Qin Yuan smiled and said, "What you say is true, but if a maid from another mansion accomplishes great things, the golden peanuts in my bag would also be given as a reward."

Hong Ye nodded and said, "Of course, everyone speaks based on their abilities. I’ve been serving the Madam for many years, and I’m not short-sighted. Putting Madam’s interests first is naturally the duty of a servant."

Listening to the conversation between the two mistresses and maids, Xiao Si and Ping’er, standing nearby, felt endless envy. Who wouldn’t want a master like this — generous, magnanimous, and easygoing?

After changing clothes, the group left the courtyard and followed Xiao Si and Ping’er to the main garden, where they met the ladies from Duke An’s Mansion and stopped for a chat.

Xiao Si and Ping’er hastily excused themselves to attend to the pavilion.

Hong Ye called them back, handing them each a small silver ingot, and smiled, "These are rewards from our Madam. Thank you for your hard work today. It’s not much, but you can use it to enjoy some tea."

To unexpectedly receive silver just for escorting, the two were exceptionally pleased and quickly accepted it with gratitude.

As they walked, they couldn’t help but exclaim, "Dingbei Marquis’s wife is beautiful and kind. Truly enviable for those sisters who can follow such a master. Serving for a few years, one could save up quite a bit."

"If only we had the chance like those two sisters to protect Madam Dingbei Marquis for once, we could also receive a golden peanut, send it back home to buy land and food."

"Who wouldn’t wish for such fortune? Yet, we don’t have that destiny and can only envy. Still, today we got silver just for escorting; compared to others, we’re quite lucky, aren’t we?"

"Indeed, there’s a saying people get angry when they compare themselves to others, yet those who are content are always happy."

Inside the Study Pavilion.

Zhuye knelt trembling.

Her pink robe was half-dry, wrinkled and sticking to her body. Her pretty face was swollen and covered in handprints, evoking much pity from onlookers.

But the Jinyi Young Master sitting at the top was not one to show pity. He scolded coldly, "I asked you to handle such a small matter, yet you failed. What use are you!"

"Master, the maid beside Madam Dingbei Marquis seems to be a martial maid, swift and skilled. I was caught off guard, which led to this loss," Zhuye trembled as she defended herself.

"Martial maid?" The young master paused, then sneered, "How is that possible? Training a martial maid takes at least three to five years. She’s the daughter of the National Academy Sacrificial Officer, was set to marry a poor scholar before, where would she get a martial maid? Did Dingbei Marquis’s Mansion prepare one especially for her? Even Gu Baoshu doesn’t have a martial maid. If she knew, she’d surely be upset. Forget it, just leave."

Zhuye sighed in relief, struggled to her feet, made a courtesy, and staggered away.

The young master frowned, "Can’t even accomplish such a minor task, how can I have face to talk to Prince Jin."

The middle-aged man standing to the side asked cautiously, "Should we send a more clever maid instead?"

"Enough!" The young master slapped the table in annoyance, "You’ve been with me for so long, yet you’re foolish. No wonder Zhuye failed. Don’t underestimate Madam Dingbei Marquis just because she’s young and inexperienced and mistake her for a fool."

The middle-aged man sighed, "True, that girl wasted one chance. If tried again, it would raise suspicion." He thought for a moment and then comforted, "No need to worry, young master. The birthday banquet hasn’t started yet. As long as she doesn’t leave the garden, there are plenty of ways."

The young master said with a cold face, "Make sure there are no more mistakes. If in our own place we can’t handle a weak woman, it would be laughable and embarrassing in front of Prince Jin."

"Yes, we’ll send a smarter maid to follow her this time. Rest assured, master."

The young master waved him out, sat for a while before getting up and heading into the inner hall.

In the garden.

Qin Yuan was surrounded by the ladies of Duke An’s Mansion, all chattering and inquiring, "It’s heard that the Marquis Mansion invited Young Master Nantang to compose poetry for the printing of the Firefly Collection’s female volume. Is this true?"

"Are the female volumes composed by talented women from Jinling?"

"Are there more talented women in the south than in our Capital City?"

"In the past, the Grand Ancestor Emperor specifically divided the lists into north and south. Otherwise, the list would be full of scholars from the south, leaving no room for the north. It seems the south not only has more talented men but also talented women."

"Indeed, even the styles of clothing, hairstyles, and jewelry sent from the south are more refined and fashionable than those in the north, even the way they draw their eyebrows is particularly charming. I wonder how the poetry in the female volume is."

One must say, Shen Changle has a way of making these ladies itch with curiosity.

Qin Yuan smiled, "You are well-informed. Indeed, we have invited Young Master Nantang’s poetry, and moreover..."

"Moreover what?"

"Moreover, for the Mid-Autumn Festival lantern viewing, we’ve also invited Young Master Nantang for a poetry competition."

"A poetry competition?"

"Yes, the Empress Dowager’s grand birthday coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Marquis Mansion plans to host a grand event, inviting the top hundred poets from the poetry competition to view lanterns and compose poems, praying for blessings for the Empress Dowager and the Da Xing Kingdom."

Duke An’s Mansion has a considerable heritage, and many of their relatives are from scholarly families. The ladies enjoy composing poems and paintings in their free time. They highly regard Young Master Nantang, and upon hearing he was invited to compose poetry, they were intrigued, chattering excitedly.

"Sister-in-law, how about we go see it together after the moon worship ceremony?"

"I was thinking the same."

"Me too."

...

Someone asked, "But where will the Dingbei Marquis’s Mansion arrange the event?"

Qin Yuan smiled, "When the time comes, I’ll have invitations sent to you all."

"That would be wonderful. It’s said that Young Master Nantang is a rare sight. Since the Marquis Mansion could invite him to compose poems, we must go."

Qin Yuan nodded, "It did take quite some effort. As you know, Young Master Nantang is rarely seen, and he enjoys solitude. Many have tried to arrange a meeting through the Marquis Mansion, yet he hasn’t agreed. Moreover, he’s constantly on the move, even Mr. Songshan seldom meets him. Truly, considerable effort was needed this time."

"Given that, we must see Young Master Nantang in person. To compose such poetry, one wonders what kind of extraordinary character he is."

With news of Young Master Nantang’s arrival, more people gathered around Qin Yuan, inquiring about him and later asking about the sequel to the Firefly Collection and the poems in its female volume.

Qin Yuan smiled, "The poetry competition selected a hundred talented scholars, who will all attend that day. Upon hearing that everyone wishes to pray for blessings for the Da Xing Kingdom and the Empress Dowager, Young Master Nantang calculated his journey and, as it coincided with those days, agreed to come. The Sixth Master has been busy preparing illustrations these days. I’ve seen a few poems of the female volume, which indeed are quite different from the Firefly Collection."

With that, she recited a poem by Miss Dong.

Everyone nodded in praise.

In the distance, Prince Jin leaned on the railing, looking down with a cold smile, "I wonder what divine being this Young Master Nantang is. The Crown Prince’s attempts to recruit him have failed, Princess Fu Yun personally went to seek him at the Dingbei Marquis’s Mansion and was denied, yet he seems quite familiar with Madam Dingbei Marquis."