Chapter 297 Strange Looks

The banquet held by Duke Xian's mansion was originally to celebrate Qin Jing's winning of the third place.

The arrival of Gu Mingda, the champion, inevitably made him look like a guest who was too much of a guest. Lady Xian did not want to invite Gu Mingda, but she could not resist Qin Jing's invitation.

Qin Jing's behavior also showed his sincere intention to be friends with him.

When Gu Mingda arrived at Duke Xian's mansion with his wife and daughter, most of the guests had already arrived.

Not long after entering the house, Gu Mingda separated from his wife and daughter.

Zhang Yunniang took Niuniu to the flower hall specially used to receive female guests. In detail, the Gu family had received a heavy gift from Duke Xian's mansion because of the incident at the city gate, but Niuniu was visiting Duke Xian's mansion for the first time.

According to the rules in Beijing, Lady Xian should give Niuniu a gift.

Niuniu bowed obediently according to the rules. Although Lady Xian did not like this playmate who led her daughter astray, she still waved her hand and asked someone to send a regular gift in front of so many people.

The matter should have ended like this, but unexpectedly, Madam Liu, the elder sister of the wife of Duke Xian, suddenly said, "Good child, come here and let me see." Niu Niu walked over obediently. Madam Liu had a kind and loving face. She patted Niu Niu's shoulder and said, "This child looks really kind, but I can't remember who she looks like for a moment." Madam Xian heard this and said casually, "Maybe she looks like your friend in Lingnan." Madam Liu's father-in-law was once demoted to Lingnan, and the whole family had a very difficult time. Now that Madam Xian said this, it was a bit of a joke. Madam Liu did not argue with her sister, but looked at Niu Niu carefully from head to toe, and then looked at Madam Xian with a strange look. The wife of Duke Xian was puzzled and said, "Sister, this child has a common face. Don't worry about it anymore."

What the wife of Duke Xian said was actually very biased. Niu Niu was born with a lovely face, just like the little dolls in the New Year pictures. How could she not have a common face?

Mrs. Liu looked at the many guests around her and her sister's outspokenness. She could only shake her head helplessly. In the end, she did not let her sister down. Instead, she said, "Such a cute child makes me happy, but you children may feel constrained staying here. Go play with other children."

While speaking, Mrs. Liu casually took a gold lock and hung it around Niu Niu's neck: "It's not worth much, take it and wear it for fun."

Niu Niu hesitated and looked at her mother beside her.

Zhang Yunniang nodded gently, and Niu Niu lifted her skirt and bowed to Mrs. Liu.

Qin Jingshu stood beside the wife of Duke Xian, anxiously waiting for Niu Niu for a long time, and now she couldn't wait to take Niu Niu to play.

"Mother, I will take Miss Gu to the waterside corridor to meet the sisters." Qin Jingshu said this in front of everyone.

The wife of Duke Xian forced a smile and ordered: "Go, don't neglect the guests."

She almost gritted her teeth when she said this.

The wife of Duke Xian had been very proud these days. Her eldest son was the third place in the imperial examination, and her second son was engaged to the Princess of Rongjia County. Only Qin Jingshu was disobedient and was forcibly sent to the old lady's courtyard by her son to be educated.

Because of this only thing she was dissatisfied with, the wife of Duke Xian looked at her daughter more and more unhappy.

"The eldest princess has arrived!"

With the call of the name outside the door, the wife of Duke Xian suppressed her depression and stood up with a smile to greet the eldest princess.

Niuniu and Qin Jingshu also heard the voice, so they waited for a while in the same place, and then waited for Shen Ling to come together.

"You two are good friends." Shen Ling said with a smile.

Niuniu raised her little face, took Shen Ling's hand and said, "It's okay for me and Sister Ling."

Niuniu couldn't help but recall the painful past when she was in Qingshui Village, when she was pulled by Gu Daya and Gu Xiaoya, and forced to ask who she had the best relationship with. Niuniu really didn't want this tragedy to happen again.

Shen Ling didn't know what Niuniu's little head was thinking about, and said, "You little kid, you are the best at coaxing people with your mouth!"

Qin Jingshu looked at Niuniu with envy. She felt that Niuniu seemed to have a kind of magic that always made people want to get close to her. Everyone liked Niuniu very much. When Niuniu acted coquettishly, it seemed that no one could resist her.

"The day after tomorrow is the ceremony of the imperial examination. After the ceremony, there will be the Qionglin Banquet and the imperial parade of the new scholars. You will definitely not be free, so my brother has set the date for the day after tomorrow to go to the Zoo. I will pick you up then."

Shen Ling originally did not plan to bring Qin Jingshu with him, but seeing the two girls holding hands, he simply said it together. Anyway, it was just one more person.

Niuniu's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she said excitedly: "A snow-white little deer! And a black and white big bear! Brother Changfeng promised to take me to see it when he was on the boat! He still remembers it!"

Shen Ling thought it was just a simple trip, but she didn't expect there were causes and consequences. She smiled and said: "Don't worry, Niuniu, I will forget other things, but I will always remember your things."

Niuniu nodded vigorously: "Brother Changfeng is the best!"

Shen Ling joked: "There is no bad person in your mouth."

Niuniu smiled sweetly.

But as soon as the three of them turned the corner along this road, they saw a "bad" person, and Niuniu couldn't help but frowning. Qin Er was standing not far away, saying something to a young maid, and his hand was about to touch her face.

The maid was eager to dodge, but Qin Er pressed on.

Qin Jingshu was so ashamed that she wanted to dig a hole in the ground to crawl into it. She asked Niuniu and Shen Ling to stop where they were and she ran over.

"Second brother!"

Qin Er saw his sister and restrained his movements. He followed the direction his sister came from and saw Shen Ling and Niuniu.

He automatically ignored Niuniu and his eyes fell on the beautiful Shen Ling.

"Whose lady is that? She looks familiar. I seem to have seen her before." Qin Er asked.

Although Qin Jingshu was young, she instinctively felt that the voice was wrong, and hurriedly said: "That's Miss Shen, the daughter of the eldest princess."

Qin Er reluctantly withdrew his gaze and said: "No wonder I am familiar with her. If she is not the daughter of a wealthy family, I can't remember her."

Qin Jingshu looked at his careless appearance and felt annoyed, but still said: "Brother, this road is too close to the waterside corridor. There are many guests coming and going today. If someone sees it, it will be bad."

Qin Er was immediately unhappy when he heard this and said: "What do you mean? Do you think I am embarrassed?"

Qin Jingshu was about to shake her head, but suddenly looked at Qin Er with a surprised look, and then pointed at Qin Er's face.

Qin Er was puzzled: "Why are you making such a strange expression? What's wrong with my face?"