Chapter 16 The Brocade Pavilion
The most prestigious Jinxiu Pavilion in Jinling City once again welcomed its most extravagant guest.
The shopkeeper, seeing the familiar sedan chair stop at the entrance from afar, immediately put on an extremely obsequious smile, bowing and jogging to greet it: "Oh! Miss Xie, you've arrived! Please, please come in! What a coincidence, a new batch of tribute fabric just arrived today..."
Xie Sangning, with Ru Chun's hand in hand, gracefully stepped out of the sedan chair without even raising her eyelids, only giving a faint "hmm".
Behind her, Xie Rubao looked like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, staring wide-eyed at the Jinxiu Pavilion, her mouth slightly agape in amazement.
"Give it to her." Xie Sangning pointed her slender finger at Xie Rubao and instructed the shopkeeper, "Two sets of winter clothes, from head to toe, inside and out. The fabrics must be the best, and the workmanship the finest. The colors..."
She gave Xie Rubao a critical look: "Don't go for those filthy pale yellow and lake green colors, they're so tacky! Something more elegant would suit her... fairly fair skin. And for her headdress and jewelry, pick out a few fashionable sets, don't try to fool her with those cheap knock-offs."
"Yes, yes, yes! Don't worry, Miss! Leave it to me! I'll make sure this young lady looks like a fairy!"
The shopkeeper bowed and scraped, immediately beckoning the shop's most skillful embroiderers and maids to come and serve him.
For the next hour or so, Xie Rubao felt like she was having a beautiful dream.
She was surrounded by a group of skillful maids and servants who were taking her measurements and tailoring clothes.
Xie Sangning sat in a round-backed chair to the side, slowly sipping his freshly brewed tea, occasionally casting a critical glance at him.
"The outer cover was made of that moon-white shimmering brocade, with silver thread embroidered around the lotus branches."
"Don't use gold hairpins, they're too tacky. Use those made of mutton-fat jade."
"Earrings... I'll go with those pearl earrings. They're a bit small, but they're just about right for her size."
Xie Sangning's voice wasn't loud, but every time she chose something, the shopkeeper's heart skipped a beat. Those were all top-quality, treasured items, and the prices were terrifying!
The shopkeeper's face grew increasingly radiant.
Xie Rubao was in a dizzying, blissful state throughout the entire process.
She looked at her transformed self in the mirror and could hardly believe it was her!
"Straighten your neck! What kind of behavior is this, cowering like that!"
"Laugh, yes, just like that, don't just stand there like an idiot, it makes you look even dumber."
Xie Rubao now felt that every word was coated with honey!
Her eyes sparkled with undisguised admiration as she looked at Xie Sangning.
As Xie Sangning paid without batting an eye, Xie Rubao's mind raced: Sister Sangning is so good to me! Giving me such an expensive gift! I want to give her a gift too!
What should I give him? That's it! The ancient inkstone from the previous dynasty that Father keeps in his study!
It's said to be a family heirloom, and Daddy doesn't let anyone else touch it!
I...I'll steal it secretly! Sister Sang Ning likes these elegant things, she'll definitely like it! Let's do it!
Two people, looking completely transformed, walked out of the Brocade Pavilion.
Xie Rubao wore a brand-new moon-white brocade cloak, with a circle of snow-white fur around the collar that accentuated her delicate face and made her radiant.
She followed closely beside Xie Sangning, chattering away like a happy little lark.
"Sister Sang Ning, look how beautiful this sugar figurine is!"
"Sister Sang Ning, I heard about that rouge shop..."
"Sister Sang Ning..."
Xie Sangning still wore a look of disgust on her face, as if saying "you're so noisy," but she didn't quicken her pace and let her follow.
Occasionally, when annoyed by the noise, she would throw a cold glare at Xie Rubao, which would elicit a playful sticking out of her tongue and a moment of silence. But after a short while, the little sparrow would start chirping happily again.
