Introducing Shen Xuan by specifically emphasizing "former Duke's mansion"—but who didn't know the Shen Duke's mansion had long fallen?
Peiyu's deliberate actions were merely at Bai Shi's instruction, to make everyone present aware that this young ger was the rumored country ger engaged to the shizi!
Sure enough, as soon as Peiyu finished speaking, all eyes at the banquet shifted from the opera stage to Shen Xuan. Curious, everyone wanted a glimpse of what this country ger truly looked like.
"So he's the legendary Shen Ger?"
"It seems the Marquis's mansion bringing him back to the capital is true. Is he really going to marry the shizi?"
"The shizi is so distinguished; is he truly going to marry a country ger? This is a huge step down!"
"Ah, I heard this marriage was arranged when they were children. It's truly admirable that the Marquis's mansion is upholding its promise."
...
Everyone murmured, some gossiping, some making fun, and some praising the Marquis's mansion. Shen Xuan thought to himself that the Marquis's mansion was indeed suffocating.
Madam Xue and the shizi were locked in such a fierce struggle. Even a family reunion dinner couldn't be peaceful, and the guests below were a myriad of characters, each with their own secret agenda.
Just then, someone among the guests suddenly exclaimed, "Huh? Look at the clothes on him, they seem to be glowing! What's going on?"
"They really do seem to be glowing, and so does the hairpin on his head."
"The hairpin might be made of luminous pearls; though rare, they've been seen. But the patterns on this clothing, with their myriad silver lights like a galaxy, that's the first time I've seen something like that."
"I heard there's a type of fabric from the seaside that's woven with luminous seaweed. When light shines on it, it emits a fluorescent glow at night, and people call it Jiao Sha (mermaid gauze)."
...
Seeing the guests discussing his attire with surprise, Shen Xuan also felt confused. He looked down and saw faint fluorescent threads indeed subtly appearing on his sapphire blue clothes.
They formed a starry pattern, looking exceptionally exquisite. 'These clothes...' Shen Xuan was startled.
He suddenly realized, 'How would Lin Ye know these clothes and accessories had hidden features? Could all these have been sent by him?'
Then he heard the guests continue, "Although this Shen Ger seems a bit sturdy, his demeanor is quite good."
"He looks quite graceful and composed, not inferior to typical young masters from noble families."
"Though his background is a bit humble, he appears quite virtuous, not like the rumors suggested."
"It seems the Marquis's mansion treats him very well, specifically choosing the Mid-Autumn night banquet to introduce him to everyone. This shows they value him greatly."
...
The guests' change in tone was remarkably swift, primarily due to Shen Xuan's attire. Those who attended the banquet today were typically followers of the Xue family, always looking to the Xue family for guidance.
They usually judged people by their status, and initially, they assumed Shen Xuan, a country ger who had supposedly ruined the shizi's marriage, was not well-regarded in the Marquis's mansion, so their comments were not very polite.
But now, seeing Shen Xuan's attire, so valuable with luminous pearls and Jiao Sha, they felt that this Shen Ger seemed highly valued by the Marquis's mansion. They immediately changed direction and began to praise him.
Bai Shi's face grew grim as she sat at the table, her eyes fixed on Shen Xuan's clothes. Her hand clenched into a fist beneath the table, her fingers digging deep into her flesh.
She had specifically brought Shen Xuan here to humiliate Xue Fenglin, but she hadn't expected these guests to thoughtlessly praise a country ger!
Moreover, all she had given Shen Xuan were a few sets of cloth clothes and silver hairpins; she had no idea where this Jiao Sha and pearl hairpin came from!
'Could it be Xue Fenglin who sent them?' Bai Shi narrowed her eyes; this was the only possibility.
She refused to believe Xue Fenglin genuinely wanted to marry a country ger. She thought,
'He has deep schemes indeed, to endure this and even send Shen Xuan clothes and accessories for a show.'
Shen Xuan was led by Peiyu to the main table. He bowed to Marquis Xue and Bai Shi, saying, "This humble one, Shen Xuan, greets the Marquis and Madam." His voice was clear and pleasant, and his demeanor was poised and appropriate.
Marquis Xue, who had initially been extremely annoyed by this country ger who had caused him to be impeached for so long, now felt much more at ease.
Seeing that Shen Xuan did not embarrass the Xue family at the banquet, and that guests were even praising the Marquis's mansion for its noble conduct, he felt a little more comfortable.
"Since you're here, sit down and eat," he simply said. A maid serving food promptly pulled out a chair at the main table for Shen Xuan.
"Oh dear, Shen Ger has arrived, but why hasn't Lin'er come out yet? That's really improper."
Bai Shi finally couldn't hold back, seizing the opportunity to add fuel to the fire with a smile.
"People will see him and think he's neglecting Shen Ger because of his humble background."
At her words, Marquis Xue's dormant anger flared up again. Just as he was on the verge of an outburst, a servant's loud announcement echoed from afar, "The shizi has arrived..."
Then, a tall figure accompanied by two young servants strode in, walking directly to the main table and taking a seat beside Marquis Xue.
Shen Xuan froze, staring at Lin Ye—or rather, Xue Fenglin—now seated in the shizi's position. He wore a white jade "Bright Moon" crown and had changed into a moon-white outfit, embroidered with osmanthus trees and jade rabbits in gold and silver thread, perfectly suiting the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Xue Fenglin was already handsome, and now, meticulously dressed, he was even more strikingly beautiful.
As soon as he sat down, countless women and ger at the banquet fixed their gazes upon him, causing the other men to instantly overshadowed.
Bai Shi grew even more furious seeing Xue Fenglin steal the limelight like this. Her Li'er (referring to her own son) was also a fine young man, but whenever he appeared with Xue Fenglin, the latter always overshadowed him.
