Four Seasons Brocade – CH 189

Chapter 189 ☆、

Ah Wu secretly lifted the carriage curtain, her eyes skillfully hidden behind it as she peeked out. No one outside noticed at all. A young lady like her had long since honed the skill of doing mischief without leaving a trace.

“What’s so interesting?” Chu Mao put down the book in his hand and asked, resting his chin on Ah Wu’s shoulder, following her gaze out. The world was bustling, and people were all different; it was truly a sight to behold.

“Look at that child, with deep-set eyes and a beautiful forehead. He’s so pretty, not like a Xia Dynasty person nor a Tatar, half Xia and half Hu, yet he’s prettier than any of us,” Ah Wu said.

“Who in this world could be more beautiful than you?” Chu Mao chuckled. “But it seems the intermarriage between the Hu and Xia people has indeed produced some good-looking descendants.”

The two discussed with each other behind the carriage curtain. Finally, Ah Wu sighed, “Are we going back already?”

Chu Mao twirled a stray lock of hair behind Ah Wu’s ear and twirled it between his fingers. Because they had been traveling, Ah Wu’s hands were rather clumsy when it came to combing her hair, so she had simply tied it in a long braid that hung down her back. She wore no jewelry, which only accentuated her youthful, delicate beauty.

Her eyes were bright and clear, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Was a sixteen-year-old girl too fragile?

“Look at you. You have not eaten or slept well these past six months in Luobei. You’ve become skin and bones. And you still miss it here? I thought you’d be missing the capital terribly,” Chu Mao said, playing with Ah Wu’s hair.

“I do miss the capital, but I also love the charm of Luobei. It gives me a… well, a…” Ah Wu lowered her head, trying to find the right words, “…a feeling of freedom, of ease.”

“You certainly feel at ease, daring to dress as a man and go to a teahouse.” Chu Mao pinched Ah Wu’s nose.

“Ah, I will really miss it,” Ah Wu laughed. “We will arrive in Jiangcheng tomorrow. Your Highness, please allow me to explore for half a day. I’ve heard Jiangcheng is the most prosperous place in Luobei; I’ve never been there before.” Ah Wu had already decided that if Chu Mao disagreed, she would have to beg him to agree, even if it meant using her charm and perhaps even offering a little bit of her beauty.

Although Ah Wu was naive, she was still perceptive and had already grasped Chu Mao’s weaknesses these past few days.

“Alright,” Chu Mao agreed so easily, which surprised Ah Wu somewhat. Her foresight always seemed to backfire on Prince Qi. What was even more interesting was that Ah Wu thought she would have to use all her persuasive skills to convince Chu Mao to let her go out with only Bing-Shuang, but he simply smiled and nodded, instructing her, “Come back early.”

Jiangcheng had the largest branches of Four Seasons Brocade and Desheng Cloth Shop in the Luobei area. Ah Wu was dazzled by the various kinds of brocade, asking Bing-Shuang’s opinion on every piece she looked at, until Bing-Shuang finally grew tired of it and voluntarily stood outside the shop.

Ah Wu turned around and smiled like a fox. The pair of bright pearls engraved with wans on her swaying earlobes had already caught the attention of the Head Steward of Four Seasons Brocade.

“And who is Madam?” The Four Seasons Brocade in Jiangcheng was managed by Liu Jingniang. Steward Wu would travel to the capital every year to report the accounts to Liu Jingniang, so he was quite familiar with her. However, he had never had the chance to meet the big boss. Therefore, it was understandable that Steward Wu was somewhat excited to see the Four Seasons Brocade’s finest items, which he had only ever seen in pictures before.

Ah Wu, seeing the suspicion in Wu Anhui’s eyes, smiled without taking offense. She took out a private seal from her purse, breathed on it, and gestured for Wu Anhui to extend his hand.

Wu Anhui extended his left hand. Ah Wu smiled and shook his head. This time, he used his right hand. Ah Wu stamped her seal on the back of his hand, inscribed with the seal characters “Four Seasons Brocade.”

“What are your orders, Boss?” Wu Anhui’s expression instantly became respectful and solemn. He never expected the boss to be a woman, and one who looked so young and delicate. If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he might never have believed it. Ah Wu was quite satisfied with Steward Wu’s responsiveness. She was short on time, so she got straight to the point and gave him a few instructions.

After hearing the news from Ah Wu, Wu Anhui was now genuinely convinced. The Hu-Xia trade was something he had longed for. He just did not know who this big boss was. Such a confidential matter had not even been reported to them in Luobei, yet the big boss knew and had traveled all the way to Jiangcheng.

In the end, Ah Wu selected five bolts of brocade. Wu Anhui personally carried them to the carriage for her. Ah Wu, with her back to Bing-Shuang, took off her hood and smiled at Wu Anhui. “Steward Wu, next time I see you, I will not stamp you.”

Wu Anhui pinched his cheek, finally coming to his senses. He thought to himself, “Luckily, I am over forty; otherwise, I’d be completely heartbroken.”

When Ah Wu returned, she felt a little guilty, but Chu Mao did not ask about her whereabouts at all, only saying, “That piece of silk, when the weather clears, would make a good jacket.”

Ah Wu nodded; she thought so too.

Heading east, after the first snowfall, they could already see Qingliang Mountain outside the capital in the distance. Ah Wu was anxious but did not know how to bring it up. She could imagine that once they arrived in the capital, Chu Mao would be incredibly busy, and by the time he had time to chat with her, it would probably be too late.

