Two days later, at Magistrate Yu’s Wind and Lotus Banquet in Pengcheng, Ming Chu arrived elegantly dressed in her Yao Hua silk gown from Yuluo Workshop.
Since her marriage, Ming Chu had come to appreciate the Capital’s noblewomen’s love for fine silks and brocades. This was partly due to her two sisters-in-law’s spirited nature, which left her little room to cultivate a robust image.
Moreover, men ultimately favored beauty. When she married, her husband already had a concubine. Though never officially elevated due to the Jing’an Marquis’s reputation, her husband favored this woman, spending nearly as much time in her quarters as in Ming Chu’s.
The concubine was indeed attractive and adept at appearing delicate and vulnerable. Since Ming Chu’s arrival, she had often schemed against her. Initially, Ming Chu tried to assert her authority as the primary wife, but the concubine cleverly appealed to the mother-in-law and husband for protection. Ming Chu’s quick temper and inability to garner sympathy gradually annoyed her husband.
However, after enduring the back courtyard politics, Ming Chu realized that men often feigned ignorance when their hearts were biased. Fortunately, her mother’s former maid, Liu Xin, sought refuge with her. Liu Xin, being resourceful, analyzed the Feng family’s dynamics and advised Ming Chu to learn to dress up, be patient, and control her temper around her husband. Gradually, this approach showed some effect.
Now, with her mother-in-law bedridden and the concubine eliminated on some pretext, life had become somewhat easier for Ming Chu.
At the Yu residence, Ming Chu was immediately surrounded by ladies offering flattery and pleasantries. On such occasions, Ming Chu would casually mention her “dear sister.”
This was Liu Xin’s strategy. She argued that it would be a waste not to leverage the powerful backing of the Jing’an Marquis and Northern Duke. In Hezhou, unlike the capital, Ming Chu hadn’t misused these connections, so few knew of them.
Initially, Ming Chu was reluctant to use Ming Tan’s influence. But Liu Xin reasoned that if she disliked Ming Tan, why not use her name to act imperiously? She would benefit from tarnishing Ming Tan’s reputation.
“This dress is merely passable. My sister, the Duchess, probably wouldn’t even glance at it,” Ming Chu remarked nonchalantly when someone complimented her Yao Hua silk gown. “My sister is quite extravagant, often cutting fine silk just for amusement.”
“Well, she is a Duchess. She’s seen all the finest things.”
“Indeed. I heard the Su family’s daughter tried to buy this dress the other day. How presumptuous of her.”
As the conversation around Ming Chu grew animated, someone suddenly exclaimed, “Oh!” The crowd turned, momentarily stunned, as they watched a woman approach gracefully.
Ming Chu’s expression changed abruptly when she saw the newcomer.
Su Rongrong?
And she was also wearing Yao Hua silk!
Su Rongrong was the young lady whose dress had been snatched by Ming Chu’s maid at Yuluo Workshop days earlier.
She wore a full Yao Hua silk ensemble – a red and white jacket with intricate butterfly and begonia embroidery, paired with a matching skirt. Her jewelry tinkled as she moved, creating the illusion of fluttering butterflies.
Compared to Ming Chu’s outfit, which only featured a Yao Hua silk top, Su Rongrong’s attire was far more luxurious. The intricate embroidery spoke of exquisite craftsmanship and high value.
Not just her dress, but her embroidered shoes, hairpin, and earrings all seemed specially chosen to complement the outfit. The entire ensemble made her appear more radiant than usual.
“Rongrong, is your dress also Yao Hua silk?” someone couldn’t help but ask.
Su Rongrong nodded demurely.
“Were there other Yao Hua silk dresses at Yuluo Workshop that day?”
“No,” Su Rongrong replied, casting a casual glance at Ming Chu. “I couldn’t have afforded such a fine dress. This was a gift from a noble benefactor.”
“A noble benefactor? Who?” The crowd grew curious. The Su family, while wealthy in Hezhou, had no known connections to high-ranking officials or nobility.
Su Rongrong smiled gently. “I have Third Madam Feng to thank. At Yuluo Workshop, I was about to buy the dress Madam Feng is wearing now. However, her maid Lingzhi was quite forceful, insisting the dress wasn’t mine until I paid, and pressured the shop to sell it to her. She even threatened to inform the Northern Duchess and ruin their business. Not wanting to cause trouble over a dress, I yielded.”
The crowd was stunned. Feng’s third daughter-in-law was known for her domineering behavior, but for Su Rongrong to speak so boldly about it now seemed foolhardy. They exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
Su Rongrong continued, “I was quite upset at the time. Who wouldn’t be, having a dress snatched away? But what good would anger do? It couldn’t make me the Northern Duke’s sister-in-law. I even wondered how the Northern Duke, our great general who pacified the north, could have married such an overbearing Duchess.”
The crowd was frozen in shock. Had Su Rongrong lost her mind, publicly calling the Northern Duchess overbearing?
“I stewed in anger for a day. Unexpectedly, the next day, a noble guest visited. They said their mistress had witnessed Lingzhi taking my dress at Yuluo Workshop. Feeling guilty, and having just had a new Yao Hua silk dress made, their mistress sent it to me as an apology.”
Some caught the phrases “feeling guilty” and “apology,” while others wondered who would dare to act against the Northern Duchess so openly.
No matter how they pressed, Su Rongrong merely smiled without elaborating, turning to look leisurely at Ming Chu, whose expression had noticeably changed.