Chapter 71 Climbing the Heights "The encounters between people are not about high or low, but about..."
On June 21st, the area in front of the Cui residence was completely blocked by carriages with colorful canopies.
The gates were wide open, and the steward, leading servants in blue robes and small hats, stood at attention, greeting the guests with beaming smiles.
Today is the Cui family's annual lotus appreciation banquet, a grand event where prominent families in the capital compete to attend and showcase their status and prestige.
Meng Lingyao helped Songlan down from the carriage, and immediately felt a commotion mixed with the fragrance of lotus flowers rushing towards them.
A kind-faced maid was already waiting in the corridor inside the gate. She greeted me with a smile, "Greetings, Miss. Madam specially instructed me to wait here. This way, please."
As you travel along, you see carved beams and painted rafters, an extraordinary sight. Ten acres of clear water, white lotuses standing tall, pink lotuses blooming brightly, a gentle breeze carrying their fragrance, truly a scene of rich and elegant beauty.
The waterside pavilion, built over the lake and surrounded by water on three sides, is connected by a covered walkway and has already been set up for a banquet.
Light gauze curtains blocked out the scorching sun, and cool well water was splashed on the blue brick floor. With large ice chests placed in the corner, the waterside pavilion was much cooler than outside.
On the table, a porcelain plate holds freshly peeled lotus seeds, and a crystal cup holds chilled melons and fruits. The fragrance rising from the incense burner swirls and mingles with the breeze rustling through the lotus pond, creating a serene and pleasant atmosphere.
It was truly magnificent. Meng Lingyao subconsciously calculated how much silver this spectacle would cost. After a quick mental calculation, she arrived at a figure that was enough to make one gasp in astonishment.
Let alone Juxianglou, even Linlangge would need many days' worth of income to cover its expenses.
She hadn't thought about these things much before, but perhaps because she had spent so much time with Pei Xu, she couldn't help but start wondering where Cui Shi got so much money.
The Emperor did not bestow any reward upon him. Cui Wulang held a quiet and leisurely position. The Cui family's publicly displayed businesses were not particularly prosperous. How could they afford such expenses?
"Miss, please take a seat here." The maid's voice interrupted Meng Lingyao's thoughts.
She nodded slightly and then sat down.
Indeed, "doing good is as easy as climbing a mountain, while doing evil is as easy as a landslide." After only a few days of hanging out with Pei Xu, he had already picked up this bad habit of overthinking.
No, no, women should avoid overthinking and worrying, as it damages their appearance.
After some reflection, Meng Lingyao picked up the tea beside her and took a small sip.
The maid arranged a seat with an excellent view, and in the main seat sat a person, Madam Cui.
She wore a Xiangfei-colored brocade dress with gold embroidery, her hair was neatly styled, and she wore only a lustrous and translucent white jade phoenix head hairpin with pearls in her hair. There were no elaborate pearls or jade ornaments on her body.
Is there anyone here with poor eyesight who could tell at a glance that that hairpin is worth a fortune?
At this moment, she was smiling and talking with the lady beside her, her demeanor gentle and graceful.
"The arrangement of this lotus appreciation banquet is elegant and skillful in every detail, a level of refinement that can only be achieved by generations of officials. The entire household is fortunate to have such a well-organized event by our aunt."
Another lady smiled and agreed, “Exactly. Madam Cui manages the household well and is a pillar of the clan. What matter, big or small, in the clan does not require Madam’s careful attention? Managing the household, educating people, and mentoring the younger generation are truly a model for us all.”
Madam Cui smiled demurely, “You flatter me. I have never failed in my duties to my maternal family. I only hope to live up to the trust placed in me by my elder brother and the clan elders, and to live up to the expectations of the younger generation in my family.”
Meng Lingyao watched coldly as the woman skillfully entertained the ladies of the various families, savoring the fragrant and clear lotus bud tea in her cup. Her gaze drifted over the seat next to the head of the table.
That was Cui Wulang's seat, and sitting right next to him was his concubine, Madam Sun.
Aunt Sun, dressed in a light gauze dress that shimmered in the sunlight, chatted and laughed with her neighbor about her newly acquired jewelry.
