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This overt Hongmen Banquet posed quite a concern for Su Wenyue, and furthermore, traveling from Xinluo Town to the prefecture city would take at least a day. As a pregnant woman, she could only move slowly, and the journey alone would take two to three days. Su Wenyue hadn’t considered not going at all, after all, it was the Magistrate’s wife who had extended the invitation, and it would be improper for her, as a lower officer’s family member, to refuse. She also didn’t want to cause trouble for Han Yu. As for whether it was a Hongmen Banquet or not, she wasn’t afraid. She would face whatever came her way, be it war or flood—the only thing she worried about was the child in her stomach.

When Han Yu returned that evening, he saw his daughter-in-law and the servants at home all looking worriedly troubled. After learning the reason, even his complexion turned somewhat grim. He was aware of Mrs. Wang’s trip to the prefecture city and knew that Mr. Sun would certainly make a move. He had been hard at work every day, leaving early and coming home late from the military camp, and after several months, it was not for nothing. He wasn’t afraid of Mr. Sun’s petty actions and naturally had ways to deal with them when the time came. Nonetheless, they had preemptively targeted his daughter-in-law, which he had not anticipated.

“You don’t need to go. Later on, just send some gifts over as a gesture. The gifts don’t need to be too extravagant or too many—something ordinary will do. We wouldn’t want to be accused of bribing a superior,” said Han Yu nonchalantly, casually handing the post to a servant, seemingly unconcerned.

Seeing Han Yu act this way made Su Wenyue somewhat anxious. It wasn’t that she was too timid; rather, the intricacies of officialdom were complex by nature. With each rank in office came greater pressure, and Sun Chengmiao was still the general magistrate of Yiyang Prefecture. Although the current Imperial Court was in disarray and she didn’t need to worry about him submitting a denunciation against Han Yu to the Emperor, he still held power.

“The Magistrate’s wife has sent an invitation, and it would seem improper not to attend. Today’s issue likely stems from Mrs. Wang’s influence. I had outshone Mrs. Wang at the banquet last time, causing her embarrassment. She surely holds a grudge and seeks revenge; therefore, she must have incited the Magistrate’s wife to issue me the invitation. Wouldn’t her resentment worsen if I declined? I am not afraid of any tricks they may devise, but now with a child in my stomach, I fear harming the child,” Su Wenyue wasn’t one to avoid confrontations. It wasn’t just about her own involvement; she feared not attending would lead to them scheming behind Han Yu’s back and also worried for the child in her womb, which left her hesitating.

“Now that you know it’s because of Mrs. Wang, you have all the more reason not to go. Attending would simply give Mrs. Wang an opportunity to take her revenge,” he said.

“If it weren’t for concern over the child in my stomach, I would not be afraid at all. I would surely be able to grasp control over the Magistrate’s wife and Mrs. Wang. Alas! The child in my stomach is what truly matters now, so I won’t take the risk. However, by declining the Magistrate’s wife’s invitation here, surely the general magistrate will find a way to deal with you. You must be more cautious,” she said.

“Don’t worry,” he reassured.

Su Wenyue did not personally attend, but she still sent her personal old woman to show the proper respect. Aunt Li, though sometimes rigid and unwilling to adapt, was by no means short of tricks—having learned her skills in a large house, there was no concern about her not handling the situation.

“Madam has sent me here to offer the Magistrate’s wife her apologies. It was her wish to attend, but with twins on the way, she finds even the simplest tasks to be incredibly challenging. She rarely even steps out of the house, let alone travel to the far-off prefecture city. Should anything happen to the children in her womb, it would also weigh on the Magistrate’s wife’s conscience. So, Madam has specially prepared gifts for me to bring over.”

The Magistrate’s wife didn’t expect that Su Wenyue would refuse to even give her face, using her pregnancy as an excuse. She intended to vex Su Wenyue deliberately, which is why she’d summoned Su Wenyue under the guise of a banquet. She didn’t expect that Su Wenyue, the wife of a mere Deputy Lieutenant, would dare to reject her—an act of sheer disrespect. Mrs. Wang Sun had been right—Mrs. Su was too arrogant.

“Mother, just as I said, that Mrs. Su is no dim lamp and far too arrogant. Even if she slighted me, well, my husband is but a Genuine Eighth Rank official, a notch below Lord Han in rank—her disdain might be tolerated. But you are the esteemed Magistrate’s wife, and she dares to behave like that, truly disregarding others,” Mrs. Wang Sun fanned the flames in front of the Magistrate’s wife.

Hearing that Mrs. Su dared to turn down her invitation, the Magistrate’s wife was already in a foul mood—now, after hearing Mrs. Wang Sun’s words, her view of Su Wenyue soured completely. She thought about how to discipline Su Wenyue, to avenge her daughter and reclaim her own dignity.

“Daughter, rest assured. Since Mrs. Su claims the child in her womb is the reason she can’t attend, then I will personally go to Xinye County. I would like to see what other excuses she can come up with. Hmph!” The Magistrate’s wife’s expression turned stern, revealing a certain authority.

With her mother, the Magistrate’s wife’s backing, Mrs. Wang Sun went to see the general magistrate again, now on behalf of Lord Wang. She knew that without her persistence, her father, having more than one daughter and son-in-law, might not be as concerned. Fortunately, she had her mother supporting her.

“Dad, you have to find a way for Dongsheng. It’s unacceptable for him to remain stuck as a Genuine Eighth Rank officer forever. Dongsheng is your legitimate son-in-law, and if he prospers, it reflects well on you. This Deputy Lieutenant position was snatched up by that new Han fellow. Please find another position for Dongsheng,” she said.

“Yes, Old Master, you really need to take her husband’s matter to heart,” added Mrs. Wang.

“Enough, both of you. What do you inner house women know, thinking that getting promoted is so easy! Do you suppose one can simply have whatever position they desire? Even though I am the general magistrate, I cannot ignore the Imperial Court’s regulations. Otherwise, plenty of people are waiting to catch me out. Moreover, the current situation at the Imperial Court is chaotic; the Emperor’s power has been overshadowed, and my own credibility as general magistrate is greatly diminished. The Prefecture Governor and I are at odds—I have to tread carefully. Can’t you two just settle down for once?” Mr. Sun said irritably. If not for his legitimate daughter being present, he would have been disinclined to get involved. He had expressed his doubts about Wang Dongsheng from the start—his timidity meant he wasn’t cut out for great things. His daughter had insisted on marrying him, and now here they were. If not for Mr. Sun’s assistance, even an appointment to a Genuine Eighth Rank post would have been out of Wang Dongsheng’s grasp. Such a failure, and yet he was Sun Bocheng’s son-in-law.

“But Dongsheng is your legitimate son-in-law, Dad. You have to find a way for him. Otherwise, even an insignificant nobody could trample over me, ruling over my head in triumph. I can’t stand that!” she implored.

“It’s what you brought on yourself—who told you to resolutely marry such a useless man? If you wish for a promotion, try earning it yourself, instead of acting as a lobbyist every time you visit your mother’s family. Do you have any other purpose at all?” he retorted.

“Dad, there’s no use talking about that now. Please help Dongsheng for the sake of your daughter,” she pled.

Despite his frustration, Sun Bocheng had to concede—he had a legitimate daughter and son-in-law after all, and couldn’t truly refuse them. “There are no other positions open at the moment. If your son-in-law wants a promotion, he’ll have to find a way to replace that young Han fellow and make the Deputy Lieutenant’s post vacant. Luckily, that Han chap doesn’t have a deep foundation yet,” he said.