Four Seasons Brocade – CH 143

Chapter 143 ☆、

After the carriage returned to the Prince Qi’s mansion, Ah Wu noticed that Chu Mao had seemed visibly displeased earlier, assuming he would turn back to Bingxue Forest. However, to her surprise, he followed her back to Yulan Hall.

Ah Wu went into the inner room, changed into her everyday clothes, and then came out. She saw Chu Mao standing by the multi-treasure pavilion, playing with the jade Pixiu that she loved to caress.

“Your Highness,” Ah Wu called out. She disliked anyone touching her favorite things, feeling as if they were made unclean by others. So Ah Wu went straight to Chu Mao and extended her hand to him.

Chu Mao turned around and saw Ah Wu wearing a slightly worn, pale yellow silk dress, a lake-green shawl, and a single white jade hairpin adorned with butterflies and flowers. Such simple clothes and accessories, on her, added an elegant and beautiful touch, as if a woman should dress simply like her, like a lotus emerging from water, unadorned.

Chu Mao felt as if a spring scene had unfolded before him. A tender yellow forsythia blossom lay askew on the newly thawed spring water, so delicate that even a slight breeze would send it fluttering into his palm, leaving a trail of water with a gentle pinch.

Ah Wu had expected Chu Mao to return the jade Pixiu to her, but instead of returning it, he grasped her hand, enveloping the exquisite jade Pixiu within his own.

Even the most oblivious and slow-witted Ah Wu sensed that something had subtly changed, perhaps Chu Mao’s obsession with cleanliness? Ah Wu’s heart pounded like lightning. She frantically tried to pull her hand away, but her skin, truly as smooth as jade, slipped. In her haste, the jade Pixiu fell to the ground, shattering with a crisp sound.

“Your Highness, this is my favorite thing,” Ah Wu said coquettishly. Actually, the jade Pixiu was only prized for its small, exquisite size and lustrous color, perfect for her small hands to hold; it was not really her favorite. Ah Wu just needed an excuse, an excuse to throw a tantrum.

Tong-Wen, who was serving outside, heard the sound of something breaking inside and quickly came in. Not daring to look up, she squatted down and carefully swept away the broken jade pieces.

Ah Wu stood to the side, glaring at Chu Mao, her expression conveying a defiant “If you do not settle this, I am not done with you” attitude.

“How about I make it up to you another day?” Chu Mao said gently.

Ah Wu pouted, hesitated for a moment, then nodded, indicating that she still harbored her dissatisfaction, but for now, this was the only option. Getting angry over such a trivial matter would not get her anywhere; it would only make her seem petty.

Ah Wu followed Chu Mao to the couch and sat down, but in her heart, she thought that the time was neither too early nor too late, still some time before dinner, but there did not seem to be enough time to do anything. Sitting there staring at Chu Mao like this made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

“Is your study ready?” Chu Mao asked.

Ah Wu’s eyes lit up. She thought Chu Mao knew how to make conversation. She nodded. “Before the New Year, Nanny Hao had someone come to take measurements and move the furniture over. It’s all set up. Would Your Highness like to come and take a look?”

“Very well,” Chu Mao said, rising to his feet.

Ah Wu hurriedly got up, intending to go out, but then heard Chu Mao say, “You should wear a cloak. Although it’s only a few steps, are you not a little chilly?”

Ah Wu blushed. She had not expected Chu Mao to be so thoughtful. Tong-Wen, who was on the other end, had already gone inside to fetch a peacock green satin cloak with gray squirrel fur lining for Ah Wu. She was about to drape it over Ah Wu when Chu Mao stopped her with a gesture.

Ah Wu stared blankly as Chu Mao took the cloak from Tong-Wen and personally draped it over her. Tong-Wen’s face was already beaming with a smile; she was waiting to tell Nanny Sang later, so the old nanny would not worry.

But Ah Wu’s heart was burning with anxiety. She roughly understood Chu Mao’s meaning but wanted to pretend she did not. What was this talk of marital duty, the union of yin and yang? Ah Wu wished she did not understand any of it.

“Come on, what are you daydreaming about?” Chu Mao said with a smile.

“Oh.” Ah Wu took two quick steps forward, forcing Chu Mao’s hand, which had been on her shoulder, to slip down.

Ah Wu’s study was located in the east wing of Yulan Hall. Inside, the plaque above the entrance read “Fengbu Ning Studio” ^{(Restless Wind Studio)}.

Chu Mao frowned. “Why such a name?”

The tree desired stillness, but the wind was restless; the child desired to care for their parents, but they were no longer there. Ah Wu’s parents were both alive; this name for the study was truly inauspicious. Chu Mao, however, had no idea of ​​Ah Wu’s inner turmoil.

“It’s meant to remind us to be prepared for danger even in times of peace,” Ah Wu said, unwilling to explain the real reason.

Ah Wu’s style was refined and ornate, unlike Chu Mao’s sparse and elegant style. Her study contained a couch with a white fox fur rug and four-colored embroidered peony cushions, her usual place to sit or lie.

Before Ah Wu could invite Chu Mao to sit down, she saw him walk to the large black lacquered painting table and look up at the “Counting Ducks” picture hanging on her wall. In winter, young ladies would hang “Nine-Nine Cold-Dispelling Pictures,” usually depicting plum blossoms, adding one petal each day until winter ended after eighty-one days. But Ah Wu’s picture was different; she painted one duck each day, each duck unique. Some were charming, some mischievous, some proud—it was clear she had countless ducks in her heart.

