Four Seasons Brocade – CH 168

Chapter 168 ☆、

Ah Wu was somewhat timid and dared not enter Lady Cui’s courtyard. She only lingered at the gate, trying to reassure herself that even if Chu Mao had lost his mind, he would not go and discuss his wife’s private affairs with his mother-in-law, would he?

But then Ah Wu thought, what could Chu Mao and Lady Cui possibly need to discuss in private, something even Lady Cui’s maid, Nanny Li, could not hear? It could not possibly be discussing important military or political matters or poetry, could it? The more Ah Wu thought about it, the more anxious she became. Or perhaps Chu Mao had come to complain, saying she was not virtuous enough? Ah Wu could not find a better reason to comfort herself.

Ah Wu paced anxiously at the courtyard gate. Hearing a noise inside, she ran and jumped to hide to the side, only hurrying inside after Chu Mao left Lady Cui’s courtyard.

Meanwhile, Lady Cui sat motionless in the east-side room of her main house, her mouth still agape, having even forgotten to rise and respectfully see Prince Qi off. If she could, Lady Cui would have loved to pin Ah Wu down on her lap and give her a good spanking.

Ah Wu took a deep breath, trying to appear calm, before entering Lady Cui’s room. “Madam, I just came over, and I saw His Highness’s figure in the distance?”

Lady Cui’s expression towards Ah Wu was clearly unfriendly. Seeing that Ah Wu was clearly very concerned, yet feigning ignorance and beating around the bush, Lady Cui was furious. She had been talking until her throat was dry, and Ah Wu had only nodded in response, but privately… Lady Cui was so angry that her head and stomach ached. She said to Ah Wu in a sarcastic tone, “You are mistaken. Why would the Fourth Prince come to my courtyard?”

Ah Wu’s heart skipped a beat. She shamelessly stepped forward… “Why does Madam look so pale? Did His Highness speak ill of me to you? Do not be alarmed. I am the Emperor’s chosen daughter-in-law; he cannot divorce me.”

Lady Cui was utterly enraged by Ah Wu. Looking around, she realized she had nothing at hand, so she resorted to hitting Ah Wu with her bare hands. “I will teach you a lesson for being so arrogant! I will teach you a lesson for being so arrogant! He cannot divorce you, can he? You can not…”

Ah Wu dodged left and right but dared not completely evade. She had to let Lady Cui vent her anger. Lady Cui was now hitting hard; Ah Wu’s arm was definitely red from being pinched.

“Good Madam, good Madam, please forgive me this time! What did His Highness say to you?” Ah Wu asked obsequiously, seeing that Lady Cui had calmed down.

“The Fourth Prince has not been here, so how can he speak to me? Even though I am his mother-in-law, there’s no reason for a mother-in-law to meet her son-in-law in private. Whose gossip are you listening to?” Lady Cui was completely unyielding. No matter how much Ah Wu pleaded and acted coquettishly, she insisted that Chu Mao had not come.

Ah Wu inwardly resented her for blatantly lying. “Madam, I clearly saw him! Nanny Li and the others were all standing in the courtyard,” Ah Wu said, feeling wronged.

Lady Cui slammed her hand on the table with a loud “bang,” startling Ah Wu. “What nonsense are you spouting? What kind of mother-in-law meets her son-in-law in private? What shameful thing have you done to deserve this?” Lady Cui’s spittle almost splattered onto Ah Wu’s face.

Ah Wu was helpless against the enraged Lady Cui and could only leave Lady Cui’s courtyard, utterly humiliated.

After Ah Wu left, Lady Cui threw herself onto the bed and cried, “Heavens above, what sins have I committed…”

Even after Ah Wu left the Rong Mansion and the Master Rong personally returned to comfort Lady Cui, she could not recover. She spent the entire night like a lost soul, and her hatred for Master Rong intensified. She even forced him to sleep in the study, and the way she looked at him made him weak in the knees, wondering what he had done to deserve this.

Master Rong was completely bewildered, having no idea what had happened. But this was not the only thing puzzling him today. Prince Qi, who usually held him in high esteem as his teacher, was now looking at him with a gloomy, cold gaze, making Master Rong feel uneasy.

Meanwhile, Lady Cui lay alone in bed, still pondering what the Fourth Prince had said to her privately that day.

“We’ve been married for so long, yet we have not even consummated our marriage. Even the slightest intimacy makes her vomit.”

Lady Cui was utterly dumbfounded. Although she knew Ah Wu had a strange personality, disliking being touched and refusing to be bathed, she had not expected it to be this serious.

Lady Cui had initially tried to gloss over Ah Wu’s peculiarities, but Prince Qi’s repeated questioning, coupled with the fear she felt at the thought of his gaze, finally led her to confess everything.

Even with Ah Wu’s exceptional intelligence, she probably could not have learned what Lady Cui had told Chu Mao. She thought she had gotten away with what happened back then without anyone noticing, but unfortunately, one should not be too arrogant.

Although Ah Wu somewhat looked down on Lady Cui’s methods of managing the household, Lady Cui, not Ah Wu, was still the mistress of the third courtyard back then. That morning, Ah Wu suddenly fell seriously ill. Would Lady Cui, who loved her daughter dearly, not be furious and want to find out the cause?

Or perhaps Ah Wu had a guilty conscience and was hoping to deceive herself, thinking that no one would know her embarrassing secret.

