For the nouveau riche, hosting a banquet was a technical job. It wasn't as simple as inviting people over to eat, drink, and chat about everything under the sun.

First, you needed a troupe of household musicians and dancers.

This wasn't difficult for established aristocratic families; it was a basic requirement. But it was a headache for Madam Zhang.

Everyone knew the Liu family was nouveau riche. They had been in charge of the Governor's manor for less than two months. Where were they supposed to find a troupe of performers to keep?

However, this wasn't an unsolvable problem. The world was in chaos, and there were many temporary folk acrobats and artists. During busy seasons, they farmed; in their free time, they would gather to perform variety shows in the streets and alleys to earn some money. It was too late to raise their own troupe of performers now, so Chief Steward Jiang suggested that Madam Zhang could hire these people for a temporary performance. They could get through this banquet first, and then raise their own troupe later when they had the time and energy.

It was a viable solution.

But Madam Han felt this was a bad idea. She expressed the opposite opinion, telling Madam Zhang: The performers in aristocratic households are trained over a long period. Their songs and dances even have their own unique styles, which you can't see outside. If you casually find a group of temporary workers to make up the numbers, you'll likely end up being looked down upon by the guests.

Caught in a dilemma, Madam Zhang almost regretted coming up with the idea of hosting a banquet. But the invitations had already been sent out, and it was too late for regrets. After much thought, she finally had to choose Chief Steward Jiang's suggestion and find a group of acrobats from outside.

Song and dance performances were unnecessary. The aristocratic families never lacked this kind of entertainment, and they wouldn't even glance at anything of a slightly lower grade. It was better to have them perform some of their best acrobatic tricks, which would be more eye-catching.

Just as Madam Zhang was preparing for the banquet, her sisters arrived.

Not one, but two.

Besides her newly widowed third sister, Madam Zhang's youngest sister had also come along.

Back then, after the four sisters were born one after another, it became clear that their mother couldn't produce a boy. Their father was terribly sad. He thought about buying a concubine to bear him a son, but he was too stingy with his money, so he just had to make do.

Old Man Zhang was illiterate. He didn't want to give them names, nor did he know how. Anyway, poor families didn't have so many rules, so they were just called "Ah Meng" and "Ah Zhong."

In this era, outsiders basically never addressed women by their given names. They would either add their birth order before their surname to distinguish them or just call them "Madam So-and-so." For example, the famous Lady Meng Jiang; Jiang was her family name, and Meng indicated that she was the eldest daughter in her family.

But when Madam Zhang was fortunate enough to find a good match in the Liu family—said to be the reputable Liu family from Xiang Town, with ancestors who were cultured men—at Madam Zhang's strong insistence, her father finally gave his four daughters names.

However, the names were also chosen casually. He couldn't read, so he just pointed at something and named them after it. Madam Zhang was lucky; her father pointed at the white clouds in the sky, so her maiden name was Ah Yun. Her three younger sisters were a bit less fortunate, named Jiu, Shu, and Ye, respectively.

The ones who came this time were the third sister, Madam Zhang Ah Shu, and the youngest sister, Madam Zhang Ah Ye. The youngest sister, Madam Zhang Ah Ye, was already married, and her husband's surname was Zhao, so others often called her Madam Zhao-Zhang.

In terms of looks, among the four sisters, the third sister, Madam Zhang Ah Shu, was the most beautiful. Even though she had been married and was now a widow, her complexion was still fair and smooth, not at all like a daughter from a poor family. A touch of sorrow in her brow made her look even more pitifully beautiful.

As they say, a dragon has nine sons, each different. In comparison, Madam Zhang's youngest sister, Madam Zhao-Zhang, was far inferior. Her chin was slightly pointed, her cheekbones a bit high, and because she dressed as a married woman with her hair pulled back, she looked a bit sharp and shrewish. Never mind comparing her to her newly widowed third sister; even Madam Zhang was a few points better than her.

From the moment they stepped out of the carriage, the two of them stared wide-eyed at everything they saw, their faces undisguisedly filled with shock and envy. This feeling hadn't subsided even after they were led into the main house by the servants and saw Madam Zhang and their mother.

Madam Zhang had a good relationship with her third sister, but she particularly disliked this youngest one. She recalled how whenever she returned to her maternal home, if this youngest sister was present, she would always make a few snide remarks, as if her own happiness depended on Madam Zhang's misfortune.

Seeing Madam Zhang's displeased expression, Madam Zhao-Zhang quickly smiled and explained, "Third Sister has never been to Yangdi and doesn't know anyone. I was afraid she would be bored on the way, so I came along to keep her company. Elder Sister won't be angry, will you?"

She's never been to Yangdi, and you have?

Madam Zhang grumbled internally. With her mother present, she couldn't say anything harsh and decided not to bother with her.

