Jiang Xiyun’s face reddened further as she said softly, “It’s nothing special, I’d rather not show it and embarrass myself.”
Madam Qin smiled, “Quickly bring it out for us to see. Why keep it hidden away?”
As everyone eagerly urged her to show it, Jiang Xiyun had no choice but to send Ruoqing to fetch it. Soon, Ruoqing returned with a blue silk bundle. When opened, inside was a pair of exquisitely crafted leather knee guards with indigo lining, embroidered with the “Nine Suns Rising to Prosperity” pattern, symbolizing endless auspiciousness. The needlework was bright and remarkably detailed.
Madam Qin examined them in her hands, her face breaking into a smile before passing them to Lin Jinlou. She remarked, “Such beautiful needlework puts even professional embroiderers to shame. This must have taken considerable effort. The thoughtfulness is unmatched – your eldest cousin is a general who rides horseback, and these will be perfect for winter use.”
Mother Jiang smiled, “Xiyan has always been such a sincere child. She said she wanted to make something to show her appreciation to her eldest cousin, even working late into the night by lamplight.”
Madam Qin beckoned, “Good child, come here.” Taking Jiang Xiyun’s hand, she continued, “Don’t do needlework under lamplight anymore, it will strain your eyes. The weather is getting warmer – I have some fine clothes that are most comfortable against the skin. Take it and make summer clothes with your sisters.”
Jiang Xiyun smiled brightly, “Thank you, Uncle’s wife. Grandmother is so kind to us, having new summer shirts made for Fourth Sister and me. With Uncle’s wife being so caring as well, we truly don’t know how to express our gratitude.”
This statement cleverly praised both Mother Jiang and Madam Qin, immediately pleasing them both. Mother Jiang smiled, “This is your Uncle’s wife showing her love for you.”
Lin Dongwan pulled Lin Dongyi and Lin Dongxiu close, laughing, “Look at this – once our cousins arrive, no one cares about us anymore!”
Jiang Xiyun lowered her head, her face showing a shy blush.
Everyone laughed. Though Jiang Danyun forced a smile, her eyes had already reddened. Lin Dongxiu lowered her head to fiddle with her skirt, remaining silent. Tan Luhua snorted softly and turned to whisper to Xianglan, “Such pretense is simply annoying. I can’t stand this act of trying to curry favor. If I get too irritated, I’ll have to expose that little minx’s tricks!”
Xianglan squeezed Tan Luhua’s hand and whispered back, “The Madam is still here. Don’t upset her.”
Tan Luhua sneered, “What’s there to fear? Though she’s my mother-in-law, she’ll eventually return to Jinling. My husband and I will be in the capital, far from her influence. Let me tell you frankly – my husband’s health is poor, and our finances are tight. I’m already compromising by marrying into this family. If I have to bend over backward for such trivial matters, what’s the point of living?”
As Xianglan was about to respond, she sensed someone watching her. Looking up, she met Lin Jinlou’s gaze – he was holding the knee guards with an ambiguous smile. Their eyes met across the distance, but Xianglan felt as if they were separated by mountains and seas. Lin Jinlou’s expression showed three parts satisfaction and seven parts pleasure – clearly, Jiang Xiyun’s gift had hit the right note. Xianglan’s chest suddenly felt heavy. Lin Jinlou had recently received a box of fine leather and had asked her to make him knee guards and a hat. She had nearly finished the knee guards, but now Jiang Xiyun had presented these, with their elaborate embroidery surpassing her work many times over. Presumably, Lin Jinlou would no longer need her to make a pair.
So be it.
Seeing how Madam Qin had just praised Jiang Xiyun so earnestly and shown such concern, and how Lin Dongwan’s obvious teasing was met with smiling acceptance, it was clear how things would likely unfold.
She observed Jiang Xiyun, whom Madam Qin held close and doted on. The girl’s face showed coy shyness. Xianglan couldn’t say whether she liked or disliked Jiang Xiyun – she could only watch from afar, her heart unable to suppress its envy. Such a sweet, delicate girl must have been raised with tender care by her elders, appearing lovely and endearing while maintaining an innate sense of superiority and self-perceived cleverness that couldn’t be erased – just like her own former self. But in this life, she had grown up in the dust, and no matter how resilient, quiet, and careful she was, her heart still harbored unknown fears.
Jiang Xiyun caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye of Lin Jinlou still looking toward Xianglan. Startled, she pretended not to notice and turned away. Madam Qin happened to see this, and her gaze followed. She immediately frowned and coughed, “Lou’er?”
Lin Jinlou finally turned his attention to Madam Qin.
Madam Qin glared at him, “Your cousin put much effort into making this needlework for you – hurry and thank her properly!”
Lin Jinlou smiled, “Thank you, Fifth Cousin.”
Madam Qin said, “A simple ‘thank you’ isn’t enough!”
Jiang Xiyun quickly replied, “Uncle’s wife, I made this needlework to express my gratitude.”
Madam Qin patted Jiang Xiyun’s hand and smiled, “Never mind that. He’s the wealthy one – today I’ll help you get some nice things from him.”
Jiang Feiyu laughed, “Fifth Sister’s poetry was so excellent earlier – shouldn’t you give her your jade pendant? Our eldest cousin brought it out to add to the occasion, and we all heard it. You can’t be stingy now and go back on your word.”
