Volume Two, Step by Step to Victory, Chapter 13: The Pearl of Kyoto
The sound of hurried footsteps grew closer.
First to appear at the door was a young maidservant leading the way, followed by a girl of about thirteen years old—Ruan Bi felt a sudden jolt; the bamboo and flower shadows outside the window seemed to sway incessantly, filling the room with fragrance. The second daughter was beautiful, but spoiled. The fourth daughter was beautiful, but her beauty was overshadowed by her status as an illegitimate child. Only she possessed a beauty that was neither arrogant nor impatient, neither lukewarm nor fiery, like a fine pearl radiating a soft glow.
Behind her, two maids and two nannies followed closely, surrounding her like stars around the moon as she entered the flower hall. Her jade sash swayed slightly, and her eight-panel brocade skirt, a mix of blue and white, trailed on the ground, truly like the Xiangjiang River flowing six times over.
After she passed by, Ruan Bi gently nudged the Fourth Sister and asked curiously, "Fourth Sister, who is she?"
The fourth sister watched her retreating figure with a sense of loss. She had always been proud of her beauty, but today she realized that there were always people more capable than herself. "I don't know either."
A young lady sitting in front of Ruan Bi asked in a low voice, "Who is she?"
The young lady sitting in front of the fourth sister said disdainfully, "Who else could it be? Isn't it Shen Zhen?"
The young lady who asked the question exclaimed in surprise, "She is Shen Zhen? I thought she was some kind of stunning beauty, but she's nothing special."
The young lady, slightly calmer in her tone, replied, "Indeed, the Pearl of Kyoto is nothing more than a trifle."
Upon hearing this, the fourth sister suddenly realized and said, "So it was her, no wonder..." She turned her head and gave Ruan Bi a meaningful look.
Shen Zhen? Her surname is Shen. Ruan Bi's heart skipped a beat.
After Shen Zhen took her seat, the maidservant, as usual, invited the two matrons to rest in the adjacent courtyard, but they resolutely refused. They knelt beside Shen Zhen, their expressions solemn, like a mother hen protecting her chicks. Later, only after Shen Zhen spoke did they follow, but they were extremely worried, turning back every step of the way.
The young lady sitting in front of the fourth sister said, "I didn't expect her to come today."
The young lady sitting in front of Ruan Bi asked, "Why do you say that, sister?"
"Don't you know, sister? Both Old Madam Shen and Princess Rouzhen are ill, and she has to take care of them, so she rarely leaves the manor. Two months ago, on the birthday of the Marquis of Dongping, the Shen family only sent someone to deliver a gift."
The young lady sitting in front of Ruan Bi said in a low voice, "So it seems that the Lady of Yanping Marquis has a lot of influence."
"That's natural."
This topic was clearly not suitable for discussion in public, so the two young ladies stopped there and began to comment on Shen Zhen's clothes and accessories. Their words were mostly disdainful, yet they also revealed an undisguised jealousy.
More footsteps approached, and the maidservant standing guard by the door announced, "Ladies, my mistress has arrived."
Everyone stood up.
A moment later, Lady Zhu, the wife of the Marquis of Yanping, entered, accompanied by a group of maids, wives, and servants, holding Xie Mingzhu's hand.
Everyone curtsied in greeting.
Madam Zhu was about forty years old, with a round face, though her muscles were beginning to sag. She had been quite beautiful in her youth, but now she was past her prime. She chuckled and said, "No need, no need, don't be so formal. My Mingzhu is playful and keeps clamoring to invite all of you ladies over to play together, but she's afraid your elders won't allow it, so she specifically asked me to go first. I really couldn't refuse her, and since the lotus flowers in the manor are blooming so beautifully and early this year, I sent out invitations to all the young ladies to come and play. Today, the garden has been specially cleared out, and all irrelevant people have been asked to leave. Ladies, please don't be shy, just treat it as your own backyard and play as you please."
After saying that, he gave Xie Mingzhu a push and said, "Look, I've brought everyone back for you. Aren't you satisfied now?"
Xie Mingzhu said with a big smile, "Satisfied, satisfied, extremely satisfied." She nudged Zhu Shi, "Mother, you go ahead and do your work. You don't need to stay with us. We feel uncomfortable with you here."