She watched the unmarried young ladies and ger among the guests raise their fans, covering half their faces, and secretly peek at Xue Fenglin from behind them.
She thought, 'What's the use of this rascal being such a magnet for attention? He'll still only end up marrying a country ger!'
'Since he loves to put on a show so much, I might as well let him perform a little longer!' So, she deliberately spoke, "Lin'er, come quickly and meet this Shen Ger. This is your future husband."
Bai Shi intended to make Xue Fenglin uncomfortable, but Xue Fenglin merely glanced at her, his face showing no discernible emotion.
Then, he stood up, raised his wine cup, and toasted Shen Xuan, saying, "Shen Ger, it's our first meeting. I've been busy with imperial examinations recently and rarely at home, so I've been quite neglectful. In the future, if you need anything in the mansion, just ask my two young servants."
'So he isn't Lin Ye, but the Marquis Xue family's heir, Xue Fenglin!'
Shen Xuan felt a complex mix of emotions, still reeling from the shock. Then, he suddenly recalled all the past events in Yunshui Village, thinking,
'No wonder Xue Fenglin asked me if I wanted to return to the capital with him. He was actually talking about the marriage engagement... I even thought it was because he liked me!'
Thinking of this, Shen Xuan felt a pang of sadness for some reason. He had thought they were at least friends, but it turned out even the name Lin Ye was fake...
Seeing Xue Fenglin suddenly toast him, Shen Xuan didn't know what to say, so he simply picked up his own cup and toasted back.
Then he remembered Xue Fenglin had said earlier that he didn't need to worry about the engagement, and he thought with self-mockery.
'Indeed, there's no need to worry. He never wanted to marry me anyway.'
Since Lin Ye was Xue Fenglin, he would naturally find a way to resolve the engagement. For him to have been planning an escape himself was utterly ridiculous!
Shen Xuan felt a bit dejected, and he certainly had no appetite for this "feast at Hong Gate" (a metaphor for a trap).
He ate a few dishes without much enthusiasm, then watched as fireworks and magic tricks began on the opera stage.
The lively display drew everyone from their seats to gather and watch. He seized the opportunity to quietly leave his seat as well.
After walking a few steps, he glanced back and saw Xue Fenglin mingling with the guests, toasting and laughing, appearing vastly different from his reserved demeanor in Yunshui Village.
Shen Xuan suddenly realized that this Xue Fenglin, who was so at ease in the Marquis's mansion, was likely his true self.
He shook his head, turned, and quickly walked towards the West Outer Courtyard where he lived.
Because he wasn't familiar with the Marquis's mansion, Shen Xuan took a slight detour. When he returned to his courtyard, he found Xue Fenglin already standing at the entrance.
Shen Xuan was stunned and heard Xue Fenglin say to him, "You're finally back."
"Why are you here?" Shen Xuan asked.
Xue Fenglin replied, "It's the Mid-Autumn Festival. I'll accompany you to explore the Marquis's mansion."
Shen Xuan: "..." He remained silent for a moment before saying, "Don't tell me Madam Xue forced you to come again?"
Xue Fenglin: "..."
A sudden silence filled the air, followed by a few fireworks exploding in the sky. The cheers from the guests in the back garden drifted over. Shen Xuan suddenly felt so awkward his toes could curl into the ground.
"Bai Shi did say it on purpose, but I wanted to come myself. She didn't force me," Xue Fenglin suddenly spoke.
He raised his lantern and walked up to Shen Xuan, looking at his face and asking, "Are you angry?" His pair of auspicious phoenix eyes were exceptionally deep in the dim candlelight.
"Of course, I'm angry," Shen Xuan could no longer hold back and said directly, "I thought of you as a friend, but it turns out even your name was fake!" His eyes were a little watery, looking as if he was about to cry.
"Sorry," Xue Fenglin apologized to Shen Xuan. Unexpectedly, he apologized so readily that Shen Xuan was momentarily speechless.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Never mind. We're not from the same world anyway, so knowing each other's names doesn't really matter. I won't fuss about it."
No sooner had he finished speaking than his face suddenly felt warm, a soft, hot touch fleetingly brief.
Shen Xuan froze in place, somewhat at a loss, wondering if he had imagined the sensation. Then he heard Xue Fenglin say again,
"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. Don't be afraid."
Xue Fenglin really kissed him! Shen Xuan then realized that the previous moment wasn't a hallucination. His face instantly flushed crimson.
When he looked up, he met Xue Fenglin's deep eyes. Then, he saw Xue Fenglin take his hand and quickly walk a few steps, turning and ducking into a cluster of trees.
At that moment, Jingui and Jinzhi slowly approached from a distance, one carrying a lantern.
They had just finished watching the fireworks, and the banquet was over. The people of the Marquis's mansion were seeing guests off. Having nothing else to do, and seeing that Shen Xuan had already left, they walked back together.
"Looking at Shen Ger's clothes today, the shizi seems to treat him well," Jinzhi said.
Jingui: "Do you think the one who used to deliver meals to our courtyard was also the shizi?"
Jinzhi thought for a moment before replying, "Probably. Who else in this mansion, besides the shizi, would have such capability? To be able to command so many servants."
"We must keep this a secret, absolutely don't let anyone else know, especially Mama You!" Jingui then cautioned Jinzhi again.
The two of them walked into the courtyard, chatting softly the whole way. Once they were inside, Shen Xuan looked up at Xue Fenglin beside him and only then realized that his hand was still being held by Xue Fenglin.
He quickly pulled his hand back, his face a little hot, and asked, "So the one who used to deliver meals before, that was you too?"
"Bai Shi is a harsh person," Xue Fenglin said, looking at Shen Xuan, then leaned in very gently and whispered into his ear, "I was afraid you'd be hungry."
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