Chapter 39: Unreasonably Beautiful (Update 1)
On the carriage to Duke Zheng’s mansion, Xier couldn’t help but glance at the new maid beside her from time to time.
This maid named Azhi was temporarily arranged by the general. She looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, but was said to have some skills. She could stay with the girl without arousing suspicion and at the same time protect her.
Xier was very worried about this and struggled a lot in her heart.
Chang Suining took this opportunity to look through the list of names of the flower show in his hand, which was secretly collected by Chang Kuo. All the names on it were the families who had received the invitations to this flower show.
Some of them were people she knew, while others were upstarts. Whenever she came across a family worth getting to know, she would casually ask a question.
Xier would always answer enthusiastically, and when she saw her own girl casually point to a name on a line, she would immediately say, "...This maid also knows!"
Instead, Chang Suining experienced the joy of clicking on something he didn't understand.
In the midst of such questions and answers, they soon arrived at Duke Zheng's mansion.
The flower-viewing banquet was held in the garden of Duke Zheng’s mansion.
Duke Zheng Wei Qin liked the beauty of blooming flowers and was particularly fond of flowers and plants. There was a rumor in the capital that Duke Zheng's mansion covered an area of 23 acres, one-fourth of which was occupied by rooms, and the rest were flowers and plants. Others said that there was a garden in the mansion, and he built a mansion in the garden.
In this huge garden, all kinds of exotic flowers and plants can be seen everywhere. Although it is only early spring, the scenery is already full of colorful flowers.
"Why was this pot of red stone moved out as well? If it gets bumped or scratched, the Duke will make a fuss!" In Wei's garden, a servant was frightened when he saw the pot of rare stone, the only one in the capital.
"My wife asked me to move it... My wife said that if the flowers are not displayed for people to see, they will be in vain. Why should they bloom if no one sees them?"
"Does the Duke know about this?"
"The Duke went out early in the morning and locked the gate before leaving. Madam specially ordered us to climb over the wall and secretly move these out..."
"Got it..." The servants looked at the priceless flowers and plants, and became more and more frightened. Seeing the ladies coming forward to admire them, they were afraid that someone would pluck a flower without restraint - if they were plucked, the Duke would pluck their heads when he came back! Today, the Madam gave extra wages to all those who came to work in the garden - because of this, it was even more obvious that it was indeed a job that was on the edge of a knife.
Just as the Wei family servants were working diligently, they saw the female guests all looking in the same direction.
At the same time, the conversation became noisy.
A servant looked over and saw that the person everyone was looking at was a young girl who had just appeared in the garden and was walking towards them.
The spring was in full bloom, and the girl was at her most beautiful age, but her face was even more eye-catching than the spring scenery in the garden, just like a newly opened red stone peony, clean and beautiful.
However, her eyes and eyebrows have a somewhat cold expression, adding a bit of indescribable heroic beauty that seems to not belong to that face. When mixed together, there is a sense of chaotic beauty, making her beauty distinct and even overbearing. People dare not look directly at her, but cannot ignore her.
When little girls gather together, they inevitably compare clothes and jewelry. However, at this moment, everyone seems to be unable to see clearly and care about each other's clothes and appearance.
"Who is that? Why have I never seen him before..."
"Are they the family members of officials who have just moved to the capital?"
"Sister Wei, you should know who it is, right?" the little girls surrounding a girl in purple asked quietly.
The girl in purple was none other than Wei Miaoqing, the legitimate daughter of Duke Zheng.
The girl, who had the word "exquisite" written all over her body, reluctantly withdrew her gaze from that face. She suddenly felt a sense of crisis in her heart and whispered to the maid beside her, "... Manager Fang, I want to know all the details of this person within half an hour!"
The old woman responded seriously, and within half an hour she returned, whispering, "Girl, I have found out everything. She is the young lady from General Chang's mansion in Xingningfang. Her name is Chang Suining. She just came of age last year. She likes poetry, is timid and weak, and is not good at socializing. She has only one brother in the family. She usually likes to wear light-colored clothes..."
