Four Seasons Brocade – CH 004

Chapter 4 ☆、 A Warm and Harmonious Family Reunion

In recent days, Lady Cui had genuinely noticed that her daughter seemed to be a different person. Although she remained as taciturn as before, her mind was clearer, and her actions were much more graceful. At least she no longer walked with her head bowed as if she were carrying a heavy bag of silver.

That day, as usual, Ah Wu was practicing calligraphy in Lady Cui’s east-side room. Because the light in this room was better than in her courtyard, she always liked to occupy a corner. Lady Cui lovingly sat beside her, doing needlework as well.

Lady Cui put down her needlework, rubbed her neck, and looked up at Ah Wu practicing calligraphy by the window opposite her. Ah Wu stood with her back straight and wrist suspended, looking quite serious. She had probably maintained this posture for half an hour. The soft light shone through the window onto Ah Wu’s small cheeks, making the downy hairs unique to young children clearly visible, making her exceptionally cute, and adding a breathtaking beauty to Ah Wu’s complexion.

Lady Cui’s heart sank; such beauty might not be a good thing.

Ah Wu’s enthusiasm for calligraphy was not a bad thing, but Lady Cui was worried that she might overwork herself and harm her health. Just as she was about to offer some words of advice, she peeked over and was surprised: “Your calligraphy has improved greatly!”

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How could her progress be anything but significant? The spirit and essence of her calligraphy had been ingrained in her heart since she was still Ah Wu. As Ah Wu, due to physical limitations, she could only practice a few strokes of calligraphy each day, and her brushstrokes could not penetrate the paper. However, Ah Wu was inherently ambitious and had thoroughly explored the calligraphy and paintings in the mansion. She even received special permission from her uncle, the Emperor, to view the imperial collection—an opportunity few others could possess. Therefore, Ah Wu’s calligraphy had long been practiced in her mind, but now, only through Ah Wu herself could it be expressed on paper. The spirit and essence were already present; given time, the strength and structure of her characters would surely develop.

Ah Wu herself was no longer too young, and her wrist strength was gradually taking shape. In the first few days of practicing calligraphy, she was slightly rusty, but she practiced diligently. In these past few days, once her strokes became fluent, the strength and essence of her characters became evident. This early progress could indeed be described as rapid and leaping; no wonder Lady Cui was astonished. But Ah Wu knew that progress would become increasingly limited and difficult as she progressed; truly mastering calligraphy required decades of dedicated practice.

Her delicate and weak handwriting in her previous life was completely at odds with Ah Wu’s reputation as a talented woman. Now that her inner demons had been suddenly resolved, it was no wonder she was so demanding in this life.

“Madam also practices calligraphy?” Ah Wu knew she had made a mistake as soon as the words left her mouth. Deep down, she probably still considered Lady Cui an outsider, not her mother. She only longed for her mother from the Princess’s Mansion. Therefore, Ah Wu still viewed Lady Cui’s status as an illegitimate daughter with outdated perspectives, assuming that neither of them had received any proper upbringing.

Lady Cui was taken aback, with a slight sting to her pride, but since it was Ah Wu who had asked the question, she did not dwell on it. “I did attend school for a few years when I was young, but I’ve become rusty these past few years.”

Ah Wu turned and took Lady Cui’s hand, bowing her head. “Madam, I misspoke.”

Lady Cui stroked Ah Wu’s forehead and sighed. “I’ve dragged you down. If you had not been born into my womb, I imagine…”

“Being born into Madam’s womb is a blessing I’ve accumulated over many lifetimes. Madam, you must not say such things.” Ah Wu got off the bed, went around to Lady Cui, buried her head in her lap, and clung to her like a piece of candy.

Although Ah Wu’s words were not entirely true, they contained a degree of sincerity. These past few days, it seemed Lady Cui truly loved her, treating her like a precious gem. Even a heart of iron had its soft moments, let alone Ah Wu’s heart, which was made of flesh and blood.

