Chapter 55 Unable to Suppress His Rebellious Spirit
"Let's do it one last time, entering the palace gate—"
"Greeting with courtesy"
"Please take your seats and have some tea."
...
Song Jin stood still, tall and slender, her back straight, her long neck slightly bent. She gazed down, her hands clasped in front of her, her posture dignified and graceful. As the lady-in-waiting's clear, melodious voice rang out, she took a few steps, each one a perfectly measured distance, moving slowly and gently from afar to near. The jeweled hairpins in her hair swayed gently, and the hem of her skirt trailed behind her.
Several female officials watched her approach step by step, sighing silently in their hearts.
People's personalities are truly different. Even with the same teaching methods, different people experience different results.
Niu Tielan is elegant and gentle, Xiao Mei is calm and composed, and Xiao Er is lively.
Even with the six of them repeatedly adjusting her posture and slowing her pace, Song Jin could only manage to appear somewhat dignified when standing still. With each step she took, whether fast or slow, her rebellious nature was undeniable; every step exuded strength and arrogance, carrying a palpable sense of oppression.
Even now, the heavy robes she wore for practice were riddled with holes, the sleeves and hems torn to shreds, and her hairpins were bent crooked, many of them reduced to half.
She was dressed in tattered clothes that looked like they'd been picked up from a wasteland, yet she exuded an arrogant air of tearing everything apart as she walked step by step to her seat.
Song Jin's appearance suggested she was seeking revenge rather than attending a palace banquet.
The lady-in-waiting paused for a moment, then very professionally went through the procedures briefly.
At first glance, there seems to be no problem, but upon closer inspection, there are problems everywhere, yet nothing can be corrected.
Her head was lowered, her eyes drooped, and her steps slowed. As for her expressions, when she smiled, she was arrogant and unrestrained; when she was expressionless, she exuded a murderous aura; her ambiguous smile seemed to hide a knife; and when she feigned radiance, she looked foolish. She clearly lacked a certain ability to manage her expressions.
The female official sighed and shook her head.
Before they came, Eunuch Sun specifically instructed them: "Miss Song has been orphaned since childhood. She finally returned, but then Lord Song had an accident. His Majesty feels sorry for her and sent you to take care of her. Teach her if you can, and it's okay if you can't. Tell her more about the rules of the capital so that she won't run into gossipy people and suffer grievances."
His intention, both overt and covert, was to tell them not to take things too seriously. Having them here wasn't so much to teach Song Jin etiquette, but rather to give her more information about the capital, so she wouldn't be taken advantage of without realizing it. As for manners and such...
Eunuch Sun added, "His Majesty particularly enjoys Miss Song's carefree and joyful demeanor."
The ladies-in-waiting naturally understood his meaning, but they thought that being cheerful and lively wouldn't interfere with learning etiquette. With the abilities of the six of them, they could transform her completely in just two days.
In retrospect, they were too young and had never encountered such a troublemaker before.
However, seeing the smug smile on Song Jin's face as she successfully completed the rehearsal, they truly understood the meaning behind Eunuch Sun's words. Such a vibrant and cheerful person was indeed endearing—provided she didn't act strangely.
Thinking of this, the lady-in-waiting ultimately said nothing, only nodded, and said, "Miss Song has made rapid progress; there will certainly be no problem with tonight's palace banquet. Time is tight, Miss Song and Madam Niu should go and prepare."
It's just past 1-3 PM, the palace banquet will begin at 5-7 PM, and they'll prepare to enter the palace at 5-7 PM.
Two hours is just enough time to wash, change, and get dressed.
Upon hearing this, Song Jin's smugness vanished instantly. She rested her chin on her hand and sighed deeply, "Last time I wore old clothes and only brought a silver hairpin, and the Emperor didn't say anything."
The highest-ranking of the six female officials was the one who had just guided Song Jin through the procedures; everyone called her Lady Zheng.
Looking at the reluctant Song Jin, Lady Zheng said, "It's fine for ordinary people to enter the palace privately; His Majesty is magnanimous and doesn't care about such trivial matters. But tonight's palace banquet is different. All the dukes, marquises, officials, and their families from the capital will be attending, especially the ladies, who will all be dressed in their finest attire. Even if you don't mind, you should think of your mother. In the world, mothers always bear more responsibility; they will only criticize your mother."
"Stop, stop, stop! I was just saying. You guys continue, I'm going to tidy up."
Song Jin had heard too much nagging these past two days, and now whenever she heard her speak, she wanted to cover her ears and ran away as fast as she could.