"Chang Suining?!" Wei Miaoqing suddenly interrupted the old woman and said in shock: "She is Chang Suining?!"
Chang Suining, who became known as the most beautiful woman just because she went out to burn incense last year?
She had always heard her father say since she was little that her mother, Lady Duan, the wife of Duke Zheng, was the most beautiful woman in the capital, and she had inherited her mother's appearance. She thought that when she grew up, she would definitely take over this title from her mother.
She grew up with such expectations until she was fifteen years old and got married, waiting to become famous in the capital after her coming-of-age ceremony. However, at this critical moment, a girl named Chang Suining suddenly appeared out of nowhere!
How could she be willing to accept this?
Fortunately, her mother told her that these were all rumors spread by outsiders and there was no evidence at all.
That’s right, it’s just alarmist talk, it will only fool those who have never seen it.
However, at this time...
Wei Miaoqing's eyes were so red that they were about to bleed. Rather than jealousy, it was more like feeling strange and puzzled.
"Manager Fang, did you see that? How could someone... How could someone..." Wei Miaoqing took a few steps to the side and took a closer look at the girl's profile. She was so angry that she almost fell backwards: "... How could someone look so unreasonable!"
We are all human beings, isn't this outrageous?
This is outrageous!
I just want to ask, Lady Nuwa, do you have a clear conscience? The housekeeper glanced at the young ladies around her and hurriedly reminded them in a low voice: "Girls, please think twice before you speak..."
Wei Miaoqing was about to tear the handkerchief in her hand: "I have thought about it three times, four times, and a hundred times!"
At this moment, the girl she was staring at turned her head slightly, looked at her, and even took a few steps towards her.
Wei Miaoqing immediately adjusted his demeanor and tried his best to act like a proper host.
Looking at the little girl who was trying hard to appear dignified, Chang Suining smiled slightly.
This was the first time she had seen this little girl, but her face was exactly the same as Duan Zhenyi's when she was young, so it was not difficult to guess her identity.
Seeing Chang Suining smiling at him, Wei Miaoqing was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly and forced a decent smile in response: "This is the first time that the Chang family's wife has come back. Please feel free to walk around and don't be restrained."
Looking at the little girl who looked like a pretty and proud peacock in the crowd, Chang Suining thought she was innocent and cute. He subconsciously tilted his head slightly and smiled, "Thank you very much."
Wei Miaoqing felt a flash before his eyes: "......!"
Taking advantage of the opportunity when her friend was talking to her, she turned around and stopped looking at the unreasonable face, and started to wonder in her heart - he doesn't look timid and unsociable... Damn, it turns out that this is where the rumors are unreliable! "Look, the Cui family is here." A girl whispered.
Because of their status, the Cui family members attract attention wherever they appear.
Cui Tang came over with several cousins and the wife of the second branch of the Cui family.
Cui Langzi was also here, but even though it was a flower show and the purpose was just for fun, he still had to pay attention to the etiquette between men and women.
It can be seen at a glance in the garden that men are on the right and women are mostly on the left, separated by winding bridges or bamboo and stone scenery. When entering the garden, there is no need for anyone to remind you which way to go, as it is all tacit understanding.
And because the scenery in the middle does not block the view much, this flower show has always been a good occasion for the ladies of each mansion to bring their young family members to watch each other quietly.
After going through all this over the years, I have managed to achieve quite a few good marriages.
When it comes to this, Lady Duan, wife of Duke Zheng, can't help but gnashing her teeth - although many others have achieved success, her own family member always sings the opposite tune!
But recently, Duan had smelled a rare unusual scent from her own son.
This was mainly thanks to the maid who returned with him from Hezhou, and secondly to Changji.
Come on, come on, give me the two cents one first!
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
