Different lands nurture different people. The girls of Shu were known for their delicate beauty and fair skin. When seen together, their beauty became commonplace. Yet when Ying’ying Ji entered the side room, everyone present still felt their eyes brighten at the sight of her.
After she was seated, Madam Niu asked with a smile, “Second Miss Ji, where is your ancestral home? You don’t quite look like a native of Yizhou Prefecture.”
In the Shu basin, both men and women tended to be shorter than average, though there were certainly exceptions to this rule.
Ying’ying Ji had inherited the Ji family’s height, standing at least half a head taller than most girls her age. Her features were a blend of both the Ji family traits and her father’s characteristics. She had a small oval face, long willow-like eyebrows, and a delicate nose. Her dark pupils, framed by thick lashes, sparkled like sunlight dancing on water when she blinked. Her graceful beauty was mixed with a wild spirit characteristic of the Central Plains of Guanzhong.
When told that Ying’ying’s maternal family was from Guanzhong, Madam Niu nodded in understanding. However, her heart was troubled. No wonder Young Master Zhao, coming from such a prestigious family, wanted to marry her. Such a beauty, with childhood feelings between them… Madam Niu glanced at Fifth Miss Niu, who was forced to wear a veil.
Fifth Miss Niu was speaking quietly with Third Miss, who was already married. After exchanging greetings with Ying’ying Ji, she hadn’t spared her another glance.
What could this dead girl be planning? Madam Niu couldn’t fathom what twisted thoughts were running through Fifth Miss’s mind.
Thankfully, Seventh Miss Niu was present. Madam Niu sighed in relief, allowing her to lead Ying’ying Ji to sit by the window.
Ying’ying Ji was also making comparisons. Though both families had their groups of young ladies, the official household clearly showed more refinement. Apart from Madam Niu, none of the young ladies wore brocade. The serving maids wore plain silk dresses, with fewer hairpins than their mistresses, clearly of lower quality. Their demeanor was also more respectful, unlike the Zhao family servants who carried themselves with airs of authority.
Seventh Miss Niu still wore Hu-style clothing and deer-skin boots, appearing capable and refreshing. The only thing that seemed out of place was the yellow chrysanthemum-embroidered fan she held.
The weather wasn’t particularly hot, and the bamboo blinds provided adequate ventilation, yet Seventh Miss Niu kept fanning herself as if trying to dispel her restlessness.
“Move the screen over here and raise the blinds!” Seventh Miss Niu ordered, then apologetically explained to Ying’ying Ji, “My father is a military official, without all the rules of civil officials. My elder sister dislikes being seen, which is why we lowered the bamboo blinds.”
At the mention of Fifth Miss Niu, Ying’ying Ji couldn’t help feeling jealous, her heart turning sour.
When she had entered, she had exchanged greetings with each of the Niu family’s young ladies. Both Third Miss and Fifth Miss Niu had risen to return her greetings.
Fifth Miss Niu wore a lake-blue wide-sleeved robe over her clothes and a moon-white veil over her face. Her hair was styled in double loop buns, with wisps of hair falling like wind-blown willow catkins. Her entire being seemed otherworldly. The forehead visible above her veil was as smooth as snow, and her eyes were bright and clear. The upturned corners of her eyes inadvertently revealed captivating charm when she turned her gaze.
She hadn’t said a single word to trouble Ying’ying Ji, nor had she tried to deliberately extract information about Zhao Xiuyuan. This greatly surprised Ying’ying Ji, who had prepared herself for humiliation.
In terms of family status, this was the daughter of the Vice Military Governor of Xichuan Circuit. The Xichuan Circuit governed several prefectures, with Yizhou Prefecture being just one of them. The Military Governor held the title of Jiedushi. Vice Governor Niu was the most capable deputy general under the Military Governor, holding a third-rank position. Vice Governor Niu also held a noble title, which was why Madam Niu could be addressed as “Madam.”
Why would the distinguished Fifth Miss Niu marry Zhao Xiuyuan? Ying’ying Ji hadn’t even considered this question. Her mind was filled only with thoughts of how the marriage between the Zhao and Niu families was indeed a hundred times more suitable than her match would have been. Apart from her childhood connection with Zhao Xiuyuan, she had nothing to compare with Fifth Miss Niu.
No matter how beautiful a wildflower might be, it couldn’t compare to a peony. With this thought, although Ying’ying Ji felt sad, she finally understood her mother’s good intentions in preventing their relationship.
