After deceiving the villain, I was forced to love him.

Although the He family was not prominent, their business involved all aspects of people's daily lives.

Therefore, compared to the Wang and Baili families, the He family was truly extremely wealthy.

Because of their wealth, many families, even those who privately looked down on the He family, were willing to put on a smiling face for the sake of money.

Therefore, quite a few people attended this banquet.

Adding to the fact that Wang Qingyan had delayed him, Baili Ce was afraid he would miss the lunch banquet, so he had his driver demonstrate his exceptional driving skills.

So much so that she almost thought she was riding a tractor the whole way.

Fortunately, she still made it in time.

"Madam Baili, the young lady has arrived—"

"Welcome guests—"

As the carriage stopped in front of the He residence, two forceful shouts rang out. A neatly dressed servant quickly and steadily placed the stool, then stepped aside and stood respectfully upright.

Wearing a straw hat, Baili Ce, with the help of Seventeen's arm, stepped down from the stool, his whole demeanor becoming noble and elegant.

"Please, young lady," He Shouzhen, who was in charge of entertaining guests, said with a smile as he descended the steps and led Baili Ce inside from a distance of three steps.

Baili Ce entered with an elegant demeanor, followed closely by Seventeen, who handed over his sword as per custom before crossing the threshold of the He residence.

Since moving to the capital, the He family has been striving to elevate their social standing, but unfortunately, none of their descendants have lived up to their expectations.

Having finally found a favored concubine, Consort Xuan, they naturally followed the etiquette among the powerful and noble, seating the guests according to their social class.

With his status, Bai Li Ce naturally bypassed the noisy outer courtyard and entered the banquet hall in the inner courtyard.

Upon entering the banquet hall, the people serving the guests turned into young maids of about sixteen or seventeen years old. One by one, they were charming and lively, and they quickly arranged refreshments, tea, and personal service for Baili Ce.

Even Seventeen received a particularly soft cushion, so thoughtful that he felt a little embarrassed.

Taking off his straw hat and handing it to a young maid, Baili Ce felt he had arrived too early.

Because there was only one person in the opposite male seat.

On her side, besides her, there was only one other girl sitting far away, a delicate-looking girl who blushed as soon as her eyes met Baili Ce's, let alone spoke.

Based on initial assessment, this person is socially anxious.

However, it's not appropriate to speak loudly in the men's section opposite.

So the three of them could only nod to each other in greeting, and then each sat down and waited quietly.

Fortunately, the wait wasn't long, and the guests arrived one after another, though it seemed they were all coming from the same direction.

Seventeen, who also sensed something amiss, whispered closer, "Their incense smells very similar, young lady, you should be careful."

The wealthy appreciate fragrances, and the fact that these people all smelled alike suggests that they had indeed been discussing matters together.

So......

Bai Li Ce smiled without saying a word. When his gaze met that of the guest from the male table, they both saw the look of expectation in each other's eyes.

Then, with remarkable tacit understanding, they raised their glasses in a toast, waiting for the show to begin.

As expected, after the female guests took their seats, the head of the He family made a grand appearance.

He first showed off his wonderful daughter before thanking the guests.

Bai Li Ce immediately prepared to take the lead, but He Shou Feng deliberately paused in front of Bai Li Ce for a moment before turning to the men's table and toasting the man from before.

"Please, Young Master Wang."

"Please, Patriarch He."

"Young Master Wang has come from afar, let me offer you another toast."

......

He Shoufeng toasted the man three times, as if they were very familiar with each other, yet he always maintained a proper demeanor, which made Baili Ce, who was watching from the side, immediately suspicious.

His surname is Wang, and he appeared in the inner courtyard, so his status must be quite high.

Could it be one of Wang Qingyan's cousins?

That shouldn't be the case. She has seen portraits or met the people in person of most prominent families, so she is certain that there is no such person.

Even if the portrait is very different, it's impossible to have no impression at all, right?

