Four Seasons Brocade – CH 071

Chapter 71 ☆、

Since the imperial examination system began, grand celebrations were held after the successful candidates passed, the most famous being the “Third-Place Banquet.” The Emperor personally selected the two youngest and most handsome candidates from the same cohort to serve as the “Third-Place Envoys,” who would then tour famous gardens and pick renowned flowers, hence the line, “Seeing all the flowers of Chang’an in a single day.” Although the Great Xia Dynasty no longer held the Third-Place Banquet, it was still necessary for the top three candidates to parade through the streets, as they needed to be both talented and good-looking. Therefore, the tradition of selecting handsome individuals for the third-place position remained.

Tang Yin also mentioned Tang Xiujin in a letter to Ah Wu, saying that her brother had been selected as the third-place candidate and was engaged to Gu Xihui of the Duke of Wei.

Tang Xiujin currently worked at the Hanlin Academy, and this trip to the Xihai Wharf was to see a friend off to Jiangnan. A group of people reined in their horses on the dock embankment, their gazes involuntarily fixed on the group of women walking along the riverbank below.

Although they knew such staring was extremely disrespectful, the attraction of youth to young women was only natural. Everyone held their breath, hoping a playful breeze would blow by and lift the veil of the graceful young woman’s hat, revealing her face.

Sure enough, a gentle breeze blew by, and even the horses’ nostrils were almost silent. The breeze seemed to lift the veil slightly, but as if deliberately defying them, it suddenly turned downwards, only lightly brushing the hem of the woman’s barely-there dress, revealing a delicate pink tassel. A gilded, openwork, exquisite ball was tied to the tassel, and as the wind blew, the ball emitted a melodious, musical sound.

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The crisp sound of a bell echoed in the hearts of the young men, lingering even after the women had left by carriage. Their hearts still resonated with the sound, and their eyes were fixed on that glimpse of her garment.

It was said that beauty was found in books, but Tang Xiujin, despite years of study, had never found his own. Later, he became engaged to Gu Xihui, one of the two most beautiful and talented women in the capital. Tang Xiujin respected her and never looked at anyone else.

But unexpectedly, today, at this moment, in this place, that glimpse of her garment, that crisp bell, that beautiful figure—unexpectedly, suddenly stirred within him a longing he had kept hidden, a yearning he thought would never arise.

Meanwhile, Third Master Rong and his entourage, served by Rong Da, entered the side gate of the Duke of Anguo’s mansion. The carriage drove directly to the entrance gate.

Before even stepping ashore, Third Master Rong had already sent someone to the Ministry of Personnel to submit his petition, awaiting an audience with the Emperor. However, imperial affairs were demanding, and not every returning official could have an audience with the Emperor. Third Master Rong, having received word that he would be granted an audience the day after tomorrow, knew it was a great favor.

In the Old Madam’s main room, Third Master Rong, accompanied by Lady Cui and Ah Wu, immediately stepped forward, lifted his robes, and the three of them respectfully kowtowed three times to the Duke of Anguo and the Old Madam.

“Father, Mother, your unfilial son has returned,” Third Master Rong said, his voice slightly choked. Whether the homesickness of a wanderer returning home was genuine or not, it was a natural expression for Third Master Rong.

“Rise,” the Duke of Anguo said.

The servants quickly helped the three of them to their feet.

Third Master Rong looked older, with wrinkles between his brows, but his official authority was evident without anger, instantly making the servants who looked down on the illegitimate son of the third branch of the family feel the majesty of a third-rank official.

The Duke of Anguo was very pleased.

The Old Madam’s lips twitched noticeably. Over the years, she had become so accustomed to receiving flattery that she had lost the ability to feign it, though she had not changed much. Only the lines around her mouth had deepened, her fierceness intensified, and she exuded a putrid aura. It was said that the elderly should become kinder with age, but this was nowhere to be found in the Old Madam. Looking at her in the dark was somewhat frightening.

The First and Second Madams had both aged slightly in the past two years. The First Madam wore a dark brown floral jacket and a purplish-red horse-face skirt. The crow’s feet around her eyes had deepened, revealing a tired and aged appearance, but her round face, with its white and benevolent glow, made her resemble a Bodhisattva.

The Second Madam wore a dark blue jacket embroidered with lotus flowers and trimmed with gold lotus flowers, paired with a pink pleated skirt. It was a rather pretty outfit, but looking at her thin, wrinkled face, it just looked awkward. At her age, dressing like that seemed incongruous; did she not consider that her daughter was engaged and about to marry?

Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong stood beside the First and Second Madams, both now graceful young women.

Fourth Young Lady Rong wore a purple-pink dress that accentuated her fair skin. Her hair was adorned with numerous gold hairpins and hair ornaments, and around her neck hung a gold sunflower and qilin necklace weighing at least four ounces. Three gold bracelets were layered on her wrists; Ah Wu suspected she wore every piece of jewelry she could find. She was a veritable “golden woman.”

