Princess Menglang is hard to change, the whole capital is embarrassed for her

Many ladies came to the garden one after another.

Cui Laner is here too.

The last time Shen Li came back from the palace, the two had not met because of the matter between Concubine Liu and the Fourth Prince.

Cui Lan'er had already sent someone to send back Shen Li's things, including the rewards from the palace, gold ingots, silver ingots, and even the two that Shen Li gave her.

When Shen Li saw her today, he pulled her aside, mysteriously took out a few pearls and a gold hairpin from his sleeve pocket, and kept stuffing them into her hands.

While stuffing it in his mouth, he said, "You don't want the gold ingot I gave you, and you insist on returning it to me. I asked your maid to bring it back to you, but she said your father wouldn't let you have it."

Cui Lan'er was force-fed and before she could react, she found herself holding pearls and gold hairpins in her hands.

Hearing Shen Li's question, she hurriedly said, "After returning home, my father told me that the gold ingot is also engraved with the palace's seal. It can't be spent carelessly and must be kept as a treasure. Sister Li, you don't know me. If there is money in the box and it can't be spent, it will make me feel anxious. I might as well return it to you. It won't be so painful if I can't see it anymore."

Fang Mingwan, who was standing by, chuckled, tapped her head with a finger, and said angrily, "You, you, can't you just cut it into small pieces and spend it?"

"I want to, too," Cui Lan'er said with a depressed look on her face. "But who is my father? He has a sharper nose and eyes than a dog. If I really break the gold ingot Sister Li gave me into pieces, my father will chase me around the yard and beat me again."

Fang Mingwan immediately understood the key words and, as if she had found a kindred spirit, she grabbed Cui Lan'er's hand and asked excitedly, "Did your father beat you too?"

Cui Lan'er was a little confused. "Yeah, I've been beaten less in recent years. Sister Ming, what are you doing? Why are you so happy when I get beaten?"

"I'm not happy, I..." Fang Mingwan lowered her voice, looked around, and felt a little embarrassed. "My father also beat me, but he has been beating me less in recent years."

"Ah? I thought only girls in the capital would be beaten by their fathers, but I didn't expect Sister Ming to be like this too?"

"Yes, yes. My father used to whip me, and if I could run fast enough to avoid being hit, it was considered a skill. Now the whip doesn't work, so he uses the ruler. I have to run faster than before to avoid it. When my mother scolds my father, he argues that he is training me to run away. He says that if my husband hits me in the future, I won't have to stand there and take the beating. At least I can run home and complain and seek revenge."

When Cui Lan'er heard this, her eyes were immediately filled with sympathy. "Sister Ming, you are so pitiful. Your father even thought about the beatings you will receive from your husband in the future. My father doesn't do that. He beats me because I always tell others that if anyone offends me, I will let my father report him to the emperor and kill him. He will then kneel down and call me aunt when he sees me in the future."

“我爹气得回来揍我，说我把自己的路堵死了，现在没有一个人敢上我家来提亲。我爹就是想跟人家结亲，人家都吓得赶紧跑。我听我爹的小厮说，人家一边跑一边说不敢当不敢当，这万一娶回去还得跪在地上叫姑奶奶，错了辈分对不起祖宗，打死不敢娶的。”

She spoke so proudly that Shen Li and Fang Mingwan laughed so hard that they could hardly straighten their backs.

Several people sat under a big tree to enjoy the cool air, while the Yan sisters went to greet other guests.

As they were talking, Shen Yao and Wen Wanying came over with Shen Yan and Shen Lin.

There were also a few people Shen Li didn't know who came with them. When they saw them approaching, Cui Lan'er and Wen Wanying hurriedly stood up and bowed to each other.

Shen Li ignored everyone and closed her eyes, feeling the comfort brought by the summer breeze.

Just as I was feeling at ease, a gentle voice reached my ears, "Miss Shen is fine."

Without opening her eyes, Shen Li could tell who it was.

It was Wen Wanying, whose smile made her feel uncomfortable.

This little girl looked well-educated and polite, but in her opinion, she was just a middle school girl who deliberately posed in a way that adults would like, hoping that people would say: What a nice girl.

This kind of person lives a tiring life, but she doesn't realize it and is even complacent about it.

Shen Li opened her eyes, glanced at the opposite side lightly, and nodded slightly, "Hello, Miss Wen."

Shen Yao was about to scold her, saying that she didn't know the rules and should stand up and return the same greeting.

Suddenly I remembered what my mother told me before I left the house, and I swallowed my words back.

Before my eyes was a row of tall trees with dense leaves, and underneath were large patches of shady areas.

The girls who had just arrived also sat down under the tree and talked in low voices.

Guests came one after another, and there were more and more people. Almost everyone who came would come to say hello to Shen Li and the others, and take a look at Shen Li's true appearance.

Ever since she returned to Beijing, there have been many legends about her and everyone is curious about her.

Everyone had heard that she was stupid, crazy, foolish, and vulgar, until they saw her from afar at a palace banquet and were shocked by her beauty.

Shen Li didn't say much during the palace banquet. Everyone only saw her bow and answer questions from the Queen Mother and others. Before they could have further contact, the assassination incident happened and they never saw each other again.

Today, the Guanyong Marquis's Mansion held a banquet. Everyone knew that it was for Shen Li, and they also knew that Shen Li saved the old lady of the Marquis's Mansion.

It is natural that I should come and see such a great righteous person.

Little did she know, someone whispered that she was arrogant and rude, and even when Miss Wen took the initiative to greet her, she didn't bother to respond.

The others hesitated, not knowing whether they should go up and say hello.

Let's not fight. The reason they can visit Guan Yonghou's mansion is all because of Shen Li's rescue. Everyone knows why the old lady invited them to the mansion.

Now that they have arrived at the Marquis' Mansion, if they don't cooperate with the old lady to fulfill her wish, they will never be able to set foot in the Marquis' Mansion again.

After the ladies discussed it in their minds, they still stepped forward to greet Shen Li.

Unexpectedly, Shen Li not only stood up to return the greeting, but also chatted and laughed with everyone. How could she be rude or arrogant at all?

It can be seen that this rumor cannot be fully believed. No matter what kind of news it is, you still have to rely on your own feelings.

This was Cui Lan'er's warning to the ladies, and the ladies nodded frequently.

As they were talking and laughing, two girls from the Yan family came over and asked everyone to sit down by the lake.

The banquet was set up by the water. The old marquis and the old lady both raised their glasses to wish the soldiers on the border a triumphant return and safety.

Then the old lady began to announce.

All the unmarried men and women attending the banquet today will draw a number and go on stage to perform in the order of their numbers. It doesn't matter what they perform.

The atmosphere below suddenly became lively.

In particular, the old lady also said that in the end, the prizes would be awarded by voting by everyone and would be divided into three levels.

The first level is a jade ruyi that the Queen Mother specially bestowed for this banquet.

Next was a piece of high-quality fox fur given by the Queen Mother.

Finally, there is a set of four treasures of the study prepared by the Marquis's Mansion, on which are poems written by great scholars of the time. It is indeed a fine product and very rare.