Because Ah Wu had taken Rong Wuyou’s body, she felt guilty. Knowing the story of Rong Wuyou and Lady Cui, she also felt for Lady Cui’s difficult life as a mother and thus resolved to properly show filial piety on Rong Wuyou’s behalf.

Just then, a maid came back to say that Third Master had arrived home.

Lady Cui and Ah Wu quickly got up, straightened their clothes, and went to greet him. Third Master Rong Jichang entered the courtyard.

When Third Master Rong saw Ah Wu from afar, his face lit up with a smile, and he quickened his pace. “Ah Wu, are you much better?” Third Master Rong touched Ah Wu’s hair, which was styled in a bun. “Your face has some color back.”

Third Master Rong had seen Ah Wu when she was ill. Because Third Master Rong was preparing for the imperial examinations the following spring, a time when he should be studying, he had asked his parents to take him to the Dongshan Villa for quiet study. However, due to Ah Wu’s illness, he had returned two or three times, this time again to visit her.

Third Master Rong handed Ah Wu a package of oiled paper. “Liu Changchun’s pear blossom cake, our Ah Wu’s favorite.”

Liu Changchun’s seasonal pastries were among the best in the capital, but not particularly rare. Third Master Rong’s insistence on keeping the cake for himself, refusing to let the servant take it, showed his deep affection.

Ah Wu took the pastry from Third Master Rong and smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Father.”

Turning to Lady Cui, Third Master Rong handed her another package of oiled paper, gazing at her for a long time, as if trying to capture all his longing. “Old Wang’s braised duck wings, which you love.”

Lady Cui blushed and accepted the package with a sweet smile. No wonder Master Rong could not let her go. Although she was nearing thirty, her skin was as white as snow, and her face as delicate as a flower—she was truly a great beauty.

The mother and daughter welcomed Master Rong into the house. Lady Cui busied herself preparing tea and handkerchiefs for Master Rong to wipe his face, her entire heart devoted to her husband.

Master Rong naturally enjoyed the pampering of his beautiful wife and daughter. Finally, he checked Ah Wu’s pulse. “Her pulse is better, but her constitution is still weak; she needs some nourishment.” Saying this, Master Rong sighed softly, a look of guilt on his face.

Scholars of old valued broad learning and were typically well-versed in the principles of the I Ching and traditional Chinese medicine. Some were perfunctory, while others devoted themselves to their studies. Third Master Rong’s aunt had passed away early, leaving him orphaned and frail from childhood. Whenever he felt unwell, unless it was a serious illness, he would endure it on his own. After studying, he devoted considerable effort to medical theory. For minor ailments like headaches and fevers, he would prescribe medicine himself and had his servants prepare it, without going through the housekeeper. In this way, he developed considerable expertise in the use of medicine.

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Whenever he had time, he personally cared for Lady Cui and her three children’s illnesses and health, which explained the story of him taking Ah Wu’s pulse.

Seeing this, Lady Cui quickly changed the subject. “My Lord, is there anything you need this time you’ve come back for?”

“I just came back to see Ah Wu. Also, my colleagues invited me to a gathering at Huixian Pavilion.”

Lady Cui nodded. Before retiring that evening, she gave Third Master Rong the remaining silver from pawning her pearl jewelry, telling him to go and socialize. The couple had their own intimate conversation that night, which we won’t go into detail about.

Ah Wu, in her own bed, also tossed and turned. The next morning, she got up early and went to the main room. The family of five had a harmonious meal, and Third Master Rong went out to socialize.

Ah Wu had expected Third Master Rong to return completely drunk, but to her surprise, he returned perfectly sober. It was not too late yet. After changing his clothes, he called all three children to his study to test their studies.

Ah Wu had not expected to be included. This was probably the special importance scholars placed on their children’s education.

