The Eldest Princess's Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet

Xie Rutang enjoyed several days of leisure.

She usually paints in her boudoir or embroiders a handkerchief. When she gets sleepy, she sits by the window and watches the clouds drift by in the courtyard. She is quite content.

When she heard the news that Pei Zhiheng was getting engaged, she wasn't really bothered. She just needed an heir to rely on.

On the contrary, Shen Xiaoxiao has been contemplating suicide every day since Pei Zhiheng left, and she has also lost a lot of weight.

On the day Pei Zhiheng left, she stubbornly refused to come out to see him off.

The man had treated her like a younger sister since childhood, and she never imagined that Pei Zhiheng would scold her for the sake of his sister-in-law.

After Xie Rutang bid farewell to the eldest princess.

The eldest princess truly kept her word. The day before yesterday, she changed out of her Taoist robe and returned to the palace in a red and gold embroidered dress covered with pearls, and then attended a banquet hosted by a noblewoman.

During the banquet, she casually presented the Lady of the Marquis with a painting, which was another one that Xie Rutang had taken to Tongxi Mountain that day.

A group of ladies and young ladies from prominent families gathered around, their eyes filled with amazement.

"Such skill is rare, truly rare! I wonder which master created this?" someone asked.

The princess's noble voice rang out from the crowd, "This painting is not by a man, but by Daolian Jushi of Chengxin Painting Shop."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room was stunned.

And so, the reputation of Daolian Jushi spread throughout the capital.

Xie Rutang was also surprised.

Although the eldest princess appreciated her paintings, the eldest princess... was she being a little too helpful?

Logically speaking, princesses of these imperial families should generally be very arrogant.

A few days later, a palace maid sent by the Princess delivered a note.

The letter stated that after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the princess would be hosting a chrysanthemum appreciation gathering and invited Madam Shen to the banquet. This invitation was not extended to her as Daolian Jushi, but rather as a formal invitation to be a distinguished guest of the princess.

Xie Rutang felt something was amiss, but couldn't quite put her finger on it; it was as if she were being pushed in front of the noble ladies of the capital.

The palace maid, however, pressed her further: "The Princess truly appreciates your talent, Madam. Are you unwilling to even grant her this small favor?"

Having served the princess for a long time, the palace maids' words naturally carried a subtle, inherent imperial authority.

"The princess's compassion for the lady as a widow is an immense kindness."

Helpless, Xie Rutang had no choice but to agree. She assumed that the princess was used to being pampered and domineering and would not allow anyone to contradict her.

Xie Rutang stood in the long alley outside the Shen residence, her voice clear and melodious, "Since the Princess has extended such a kind invitation, I should naturally attend this elegant chrysanthemum appreciation gathering."

Upon hearing this, the palace maid's tense expression relaxed slightly. "Madam Shen is sensible. I will certainly report the truth to the princess when I return."

After saying this, the palace maid did not linger any longer, bowed, and took her leave.

Xie Rutang then went through the side gate and returned to the backyard.

But then she thought that if she went to the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet hosted by the eldest princess, she would inevitably run into Yin Qinrong again.

However, now that she has no connection with Pei Zhiheng anymore, Yin Qinrong should no longer target her, Xie Rutang thought to herself with a sense of relief. Now that she is pregnant, she has to be vigilant every day.

……

The next day, the sun came out.

As Daolian Jushi's reputation gradually spread throughout the capital, Chengxin Painting Shop received more and more orders each day, several times the amount of the past. Xie Rutang had no choice but to spend most of his time each day working on his paintings, rushing to complete the works ordered by his customers, and painting as many as possible.

Xie Rutang then took Jin Yueyuxin to the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion.

The maids had already set out writing brushes and ink, and brewed freshly arrived Longjing tea, along with several dishes of osmanthus cake and lotus root starch dumplings.

Unfortunately, they ran into Shen Xiaoxiao, who was out in the garden with her maid.

