The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 16 [Pei Du, let's make peace.]

Jiang Jinshuang spotted the "gift" in the wooden box at a glance.

It was an ivory-carved sheep hair brush.

The penholder is the thickness commonly used by women, and on the slightly thinner penholder, there are exquisite and lifelike carvings of the Five Auspicious Symbols of the New Year.

Plum blossoms, nandina, apples, cattails, and a coiled dragon stone are depicted, with a lifelike sika deer carved nearby.

The penholder was already slender, and if there was even the slightest mistake in carving it, the entire penholder would be ruined.

It is only when scholars like Pei Du, who enjoy writing and reading, put their efforts into brushes, ink, paper and inkstones that they possess ivory penholders, there are no more than ten of them in the entire capital.

This calligraphy brush is priceless.

Jiang Jinshuang was stunned for a moment, and didn't react immediately.

Pei Du always took great care of his writing implements.

She still remembered that year when she accidentally broke one of his pens, and Pei Du ignored her for two whole days.

She coaxed him for a long time, and finally bought him an identical calligraphy brush. She even used that brush to write a few words for him to see, in a "flattering" manner.

[Pei Du, make peace.]

After two days of trying her best to coax him, on the morning of the third day, a cup of hot tea was placed on his study desk in a place she often stayed. Jiang Jinshuang knew that he had finally forgiven her.

Looking back now, if you think about it carefully, it seems that during the three years she spent with Pei Du, she was always making him angry and always trying to appease him.

— Pei Du seems to have an endless grudge against her.

Her thoughts had drifted a little far away when Chun Tao called out "Your Highness" from the side, bringing her back to her senses.

His gaze fell once again on the valuable ivory openwork calligraphy brush.

How could someone as obsessed with calligraphy as Pei Du be willing to send such an expensive brush? Are the banquets at her princess's residence really that delicious?
With a light laugh, Jiang Jinshuang accepted the box and handed it to Chuntao: "Since the Grand Secretary has arrived, I have no reason to turn him away."

Such an expensive calligraphy brush could fetch a considerable sum if sold.

Don't want it for nothing.

She casually pointed to a seat: "Lord Pei, please take the seat of honor."

Pei Du nodded slightly and sat down in the guest seat to the left of the host.

At the center of the banquet was the strange rockery, from which a three-foot-wide water channel was carved out on both sides. The cold spring water in the channel gurgled and flowed into the lotus pond not far away.

Jiang Jinshuang put in a lot of effort to build this project, and the cold spring water was drawn down from Rigui Mountain on the outskirts of Beijing.

If you observe this flowing cold spring at noon when the sun is shining, it is as if it is draped in an extremely thin veil, dancing in the wind, shimmering and sparkling, a sight to behold.

Clear water reflected off Pei Du's clothes.

The golden cloud patterns on his body seemed to flow, making him look like an immortal.

The man sat upright behind the eight-immortal table, his spine straight, like the pine and cypress trees in the mountains.

His slender fingers rested on the pale blue tea lid, and even his fingertips shimmered with a lustrous sheen under the glint of the water.

Pei Du's etiquette has always been the most outstanding and perfect.

Before he entered officialdom, he was invited by many wealthy families to teach their children etiquette because of his refined manners and manners.

However, he declined them all.

Jiang Jinshuang glanced at Pei Du beside her, as if she remembered something, and smiled.

"Gentleman Prime Minister, you are so respectful of etiquette, surely you would never leave in anger?"

That's a strange question.

Pei Du looked up at Jiang Jinshuang: "No."

Jiang Jinshuang nodded in satisfaction: "Then I hope that the Grand Secretary will stay until the end of the banquet as well."

Upon hearing this, Pei Du's handsome brows furrowed slightly. She must be plotting something, but he couldn't guess what it was yet.
-
On the other side, on the vast Chang'an Street, people lined both sides of the road, looking at the white jade carriage with curiosity and awe in their eyes.

