Four Seasons Brocade – CH 074

Chapter 74 ☆、

Ah Wu did not respond to that but instead asked, “By the way, why not find some time to visit Zi-Yan these next few days?”

“Yes. Sister Zi-Yan knows you are back, and she’s probably been waiting for news and eagerly anticipating your visit.” Zi-Shan and Zi-Yan had been close since childhood. Although they had not seen each other for several years, she still missed her dearly and did not forget to speak well of Zi-Yan to Ah Wu.

When Ah Wu went to Jiangsu, she took Liu Jingniang with her, leaving Zi-Yan alone in the capital to run the shop with Old Nanny Peng. Although she was not as capable as Liu Jingniang now, she had gained experience and could be considered quite capable herself.

The next day, Ah Wu accompanied Lady Cui to the main room to pay her respects to the Old Madam. Upon seeing Lady Cui and Ah Wu, the First Madam’s face lit up with a smile, her eyes filled with kindness. “Xuan, come here quickly. Your fourth and fifth sisters have often thought of you these past years. Now that you sisters are grown up, there will not be much time left to sit and talk together. Now that you are back, the three of you sisters should cherish each other. Even after you get married, you should support each other.”

The First Madam’s eyes narrowed with laughter. “No matter how close people are in this world, none are closer than family.”

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The First Madam’s words implied a desire to let bygones be bygones. With past grievances settled, it would be easier to build relationships later.

Seeing the First Madam’s enthusiasm, Lady Cui was still somewhat uneasy, but Ah Wu was utterly disgusted with this venomous woman. Well, in just one day, she’d already hatched this plan.

The Old Madam still disliked Lady Cui and Ah Wu, but she had toned it down considerably. Her face lacked a smile, but she did not cause any trouble either.

“Your sisters are all grown up now. Your fourth and fifth sisters live in the garden. Springtime here is beautiful, just right for your blossoming age. I’ve also prepared a house for you in the garden, in Yongtian Courtyard behind Qihua Garden. It’s close to where your fifth sister lives, so you can do needlework and chat together when you have free time.” The First Madam was so kind, she made it seem as if she could not bear to hug Ah Wu. She probably did not know that Ah Wu knew from the beginning that she had used her influence to facilitate Third Master Rong’s mission abroad.

The First Madam believed that there was no real grudge between the two branches of the family. If there was, it was the Third Branch that owed her, and Rong Jie that owed Rong Min. Therefore, now that the First Madam was condescending to win over Ah Wu, she thought Ah Wu and Lady Cui should be overwhelmed with gratitude.

Ah Wu smiled, tacitly agreeing with the First Madam’s words. It was customary for daughters to live separately from their fathers as they grew up, and the First Madam’s arrangement was perfectly normal. The only abnormality was that she already knew Ah Wu was going to return to the mansion with Third Master Rong, so why did she not simply have the servants move Ah Wu’s belongings to Yongtian Courtyard when they were moving them, making this a separate trip now?

It was clear that the First Madam’s idea was a spur-of-the-moment decision after seeing Ah Wu yesterday.

After leaving the Old Madam’s main room, the First Madam immediately began having people help Ah Wu move her things. Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong invited Ah Wu to sit in the garden.

In just over two years, Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong had matured considerably. At least Fourth Young Lady Rong had learned to hide the bitter, sharp jealousy in her eyes, and her words possessed the restraint befitting a noblewoman.

Fourth Young Lady Rong washed her hands in the blue-and-white porcelain basin carried by a maid, then picked up the teapot and poured hot water into the white porcelain teacups with magpie-themed designs on the tea tray on the table. This was a new tea ceremony that originated in the south over twenty years ago and had only recently become popular in the capital of the Great Xia Dynasty. It emphasized harmony, tranquility, purity, and solitude.

