Not Your Typical Villianess

40 minutes before the banquet began.

Zhu Fenfang turned to madam Zhu and whispered "Mother I see Yiling up ahead. Can I please be excused".

Zhu Fenfang stood patiently for a few seconds before receiving a nod from her stepmother. Madam Zhu was busy playing the influential socialite and didn't pay her any mind. Which was exactly what Zhu Fenfang was counting on. She didn't wish to get a front roll seat to praise Zhu Fengyin, the new Duchess of Wu party.

She just might lose it, If she stood there any longer. Those madams only respond t power and with Zhu Fengyin present, the table was bound to turn on her. Zhu Fenfang walked to a free seat at the balcony, 

Zhu Fenfang had no intention of approaching that naive young mistress of the Lu family, she had only used it as an excuse to get out of having to stand by and watch everyone praise Zhu Fengyin. Some minutes after she was seated, Lu Yiling joined her at the balcony.

Lu Yiling ran to her side and grabbed her hands, she looked left and right "There you are Sister Fenfang, I have been looking all over for you!" 

"I just arrived, that must be why" Zhu Fenfang replied.

"If you had just arrived, you must not have run into my sister-in-law. You won't believe this but she came with that maid of hers. I tried to stop her from coming but sister in law refused", Lu Yiling said her brows wrinkled. She bit her lips gently, 

Zhu Fenfang found Lu Yiling behaviour was a little weird. She didn't understand why Lu Yiling would be this unsettled because Zhu Fengyin brought Su Liya with her to the banquet. 

"What is going on Yiling," she asked slowly.

Lu Yiling dragged her to the garden next to the balcony after making sure that no one followed them she said "I just found out from sister Qiumei that her cousin, Xu Jingting was back from his tour". Her voice rose as she said the last words.

"Xu Jingting is back?" asked Zhu Fenfang.

"Yes!" Lu Yiling said pinching the skin on her neck.

The wheels in Zhu Fenfang head began to roll as she suddenly came up with an idea. His initial anger at Zhu Fengyin stealing everyone's attention disappeared. Everything was working in her favour, Xu Jingting presence was just what she needed to make this banquet memorable.

Xu Jingting was very silly, that year she hadn't needed to do much to push him to Su Liya. She had met Xu Jingting by chance at an embroidery house, she didn't know who he was when they had met. She just thought he was another spoiled rich young master, so she didn't pay him any mind.

It wasn't until she had accompanied Madam Zhu to a banquet host by the Xu family and was introduced to him. Xu Jingting was a popular rogue in the capital, he was popular for being infamous. Even without meeting him, she heard of all his escapade.

That time just like today, she had been ignored by everyone as everyone praised Zhu Fengyin. No one noticed when she left, they were too focused on their blind worship of Zhu Fengyin. She had escaped to a garden, which was where she found Xu Jingting.

Xu Jingting had recognised her from the Embroidery shop that day and strike up a conversation. He didn't care much for propriety so it was no surprise that when he informed her that he had accompanied his former lover to the embroidery house.

He then told her how he had been forced to break it off with her because his mother wished to get him a wife. Since it wasn't proper to have a concubine before getting married he had to break it off with her.

Out of curiosity, she had asked if his mother had any young lady in mind, which was when he informed her that his mother was hoping to choose one of the young ladies from the Zhu family.

Zhu Fenfang hadn't introduced herself to him so he didn't know who she was. She pressed on for more information and discovered that madam Zhu had suggested to his mother that he married the third young mistress which was concubine born. 

His reputation was too bad to get him a legitimate born young lady so his mother had to settle on her. She was the only daughter born of a concubine, madam Zhu wanted to use her to curry favour with the Xu family.

Zhu Fenfang was so angry at the thought of Madam Zhu using her as a bargaining chip just to ensure a more stable standing for her children that she informed him that the second daughter of the Zhu family was the most beautiful. 

She told him that the third daughter was sickly and ugly, that was the only reason Madam Zhu wanted to arrange a marriage between them. She convinced him that madam Zhu was trying to trick them into marrying an ugly wife while keeping her beautiful daughter with her. 

Luckily Xu Jingting wasn't familiar with the Zhu family and fell for her trick, she then suggested that he go out and see for himself. Zhu Fenfang hid in the garden so when Xu Jingting went out to check he was introduced to only Zhu Fengyin and Zhu Feifei.

She had assumed that her plan had worked since Xu Jingting announced that he had met the most beautiful girl in his life when he got back to the garden. It wasn't until she saw Su Liya and Xu Jingting together at a jewellery shop that she discovered that her plan hadn't gone as she had planned. 

She had been worried about being forced to marry such an unruly man when she heard from one of her servants that young master Xu insisted on marrying Su Liya. She found out that he was putting up quite a fight by refusing to eat but old master Xu wasn't relenting.

She monitored the drama for weeks when she was informed that old master Xu was threatened to kick Xu Jingting out of the family. Zhu Fenfang hoped that Madam Xu would somehow blame Zhu Fengyin for the big mess but that never happened. A few days later Xu Jingting was sent away to keep him from getting, old master Xu angrier.

Now he was back, the thought of what she could do with this news made her happier. She quickly dismissed Lu Yiling, she had better things to do than to stay with this foolish little girl.

Lu Yiling was no longer that useful to her, she never intended to marry into the Lu family so she still didn't see the need to keep her closer. After the palace banquet, she had met the Crown Prince a few times in secret.

The first time was at a temple, she had gone there to visit her mother at the Zhu family ancestral room. The second time was at a book store, Zhu Fenfang met with the crown prince a few more times while outside. 

While the crown prince pretended to be surprised to meet her all those time, Zhu Fenfang suspected that he had found out about her activities and pretended to meet her by chance. However, she pretended to be unaware since it was to her advantage 

When it was just her and her maid Xiao Chu, Zhu Fenfang called her made closer and instructed her to bribe a servant to inform Xu Jingting that Su Liya was present.