The stand-in didn't take it seriously for three years, and the minister was furious when they b

What would be lost then would not just be a gold hairpin, but the reputation of the Marquis's Mansion.

The old lady knew it better and could only wave her hand and admit it.

After sitting for a while, the old lady said she was tired, and several people stood up one after another. Mu Lianzhi was the first to leave.

After leaving Fudeyuan, seeing that there was no one around, Chunmiao happily moved closer to her:

"Miss, you are so smart."

As she spoke, she pulled the sleeve and handed the hairpin back.

After a quick glance, Mu Lianzhi glanced at her:

"You are useless. Do you think I am an actor?"

"Uh?"

"If I say I'll give it to you, I mean it's for you! And I'm really asking you to pawn it. The reason I'm not giving it to you alone and not letting you keep it is because I'm afraid you'll be guilty of possessing the treasure."

Of course, there is another point. Between people, what is worrying is either the lack of wealth or the inequality of wealth. She also doesn't want any unnecessary turmoil in her backyard.

"Thank you, Miss."

Nodding like crazy, Chunmiao was so moved that her eyes turned red:

"Miss, are we going back now? What if my cousin follows us again? She is such a dung beetle, always annoying people."

If she remembered correctly, there was another golden hairpin. Given her personality and persistence, it was hard to say for sure. She was afraid that her young lady would be fooled again.

"Silly girl, she is just a guest visiting us. If she wants to act like a clown, then let her act like one. If we don't respond, what else can she do to us?"

However, it is not appropriate to break up right now.

This cousin may still be useful in the future.

Thinking of this, Mu Lianzhi paused:

"You're right. Since there's a banquet to attend, I have to prepare and buy things. Come on, call Leng Yun, and we'll go out. I'll pawn the gold hairpin for you."

As they talked, the two of them quickened their pace.

As expected, Hua Shuolei arrived at Yuxiu Courtyard right after the others left. However, this time, she was stopped outside the door by Xia Xiu and Leng Yu:

"I'm sorry, Miss Cousin, the lady is not here, so we can't invite you in."

"Are you blind? Don't you know that the Second Madam is usually on good terms with our young lady? Just now, the old lady made an appointment, and the young lady came to see her specially. She just went in and waited, and you dared to stop her? Are you so bold? Get out of the way."

Shouting, Hua Shuolei's maid tried to push the person, but before her hand could reach Xia Xiu's, Leng Yu threw her to the ground:

"I think you guys are looking for death, right? Do you want to ask the old lady for instructions?"

"Ah You--"

The maid screamed, and Hua Shuolei shuddered instinctively, and suddenly realized that Leng Yu was a stranger:

"Luyun, you must not be so presumptuous."

After turning around and scolding the maid, Hua Shuolei looked across again:

"This sister looks a little strange, is she new here? My cousin's wife and I have a very close relationship and we have always been inseparable. It's a rare opportunity for me to come here, so I came here specially to visit her."

It's just right that Mu Lianzhi is not here. She can just take anything she likes and then tell her about it later.

As she thought about it, she took a tentative step forward. With a flash of her body, Leng Yu stood directly in front of her. The close approach scared Hua Shuolei so much that she instinctively took two steps back.

This time, before Leng Yu could say anything, Xia Xiu had already cleverly positioned herself between the two of them:

"Please forgive me, cousin. She is a stubborn person and only obeys the orders of the lady."

"Our courtyard was robbed before, and the Second Madam specially spent a high price to buy someone. Madam ordered that no one is allowed to enter her room when she is not there, so the servants can only stay outside."

"It's not that I want to embarrass you."

"I know the friendship between you and the young lady, but she is just a warrior, it doesn't make sense. There is something wrong here."

Rubbing her fingers secretly and pointing at her forehead, Xia Xiu also winked and looked embarrassed:

"Miss cousin, our wife seems to be attending some important event. She sent someone back to get some silver and then hurried out to make some purchases. I didn't hear it clearly, but she seemed to be in a hurry."

"If you have enough time, you can go to my room and wait."

"I'll tell you the truth. She is stubborn. The old lady is the same when she comes. If you don't believe me, you can ask around in the mansion or ask someone to try it out."

This was a legitimate reason given by the mansion to Leng Yun and Leng Yu to stay and look for her, so she was not afraid of being investigated at all.

Although she still couldn't quite tell who these two people belonged to and who they were busy for, she had to admit that it was good to lean on a big tree for shade. Since the two men came, their lives in Yuxiuyuan had become much better.

"In that case, I'll come back another day."

Originally she wanted to come here to make some money and vent her anger, but she was turned away again. Hua Shuolei cursed Mu Lianzhi in her heart, but she could only hold her anger and return the same way.

……

In the blink of an eye it was the Chinese Valentine's Day. Early in the morning, all the courtyards in the mansion got up early to prepare. The busy atmosphere of the festival was everywhere. Before the hour of noon, everyone gathered at the door on time.

Mu Lianzhi arrived at the same time as the old lady. When they met, she hadn't even finished her greetings when Jiang's dissatisfied voice came over:

"You are a widow, not a little girl, why are you wearing such ostentatious clothes?"

On this day, the clothes and looks chosen by the few people were actually very low-key.

Mu Lianzhi was wearing a plain long skirt of dark bean green color embroidered with orchids, and a bright yellow gauze shirt on the outside. Her hairstyle was still a low bun, and she wore two silk flowers of the same color, one yellow and one green. She also wore a pair of pearl tassel hairpins on one side and at the back. Compared with the high bun full of pearls and jade that was more popular among noble ladies, her hairstyle was neither gorgeous nor ostentatious.

The biggest highlight is the visual impact brought by contrasting colors.

Ling Feier wore a goose yellow long skirt embroidered with pomegranate flowers, a white narrow-sleeved gauze shirt, and a slightly darker yellow shawl, giving her a fresh and energetic beauty; Jiang and the old lady chose a more solemn combination of dark green and gray-black.

If there was no Mu Lianzhi to compare with, Ling Feier would definitely be eye-catching.

Seeing her daughter being bullied before she even left the house, Jiang was a little unhappy:

"We are just going to have fun, so it's better not to attract attention. The silk flower on your head is too conspicuous, so you should take it off!"

If possible, she would actually like to come over and let her daughter wear it.

"What do you think, mother?"

The old lady also felt that she was a bit eye-catching, but when she thought about the purpose of bringing her there, she couldn't help but feel conflicted.

How could Mu Lianzhi not see their thoughts of "wanting the horse to run, but afraid of its failure"? She touched the silk flower on her head and pretended to be embarrassed and frowned:

"Mother, today is the Qixi Festival and the palace banquet. To put it bluntly, no matter what the purpose of the palace holding this banquet is, it is for a happy occasion. No matter what the situation is in the Marquis's Mansion, I can't go there in plain clothes. Wouldn't that offend others? Apart from silk flowers, I really don't know what to wear to be not plain but low-key..."

People are afraid of being famous just like pigs are afraid of being fat, that's what it means to rich people. She is a helpless person who is in urgent need of saving her life. If she doesn't show off a bit, there's no guarantee that she won't be killed quietly in the future.