When Shen Xiaoxiao saw her, she was reminded of the day when Pei Zhiheng sternly reprimanded her for disrespecting her sister-in-law, and she felt resentful.

But she was still deeply in love with Pei Zhiheng. After hearing her beloved say that, she began to pretend to be nice to Xie Rutang, just to win his favor and gain his affection.

Shen Xiaoxiao, dressed in a green dress, came in from outside the waterside pavilion. She took Xie Rutang's arm and leaned close to her, saying, "Sister-in-law, you look very well today. I saw you from afar and thought I'd come over and talk to you."

Seeing Xie Rutang painting, she pouted in dissatisfaction, "Sister-in-law is pregnant with my brother's child now, you must not work so hard. Why do you have to paint so many paintings every day? In the future, I won't need you to guide me with your brush and ink."

"I have already spoken to my mother. It is not good to keep troubling my sister-in-law like this. I plan to ask my mother to find a female painter in the capital to teach me painting."

Xie Rutang was slightly taken aback by her sudden closeness. When she first married into the Shen family, Shen Xiaoxiao and she had been just as intimate.

She was feeling a little unwell.

Despite having a falling out with Shen Xiaoxiao, she can still pretend that nothing happened.

Shen Xiaoxiao glanced at the painting on the stone table with disdain, "Sister-in-law, have you heard of the Daolian Hermit who has recently become famous in the capital? I heard she is a woman, and a guest of the Princess, receiving great treatment. Countless young ladies in the capital are envious of her."

She raised her head proudly and arrogantly, "I plan to have my mother invite that Daolian Layman to the mansion to teach me painting."

"I've heard that the paintings by that Daolian hermit can now sell for as much as fifty taels of silver."

Shen Xiaoxiao said with a hint of sarcasm, "Sister-in-law, you spend so much time drawing at your desk every day. Do you perhaps think that your artistic talent can compare to that Daolian Hermit?"

Xie Rutang: ...

What if she herself said that the Dao Lian Layman she admired was right in front of her now?

But Xie Rutang wouldn't risk shooting himself in the foot and exposing his identity.

Once the truth comes out, her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, who already harbor resentment towards her, will certainly not stand by her side.

Moreover, the Shen family's various shops and businesses have been losing money year after year, with meager income. She was secretly worried that her mother-in-law might take this opportunity to seize the Chengxin Painting Shop, which she had built up from scratch, and put it under the Shen family's name. But that was what Shen Yuan left her before his death.

Although the Shen family appears glamorous on the surface, with each woman needing to purchase jewelry and silk to maintain a respectable image, each household and courtyard has to subsidize these expenses with their own private savings; otherwise, the meager funds provided by the public coffers would not be enough.

Furthermore, Xie Rutang has built a reputation through her own hard work, and the entire painting shop is the result of her dedication.

After Shen Xiaoxiao left, Xie Rutang called Jin Yue to come closer.

After a moment's thought, she had an idea. "Find a suitable time to find a reliable lawyer to clarify the deed for Chengxin Painting Shop separately, and transfer the ownership of the shop to my personal name, separating it from the Shen family's property. In addition, the shop's account books should be kept separately and should not be mixed with the Shen family's accounts."

Jin Yue was startled: "Madam, what if the Old Madam finds out about this..."

Having been married into the Shen family for over a year, Xie Rutang knew the old lady's character all too well. Her gaze was calm, but her beautiful eyes revealed a coldness. "In peaceful times, everything is negotiable, but if something really happens, this contract is proof to protect the painting shop, to protect me and the child in my womb. I'm just taking precautions."

Since becoming a widow, she has known that no one in the world can be trusted or relied upon. Without her husband, she can only rely on herself to work hard and strive for everything.

Otherwise, she would have been devoured long ago, leaving not even bones behind.

Moreover, Shen Yuan had given her a letter before going to the battlefield, which contained his handwriting and seal, saying that the painting shop would be reserved for her. Shen Yuan's handwriting could serve as irrefutable proof that even if the clan elders came, the property would belong to her alone.