Everyone laughed again.
Lin Dongwan, always attentive to the atmosphere, saw that Mother Jiang, Madam Qin, and Lin Jinlou all wore smiles, and became even more enthusiastic. She laughed, “Big Brother has always been generous and certainly won’t go back on his word. Come, come, Sister Xiyun, hurry and offer our big brother a cup of plain wine. You should know that pendant was from the Crown Prince himself.”
Everyone burst into laughter. Jiang Feiyu quickly poured a cup of wine herself and pressed it into Jiang Xiyun’s hands, giving her a meaningful look while saying, “Quick, hurry and toast your eldest cousin.”
Meanwhile, Lin Dongwan was already saying to Lin Jinlou with a smile, “I know Big Brother can hold his liquor well. If Sister Xiyun is offering you a toast, Big Brother must show sincerity. This cup is too small – Haitan, quickly change it for a larger one. Today we must have Big Brother drink a proper amount!”
Lin Jinlou had seen such scenes many times before, but he hadn’t expected Jiang Xiyun to show any hesitation. She changed to a pink-glazed autumn chrysanthemum and magpie gold-rimmed bowl, filling it to the brim. Lin Jinlou looked at it and laughed, “This won’t do! We’re not even halfway through, and I still have social obligations ahead. If you get me drunk here, my relatives, in-laws, and friends will be left staring, and they’ll laugh at me to death. This really won’t do.”
Lin Dongwan laughed, “Everyone knows you can drink like a fish. I heard you once had an entire table of people drunk while you sat steady as a mountain. That day my husband came home and vomited all night, taking days to recover his complexion. Today, I’m using Sister Xiyun’s hand to take revenge!”
Madam Qin tapped Lin Dongwan playfully and smiled, “Look at this girl, truly a married-out daughter. Now she only knows how to support her husband and forgets to care for her brother.” Inwardly, she was pleased with Lin Dongwan, thinking this girl used to be full of thorns before marriage, always suspecting her stepmother of ill intentions. Now that she’s married, she understands the ways of the world and knows the importance of maintaining ties with her natal family. Looking at the silent Lin Dongyi, she sighed softly, thinking if only her daughter had Lin Dongwan’s social awareness – she wondered who this upright and simple personality took after.
Mother Jiang nodded slightly and smiled, “My nephew’s wife is blessed with good fortune. Each of these daughters is outstanding and graceful, a joy to behold.”
Jiang Feiyu said, “Come, come, Fifth Sister, quickly toast Big Cousin. Didn’t you say earlier that Big Cousin was young and accomplished, establishing himself without relying on family influence, most worthy of admiration? Today, you should toast him properly to match your praise.”
As these words fell, everyone’s eyes turned to Lin Jinlou. While the conversation outside the pavilion had been lively, inside sat only Jiang Danyun, Lin Dongxiu, Tan Luhua, Lin Dongyi, and Xianglan, all silent. Jiang Danyun felt both hatred and grievance; if she hadn’t been forcefully holding back, tears would have already fallen. Lin Dongxiu and Tan Luhua both wore cold smiles. Lin Dongyi just kept her head down – she usually enjoyed the conversation, but ever since everyone had enthusiastically named Jiang Xiyun the winner, she felt it was against her conscience. Xianglan’s poetry was superior to Jiang Xiyun’s, but faced with such a scene, she suddenly felt very embarrassed for Xianglan and chose to remain silent.
Xianglan sat quietly at the edge of the pavilion, watching everyone laugh and jest, watching Jiang Feiyu and Lin Dongwan take turns teasing with clever words, watching Jiang Xiyun with flushed cheeks pour wine for Lin Jinlou, feeling increasingly out of place. Even if they tried to elevate her status, it couldn’t change the fact that others looked down on her and saw her as mere decoration. If her poem had been mediocre, it would have been fine, but now it only made her situation more awkward.
She suddenly laughed softly, sighed, and looked up at the blue sky outside the pavilion.
Jiang Xiyun had already raised the wine, her face showing a faint blush, her smile sweet as she said, “Big Cousin, my sisters are just joking around. This bowl of wine – I offer it to you with sincere intentions. Please drink it quickly. It’s plain wine, not too strong, and quite fragrant and sweet.”
Lin Jinlou lounged in his chair, lazily reaching out to stop the bowl of wine. His gaze lingered on Jiang Xiyun’s face for a moment before he smiled and said, “It’s not that your brother won’t give you face, but this wine shouldn’t be offered this way. Here’s what we’ll do – first toast Aunt and Madam, then come back to toast me. How can juniors bypass their elders? And there’s too much wine here – however much the elders drink, that’s how much I’ll drink.”
Everyone was stunned, and Jiang Xiyun’s face showed slight embarrassment. Jiang Feiyu thought to herself, “This won’t do – the whole point was to have Fifth Sister toast him, to make things official and let her receive that pendant.” She quickly smiled and said aloud, “But this was Fifth Sister specifically wanting to toast Big Cousin…”
Lin Jinlou ignored her and turned his head, pointing to several cups on the table. He raised his chin at Hongzhen and said, “Pour.”
Lin Jinlou had always been decisive, and Hongzhen dared not disobey. She glanced at Madam Qin, saw her expression was neutral, and withdrew her gaze, carefully pouring the wine.