First, Master Rong checked the studies of Rong Jie and Rong Yin. Rong Jie was now learning to write essays with his teacher, and his introductions and development of topics were quite impressive, which pleased Master Rong greatly. Rong Yin had finished studying the Great Learning, and his teacher was currently teaching the Analects. Master Rong asked him a few questions, and he answered them with great skill. Master Rong’s laughter could be heard even by Lady Cui in the west wing of the house.

When Ah Wu entered Master Rong’s study in the inner courtyard of the east wing, she saw neatly arranged writing implements on the rosewood table by the window, along with a blue-and-white porcelain brush holder, brush washer, paperweight, and a bamboo armrest carved with a picture of a scholar achieving the highest rank in the imperial examinations. On the wall hung a painting of “Snowy Peaks After Rain” and two calligraphy scrolls, exuding a sense of tranquility and serenity.

Both calligraphy scrolls bore the seal “Nanshan.” Ah Wu did not know who the artist was, but judging from the calligraphy, it was unrestrained yet powerful, elegant without being vulgar, drawing on the strengths of various schools—truly remarkable. Having tested his two sons, Third Master Rong stroked his stubble and asked Ah Wu with a gentle smile, “Ah Wu, what new things have you learned lately?”

Before Ah Wu could answer, Rong Yin interjected, “My little sister is quite something now! She’s started critiquing calligraphy masters!”

“Oh,” Third Master Rong said, unsurprised. Ah Wu always liked to imitate Fifth Young Lady Rong, but in Third Master Rong’s eyes, Fifth Young Lady Rong’s skills were only superficial. At such a young age, she liked to criticize masters to show off her abilities. Although his niece had already gained some fame in the capital, Third Master Rong considered it merely the talent of a young lady, not worthy of praise.

“Then Ah Wu, write a few characters for Father to see.”

Ah Wu did not stand on ceremony. When Third Master Rong tested his daughter, she, the “daughter,” also wanted to test the depth of her “father’s” abilities.

Ah Wu dipped her brush in ink and wrote the phrase, “To learn and practice what one has learned is a pleasure.” These few words made Master Rong’s eyes widen. It was not that Ah Wu’s handwriting was particularly good, but compared to her previous level, it was like heaven and earth.

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“Truly improved,” Master Rong said, increasingly pleased. He knew his daughter well; she had a beautiful face but lacked substance. This improvement was unexpected. “However, your brushstrokes lack strength; the ending strokes are weak and feeble, and the turns are not controlled.”

Master Rong had hit the nail on the head. Ah Wu’s control over strength was still lacking; her brushstrokes often felt powerless. Seeing that Master Rong could see her weakness in just a few words, she felt a surge of admiration.

“Your daughter is also troubled by this. Father, do you have any guidance for me?” Ah Wu had now asked for a teacher.

Third Master Rong did not hold back. “When I was practicing calligraphy, my teacher taught me a breathing technique, and I’ve also given your brothers some pointers. If you master this method, you will not only improve your calligraphy but also your health.”

The more Third Master Rong spoke, the more interested Ah Wu became. She was interested in any method good for her health; perhaps because of her frail health in her previous life, she was going to overdo it in this one.

The method Third Master Rong taught was the opposite of normal breathing: inhale slowly, expanding your abdomen, and exhale forcefully, contracting your abdomen. Each stroke of the brush was coordinated with the breath, making it excellent for health and also for energizing the body.

Ah Wu was familiar with this breathing method. When she was ill, her mother, the Imperial Princess, sought help from all sorts of gods and Buddhas, even consulting a high-ranking monk from India. This monk, at the invitation of the Princess, taught Ah Wu a set of exercises, emphasizing stretching and meditation to strengthen the body while maintaining a ladylike demeanor. This exercise included a breathing technique, which Third Master Rong’s teacher unexpectedly incorporated into his calligraphy.

Since Ah Wu had made it a habit to practice this every morning, she quickly mastered the breathing technique and harmonized it with her calligraphy practice, earning praise from Third Master Rong for her quick comprehension and rapid progress.