Four Seasons Brocade – CH 170

Chapter 170 ☆、

“The inner garment is not finished yet?” Even the usually composed Prince Qi was starting to feel the strain of Ah Wu’s snail-paced pace.

“I was just about to tell His Highness. I just finished it today.” Ah Wu turned her head, letting out a long sigh as she turned her back to Chu Mao. Thankfully, she had been blessed by the gods yesterday; feeling idle early in the morning, she impulsively picked up the long-neglected undergarment again and continued working on it.

It was not entirely Ah Wu’s fault. In March, Rong Jie had been ranked third in the imperial examinations, keeping the Rong Mansion bustling with activity. Meanwhile, Lady Cui was busy preparing for Rong Jie’s wedding in the fifth month. Although Ah Wu was a married woman and a princess, she was essentially a free person in the Prince Qi’s mansion. Therefore, she often quietly returned to the Rong Mansion to help out, disregarding her status as a princess.

Naturally, Chu Mao’s undergarments were delayed.

Actually, none of these were the real reasons. The most important thing was that Ah Wu did not know how to present the finished undergarment. She figured His Highness would definitely give her a cold shoulder if he saw it.

Ah Wu presented the freshly washed, snow-white undergarment to Chu Mao, gesturing it before him. “Your Highness, please take a look and see if it’s acceptable?”

Chu Mao’s eyes fixed on the two ducks, one large and one small, embroidered below the hem. His face stiffened slightly.

Ah Wu smiled sincerely. “After finishing the undergarment, I felt it was too plain, so I added some colors and wanted to embroider something. As Your Highness knows, my specialty is drawing ducks. Do you think my embroidery of these two has improved?” Actually, the ducks were not very big; Ah Wu still hoped Chu Mao would wear the undergarment, after all, she had made it herself, stitch by stitch.

To Ah Wu’s surprise, Prince Qi took the inner garment and examined it carefully, finally offering a fair assessment: “A slight regression.”

Ah Wu guiltily pulled the inner garment back. She had indeed been perfunctory when embroidering the duck this time, partly because she knew Prince Qi would not like it anyway, and partly because she was short on time and had rushed it. Even so, Ah Wu had still put in a lot of effort. But who knew Prince Qi had such a sharp eye, noticing even a slight regression?

“Then I will take it apart and redo it,” Ah Wu said.

“Hmm, make me another set. This one will do for now,” Chu Mao said, appearing magnanimous and forgiving.

“Make another set? Make do?” Ah Wu was inwardly spitting blood but had to force a smile. “Yes.”

“Assist me to try it on.” Chu Mao stood up and walked into the inner room.

Ah Wu followed him inside and found that Prince Qi undressed remarkably quickly; in moments, his upper body was completely naked. Ah Wu shook out the garment, lifted the collar, and helped Chu Mao put it on from behind.

Chu Mao’s lips curled into a smile. “It fits quite well.”

Ah Wu handed Chu Mao the trousers, and he discreetly turned around the screen to change. The length was just right, and Ah Wu could not help but glance down at his crotch; it was about the right size.

However, Ah Wu had to admit that Prince Qi’s undershirt, embroidered with a pair of ducks on the hem, was rather amusing, yet somehow added a touch of cuteness. This cuteness stemmed from the illusion that Chu Mao, wearing clothes Ah Wu had made herself, belonged to her.

“The Bai family is coming tomorrow; you and Nanny Hao should meet them together,” Chu Mao said to Ah Wu.

“Hmm.” Ah Wu nodded, then helped Chu Mao change his clothes. She had not even realized she seemed much more adept at helping Prince Qi change, and her face no longer blushed so easily.

The next day, the Bai family arrived, including Bai Songruo, the second son of the Bai family, to whom Xiangsi was to be betrothed. This showed the Bai family’s sincerity.

Ah Wu had carefully dressed for the occasion, wearing a lilac-colored satin palace dress with gold embroidery and acacia blossoms, a pink sash two hands wide around her waist with a matching silk sash hanging down, and a pair of jade rings adorning the skirt. She wore a gold filigree hairpin inlaid with rubies and a crescent-shaped gold chain across her forehead, with a small, sparkling ruby ​​the size of her little finger hanging from its center.

Bai Songruo stole a glance at Ah Wu, then blushed and lowered his head, unsure what to do with his hands. He had never imagined that Princess Qi would be such a celestial beauty, more beautiful than any woman he had ever seen, even more beautiful than the women of his dreams. And she was a few years younger than he was, yet she might become his sister-in-law.

Throughout the entire process, Ah Wu did not ask a single question, while Nanny Hao scrutinized Bai Songruo from head to toe, then inquired thoroughly with Madam Bai, finally glancing at Ah Wu and giving a barely perceptible nod—a sign of satisfaction.

Madam Bai had originally wanted to see Xiangsi, but seeing that Princess Qi and Nanny Hao showed no interest, she did not dare bring it up rashly. However, she felt somewhat that Prince Qi’s mansion was too arrogant. If her husband had not agreed to this marriage, she might not have even considered Xiangsi; she was just an orphan, and although Prince Qi had recognized her as his sworn sister, she was not a proper young lady.

Just as Ah Wu and Nanny Hao had settled the Bai family, news spread that Xiangsi was making a scene, demanding to shave her head and become a nun.

When Ah Wu rushed to Hongyao Villa, Xiangsi was cutting her hair with scissors. Upon seeing Ah Wu enter, she rushed forward and knelt at her feet, but Bing-Shuang, who was beside Ah Wu, stepped in front of her.

“Put down the scissors,” Bing-Shuang said coldly.

Xiangsi hesitated, looked at the scissors in her hand, and her maid quickly snatched them away.

