Four Seasons Brocade – CH 126

Chapter 126 ☆、

Seeing Ah Wu about to leave, Zi-Shan suddenly remembered what Mei-Ying had said earlier: “Mei-Ying told me to tell the Princess that the Prince will not be returning to Yulan Hall tonight.”

“When did Mei-Ying tell you that?” Ah Wu asked.

“I met her when I went to the outer courtyard to find Steward Wu. She told me.”

Ah Wu thought about it. That meant Chu Mao’s not returning to Yulan Hall was not related to what happened that afternoon. So, he was concerned about last night’s events or something else entirely.

But the fact that she attacked Zi-Shan this afternoon, and then Chu Mao did not return to Yulan Hall, made it seem like Chu Mao was blaming her, too. No wonder Mei-Ying wanted to get involved.

Ah Wu analyzed the power dynamics within the household. Since she did not have the household stewardship, targeting Yulan Hall was not a power grab. But Ah Wu did not believe that if these people brought her down, they could become Princess Qi. A concubine might be promoted to the rank of principal wife, but it was absolutely impossible for Xiangsi and Mei-Ying. However, He Peizhen’s marriage to Chu Mao was not honorable, and Tao Siyao’s sickly figure made promotion impossible. So, was it all for Chu Mao’s “favor”?

Ah Wu thought about it and realized it was possible. Although she did not care about sharing a room or not, others might. However, despite Ah Wu’s indifference, she had a flaw—a huge flaw—that was, she would not allow anyone to take what others wanted from her, even if she disliked it intensely.

Besides, Chu Mao’s sincerity was quite useful to her.

The next day, Wu Hanyong arrived at the inner courtyard’s flower hall, wondering what the Princess wanted to see him for.

“Steward Wu, please sit. I have a matter I’d like to ask you for help with,” Ah Wu said, having a maid make tea for Wu Hanyong.

“You flatter me, Your Highness; please speak,” Wu Hanyong said humbly.

“I have a small estate in the suburbs of Shangjing as part of my dowry. It’s only about a hundred acres, with a small hill. It’s a shame to leave it there undeveloped. I’d like to grow some vegetables and fruits and raise some fish, shrimp, deer, and poultry. However, I have no one to rely on and no one who knows anything about these things. Steward Wu has been managing the Prince’s several estates in Shandong for years, so he should be quite familiar with these things. I’d like to ask Steward Wu to find someone to take a look at my estate, see what’s suitable to plant, and plan it out so that we can sow seeds next spring, avoiding another year’s delay.”

“That’s easy. I will have Bao Liang take a look. He’s a skilled farmer,” Wu Hanyong immediately agreed.

“Good. There’s also one of my maids’ quarters on that estate. I’d appreciate it if Steward Wu could have Bao Liang give them some pointers.”

Wu Hanyong agreed to everything.

Ah Wu was very satisfied. This estate would be quite useful to her, and she truly did not have anyone knowledgeable in this area to plan it out. Of course, she took this step for Chu Mao’s sake, to make it seem like she had no selfish motives. She was even willing to let the Prince’s Mansion help manage the estate included in her dowry; it seemed like a genuine act of kindness, Ah Wu thought.

For several days, Chu Mao did not return to Yulan Hall. Ah Wu was not in a hurry. She waited until the pair of socks she was working on was finished before going to the Bingxue Forest.

The Bingxue Forest was built of bamboo and wood, with two courtyards, surrounded by a low bamboo fence, draped with vines and fragrant creepers. In spring, it must be a lush green landscape. However, in autumn and winter, it appeared withered and bleak. She wondered why Chu Mao had not planted a few chrysanthemums to brighten the scene.

Ah Wu entered the courtyard but did not go inside. She handed the brocade box containing the socks to Li Yanguang, who would then give it to Chu Mao.

Li Yanguang entered the room and presented the box to Chu Mao, saying, “The Princess Consort delivered this personally.”

“Where is she?” Chu Mao asked.

“The Princess Consort has already left.”

Chu Mao opened the brocade box and saw the pair of duck-patterned socks that Ah Wu had embroidered that day. She was quite sensible; knowing he disliked disturbances, she had come and gone quietly.

Ah Wu was indeed sensible. He Peizhen and Tao Siyao had encountered countless setbacks in the Bingxue Forest, yet they still stumbled around like headless flies. Ah Wu had also figured it out: Chu Mao did not treat them differently because of their backgrounds. Indeed, for him, once the marriage was arranged, the kinship was established. Even if Chu Mao and their daughter did not get along, it would not prevent others from saying, “So-and-so’s daughter is his concubine,” when discussing their relationship.

That was enough. If the two families had ulterior motives, they certainly would not switch sides just because he was so close to their daughter. Chu Mao understood perfectly.

Since family background held no sway, it was all about individual ability. Ah Wu, who knew Chu Mao quite well, was well aware that he loathed women’s nagging. Back in the Forbidden City, he had kept all the concubines in check; no one dared to stage a chance encounter.

But if you did not go to him, he would not come to you. How could you cultivate a relationship? Ah Wu felt that learning needlework from Lady Cui back then was the right thing to do.

Wearing it felt good, warming your heart. That was Ah Wu’s thought.

In reality, Prince Qi did not like those duck socks at all. He was very picky about clothing, and his taste differed from Ah Wu’s. Ah Wu, however, confidently believed that no one could say no to the ducks she embroidered or painted.

When someone was too good at something, they’d inevitably become arrogant about it.