The news that the main south gate was wide open for this carriage spread like wildfire, and many people wanted to see who it was that could have such a grand procession!
However, everyone looked at the rather unimpressive procession with puzzled expressions.

"Strange, who exactly is in this carriage? How could the Imperial Guards open the main south gate?"

"But honestly! This procession doesn't even look as grand as some officials' processions when they come to the capital. Have the Imperial Guards made a mistake?"

"Oh dear! You guys don't know anything about this, do you? Do you see that blue satin flag hanging in front of that carriage?"

"I see it! I see it! It's a white tiger!"

"That's it! This is the emblem of the Si family of Jiangnan—the White Tiger that protects the nation!"

"The Guardian White Tiger!? Could it be the Si family of Jiangnan, the wealthiest family in Jiangnan!?"

"Besides their family, who else would dare to use such a clan emblem!"

The Si family of Jiangnan!

That's not just the richest family in the entire Jiangnan region; I'm afraid no family in the entire Wanjin region would dare to compare with the Si family!

Legend has it that when the late emperor went to the south of the Yangtze River, the news leaked out, and Beihuai sent its most elite team of assassins to kill him!

The head of the Si family acted decisively, sending people to escort the late emperor back to the capital, and leading the family to fight off the assassins, thus buying time for the late emperor to return to the capital.

That time, the Si family suffered a heavy blow, and many young and strong members of the Si family perished in the assassination attempt.

Even the head of the Si family was seriously injured and lost an arm.

After the late emperor returned to the capital, he was grateful for the Si family's merit in protecting their master, so he became sworn brothers with the head of the Si family and was granted the honor of being worshipped in sacrificial rites, so that their glory would last for generations.

The Si family also served the late emperor faithfully and managed their business well, making pearls as common as dirt and gold as precious as iron, eventually becoming the richest family in Jiangnan and even Wanjin.

Rumor has it that the Si family's wealth rivals that of the emperor, with piles of gold and jade, and countless grains of millet and millet, making them a truly powerful and wealthy family.

They were known to the world as "Imperial Merchants".

The late emperor had no brothers or sisters; the head of the Si family was his only sworn brother.

When the late emperor fell seriously ill, the head of the Si family traveled from Jiangnan to the north. Before his death, the late emperor only summoned the head of the Si family to come forward and answer his call.

After the late emperor passed away, the head of the Si family received a token personally bestowed by the late emperor. Those who saw this token were treated as if the late emperor were personally present, and were treated with unparalleled respect.

In other words, the Si family of Jiangnan is a family that exists alongside the late emperor!

The white tiger that protects the Si family is also a family emblem personally bestowed by the late emperor, a great honor!
Upon hearing this, the faces of the common people who were looking at the carriage changed completely. They became respectful and dared not speak loudly.

The carriage moved forward smoothly.

The carriage slowly came to a stop when a man in black stood in the center of the road directly in front of it.

Upon seeing this, Qian Yao stepped forward a few paces.

Upon recognizing the person, he smiled slightly: "The son of the Si family patriarch, invited to the Princess's residence for a banquet!"

"Please lead the way, sir."

Yan Jue's expression was cold and calm. He didn't say a word, but simply stepped aside slightly, his tone indifferent: "Guests of the Princess's residence, welcome Young Master Si to the residence for the banquet."

These few words left everyone present in shock!
"W-what!? Did I just hear that right?"

"This young master of the Si family has actually come to attend Princess Zhaoming's Yichun Banquet!?"

"Wasn't it said that the banquet was extremely simple and that none of the invited officials and ministers attended?"

"What an honor it is for the Si family to attend this banquet!"

"The Si family of Jiangnan has never concerned themselves with court affairs since the death of the late emperor, nor have they ever visited the capital again. Today, they have come to the capital only to attend Princess Zhaoming's Yichun Banquet!?"

(End of this chapter)