Four Seasons Brocade – CH 020

Chapter 20 ☆、 Choosing Clothes for the Banquet

Lady Cui was puzzled. Whenever someone hosted a banquet for the Duke’s Mansion, Ah Wu would always watch her longingly, eager to attend. Now that she could go properly, she seemed uninterested.

“Ah Wu, why are you unhappy? Did you not want to go out and make friends?” Lady Cui touched Ah Wu’s forehead, worried that she was ill and therefore not in high spirits.

Ah Wu opened her mouth and pointed to her missing front tooth.

Lady Cui and the maid Nanny Li beside her immediately laughed.

“How old is this little girl? She already cares so much about appearances!” Lady Cui laughed loudly.

Ah Wu frowned and stomped her foot, indicating her anger. She was particularly self-conscious about her missing front tooth; it was an intolerable facial flaw. Fortunately, the tooth would grow back.

Only then did Lady Cui’s smile fade. “Alright, alright, you do not have to go this time.”

While Ah Wu was not going, Lady Cui was determined to go. Not only was she going, but she wanted to go looking her best. She was now the highly sought-after wife of a top scholar, and this was a grand banquet attended by many noble ladies of the capital; she could not afford to be impolite.

After receiving the invitation, Lady Cui began selecting clothes and jewelry.

This was Lady Cui’s first time attending a banquet as the wife of a top scholar; she was no longer the penniless wife of the third son of the Duke of Anguo, born of a concubine. Therefore, she took this matter exceptionally seriously and was exceptionally nervous.

She spent several days choosing clothes but was never satisfied. One was too brightly colored, another too old-fashioned. But Lady Cui only had so many clothes, and making new ones would not be fast enough. Exquisite embroidery would not be finished in less than half a month to a month.

“Let me pick one out for you, Madam,” Ah Wu said, amused by Lady Cui’s fussing over such a small matter.

Lady Cui herself felt a little embarrassed. “I am just afraid of embarrassing your father,” she said, tapping Ah Wu’s forehead. “You little rascal, you are even laughing at your mother now.”

Ah Wu touched her forehead and pouted. “I am so old now. Madam, please do not poke my forehead anymore. You will regret it if you do.”

Lady Cui teased her again about her grown-up nature. “Silly girls are good; fools have their luck.”

Finally, Ah Wu chose a light pink silk robe with embroidered crabapple and pomegranate patterns and a diagonal opening for Lady Cui. This was one of Lady Cui’s clothes from years ago.

“This will not do,” Lady Cui said, shaking her head repeatedly. “This color is too youthful. How can I, at my age, wear it?” In truth, Lady Cui was pretty with fair skin and looked quite young, but now that she was a mother of a fourteen-year-old, she could not dress like a little girl anymore.

Ah Wu ignored Lady Cui’s pleas and stubbornly chose another dark brown skirt with scrolling floral patterns for her, one that Lady Cui had previously found too old-fashioned.

“Madam, try this on and see if it suits you.”

Lady Cui could not help but smile at Ah Wu’s confident and adorable demeanor. She naturally thought Ah Wu was childish; the two outfits were completely mismatched. But unwilling to disappoint the child, she went behind the screen to change.

When Lady Cui emerged, everyone’s eyes lit up. Nanny Li clasped her hands together and exclaimed, “Oh, beautiful! I never imagined such a combination would be so striking. This outfit looks great on you, truly wonderful!” Nanny Li circled Lady Cui.

“Is that so?” Lady Cui turned to the Western-style dressing mirror and was extremely satisfied with herself.

The crimson silk robe made Lady Cui’s delicate face even more striking, her skin like jade, her lips red, and her teeth white. However, it was undeniably an attempt to appear youthful. But the dark brown skirt beneath it effectively toned down the youthful glow, giving her a dignified and elegant air, while simultaneously highlighting her best features.

This bold color combination was a first for Lady Cui. “It seems our little Ah Wu has excellent taste!”

“Of course, look who she is!” Ah Wu puffed out her chest and smiled smugly.

After choosing her clothes, the next step was choosing jewelry, a difficult task indeed. Lady Cui currently only had one set of gold magnolia-patterned jewelry, which she wore every time she went out. Wearing it again now would surely invite ridicule.

“Did you pawn all your jewelry before, Madam? If not, why not redeem it?” Ah Wu suggested. “You could also buy a new set.” Lady Cui still had some money; buying a new set of jewelry seemed feasible.

Lady Cui shook her head. “Money’s needed everywhere; it’s flowing away like water.” Lady Cui was stingy with money; she gave it to Rong Jichang, her two sons, and Ah Wu without a second thought, but when it came to herself, she was reluctant to spend it.

“But Madam will be going out more often from now on; we cannot keep just getting by. We should at least redeem some of it,” Nanny Li advised from the side.

Lady Cui finally agreed and had someone take the money and pawn tickets to redeem a set of gold begonia jewelry she had previously pawned.

Having prepared everything meticulously, Lady Cui felt a little apprehensive as she prepared to leave.

“Those duchesses and marquises, their eyes are like tigers; nothing escapes their notice, and their standards are so high, I am a little afraid of them,” Lady Cui complained to Nanny Li.

