Four Seasons Brocade – CH 271

Chapter 271 ☆、

Ah Wu probably did not realize she would be this kind of person. When she was not in love, she was adept at all sorts of tricks and schemes, but when she got serious, she became dull and at a loss. She also started to nitpick about whether Chu Mao distanced himself from Luan-niang because he liked her or because she forced Luan-niang to leave—the kind of convoluted, pointless, and pretentious questions that made one’s head spin.

When Ah Wu looked at the purse she had painstakingly embroidered, an unstoppable smile appeared on her face. Moreover, once she calmed down, she could properly consider how to win back Chu Mao and explain the many things that had happened.

Ah Wu was still unsure whether to tell Chu Mao that she had lived two lives. If they had truly reconciled, telling him would inevitably create more complications; if they had not, then of course she would need to explain, but she did not know if the outcome would be worse. However, Ah Wu was certain of one thing: if Chu Mao asked her why she had returned and why his attitude had changed so drastically, she would honestly tell him everything and let him decide.

Of course, this did not mean Ah Wu would give up on him; it just meant she would try harder and endure more hardship.

Having clarified her thoughts, Ah Wu, clutching her newly made purse, shamelessly went to the Qian Yuan Palace. Although Chu Mao scolded her for going, this was not the time to worry about pride; she had to be thick-skinned. This was a principle Ah Wu had only recently come to understand.

Because she had not sought out Chu Mao during the days she was embroidering the purse, Chu Mao had truly acted as if she did not exist. This was, to some extent, another blow to Ah Wu.

Ah Wu walked along, lost in thought. She wondered if Zheng Luan-niang had ever embroidered a purse for Chu Mao. She figured she probably had, and perhaps her needlework was even better than her own. After all, Lady Huide seemed virtuous, and when Zheng Luan-niang and her mother were down on their luck, besides selling tofu pudding, they also did some needlework.

Ah Wu suddenly felt a little discouraged. It seemed Chu Mao did not particularly like her duck-embroidered purse. Ah Wu then thought, why bother arguing with Zheng Luan-niang? She had to do what she needed to do. Chu Mao seemed quite satisfied with Zi-Zhui’s cooking. Ah Wu considered whether to get Zi-Zhui into the Chang Le Palace kitchen through Fu Yishi for a while.

However, Ah Wu then remembered that the soup Zheng Luan-niang delivered to the Qian Yuan Palace was supposedly made by her own hands. Even Ah Wu thought this sincerity was quite commendable. Ah Wu inwardly thought of grease, wondering how Chu Mao could stand Zheng Luan-niang’s greasy smell. She also wondered why Zheng Luan-niang had not turned into a greasy old woman.

Ah Wu could not help but touch her own face, feeling insecure again. Actually, Ah Wu was only twenty years old this year, not even twenty-one yet, not old at all, in the prime of her life. Her face had matured, and her body had matured, far superior to Luan-niang’s bean sprout appearance.

But Ah Wu had to admit, Luan-niang was not a bean sprout at all. Perhaps due to the hardships of childhood, she had grown quite plump, unlike the frail appearance of typical young ladies. Since entering Prince Qi’s mansion, Ah Wu had been providing her and her mother with the best food and drink, making them even fairer and tender, with no trace of the wind and sun that they used to suffer.

Ah Wu felt a pang of sadness whenever she thought about it. She looked down at her own chest, feeling it was even less impressive than Zheng Luan-niang’s; she could not understand how Zheng Luan-niang’s breasts were so large. Ah Wu recalled the days when she and Chu Mao were together; Chu Mao had been extremely fond of her breasts, even ordering papaya and milk soup to be sent to Yulan Hall daily to nourish them.

Ah Wu felt a wave of despondency, a sense of “comparison is the thief of joy.” She thought about how she had not taken care of herself at all these years, withering like a straw. That day, while embroidering a purse, she took the time to pamper her face and body for a few days, applying creams and lotions, and finally looked radiant again. Ah Wu regained a little confidence. To be honest, for the first two days after returning to the palace, she felt she could not show her face to anyone.

Because she cared so much about that person, she was particularly bothered by appearing before him not in her best condition. If she had cried and insisted on reconciling with Chu Mao back then, she wondered if Chu Mao would have been too ashamed to even kiss her.

Thus, Ah Wu walked to the Qian Yuan Palace, filled with anxiety and uncertainty. However, to see the current Emperor Jiahe, Ah Wu had to get past Lu Ruoxing. It was said that it was easier to see King Yama¹ than to deal with his underlings. For a “disgraced” Empress, her prestige in the harem was completely incomparable to that of Lu Ruoxing today.

