While Emperor Cheng Kang and Ming Tingyan were discussing matters in the Imperial Study, the three young ladies of the Jing’an Marquis Manor were meticulously preparing to leave.
Shen Hua, as always, was dressed in an elegant and refined manner. Her light pink, mist-like “Thousand Waters” skirt accentuated her graceful beauty, allowing her to blend seamlessly with the group of noble ladies in the capital.
Ming Chu wore a bold red dress. At first glance, it appeared similar to the one she wore when returning to the manor. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice that today’s attire was far more elaborate, consisting of four or five layers. As she walked, the layers cascaded, creating a vibrant and eye-catching effect without being overly conspicuous.
As for Ming Tan—
By the time they reached Spring Zheng Street in front of the Pingguo Duke’s Manor, the carriages could barely move forward. It was unclear how many people the Third Young Lady of the Zhang family had invited to her poetry gathering. The manor’s entrance was packed with carriages from various households, and the servants guiding horses to the stables were overwhelmed. Many passersby, noticing the bustling activity at the Pingguo Duke’s Manor, craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the excitement.
Ming Chu shared a carriage with Ming Tan and Shen Hua, her face clouded with irritation. She was unwilling to spend even a moment longer with them than necessary.
Seeing that the carriage had been stationary for quite some time, she impatiently lifted the curtain and asked, “Why aren’t we moving?”
“Third Young Lady, the road ahead is blocked. We can’t proceed,” replied the coachman.
Ming Chu retorted, “Can’t they just move out of the way?”
The coachman remained silent.
Ming Tan also peeked out of the carriage and then lowered the curtain. With a slight raise of her misty eyebrows, she remarked, “Third Sister, are you expecting Princess Fengzhao to make way for you?”
Princess Fengzhao? The daughter of a prince?
Ming Chu fell silent.
In truth, Ming Tan wasn’t particularly fond of Princess Fengzhao. Two years ago at the Golden Chrysanthemum Banquet, Ming Tan had performed her composition, “Suitable for Autumn,” on the zither. Everyone praised it as heavenly music, and she was the undisputed choice for Flower Mistress.
Unexpectedly, Princess Fengzhao, who had just returned from Yun City, suddenly appeared to join the festivities. She claimed it was all in good fun and that everyone should choose freely. However, when a girl from a lesser family didn’t choose her, the princess immediately showed her displeasure. After that, who would dare to offend her? When it came time to cast chrysanthemums, everyone had to change their vote.
The princess seemed quite unaware of herself. Believing she had truly won the Flower Mistress title due to her superior talent and beauty, she had been seeking the limelight at various events since returning to the capital. Her presence at flower viewings and banquets often turned a relaxed atmosphere into an awkward one.
Perhaps due to the Flower Mistress incident, Princess Fengzhao didn’t much like Ming Tan either. On the rare occasions they met, she would always try to cause trouble for Ming Tan.
Fortunately, Ming Tan wasn’t one to suffer in silence. Although she couldn’t openly offend a member of the imperial family, she could certainly use her words.
Princess Fengzhao, having grown up in the southwestern borderlands, was only slightly more refined than Ming Chu and not as skilled in martial arts. In verbal sparring, she was no match for Ming Tan.
When they faced off, Ming Tan would often discuss etiquette and history, leaving the princess unable to respond. Moreover, Ming Tan was surrounded by like-minded noble ladies who would chime in, making the situation even more unbearable for the princess.
Since Princess Fengzhao was also attending today, Ming Tan contemplated avoiding contact with her. After all, she had come for Young Master Shu, and it wouldn’t do to leave an impression of being sharp-tongued.
However, Ming Tan was unaware that when she had peeked out of the carriage earlier, her goal of a chance encounter with Young Master Shu had already been achieved.
Zhang Huaiyu had initially agreed to invite Shu Er for tea, unable to resist his cousin’s pestering. But Zhang Huaiyu was not one to sit quietly and drink tea. As soon as he mentioned it to Shu Er, Shu Er sensed something was amiss and questioned him, learning the truth.
Having already agreed, Shu Jingran felt obliged to help Zhang Huaiyu save face in front of his cousin, despite knowing the real situation.
Shu Jingran, still sore from being pelted with fruits during his recent street ride, was not keen on being surrounded by young ladies again. The mere thought made him uncomfortable.