Modern people no longer drank compressed tea or frothy tea. Ten years after the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty, the founding Emperor officially issued an edict abolishing the tribute of compressed tea and changing the tea production system to loose-leaf tea. The way of loose-leaf tea, after decades of development and refinement by scholars, Confucian masters, tea connoisseurs, and poets in the south, gradually spread to the capital, completely replacing the previous dynasty’s tea-whisking and tea-tasting customs.

Seeing Fourth Young Lady Rong showing off her tea ceremony skills with such airs, Ah Wu took the tea and sipped it.

“Sixth Sister, what do you think of this tea? It’s Lion Peak Longjing from the south. The yield is so small each year that you cannot even get to taste it often. Auntie gave it to me last time.” Fourth Young Lady Rong’s words successfully changed Ah Wu’s impression of her. When Ah Wu first saw Fourth Young Lady Rong upon her return, she stood gracefully and quietly, possessing at least seven-tenths of Fifth Young Lady Rong’s refined air. Yet, her words now betrayed the impetuousness and rashness of her childhood.

“I have not congratulated Fourth Sister on her engagement yet,” Ah Wu said, setting down her teacup, standing up, and bowing respectfully to Fourth Young Lady Rong with both hands clasped.

Fourth Young Lady Rong’s face immediately lit up with smugness. She smiled and reached out to pull Ah Wu closer. “We sisters do not need such formalities.”

However, before Fourth Young Lady Rong could touch Ah Wu’s sleeve, she skillfully dodged. Ah Wu’s temperament had become increasingly eccentric; even Lady Cui could not touch her casually anymore.

After Ah Wu sat down, Fourth Young Lady Rong offered her a cup of tea. “I was young and ignorant before, and I may have been unkind to Sixth Sister. Please forgive me. Now we sisters are all grown up, and we will soon be going our separate ways. Aunt is right; we should support each other.”

Fourth Young Lady Rong’s words were well-chosen, and Fifth Young Lady Rong also picked up her cup. Ah Wu had long since learned to feign compliance. She drank the tea, but inwardly she thought to herself, “These two older sisters, when talking about supporting each other, both looked at me, but they did not exchange glances. It seems they both want to gain something from me.”

But what did Ah Wu possess that she could offer them? She was nothing more than a pretty face, something to use to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy. Ah Wu resolved to cut her losses quickly and decisively so this family would never try to use her for favors again.

“The scenery of Jiangnan is truly nourishing. Look at you, Sister; you’ve only been there for a little over two years, and you’ve already blossomed into such a beautiful young woman. It’s truly enviable. Sixth Sister, tell us about the seasons and scenery of Jiangnan. I really want to go too,” Fifth Young Lady Rong chimed in.

Ah Wu, naturally wanting to be friendly to her sisters, began to describe some unique customs of Jiangnan. A land of fish and rice, dotted with rivers and lakes, it was naturally different from the vast, arid north. She was quick-witted and eloquent; as she spoke, the beauty of Jiangnan unfolded before Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong like a scroll painting.

In truth, although Ah Wu had spent quite a while in Jiangnan, she had not had many opportunities to go out at first, and later, fearing trouble, she went out even less. Even when she did go out, it was only to accompany Lady Cui to large temples and monasteries. It would be more accurate to say that she heard and read about Jiangnan rather than actually seeing it.

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This time, Ah Wu returned to the capital with two large trunks full of ancient books. Third Master Rong was an educational official, and those who sought his favor were usually literati and refined gentlemen, whose gifts were mostly ancient books and paintings, which benefited Ah Wu greatly.

In the end, Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong clicked their tongues in admiration at the richness and beauty of Jiangnan, and the three of them warmed up, like tea being warmed in a cup.

“Sixth Sister is not young anymore. Has Third Aunt not found you a family in Jiangnan? Jiangnan is so beautiful; I say, staying there would make life worthwhile,” Fifth Young Lady Rong sighed.

