Four Seasons Brocade – CH 108

Chapter 108 ☆、

To Ah Wu’s surprise, she slept incredibly soundly that night, so much so that when Mei-Ying’s voice sounded from outside the screen, Ah Wu was still fast asleep.

A soft “hmm” came from inside, and Mei-Ying and Mei-Meng led two rows of maids in, lifting the curtains on either side. Chu Mao, already seated on the bed, glanced down at the motionless Ah Wu sleeping on the outer side.

The custom of sleeping for couples in the Great Xia Dynasty was that the husband slept inside, and the wife outside. This meant that if the husband needed water or something similar, the wife would get up to pour him tea, making it more convenient for them to sleep. Furthermore, if a thief or murderer were to enter the house, the first to be killed would be the woman, who was considered worthless.

The imperial family followed this rule as well. Therefore, Ah Wu blocked Chu Mao’s path to get up. As a prince, Chu Mao naturally could not do something so undignified as to climb over his wife; going around to the foot of the bed before getting up would also appear like a lack of marital authority.

Mei-Ying had served Chu Mao for eight years, having been by his side since she was twelve. Now twenty, although Ah Wu saw her as fifteen or sixteen, she was in fact an old maid. The old maid’s mind was sharp, and she understood every glance from her master. She picked up the golden bell she had prepared and placed it beside Princess Qi’s ear.

Mei-Ying looked up at Chu Mao; Chu Mao remained expressionless, seemingly without objection.

A series of ringing sounds, like a summoning bell, rang in Ah Wu’s ears, startling her awake. “What is it?” she asked.

“Your Highness, it’s time to get up,” Mei-Ying said, standing with her head bowed.

Ah Wu had already noticed that Chu Mao was awake and sitting up, looking at her. Ah Wu quickly pulled her legs back to her chest, looking into Chu Mao’s eyes to signal him to move on.

Chu Mao’s eyes were unfathomable; Ah Wu could only guess that he was probably a little unhappy.

Chu Mao did not move.

Ah Wu then heard Mei-Ying say, “Please, Your Highness, change your clothes.”

Ah Wu suddenly realized that this meant she should get up too. As she threw back the covers, Ah Wu casually asked, “What time is it?” She wondered why Zi-Shan and the others had not come in to help her wash and dress.

“The first quarter of the Yin hour ^{(3-5 AM)},” Mei-Meng replied.

Ah Wu, having just put on her shoes and straightened up, nearly sat back down upon hearing this. “What?” Ah Wu thought she had misheard. Even for court, one would not need to get up at this hour, especially since the prince’s wedding granted a ten-day leave, exempting him from court. Although she was to enter the palace to meet the Emperor today, it was still at Chen hour ^{(7-9 AM)}.

“The first quarter of Yin hour,” Mei-Meng replied again, then curtsied to Ah Wu and followed Chu Mao, who had gotten out of bed, to the washroom to serve him.

Ah Wu’s face paled even more. Could it be that she would have to get up at this time from now on? Although she would not have to help Chu Mao dress, judging from his expression, she would definitely have to get out of bed and make room for him.

While Ah Wu sat on the bed in a daze, Chu Mao had already dressed and came out, his hair tied with a golden crown, wearing a narrow-sleeved short-sleeved shirt with a dark purple waistband and black-dyed trousers. Chu Mao glanced at Ah Wu.

After Chu Mao and his group left, Zi-Shan and the other three, along with Nanny Sang, cautiously entered.

“Why are you only arriving now?” Ah Wu frowned. Zi-Shan had been on night duty last night; seeing Mei-Ying and the others enter, they should not have been so late.

Zi-Shan pouted. “That Mei-Ying would not let us in, saying the Prince does not like seeing outsiders when he wakes up. We could only come in after the Prince left.”

Ah Wu knew Zi-Shan was complaining, trying to get her to stand up for her, but Ah Wu was indeed angry. This Mei-Ying, though of low status, had quite the airs. Although she had been polite to her, her eyes were practically on top of her head, and her arrogance made one want to smash her head to pieces.

“Mei-Ying also said that this room requires the servants to dust it three times a day, and the floor tiles must be wiped on their knees three times a day. The courtyard outside also needs to be washed with water every day. Otherwise, the prince will not come in,” Tong-Wen added.

Ah Wu glanced at the composed Zi-Zhui and Tong-Guan, both of whom wore expressions of resentment. Ah Wu thought to herself, “This Mei-Ying is truly capable; she’s managed to offend all my maids at once.”

However, this was not the time to settle scores. Ah Wu was still completely clueless about the situation in the mansion.

“Eh?” It was Nanny Sang who spoke. Nanny Sang did not usually serve Ah Wu; Ah Wu preferred to use unmarried maids. But since she was now a married woman, she needed an experienced nanny to guide her, which was why she had Nanny Sang serve her for a few days.

Ah Wu turned her head and followed Nanny Sang’s gaze. The bedding on the bed had been changed and was neatly arranged.

Nanny Sang asked anxiously, “Miss, where’s the white silk cloth?” This time, Nanny Sang was in a hurry, and the word “Miss” slipped out naturally.

“What white…” Ah Wu’s voice trailed off. She suddenly remembered what her nanny had told her before her marriage: a woman’s first time must result in blood; only then did she signify her transition from a girl to a woman. If she did not bleed, it was considered unchastity, and the new bride would be sent back to her parents’ home.

However, the Emperor’s wives were chosen by his own decree, regardless of their chastity; there was never a case of a new bride being sent back. And in the imperial family, the one checking the white silk cloth was not the mother-in-law, but a eunuch sent by the Empress.