The two were walking along the busiest street in the city, heading to the most famous pastry shop to buy some newly made chestnut cakes, when they were interrupted by the discussions at several tea stalls along the roadside.
"...Have you heard? The new play that Songtao Teahouse is putting on?"
"Hey, I went to listen to it yesterday! Goodness, they really dared to make it up! The eldest son of a martial arts family in that play was afraid of the dark and dared not sleep alone at night, and even at almost twenty years old, he still needed a servant to keep him company..."
"You bet! This arrangement... it sounds so familiar to me..."
Shh! Keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind?!
"Who does it look like? Tell me quickly!"
"Who else could it be? General Xie's eldest son! I heard he's just like the characters in those plays. Do you think the General's family will end up like this too..."
"I think that's about enough... It's such a pity, General Xie."
Although the whispers were deliberately kept low, they still clearly reached Xie Sangning and Xie Rubao's ears.
Xie Rubao's smile froze instantly, and she subconsciously looked at Xie Sangning.
Xie Sangning suddenly stopped, her phoenix eyes turning icy cold!
She turned her head slightly to look in the direction from which the sound came. The tea drinkers who were talking animatedly were immediately silenced as if they had been choked when she swept her cold gaze over them.
"Sister Sang Ning..." Xie Rubao called out in a worried whisper, she could feel the suppressed anger of the person next to her.
Xie Sangning remained silent, but walked towards the teahouse, and Xie Rubao immediately followed.
When the two arrived at the teahouse, the manager was startled to see Xie Sangning.
He quickly stepped forward to greet them.
"Miss Xie, what brings you here today?"
Xie Sangning ignored him and went straight upstairs, with the waiter immediately following.
In the private room, she ordered the new play, and the waiter's hands trembled as he poured the tea.
Ru Xia immediately scolded, "If you can't even pour the tea properly, get out! Hurry up and bring the show up!"
Yes! Yes!
Xie Sangning sat upright in a wooden chair, with delicate tea and snacks laid out in front of her, but she didn't even lift her eyelids.
Xie Rubao carefully sat down next to her, not daring to breathe loudly!
The sound of string and wind instruments rises, and the curtain is drawn back.
Xie Sangning looked on expressionlessly.
Looking at the "eldest son" on the stage, dressed in fine clothes and with a wandering gaze, and listening to him sing "I fear the sound of the night watchman's drum, the flickering candlelight makes my heart tremble, and I cannot sleep without my servants."
Watching him indulge in cockfighting, dog racing, and extravagant spending amidst the company of his sycophants; watching him behave improperly at the old marquis's funeral hall after his death in battle, smashing the memorial tablet; watching him ultimately perish in the raging flames, taking his century-old legacy with him...
Every plot point and every lyric points directly to Xie Sangyu!
Some spectators sighed, some looked down on him, and some even whispered among themselves, "Tsk, doesn't that sound like...that guy?"
"Watch your words! But... it is a bit..."
Xie Sangning's face was calm and composed, with even a faint smile playing on her lips, as if she were simply enjoying a farce.
Only Xie Rubao, who was sitting next to her, could clearly sense the murderous intent!
As the final line of the chorus, "I advise you not to be like a spoiled brat, for maintaining an existing business is harder than starting one," came to a close, the audience erupted in applause, and Xie Sangning slowly stood up.
She tilted her head slightly, her phoenix eyes slowly sweeping across the entire stage.
"Ru Xia, enjoy! This opera troupe is truly excellent."
Ru Xia immediately understood, took out a gold ingot from her sleeve, and threw it onto the tray with a "clang".
"Thank you... thank you for the generous gift, Miss!"
The waiter was so frightened by the scene and Xie Sangning's gaze that his legs went weak and his voice changed.
Xie Sangning stopped looking at anyone.
She adjusted her fox fur coat, turned around, and walked calmly downstairs.
Xie Rubao quickly jogged to catch up.
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