Fifth Young Lady Rong was about the same height as Fourth Young Lady Rong but a little fuller, with an even more beautiful and delicate face. A bright pearl the size of a thumbnail adorned her forehead, catching the eye. What a dignified and elegant young lady! As the saying goes, “A person’s inner beauty shines through their words,” and Fifth Young Lady Rong, now widely recognized as one of the “Twin Beauties of the Capital,” exuded an air of nobility. Even a simple, almost-new, pale yellow dress looked like something out of a royal robe on her.

While Lady Cui and Ah Wu were observing the women, the Second Madam was also observing Lady Cui and Ah Wu.

Lady Cui had been living a very comfortable life these past two years, becoming much fuller and more rounded. Compared to her thin, sallow complexion when she was in the capital, she was now like a completely different person, radiating wealth and nobility. Her fair complexion clearly indicated that she was a woman who had lived a very fulfilling life. She was not particularly adorned, but her clothes were made of the finest brocade, and the gold bracelet on her wrist, though not heavy, was made using the filigree technique—the cost of which was probably more than the gold itself. Without a word, she made the Second Madam feel envious.

The First Madam was like a Bodhisattva, incomparable to her.

However, Lady Cui’s situation was within everyone’s expectations. She was not bullied by her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, had a loving husband, and had filial and promising daughter and sons. Naturally, she lived well. The position of Education Commissioner was not a poor one either. Lady Cui’s appearance was not out of line.

But Ah Wu truly surprised everyone.

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When they left the capital, Ah Wu was just a little girl, not very tall. Although she was around ten years old, she still looked like a child, short and stocky. However, she had always been beautiful, with delicate, almost painted features. But even the prettiest little girl could only have bright eyes.

But look at Ah Wu now—it was simply incredible!

Fourth Young Lady Rong’s handkerchief was gripped so tightly as if she wanted to twist it in half. Fifth Young Lady Rong’s heart also skipped a beat.

Ah Wu wore clothes dyed with a new formula from her dye shop in Jiangsu. The color was derived from the translucent turquoise of fine celadon, with a hint of pinkish-brown richness in the glaze. The formula was something Ah Wu had learned by sending someone deep into the Miao and Manchu heartland, skilled in dyeing—a formula obtained through countless trials and tribulations. Because of this formula, Cui Ji’s dye shops had spread throughout Jiangnan in just two years.

Ah Wu’s clothes were unique in color and exquisitely crafted, but the style was common. It was fortunate that they fit her so well. Ah Wu wore only a single pearl flower in her hair, her only piece of jewelry.

Yet, this very attire outshone all the rosewood furniture and the gold, silver, and emerald green jewels in the room. She was as graceful as a lotus emerging from water, naturally beautiful without artifice, her beauty defying cosmetics.

Jade could not adequately describe her essence; autumn waters could not fully express her spirit. Her beauty surpassed the clouds rising from Wushan; her elegance veiled the moon reflected in spring waters.

Now people truly understood what “beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, beauty that could shame the moon and flowers” meant.

Modern people had truly misused and abused these two phrases.

Girls began to grow taller around the age of ten, which was when a girl was about to become a young woman. The saying “a girl changes eighteen times as she grows up” referred to the time when this growth spurt began.

The timing of this growth spurt varied from person to person. In the Great Xia Dynasty, poor girls sometimes did not start menstruating until fifteen or sixteen, while girls from wealthy families, who were well-nourished from a young age and never lacked food, with tonics like bird’s nest and ginseng prepared every few days, sometimes started menstruating as early as eleven or twelve.

Ah Wu started menstruating after going to Jiangsu when she was almost thirteen. She grew at an astonishing speed, and by then, standing next to Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong, she was already about the same height.

But no one expected, not even Ah Wu herself, that she would grow up to be so stunningly beautiful. One day, Ah Wu glanced at herself in the mirror and caught a glimpse of her own profile. She was stunned.

It seemed as if people grew up overnight.

In truth, being as beautiful as Gu Xihui or Fifth Young Lady Rong was extremely fortunate. Among the noble ladies of the capital, their beauty was among the best, astonishing and admirable. It was an advantage in marriage negotiations. After marriage, on their wedding night, when their husbands lifted their veils, they would be overjoyed. By using the newlywed bliss to win their husbands’ hearts, their lives would begin smoothly.

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However, Ah Wu’s beauty had become a curse. Fortunately, her father was now a high-ranking official, and her grandfather was the Duke of Anguo. Even those with improper intentions would have to consider their own worth. But in the capital, there were countless nobles, and the Vice Minister of Rites was not a significant figure. Sometimes, a single word from someone could knock him down from his position. The Duke of Anguo’s Mansion was now in decline. Forget about protecting Ah Wu; the fact that they had not used her to bribe officials was already a sign of their conscience.

Because of her face, Ah Wu wore a veil even at home in Jiangsu, rarely going out to socialize.

When Ah Wu stood up with Third Master Rong and Lady Cui, the Duke of Anguo, the Old Madam, the First Madam, the Second Madam, and even the servants and maids present all fell silent.

The Duke of Anguo’s gaze towards Ah Wu held a clear complexity, but he quickly suppressed his surprise, asked Third Master Rong a few questions about his journey, and then said, “You’ve had a long journey. Your mother has instructed your sister-in-law to clean up your old courtyard. Go back and rest. We will have plenty of time to talk.”