Looking forward to the spring breeze

Chapter 12

Although Wenyan loved to act coquettishly in front of Cui Weiyuan, she was also most afraid of this fifth brother. Seeing that he seemed to be slightly angry, she quickly shrank back and, pulling Youtong along, skipped and hopped towards the backyard. But instead of returning to Jiangxuezhai, she went straight to the second madam to complain.

After hearing Wen Yan's embellished description, the Second Madam remained silent for a long time. Finally, she murmured, "The Shen family is, after all, a noble and aristocratic family, and the third young master of the Shen family is known for his elegance and manners. How could... how could..."

"How could it not be!" Wen Yan said angrily, "Not only did Ninth Sister and I see it, but Brother Xu was there too. That girl named Bai Ling, she's obviously not a decent girl, she has a poor and shabby air about her, dressed up in a gaudy way, following closely behind the third young master of the Shen family. If she weren't his mistress, would he dare to so brazenly lead her out on the street? Ninth Sister isn't even married into the family yet, and she already doesn't respect our Cui family at all. If she really marries into the family, won't Ninth Sister be bullied to death by them?" After saying that, she turned around and grabbed You Tong's sleeve, saying firmly, "Anyway, I will not let Ninth Sister marry into the Shen family."

The second madam's expression was somewhat strange. She glanced at Youtong uncomfortably, only to find Youtong's face ashen and her eyes calm and expressionless, making it impossible to discern her thoughts. But this matter was arranged by the second master, and it was not something she could control. The second madam felt a surge of irritation, but managed to suppress it with difficulty, and asked Youtong in a low voice, "What does Ninth Miss think?"

You Tong lowered her head, her two snow-white hands clasped tightly together, the blue veins faintly visible on the back of her hands. She seemed not to hear the Second Madam's question, her lips pressed tightly together, remaining silent until Wen Yan noticed something was wrong and gently tugged at her sleeve. Only then did she abruptly raise her head, speaking solemnly, "I beg Second Aunt to do the right thing for Wen Feng. If the Shen family intends to annul the engagement, then Second Aunt should… agree." Having said that, she lowered her head again, her lips tightly pressed together, her face deathly pale.

The second wife was slightly taken aback. She had always thought that You Tong had agreed to marry in place of Wen Feng only so that she could use Wen Feng's identity to marry into the Shen family. After all, the Shen family's background was truly attractive, and the third young master of the Shen family was a well-known handsome man in the capital. Which young lady of marriageable age in the capital wouldn't want to enter the Shen family? She never expected that You Tong would actually agree to annul the engagement.

She wouldn't even be a daughter-in-law of the Shen family; what was she really after? The Second Madam couldn't figure it out and remained silent for a long time. Wen Yan, however, was furious and threw herself at the Second Madam, pleading, "Mother, please agree! That Shen San—"

"Shut up!" The second madam rarely lost her temper, and she angrily said to Wen Yan, "How dare you, an unmarried young woman, interfere in these matters? We have spoiled you too much. Starting tomorrow, you should learn manners from Granny Xia."

Wen Yan's expression changed immediately, and she said anxiously, "Mother, don't scare me. I'll be good from now on, please don't invite Granny Xia back."

Seeing her face turn deathly pale, the second wife felt a pang of heartache. She stroked her hair and said, "If you stay home obediently and don't run around, I naturally won't make things difficult for you. As for your ninth sister's marriage, it was arranged by your fifth uncle and fifth aunt. How can I, as an aunt, make such a decision? If the third young master of the Shen family is truly as unworthy as you say, and he really wants to break off the engagement, I suppose your father wouldn't force your ninth sister to marry him."

Wen Yan nodded pitifully and whispered her assurance: "I didn't run around at first. I just got impatient playing with those wooden figures, so I dragged Ninth Sister along to see Sister Li."

The second madam nodded and said, "I won't stop you from going to see the Li family's daughter, but since you're going out, why didn't you bring a few guards? You're such a grown woman, yet you don't understand anything. Luckily, you met your brother Xu. What would you young ladies have done if you had encountered some thugs?"