Ah Wu waited many days, but Chu Mao did not return to Yulan Hall. She felt a deep sense of disappointment, as if her sincerity had been betrayed.

Most people had blind spots. Ah Wu was not a saint, and naturally, she occasionally had her moments of eccentricity. Everyone who had received her embroidery in this life—such as Master Rong, Lady Cui, Rong Jie, and Rong Yin—was “almost moved to tears,” praising the exquisite stitches of Ah Wu’s work. Lady Cui was particularly impressed; she framed the first handkerchief Ah Wu had given her and would occasionally take it out to admire it.

From an artistic perspective, Lady Cui praised it, saying that the composition was vivid, full of spirit, lively, and interesting—a masterpiece unlike any before or since. Moreover, it was created by a girl of about ten years old, making it even more precious. This girl must be a celestial weaver descended to earth.

Although Lady Cui was exaggerating a bit, Ah Wu could distrust Lady Cui in other areas but not in matters of her own expertise—embroidery.

Thus, Ah Wu made the same mistake as He Peizhen and Tao Siyao. The latter felt that with their illustrious family background and outstanding looks, there was no reason for a normal man to reject them. Ah Wu, however, assumed that Chu Mao’s dislike of the duck-patterned socks she made was simply a matter of his lack of appreciation and taste. Ah Wu did not believe she could be sincere with someone who did not appreciate her ducks, so she decided to try to win Chu Mao over.

Or perhaps Chu Mao’s refusal to return to Yulan Hall was not because of the ducks, but because he was inherently aloof and ungrateful, hence his lack of reaction to the socks she sent. Ah Wu was not annoyed; she assumed it was due to a lack of sincerity. So, whatever the reason, Ah Wu decided to make more things to send.

Pouches, handkerchiefs, belts, and even undergarments.

Ah Wu thought that giving a purse was the best gift. It was said that young women who admired their husbands always gave purses; the other three gifts were not only troublesome but also too intimate. Ah Wu hoped to gain Chu Mao’s favor or even true affection without being overly clingy, like pinching his chin.

This time, Ah Wu put in extra effort. She first knelt before the small table and sketched a pattern before starting. She used the four seasons as inspiration, depicting different ducks for spring, summer, autumn, and winter—some vibrant with spring, some desolate in autumn, some treading on snow in winter, and some playing among lotus flowers in summer. The purses were decorated with pink, blue, yellow, and purple backgrounds, respectively.

Ah Wu worked on them by lamplight that night, her eyes red, hoping the maids would casually mention to Chu Mao that the Princess had stayed up all night to make them. And she truly did it; that was sincerity, not pretense.

Finally, Ah Wu finished making the Four Seasons Pouch and also gave him a duck-patterned handkerchief and a duck-patterned belt. She did not make a duck-patterned undergarment, as she did not know Chu Mao’s size. So, Ah Wu gave Chu Mao a duck-patterned lumbar pillow instead.

“Your Highness, the Princess Consort said that if you sit for a long time, you are bound to have back pain. A lumbar pillow will help relieve it,” Li Yanguang said, used to giving Ah Wu’s gifts.

In reality, Chu Mao had not been sitting for long, nor did he have back pain; it was Ah Wu who had the back pain.

Li Yanguang held the lumbar pillow in his hand. And you know what? The Princess Consort’s embroidery skills were truly superb. This lumbar pillow was simply gorgeous—a dark purple satin surface with a central embroidered pattern of ducks playing with fish on a lotus leaf background. The ducks were comical and adorable, so lifelike that one could not put it down.

It was just a pity that this one, like the previous ones, would have to be relegated to the bottom of a trunk, never to see the light of day again.

However, after giving away the lumbar pillow, Ah Wu did not expect to move Chu Mao. Unexpectedly, that night, Chu Mao suddenly returned to Yulan Hall.

At that moment, Ah Wu was sewing knee pads for Chu Mao under the lamplight. Thinking that the weather was cold and her knees would get chilly sitting, she naturally embroidered a duck pattern on the knee pads.

When Chu Mao walked in, this was the scene he saw. Ah Wu was wearing a light blue brocade jacket with gold-embroidered peonies and grey sable fur trim and a white skirt with a jade maiden offering a longevity symbol at the knees. Sitting quietly under the lamplight, she was as beautiful as jade. If only she were not embroidering a duck pattern, it would be perfect.

“Your Highness!” Ah Wu, who had been concentrating on her embroidery, suddenly looked up and realized Chu Mao had entered. Ah Wu was secretly pleased that she had not done anything wrong that day. What if Chu Mao had entered silently like this another day and witnessed something shameful? She would have to give that maid from Yulan Hall a good talking-to tomorrow.

Ah Wu stood up to greet him, and Chu Mao said, “Do not waste your eyes doing these things anymore. Just leave it to the maids. Besides, are there not embroiderers in the mansion?”

Chu Mao’s words were so considerate.

Ah Wu, of course, could not let him have all the credit and smiled, “How can I, as his wife, let someone else do what Your Highness uses?”

Chu Mao’s eye twitched almost imperceptibly, and he went to the bathing room. After he came out, Ah Wu had just finished stitching the knee pads. She walked over and held them out in front of Chu Mao. “Your Highness, would you like to try these knee pads? I need them for tomorrow’s court audience and the sacrificial ceremony.”

Chu Mao looked at the duck-shaped design and said expressionlessly, “I do not need knee pads.”