“You really like ducks,” Chu Mao said with a smile, remembering the embroidery Ah Wu had given him.

Ah Wu knew Chu Mao was mocking her. None of the gifts she’d given him had been worn; her hands had been soaked in milk countless times before they recovered.

At that moment, Ah Wu placed a heavy teacup on the painting table, her old and new grudges swirling within her. She could not help but blurt out, “I do not have any ‘Three Good Tea’ here, Your Highness, please forgive me.”

The purses and handkerchiefs she’d painstakingly sewn were buried at the bottom of her trunk, and that so-called “Three Good Tea” was called “Jin Yi” ^(Prosperity). She’d even identified the forgery of the “Spring Outing” painting and received no praise for it, yet this man had the audacity to hold her hand and want her to have his child.

Chu Mao’s smile deepened. He said, “I recognized Su Mao’s talent from humble beginnings.”

“Hmm?” Ah Wu was initially confused but quickly realized Chu Mao thought she was jealous—a truly unjust accusation. But the meaning behind Chu Mao’s words surprised Ah Wu. If she understood correctly, then Su Mao was likely Chu Mao’s person and also the mastermind behind Xu Bai Studio. This would explain why Su Mao, despite her humble origins, could manage such a large organization as Xu Bai Studio in the capital.

The fact that Su Mao was Chu Mao’s person did not surprise Ah Wu too much. Chu Mao had lofty ambitions; even when Ah Wu was young, she had been awestruck by the scale and depth of his schemes. To be honest, Ah Wu had long harbored suspicions about Xu Bai Studio.

What surprised Ah Wu today was that Chu Mao had so explicitly told her that “Su Mao is his person.” Ah Wu did not know if Chu Mao had truly opened his heart to her or if he was simply trying to prevent her from becoming jealous and ruining his grand plans.

While Ah Wu was lost in thought, Chu Mao had already reached her bookshelf. When she came to her senses, she saw Chu Mao flipping through a book. She went over to look and asked, “Does Your Highness also like Xi Mei?” Xi Mei was a stunningly beautiful woman, and her name contained the character for “plum,” so it was not surprising that she caught Chu Mao’s eye.

Ah Wu saw Chu Mao put Xi Mei’s Notes from the Southern Snow Studio back into the bookshelf, then turned his head and gave her a meaningful look. Although Ah Wu did not understand the meaning, it clearly carried a hint of detachment. Prince Qi’s interest in Ah Wu’s study seemed to vanish instantly; he stood there briefly before turning back to Yulan Hall.

After dinner, Chu Mao went to Bingxue Forest. Ah Wu, having bathed and freshened up, comfortably reclined on the bed, reading. Seeing Chu Mao enter, she smiled at him, then lowered her head back to the newly published storybook in her hands.

As was customary, Chu Mao should have gone to the bathing room by now, but Ah Wu had not heard any footsteps. Looking up, she saw Chu Mao standing by the bed, watching her.

Ah Wu, unsure how long he’d been watching her, quickly dropped her storybook and jumped out of bed. “Your Highness, would you like to call Wen-Mei and the others in to serve you?”

Chu Mao did not answer but looked at Ah Wu and raised his arms.

Ah Wu often did this gesture, usually when Zi-Shan and the others were helping her change. Ah Wu was momentarily confused, not understanding its meaning.

“There are too many maids in Yulan Hall. Considering their ages, release them,” Chu Mao said.

There were indeed too many maids in Yulan Hall, but the majority were the remaining eight maids, all of whom were not young. However, due to their sensitive status, Ah Wu could not easily dismiss them. Now, hearing Chu Mao’s words, she asked, “In terms of age, Your Highness, Yong-Mei and Yi-Mei should be married off. But Your Highness also needs familiar servants. What do you think…?”

Chu Mao said, “Keep two.” He then raised his arms.

This time, Ah Wu truly understood. Keeping only two maids meant that the majority of serving Chu Mao would fall on her shoulders. Ah Wu recalled the scene when Chu Mao needed eight maids to even enter the bathing room when she first married into the family, and it felt like a very long time had passed.

Ah Wu steeled herself and stepped forward to remove his belt and ornaments. She then reached for Chu Mao’s neck to unbutton his robes. Fortunately, they had spent more time together recently, and her initial nervousness had subsided; her fingers moved relatively steadily.

However, Chu Mao’s breath brushed against her face, slightly warm and damp. Ah Wu stepped back slightly, finally managing to remove Chu Mao’s outer garment. “I will call Wen-Mei and the others in to help His Highness bathe,” Ah Wu said, turning and leaving the inner room without waiting for Chu Mao’s reply.

When Chu Mao emerged, noticing his slightly damp hair, Ah Wu went to him again, offering to wind it. As soon as she got close, she coughed three times.

Chu Mao gave Ah Wu a cold glance, which sent a chill down her spine, but Ah Wu had no other choice but to resort to this tactic.

“Did you take your medicine? You seem a bit sicker.”

Ah Wu breathed a sigh of relief and said, “I am taking it. I do not know why; maybe it’s just too cold tonight. Your Highness, please rest here. I will stay in the gauze-draped room for the night, so I do not pass on my illness to you.”

Ah Wu felt flustered and uneasy under Chu Mao’s gaze, his eyes as bright as stars fixed on her. She lowered her head, not daring to look up, her hands twisting her handkerchief under her clothes.

“Go.”

Chu Mao’s voice was unreadable, and Ah Wu practically fled from his presence.