The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

"What if I can't hide?" Pei Yanqi looked at Xia Mianwan with sparkling eyes.

Xia Mianwan stood up, calm and composed, "If you can't dodge, then you can fight head-on."

"Mrs. Pei." As soon as Xia Mianwan finished speaking, Princess Tongan came over with Zhuang Sasa and Madam Zheng.

"Princess." Xia Mianwan bowed slightly.

"Mrs. Pei, don't you show any courtesy to your ex-mother-in-law? You are becoming more and more unruly." Although Princess Tong'an was smiling, what she said was unpleasant.

When the girls from the Pei family heard what Princess Tong'an said, their faces all changed. Princess Tong'an was really too humiliating.

Princess Tong'an seemed not to notice the expressions of others. She smiled and said to the girl from the Pei family, "Why don't you bow to me?"

Pei Yanyue held her breath and took her sisters to pay their respects to Princess Tongan, but Princess Tongan did not ask them to stand up. She just stared at Xia Mianwan.

It was as if Xia Mian was late and did not greet Mrs. Zheng, so she did not ask the girls to get up.

The movements of the girls have attracted the attention of the entire audience. Everyone now knows that at today's banquet, the Ninth Princess and Princess Tong'an have decided to embarrass Madam Pei.

"Get up, why are you kneeling? Princess Tong'an was just joking, why do you take it seriously? Get up quickly." Xia Mianwan asked Ruzhu and Rumeng to help the girl from the Pei family up.

Princess Tong'an was puzzled. "Am I kidding? Why did they get up?"

Xia Mianwan asked doubtfully, "Ah? Princess, are you kidding? All the officials and their wives in the capital know that she is my ex-mother-in-law, not my current mother-in-law. What kind of ceremony should I follow? We are equal in rank. Without rules, there can be no order. Let's not talk about whether we have any friendship or not, but we should follow the rules."

Princess Tong'an clapped her hands when she heard this. "I've heard that Madam Pei is very sharp-tongued. Now I see that it's true."

Xia Mianwan smiled slightly and did not respond.

Madam Zheng snorted coldly, "Princess, some people are eloquent, but they are not presentable."

Xia Mianwan covered her mouth and laughed out loud, "Mrs. Zheng, why do you have to be like this? You guys are having fun here, but I'm not the one who's embarrassed."

Zhuang Sasa shouted, "Xia Mianwan, you are so insolent!"

This was the first time that Zhuang Sasa was so tough after Xia Mianwan and Zhuang Sasa had faced each other so many times. Xia Mianwan sighed, "We are all in the capital, we will see each other every day, why do this?"

Princess Tong'an sneered, "Madam Pei, your family doesn't follow the rules, and they are in my family, so I can't treat them lightly. Since your daughter is unwilling to pay respect, then you should pay respect to me. Madam Zheng is on the same level as you, but I am not."

This was done on purpose to embarrass Xia Mianwan. Ordinary ladies would never behave like this.

Xia Mianwan's mind was working rapidly. She definitely couldn't perform a big ceremony, otherwise it would be a loss of face for the Pei Mansion. However, playing tricks was always possible. She refused to perform the ceremony, and Princess Tong'an couldn't do anything about it.

Moreover, Princess Tong'an was the host of the day after all. If Princess Tong'an kept wasting time on her side, would the banquet be cancelled? Then she would not be embarrassed.

After Xia Mianwan made up her mind, she pretended not to understand what Princess Tongan meant and refused to move.

Princess Tong'an had never seen such a lazy person. Seeing that Xia Mianwan hadn't moved for a long time, she became a little angry, "Hey, why aren't you moving?"

Xia Mianwan just pretended that he didn't understand and didn't move.

The ladies and young ladies around were all glancing at her from the corner of their eyes, secretly eating melons. Princess Tong'an was arrogant at first, but Xia Mianwan pretended not to understand, which made her feel a little embarrassed.

After all, this was the first banquet hosted by the Zhuang family, and also her first banquet as a bride.

Just when the situation was at a stalemate, Princess Tongan gritted her teeth and wanted to use her strength to force the other party, but before she started to move, a voice came from outside saying "The Queen Dowager has arrived."

"The Queen Dowager is here!" Princess Tong'an had a look of joy on her face. She didn't care that Xia Mian was late and turned to greet her at the door.

Xia Mianwan shook her head. The only way these noble ladies in the capital could think of to humiliate others was to kneel down and pay their respects. It was simply... speechless.

The Concubine Dowager had a magnificent temperament and was graceful and elegant. When she walked in, she brought a fragrance with her, and this fragrance made Xia Mianwan feel very familiar.

When everyone saw the Queen Dowager, they all knelt down and saluted.

The Queen Mother smiled and asked everyone to stand up. "Today is the Zhuang family's banquet. Everyone, please don't be restrained. Please don't be polite."

This sound...

Xia Mianwan already knew that this was the lady who was in the bookstore that day.

After the Concubine Dowager sat down, she looked in the direction of Xia Mianwan and said with a smile, "Madam Pei, right?"

Xia Mianwan quickly bowed, "Mrs. Dowager."

Tong'an was feeling somewhat proud now. Could it be that the Concubine Dowager also knew about her situation and was standing up for her?

The other noble ladies were also very surprised, and sighed that Xia Mianwan was in great danger this time and that it would not end well.

"Are those girls from your family?" asked the Concubine Dowager with a smile.

Xia Mianwan smiled and replied, "Yes."

Pei Yanyue brought the girls from her family forward to pay their respects to the Concubine Dowager.

At this time, Princess Tong'an was even more proud. She was indeed the favorite person in the heart of the Queen Dowager. If it weren't for the Queen Dowager today, she really would have been helpless against Xia Mianwan.

The Concubine smiled and asked the girls of the Pei family to stand up. She also signaled the nanny beside her to give them something as a reward. "Well, the girls of the Pei family are indeed extraordinary. They are the ones your sister-in-law taught them."

Now everyone was shocked. What was going on?

Princess Tong'an also widened her eyes, not understanding what the Queen Dowager was going to do.

Xia Mianwan smiled and said, "Thank you, Queen Concubine, for the reward."

The Concubine nodded and said, "I sent someone to buy the Man Yue Hua Newspaper the day we parted. If you have time today, can we chat for a while?"

Xia Mianwan was happy, and laughed secretly at the unpredictable expressions of the people in the flower hall, "All listen to the Queen Dowager."

Princess Tong'an was a little unhappy, "Madam Dowager, what is the Manyue Flower Newspaper? Do you know Madam Pei?"

This is also what everyone present wanted to know, and they all pricked up their ears to listen to what the Queen Dowager had to say.

The Concubine Dowager laughed and pulled Princess Tong'an to sit down. "Mrs. Pei is a wonderful person. You should learn more from her. Now that you are married, you must stop fooling around. Don't lose the demeanor of a royal lady, and don't use your power to bully others."

Xia Mianwan looked up in surprise. The Concubine Dowager's words were obviously speaking up for her.

Princess Tongan looked at the Concubine Dowager in astonishment, her face flushed with anger. Nie Nuo said, "My Lady Concubine Dowager...what do you mean by this?"

The Concubine Dowager shook her head in disapproval and said softly, "Tong'an, I already know what happened today. Don't make a fuss. If you continue to make a fuss, you will be laughed at. Madam Pei has her own world in her heart. Don't act like a princess anymore."