Chapter 498: Don’t Want to Be a Bad Guy (5)_1
The majority of government officials are savvy enough to understand that Chu Suifeng’s good mood was inseparable from Lin Ziyin.
In the women’s quarters, the wives and favored legitimate daughters of each household treated Lin Ziyin as the center of attention. As for Li Yanran, who was so envious that her eyes had turned red, hardly anyone was willing to give her a glance. This stark contrast made Li Yanran feel even more aggrieved, and she despised Lin Ziyin so much she wished she would choke to death on a sip of water.
Lin Ziyin’s display of etiquette at the banquet astonished many wives. Proper manners were something that ladies from prominent families had to learn. In large families, they would typically invite a specialized nanny to teach them when the girls were eight or nine years old.
Yet Lin Ziyin, a mere country girl, seemed to understand these customs. Even if the prince had sent people to tutor her in secret, they wouldn’t have been able to make her as proficient in such a short time.
This banquet was the first time Lin Ziyin demonstrated her adaptability. Any flattery thrown her way, Lin Ziyin gently deflected with a faint smile. She didn’t display arrogance or act inferior, causing many wives to privately praise her. Given Lin Ziyin’s composed confidence, they doubted anyone would believe that she was just a young girl from a small village.
By the time the banquet concluded, it was late in the afternoon. Even though early autumn had arrived, the courtyard was still very hot. In order to entertain their guests, the Marquis Residence set up a stage in the courtyard for a play, even though the shade of the trees did little to cool down the place.
To entertain the dowager lady, they even placed blocks of ice around the tent where the guests were sitting. Even though the ice melted quickly due to the heat, the Marquis Residence didn’t mind the expense. They freely displayed buckets of ice, as if money meant nothing to them.
The script of the play was a bit old-fashioned, and Lin Ziyin, who didn’t take pleasure in the sing-song manner of speak, found it grating. But given her social standing, she had no choice but to stay.
"Do you enjoy it?" The old lady seemed to be quite fond of Lin Ziyin, always smiling and having her sit by her side.
"It’s enjoyable." Lin Ziyin responded with a nod and faint smile.