Slightly behind her sat her mistress, the Fifth Madam, Zhuo Ling. Her eyes were lowered, her expression indifferent. Standing behind her was a clever-looking maid, well-behaved and obedient, her eyes downcast.
The surrounding laughter and chatter seemed to subtly bypass this corner, creating a tacitly understood zone of silence.
"Lingyao, you've finally arrived."
A clear and cheerful voice came from beside her. Meng Lingyao turned around and bumped into a bouquet of fresh lotus flowers. Without saying a word, Xie Chengyu stuffed the bouquet into Meng Lingyao's arms and sat down next to her.
"Since you weren't here earlier, I took a boat trip on the lake for a while. I thought the flowers were nice, so I'm giving them to you."
Meng Lingyao was skeptical. "This wasn't picked for you by some young master Qu or young master Wang, was it?"
"What are you saying?" Xie Chengyu feigned distress, clutching her heart, and said, "The things I gave you were naturally the most beautiful ones I picked out myself. How could I let that stinky man get his hands on them?"
"That's more like it." Meng Lingyao hugged the flower to her chest and sniffed it.
Her hibiscus-like face was half-hidden behind the lush lotus leaves, her jade-like cheeks reflecting the red of the new lotus leaves, making it impossible to tell whether her face was more delicate or her lotus cheeks more radiant.
Xie Chengyu rested her chin on her hand, not daring to blink, and realized that her trip had not been in vain.
"By the way, have you heard?" She leaned slightly forward, her voice soft, her eyes filled with a smile, "The Earl of Anping, who spoke so freely by the river, received a divine judgment yesterday."
Meng Lingyao pushed a freshly brewed glass of chilled plum syrup in front of Xie Chengyu, her eyes flickering slightly. "Oh?"
"Strip him of his title, and his family for three generations shall be barred from holding office. The title shall be bestowed upon his younger brother." She was beaming with pride. "With the Princess far away in the southwest, is there no one who can control him? Your Majesty's actions are truly delightful!"
Meng Lingyao nodded, "He deserved it."
The two then chatted quietly about Juxianglou's new products, laughing and talking happily.
Suddenly, a gaze filled with resentment and disappointment pierced through me.
"Who was so happy? It was Miss Meng and Miss Xie." He emphasized the words "Miss Meng" with particular emphasis.
Meng Lingyao looked up and saw that it was Zhao Ruxuan. She walked closer, her expression complicated, and hesitated to speak. The two female companions behind her also stopped, looking slightly embarrassed.
Zhao Ruxuan's gaze lingered on Meng Lingyao's face for a moment, her voice containing a hint of grievance and indignation that she herself couldn't quite explain.
"Miss Meng is currently riding high, and I heard that Pei Shaoqing has personally come to propose marriage... What a blessing!"
"And I even sang a whole bunch of good things about you to my mother... who would have thought that some people would turn around and side with Lin..."
Her companions behind her held their breath, ready to stop her from speaking rudely.
Fortunately, she swallowed the last few words in time, her eyes filled with resentment, "Same as always, they went to climb that high branch."
She had finally prepared herself mentally and decided to accept this sister-in-law with whom she had never gotten along well, but she never expected that she would refuse!
Zhao Ruxuan felt that the harm she had suffered was no less than that suffered by her second brother.
Meng Lingyao slowly put down her teacup, the white porcelain making a soft tinkling sound. She looked up to meet Zhao Ruxuan's gaze, her eyes clear and steady, the corners of her lips slightly curved.
“Miss Zhao’s words have left me bewildered.” She said calmly, “Trees grow in the world and each has its own strengths. For example, the pine tree has a strong and gnarled trunk that can grow to more than ten feet tall; and the peach tree, which is only a foot tall, has flowers that bloom like clouds in spring and fruits that are sweet in summer. They are all fine trees, just different in appearance.”
"As for worldly marriages, they are all just coincidences."
She paused briefly, then turned her gaze to the lotus pond, and everyone followed her gaze in that direction.
In the center of the lotus pond, a red lotus stands alone, blooming against the wind. Suddenly, a cool breeze from the shore causes the red lotus to bend, its petals lightly touching the water's surface, creating ripples.
