Rong Yue moved her lips, wanting to refuse, but her mother-in-law's words were not to be questioned.
Mama Zhao was also smiling and said, "Madam has brought out her best clothes. The color is beautiful, just right for the young mistress."
Rong Yue returned to her room and nervously changed into the set of clothes her mother-in-law had given her.
The fabric of these clothes was excellent; her mother-in-law wouldn't usually give them to her.
After she put them on, she tidied her hair in front of the copper mirror. The woman in the mirror had willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes. Wearing this peach color, she was even more delicate and beautiful than the lotus flowers blooming in the pond!
Rong Yue walked behind her mother-in-law and arrived at the Jiang Family's banquet hall. As soon as she stepped inside, she heard Madam Chen say with a smile, "It's been a long journey, Sir Xu! Truly, you've worked hard!"
Madam Chen's face was full of smiles, and her demeanor towards Xu Hongchuan was also very respectful.
In the past few days, she had come to understand that no matter how unwilling she felt, getting her beloved son out of prison was the most important thing. And now, the only one who could help them was Xu Hongchuan!
The temptation and deterrence of power were unimaginable.
The day they returned from Qingzhou Prefecture, the county magistrate's wife, who usually didn't even know them, actually came to their door in person and brought many gifts.
The county magistrate's wife also affectionately held her hand, calling her "good sister" repeatedly. Madam Chen was both flattered and proud.
Every day after that, people came to invite them to banquets. Once, the county magistrate also attended the banquet and greeted Jiang Yuanfa with a smiling "brother."
For a time, their Jiang Family became the most prominent in Changle County.
Madam Chen tasted for the first time how delicious it was to have power and status behind them.
And she had to admit that all of this was because of the tree at the top of the Jiang Family—Xu Hongchuan.
Madam Chen sat down with an ingratiating smile. Rong Yue, behind her, lowered her head and bowed deeply towards the direction of the main seat at the round table. A pleasant voice rang out: "This commoner greets Sir Xu."
She didn't dare to call Xu Hongchuan "uncle" anymore, nor did she have the face to. Anyway, he had no intention of acknowledging the Jiang Family, so she would just call him "Sir."
Xu Hongchuan's eyes had already fallen on that graceful figure. She was indeed pretty today, and it was a beautiful color for a woman in her late teens.
She was also so fair-skinned, and with the peach color, she was even more radiant, like a flower, delicate and ready to bloom.
And this delicate flower was plucked by his own hands…
The beauty who had been in his dreams every night was finally standing before him. Xu Hongchuan's mouth curved into a barely perceptible smile, and he seemed to relax a little, without the thunderous authority he usually had.
Qi Yue, beside him, looked at the beautiful young woman and glanced at Xu Hongchuan. His eyes were full of smiles. Only then did he understand what the boss was here for.
Jiang Yuanfa keenly sensed that Xu Hongchuan seemed to have relaxed a little. He carefully smiled and beckoned to Rong Yue, saying, "Rong Yue, come and sit here too. Tonight is a family banquet; you don't need to be so formal."
After he finished speaking, he secretly glanced at Xu Hongchuan and, seeing that he didn't get angry, was even more pleased.
Rong Yue cautiously took her seat, not daring and not wanting to look at Xu Hongchuan at all, but she felt as though two gazes were fixed on her, making her feel uneasy, and her face flushed.
Jiang Yuanfa and Madam Chen enthusiastically invited Xu Hongchuan and Qi Yue to eat this and that, while Rong Yue lowered her head and ate without saying a word. After a while, Chen Xuan reminded her, "Sister-in-law, Sir wants to ask about Brother. In the past, what did Brother say about that Young Master Jia?"
Rong Yue then raised her head and happened to meet Xu Hongchuan's unreserved gaze looking at her. That look seemed like it could burn her. She trembled with nervousness, and her chopsticks fell on the table, making her face even redder.
Xu Hongchuan saw her, like a frightened rabbit, and couldn't help but smile slightly.
He thought this woman was really interesting, like a mystery. He didn't know if she was good at pretending, or if that was her true nature, blushing at every turn.
He was really unsure whether she had deliberately drugged him that night.
Rong Yue cautiously replied, "My husband didn't mention that Young Master Jia in the past, but he did say that the poetry gathering had a great reputation, and all the scholars in Qingzhou Prefecture went. This time, he could finally go too."
Xu Hongchuan said, "Oh? Was that his first time?"
Chen Xuan quickly replied, "That's right, Brother received the invitation to the poetry gathering for the first time, and he was happy for several days."
Xu Hongchuan asked a few more casual questions, and Rong Yue answered them one by one.
This meal felt like walking on pins and needles. Rong Yue saw that Xu Hongchuan seemed to be finished asking questions, so she stood up and bowed, saying, "Mother, Rong Yue will go and brew some clear tea. Sir Xu, Father, Mother, please enjoy your meal."
She had to make the tea for her parents-in-law herself; today was a good excuse to leave.
Madam Chen's face was a little uncomfortable. That was the job of maids and servants, and no wealthy family would have their daughter-in-law make tea. Mama Zhao, who was serving on the side, was very perceptive and quickly said, "Young Mistress, this servant will go."
Jiang Yuanfa looked at Xu Hongchuan and also smiled somewhat awkwardly, "Rong Yue is sensible; she wants to make tea for Sir herself."
Madam Chen forced a smile and added, "Since Sir Xu is visiting for the first time, it's only right that she, as his younger sister-in-law, shows some respect."
Xu Hongchuan's deep eyes stared at Rong Yue unblinkingly. At this moment, there was no smile on his face.
From the moment she came in, he had been carefully observing everyone's attitude towards her in this room.
Whether it was Jiang Yuanfa and his wife, or Chen Xuan, this relative, or the maids and servants serving on the side, their words and actions towards her were very natural, not as if they were pretending.
In other words, she really seemed to be Jiang Yuanfa's daughter-in-law.