Four Seasons Brocade – CH 083

Chapter 83 ☆、

Gu Xihui was Tang Yin’s future sister-in-law, so getting close to her beforehand was understandable, but in previous years, Tang Yin had disliked associating with a pretentious, bookish woman like Gu Xihui.

Neither of the two beauties from the capital was Tang Yin’s type. Gu Xihui, born into a prestigious family and benefiting from the influence of Princess Fuhui, could look down on all the noble ladies in the capital, maintaining a distant and aloof demeanor. Tang Yin could not stand her sourness. As for Fifth Young Lady Rong, due to the actual situation of the Duke of Anguo’s Mansion, she always played the role of a confidante, socializing everywhere. While not exactly fawning, Tang Yin disliked her indiscriminate approach, trying to win over everyone, good or bad.

Today, the moment Ah Wu met Tang Yin, instead of the two sisters having a proper chat, her first words were to go greet Gu Xihui. Ah Wu could not help but be suspicious. “Starting to curry favor with your future sister-in-law so early?” Ah Wu teased.

“Go away.” Tang Yin glanced at her sideways. “There are only a few people here; everyone knows them. Why are you wearing a veil? Take it off quickly; do not act so petty.” Tang Yin was straightforward and frank, and Ah Wu’s self-important hat was seen as petty.

Ah Wu stopped and moved closer to Tang Yin. They were about the same height. Ah Wu lifted a corner of her veil, and Tang Yin was immediately stunned. It took her a moment to react. “You…you should still wear it. It’s really…” Tang Yin was, after all, the daughter of Minister Tang; how could she be so naive? Although initially stunned by Ah Wu’s breathtaking beauty, she quickly understood Ah Wu’s thoughts.

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Ah Wu followed Tang Yin to a shady spot by the Qujiang River. A brocade carpet lay on the ground, and Gu Xihui sat cross-legged there. A young man leaned against a tree beside her, exuding a noble air, yet cold and aloof, speaking to Gu Xihui. Ah Wu paused. That man was none other than her second brother from her previous life, Gu Tingyi.

Several years had passed. She had not expected her once-immature second brother to have grown so tall and imposing, his shoulders now bearing the weight of any storm. He was noble and handsome, and even with his aloof expression, several noble ladies had passed by him, their flirtatious glances flowing faster than the Qujiang River.

Hearing the tinkling of jade pendants and Tang Yin’s sweet “Sister Gu,” Gu Tingyi and Gu Xihui both turned around.

Ah Wu was startled by Tang Yin’s high-pitched “Sister Gu,” and Tang Yin pinched her from behind but maintained her sweet smile.

Ah Wu thought to herself, “You shameless Tang Yin, forgetting your friends for a pretty face.”

Ah Wu immediately realized that Tang Yin’s different attitude towards Gu Tingyi explained why she was so eager to please Gu Xihui. A sister-in-law’s status was hardly something a pampered younger sister should fawn over; Gu Xihui should be the one fawning over Tang Yin.

“Do not lift your hat,” Tang Yin whispered through gritted teeth in Ah Wu’s ear.

Ah Wu ignored Tang Yin, reaching under the brim of her hat to pull up the veil hanging by her ear and tuck it behind her other ear, then lifted the veil. Although the veil covered her face, at least her eyes were visible, and eyes were the source of the soul, so it did not really hinder conversation.

“Sister Gu, do you remember her? She’s Sister Xuan, the sixth young lady of the Duke of Anguo’s mansion,” Tang Yin introduced to Gu Xihui.

Gu Xihui smiled and nodded at Ah Wu, her gaze lingering on her veil for a moment. Ha, even more arrogant than her…

Ah Wu’s eyes crinkled as she explained, “I’ve had a rash these past few days, and I was afraid of scaring people.”

Gu Xihui nodded again. Her eyes then swept over Ah Wu’s skirt.

Ah Wu wore a simple, soft, moon-yellow silk ruqun, plain and without elaborate patterns or embroidery. Only a few silver tassels, forming a palm-width border of honeysuckle blossoms, adorned the hem. The outfit was both simple and unique, exuding an air of elegance; the thought behind it was truly admirable.

Gu Xihui thought the color of the ruqun was exquisite, like a moon-yellow flowing from the moon itself. When she learned it was called “Moon-Yellow,” she was filled with admiration. Upon learning that it was a new color from a shop called Four Seasons Brocade in the south, she immediately begged her mother to inquire if it was available in the capital. Finally, she learned there was a branch of Four Seasons Brocade in Jinkou, fulfilling her dream.

Of course, that’s a story for later; in the present, they naturally needed to keep the conversation lively. With Gu Tingyi present, Gu Xihui could not very well not introduce them, so she said, “Sister Yin, look at what you are saying; how could I not remember Sister Xuan?” They all shared a secret.

Then Gu Xihui turned to look at Gu Tingyi and said, “This is my second cousin. Sister Xuan might not recognize him since she just returned to the capital, but Sister Yin surely does.”

Tang Yin quickly nodded, curtsied to Gu Tingyi, and said shyly in a low voice, “Second Brother Gu.” Ah Wu naturally followed suit.

Gu Tingyi nodded. Even though Ah Wu had grown up and changed a lot, Gu Tingyi still recognized this young girl, the one who had visited their residence and reminded him so much of his deceased sister, Ah Wu. Years had passed since her death, and even the deepest feelings and vivid memories began to blur and fade, leaving only a faint melancholy.