Madam Zhu looked at her and shook her head, then said to everyone, "At my age, I won't bother you young ladies. There are fruits and cold drinks in the pavilions throughout the garden, and servants are on duty. If you need anything, just tell them. If you get tired of playing, there are places to rest in the flower halls. Just have the servants take you there. Don't worry too much, just have fun."
"Mother, you go ahead, I'll take care of the guests."
With a helpless yet affectionate expression, Madam Zhu gently tapped Xie Mingzhu's forehead and said, "Those girls are having so much fun."
Everyone bowed and saw her off.
As soon as Zhu left, Xie Mingzhu waved her hand with a smile and said, "Everyone, please sit down. It's a rare day like this. We don't have to follow the adults around, and there's no mother watching over us, telling us what not to do... So, please be at ease and don't stand on ceremony."
She was a sociable woman, and most of the young ladies in the flower hall knew her. Upon hearing this, they all covered their mouths and laughed.
The girl sitting at the head of the table on the right was very familiar with her. She covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "You actually succeeded. I lost this time. I owe you a pot of Wei Zi. I'll have someone deliver it to you when I get back to my residence later."
The girl in the first seat of the second row from the left was impatient and said, "What are we still doing sitting here? I've long heard that the lotus flowers at the Marquis's residence are the best in the capital, a veritable paradise on earth."
Xie Mingzhu said, "No rush, no rush, these lotus flowers won't wither anytime soon. The kitchen has prepared some small snacks, let's eat them first."
The stewardess standing behind her clapped her hands, and a line of maids in green filed in, carrying lacquered trays covered with silver covers. They placed the trays on the tables in front of each girl, removed the covers, and then withdrew. On the lacquered trays were a bowl of rice, a pair of ebony chopsticks inlaid with gold, a cup of snowflake plum wine, and four dishes: steamed mantis shrimp, stir-fried clams with basil, drunken oysters, and mutton and gourd soup.
Except for mutton gourd soup, all of them actually require the shells to be removed.
Ruan Bi chuckled inwardly, then glanced at the maid in blue standing in the corner. Sure enough, she was carefully observing the girls' dining etiquette.
Most of the young ladies, like the Fourth Miss, had eaten something before coming to the Marquis's residence for fear of being impolite, so they weren't hungry. They took a few bites and said they were full. Ruan Bi, however, ate everything without any hesitation. The capital was located inland, and she hadn't eaten seafood in a long time.
The fourth sister tugged at her sleeve several times under the table, but when she ignored her, she let it go.
After the meal, the maids served tea. After everyone finished their tea, they left the flower hall in twos and threes, strolling along the gravel path beside the lotus pond, chatting and laughing. The lotus pond was vast, with lush lotus leaves and graceful lotus flowers. When the wind blew, the lotus leaves bowed low, revealing the flowing water beneath, which shone brightly against the azure sky.
A gentle breeze stirred the young ladies' garments, causing them to flutter gracefully along the way, their charm and beauty beyond description. It was as if they had stepped into a painting, or as if the figures in the painting had come to life.
Ruan Bi couldn't help but recall a line of poetry: "A skirt made of lotus leaves, hibiscus blossoms on both sides of her face."
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard the second young lady calling her: "Fifth sister, come here quickly."
Ruan Bi looked up and saw the Second Miss standing in the pavilion not far away, waving at her. Beside her were Xie Mingzhu, Shen Zhen, and two other girls... They were all looking at her, and except for Shen Zhen, the others had an unusual excitement in their expressions.
Ruan Bi's mind raced, and she vaguely understood what was going on.
Turning away was impossible, so she could only walk slowly over. When she reached the pavilion, Xie Mingzhu grabbed her arm and said affectionately to Shen Zhen, "Miss Shen, you don't need to know anyone else, but you must know this person."
Shen Zhen was slightly taken aback, then looked at Ruan Bi with a smile and asked, "And who is this lady?"
"This is Ruan Bi, the granddaughter of Wenxiao Gong of the Ruan family in Jingxi."
(All the original writing was scrapped, so this is what I wrote now, and it's a bit short, um~)
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