So he suggested to Zhang Huaiyu that they invite talented young men from the capital to join them for tea and poetry, setting up their gathering in a garden adjacent to his cousin’s poetry meeting. This way, the atmosphere would be both refined and lively, and he wouldn’t have to face the ordeal alone.
It was this suggestion that led to the grand spectacle of carriages and horses crowding the entrance of the Pingguo Duke’s Manor today.
“Are you not going?” Shu Jingran asked, pausing at the entrance of Spring Zheng Street.
Jiang Xu cast a disinterested glance at the bustling scene. “I have important matters to attend to.”
The night before, while discussing affairs at the Right Chancellor’s manor, a sudden downpour had forced him to stay overnight. Today, as Shu Jingran was heading to the Pingguo Duke’s Manor for tea and poetry, Jiang Xu needed to go to the Capital Garrison to handle military affairs. Their paths aligned, so they had left together.
As Jiang Xu was about to leave, Shu Jingran looked into the distance and remarked, “Isn’t that the Jing’an Marquis’s carriage?”
Jiang Xu glanced in the direction indicated.
His gaze fell upon an ornate carriage bearing the Ming family’s emblem. The curtain was gently pulled aside by a pair of jade-like hands with fingers as delicate as spring onions. Inside sat a young lady with loosely bound jet-black hair and eyes like clear pools of water. As she tilted her head slightly to look outside, she appeared as enchanting as spring water reflecting pear blossoms – beautiful beyond compare.
Even Shu Jingran was momentarily stunned. He clasped his hands behind his back and said with a light chuckle, “This Fourth Young Lady of the Ming family is indeed a rare beauty.”
“I thought you didn’t want to marry?” Jiang Xu suddenly asked.
“It’s not that I don’t want to marry this Fourth Young Lady of the Ming family specifically. I simply don’t wish to marry at the moment,” Shu Jingran explained. “Besides, my reluctance to marry doesn’t conflict with my ability to appreciate beauty.”
Jiang Xu glanced at him, then lost interest and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
The Pingguo Duke’s Manor was expansive. Upon entering, sedan chairs were provided for the delicate guests to prevent fatigue. However, with the spring weather being so pleasant, the young ladies preferred to walk in small groups, chatting and laughing as they went.
In the garden where the poetry gathering was to be held, artificial mountains and flowing streams created a serene atmosphere. Peonies and tree peonies were in full bloom, while camellias and azaleas competed for attention. Near the flower beds, several long tables were neatly arranged, equipped with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. In the cool pavilions where guests could rest, fruits, pastries, and high-quality tea were provided.
Bai Minmin, who hadn’t eaten before leaving home, was already in one of the pavilions enjoying sugared pear with yogurt. The crisp, slightly tart pears were cut into neat cubes and placed in an exquisite porcelain dish, then drizzled with cane syrup and yogurt, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The combination of sweet and sour flavors was quite delightful.
Seeing that she had nearly finished an entire dish of pears, Zhou Jingwan, sitting nearby, gently advised her to show a bit more restraint.
Just then, Zhang Hanmiao brought over another young lady. Upon seeing Bai Minmin, she couldn’t resist teasing, “If Sister Minmin enjoys this sugared pear dish so much, I’ll have our cook prepare it at the Changguo Duke’s Manor next time. But remember, you’ll still have to pay our cook according to the rules!”
Bai Minmin retorted, “That won’t be necessary. I intend to eat my fill right here at your Pingguo Duke’s Manor before I leave!”
The surrounding ladies covered their mouths with handkerchiefs, giggling softly.
At that moment, a young maid led Ming Tan and her companions towards the group.
Shen Hua appeared gentle and charming.
Ming Chu was striking in her red dress.
Ming Tan wore a light green short jacket over a long white dress with silver embroidered pear blossoms. Her makeup was light, accentuating her picturesque features and delicate skin. She wore minimal hair ornaments, with just a single jade-carved pear blossom hairpin inlaid with silver that swayed gently as she walked, embodying the lightness of a young lady in spring.
Ming Tan had spent two whole days deciding on this outfit. After all, she had recently broken off her engagement, and regardless of the reason, it wouldn’t be appropriate to be too conspicuous. However, she still wanted to catch Shu Er’s eye. So while she couldn’t be flashy, she could be subtly distinctive. Even her seemingly light makeup had taken considerable effort to achieve.
Judging by the momentary look of admiration in everyone’s eyes, Ming Tan knew her efforts of the past two days hadn’t been in vain.
