Hibiscus
Another day passed, and Dou Zhen's coming-of-age ceremony officially arrived.
The Dou family had already decorated their home in a new style. Dou Zhen was renowned throughout Mujing for her talent and was the only legitimate daughter in the family. Many relatives from both the Bai and Dou families came to visit.
Bai got up before dawn to take care of things. Now, with the eldest daughter-in-law bedridden and the second daughter-in-law suddenly pregnant, the two daughters-in-law naturally couldn't help much.
Bai then asked Aunt Guo to look after the kitchen, and also asked her cousin Zhong, who had come from her maternal family, to come and help.
Zhong was about forty years old and was Bai's cousin, who was close in age to her. She had originally married a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), but in recent years she had become a widow. By chance, she remarried to a Censor surnamed Gu.
It is said that this cousin of Lord Gu was a concubine newly taken in by Prince Mao's household last year, and so they became acquainted with Prince Mao. Only then did Lady Bai gradually regain her closeness with Lady Zhong.
She had specially invited Mrs. Zhong today to keep things under control.
Meanwhile, Dou Zhen, the protagonist of the day, also got up early to take a bath. She had only heard the news of Lin Xu's sudden pregnancy yesterday, and was naturally overjoyed. She immediately ordered Pan'er to bring out a box of fifty-year-old ginseng from the storeroom, along with a jade ruyi carved with lotus flowers, and send it over.
The Bai family attached great importance to Dou Zhen's coming-of-age ceremony, and even the guests invited to the banquet today were carefully selected. The most important guests, the chief guest and the best man, were naturally decided long ago.
Lin Xu couldn't sleep well, so she got up early, put on a light crimson brocade jacket with gold embroidery, styled her hair into a soft half-cloud bun, and asked Granny Qin to choose a mother-of-pearl inlaid gold hairpin to attach to her hair bun.
She still hadn't adjusted to her pregnancy. When Madam Bai learned of her pregnancy, she naturally stopped keeping her busy and ordered Fuzhen to set up a flower hall across the long corridor in the second courtyard behind the screen wall. She only needed to sit there and chat with the women and entertain guests.
Granny Qin was afraid of neglecting any aspect of the care, so she couldn't stay idle for a moment. She instructed the kitchen maid to cook a bowl of black chicken and glutinous rice soup, which was tender and soft. While drinking the soup, she watched Dou Chu and the children of several guests playing together.
Aunt Zhen covered her cough and chatted with several elderly ladies from the Dou family who had come from afar.
Dou Huaisheng was born in the northern frontier. He left home at a young age to come to Mujing and obtain official rank. Since establishing his own household, he had little contact with his ancestral family. It was only in the last month or two, when his ancestral family's eldest nephew came to the capital to prepare for the imperial examination, that his interactions with the Dou family of Mujing became more frequent.
Old Madam Dou was Dou Huaisheng's aunt. She was seventy years old, with gray hair, wearing a long, dark gold jacket with a swastika pattern, and leaning on a dragon-head cane.
The old lady was also seeing Lin Xu for the first time. She held Lin Xu's hand and spoke to her slowly for a while. When she mentioned her eldest daughter-in-law, Feng Daizhu, who could no longer show her face, her gray eyes were filled with disdain.
"I thought he was a lucky guy, but it turns out he's a fool who can't think straight..."
The tone shifted, and when she looked at Lin Xu, it softened a bit, "Now that you've married the second son, you'll have to be more tolerant of him. He has a bit of a temper, but he's also quite stubborn. He's nothing like his father. That's how it is with children born to concubines from humble families..."
Lin Xu coldly looked at Old Madam Dou's wrinkled, weathered face. She seemed so kind, yet she was saying the most hurtful and merciless things.
She couldn't help but recall Dou Yanxun's words about being banished to the northern frontier and the days he spent wandering aimlessly. If his ancestral family had treated him well, how could they have allowed him to suffer so much at such a young age?
So he quietly removed Madam Dou's withered hand from his sleeve.
Since Lin Xu was pregnant, Aunt Zhen didn't want her to overexert herself, so she endured her cough and started chatting with the ladies from the Zu family and the relatives from the Bai family.
Lin Xu, holding Zhu Ling's hand, slowly walked out of the flower hall, intending to sit behind the rockery in the garden for some fresh air. Although guests had begun to arrive, most were busy placing gifts in the front yard, making the back garden the quietest part of the mansion for the time being.
Seeing Lin Xu gently rubbing his temples, Zhu Ling also whispered:
"This old lady's words are a bit harsh, but she is of a higher generation after all. Even our old lady serves her with great respect."
Lin Xu knew in his heart that Dou Shi, despite her advanced age, had come from afar, and it must be for more than just celebrating Dou Zhen's birthday.
She had just heard Fuzhen report the gifts, saying that the old lady's congratulatory gift to Dou Zhen alone included an extremely precious amber and gold-threaded headdress, several bolts of navy blue brocade, and two pieces of white mink fur, among other things.
She sneered, "...Coming from so far away and so generously, he must have something to ask of you. But judging from the appearance of Dou's eldest nephew, he seems to be an ordinary person. If the old lady is so sure that he will pass the imperial examination, she is probably just being too optimistic."
The young man who came to stay at the Dou family with the Dou family was the son of Dou Huaisheng's younger brother. He was over twenty years old and named Tonghan. He had passed the imperial examination in the autumn last year and had come to Mujing this year to prepare for the spring examination next year.
I remember that imperial examination...
Lin Xu could not forget that in his previous life, it was because of this exam that his father was appointed by the emperor as an examiner, which ultimately led to him being accused of cheating and his entire family being executed.
