Part 1 - The Double / Marriage of the Di Daughter

☆ Chapter 077 Banquet Invitation

Soon after the examination of Mingyi Hall, the Jiang family also received the invitation for the night banquet in the palace.

Emperor Hong Xiao has been simple and does not like luxury since he was a child, but the current empress dowager loves excitement. Although Emperor Hong Xiao and the empress dowager are not biological mother and son, the two get along well. Emperor Hong Xiao's biological mother, Concubine Xia, died early, and the empress dowager had no children. The late emperor raised Emperor Hong Xiao under the empress dowager's knees. After so many years of relationship, it can be regarded as a loving mother and a filial son.

This time, in addition to entertaining all the ministers, everyone knew that Emperor Hong Xiao would also award the top scorer of the ceremony examination at the palace banquet. This was a great honour for both the student and the family. Therefore, even though Old Madam Jiang did not like Jiang Li very much, she also ordered the people around her to do their best to prepare clothes and jewellery for Jiang Li to use at the palace banquet, and not to make any mistakes.

Jiang Li's life was a little more comfortable than before. At least after the examination, when the servants in the Jiang Mansion talked about her, they would not make a big fuss like before, but would talk about her behind her back. Although it was a bit sad, it was an undoubted fact that Jiang Li's status was a little higher than before.

At the palace banquet, many officials in Yanjing City of Yan Dynasty would go, but this time, Chengxuan Envoy Meng Youde could not go.

Compared with the lively scene in the past, the Meng family has been extremely depressed in recent days. It seems that no one has taken care of the flowers in the garden, and many of them have withered. Withered yellow leaves fell outside the flowerbed, and the hot summer also felt a bit chilly.

At night, the lights in the house were dim, and someone could be heard talking in a room near the back. It seemed to be the sound of a quarrel. After a while, something was broken with a ‘pop’ and someone slammed the door and walked out.

It was Meng Youde.

In just a few days, Meng Youde also became haggard and vicissitudes, no longer as proud as before. Someone chased him out from behind, it was Meng Youde's wife, Madam Meng.

"Master, Master--" Madam Meng begged while trotting.

"Don't say anything, send her back to the manor to recuperate tomorrow. If she continues like this, something bad will happen sooner or later!" Meng Youde said without turning his head.

"That's your daughter, how can you be so cruel!" Madam Meng screamed.

"I am cruel?" Meng Youde stopped, turned back suddenly, and pointed at the tightly closed door in the distance. 

"Look at her now. Will it be okay if she stays in the mansion? Now she has offended Princess Yongning, and the right prime minister no longer cares about me. My career ends here! All this is caused by your good daughter! If she hadn't made a bet with Jiang Li without knowing her own limitations, if she hadn't shot Princess Yongning with that arrow on the horse field, how could I, Meng Youde, be in this situation?"

"But..." Madam Meng wanted to say something.

"She is crazy now! My own daughter, I don't feel sorry for her? But she is crazy! Staying in the Meng family may not be a good thing. If others know that she is crazy and spread it out, who will dare to marry her in the future? If she stays in the manor for a while, and comes back after getting better, no one will know that she was crazy, isn't that good?"

Madam Meng gradually calmed down after hearing this. She looked at Meng Youde and asked sadly, "What happened to Hong Jin with Princess Yongning? Is there really no way for us to avenge her?"