Four Seasons Brocade – CH 131

Chapter 131 ☆、

Ah Wu, barely managing to stay awake, had just dismissed the four when Zi-Yan came to the mansion to discuss the year’s profits from the shop. Lin Jingniang also asked Zi-Yan to deliver a message that Ah Wu would see her the next day. After all the commotion, it was nearly dinnertime.

Ah Wu glanced at the sky and said, “The accounts are almost settled. Tell Zi-Zhui to prepare dinner. The Prince should be back by now.” Chu Mao had one good quality: whether he returned to Yulan Hall or not, he always sent someone to inform Ah Wu, so Ah Wu would not wait in vain. He had not sent anyone this time, so Ah Wu assumed he was coming back, hence her instruction.

Because of this year’s bountiful income, Ah Wu was in high spirits. Around dinnertime, she even had Zi-Zhui prepare a pot of “Warm Spring” wine to accompany the dishes. However, by three-quarters past the hour of You ^{(5-7 PM)}, Chu Mao still had not appeared. Instead, Mei-Ying and Mei-Meng arrived at Yulan Hall with Nanny Lu.

Behind Nanny Lu followed two rough-looking women, and under her arm she carried a disheveled woman, her clothes slumped. Ah Wu did not recognize her at first, until she heard Zi-Shan exclaim, “Qin-Mei!”

Qin-Mei was one of the bedmaids Ah Wu had prepared for Chu Mao when she married into the family. However, no one had expected that Chu Mao had no intention of taking bedmaids, so the four beauties Ah Wu had prepared were naturally useless, kept idle in the back courtyard, and she had not paid them any attention.

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Ah Wu sat on the couch, glancing indifferently at Nanny Lu. “Nanny Lu, what’s going on?”

Nanny Lu, her face stern, glared at Qin-Mei and said, “This little harlot is not content with being alone and always dressed so alluringly, trying to seduce men. Today, she actually dared to take advantage of an opportunity to disturb the Prince’s peace in Bingxue Forest. The Prince ordered this old servant to bring her back to the Princess for punishment.”

Zi-Shan’s eyes widened, wishing she could devour Qin-Mei. Her mistress was already struggling in this mansion; she never expected this harlot to dare seduce the Prince. Now, her attempt to steal a chicken had backfired, and she had even implicated her own Princess.

Ah Wu, however, did not feel much. Back then, there were hundreds of palace maids in the harem, and many wanted to seduce Chu Mao, but his guards were strict, and none could get close to him. She just never expected Qin-Mei to actually barge into Bingxue Forest today. There was something fishy going on here; Ah Wu would not believe it even if you beat her to death.

Ah Wu looked at Mei-Ying and Mei-Meng again and asked, “What brings you two here?”

Mei-Ying stepped forward with her head bowed and replied, “His Highness sent me to inform the Princess that he will not be returning to Yulan Hall tonight.”

“I see. Go on.” Ah Wu had no liking for these two maids who had come to watch the commotion.

Mei-Ying and Mei-Meng, seeing that Ah Wu had spoken, knew they had no reason to stay at Yulan Hall any longer and could only curtsy and take their leave.

After the two left, Ah Wu turned to Nanny Lu and said, “Since this girl has offended the Prince, please find a matchmaker to sell her off.”

Qin-Mei collapsed limply to the ground, pleading, “Please, Your Highness, have mercy! Please, Your Highness, have mercy! This servant will never dare to do it again!”

Ah Wu also loathed these girls who climbed into bed. Although they were bought to be used by Chu Mao, climbing into bed without their master’s permission was a different matter. Therefore, she ignored Qin-Mei’s pleas and flicked her sleeve, saying, “Take her away.”

Nanny Lu handed the girl over to Ah Wu and then took her leave to return to Hongyao Villa.

“Your Highness, is the Prince angry with us?” Zi-Shan asked anxiously.

“Even if they are angry, do not worry. It’s not entirely our fault. He’s naturally attractive; how can he blame me? Besides, do you think Bingxue Forest is so easy to enter? Could Qin-Mei, with her meager skills, have broken in and offended the Prince?” Ah Wu sneered. “These people brought this on themselves, so they cannot blame me.”

Zi-Shan, being intelligent, immediately understood Ah Wu’s meaning. “Then what benefit do they get from doing this?” Zi-Shan gestured with her chin towards Bingxue Forest. Mei-Ying and the others were maids from Bingxue Forest; with them stirring things up, it was not surprising that Qin-Mei was able to break in.

To be honest, Ah Wu could not understand what benefit Mei-Ying and the others could gain. Even if Chu Mao disliked her as his principal wife, did they really think he would take a liking to the two Meis or Xiangsi?

Ah Wu, however, had no idea what Mei-Ying and the others were thinking. Consumed by burning jealousy, they cared nothing for personal gain; they simply could not bear to see Chu Mao treat any other woman well. Now that Chu Mao was staying at Yulan Hall for extended periods, Mei-Ying and Mei-Meng were tormented daily. Yesterday at Yulan Hall, he even refused to let them serve him. How could the two not be anxious?

That night, Ah Wu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Although she herself did not think Qin-Mei’s matter was a big deal—back in the Rong Mansion, even with her strict control, there were still fearless maids trying to seduce Rong Jie, Rong Yin, and even Master Rong—it was not a serious matter. But Chu Mao’s peculiar habits made Ah Wu unsure if he would blame her. Yet, she could not afford to lose in this matter. With the day of reckoning drawing ever closer, how could she not be anxious?