Even though she was incredibly unruly in her past life, she remembered that her father's burden fell on him because after Minister Wen of the Ministry of Rites retired, the new Minister and Vice Minister both had members of their clan participating in the imperial examinations that year. According to the law, relatives within five degrees of kinship had to avoid taking the exams.
Minister Wen was on good terms with his father. Although he had returned to his hometown and was living in seclusion, he would often take a carriage to Mujing to visit his father and reminisce. Both of them loved quatrains and could often talk for a long time with a pot of wine and a plate of peanuts. However, they would also often argue fiercely about whether the previous dynasty had a "Poet Saint" or a "Poet Ghost" and whose poems were better.
But now she knows that Minister Wen died of illness not long after returning to Qingyang. This did not happen in her previous life.
Will Father, in this life, be appointed by the Emperor as the examiner for the imperial examinations, just as he was in his previous life?
As Lin Xu recalled the past, his brows furrowed even more deeply.
Zhu Ling, unaware of her thoughts, assumed she was still displeased by Old Madam Dou's cold and aloof remarks, and pointed to the newly planted hibiscus in the garden for her to see:
"Madam, look, these hibiscus flowers were newly planted in our back garden. They are blooming beautifully and abundantly now, and when the wind blows, they look like snow."
Several hibiscus trees stood by the water in the garden, their branches and leaves lush and verdant, their petals like snowflakes, fluttering and dancing in the wind before gently falling to the ground. It truly resembled falling snow.
She looked up for a moment, and before she knew it, the handkerchief in her hand was not clenched tightly and was blown high into the air by the wind, flying towards the lake.
Lin Xu couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
The handkerchief rose several times in the air, surrounded by pure white hibiscus flowers, creating a strangely harmonious scene.
The next instant, the handkerchief made a turn in the air and fell into the lake.
She felt a pity in her heart.
But then a figure flashed past behind the flowers on the opposite bank of the lake. In a flash, the tall figure bent down and quickly caught the handkerchief in his hand just before it got wet.
When the man stood up, Lin Xu and Zhu Ling's expressions changed slightly.
Beneath the hibiscus tree, a tall, slender man stood amidst shimmering water and dappled sunlight. He wore a moon-white, slanted-collar robe, his long, black hair tied high, the hem of his robe fluttering in the wind. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a soft golden glow on his profile.
Lin Xu's embroidered handkerchief was gently held by her slender, jade-like knuckles, and even the glimpse of her wrist bone peeking out from her sleeve exuded a subtle air of refined elegance.
He looked down at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. Just then, a breeze arose, and the hibiscus blossoms on the tree rustled and drifted in the wind, soon settling on his hair and broad shoulders.
Even knowing that there would be many guests in the mansion today, and that they were a mixed bag, Lin Xu never expected to see Zhou Weikan here.
The two remained silent for a moment.
Seeing this, Zhu Ling was quick-witted and hurriedly retreated, standing guard on the only path leading to the garden lake. If anyone else came at this moment, she could warn the two of them.
Lin Xu looked at her embroidered handkerchief, which she had embroidered when she was sitting idly in the mansion in Laining, feeling bored all day long.
Zhou Weikan raised his hand and looked at the handkerchief in his hand in the light and shadow.
It was a plain handkerchief.
The silk fabric shimmered with a delicate white light in the sunlight. A cherry blossom branch was embroidered at the corner. Two small, bright red cherries hung from the tender green leaves. The cherry blossoms, just beginning to ripen, possessed a touch of youthful innocence.
His smile deepened, and he raised his hand to hand her the embroidered handkerchief.
"Your cherry embroidery is exquisite."
She had practiced embroidery for so long that, even though she hadn't liked it before, she had become quite skilled after embroidering the entire cloak. However, this was the first time she had received praise from someone.
Lin Xu took the handkerchief, his fingertips just brushing against his slender hand.
She couldn't help but feel a little reserved. Even though she was married, for some reason, whenever Zhou Weikan saw her, he would either call her Miss Lin or omit the whole title altogether.
But this was, after all, the Dou family's back garden. She was standing alone by the lake with a stranger, and having only recently returned, she was worried about being seen and causing trouble. So she spoke very politely:
"Thank you for saving me, Young Master Zhou."
She lowered her eyes and noticed that the hem of his pale white robe was soaked with water. Just now, he had bent down so close to the lake, and his clothes had gotten wet too. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
"It's just an embroidered handkerchief, nothing valuable, yet it has made Young Master Zhou's clothes wet. I'm truly sorry."
When Zhou Weikan smiled, her already clear and bright eyes became even more relaxed, and her whole person became even more radiant.
He said gently, "Now that I have seen it, how can I stand idly by?"
He added, "Today I heard that it is the coming-of-age ceremony of the third young lady of the Dou family. Your wife, Madam Bai, specially came to Jinxiu Manor several months ago to order several sets of dresses for the third young lady to wear on her coming-of-age ceremony. She also invited me to come and watch the ceremony and have a seat."
Lin Xu understood. The Zhou family's silk fabrics were famous throughout the world. Usually, only the princes and nobles of the capital could enjoy them, while ordinary officials or wealthy families considered it an honor to wear Zhou family silk fabrics, which were priceless, during festivals or grand ceremonies. Given Bai's love and care for Dou Zhen, she had naturally prepared them well in advance.
It was ultimately her fault that he got his clothes wet. The understated moon white color shimmered faintly in the sunlight, making him appear even taller and more handsome. It was undoubtedly the finest and softest brocade.
She knew this fabric was extremely valuable, and after thinking for a moment, she still said:
"Would Young Master Zhou be willing to move to the side hall? I can have a servant take you there to change your clothes. We will return them to you once they have been washed."
The faint smile on Zhou Weikan's lips gradually faded.
He remained silent for a long time in the gentle breeze, seemingly weary, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes. After a long while, he sighed softly:
"How have you been in Laining these days?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