As Lady Zheng watched her hurried retreating figure, a smile briefly appeared on her lips before quickly fading away.
I'm still too young to compete with her.
Although Song Jin is unrestrained, carefree, shameless, and doesn't care about others' opinions, her fatal flaw is also very obvious: Niu Tielan. She always tries to pin something on Niu Tielan; she always seems to care about him to some extent.
Using it every time is definitely not feasible, but it's enough to come in handy at crucial moments occasionally.
...
That should be enough.
There's even more than enough.
In the small bathtub in the cubicle, Song Jin was scrubbed from head to toe until her skin was almost raw. Afterward, she was laid on a small couch for hair removal. Oh, at this time it was called facial cleansing, but her mother didn't even spare her arms and legs.
Song Jin felt like a piece of pork being shaved and scalded. Thinking about going to the palace, she couldn't help but complain, "It's like I'm going to the palace to serve the emperor."
Niu Tielan, who was shaving the fine hairs on the back of her neck with a thin thread, paused, then said coldly, "I think you want to die. Shut your mouth if you have nothing to do. You're always so disrespectful and don't know your place. One day you'll drag me to jail with you."
Song Jin pouted: "Isn't this just whispering?"
Niu Tielan tightened her grip on the thin thread, making a ripping sound. Along with Song Jin's gasp, she chuckled, "Whispers? I can't see that coming. Was it whispers in the palace that day? Will it still be whispers when your head rolls off the cliff?"
She still remembered how this wretched girl had nearly scared her to death the last time she entered the palace.
Song Jin grinned: "Mother, you hold a grudge so badly! How long ago was this?"
Niu Tielan glanced at her and sneered, "How long? Why don't you calculate how long it will be yourself?"
They arrived in the capital and went to the palace within two days, then the incident of beating people at the Sanqing Temple occurred within two days, followed by two days of training, and then two days later they were running to the Animal Husbandry Hall.
There are quite a few things to see, but when you calculate the time, it's been less than half a month.
Song Jin chuckled and flattered, "Every day with Mother is so full; a few days feel like half a year. If that's the case, we can live for at least another five hundred years!"
Seeing her like this, Niu Tielan couldn't help but laugh and poked her head: "You live your own life, five hundred years, I don't want to be an old monster."
Song Jin immediately seized the opportunity, grinning, "Then I won't live that long either. Let's both live to be a hundred years old, mother and daughter!"
Niu Tielan glanced at her: "Smooth-talking."
...
After the mother and daughter finished packing, they faced even more complicated procedures.
However, this step was not the responsibility of Lady Zheng and her group, but rather the domain of Su Fang and others from Jinxiu Workshop.
The group had been waiting for a long time. Each of the maids carried a wooden tray with various fabrics, hairpins, and perfumes. Once Song Jin and her daughter were ready, the group of maids, who were prepared in advance, stepped forward and helped the mother and daughter to their respective positions.
Hair styling, facial makeup, manicure...
The two were surrounded by a dense crowd, making it impossible to see each other clearly or even see each other.
Song Jin closed her eyes, resisting the urge to push these people away, trying to act like a wooden doll and let them do as they pleased.
This endurance lasted for an hour.
When it was finally finished, Song Jin's head was spinning—literally spinning.
Her hair, which she usually styled casually with a hairpin, was now neatly combed, meticulously arranged. A fine wig was concealed within, making her hair appear fuller, with loops here and braids there, creating a look that was both dignified and exquisite, yet also conveying the ease of these young girls.
It's really quite beautiful.
Song Jin leaned closer to the bronze mirror and examined herself carefully. Her two handsome eyebrows had been thinned a little, and a delicate red and orange floral design was painted between them, resembling both flowers and fire. The design extended down to the outer corners of her eyes, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her lips were dotted with rouge. Even through the blurry mirror, one could see the beauty of the person reflected there.
It doesn't quite look like her, but it is her nonetheless.
Wow!
Song Jin exclaimed in surprise, trying to turn her head to see what her mother looked like, but her view was blocked.
Su Fang stood smiling in front of her and said, "Miss Song, don't worry, there's just one last step. You need to change your clothes to see the difference."
Stepping aside, the maid behind Su Fang carefully opened the heavy, expensive clothes.
It was a bright red dress, with a red top and gold belt. The fabric was thick and exquisite, with fine stitching, and it was covered with various delicate embroidered patterns and even gold sequins, making it incredibly dazzling.
Song Jin looked at the open sleeves and the long hem of the skirt, and her lips twitched: "...Isn't this too eye-catching?"
