Matriarch Rules, Scumbag Begs - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Becoming a Laughingstock

There was an unwritten rule in Qi Dynasty that a woman could not visit another noble family’s mansion alone without being accompanied by her husband’s family, otherwise, it would be considered unbecoming.

Pei Yuanzhou was certain that Shen Qiuci would not do anything out of line due to the reputation of Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion).

So he deceived Shen Qiuci, saying, “The banquet at the Minister’s mansion is set for noon. Tomorrow is a big day for the host, and many noble families in the capital will come to congratulate them. It’s not convenient for us to arrive too early and steal the spotlight.”

However, the next morning, as soon as dawn broke, he went to the Minister’s mansion alone while Shen Qiuci was still asleep.

He privately calculated that he wouldn’t stay for long, just deliver the gift and pay his respects, and then leave.

Maybe by the time Shen Qiuci got dressed and ready to leave, he would already be back.

Today, many people came to the Minister’s mansion.

The Minster of Rites Lu Yanhe held the position of a first rank from the top.
He was skilled at handling affairs and was highly regarded by the Emperor. He got along very well with other officials.

The Ministry of Rites was in charge of ceremonial etiquette, and with the approaching year-end, there were many tasks to handle. Therefore, Lu Yanhe was not at home today.

But today was his eldest son’s birthday banquet, and officials and merchants from all walks of life had to give the Minister’s mansion some face.

As soon as Pei Yuanzhou entered the Lu mansion, he knew what true grandeur was.

The Minister’s mansion was majestic and imposing, with a vast courtyard that seemed to stretch endlessly. Compared to the mansion of the Danyang Marquis, it was like the difference between clouds and mud.

Today’s banquet was not held in the main hall, but in the courtyard, where more than ten tables made of Huanglimu wood with Qilin and beast patterns were arranged. Under the courtyard, there were underground heating pipes, and beside each table, there were servants attending to seven or eight golden censer stoves to keep the temperature warm.

Although it was winter outside, the courtyard felt warm and cozy, like spring.

Many noble families in the capital liked to pretend to be refined and elegant, so a stage had been newly built in the center of the courtyard. It was said that the famous actress Chun Ji from the South Mansion would perform to entertain the guests.

As people chatted and laughed, Pei Yuanzhou saw many unfamiliar faces of noble guests from the capital. They were sitting in groups of three or five, discussing recent interesting events. He felt a bit awkward standing aside, feeling a bit out of place.

“Brother Pei is here!”

Lu Yan saw him from afar and walked over with a smile, putting his arm around his shoulder. “Why did you come alone? Didn’t you bring your beautiful little concubine?”

Pei Yuanzhou smiled awkwardly, “I had some family matters to attend to, and I planned to just deliver the gift and pay my respects, then hurry back home…”

“How can that do?” Lu Yan interrupted him, pulling him towards the main table.
“Since you’re here, it wouldn’t be the same without you. It would be a pity if you didn’t join us.”

Before he knew it, Lu Yan had pulled him to the main table and pressed him down to sit.

Pei Yuanzhou looked around at the other distinguished guests at the table. There was the son of the Minister of Revenue, the Deputy Censor-in-Chief, the Head of the Imperial Household Administration…

These officials or their relatives all held higher positions than him, a Heir of Danyang Marquis.

Among the group of men, a solitary woman with stunning beauty caught Pei Yuanzhou’s attention.

At such grand banquets, men and women usually sat at separate tables. A woman who could sit at the main table with a group of men must have something extraordinary about her.

Upon closer inspection, Pei Yuanzhou recognized the man sitting next to the woman. It was none other than General Wu Ning Baichuan, who had recently won several battles and was highly regarded by the Emperor.

Ning Baichuan had a connection with the Pei family. The Ning family had been military generals for generations and had a close relationship with the Shen family. Ning Baichuan was known for his love for his wife and had never taken a concubine, even when he was favored by the Emperor and promoted to a higher position.

The woman sitting next to him must be his wife.

“Didn’t Brother Pei get reprimanded by the Emperor?”

Someone’s teasing voice brought Pei Yuanzhou back to reality.
“You even knelt outside the Chaoyang Palace for a day and a night. How’s your knee? Did it get damaged?”

The officials around him were all smiling and chatting, seemingly enjoying the spectacle of Pei Yuanzhou’s misfortune.

“Haha, I brought some good medicine for your injury, you can take it back to your mansion later, it’s a small gesture from me.”

Among the laughter, someone else said, “I heard the Marquis’s mansion is selling off its assets? Are you having some financial difficulties?”

“If you’re having some trouble, Brother Pei, you can tell me. Although I don’t have money to lend you, I won’t let others laugh at you.”

“Hahahaha!”

The person who said he wouldn’t laugh at others was the same one laughing the hardest.

The whole table was full of people taking jabs at Pei Yuanzhou, making him feel embarrassed and wanting to crawl into a hole.

He finally understood why Lu Yan had asked him to sit at the main table – it was just to entertain the other officials.

The only person who still spoke up for him was Ning Baichuan. “Everyone, please stop. Today is Lu Yan’s birthday, and if we cause any trouble, it will make him lose face.”

As a new favorite of the Emperor, Ning Baichuan’s words carried weight. His single sentence stopped the others from mocking Pei Yuanzhou.

Pei Yuanzhou’s face was still red from embarrassment. He knew that staying any longer would only bring him more humiliation.

So he took out a gift box and handed it to Lu Yan, bowing to him. “Brother Lu, I really have some business to attend to. This small gift is a token of my appreciation. I wish you a happy birthday.”

Lu Yan teased him with a smile, “Brother Pei, you’re leaving so soon? I paid a lot of money to have Chun Ji from the South Mansion sing today. You should at least listen to her beautiful voice before you leave.”

As he spoke, he opened the gift box.

Lu Yan’s expression froze for a moment as he looked at the gift. “Brother Pei’s ‘small gift’… is indeed unique.”

Then he took the gift out of the box.

Pei Yuanzhou’s eyes widened in horror, and he almost fainted.

What Lu Yan was holding was not a precious piece of jade, but… a green stone covered in moss!