Madam Zhao-Zhang was one to take any advantage she could. When the people sent by Madam Zhang arrived at the Zhang residence to pick them up, the youngest sister, Madam Zhao-Zhang, happened to be there. Hearing that her eldest sister was taking their third sister to Yangdi to enjoy a life of luxury, her eyes immediately turned red. She wheedled her father and third sister for a while, didn't even bother sending someone back to her husband's family to inform them, and just tagged along. She was determined to stay for a while and thoroughly enjoy the glory and wealth of the Governor's manor.

Only upon arriving at the Governor's manor did she realize she was right. Just a single room here was several times more spacious than her own home, not to mention the gorgeous clothes and delicious food. Everything made Madam Zhao-Zhang's eyes widen, and she cursed that she had been born a few years too late. Otherwise, wouldn't the position of the Governor's official wife be hers for the taking?

Liu Zhen and the others were aware of the arrival of Madam Zhang's sisters. They had gone to pay their respects, but that was all. Even Liu Wan and Liu Zhuang couldn't feel any closeness to these two aunts, especially Madam Zhao-Zhang. Liu Zhen certainly wasn't going to go out of her way to get close to them.

Because they were newcomers and not on their own territory, Madam Zhang's two sisters naturally didn't dare to be too presumptuous. Even Madam Zhao-Zhang reined in her temperament, carefully imitating her eldest sister's every word and action, afraid of being looked down upon.

Time flew, and soon it was the day of the banquet.

Many ladies from the prominent families of Yangdi were invited to this banquet. Eight or nine out of ten of them were from families of men who were currently working under Liu Yuan or whom he wanted to win over—this was something Madam Zhang had specially asked Chief Steward Jiang to investigate beforehand. It showed that she had indeed put a lot of thought into this banquet.

The Governor's wife was hosting a banquet. Anyone with a sound mind would surely show face. Although Liu Yuan hadn't gone on a killing spree yet, and his actions since arriving in Yingchuan Commandery could be described as benevolent, no one would think this new Governor was some harmless little bunny. In chaotic times, human life was cheap. The lives of everyone in Yangdi, rich or poor, were in his hands. They had to give him this face!

In fact, ever since Liu Yuan took over Yingchuan Commandery, everyone had been on tenterhooks, and festivities and amusements had been greatly reduced. They were afraid of being singled out as an example and "dealt with" at a moment's notice. Now that there was a legitimate reason to gather and have fun, everyone naturally perked up. They secretly mocked the nouveau riche Liu family, wondering what jokes they would make of themselves, while also secretly looking forward to it with anticipation.

Thus, on the day of the banquet, the Governor's manor was bustling with carriages and horses, filled to the brim with guests. The streets were blocked, creating a scene of prosperity that hadn't been seen in days.

Liu Zhen was also looking forward to this banquet, because the Ji Family was on the invitation list this time.

In the past, the Ji Family had often been honored guests at the Governor's manor. Now, although the mansion had a new master, if her marriage to Ji Ci could proceed smoothly and her father's position remained stable, the relationship between the Ji Family and the Governor's manor would only grow closer.

At the thought of seeing Ji Ci soon, Liu Zhen's heart couldn't help but flutter a little.

"Young Mistress, will you still wear the quju today?" Gui Xiang asked.

"Hmm?" Liu Zhen pulled her gaze back from the window. The clamor from the main gate passed through layers of walls and tree shadows, faintly reaching her ears. "What did you just say?"

Gui Xiang covered her mouth and repeated the question.

Liu Zhen thought for a moment. "No, I'll wear a ruqun."

The ruqun existed at this time, but the quju deep robe was more fashionable, so the ruqun didn't appear as frequently. The style of the ruqun at this time was also slightly different from what later generations were familiar with, but the overall change was not significant. The top was short and the skirt was long. Liu Zhen's was tailored to just reach the top of her feet, which didn't hinder her walking and also accentuated the beauty of the skirt.

Of course, no matter what a nine-year-old girl wore, she could at best be called cute, not elegant or enchanting.

"Young Mistress, you look so beautiful in this outfit!"

Gui Xiang still styled her hair in topknots, with pale yellow silk ribbons hanging down, blending with the color of the ruqun top. The lower skirt was made of a sapphire blue fabric, and the hem was embroidered with patterns like osmanthus branches in white thread, which grounded the vibrant, lively feel of the upper body, making for a striking sight.

A silk ribbon of a matching color was tied at her waist, and a piece of blue-green jade was used to weigh down the skirt hem. She was a truly dignified little beauty; wasn't she just so beautiful?

Liu Zhen pursed her lips in a smile, touched the buns on her head, and for once, like a little girl befitting her physical age, she walked out the door with light steps.

