Four Seasons Brocade – CH 025

Chapter 25 ☆、 Generous People Do Generous Things (Part 1)

“My eyes are dazzled by all these beautiful hairpins! Fifth Sister, please choose one for me,” Ah Wu said obediently.

“Alright, then I will choose one for Sixth Sister.” Fifth Young Lady Rong’s hand reached directly for the intricately crafted gold filigree hairpin with rolling beads.

Not only was Ah Wu surprised, but Xia Fang and Qiu Se were also extremely astonished. Qiu Se’s face instantly changed, but she held back from speaking, though she secretly glared at Ah Wu fiercely.

“This hairpin will definitely look beautiful on you, Sister,” Fifth Young Lady Rong said generously, putting the hairpin into Ah Wu’s hair and even offering her a mirror with a gilded silver begonia button for her to see for herself.

Ah Wu felt a little uneasy but dared not think anything bad about Fifth Young Lady Rong. Even Ah Wu liked this hairpin; however, she wondered if she would be willing to give it to her cousin, with whom she had a casual relationship. The answer was naturally no.

The hairpin was engraved with the words “Han Shi,” indicating it was crafted by Han Haiwang, the most famous jewelry maker in the capital. Regardless of the material, the name “Han Shi” alone carried immense prestige and made it incredibly valuable.

“This hairpin is too precious; I dare not accept it. Fifth Sister, just give me the pair of tassel gold rings,” Ah Wu refused.

“What are you saying? We are sisters; do not talk about preciousness. That’s too formal. Just take it, or I will get angry,” Fifth Young Lady Rong said, feigning a stern face.

“But…”

“It’s not easy to give my sister something; if I do not choose something good, people will say I am stingy,” Fifth Young Lady Rong persuaded again.

Ah Wu repeatedly refused, but Fifth Young Lady Rong insisted on giving it to her, making Ah Wu blush with embarrassment at Fifth Young Lady Rong’s generosity. She knew she could not be as generous as Fifth Young Lady Rong.

But behind such behavior, either great kindness or great cunning lurks. Ah Wu, however, was raised in a privileged environment and never considered the worst in people, unless she had suffered at their hands.

The next day, Ah Wu wore a brand-new pink summer dress. Instead of her usual elaborate bun, she styled her hair in a playful, slightly askew topknot to match the delicate, beaded hairpin Fifth Young Lady Rong had given her.

Fortunately, Ah Wu was quite beautiful. While she lacked the naive charm of the bun, she gained a touch of playfulness and cleverness. But Ah Wu still preferred the seemingly harmless, innocent bun, which made her appear younger and more pitiful when she cried—a fact she had taken advantage of last time.

If it were not for the hairpin, Ah Wu would not have wanted to wear the topknot at all. But since she had spoken to the Old Madam yesterday, if she did not wear it today, would people not gossip and give the Old Madam something to talk about?

Fifth Young Lady Rong stood beside the carriage, noticing Ah Wu’s delicate, beaded hairpin, and smiled gently. “Sixth Sister, you look so beautiful today.”

Ah Wu returned Fifth Young Lady Rong’s genuine smile, happily replying, “Fifth Sister is the most beautiful!” Ah Wu was so happy to be going to the Duke of Jin’s mansion that she ignored even the jealous glare from Fourth Young Lady Rong, who seemed to want to kill her.

Fifth Young Lady Rong was indeed beautiful. Now a full eleven years old, she had grown taller and more slender, radiating a youthful charm and elegance. Her features were naturally graceful and refined, a different kind of allure compared to the exquisitely beautiful Ah Wu.

The two were like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each more beautiful in their own way.

The Rong family carriage drove directly to the side gate of Tianxiang Garden, where servants and maids from the Duke of Jin’s household quickly came to greet them, leading the Old Madam and the three families to Zhonghui Hall.

The path wound through flowers and willows, the Tianxiang Garden a tapestry of blossoms and pavilions nestled along the water’s edge. Lush bamboo groves and ancient pines stood tall, dotted with clusters of Luoyang flowers, their green hues rising above the pink blossoms, while groups of opulent flowers gleamed in the water’s reflection. Even those who had visited this garden could not help but linger, captivated by the scenery.

Upon entering the Zhonghui Hall, the Old Madam was led to the seat of honor. Given her age and status, she exchanged pleasantries with a group of elderly ladies from marquis and earl families.

The Duchess of Jin, younger and less aloof, warmly greeted the younger generation. Upon seeing Ah Wu, she was immediately smitten, taking Ah Wu’s hand and repeatedly asking, “What a neat little girl! How old are you?”

Ah Wu, with her chubby, pink face, admitted that she did indeed look tempting to bite and pinch, and sometimes even she herself felt that urge. However, she genuinely disliked being touched.