Therefore, early the next morning, after dealing with Tao Siyao and the other four, Ah Wu had Zi-Shan inquire about Chu Mao’s whereabouts, and then donned her cloak and went to Bingxue Forest.

Last night, it snowed heavily again. Ah Wu’s suede boots rustled on the snow, and the cold air outside made her nose red. Even with a hand warmer tucked into her arms, she could not ward off the chill.

“Your Highness, why not take a bamboo palanquin?” Zi-Shan suggested.

Ah Wu shook her head. This trip was meant to be a test and an apology; only by going there in person could she show sincerity. However, upon arriving at Bingxue Forest, she heard from the gatekeeper that Chu Mao had just gone to Xu Xian Hall.

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Xu Xian Hall was where Chu Mao usually received guests, and Ah Wu found it inconvenient to go there. She asked, “Would it be convenient for me to go in and wait for the Prince?”

“Please forgive me, Your Highness, but no one is allowed to enter Bingxue Forest without the Prince’s permission,” the eunuch replied gently, clearly not intending to make things difficult for Ah Wu.

However, there was not even a place to sit around, and Ah Wu was the type who could not give up halfway through a task. She turned to Zi-Shan and said, “Go to Xu Xian Hall and tell the Prince I am waiting for him at Bingxue Forest.”

Zi-Shan wanted to persuade Ah Wu to go back and rest and come back after Chu Mao returned to Bingxue Forest, but hearing her mistress’s words, she knew she could not change her mind, so she hurried off to Xu Xian Hall.

The eunuch Lu Ruoxing led Ah Wu and her party to a large tree nearby. “Your Highness, please wait here; it will provide some shelter from the wind.”

Ah Wu nodded. “You go ahead; I will stay here for a while.” Ah Wu did not dare to be too arrogant towards this eunuch who served Chu Mao so closely; as the saying goes, it’s not the gentleman you should fear, but the petty person.

How could Lu Ruoxing dare to go? After all, the Princess was the mistress of the household. He simply served her cautiously from the side. Ah Wu thought to herself, “No wonder Chu Mao uses him.”

Ah Wu stood there for a moment, feeling a bit cold. She stamped her feet and looked down at the stone table under the tree, covered in snow. She could vaguely make out a chessboard beneath the snow. Bored, Ah Wu asked Chi-Jin, who had come with her, to fetch a small twig. She gently brushed away the snow, revealing the chessboard.

It was an unfinished game of Weiqi. The host played white, the guest black. White’s group had grown into a large, powerful group, while Black’s position was weak and on the verge of collapse. On a whim, Ah Wu picked up a black stone from the nearby bowl, pondering how to turn the tide.

The bowls on the stone table were also carved from rough stone, and the weiqi stones themselves were naturally designed, giving it a rustic feel. Ah Wu did not sit down but stood by the table, stamping her feet as she placed a stone. Then she moved to the host’s seat and began playing against herself, thoroughly enjoying herself, unaware of when Chu Mao returned.

“If Elder Shen knew that someone had solved this game and that it was my Princess Consort, he’d probably vomit blood,” Chu Mao’s voice rang out on Ah Wu’s shoulder, startling her. She inwardly resented that this person walked so silently.

Actually, Ah Wu had completely misunderstood Chu Mao; she was simply too engrossed in her game to hear anyone approaching.

“Your Highness,” Ah Wu said, her tone tinged with a hint of coquettishness.

Seeing Ah Wu’s fingers were red from the cold, Chu Mao said, “Let’s go inside and talk.”

Ah Wu nodded and followed Chu Mao inside. “Who is this Elder Shen that Your Highness mentioned earlier? Why would he vomit blood after I solved this Weiqi game?” Ah Wu asked curiously, taking in the furnishings of Bingxue Forest as she spoke.

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Bingxue Forest differed from the opulence of Yulan Hall and even from Chu Mao’s usual exquisite and luxurious attire. Instead, it possessed a serene and ethereal quality, like the imagery of a lotus just emerging from the water.

A plaque hung in the center, bearing the three characters “Bingxue Forest,” and the couplet read, “Embracing the past and present, entrusting a deep heart to ink and paper.” This couplet revealed a clear and insightful mind, possessing a unique and elegant charm.

Looking inside the hall, a low couch was set up for resting, with a small table on it and a ruyi scepter. In the corner stood a sweet white vase with a subtle lotus scroll design, containing a bunch of winter plum blossoms, their fragrance wafting through the air.

To the left, a brightly lit cabinet divided the space, displaying porcelain vases, jade carvings, and book boxes. Around it, in the center, was a large table with writing brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone, along with book weights. From frequent polishing, the table gleamed. Beside the table was a small couch, and beside it, a small stone table with teaware. A hanging vase and an ancient zither adorned the wall, the furnishings exuding a refined antique elegance.

Chu Mao untied his cloak and handed it to Ah Wu. Ah Wu clutched the garment, unsure what to do, but fortunately, Li Yanguang had followed and took it from her.

“Elder Shen is one of my advisors. He has long wanted to enter this Bingxue Forest. I set up a puzzle on that stone table and told him that I would invite him in when he solves it,” Chu Mao said at length. Ah Wu, who had been holding her breath, finally relaxed. It seemed His Highness was in a good mood.

Ah Wu, unable to resist pushing her luck, said, “Then, Your Highness, why not set up another puzzle outside the Shuangjian Tower? If I can solve it, can I go in and take a look?”