Wen Yan knew she was wrong and kept bowing her head to admit her mistake. You Tong, on the other hand, was both amused and exasperated. She hadn't considered this at all. Firstly, she was skilled in martial arts and could easily defeat several grown men. Secondly, back in Qiantang, she lived in a temple year-round and would occasionally go out dressed as a man, so she didn't need any guards.

The second madam gave the two girls a good scolding, and was about to let them go when she suddenly remembered something and said, "Tomorrow, stay at home and behave yourself. The tailor from Jinyun Pavilion will be coming to take your measurements."

Upon hearing this, Wen Yan exclaimed with delight, "You're making clothes again? Didn't you just make two spring outfits a few days ago? Are you making summer clothes now?"

The second wife frowned and said, "News has come from the palace that we may be taking you two to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager in a few days."

------

Sure enough, the next day a tailor from Jinyun Pavilion came to take measurements and brought several bolts of new patterned brocade for Youtong to choose from. Not wanting to be too ostentatious, Youtong only picked a light green soft satin with cloud patterns and a bolt of silver fine linen.

A few days later, Li Yuqi sent someone to deliver the fake painting of "Night Excursion to Hanshan," presumably because Lord Li had already seen through its authenticity. It's unclear how the second young master of the Li family ultimately handled the matter. Of course, You Tong couldn't concern herself with any of that; she simply sent two silver notes, considering the transaction complete.

There is still no news from the Shen family. It seems that this annulment of the engagement is no trivial matter. Both the Shen and Cui families are prominent clans, and many eyes are watching. It's one thing to hear rumors before, but if it becomes true, it will probably become a new topic of conversation among the people of the capital.

While things were turbulent outside, You Tong was quite well-behaved at home. For several days in a row, she was busy copying Jiu Ding's "Night Excursion to Cold Mountain" painting. After that, she had Hui Ying have it framed and hung in the flower hall of Jiangxuezhai. When Cui Weiyuan came over, he couldn't help but take a few glances at it.

Since meeting Shen San and Bai Ling that day, You Tong has become less anxious and more composed about revenge. Everything must be planned carefully before acting; only with thorough calculations in mind can anything be accomplished. Otherwise, a single misstep could not only prevent revenge but also bring trouble upon oneself.

Shen San comes from a prestigious family, is cunning and skilled in both literature and martial arts. If she were to face him directly, You Tong would have no chance of complete victory. The only option now is to proceed cautiously. As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." Right now, besides knowing that the third young master of the Shen family is named Shen Wenlang, she knows nothing else. Fortunately, Shen San is unaware of her existence; with the enemy in the open and her in the dark, she at least has a slight advantage.

But what is it that a scion of a prominent family like Shen San values most? You Tong sat upright by the window, gazing at the garden full of flowers, deep in thought. When Cui Weiyuan entered, he saw her deep in thought, her brows slightly furrowed, her eyes bright, her fingers lightly tapping the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound. Cui Weiyuan was momentarily distracted.

"When did you come in?" You Tong turned around abruptly, saw Cui Weiyuan, and asked in surprise.

Cui Weiyuan was taken aback for a moment, then quickly realized what was going on. He found a chair opposite her and sat down, looking somewhat awkward. "I just came in," he said. Then he asked, "What are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed."

You Tong shook her head. "It's nothing." She looked around again and muttered a complaint in a low voice, "Where are Huiying and Huiqiao?"

Cui Weiyuan cleared his throat and said, "I sent the two of them to the kitchen to boil water."

You Tong said "Oh," as if she understood, and narrowed her eyes slightly. "You wanted to see me about something?"

Cui Weiyuan shook his head, handed her the small box, and said with a somewhat unnatural expression, "I ran into Brother Xu at the palace gate today. He said you were looking for some painting, so he asked me to bring this over."

"What is it?" You Tong took it suspiciously and was about to open it when she was surprised to find that Cui Weiyuan was also staring intently at the box in her hand, as if he wanted to see right through her. She couldn't help but have a mischievous thought. She moved her hand away from the box, placed it on the table next to her with both hands, and turned back to him with a smile, saying, "I only mentioned it unintentionally last time. I didn't expect Brother Xu to remember it."

Cui Weiyuan gave a dry laugh and said, "Brother Xu has always been very thoughtful. Wenyan used to like eating Wuzhenzhai's zongzi, and he specially asked someone to buy them all the way from Huzhou and send them over."