Su Fang smiled and pulled Song Jin over, taking her hand to help her put on her clothes and carefully adjusting them, saying, "There's nothing to be afraid of with red. Official robes in the court are all red, so it's fine if they're a bit bright. But you need to be careful with gold clothes, and you should avoid those with dragon or phoenix patterns..."
In short, because the previous dynasty was so decadent, even if the new emperor did nothing, it would be a great life for the people. Qi Ye, however, reduced taxes, encouraged land reclamation, and developed industry, commerce, and fishing. He opened up the canals that the previous emperors had built with enormous manpower and resources but only used privately, reviving the previously incomplete water conservancy projects, resulting in fertile fields.
People's lives are getting better day by day, their spirits are rising, and they also prefer bright and colorful things.
Like clothing, even with the same fabric, black and white are the most common and inexpensive, while the rarer and more vibrant the color, the more expensive it is.
As a result, the dyeing techniques of this dynasty have become increasingly sophisticated, with many people racking their brains to create new colors and fabrics every year.
Song Jin's new clothes were typical of Yun brocade, with bright colors and a shimmering, gold-like sheen when viewed from a distance.
This dress was custom-made for her, with specially tailored shoulders, waist, and hem. The fabric varied in thickness in different areas to accentuate her figure, making her look both dignified and simple, showcasing her excellent physique.
Song Jin exclaimed again, her eyes bright and her eyebrows slightly raised. Adorned with jewels and bright red clothing, she was dazzlingly radiant, like a red peony blooming in the wild, delicate yet wild, or perhaps like a wildfire blazing in the mountains, hot enough to burn everything in its path.
Su Fang stared blankly at Song Jin, now fully dressed, thinking of Song Shang, whose fate was still unknown. To be honest, anyone who had seen the two of them in person wouldn't doubt their father-daughter relationship; they looked too alike.
But it doesn't look like it at all.
If it were Lord Song, he certainly wouldn't have shown such a radiant expression.
She blurted out instinctively, "Miss Song, it would be better if you were more dignified. There are many people and gossips in the palace, and they are all nobles. It wouldn't be good to be too conspicuous."
She personally designed this outfit, and naturally knew it would suit Song Jin perfectly, but she hadn't expected it to fit him so well. It transformed his already radiant appearance from a 6 out of 10 to an 8 out of 10.
Song Jin was having a great time when she heard this. She blinked, turned around and ran to Liu Tielan, excitedly showing off, "Mom, look at me, look, am I pretty?"
Niu Tielan's clothes were much more elegant, a light purple thin skirt, layer upon layer, from light to dark, with lilac blossoms gradually blooming on the hem as she walked, paired with purple jade gemstones, giving her an air of nobility amidst her elegance, as well as a hint of coldness and unapproachability, like a purple jade bamboo suddenly sprouting in a bamboo forest, elegant yet luxurious.
However, when Song Jin, this dazzling golden bamboo shoot, came along, everyone would look away.
Looking at this little golden nugget, Niu Tielan subconsciously broke into a big smile, then covered her face, waved her hand, and pretended to be disgusted, saying, "Whose child is this? He's blinding me!"
Song Jin chuckled, went over and hugged her arm, beaming, "It's yours, Mom! You look so beautiful today, the most, most, most beautiful woman in the whole world!"
Since drinking that strange medicine that day, Niu Tielan's complexion improved day by day. Although she was still thin and frail, she no longer looked sickly as before. She smiled and patted Song Jin's hand.
"Alright, stand still and stop fooling around, or you'll wrinkle your clothes."
Song Jin then stood up, arms outstretched, letting Niu Tielan scrutinize her, her smile so bright it was dazzling.
Niu Tielan found it amusing, yet also somewhat poignant.
She's still just a fifteen-year-old girl.
She laughed, "Beautiful! Our Jinjin is the most beautiful girl in the whole world!"
Song Jin was satisfied and tried to lean against Niu Tielan again, but was stopped. She then stood properly and looked at Su Fang, smiling, "Manager Su, is there anything else you need? If not, we'll be heading out."
Su Fang forced a smile and said, "And this too."
She was referring to a pure gold necklace with a ruby set in it, hanging below her neck, just below her collar—it looked expensive.
Song Jin blinked and shook her mother's hand: "Mom, bring it for me."
Niu Tielan was somewhat disgusted, but couldn't resist the onslaught. She walked over and picked up the gold jewelry, which weighed at least two pounds: "How old are you? All you do is act like a spoiled brat. Bend down a bit, you can't reach it."
