In late spring, just as the willow catkins had fallen from the capital, the peonies at the Imperial Tutor's Mansion were in full bloom. Invitations to the Spring Banquet flew out of the Imperial Tutor's Mansion like snowflakes, landing on the dressing tables of the ladies of the various mansions and casting a shadow over the Wanqing Courtyard of the General's Mansion.
Shen Ruorou, looking into a bronze mirror, pinned a pearl hairpin to her temples, her tightly pursed lips reflected in the mirror. Her maid, Qinghe, approached, carrying a moon-white skirt with a lotus embroidered in silver thread on the hem. It was the new dress she had prepared for the Spring Festival banquet.
"Miss, do you think this skirt is okay?" Qinghe spread out the hem of the skirt like she was presenting a treasure. "I specially asked the embroiderer to add a pearl necklace to the neckline."
Shen Ruorou said nothing, but glanced out the window. Through the moon-lit gate, laughter could be heard from Shen Weiwan's Tinglan Courtyard, and the tailor's praise could be faintly heard: "This hibiscus brocade skirt, young lady, is truly beautiful. With such a beautiful color combination and such exquisite embroidery, there's no other like it in the entire capital!"
A hibiscus brocade skirt? Shen Ruorou clutched her handkerchief tightly. It was made by Shen Weiwan using the finest Shu brocade from the General's Mansion's treasury. It was said that the hibiscus flowers on it were embroidered with colorful silk threads, reflecting a rainbow-like light in the sun. She had begged her mother several times before Liu finally found half a piece of ordinary Yunjin from the treasury for her. Compared to Shen Weiwan's, the difference was worlds apart.
"Miss, what's wrong with you?" Qinghe asked in a low voice when he saw that she looked unhappy.
"It's okay." Shen Ruorou forced a smile, but her heart felt like it was being pricked by needles. Why could Shen Weiwan, an orphan without a mother, wear the best clothes and use the best materials? And she, a concubine's daughter, had to please others everywhere?
She suddenly remembered something and waved to Qinghe: "Go and get the things I asked you to prepare last time."
Qing He was startled for a moment, then understood. He fished out an oil-paper bag from the bottom of the box. Inside was dried nettle shavings. Liu had someone get them. They said sewing them into clothes would make the skin itch excruciatingly, but without leaving any visible marks.
"Miss, do you really want to do this?" Qing He hesitated. "If we get caught..."
"What did you discover?" Shen Ruorou's eyes sharpened. "I was just kind enough to lend my sister some clothes. Who knew her skin was so delicate and she might be allergic?" She picked up her needle and thread and carefully sewed the grass scraps into the lining of her moon-white skirt. "Doesn't Shen Weiwan like to be in the spotlight? This time, let her have a good show at the Spring Banquet!"
She imagined Shen Weiwan scratching her ears and cheeks at the banquet wearing an itchy skirt, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise: "Wait until she makes a fool of herself, and see who will still say that she is the eldest daughter of the general's mansion!"
Meanwhile, in Tinglan Courtyard, Shen Weiwan was spinning in front of the mirror, wearing the eye-catching hibiscus brocade dress. The colorful hibiscus flowers embroidered with silk threads shone with her movements, highlighting her skin as white as snow and her eyebrows and eyes.
"Miss, your skirt is so beautiful!" Chuntao stared at it with her eyes wide open. "I heard that the Taifu's wife asked where your skirt was made after seeing the post."
Shen Weiwan pinched the hem of her skirt, remembering that she was wearing this skirt at the Spring Banquet in her previous life. She was splashed with tea by Shen Ruoruo, and then she "kindly" borrowed her clothes with grass debris on them. As a result, she was itchy all night and was laughed at.
"It's pretty, sure," she sighed in mock annoyance, "but I'm afraid someone will stare at me."
Chun Tao didn't understand: "Target? Who would target a lady's skirt?"
Shen Weiwan blinked and leaned close to Chuntao's ear: "Guess what my good cousin would think when she looks at my skirt?"
Chun Tao suddenly realized: "Miss, you are talking about Shen Ruorou? She must be jealous to death!"
"It's more than jealousy." Shen Weiwan sneered, "I guess she is preparing some 'surprise' for me." She thought of Shen Ruoruo's hypocritical look in her previous life, and her innocent face afterwards, and sneered in her heart.
"What should we do, Miss?" Chun Tao said worriedly, "How about we change clothes?"
"Change clothes?" Chen Weiwan raised an eyebrow, "Why should I change? I finally made such a beautiful skirt, it would be a pity if I didn't wear it out to show off." She walked to the dressing table, picked up a plain silver hairpin and pinned it in her hair, "Chun Tao, go and help me do something."
"Miss, please tell me!"
"Go and see what Shen Ruoruo has been busy with recently, especially her new moon-white dress." Shen Weiwan raised a sly smile at the corner of her mouth, "By the way, please give her a message for me."
"What message?"
"Just say," Shen Weiwan blinked, "this skirt of mine is a little big, I'm afraid I can't wear it for long, so ask her if she wants to 'borrow' it to wear?"
Chun Tao was stunned: "Miss, what are you doing..."
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Shen Weiwan picked up the candied fruit on the table and stuffed it into her mouth. "Doesn't she like playing the 'borrowing clothes' trick? This time, I'll let her have her fun!"
Chun Tao took the order and left. Not long after, she came back with a helpless expression on her face: "Miss, guess what? Shen Ruorou is really messing with her moon-white dress and won't let anyone get close to her!"
Shen Weiwan was looking at the account book and put down her pen when she heard this: "Oh? How did she do that?"
"I pretended to pass by and saw Qinghe standing guard at the door. She said, 'Miss, you want to borrow a skirt?' Shen Ruoruo was so angry inside that she kept throwing things!" Chuntao lowered her voice, "But I secretly took a look and she seemed to be sewing something into her skirt..."
"Sewing something?" Shen Weiwan raised an eyebrow. Sure enough, it was nettle grass clippings, just like in her previous life. She had suffered from this in her previous life. She was so itchy that she couldn't sleep all night, and was even said to have a strange disease.
"Miss, what should we do?" Chun Tao said anxiously, "How about we not wear this skirt anymore?"
"Wear it! Why not wear it?" Shen Weiwan stood up, walked to the clothes rack, looked at the hibiscus brocade skirt, "Not only should I wear it, but I should also wear it beautifully to the Spring Banquet!"
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