“Why are you so late? Tan, we’ve been waiting for you for quite a while.”
“It’s been days since we last met, and our little Miss Ming seems to have grown even more radiant!”
“Tan, would you like some tea? The fruit tea Hanmiao prepared is exceptionally sweet and refreshing.”
Ming Tan was on good terms with many of the noble ladies, and they all came forward to greet her upon her arrival. Shen Hua often accompanied Ming Tan to banquets at various manors. Although she found it difficult to fully integrate into this circle, her well-rounded personality and some talent made her at least outwardly acceptable to everyone. She was particularly popular among young ladies from commoner backgrounds, and as soon as she appeared, several came forward to chat with her.
Only Ming Chu was initially ignored. It was Ming Tan who introduced her, saying, “By the way, this is my Third Sister. She’s recently returned to the capital from Yangxi Road.”
In prominent families of that era, legitimate and illegitimate children received the same education, with differences only in marriage arrangements due to their maternal family’s status. So, at least on the surface, there was no prejudice against daughters born to concubines.
As the hostess, Zhang Hanmiao quickly followed Ming Tan’s lead and praised in a sweet voice, “I can tell at a glance that Sister Chu must be a tigress from a military family. You have quite an air of valor about you!”
Of course.
Ming Chu responded with a curt “You’re too kind,” but with her chin slightly raised, she barely deigned to look at Zhang Hanmiao, showing no real modesty.
Zhang Hanmiao’s smile froze for a moment before she quickly covered it up and changed the subject.
The other young ladies who had intended to offer a few compliments also fell silent upon seeing Ming Chu’s attitude. They casually moved on to other topics, though they all thought to themselves: This is someone unfamiliar and unnecessary to befriend. Does she not understand where she is and why she’s putting on such airs?
Ming Chu, unaware of the reason, assumed they were deliberately cold-shouldering her on Ming Tan’s instructions and felt resentful.
Equally displeased was Princess Fengzhao, who had entered the garden just moments after Ming Tan’s group. Despite arriving almost simultaneously, no one had noticed her because she hadn’t instructed her maid to announce her presence.
After standing there for a while, she gave her maid a meaningful look.
The maid quickly called out, “Princess Fengzhao has arrived!”
Only then did everyone turn to look, bowing slightly: “Greetings to the Princess. We wish the Princess good health.”
“No need for formalities,” Fengzhao said.
Feeling annoyed, she walked forward while coldly eyeing Ming Tan. As she reached the pavilion, she looked Ming Tan up and down and suddenly smiled, saying, “Fourth Young Lady Ming still maintains her good looks. It seems the broken engagement hasn’t affected you at all.”
Everyone fell silent.
To provoke so blatantly – Princess Fengzhao was truly one of a kind.
Ming Tan, however, completely ignored the latter half of the statement and smiled, revealing a pair of small, sweet dimples. “Thank you for your kind words, Princess.”
“…” Princess Fengzhao continued, “Since your Marquis’s manor is no longer in the capital, it will be difficult to see the young ladies from their household in the future. By the way, the Fifth Young Lady of your Marquis’s household borrowed a rare ancient text from me and hasn’t returned it. I wonder where it might be now. Fourth Young Lady, you did have an engagement with their household, so you must be in correspondence with the Fifth Young Lady—”
“Oh, Tan, what’s wrong?” Bai Minmin suddenly supported Ming Tan, asking with concern.
Ming Tan replied, “It’s nothing. I might be a bit dizzy from not having breakfast.”
Everyone immediately began expressing their concern, effectively cutting off Princess Fengzhao’s line of questioning.
In truth, Ming Tan had hundreds of responses that could have left Fengzhao speechless, but today she didn’t want to engage with her. She was still waiting for Young Master Shu.
After a round of solicitous inquiries, the topic had shifted. Zhang Hanmiao was about to start the poetry gathering when Ming Chu, noticing the tension between Fengzhao and Ming Tan, suddenly interjected, “Fourth Sister, could it be that you’re still unwell from your recent fall into the water?”
Fall into the water? What fall?
Everyone was shocked and confused. Even Ming Tan hadn’t expected Ming Chu to bring up the Lantern Festival incident in such a setting.
The pavilion fell silent for a moment until Shen Hua suddenly spoke up, “The lotus pond at home is quite shallow. Fourth Sister wouldn’t have caught a chill from that. Third Sister, there’s no need to blame yourself excessively. Just be more careful with your whip practice in the future.”