Meng Lingyao smiled and said, “Just like this lotus pond, the flowers and trees grow naturally, and people meet when the time is right. The encounters between people are not about high or low status, but about compatibility.”
Everyone instantly understood her implication: her being with Pei Shaoqing was a matter of mutual understanding and fate, not a case of "climbing the social ladder."
As for the Marquis of Wuxing's residence, it's not that it's not "high-class," but rather that it's "unsuitable."
Zhao Ruxuan was speechless at her words, which were full of hidden barbs. Her face turned red and then white. She bit her lip, but in the end, she couldn't refute them. She felt even more wronged and disappointed. She left with a "I've learned something" and hurriedly turned and left with her companions.
Meng Lingyao remained calm, showing no anger at being offended.
“This silly girl,” Xie Chengyu shook his head, “can never win an argument with you, yet can’t help but provoke you every time. I don’t know why?”
Meng Lingyao shrugged. "Who knows?"
As noon approached, the heat intensified, and even the ice-crystal curtains in the waterside pavilion felt stifling.
Madam Cui stood up at the opportune moment and said calmly, "The Buddhist hall in the garden is built against the shady side of the mountain, where the air is cool. Today, we have specially invited Master Huiming to recite the Heart Sutra for you all, which can both calm your minds and cleanse your thoughts, and also help you avoid the scorching sun. Ladies and young ladies, please follow me."
Everyone readily agreed.
Meng Lingyao slowed her pace slightly and glanced to the side. She saw Madam Cui walking forward with the crowd, her head down, the shadow of her hair obscuring her face and making it impossible to see her expression. The little maid who had been serving behind her was nowhere to be seen.
She subtly raised an eyebrow.
Meng Lingyao reached out and pulled Xie Chengyu, who was walking forward, and slipped her a small incense pill. "The Buddhist hall must smell terrible with all the smoke and fire. Put this under your tongue, and it will make you feel much better."
Without thinking, Xie Chengyu did as instructed, smacked his lips twice, and mumbled, "Gardenia flavor."
The ladies strolled slowly along the bluestone corridor. The corridor was serene and quiet, with lush vegetation, and at its end stood a solemn and dignified Buddhist hall.
The room is spacious and airy, with blue brick floors, giving it a cool feel.
A three-foot-tall statue of Guanyin stands on a lotus platform, her countenance serene, her compassionate eyes lowered. The rich, lingering scent of sandalwood permeates the air, bringing peace to the mind. Exquisite brocade cushions have been laid out.
Everyone stood solemnly, and the old women in the Buddhist hall guided the guests to their seats in order. Master Huiming lowered his eyes in deep thought. Madam Cui sat in the chief seat to the left of the Guanyin statue, her expression devout and serene.
Deep, resonant chanting slowly rose, and the hall was utterly silent, save for wisps of incense smoke and solemn scriptures.
Madam Cui was not far from Consort Sun. Her expression was calm, her gaze fixed intently on Guanyin, appearing extremely devout. Only her fingers unconsciously clenched a plain handkerchief.
The chanting was deep and melodious, and as time passed, the hall became increasingly tranquil. The rich and mellow scent of sandalwood grew stronger, filling every corner.
Gradually, a faint, unusual scent began to subtly emanate from the sandalwood incense.
At first, it is extremely faint, almost imperceptible, like a forgotten spice buried at the bottom of an old camphor wood box, exuding a stale sourness and a faint spiciness.
Then its presence became increasingly strong, to the point that it could not be ignored.
A slight commotion gradually arose inside the Buddhist hall, with people occasionally opening their eyes and sniffing around, trying to find the source of the strange smell.
Aunt Sun frowned slightly, her delicate eyebrows furrowing, and shifted her body with a hint of impatience.
Her relaxed expression stiffened. She raised her sleeve and, as if casually, pressed a scented silk handkerchief against her nose, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
She always felt that the unusual smell seemed to linger around her.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Mini-Theater:
Zhao Ruxuan: You're going to be my sister-in-law? How can you be my sister-in-law? We're so close, it's not proper for us to be together...
You don't treat me like your sister-in-law? You steamed—you don't treat me like your sister-in-law?
(No offense intended [dog head with rose in hand])
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