You Tong nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and chatted with Cui Weiyuan for a while. For no reason, Cui Weiyuan felt restless and agitated, and after sitting for a while, he got up to take his leave.

It wasn't until he reached the door that You Tong suddenly remembered something and casually asked, "Cui Weiyuan, what do you care about most?"

Cui Weiyuan's brow twitched suddenly, his throat went dry, he licked his lips, wanting to say something, but his mind was a jumbled mess.

Author's note: It's not that I'm lying and not updating, I checked the backend from 9 to 11 but couldn't get in, so I had to catch up early this morning.

There's another chapter tonight, I need to get back to writing.

Flower Viewing Party

Twenty-five

In the end, Cui Weiyuan couldn't remember exactly how he replied to Youtong. He only vaguely remembered her indifferent expression at the time, her delicate eyebrows slightly raised, the corners of her mouth slightly curled, and a faint mocking smile on her face, which warmed Cui Weiyuan's heart.

After Cui Weiyuan took his leave, Youtong remembered the box he had left on the table. Xu Wei had specifically asked Cui Weiyuan to deliver it, but she didn't know what good things it contained. She opened it casually and saw two scrolls inside. Youtong opened one of them with a puzzled look and was immediately stunned. This... was actually Yan Zimei's Flying Apsaras painting from the previous dynasty.

After a long while, You Tong finally came to her senses from the shock. She quickly got up and closed the doors and windows. After making sure that no one was around, she carefully unfolded the scroll on the table.

Yan Zimei was most skilled at painting flying apsaras. He created twelve paintings of flying apsaras throughout his life, depicting them with hands clasped in prayer, holding lotus flowers, playing musical instruments, and so on. The flying apsara in front of us, however, holds a flower basket, kicks her feet upside down with a purple-gold crown, wears a jeweled crown, a long skirt around her waist, and a ribbon around her shoulders. Her apsaras are billowing in the wind, surrounded by swirling flowers and drifting clouds, a beauty beyond words.

You Tong had been immersed in painting since childhood and knew the value of this ancient painting. Holding it in her hands, she felt a mixture of surprise and unease. Very few of Yan Zimei's paintings had survived. She had the good fortune to see one of the Twelve Flying Apsaras paintings when she was in Qiantang. At that time, the painting shop was asking for 12,000 taels of silver. She hesitated for a moment, and when she went back to buy it, the painting had already been sold, leaving You Tong full of regret.

The painting before her was superior to the one she had her eye on in Qiantang in terms of color, technique, and state of preservation; its price was likely even higher. This Xu Wei, casually sending over something so expensive—wasn't he afraid of attracting attention?

After some thought, Li Yuqi's words flashed through her mind. She then picked up the scroll, walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked at it obliquely in the sunlight. Sure enough, she found two small, almost illegible characters in the lower right corner of the painting: "Nine Tripods."

She couldn't help but shake her head and smile. Although it wasn't Yan Zimei's original work, she still carefully put the painting away, admiring it for a while before reluctantly rolling it up and placing it back in the box. Then, she unfurled another painting. As the scroll slowly opened, You Tong's astonishment grew; this one was actually "Night Excursion to Hanshan"!

Logically speaking, Jiuding's "Night Excursion to Hanshan" had already been sent over by Li Yuqi and was still locked in her box. There was no reason for Xu Wei to be able to find another one exactly the same. Could it be that Jiuding had painted several more? You Tong took the scroll to the window again to look at it, but still could not find Jiuding's handwriting.

After frowning and thinking for a long time, You Tong suddenly slapped her forehead, realizing that the person who bought the authentic Zang Feng painting from the calligraphy and painting shop was indeed Xu Wei. No wonder the shopkeeper refused to say anything. If she were the shopkeeper, she wouldn't dare to speak carelessly in front of her customer. This Xu Wei—a smile involuntarily crept onto You Tong's lips, and a faint sense of emotion welled up in her heart.

"Miss, are you inside?" Huiying's questioning voice came from outside the door.