Ah Wu’s brow twitched slightly. Compared to the rest of the family, Fifth Young Lady Rong was actually quite good. Although she had some ulterior motives, she was not exactly malicious. It was not easy for her to suggest that Ah Wu stay in Jiangnan.

Fourth Young Lady Rong glanced at Fifth Young Lady Rong and said, “What are you saying? No matter how good Jiangnan is, can it compare to the capital? Besides, Sixth Sister is so beautiful. Are any of those people in Jiangnan worthy of our Sixth Sister?” Fourth Young Lady Rong affectionately reached out to hold Ah Wu’s hand, but Ah Wu pulled away. A flicker of displeasure crossed Fourth Young Lady’s eyes, but she immediately put on a smile again. “If you ask me, even Consort Xiang in the palace cannot compare to our Sixth Sister’s beauty. Only a noblewoman in the palace is worthy of someone like Sixth Sister.”

Fourth Young Lady Rong abruptly changed the subject. “You know, last time the Imperial Consort visited her family, good heavens, the pomp and circumstance was simply breathtaking! It made every family in the capital green with envy. I heard that the pearl hanging from her forehead was as big as the Emperor’s face, and even her shoes were inlaid with thumb-sized luminous pearls, dazzlingly beautiful. Ah, if we girls could achieve that, our lives would not have been in vain, would not you say, Fifth Sister?”

Fifth Young Lady Rong hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Ah Wu looked at Fourth Young Lady Rong, then at Fifth Young Lady Rong. Did these two think she’d only grown taller and not smarter these past few years in Jiangnan? Hearing Fourth Young Lady Rong’s words, Ah Wu felt nauseous.

It seemed that from the Old Madam down, everyone in this household was utterly corrupt. The Longqing Emperor was Ah Wu’s uncle; just thinking about the Old Madam and her ilk’s intentions made Ah Wu want to kick that old hag and that shrewish First Madam to death.

Even disregarding the fact that Emperor Longqing was Ah Wu’s uncle, he was old enough to be her father, let alone given his declining health in recent years and prematurely gray hair. Judging by appearance alone, he looked almost as old as the Duke of Anguo. And yet, they dared to dream of sending Ah Wu into the cannibalistic harem of this half-buried old man.

Even with Ah Wu’s usually patient temper, she could not tolerate this and immediately retorted, “Oh, no wonder Fifth Sister has not been engaged yet. Is there a selection of palace ladies in the palace?”

The Emperors of the Great Xia Dynasty held a selection of palace ladies every three years, but it was not fixed. For example, in the later years of Emperor Longqing’s reign, selections were practically nonexistent. Ah Wu’s sudden mention of this was a sarcastic jab at Fifth Young Lady Rong for not entering the palace herself to become an imperial concubine.

Fifth Young Lady Rong’s expression immediately changed.

“If you ask me, since Fourth Sister envies the Imperial Consort, would it not be better to annul the engagement and beg the Empress to let you serve her in the palace? Then we will be counting on your support from now on,” Ah Wu said with a smile.

Fourth Young Lady Rong and Fifth Young Lady Rong were taken aback by Ah Wu’s blunt retort, which made them blush with embarrassment.

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Ah Wu’s usual way of dealing with people she disliked was this: with outspoken people, you just keep acting recklessly; but with those who both plot against you and pretend to be sisterly, you had to be a naive and straightforward older sister, saying whatever came to mind.

“I’ve had enough tea.” Ah Wu stood up. “Fourth Sister, but this tea of ​​yours is probably not genuine Lion Peak Longjing. It’s said that Longjing is the most famous tea in the world, and the finest Longjing comes from Lion Peak. With great fame comes many fakes. Lion Peak Longjing has a bright, emerald-green liquor and a fragrance as delicate as orchids, while your tea is slightly yellow and has a faint aroma. Do not believe everything you hear in the future.”

Ah Wu smoothed the creases in her dress, gave an elegant curtsy, and gracefully left.

Fourth Young Lady Rong was furious, her teeth chattering behind her.