Lady Cui blamed Master Rong for his lack of self-cultivation and virtue, and also blamed Ah Wu for being so easily frightened. She had no one to confide in. The Fourth Prince wanted Ah Wu not to know the content of their conversation to avoid putting pressure on her, but Lady Cui was not one to keep secrets. She could not bring herself to speak of this matter and had no one to discuss it with, which troubled her greatly.

Meanwhile, on the way back to the Prince’s Mansion, Ah Wu secretly glanced at Prince Qi more than thirty times, but he remained completely unresponsive, his brows furrowed the entire way, his expression so serious it was as if he were preparing for a rebellion.

“Your Highness,” Ah Wu finally could not help but call out.

But Chu Mao simply waved his hand, indicating that she should be quiet.

Back at Yulan Hall, Ah Wu’s heart felt like it had been burned by fire and then chilled by ice; she felt unbearably itchy all over, all because Lady Cui and Chu Mao were so secretive about their private conversations.

While Ah Wu was anxious and frustrated, Chu Mao remained as calm as a still lake. Although he still returned to Yulan Hall for dinner every day, he no longer stayed overnight, and he did not even touch Ah Wu’s hand anymore. The two could truly be described as “treating each other with the utmost respect.”

At the end of the second month, the tender buds on the trees were a lovely yellow-green, instantly uplifting the mood. Ah Wu had been longing for spring for a long time; what she hated most was the cold, gloomy winter, with its constant howling winds and icy snowflakes that stung her face.

“Your Highness, the Prince is almost in the courtyard.” Zi-Shan entered, lifting the thick blue velvet curtain.

Ah Wu glanced at the sky. “So early today?” Ah Wu lazily sat up, put on her shoes, and got out of bed.

A series of greetings came from outside, and Chu Mao entered, handing Ah Wu a box. Ah Wu took it and opened the lid. She had not held out much hope; in recent days, Prince Qi had already given her many things: a jade pen holder, a lotus leaf brush rest, a green peach-shaped water container, Cheng’s brocade ink, and today’s corner-patterned stationery.

Ah Wu laid out a set of eight “Eight Horses” stationery sheets, examining them closely. “This does not seem like something from outside,” Ah Wu said hesitantly. The horses on this set were depicted in various poses—galloping, leaping, walking slowly, playing, or rolling in the dust. The painting technique was superb; the artist’s thought was meticulous. It was clearly not something an ordinary person could paint. However, if it were a reproduction of famous paintings from various dynasties, Ah Wu could not recall any of them.

“Oh, then tell me,” Chu Mao said, seemingly quite interested, sitting down opposite Ah Wu.

“The person who painted these horses must have known, understood, and loved horses. Their skill was extraordinary; not only in today’s art, but even in the past, it would be difficult to reach their level. It’s truly a pity that such artistry is used on decorative stationery,” Ah Wu said, shaking her head.

“I do not think it’s a pity, as long as someone appreciates it,” Chu Mao said with a smile.

“Did His Highness make this?” Ah Wu asked in surprise.

“Did you not already guess? It’s impressive that you came up with so many flattering words.”

Ah Wu wrinkled her nose and said coquettishly, “I am telling the truth. But Your Highness is so busy; how do you find time to draw on paper?”

“Whether someone is busy or not depends on the person,” Chu Mao replied. His flattery was so skillful that Ah Wu felt dizzy with pleasure.

After chatting and laughing for a while, they ate, and then Chu Mao went to Bingxue Forest again. The next day, when he returned to Yulan Hall, Chu Mao was carrying a box again. This time, when he opened it, Ah Wu’s eyes lit up. “So beautiful!”

Inside the box was a gold hairpin inlaid with rubies and depicting butterflies with outstretched wings. The two butterflies on the hairpin were so lifelike, their wings as thin as cicada wings, that they seemed almost alive with the slightest movement.

“I am glad you like it. I will put it on for you,” Chu Mao said, taking the hairpin.

Ah Wu lowered her head, letting Chu Mao put the hair ornament on her, and then saw Chu Mao’s face filled with amazement.

After that, Chu Mao would send Ah Wu something every other day, regardless of its value or price, but each gift contained his thoughtfulness. Even Ah Wu, with a heart of stone, was softened by his kindness.

But one day, Chu Mao suddenly remembered something: “The jade pendant I am wearing is old. Did I not ask you to make me a new one last time? Is it ready now?”

Ah Wu was stunned, completely unable to recall when it had happened. She usually had an excellent memory, but after her recent illness, she was still somewhat disoriented, and many things were unclear to her.

Chu Mao’s face darkened, making Ah Wu shudder. Although His Highness Prince Qi had been very attentive to her these past few days, even attending to her needs, Ah Wu still dared not take advantage of his kindness. Last time, His Highness Prince Qi turned on her and forbade her from entering Bingxue Forest, even forcing her to witness that damned beating punishment, which terrified the cowardly Ah Wu.

Besides, Ah Wu had been wandering for so long, and although Emperor Zhengyuan was known for his impassive nature, he was also unpredictable and ruthless.

“Ah, I was sick the other day, so I did not make it, and I’ve been feeling a bit sleepy these past few days…” Ah Wu’s voice trailed off under Chu Mao’s gloomy gaze.

“I do not like people making excuses. If you forgot, you forgot,” Chu Mao said coldly.