When the bamboo blinds were raised, Ying’ying Ji first looked toward her brother sitting in the main hall, giving Yaoting Ji a reassuring smile. She was calculating the time, planning to take her leave after sitting for a while longer.
But Seventh Miss Niu, burdened with her mission, wouldn’t let her leave. She directly ordered a servant to inform Yaoting Ji that she was keeping Ying’ying upstairs to watch the brocade competition.
Ying’ying Ji had no choice but to remain seated.
“Dong! Dong! Dong!”
The drums on the high platform began to sound. The brocade competition officially began.
Seventh Miss Niu glared at Zhao Xiuyuan, who was staring intently from across the way, wanting nothing more than to grab his collar and give him a beating. When Second Miss Ji wasn’t here, you wouldn’t even spare a glance this way. Now that Second Miss Ji is sitting by the window, you can’t take your eyes off her? She gradually began to understand what Fifth Miss wanted to see.
“Sister Ji,” Seventh Miss Niu whispered in Ying’ying Ji’s ear, “could you help me with something?”
Fifth Miss Niu had let her sister proceed, appreciating Seventh Miss’s straightforward nature.
Upon hearing Seventh Miss Niu’s request, Ying’ying Ji stared at her in shock, her face flushing red with anger, her fingernails digging into her palms to suppress her rage. How could she make such a request? Ying’ying Ji instantly felt that her judgment had been too shallow. The daughters of officials were indeed not meant to be friends with common people. She had previously thought Seventh Miss Niu to be straightforward and generous. Now she realized that in their eyes, she was as lowly as a servant.
“I know I’m wronging you, sister. You can hit me or scold me later, I won’t mind,” Seventh Miss Niu said, her face red with shame.
Seventh Miss Niu wanted to splash a cup of tea on her face.
To tell her so clearly, so explicitly, to help test Zhao Xiuyuan.
“This isn’t necessary,” Ying’ying Ji struggled to control herself, her eyes gradually reddening. She spoke softly, “We were young and naive, childhood sweethearts who grew up together and developed feelings for each other. You all know this. Now that he’s engaged to your sister, everything from the past should be forgotten. Why go to such lengths to test him? If he doesn’t rush over, it means he has no feelings for me. Would your sister want someone so cold-hearted? If he does hurry over to defend me, in your family’s eyes, he would be showing no regard for your sister. Seventh Miss, this isn’t a good idea.”
The two of them were speaking close to each other by the window, and except for Ying’er standing nearby, no one else could hear. Ying’er bit her lip, thinking angrily, how could you suggest such a thing? Do you take my mistress for your servant?
Seventh Miss Niu held Ying’ying Ji’s hand and pleaded, “But my sister wants to see him. I don’t know what exactly she wants to see. She won’t say. Perhaps, sister just wants to know if he’s the kind of person who’s fickle in his affections.”
“This idea, was it your sister’s?” Ying’ying Ji asked.
“Mm.” Seventh Miss Niu hesitated before admitting. She bit her lip and whispered, “My elder sister had smallpox and her face is scarred. That’s why the engagement was delayed until now. Sister Ji, I beg you not to blame her.”
Smallpox scars? Ying’ying Ji covered her mouth in shock. No wonder the daughter of the Vice Governor would marry down to a merchant family. Did Zhao Xiuyuan know? Could he accept such a Fifth Miss Niu? She raised her head and met Zhao Xiuyuan’s gaze across the space between them.
“I’m being honest with you, sister, because I like your character. I believe you’re also generous and straightforward.”
Fifth Miss Niu, who hadn’t spoken a single word to her, had come up with such a scheme. Upon meeting her, she probably wanted nothing more than to destroy Ying’ying’s face, yet she wanted to make Ying’ying willingly submit to this treatment. She didn’t hesitate to use the straightforward Seventh Miss Niu.
The Zhao family had arranged this marriage to borrow the Niu family’s power, ensuring they would win the Jin Prince’s favor. Ying’ying Ji began to feel sorry for Zhao Xiuyuan. She had thought she had come to terms with everything and could endure the heartache, gradually forgetting their past feelings. But now her heart ached unbearably. Her Brother Xiuyuan had to marry such a plain-looking, scheming lady. Ying’ying Ji wanted to burst into tears, both for herself and for Zhao Xiuyuan.
“If that’s how it is, I’ll endure it.”