Ah Wu came to see Lady Cui off. Hearing this, she looked at Lady Cui again and saw that she was beautiful and elegant, with a gentle and refined temperament. Even if her behavior was slightly off, it would not be too bad. Therefore, she comforted her, saying, “Madam, do not worry. Just stay calm. Go back three generations; the ancestors of those dukes and marquises are probably still tilling somewhere. You do not need to be afraid of them.”

Lady Cui felt calmer after Ah Wu’s comforting words. However, she had no idea that her own family, the Duke of Anguo’s mansion, had also been tilling land for generations. But Ah Wu would not remind her of such a thing.

When Lady Cui returned in the afternoon, her face was full of joy. This was the first time she had returned so happy after visiting someone.

Most people in the capital were shrewd; eccentrics like the Old Madam of the Duke of Anguo’s mansion were a minority. Although Rong Jichang, a top scholar, was not enough, everyone understood the principle of leaving room for maneuver. Therefore, Lady Cui was being treated with great courtesy today, but this courtesy was only in contrast to the cold treatment she received in the past.

Today, Lady Cui also made several acquaintances with the wives of Hanlin scholars, with whom she shared many pleasantries. Their husbands were colleagues, and they grew closer in private. Lady Cui was no longer the lonely noblewoman relegated to a corner at lively banquets.

Upon returning home, Lady Cui excitedly recounted her day to Ah Wu, mentioning how the other ladies kept praising her for her impeccable fashion sense. A blush of excitement graced Lady Cui’s face. Of course, this flustered behavior was confined to her home. Outside, she heeded Ah Wu’s advice, constantly reminding herself to remain calm, and indeed, nothing went wrong. No one mocked her anymore.

Back when Lady Cui first arrived in the capital to marry Master Rong, despite her father being a prefect, in the eyes of the capital’s elite, she was merely a country bumpkin from a small town and a concubine’s daughter at that. Lady Cui suffered much humiliation then, and later, except for mandatory banquets, she simply avoided going out rather than endure further mistreatment.

Ah Wu and her mother chatted about the fashions of the noble ladies in the capital, discussing the latest styles. Because of Lady Cui’s newly opened needlework shop, Ah Wu was most interested in these fashion trends.

“If you ask me, among all the noble ladies in the capital, no one can compare to Young Lady Gu of the Duke of Wei’s mansion. Her looks, her bearing—she’s truly a celestial being!” Lady Cui said, thinking of Young Lady Gu, whom everyone praised.

Lady Cui spoke with envy and bitterness. From the moment Young Lady Gu arrived at the Duke’s mansion, every lady and mistress was eager to hold her hand, look at her, and ask her questions, doting on her like royalty. Families with sons of marriageable age were even more enthusiastic; truly, a family with a daughter had a hundred suitors.

If her Ah Wu had been born into such a family, she certainly would not be inferior to Young Lady Gu.

Ah Wu, however, was caught off guard when Lady Cui brought up her archrival, Gu Xihui.

Gu Xihui was the legitimate daughter of Ah Wu’s second uncle in her previous life, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Wei’s mansion. She was better looking and healthier than Ah Wu. Although Ah Wu’s mother was an Imperial Princess, the matriarch of the mansion doted on Gu Xihui the most.

Ah Wu’s arrogant nature meant she and Gu Xihui secretly disliked each other, but outwardly they had to pretend to be harmonious sisters. Ah Wu’s high temper, constantly striving to compete with Gu Xihui, made her already weak body even more frail.

Looking at Gu Xihui in this life, the difference between them was even greater. Gu Xihui was the brightest star among the noble ladies of the capital, while Ah Wu was now nothing more than a blade of grass.

“You did not see her dress; it’s called ‘Mist Shadow Gauze.’ The color is as beautiful as the sky after a fresh wash. I heard the palace only received five bolts this year, and she’s wearing one of them.”

Ah Wu knew about Mist Shadow Gauze; it was thin and sheer, like a layer of mist, perfect for summer, incredibly comfortable and breathable. It was also extremely expensive, and most people had never even seen one.

But when Ah Wu was Princess Kangning, she received one bolt every year, something Gu Xihui could never have. Now, things had changed. Ah Wu still remembered Gu Xihui’s admiring look as she touched the Mist Shadow Gauze. The Old Madam wanted Ah Wu to give it to Gu Xihui, but Ah Wu refused, and no one could persuade her otherwise.

The Imperial Princess simply said, “Our Ah Wu is delicate; only Mist Shadow Gauze is suitable for summer. Other clothes are not breathable and might cause rashes.”

This infuriated the Second Madam Gu.

Now that the Duke of Wei’s mansion only had one legitimate daughter, Gu Xihui, all the good things were naturally given to her.

“Is the Young Lady Gu you are talking about, Madam, the niece of Princess Fuhui?” Ah Wu blinked, echoing Lady Cui’s excitement.

“Of course! Imagine how noble her status is! Although both are dukedoms, the Duke of Wei’s Mansion is different. The Duke of Wei protected the Emperor and saved him, which is why the Emperor married Princess Fuhui to his eldest son, who is now the Duke of Wei. The second master of the Gu family is also very capable; he passed the imperial examination and is now the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Even the sons born of a concubine have achieved something.” Lady Cui continued to chatter.

Ah Wu did not want to hear Lady Cui say these things. She knew far more about the affairs of the Duke of Wei’s mansion than Lady Cui did. “Madam, have you met Princess Fuhui?”

Lady Cui hesitated for a moment before replying, “Yes.”

“Then what do you think of her?”