk handkerchief in her hands, her tone full of discouragement. "What if I embarrass you..."
"Yao Yao, how could you think that way? It's just an ordinary flower-viewing banquet—no need to take it too seriously."
Shen Yunxiu reached out, took her hand, and gave it a reassuring pat. "If you're really worried about handling it, Sister Yuan will be there too. I'll ask her to look after you a bit, alright?"
The "Sister Yuan" she referred to was Yuan Fuju's elder sister, Yuan Wangshu, who, thanks to her younger brother, had grown fairly close to the top scholar's household.
At least knowing someone there, Chen Yao's suspended heart settled slightly.
It was just that she hadn't expected that Yunxiu, who had once also come from a small place, had now truly left her far behind. She felt a little dejected thinking about it.
The girl's pretty eyes drooped at the corners, but on the surface she still obediently nodded. "Alright, then I'll trouble you to pass the word to Sister Yuan."
Seeing her blink her moist, apricot-like eyes with that delicate, pitiful look, Shen Yunxiu felt as if she had raised a soft, pampered little kitten.
Her heart softened, and she couldn't help but smile. "Anyway, with Sister Yuan there, you can just stick with her. Don't be afraid."
Chen Yao pursed her lips and smiled softly in return, humming a gentle "Mm."
*
The flower-viewing banquet was set for three days later.
On the day itself, Chen Yao made a point of getting up especially early.
She sat before the dressing mirror, watching as Dou Kou meticulously styled her hair into an elegant flowing cloud bun, then tucked a gold-inlaid pearl flower hairpin diagonally into it, its long tassels cascading down the side, making her features appear even more refined and ethereal.
Chen Yao rose to her feet. She wore a light apricot-colored brocade ru skirt today, with a cloud-blue gauze draped over her shoulders, and a few delicate emerald leaf pendants adorning her fair neck. The whole ensemble gave her a fragile, willow-like grace.
"Madam looks truly beautiful today." Even Dou Kou seemed momentarily dazzled.
Chen Yao covered her lips and laughed softly. "You flatter me."
Over on the other side, Yuan Wangshu had indeed been pestered for quite a while by her unreliable younger brother. His only concern was that his good friend's wife might, if attending her first palace banquet ignorant of the rules and committing some breach of etiquette, end up dragging his good friend's reputation down with her.
So she had simply instructed the household to prepare the carriage early in the morning and, when it was about time to depart, went in person to pick up Xie Chenyao and head to the palace together.
Looking at the tall, spacious Yuan family carriage before her, Chen Yao gathered her skirts and carefully climbed aboard.
She raised her eyes, and seeing Yuan Wangshu already seated inside, equally finely adorned, she quickly called out in a soft voice, "Sister Yuan."
Yuan Wangshu looked at the young woman before her—apricot eyes, peach-blossom cheeks, autumn-water gaze, delicate and pitiable at first sight—and couldn't help but muse that Shen Yunxiu, the top scholar, was truly a fortunate man.
"No need to stand on ceremony with me. My worthless younger brother has been looked after plenty by your husband. Let's just get along like sisters and be at ease with each other." She spoke with a smile, her tone cordial.
Chen Yao's pretty eyes curved gently, and she gave Yuan Wangshu a soft smile. "Alright, thank you, Sister Yuan."
Yuan Wangshu couldn't help but sigh inwardly—no wonder Shen Yunxiu had been so eager to marry her; she really was a winsome heart-stealer.
The carriage rumbled forward over the cobblestone road below.
It continued all the way to the palace.
They arrived neither too early nor too late, but since it was a palace banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager, quite a number of guests had already gathered in the Imperial Garden by then.
The Empress Dowager had yet to make an appearance, yet looking at the glamorous, charming noble ladies before her, their beauty outshone even the blooming peonies in the garden by a good three parts.