She was the eldest daughter of the Liu family. According to custom, she was to accompany Madam Zhang to receive guests. Liu Zhen had woken up very early, but some people, trying to curry favor with Governor Liu's family, had arrived even earlier. So by the time she finished her morning meal and went to Madam Zhang's side, Madam Zhang had already started to get busy.

As the hostess and a person of high status, Madam Zhang didn't need to personally greet guests at the door, but she had to sit properly in the main hall and exchange pleasantries with every guest. In short, she had to maintain her status without being rude to others.

There was an art to these pleasantries.

For example, when dealing with Song Xie's family, she had to be affectionate with a hint of reverence, and preferably let others see it, to show Liu Yuan's attitude towards Song Xie. And for example, when dealing with those who were reluctant to cooperate with Liu Yuan, she didn't need to be too polite; it was best to put them in their place with just a few words.

This balance was extremely difficult to grasp. Even with her emergency training, Madam Zhang's face was about to stiffen from smiling.

Liu Zhen wasn't faring much better. The two of them, one big and one small, sat there. After half a shichen, they had barely drunk any water and were mentally and physically exhausted, only able to exchange wry smiles.

The banquet was divided into two venues. The female guests were with Madam Zhang, while the male guests were with Liu Yuan. Right now, Liu Yuan was with Liu Nan, and nine times out of ten, they were doing the exact same thing.

Originally, the banquet was not on such a large scale and only female guests were invited. Later, Liu Yuan, for some reason, changed his mind, and so it became what it was today. The number of people had doubled. Fortunately, the Governor's manor was not small, and Song Xie had often hosted banquets here before, so it could accommodate even more people.

Separated by a wall, the noise and excitement from the male guests' side were just as much, if not more.

Most of the guests had arrived. The temporary acrobatic troupe hired by the Governor's manor had already begun performing in the open space in the courtyard. Handstands, contortionism, juggling, sword dancing, plate spinning—acrobatic performances that were commonplace for modern people were being reenacted over two thousand years ago. Although the variety might not be as great as in later times, it was still very spectacular.

At this time, it was one person, one mat, one table; people didn't sit around a large table together. Madam Zhang's dining table was at the head, with Liu Zhen next, so they were quite close. Liu Wan and Liu Zhuang were in another hall, led by Madam Han, entertaining the peers who had come with the female guests, those of a similar age to Liu Wan and the others.

Although Madam Zhang's mother and two sisters were her closest relatives, they had no status. Any female guest present could easily outrank them. Therefore, the three of them were seated in an inconspicuous position towards the back. Liu Zhen glanced over and noticed they seemed to be isolated; none of the surrounding ladies took the initiative to speak to them.

This was also unavoidable. If not for Madam Zhang, her mother and sisters wouldn't even have been qualified to enter the Governor's manor. Right now, even Liu Yuan was not highly regarded, let alone this long string of relatives.

After a short while, a maidservant hurried in to report that Young Master Bao had arrived with his wife, and the Governor had asked the Madam to go and greet them.

Madam Zhang quickly stood up. Her expression showed no surprise, so Liu Yuan had probably told her beforehand. But Liu Zhen didn't know who this Young Master Bao was. As she followed Madam Zhang out, she quietly asked, "Mother, who is Young Master Bao?"

Madam Zhang also quietly replied to her, "He is said to be the younger brother of the King of Wei, here to ask for something. Your father has instructed that he must not be slighted."

Liu Zhen racked her brain, trying to recall. After Chen Sheng rebelled, one of his commanders named Zhou Shi, who was originally from the state of Wei, installed a former Wei prince, Wei Jiu, as the King of Wei. This Wei Bao was Wei Jiu's younger brother.

Logically, this person was not a household name, but Liu Zhen found his name strangely familiar. Unfortunately, she couldn't recall why, so she had to let it go for the time being.

The two of them went out to greet them and saw a young woman being helped out of an ox-cart by a maid.

What a great beauty! This was Liu Zhen's first impression.

Oh, on closer inspection, she's actually just average. This was her second impression.

The reason for this impression was that the woman's complexion was extremely fair, even fairer than Madam Zhang's fair-skinned and beautiful sister whom Liu Zhen had seen. The phrase "skin like congealed fat" was perfectly suited for her. As the saying goes, a fair complexion can hide three flaws. At first glance, one would naturally be stunned.

But upon closer inspection, the woman's features were only above average, not a peerless beauty. Her fair skin added to her score, but if one wasn't so critical, she could still be considered a beauty.

"This is the wife of Young Master Bao, Bo Ji." Without waiting for Madam Zhang's inquiry, the maid took the initiative to say.

Hearing this name, Liu Zhen was shaken. Her mouth fell open as she sized up the woman before her.