You Tong quickly put down the painting in her hand and went to open the door. She saw Hui Ying carrying a stack of clothes and walking into the room happily. She said, "The embroiderers of Jin Yun Pavilion are quick this time. The clothes are finished in just a few days." As she spoke, she spread out the clothes and compared them one by one with You Tong. She asked, "Why don't you try them on and see if they fit?"

Being a young lady, it was inevitable that she would be tempted by the new clothes. So, You Tong readily agreed and took the clothes to change behind the screen.

Huiying circled around her, examining her carefully from all angles, and then smiled and said, "The craftsmen at Jinyun Pavilion are truly skilled. The waist is perfectly cinched, and the embroidery on the cuffs is incredibly lifelike. It's just a pity that the color is a bit too plain. On the other hand, the Tenth Miss is wearing a peach-colored embroidered brocade, and the Second Madam has also made her a new set of kingfisher feather headdresses. She is truly magnificent."

You Tong looked at herself in the mirror for a while and smiled, "Wen Yan is lively, so fuchsia suits her well." However, she couldn't wear overly bright colors. When Cui was still alive, she tried to prepare many bright clothes for her, but as soon as she put them on, Cui had no choice but to take them off, saying that if others saw her in such an arrogant manner, she probably wouldn't be able to get married.

That evening, the Second Madam sent over some jewelry. You Tong picked out a gilded chrysanthemum hairpin, two hairpins, and two floral hair ornaments to wear when she entered the palace. The jewelry was neither too plain nor too flashy.

There was no definite date for Wenyan to enter the palace, but the Second Madam had already begun to discipline her. For several days in a row, Wenyan stayed at home obediently and did not make a fuss about going out.

On the fifteenth of April, guests arrived at the mansion. It was the second young lady of the Cui family, who had already married, and the lady of the Sun family, who was engaged to Wenyan, who came to reminisce.

You Tong had been in the capital for so long, yet she had never met this second young lady. She only knew that she was the legitimate daughter of the deceased eldest master of the Cui family, and that she was married to the son of a Hanlin scholar surnamed Shi in the capital. The frightening Granny Xia was someone sent by her. You Tong felt that this second young lady, who was already married, was still meddling in the affairs of the household. When she went to the front hall to pay her respects, she found that the second madam was not very warm towards her and spent most of her time talking to Madam Sun.

That Madam Sun was the mother of the young master Sun who was engaged to Wenyan. She was about the same age as the second madam, and she spoke and acted very frankly, which made people like her.

Since it was their first meeting, both the Second Miss and Madam Sun had prepared gifts. The Second Miss gave two gold anklets, while Madam Sun presented a pair of jade pendants with plum blossom patterns and silver trim. You Tong accepted them generously and thanked them solemnly. Afterward, she sat quietly to the side, obediently listening to everyone speak.

A moment later, Wenyan, supported by her maid, slowly entered the room. Seeing her dignified and virtuous attire, Youtong barely managed to suppress her laughter, only secretly winking at her. Wenyan pouted helplessly, then raised her head with an extremely solemn expression.

For some reason, the second young lady was very interested in Youtong, staring at her intently and asking her questions every now and then, all about her time at the Nanshan Temple, and also about why Rouge hadn't come to the capital with her. The second madam's expression darkened upon hearing this; she glanced at Youtong worriedly, wanting to interject, but then stopped herself.

You Tong replied calmly, "It's rare that Second Sister has such a good memory; she even remembers the name of the maidservant beside me. It's just a pity that the maidservant is a troublemaker. She stole my things and tried to sell them while we were at the temple, but she was caught red-handed and kicked out long ago."

The second young lady's face stiffened, and she frowned, saying, "I've seen that girl before; she doesn't seem like that kind of person."

You Tong let out a chilling laugh, slowly turned her face, her icy gaze seemingly piercing as she coldly looked at the Second Miss, saying each word clearly, "You can know a person's face but not their heart. Second Sister has only met her a few times, how do you know what kind of person she is?"

For some reason, even though she was just a young girl, the way she was being looked at by her sent a chill down the Second Miss's spine, and she was speechless for a long time.

Madam Sun seemed to sense the awkward atmosphere and quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Our matriarch loves excitement and said that she's going to hold a flower viewing party in a couple of days. Why don't you two young ladies bring them over to join in the fun tomorrow? The matriarch was overjoyed to hear that the two young ladies were coming and kept saying that she wanted to come to the mansion to see them."