But Ah Wu still gave Gu Tingyi a very good feeling. Standing tall and graceful, her beauty was captivating. Though her face was not visible, her eyes alone revealed her to be an absolute beauty.

After exchanging greetings, Gu Tingyi nodded to Gu Xihui and Ah Wu, saying, “I will go for a walk over there.” After all, they were all of an age where they should avoid suspicion, and even on a day of leisure, they could not be too inappropriate. Especially since Gu Tingyi was currently engaged, the Princess had repeatedly warned him before he left that he must not talk too much with the young ladies, lest he cause any trouble.

In the Princess’s words, the weather was getting warmer, and falling into the water would not be harmful. Even if he saw a young lady fall into the water, Gu Tingyi was absolutely forbidden from intervening; otherwise, he would be inviting trouble.

After Gu Tingyi left, Tang Yin chatted casually with Gu Xihui, but her eyes kept following Gu Tingyi’s figure. A look of melancholy crossed her face, a mixture of shyness and annoyance at the man’s lack of understanding of a woman’s feelings.

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Seeing Tang Yin’s expression, Ah Wu quickly took over the conversation, trying to attract Gu Xihui’s attention and prevent her from seeing Tang Yin’s appearance, and causing gossip that could damage Tang Yin’s reputation.

The topic naturally revolved around Four Seasons Brocade. Gu Xihui was currently preparing her dowry, and the satins and fabrics naturally had to be the most fashionable and exquisite so that the new bride would have face when displaying her dowry.

Ah Wu patiently explained to Gu Xihui in detail that the Four Seasons Brocade shop was located south of the Yangtze River, and she had never heard of any shops there in the capital. It was famous for its unique dyeing methods and innovative weaving techniques. She also mentioned their unique colors, such as shimmering moon yellow, smoky purple, and grape green, which not only attracted Gu Xihui’s attention but also drew Tang Yin’s attention.

But even the most lively topic eventually ran out. Fortunately, several other noble ladies came to greet them: the daughter of Princess Changqing, the Emperor’s half-sister, Princess Ruixian, and He Peizhen, the granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo.

After the group exchanged greetings, Ah Wu recounted her rash again. Upon hearing it was Ah Wu, He Peizhen pursed her lips and said, “If you have a rash, do not come out. It’s contagious.” Then she dramatically took a large step back. The grudge from her childhood had not faded; it was the first time He Peizhen had been so humiliated. Not only did her mother scold her, but even the noble ladies of the capital gave her scathing remarks. Fortunately, time had passed, but He Peizhen could not forget the discomfort.

Ah Wu pretended not to notice and, from an angle unseen by others, tugged at Tang Yin’s sleeve. Tang Yin naturally understood.

Meanwhile, Princess Herui was already chatting with Gu Xihui. “Cousin Hui, why are my cousins ​​not here?” Herui was closest to Gu Xihui; their mothers were sisters, and they often visited each other. Gu Xihui herself had two older brothers, Gu Tingzhen and Gu Tingsu, but Herui mentioned more than just these two cousins.

In his past life, Gu Tingyi married this Princess Herui. However, Princess Herui was excessively pampered by Princess Changqing and was not a suitable match for Gu Tingyi. She was always jealous and capricious, causing the deaths or injuries of Gu Tingyi’s concubines and maids. The two bickered for many years, and later Gu Tingyi almost never entered her house again.

Ah Wu turned to look at Tang Yin and felt that Tang Yin and Gu Tingyi were a better match. Since Tang Yin’s beloved was her second brother, Ah Wu gave up on trying to match the Fourth Prince and Tang Yin. Rescuing Gu Tingyi was the most urgent matter.

Although Princess Herui’s father, the Imperial Son-in-Law Xue, was incompetent, his father, Grand Secretary Xue, was the Second Grand Secretary. Princess Fuhui had used Gu Xihui to win over Grand Secretary Tang and then used the marriage between Gu Tingyi and Herui to win over Grand Secretary Xue—a truly painstaking strategy. Unfortunately, a married daughter was considered a “money-losing proposition.” She failed to win over Grand Secretary Tang and instead lost the Second Madam Tang. Grand Secretary Xue, however, was indeed used by the Princess, though his abilities were limited.

While Ah Wu was lost in thought, Herui had already steered the conversation towards Gu Tingyi. Tang Yin disliked Herui and He Peizhen and was about to leave, but upon hearing this topic, she could not bear to take another step.

“Sister Hui, I heard the Princess is planning to arrange a marriage for Second Brother Gu; is that right?” He Peizhen asked under Herui’s gaze. A young woman should not ask such a question, but He Peizhen was naturally frank. She had no interest in Gu Tingyi and, wanting to please Herui, asked anyway.

“This…” Gu Xihui did not expect He Peizhen to be so direct. She pondered for a moment how to phrase her words and then said, “I have not heard the Princess mention it, but my second cousin is getting on in years, so it’s probably time for him to get married.” Gu Xihui was one of the two beauties of the capital, so how could she not be clever? She had already seen through the thoughts of everyone present, but she really did not know who the Princess favored.

Seeing Gu Xihui’s perfunctory attitude, Herui pouted. He Peizhen wanted to ask more, but Gu Xihui immediately changed the subject. Tang Yin and Ah Wu stood up and said, “Let’s go for a walk somewhere else.”

Ah Wu followed Tang Yin, looking at her all the way, making Tang Yin stomp her feet. “Do not laugh at me!”

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Ah Wu quickly put on a serious expression and asked, “You like Second Brother Gu?”