Therefore, Ah Wu decided to be generous. The purse Ming-Xin carried contained the deed to a house in Changshun’er Hutong, but Lu Ruoxing resolutely refused to accept it, meaning he would not give Ah Wu any face.

“Your Majesty, the Emperor has ordered that he will not see anyone at this time. Please, Your Majesty, do not make things difficult for me.” Lu Ruoxing’s last sentence was more of a provocation than a plea. Ah Wu narrowed her eyes upon hearing this, staring at Chu Mao, who was so close yet unseen, feeling a burning urge to kill.

Ah Wu wanted to curse, but remembering Lu Ruoxing’s loyalty to Chu Mao, she swallowed her anger. “I will not make things difficult for you,” Ah Wu said without turning her head, ordering, “Ming-Xin, Ming-Hui.”

Ming-Xin and Ming-Hui immediately went to Lu Ruoxing’s side, blocking him on either side. Ah Wu darted into the Qian Yuan Palace.

Although Ming-Xin and Ming-Hui were practically Chu Mao’s people, unlike Lu Ruoxing, they did not serve by Chu Mao’s side. They only had one place to go: staying by her side. If their mistress fell out of favor, they would be worthless. They were both clever; Ah Wu’s subtle warning made them realize the situation.

“Ming-Xin, Ming-Hui, you two wretched girls!” Lu Ruoxing cursed angrily.

“Eunuch Lu, I beg you, I am caught in the middle. If I do not obey my master, I will definitely be punished with a beating,” Ming-Xin pleaded. Frankly, it was Lu Ruoxing who could not protect them, and apart from Ah Wu, no one else could touch her people.

Ah Wu entered the Qian Yuan Hall, and the eunuchs serving nearby dared not stop her. So Ah Wu strode confidently into the East Warm Pavilion, her eyes narrowing as she spotted Zheng Luan-niang again—she was like a persistent ghost. Ah Wu wondered, did Chu Mao really need such tonics?

Zheng Luan-niang’s eyes showed a clear surprise when she saw Ah Wu enter, and she quickly bowed to her.

Even with Ah Wu’s refined manners, she could not help but want to say something sarcastic to Zheng Luan-niang, but since Luan-niang had informed her beforehand, Ah Wu could not very well contradict herself. Therefore, she could only give Zheng Luan-niang a cold and aloof look of disdain.

This look was a direct imitation of Princess Fuhui’s earlier gaze, which Ah Wu used with practiced ease. With just a glance, she conveyed a mockery and contempt that words could not express.

Zheng Luan-niang’s face paled instantly.

Ah Wu’s use of that look was truly masterful, leaving Zheng Luan-niang speechless. She could not very well cry and say that Ah Wu’s gaze was inappropriate.

This time, Zheng Luan-niang finally showed some tact and excused herself upon Ah Wu’s entrance.

Ah Wu, however, remained, enduring Chu Mao’s chilling gaze. Ah Wu stepped forward, having to exert tremendous effort to control her urge to flee.

Ah Wu stepped forward and said, “Jinghui, shall we make up?” Ah Wu did not mince words, stating her purpose directly.

“How dare you address me by my courtesy name?” Chu Mao reprimanded Ah Wu without hesitation.

A look of distress crossed Ah Wu’s face. Although she had been mentally prepared before coming, such cold words still stung like needles. It was just a single sentence, but because it came from the person she loved most, its power was like a cannon blast, shattering her heart. Ah Wu recalled all the hurtful things she had said in the past.

Thinking of this, Ah Wu held back her tears. She carefully took out the mandarin duck purse from her bosom and presented it to Chu Mao with both hands. “I made this for you; I embroidered it for days…” Before she could finish, the purse arced through the air and fell into the brazier beside her.

“Ah!” Ah Wu screamed, rushing towards the brazier without thinking, reaching for the purse in the fire. This purse might not have been particularly valuable, but it carried Ah Wu’s heartfelt sentiments; every stitch was imbued with affection, every thread with love. Because of this sentiment, it was especially precious. Inside, she had placed a lock of her hair, symbolizing a lifelong commitment.

So, without a second thought, Ah Wu rushed forward.

Luckily, Chu Mao, seeing her like this, strode forward and grabbed Ah Wu’s wrist just as her fingers touched the hot coals. “What are you doing? Are you crazy?!” Chu Mao roared at Ah Wu sharply.

Ah Wu, kneeling on the ground, felt a slight pain in her fingertips. Chu Mao’s harsh words brought tears to her eyes.