With tears streaming down her face, Xiangsi kowtowed repeatedly to Ah Wu. “Your Highness,” she cried, “Xiangsi does not want to marry outside the family. My aunt is old and ailing. She raised me from childhood. Without her, I would be a lonely soul. If I leave for my own sake, I would be ungrateful. I would rather shave my head and become a nun than leave my aunt. I only beg Your Highness to have mercy and let me stay by my aunt’s side. From now on, I will wear a nun’s robe and live a vegetarian life, chanting scriptures and praying for Your Highness every day.”

“Xiangsi, you foolish child,” Nanny Hao cried out from behind Xiangsi, both angry and anxious, tears welling in her eyes.

Ah Wu, seemingly moved, wiped her eyes with her handkerchief and said, “Ah, it’s truly kind of you to have such filial piety. I will ask His Highness to build a family temple in the mansion and also to submit a petition to the court to commend your filial piety. You do not need to worry about the Bai family.”

Not only was Xiangsi stunned, but even Nanny Hao was dumbfounded. She had not expected Ah Wu to agree to Xiangsi’s request so readily, without even bothering with formalities.

“Xiangsi, please get up quickly; I’ve already agreed,” Ah Wu said kindly to Xiangsi.

Xiangsi, her face blank, was helped to her feet by a maid, her eyes filled with venom as she looked at Ah Wu.

“Xiangsi, you are simply being ridiculous! I have His Highness and the Princess Consort looking after me; how can I tolerate this? What about His Highness and the Princess Consort?” Nanny Hao scolded urgently.

“Aunt?” Xiangsi stammered, tears streaming down her face, looking like a pear blossom in the rain.

“What’s going on?” Chu Mao’s voice sounded behind Ah Wu.

“Brother Qinxu,” Xiangsi looked at Chu Mao with tear-filled eyes, her expression full of grievance.

Ah Wu had no intention of fulfilling Xiangsi’s wish to exchange glances. She turned around, blocking Xiangsi’s view, and stepped forward to hold Chu Mao’s arm, saying coquettishly, “Your Highness has come at the right time. Sister Xiangsi does not want to marry far away and is making a fuss about becoming a nun. Nanny Hao is heartbroken. I’ve already promised Sister Xiangsi that I’d build a family temple for her to worship in. The Bai family would not accept Your Highness’s invitation…”

“Nonsense! What’s with becoming a nun at such a young age? You are letting her act like this?” Chu Mao scolded Ah Wu, but he did not shake off Ah Wu’s hand.

This scene was incredibly surprising to everyone present. Zi-Shan was surprised that her master would take someone’s hand so readily, while Nanny Hao and the others were astonished that His Highness Prince Qi would actually allow someone to touch him.

Ah Wu said, “Your Highness, you have not seen the sincerity of Xiangsi’s heart. How could I refuse? She’s so filial; poor thing, her forehead is bruised from kowtowing. How could I not agree?” Ah Wu spoke while leaning closer to Chu Mao, raising an eyebrow at Xiangsi, wishing she could kill this adopted sister who had caused her so much trouble.

“Your Highness, this is all Xiangsi’s momentary lapse of judgment. She’s just reluctant to part with me. What daughter would not marry?” Nanny Hao said urgently. Xiangsi did not understand the situation, but Nanny Hao knew perfectly well why Chu Mao had suddenly changed his mind and wanted Xiangsi to marry far away. Nanny Hao knew she was guilty of what had happened.

“Aunt!” Xiangsi looked at Nanny Hao in disbelief, then turned and knelt before Chu Mao. “Brother Qinxu, please do not let Xiangsi go! Is the vast Prince Qi’s Mansion not even enough for Xiangsi to eat?”

Xiangsi’s words truly pierced the heart. She was accusing Ah Wu of not being able to tolerate her. “Xiangsi, there will always be a place for you in the Prince Qi’s Mansion. Even after you marry, you will still be our aunt’s goddaughter, and I will still be your brother. If you like, you can come back to see your aunt anytime. But you are of marriageable age, and your aunt’s greatest wish is to see you marry happily. With your insistence on becoming a nun, what will your aunt, who raised you since you were a child, think? Does filial piety mean that every girl has to make a fuss about becoming a nun like you?” Chu Mao’s words were quite blunt.

“Brother Qinxu.” Xiangsi, filled with affection and grievance, could not utter a single word in front of Ah Wu. If Ah Wu were not here, she could have taken advantage of her emotions and confessed her feelings for Chu Mao, but in front of Ah Wu, she simply could not bring herself to speak. She turned her head, pleadingly looking at Nanny Hao, begging her to say something for her.

But Nanny Hao could not speak either. She had watched Chu Mao grow up since childhood; how could she not know that once he made a decision, it could not be changed? In truth, Nanny Hao knew that Xiangsi’s unmarried status at this age stemmed from a tacit understanding between her and Chu Mao that Chu Mao would eventually take Xiangsi as a concubine.

The reason for the delay was that Chu Mao did not want Nanny Hao to have an adopted daughter as a concubine in the household, as this would undoubtedly lower Nanny Hao’s status. Therefore, they both knew that while Nanny Hao was alive, Xiangsi had absolutely no chance of becoming Chu Mao’s concubine. Who would have thought that the marriage of Princess Ah Wu would completely change Chu Mao’s mind? First, it was said that a family in the capital would be chosen, but now it was a distant marriage.

Nanny Hao sighed. She had misjudged some things; she had not expected this Princess to hold such a significant place in Chu Mao’s heart.

After some persuasion, Nanny Hao managed to quell the farce, and the Bai family remained completely silent. Ah Wu did not know how Nanny Hao and Chu Mao had finally persuaded Xiangsi to agree to the Bai family’s marriage proposal.