Nanny Sang was anxious, but Ah Wu calmly said, “Do not worry, the prince will handle it.” Not bleeding was not her fault; she did not need to worry about it.

She did not know how Chu Mao handled it, but no one had ever bothered Ah Wu about the bleeding.

Ah Wu could not sleep now, so she went to the bathroom to take a bath. The washroom in Yulan Hall was enormous, consisting of three rooms separated by beaded curtains and screens. Hot water was available all day, which was very convenient.

The bathtub was a large, round basin with camphor wood hoops, over a meter long at its widest point. Ah Wu comfortably rested her head on the rim of the basin; this tub was also part of her dowry. Chu Mao’s bathtub was placed beside hers.

Ah Wu’s mind was racing as she stared at a large water bag hanging above the washroom, large enough to hold a person. It had a woven rattan exterior and looked quite pretty. After a moment’s thought, Ah Wu got up and went over, examining it closely before unscrewing the protruding stopper.

Warm water gushed out. Ah Wu gasped and jumped back, realizing it was also for bathing. This method was quite novel, just like the blue-and-white porcelain tub in the other room, which Ah Wu found intriguing. The blue-and-white porcelain bucket was a convenient tool; after use, pulling the rope hanging down would flush away the waste. When not in use, the camphor wood lid kept it odorless, making it impossible to tell the room’s purpose.

After applying her full makeup, Ah Wu subtly concealed the dark circles under her eyes and added a touch of lip rouge, making her look radiant. Ah Wu boarded the carriage and looked up to see Chu Mao already seated in the main seat, resting with his eyes closed. Hearing Ah Wu get in, he opened his eyes to look at her.

Li Yanguang, who was serving nearby, hesitated for a moment before bowing to Ah Wu, then secretly glanced at Chu Mao, fearing his master’s displeasure. Fortunately, he had no powerful connections; otherwise, he would have had no choice but to apologize.

Ah Wu nodded and sat down at Chu Mao’s side. The maids, including Zi-Shan, were not allowed in the carriage.

“Your Highness, please come this way. His Majesty is in the Qian Yuan Hall,” a eunuch guided the way.

Although Chu Mao’s expression remained unchanged, Ah Wu could still tell from the slight shift in his gait that Chu Mao was somewhat surprised—surprised that His Majesty the Emperor would actually grant him an audience.

In her previous life, although Ah Wu was physically weak and rarely visited the palace, she had been repeatedly taught all the proper etiquette. Kneeling, kowtowing, and rising were performed flawlessly. Most importantly, she maintained a calm and composed demeanor, just as if she were greeting an ordinary elder at home, only more respectful.

The Qian Yuan Hall was a vast and deep palace, with a majestic dragon throne. The furnishings amplified the Emperor’s aura tenfold, a hundredfold. The person seated in bright yellow robes, with a solemn expression, inspired even greater awe. Few people meeting the Emperor for the first time were as composed and poised as Ah Wu, especially women.

Even the Longqing Emperor on the throne narrowed his eyes, showing a hint of surprise upon seeing Ah Wu; he had not expected her to be so outstanding. The Longqing Emperor asked Ah Wu a few more questions, which she answered politely, her voice without a tremor.

As usual, the Emperor bestowed gifts and then said, “Go and see the Empress and the Imperial Concubine.”

There was almost no exchange between father and son. Chu Mao led Ah Wu out of the Qian Yuan Hall after another bow. As soon as they stepped outside, Chu Mao turned and scrutinized Ah Wu.

Ah Wu knew what he was looking at, but she could not appear timid. Since there was nothing to hide, she returned Chu Mao’s gaze, letting him look at her.

“Your Highness, quite bold,” Chu Mao smiled.

Ah Wu was momentarily stunned by Chu Mao’s smile, thinking he was indeed quite handsome, especially when he smiled.

The two arrived at the Empress’s Kunming Palace, where Empress Tian and Imperial Concubine Xiang were both present. Given Consort Xiang’s status and the need for avoidance, it was not proper for a prince to pay respects at her palace. Therefore, she arrived at Empress Tian’s Kunming Palace early in the morning.

After exchanging greetings, Empress Tian, ​​beaming with delight, took Ah Wu’s hand and exclaimed, “What a beautiful new bride! There’s practically no one in this palace who can compare to you!”

Ah Wu’s smile froze, barely suppressing the urge to pull her hand away. For a moment, she somewhat understood why Chu Mao had ultimately rebelled. She disliked people constantly holding her hand and talking to her, and she could not simply walk away.

Empress Tian’s words successfully sowed discord between Consort Xiang and Prince Qi.

Consort Xiang had always been proud of her beauty, claiming and even considering herself the most beautiful woman in the Great Xia Dynasty. Otherwise, how could someone like her, a mere “tofu-brain beauty,” have reached her current position? But today, upon seeing Ah Wu, Consort Xiang’s eyes twitched. Normally, no matter how many women Empress Tian praised for their beauty, Consort Xiang remained unmoved; it was obvious to everyone who was truly beautiful. However, today Consort Xiang could not maintain her composure any longer, forcing a stiff smile. “Indeed,” she said, “youth is truly wonderful.” Then, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she giggled and raised an eyebrow at Chu Mao, saying, “The Fourth Prince is truly blessed.”

It must be said that although Consort Xiang was in her thirties and had fine lines around her eyes, she did not look bad at all, making such youthful gestures.

Chu Mao’s lips curled slightly; his lips naturally had a slight upturn, making him look very charming.

Empress Tian spoke to Ah Wu for several more minutes before releasing her hand. She and Consort Xiang both bestowed gifts upon the newlyweds.

The same specifications, the same value. These two were always vying for attention, which in itself revealed Empress Tian’s weakness.