But Chu Mao did not even bother to check if her fingertips were injured. He simply shook off her hand, stood up, and coldly looked down at her. Ah Wu felt her heart shatter into pieces, but then she thought of Chu Mao lying in bed, struggling between life and death, and how cold she had been to him. The slight burning sensation on her fingers seemed insignificant in comparison.

“Get out of here!” Chu Mao pointed to the doorway. Ah Wu’s self-inflicted suffering had pushed Chu Mao to the brink of despair. “Get out.”

Ah Wu stood up, not understanding why Chu Mao was so angry, so hurtful. Her tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls.

“Ah Wu, you do not need to pretend like this. Even if you do not find it disgusting, I do. Stop interfering in the Gu family’s affairs. Although I promised you I would not touch them, I cannot stop Gu Shiyan from committing suicide. The dignified Duke of Wei actually went to a brothel to fight over a courtesan and openly allowed his servants to commit murder in broad daylight! The country has laws, and even I cannot protect him,” Chu Mao said coldly. He was truly fed up with the Gu family and wished he could chop off those hundreds of mouths with a single stroke.

Ah Wu was still displaying shock. She finally understood: Chu Mao thought she was putting on an act, only trying to save Gu Shiyan, who was, of course, her father from her previous life. Although Ah Wu was not doing it for the Gu family, since she had heard about it, she pretended not to know. After all, he was her father, even though he was useless and she even looked down on him; he was still her father.

However, Ah Wu was smarter this time. This was not the time to confront Chu Mao directly. As for her father, she could only wait until she and Chu Mao reconciled before considering his fate. Of course, he was destined for a life of punishment; perhaps they could arrange exile or something similar, perhaps to a less harsh place.

“Your Majesty,” Ah Wu said timidly.

“Get out of here! If you do not, I will not be able to resist whipping you.”

Chu Mao really wanted to give Ah Wu a beating; this woman was truly ruthless and heartless to the extreme. After Ah Wu’s unusual return to the Forbidden City, Chu Mao could not help but have someone investigate the Gu family. Unexpectedly, he found something. Gu Shiyan had gone to great lengths to whitewash the situation and cover up his crimes, and the officials were protecting each other, so it had not reached the Emperor’s ears for a while. However, it seemed the truth could not be hidden any longer, hence Ah Wu’s charade.

Ah Wu was actually willing to be beaten by Chu Mao. She knew he needed to vent his emotions; otherwise, she would not be accepted by him anymore. The fact that he could scold her now made Ah Wu feel a bittersweet joy.

Ah Wu looked around and saw several red plum blossoms in a blue-and-white porcelain vase with a magpie design. She walked over, picked one out, and handed it to Chu Mao, saying, “Go ahead and hit me.”

Ah Wu actually braced herself on Chu Mao’s desk with her elbows, sticking out her little bottom. She was actually somewhat shy about this position and used a little trickery, arching her back to create a very alluring curve.

But Chu Mao had no such romantic thoughts at this moment. Ah Wu’s actions were pure provocation. Did she think he could not bring himself to do it? Even though Chu Mao had been Emperor for four years, and even when he was Prince Qi, he hated being challenged.

Chu Mao indeed raised his hand and slapped Ah Wu’s fleshy bottom hard.

“Ouch!” Ah Wu screamed, her voice piercing the sky. She covered her bottom with her hands and jumped up. This time, her tears were definitely from pain. Ah Wu looked at Chu Mao in disbelief. How could he hit so hard?!

Even after covering her bottom, Ah Wu could not bear the pain and collapsed to her knees. The pain was just too intense.

After venting his anger, Chu Mao immediately regretted it. He should have only used half his strength, but his mind was unsettled, and he used all his strength. Seeing Ah Wu’s condition, he knew he had gone too far.

However, at this moment, Chu Mao did not dare to help Ah Wu up. He knew her temperament too well; she would definitely take advantage of him. Chu Mao hardened his heart. “Get out!”

Ah Wu gasped in pain. Hearing Chu Mao speak so cruelly, she could not bear it any longer. She braced herself with her hands, forced herself to stand up, and ran outside. Behind her, only Chu Mao’s voice came, “I can only ensure Gu Shiyan’s survival; this matter will not affect the entire Gu family.”

Ah Wu stopped and turned to look at Chu Mao, only to hear him call out, “Lu Ruoxing.”

This meant Chu Mao did not want to continue the discussion, and Ah Wu could not stay any longer. Her buttocks were throbbing with pain. She had never been struck before, but today Chu Mao had given her a severe beating. Ah Wu’s tears dripped all the way to the entrance of Chang Le Palace.