Unfortunately, she was young and weak, with no voice. Offending the Duchess of Jin would make it difficult for her in the capital’s social circles. One ought not underestimate women’s circles; many important matters were handled through them, and many deals were made through these circles of ladies.

For example, Ah Wu knew that many of Princess Fuhui’s affairs were arranged through her circle of noblewomen.

“Eight years old,” Ah Wu said softly, trying not to reveal her splayed front teeth.

The Duchess of Jin then asked Ah Wu if she was studying and what she was reading. Ah Wu answered, “I’ve read The Admonitions for Women and The Classic of Filial Piety for Women, and now I am studying The Analects and Mencius with my teacher.”

“Look at that! The young ladies of the Duke of Anguo are truly exceptional. They will all be talented women in the future. Is your fifth young lady not already a famous talented woman in the capital?” The Duchess of Jin was a smooth talker; she praised Ah Wu while also mentioning Fifth Young Lady Rong.

The Duchess of Jin stroked Ah Wu’s face affectionately again before releasing her, instructing her maid, “Take the young ladies to the garden to see the flowers, and serve them carefully. The Sixth Young Lady is young, so please keep a close eye on her.”

Ah Wu obediently followed Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong into the garden.

Turning around, she could still hear the Duchess of Jin saying, “What a lovely little girl! If I had a daughter like that, I’d be smiling in my sleep.”

The Duchess of Jin had three sons but no daughters, so she was somewhat envious of other people’s daughters. Someone nearby chimed in, praising the Duchess’s sons, saying that having such a young master would truly make one smile in their sleep.

In the garden, the young ladies were admiring the flowers in groups, some even showing off their skills by reciting a few lines of poetry. Seeing Fifth Young Lady Rong approach, they immediately pulled her aside to challenge her to a poetry contest. Fifth Young Lady Rong, a master of poetry, loved any opportunity to display her talent and readily agreed.

Fourth Young Lady Rong, unwilling to admit defeat, shamelessly challenged her to a poetry contest.

Ah Wu, however, was rather listless, feeling she was long past the age of poetry competitions.

Ah Wu had assumed that, given the affectations of Princess Fuhui and the Duchess of Jin, her Princess Mother would surely attend the peony banquet. But now, with all the guests almost arriving, there was still no sign of the Princess.

“Sister Xuan,” Tang Yin’s voice sounded behind Ah Wu.

Ah Wu turned around and saw Tang Yin, a smile finally appearing on her face. “Sister Yin.”

Tang Yin pulled Ah Wu aside, smiling smugly. “So, with me stepping in, your Old Madam finally let you out, right?”

“I was just about to thank you for this, Sister Yin. I really did not expect you to help me like this. We’ve only just…” Ah Wu’s voice lowered, somewhat moved. Tang Yin had only met her once, yet she was so loyal; how could Ah Wu not be moved and grateful?

“What are you saying? Some people know each other their whole lives and never exchange more than a few heartfelt words, while others feel like they’ve known each other for a lifetime the moment they meet. What’s wrong with just meeting once?” Tang Yin glared at Ah Wu and scolded, “How vulgar!”

This was the first time Ah Wu had been called vulgar, yet she accepted it with delight. “Yes, I was just being sentimental. Sister Yin, you are right, this is what you call ‘one glance, one lifetime.'” She felt like she knew someone for life after just one glance.

“Tch, a little girl like you, already spouting Zen.”

Ah Wu’s words were a paraphrase of the phrase “One flower, one world; one leaf, one Buddha” from the Avatamsaka Sutra, or perhaps “One grain of sand, one world; one flower, one heaven” from Buddhist scriptures. But in any case, they were all “Buddha’s words,” which was why Tang Yin said it that way.

The two smiled at each other, truly feeling a connection.

Tang Yin smiled and nudged Ah Wu. Tang Yin was a girl with a somewhat chivalrous spirit, which was extremely rare in aristocratic circles. Some people did not appreciate her, finding her spoiled and inappropriate, but Ah Wu liked people with this kind of temperament.

Ah Wu also smiled and nudged Tang Yin. The two young girls became friends just like that.

Tang Yin’s feelings for Ah Wu were truly like those of an older sister for a younger sister. From the first time she saw Ah Wu and thought she was cute and pitiful from crying and spoke up to help her, Tang Yin took Ah Wu under her wing, feeling that she was someone she would take care of, and no one could bully.

The two liked each other and could sense each other’s feelings, so they naturally became acquainted.

“Come on, let me introduce you to some of my sisters,” Tang Yin said, pulling Ah Wu along. Fifth Young Lady Rong was also there.