The second wife said with a face full of shame, "I should have visited your residence much earlier, but some things at home have kept me from doing so. I will definitely visit you when the time comes."

The two chatted away, making quite a scene, and the room quickly returned to normal. The second young lady would occasionally chime in with a smile, while You Tong and Wen Yan listened attentively without saying a word.

After finally seeing the guests off, Youtong and Wenyan returned to Jiangxuezhai together. On the way, Wenyan couldn't help but complain to her about the Second Miss again, saying, "Ninth Sister, look at her tone, it's like she's here to interrogate you. I heard Fifth Brother say before that the rouge girl next to you was sent by her, and she might even be her spy planted next to you. Just for a disloyal maid, does she think she's going to scold you? She's already married, what kind of behavior is it to still meddle in the affairs of the manor?"

You Tong said casually, "Let her ask if she wants to. I have a clear conscience." Even if that girl named Yan Zhi was really harmed, it was Cui Weiyuan and his group who did it. Even if God wanted to blame her, it wouldn't be her fault.

As expected, the Sun family quickly sent out invitations, and the flower viewing party was set for April 20th. As they were future in-laws, the second madam attached great importance to Wenyan's trip, and gave her a good lecture behind closed doors, the content of which remains unknown.

You Tong didn't care. The Sun family valued their future daughter-in-law, and she was just going along to join in the fun. But the maids were on high alert, preparing You Tong's clothes and jewelry well in advance, carefully putting together several outfits for You Tong to choose from.

In the end, she chose a pale yellow Suzhou-embroidered moon-shaped brocade shirt and a dark-patterned, finely pleated skirt. She had Hongyun style her hair in a tassel-up bun, with a round flower ornament adorning each side of her hair. She also wore the plum blossom hairpin that Madam Sun had given her previously. While not overly elaborate, it was impeccable. However, the maids felt they hadn't yet fully displayed their talents and were somewhat unwilling to give up.

As soon as she stepped out the door, Wen Yan came downstairs. She was dressed very formally, wearing a brocade top with a combination of azure cloud and pearl patterns and peacock patterns, and a purple silk skirt with green patterns. She had two gilded and kingfisher-feather carp hairpins in her hair, and a gold hairpin with butterfly and flower patterns on the top of her hair. She also had jade tassels on her earlobes. She was dignified and beautiful.

It was clear that she was a little nervous; her face was flushed, and her palm was damp when she reached out to hold Youtong's hand.

You Tong gently patted the back of her hand and said softly, "Don't be nervous. Our Cui family's tenth young lady has always looked down on others. Others are afraid that you will look down on her."

Wen Yan laughed at her words, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head and whispered, "He...he's very good, I...I don't look down on him either."

This girl hasn't even married into the family yet and she's already speaking up for them. You Tong couldn't help but shake her head and laugh.

The two first paid their respects to the Second Madam, and then the three of them rode in a large carriage, each accompanied by two maids and four guards, and made their way to the Sun residence.

The flower-viewing party was held in the back garden of the Sun family mansion. Although the Sun family was not as prominent as the Cui family, they were still a wealthy household in the capital, and their mansion was even larger than the Cui family's. In particular, the back garden was exceptionally elegantly maintained. At this time, peonies were in full bloom, and the Sun family had somehow found a large patch of peonies, all of which bloomed at the same time, turning the entire back garden into a sea of national beauty. Even You Tong, who was not particularly fond of growing flowers and plants, was overwhelmed by the dazzling spectacle before him.

The flower viewing party was crowded, and Wen Yan, being the future daughter-in-law of the Sun family, naturally attracted a lot of attention. You Tong initially followed her for a few steps, but soon found herself squeezed to the side. Wen Yan, on the other hand, seemed quite content, finding a quiet corner to sit in a pavilion. She then asked Hui Qiao to fetch some tea, enjoying it while admiring the flowers.

Huiying and Huiqiao were both dazzled by the sight of so many peony flowers for the first time. Seeing their hopeful expressions, Youtong waved for them to go for a stroll in the courtyard. The two maids hesitated at first, but after Youtong's repeated persuasion, they thanked her solemnly and left together.

