Inside Joy and Longevity Court.
Madam Shi wore a two-tone jacket patterned with red lingzhi mushrooms and clouds on a blue ground, with a pearl headband across her forehead. She looked rather spirited. "Elder Brother, what brings you here looking for Fifth Girl?"
Shi Fan sat stiffly upright. He glanced at the tea a maid offered him but did not take it, signaling for her to set it on the table instead. "The Heir of the Prince of the Southwest has arrived in the capital and is hosting a banquet today. I wanted to invite Official Jian to attend with me."
After taking office as the anti-gambling commissioner, Shi Fan had lit the proverbial three fires of a newly appointed official. That morning alone, he had shut down three gambling houses and confiscated over a thousand taels in gambling funds.
Apparently, the man behind two of those gambling houses was the Prince of the Southwest.
Then, at noon, he had received an invitation from the Heir of the Prince of the Southwest.
Although his inability to father a son was already tantamount to wiping out his family line, he was still afraid of dying!
Translated into plain language: your own elder brother doesn't dare go alone and wants Fifth Miss to accompany him.
Unfortunately, Madam Shi had no eye for such things and failed to catch Minister Shi's hidden meaning. She continued asking foolishly, "Why invite Fifth Girl along? Second Son and Third Son both received invitations. Why don't you go with them, Elder Brother?"
The Heir Apparent's Consort of the Prince of the Southwest had sent an invitation to the Marquis's Estate. Today, the entire household of the Jinyang Marquis's Residence would be attending.
Since her elder brother no longer had a son, why not lend his nephews a