Chapter 223: Hundred Days Banquet, Befriending the Crown Prince and His Concubine
Put two people together, one is as hot and brilliant as a fireball, and the other is as bright as moonlight. Although they are twins, they have different personalities and temperaments, so people who raise two children can always find some different fun.

"That's why I say my sister is so lucky. Not only are her own children outstanding, but now she has a pair of great grandchildren. I am so envious of her."

The person who spoke these words was Mrs. Pei's best friend in Hanzhou. They had known each other for many years, so these words touched Mrs. Pei's heart. Mrs. Pei, along with Jiang Shiyuan, also greeted many officials' families in Hanzhou.

However, because they were not very familiar with each other, there was not much to say except the daily greetings. Instead, it was not until the arrival of the Princess of Han that Jiang Shiyuan felt a little happier.

This princess was from the Xie family of Xuzhou. Although she was still very young when she left Xuzhou, she had heard of the reputation of the Xie family. It was said that the ancestors of the Xie family had produced several important cabinet ministers, and if it were not for the decline of their descendants, they would not have left Xijing City and retreated to Xuzhou.

But despite this, the Xie family is still a prominent family in Xuzhou that cannot be underestimated.

The eldest daughter of the Xie family was even more famous for her virtue. Jiang Shiyuan had heard of her when he was in Xijing City. Seeing her today, she was indeed beautiful and graceful, completely different from the Prince of Han next to her.

Jiang Shiyuan secretly felt sorry for the Crown Prince's Consort. In her opinion, the Crown Prince was not worthy of her at all. But given the current situation, she had no choice but to follow her mother-in-law, stepped forward, bowed to the two of them and spoke.

"I'd like to meet the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess."

The Prince of Han raised his hand slightly. He did not feel any joy at all about coming to this banquet, so he did not bother to deal with the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law. However, when he saw Jiang Shiyuan, he was still a little shocked by her beauty.

While his eyes were filled with amazement, he was interrupted by the words of the Crown Prince's Consort.

"Mrs. Pei and Madam Pei, thank you for your courtesy. Please stand up quickly. Today is a big day for your Pei family. The prince and I are here just to join in the fun. By the way, I brought two good-quality mutton-fat jade pendants from my mother's home as gifts for the two children. I hope they can grow up safely and happily."

Such ordinary congratulations are what Jiang Shiyuan and Madam Pei want to hear the most. Their Pei family is already powerful enough, and they don't expect their children to bring honor to the family. What they care most about is that they can get enough safety in this place and grow up smoothly.

Therefore, Jiang Shiyuan took it personally. When the brocade box was opened, everyone saw the mutton-fat jade pendant. Its quality was not just good, but excellent, so they replied respectfully.

"You are so thoughtful, Princess. I thank you on behalf of our two children."

"Mrs. Pei, you don't have to be polite. I heard that you were also born in Xuzhou when you were young, but we didn't know each other very well at that time. Now we are lucky to be married to Hanzhou together. It's better for us to visit each other more often in the future."

The Crown Princess laid the foundation for their future friendship with just one sentence. Jiang Shiyuan wanted to get closer to her, so he agreed with a smile.

Then he took the Crown Prince's wife into the inner room to rest.

The person with the most honorable status at the banquet today is the Princess Consort of the Prince of Han. As for the Prince of Han, he had just left for the front hall, so he does not count.

She was generous and dignified in her dealings with others, and she was not arrogant. This made many families in the city sigh that this prince's wife was indeed a character. Jiang Shiyuan had lived in Xuzhou and Xijing City, so he naturally had a wider range of experience. While talking happily with the prince's wife, he also made other officials' wives a little envious.

You know, the Crown Prince's Consort looks gentle and polite, and can talk to anyone, but it is rare for her to talk so much like she did today. In the past, they had a very shallow impression of the young lady of the Pei family. Today, seeing her getting along with the Crown Prince's Consort in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, they all had a little more awe.

The lady who had just been speaking smiled and whispered something to Mrs. Pei.

"You and I are both old, and we will have to rely on these young ladies in the future."

Mrs. Pei raised the corner of her mouth slightly. She was always like this, so the lady didn't think much about it. On the contrary, the ladies from aristocratic families who had a good relationship with Pei Zixing looked down on Jiang Shiyuan's behavior.

"She spends her days trying to get close to the rich and powerful. I think she's no different from any other vulgar woman. She just has a better life, but what's the point of having a short life? She even spread rumors that she was terminally ill, and then she gave birth to two children. Isn't that saying she got all the good things?"

Pei Zisu was a well-known figure in Hanzhou, so all the girls in various families had desires for him. However, such desires were only thought about secretly. Over the years, no one dared to come to his house to discuss his marriage. Everyone was curious about who would be the young lady of the Pei family in the end?

Unexpectedly, a sickly girl from Xijing City got there first and now she has given birth to two children, and her position is becoming more and more stable.

Hearing that the couple had a very harmonious relationship really pissed off those girls who had ideas but didn't dare to approach them.

Whoever heard such gossip behind the scenes would feel unhappy. Besides the two maids, there were also a few newly sent female guards accompanying Jiang Shiyuan. Although their ears were not as sensitive as Pei Ziyao's, they could still hear some noises, so their eyes were sharp.

She glanced at those gossiping women and secretly took note of them. If they made a scene in such an occasion, it would make the host lose face. However, they all knew how to deal with them afterwards.

Jiang Shiyuan didn't know the situation, so he was chatting with the Crown Princess the whole time.

The Crown Prince's wife was indeed a well-read person. Whenever some strange and unusual articles were mentioned, she read more than Jiang Shiyuan, which made Jiang Shiyuan admire her very much.

"I have a cousin in Xijing City who is from the Shangshu Ling family. She is also a well-informed person. Next time if there is a chance, I will introduce my cousin to meet the Crown Prince's Consort. With the talents of the two of you, you will definitely have endless things to talk about."

"Oh, you are talking about the daughter of the Xiang family who married into the Wenyuan Marquis's mansion?"

"Exactly."

"If it's her, then I have heard of her. It's a pity that we are one in the south and one in the north. If I want to see her in the future, I don't know what kind of occasion it will be."

What the Crown Prince's wife said was true. According to the current situation, unless the Crown Prince of Han and the Crown Princess received the imperial edict to come to the court for an audience, they would not have any chance to see him, so Jiang Shiyuan did not say anything more.