Ah Wu’s fingers tapped unconsciously on the small table. Chu Mao glanced at her twice, but she did not notice.

“Something on your mind?” Chu Mao asked.

Ah Wu paused, then shook her head. “It’s not really a worry, but I’ve been thinking about it all the way here. Even if Jinguo Erhan has reached an agreement with Your Highness, will his tribes be willing to submit? What if he allows them to provoke us?”

Chu Mao raised an eyebrow.

Ah Wu knew she had overstepped her bounds. The Great Xia Dynasty forbade women to participate in politics, but because Chu Mao had occasionally asked for her opinion in private while in Luobei, Ah Wu had dared to test the waters again.

“What are your thoughts?” Chu Mao asked.

Ah Wu remained silent for a moment, telling herself to remain calm, but with such a great opportunity before her, she could not resist the temptation. “Liu Houfang is not skilled in military affairs, and His Highness has returned to the capital. If we want to suppress Jinguo Erhan, the court will probably have to send another valiant general to guard the area.”

“Hmm.” Chu Mao nodded.

Seeing that Chu Mao did not object to her discussing politics, Ah Wu was greatly encouraged and continued, “Does Your Highness have someone in mind?”

Chu Mao smiled. “Why are you asking me? I cannot make that decision.”

Ah Wu inwardly cursed. That was Chu Mao’s weakness; he kept everything secret, his mind was incredibly perceptive, and his words were always veiled, leaving no room for doubt. This kind of thing had become second nature to him; even in front of her, he would repeatedly conceal it.

“But if the wrong person is chosen, Your Highness’s grand plan might be affected. Therefore, I do not believe Your Highness has no intention of doing so.” Ah Wu moved closer to Chu Mao.

Chu Mao put down his book, seemingly only now taking Ah Wu’s words seriously. “Then guess my plan.”

“Although you’ve rendered great service, there are plenty of people in the court who distort the truth and confuse right and wrong. In my opinion, Your Highness will be suspected after returning to the capital. Therefore, if Your Highness wants to recommend your own people to Luobei, I am afraid you will face obstacles.” At this point, Ah Wu suddenly thought of her second brother, Rong Yin. Although Rong Yin still needed experience, he was highly regarded by the Longqing Emperor and was also Chu Mao’s brother-in-law—was he not a perfect fit?

However, deep down, Ah Wu did not want Rong Jie and Rong Yin to shine too brightly. If Rong Yin made great contributions to Luobei and Rong Jie had the support of Master Rong, they would inevitably rise to prominence. Master Rong was also Chu Mao’s teacher and father-in-law, and Ah Wu herself might even become Chu Mao’s Empress. The Rong family would be far too powerful in the future Zhengyuan Dynasty. Even Ah Wu herself would be suspicious of the Rong family. Historically, very few Empress families could ultimately enjoy peace and prosperity. Ah Wu truly did not want this to repeat itself in the Rong family.

Ah Wu continued, “So I guess Your Highness will recommend someone from the Fifth and Sixth Princes’ factions—choosing the best from the worst.”

“Oh, my Princess Consort is indeed incredibly insightful. So, who do you suggest I recommend?”

Ah Wu gave Chu Mao a reproachful look. “I am not a god; how would I know? But I think two people are capable.”

“Go ahead,” Chu Mao said, seemingly listening intently.

Ah Wu feigned composure, appearing completely selfless, and said, “The two sons of Princess Fuhui.” Sometimes, the more secretive you were, the more suspicious you became. Ah Wu felt that the more open she was, the more likely she was to succeed.

The saying goes, “One should not avoid recommending relatives, nor should one avoid recommendations based on personal relationships.” Although Ah Wu did indeed have a personal motive to bring Princess Fuhui into Chu Mao’s camp, her two brothers, surnamed Gu, were indeed capable; she knew them better than anyone.

However, Ah Wu also made a mistake of overconfidence. She thought she could keep her affair with Gu Tingyi a secret, but in reality, she did not believe there was anything wrong. Ah Wu had no romantic feelings for Gu Tingyi, only pure brotherly affection. Their relationship was completely innocent; she was simply acting in Chu Mao’s best interest.

That was how people were. If you believed you were completely innocent with someone, you naturally assumed everyone else saw you as innocent, too. Besides, Ah Wu and Gu Tingyi’s private relationship was kept secret, unknown to others.

Therefore, Ah Wu, with her “skill” and boldness, stared directly into Chu Mao’s eyes, unaware of the turbulent emotions churning within His Highness. He genuinely admired Ah Wu for daring to look him directly in the eye.

Seeing Chu Mao lower his eyelids, Ah Wu said, “Luobei now needs a mature and prudent person to defend the pass. We must not provoke trouble, nor should we rashly engage in battle. The candidate should be chosen from among the veteran generals.”

Ah Wu could not help but show a hint of disappointment on her face. Seeing Chu Mao pick up his book again, looking like he did not want to discuss it anymore…

Ah Wu was somewhat unwilling to give up and leaned forward again, saying, “Your Highness is not valued by the Emperor, and Empress Tian and Lady Xiang are slandering you in the palace. Why does Your Highness not try to win over the Imperial Princess? I heard the Emperor greatly favors her.”

Ah Wu’s concern clouded her judgment. If she could look back objectively, she would surely hate herself for her foolishness.