Moreover, the Wang family has always been even more arrogant than the Baili family, and rarely hosts banquets for merchants. They probably wouldn't give them such face.

But importantly, among the prominent families in the capital, there was no one with the surname Wang more distinguished than Wang Qingyan's lineage.

Bai Li Ce tilted slightly to the side. "Do you remember?"

Seventeen's eyes were full of negativity.

Hmm, that's strange.

Just as Bai Li Ce was wondering what was going on, he saw He Shou Feng go and toast a male guest, as if he would only come here after he had finished entertaining all the guests at the male table.

This wouldn't have been a problem in itself, since there's only one head of the He family. What's truly dangerous is He Shoufeng's subsequent actions.

"Thank you, sir."

"Please, Patriarch He."

He Shoufeng's attitude towards this person was much more amiable, even bordering on obsequious.

Seventeen explained in a low voice, "This Xie Yunxiang is a notorious playboy in the capital. He is uneducated, incompetent, and of extremely poor character. It's probably not a good thing that the He family invited him."

What official family wouldn't want their children to excel in everything and bring them honor?

Unfortunately, Vice Minister Xie lost his wife at a young age and had only Xie Yunxiang as his sole heir. Despite being fifty years old, he still had to work tirelessly every day to provide him with the best life and continue to spoil him like a good-for-nothing.

"It's alright. They should know their limits in this kind of situation."

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Xie Yunxiang suddenly grabbed He Shoufeng, who was about to toast someone else, and leaned over to say something.

"..." He did speak very softly, at least that's what he thought.

However, his eyes were not small at all. He not only looked at each of the female guests one by one, but also nodded slightly from time to time, as if he was appraising the appearance and figure of the female guests.

Perhaps because he had been drinking, or perhaps because he wanted to curry favor with the son of the Vice Minister of War, He Shoufeng, as the head of the family, did not stop his guest's impolite behavior.

Not only did he not stop them, but he also thought he had concealed it well, glancing at Baili Ce and the female guests while whispering to Xie Yunxiang.

Among large clans, it is not uncommon for women to take the lead and make decisions. Therefore, in addition to Baili Ce, there are several remarkable leaders on the female side.

Therefore, Baili Ce was not the only one who deliberately came to cause trouble for the He family.

Especially after witnessing He Shoufeng's words and actions firsthand, some people could no longer hold back and began to ridicule, satirize, and attack him.

"They really have no manners."

"Hmph, etiquette? As the father-in-law of the emperor, what need is there for etiquette?"

"I had heard that the He family's daughters were all outstanding, and I originally wanted to take a look for my younger brother. But seeing that even the father is like this, what makes his daughters so remarkable?"

"It seems that a person as ethereal as Consort Xuan is truly one in a million. Oh well..."

"I'd better give up on this idea as soon as possible."

Bai Li Ce thought to himself, "Wow, this is amazing! He can insult people without offending the nobles in the palace."

"That's for sure. Consort Xuan is exceptionally beautiful and talented, unparalleled in the world. It's just a pity... Patriarch Zhou should consider other families' daughters."

"What Manager Lin said is very true."

The female guests' voices were neither too loud nor too soft, but enough to make He Shoufeng's face turn red. He dared not retaliate, so he had no choice but to leave Xie Yunxiang's place under the pretext of offering a toast.

After toasting, he quickly hid in the back of the banquet hall to sober up.

Fifteen minutes later, he changed his clothes and, with the unfortunate lady he had suddenly remembered, went to the women's table to offer a toast.

This time, nothing went wrong, and because Madam He kept apologizing with smiles, the female guests didn't say anything more.

However, on the men's side, there were always people trying to cause trouble.

Xie Yunxiang, who was used to being indulged, was dragged out of his love nest by his father before dawn and sent here for a banquet, which made him feel uncomfortable all along.

He finally got the female guests to sit down, but they were all so pretentious that he wouldn't even let them look at him. How was he supposed to eat and drink properly?