Song Jin grinned, showing her white teeth, and obediently bent down to let Niu Tielan hang it for her. Then she heard Niu Tielan warn her in a low voice, "You better be careful, or I'll have to sell you to pay for it."
Song Jin pouted: "Mom, you've changed. You don't even care if I'm tired from carrying such a heavy bag."
Niu Tielan just chuckled, showing no pity whatsoever.
The various accessories and clothing she was wearing must have weighed around ten or twenty pounds, which was indeed heavy. But when she first started practicing martial arts, she could carry forty or fifty pounds on her body and feet without having trouble walking, let alone this little weight.
Niu Tielan doesn't feel sorry for her at all.
...
While the mother and daughter were still carefully getting ready, the three Song brothers had already finished and were waiting in the neighboring yard.
They weren't women, so they didn't need elaborate hairstyles or many accessories. A jade crown and a jade pendant were enough. Of course, if that flirtatious Song Xingzhi were there, he'd make a complete mess of things from head to toe.
The three of them weren't interested in this.
Because they were adopted, the three children looked completely different, with vastly different builds. But now, dressed in matching crimson robes and standing together, anyone would recognize them as brothers.
Red was the color most commonly worn by Song Dynasty merchants.
This garden was also the courtyard of Song Shang.
Looking at the blooming flowers and falling leaves, Song Shunzhi and Song Anzhi felt an indescribable sadness.
It's been over a month, and there's still no news.
Song Qingzhi, on the other hand, was completely focused on his red clothes. This was the first time he had ever worn red, and it just looked rather strange to him.
None of the brothers particularly liked red, but Song Shunzhi and Song Anzhi were alright; their official robes were dark red every day.
Song Qingzhi straightened his clothes again, but he still felt uncomfortable no matter how he looked at them. He wondered, "Wearing this, I feel like I'm a groom."
The three women's clothes were made of the same color fabric, but the details and embroidery patterns were quite different.
Song Anzhi's embroidery was the most exquisite and delicate, featuring a large patch of mountain azaleas. Paired with her beautiful face, she truly looked as lovely as a flower.
But who gave the order to do the embroidery? Who gave the order?
It's all thanks to the person in front of you who paid for it.
He looked at Song Qingzhi with a half-smile: "Fifth brother, with your size, you're more like a golden boy next to the groom. It's too early for you to be the groom."
Song Qingzhi was young and hadn't fully grown yet; he was even shorter than Song Jin, let alone his other older brothers.
Song Qingzhi chuckled, directly provoking, "You're still better than the fourth brother. Don't steal the bride's thunder on your wedding day and end up not getting into the bridal chamber. Don't blame me for not warning you."
Song Anzhi smiled and said, "Don't worry, with you helping us roll around in the new bed, there won't be any problems."
Song Qingzhi replied: "The bride's new?"
...
The two brothers started arguing again.
Song Shunzhi was used to this and never interfered. He acted as if he didn't exist, remaining silent and simply watching the flowers and plants opposite him, occasionally glancing towards the small door on the other side, waiting for the figure to appear there.
The sound of the night watchman's drum at dusk continued until the next watch, accompanied by laughter, chatter, and a flurry of footsteps.
Song Shunzhi looked over again, and Song Anzhi and Song Qingzhi stopped bickering. The three of them stood there watching, until the true protagonist of this trip to the palace appeared.
Their eyes were dazzled; they couldn't hide their amazement.
One is dazzling and radiant.
A graceful and elegant woman, aloof and noble.
Song Qingzhi rubbed his green eyes and sighed deeply, "The money wasn't wasted."
If the mother and daughter entered the palace banquet dressed like this, and anyone dared to mention their rural origins or poverty, he would make them look in the mirror and see their own shabby appearance first.
Song Shunzhi and Song Anzhi unanimously agreed with this statement, a rare occurrence.
Their father is currently absent, and this is the mother and daughter's first official appearance together, so it has to be as grand as possible, so grand that no one would dare to mention it.
A priceless cloud shark, a luminous pearl that never burns through the night, and rare jewels and jade from the northern deserts and western regions...
The stockpiles we've had for years finally have a purpose!
The three brothers watched the mother and daughter approach slowly, and in unison, they walked towards them.
The three were in the prime of their lives, each radiating youthful vigor and high spirits. Even dressed in red robes, adorned with gold and jade crowns and tinkling jade pendants, they each possessed their own unique charm.
that is
Are you ostracizing my mother?
Song Jin's face immediately fell. She squinted at their red clothes, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Niu Tielan: ...
The three brothers: ...
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