If the name Wei Bao had only sounded familiar, then the name Bo Ji was absolutely famous, ringing like thunder in her ears.

Bo Ji was not the name of the Bo clan lady; in this era, young women of some status were generally addressed as "So-and-so Ji." The reason Lady Bo was recorded in history was not because she did anything earth-shattering, but because she gave birth to a good son, the founder of the "Reign of Wen and Jing" of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng.

Lady Bo's current husband was Wei Bao, but historically, Emperor Wen's father was certainly not Wei Bao. Wei Bao had originally joined Liu Bang. After hearing from the physiognomist Xu Fu that his wife was destined to give birth to a Son of Heaven, this fellow was overjoyed and immediately betrayed Liu Bang to join Xiang Yu. In the end, of course, he became cannon fodder—his wife did indeed give birth to an emperor, but not with him!

Because of this, Liu Zhen felt a deep sense of sympathy for this Young Master Bao whom she had never met. How terrible must a person's luck be to be screwed over like this?

At this moment, none of this had happened yet. Lady Bo was still just Wei Bao's wife. She, who should have been in the Wei royal palace, had come along because her husband had been dispatched by the King of Wei to Yingchuan Commandery to seek an alliance.

Wei Bao was entertained by Liu Yuan, while Madam Zhang welcomed Lady Bo inside. By now, everyone knew who had arrived and stood up to greet her. Lady Bo returned their salutes one by one, her movements graceful, exuding a subtle charm. Standing next to her, Madam Zhang became a living, breathing comparison.

Lady Bo's mother came from the Wei royal clan, but Lady Bo was not a legitimate child, so she had always lived with her mother until she married Wei Bao. Wei Bao doted on her. Even though his brother Wei Jiu hadn't become King of Wei yet and they were all commoners, Lady Bo hadn't suffered any hardship. Now, raised on fine clothes and exquisite food, her disposition had risen to another level. Just by sitting there without speaking, others knew she was a noble lady.

With the addition of Lady Bo, the seating had to be rearranged. Liu Zhen gave up her seat, and she moved to the next one.

That was one thing, but with Liu Yuan's instructions, Madam Zhang had to entertain Lady Bo well no matter what.

As a result, all the guests at the banquet stopped watching the acrobatic performance and swarmed around Lady Bo to curry favor with her.

Some praised Lady Bo's beauty, some praised the unique hairpin on her head and her beautiful clothes, and some praised Lady Bo's noble birth, saying her every move was more noble than others, so it was no wonder Young Master Bao cherished her so much.

Lady Bo seemed somewhat uncommunicative, accepting all these compliments with a smile. But this did not cool the crowd's enthusiasm. One after another, they soon praised Lady Bo to the heavens.

As the hostess, Madam Zhang was left out in the cold, and it couldn't have been more awkward.

Just as Madam Zhang was sitting on pins and needles, the topic of conversation had shifted from praising Bo Ji to the banquet itself. Someone said, "I wonder if Bo Ji often participated in banquets back in the Wei royal palace?"

This was a question addressed directly to her, so Bo Ji naturally couldn't remain silent with just a smile. She replied, "There were banquets."

The person asked again, "When the King of Wei holds a banquet, is it mostly song and dance, or mostly acrobatics?"

Bo Ji replied, "Mostly song and dance."

The person said, "In Bo Ji's opinion, are the songs and dances in the Wei royal palace better, or are the acrobatics in the Governor's manor better?"

Even Madam Zhang could hear the trap in this question. Of course, Bo Ji would not fall for it. She said, "The two are different, how can they be compared? Each has its own strengths."

Seeing that Bo Ji clearly wasn't going to take the bait, the person pouted and didn't press further. But before Madam Zhang could breathe a sigh of relief, she heard someone else cover their mouth and laugh, "Let's not talk about song, dance, or acrobatics. I've heard an old and interesting anecdote from the residence of the former Qin Prime Minister Lu Buwei. Let me tell you all."

From ancient times to the present, everyone loves gossip. Hearing it was gossip about Lu Buwei, everyone became even more interested and urged her to quickly tell the story.

The person said, "I heard that Lu Buwei had a beloved concubine who came from a humble background but was deeply favored by him. One day, this concubine went to another's residence for a banquet. After the banquet, a maidservant served zhejiang. Who knew that this concubine was thirsty, and without asking, she tilted her head back and drank it all. After she finished the zhejiang, she realized that everyone else was using it to rinse their mouths!"

Everyone burst into supportive laughter.

Someone commented, "To suddenly become wealthy without knowing the proper etiquette, yet insisting on acting like a noble—isn't that just making a fool of oneself? Thinking about Lu Buwei, who came from a merchant background and ended up with such a fate, it's not hard to understand."

Now, both Madam Zhang and Liu Zhen understood. So these words were aimed at them!