You should know that the maids who usually serve him meals are all extremely beautiful women.

After downing one glass of wine after another, Xie Yunxiang gradually became tipsy.

Provoked by someone nearby, he picked up a jug of wine and walked straight toward the women's section.

"Quickly help Young Master Xie to rest!" Madam He immediately called out to stop them, and two servants also rushed forward to help him.

But Xie Yunxiang pushed him away with one palm each, shouting, "Get out of the way!"

"Hiccup~" Standing unsteadily in front of Baili Ce, Xie Yunxiang saw her smiling eyes and fearless demeanor, and laughed as well.

"Ha, I've heard the young lady is incredibly ugly, but seeing her today..."

"Someone come here! Please thank Young Master Xie..." Madam He wanted to call for more people, but He Shoufeng stopped her with a raised hand.

The Baili family always opposes the He family, and this time he wants to see how this noble family's daughter handles these matters.

Ah, so that's where she was waiting.

Unfortunately, the tactic was too simplistic.

Bai Li Ce didn't say a word, but the smile in his eyes deepened.

—A mocking smile.

Xie Yunxiang, however, assumed that Baili Ce was also interested in him, "Heh, he's not bad looking at me today~"

"Come, let me offer you a toast. I... let's be friends."

After saying that, Xie Yunxiang handed the wine cup to Baili Ce's face.

With a "thud," Seventeen grabbed Xie Yunxiang's wrist and forced him back.

"..." Xie Yunxiang winced in pain, instantly regaining consciousness, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The guests present were either watching the show or feeling nervous, and it was difficult for them to step forward to help.

Seeing that Baili Ce did not stop him, He Shoufeng immediately stood up anxiously.

"Isn't it a bit inappropriate for the young lady to be so indulgent towards her servants?" If something were to happen to Young Master Xie, it would be a case of overdoing things.

This is bad now! Where were you before?!

Bai Li Ce simply drank his wine as if nothing had happened.

He Shoufeng immediately raised his voice, "If the young lady can't manage her servants, don't blame me for overstepping my bounds."

"..." Bai Li Ce's eyes flickered slightly.

Seventeen then added, “His Majesty the Emperor once said, ‘Etiquette is about being upright but not rigid, elegant but not slow, flowing like water and standing still like a pine tree.’”

"This is the foundation upon which a noble family establishes itself, but commoners, vagrants, and bandits, who have neither seen the Five Classics nor heard poetry and books, should absolutely not be taught this etiquette."

"If Young Master Xie wishes to associate with my young lady, please treat her with the courtesy due to a distinguished family."

After saying that, he immediately let go, causing Xie Yunxiang to squat on the ground in pain, unable to speak for a long time.

"You...you..." After finally calming down, she was still too scared to say anything for a long time.

Seventeen bowed respectfully and said crisply, "Young Master Xie is a man of great talent and learning. He would certainly not be like those vulgar people who disregard etiquette."

"You lackey! You..."

"Is there anything wrong with what I said?" Seventeen asked with a smile.

"..." Xie Yunxiang gritted his teeth.

However, Seventeen looked like someone not to be trifled with, and he himself came to his senses, knowing that he couldn't really offend the Baili family. He could only give Baili Ce a perfunctory bow and leave the banquet hall in a dejected manner, without even saying goodbye to He Shoufeng.

Haha, Baili Ce was secretly pleased with himself.

That's hilarious. Do you really think that personal guards and maids are just for massaging shoulders and backs and relaying messages?

Their true value lies in their mouth substitutes.

"..." Seeing the obvious smile on Baili Ce's face, He Shoufeng's expression couldn't be uglier.

They didn't even acknowledge him!

"Um...hehehe, this...please enjoy your meal, esteemed guests. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality." Feeling embarrassed for her husband, Madam He had no choice but to put on a big smile and urge everyone to continue eating and drinking.

......