After the two women left, the pavilion became even quieter, but fortunately, the flowers were in full bloom everywhere, so it wasn't too deserted.

After sitting for a while, You Tong got up and walked around the pavilion a few times. Then she strolled around the nearby flower bushes and was about to return to the pavilion when she suddenly noticed that there were already two people sitting in the pavilion. Although they were a bit far away, You Tong clearly recognized the one wearing a peach-colored long gown as Yu Wan, her half-sister who had "died suddenly from an illness" and had been sent to Suzhou by the old man of the Yu family to avoid trouble.

Sun Family Garden

Twenty-six

Nearly a year had passed since they last met, and Yu Wan seemed somewhat different from when she was in Qiantang. Her previous arrogance and domineering nature had largely faded, and a rare hint of worry lingered between her brows. Although her clothes were brightly colored, they were clearly out of fashion, and the hairpin in her hair was of poor quality. The soles of her shoes, which were tucked under her skirt, were even stained with mud. She no longer possessed any of the charm of the second young lady of the Yu family.

It's likely she hasn't had a good year either. Without the Yu family's backing, how could a powerless young lady like her be arrogant? Besides, this is the capital city. While the Yu family might be somewhat well-known in Qiantang, they're nothing in the capital. Even if she's still the second young lady of the Yu family, what difference does it make?

Sitting next to Yu Wan was a young girl of about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a green dress. She was slightly less beautiful than Yu Wan, but her clothes were more elegant. She sat upright in the pavilion, but her eyes were restless, glancing around. Occasionally, when she caught sight of Yu Wan, a shadow of gloom would flash in her eyes, and she would turn her face away resentfully.

You Tong, watching from behind the flowers, couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed the two weren't as harmonious as they appeared. She wondered how Yu Wan, with her temperament, could possibly have the patience to deal with this girl. Just then, she heard soft footsteps approaching from afar. You Tong quickly ducked into the flowers, leaving only her eyes peeking towards the pavilion.

Two maids, around fifteen or sixteen years old, arrived, both dressed in light blue short jackets, each carrying a plate of snacks. Judging from their attire, they were not servants of the Sun family. Sure enough, after entering the pavilion, the two maids bowed and greeted the man in green, then placed the snacks on the stone table inside the pavilion.

Yu Wan glanced at it, frowned and scolded, "I just asked you to go get some food, why did it take you so long?"

One of the slightly taller maids seemed to have little respect for her, and replied irritably, "My dear cousin, everyone who comes to the Sun family is a high-ranking official or nobleman. They're all eager for food and drink. The kitchen is packed. We're only able to get this much because of our young lady. Do you think just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can get into the Sun family's gate?"

Yu Wan was immediately embarrassed by the maid's sarcastic remarks. Her face darkened, and she stood up abruptly, shouting, "What do you mean?"

"Yun'er, what are you spouting nonsense about without any respect for your elders? Hurry up and apologize to Miss Biao." The girl in green spoke slowly and deliberately, saying words of apology, but her face remained calm.

The maid was quite shrewd; upon hearing this, she quickly replied with a grin, "Look at my mouth, I just don't know how to speak properly. Please don't take it to heart, Miss." Her smiling face showed no sign of admitting any wrongdoing.

At that moment, You Tong almost thought that Yu Wan would casually grab a teacup and throw it at that girl. Unexpectedly, she only turned pale with anger, her chest heaving. In the end, she endured it and slowly sat back down. After a while, her expression returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

"She has indeed improved," You Tong thought to herself. After some consideration, she decided not to reveal herself. Firstly, seeing how inseparable Bai Ling and Shen San were, she had probably already revealed her ancestors for three generations. If Yu Wan were to announce her identity, Shen San would inevitably find out about her existence. Secondly, this was the Sun family mansion after all. If Yu Wan lost control and caused a scene, it would only make things difficult for Wen Yan.

Just as she was about to turn and leave, she suddenly heard voices coming from the pavilion, and she could vaguely make out a man's voice. Her heart skipped a beat, and she peeked out, only to find that it was Cui Weiyuan who had come looking for her.