Widows in the Song Dynasty were easy to marry

Chapter 14

Now that winter has just begun, the peonies have already lost all their leaves, leaving only bare, jagged branches. It's hard to associate them with the unparalleled elegance they possess when in bloom. When Danmei left last time, she instructed Xiqing to cover the soil around the roots with a layer of dried horse manure to keep them warm at night. Now that she's here, she sees that they're being well cared for, which shows that Xiqing has indeed put in a lot of effort.

The old lady already knew about Xu Jinrong's impending promotion and transfer to a distant post. She recalled taking their birth charts to Shangfang Temple and Kaibao Temple half a year ago, where both temples predicted "prosperity, many children, and much happiness." While she hadn't yet witnessed such a blessing, her own son's family's prosperity and official success were undeniable, so she assumed that many children and much happiness were just around the corner. This made her look at Danmei even more favorably. Seeing her approach, she was delighted and treated her with great warmth. The two women exchanged only a few words before the old lady asked if she had morning sickness. Before she could finish speaking, she slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "This old woman is confused! Ziqing has only been back for less than a month. Even if she's pregnant, it will take some time before we know. I've really been foolish!"

Seeing that the old lady was still preoccupied with her pregnancy while she herself hadn't paid any attention and couldn't keep up with the conversation, Danmei just smiled slightly. Suddenly remembering that Xu Jinrong had specifically asked her a few days ago to instruct Steward Xu to find a sturdy large ship to avoid the old lady's bumpy and arduous journey, she seized the opportunity to change the subject, saying, "I heard from my husband that we'll be setting off at the beginning of next month, so there's only a little bit left. If Mother wants to take anything with her, just tell me, and I'll prepare it for you, so you don't find anything lacking when you get there."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiqing chimed in, "The old lady isn't going to that Huaichu place anymore."

Danmei was somewhat surprised. Xu Jinrong was very filial to his mother; wherever he was in the past, he would always bring her with him. Therefore, she naturally assumed that the old lady would also go with him on this assignment. Moreover, seeing how Xu Jinrong arranged the boats, she thought that the mother and son had already coordinated their plans. Unexpectedly, the old lady asked this question, and after a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Isn't Mother going with the gentleman? Judging from his words, it seems that Mother should go with him."

The old lady pursed her lips and said, "He mentioned it to me. I hadn't thought it through at first, so I didn't reply. But after thinking about it these past few days, I think it's better not to go. I was living quite well back in my hometown of Qingmen, but he dragged me to Tongzhou Prefecture. I had barely settled in Tongzhou before he brought me to the capital. Now that I've finally gotten used to living here, why would my old bones be tossed around to Huaichu? I'll just stay here for another two or three years. You'll all come back eventually anyway. When I really can't walk anymore, then I'll go back to Qingmen to collect my bones."

Seeing that her mother-in-law was resolute and unyielding, Danmei remembered that according to custom, if her mother-in-law didn't move with her, she, as the daughter-in-law, would have to stay and serve her. She was relieved to be able to return to the leisurely life she had enjoyed for the previous six months. However, after that initial relief, a slight sense of melancholy inexplicably arose in her heart. Without dwelling on it, she quickly suppressed it and replied with a smile, "Since Mother has such a plan, then I will stay and serve you."

The old lady glanced at her, as if scrutinizing her expression, and quickly shook her head, saying, "Although Ziqing is a bit older than you, I've seen that he's not indifferent to you these past few days, so that's good. What would I need you to stay and serve me for? You should go with him, take good care of him, and give my Xu family a legitimate grandson as soon as possible. That's true filial piety."

***

When Danmei arrived at the old lady's place, it was almost noon. She stayed for half a day and had dinner before taking her leave to return to the city. Just then, Xiqing came in and said, "The master is here." The mother and daughter-in-law had just turned their heads when they saw Xu Jinrong lift the curtain and come in.

She had mentioned to him last night that she would be coming to this garden today, but he hadn't said he would, so she was slightly surprised to see him now. But then she thought that he was always the kind of person who kept his actions to himself, and he wouldn't tell her nine out of ten things, so she was relieved and stood up to greet him.

The old lady was quite happy to see her son. After asking a few questions, and hearing that he hadn't eaten yet, she immediately ordered someone to prepare a meal. Danmei, thinking it inconvenient for her to be caught in the middle of the conversation between the mother and son, excused herself to check on the food in the kitchen and left. Knowing he wasn't picky about food, and seeing that there was still half a plate of braised mutton with Chinese cabbage and soy sauce duck left, both his favorite meats, she told the cook to just stir-fry some vegetables. Just as she finished, Xu Jinrong arrived. The cook put the food on the table and quickly left.

Danmei served him rice and pushed it over, then sat down to watch him eat. Seeing that he wolfed down the food in no time, and that he seemed to be choking at the end, she quickly handed him a cup of tea. He tilted his head back and gulped it down, his prominent Adam's apple bobbing up and down in a funny way, which made her smile.

Xu Jinrong put down his teacup, glanced at Danmei, and Danmei quickly stopped smiling, cleared her throat, and said seriously, "Did Mother tell you just now that she doesn't want to go to Huaichu?"

Xu Jinrong grunted and leaned back in his chair without saying a word.

Danmei stared at the empty plate on the table, which still had some leftover sauce, and said, "I'll stay and serve Mother. I'll let the others go with me..."

"Mother just said that you should come with me to serve me."

Before Danmei could finish speaking, Xu Jinrong interrupted her. Hearing the heavy emphasis on the word "serve" in his voice, as if it were intentional, she looked up and saw that he was indeed looking at her with a smile in his eyes, which also seemed a bit mischievous. She felt a little embarrassed and had no choice but to turn her head away as if she couldn't see him.

After Xu Jinrong finished speaking, seeing that Danmei had turned her head away and remained silent, he stood up and went outside. He chatted with his mother for a while before getting up to say goodbye and return home, and Danmei naturally followed him. The old lady didn't linger, only giving a few instructions before busying herself with the vegetable garden.

Danmei led Huijie to the carriage outside the garden gate. Just as the wet nurse was about to carry Huijie up, Xu Jinrong went over, picked her up, and gently placed her on the carriage. Seeing that her pink skirt was slightly turned outwards, he smoothed it down.

This was probably the first time in her life that Hui-jie had received such care from her father. She stood there staring wide-eyed at Xu Jinrong, motionless like a puppet. Dan-mei was also somewhat surprised, but seeing the man looking at her daughter like that, she noticed a hint of embarrassment on his face. Fearing he would lose face, she quickly whispered a reminder. Hui-jie snapped out of her daze and quickly slipped into the carriage. Xu Jinrong then seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Danmei suddenly found it somewhat amusing, yet also felt sorry for Hui-jie, that even biological father and daughter had become so estranged. She recalled that he had been listening at the door when she comforted Hui-jie that day. Could it be that he had been touched by something, which led to his actions today? She couldn't help but turn around and glance at him, noticing that the rare awkwardness from before was gone, but his expression was somewhat stiff.

By this time, the coachman had already placed a stool on the ground for Danmei to step onto the carriage. As soon as Danmei stepped onto it, she felt a tightness in her lower back. It turned out that Xu Jinrong had reached out to support her, and she was almost lifted up. Without daring to look back, she quickly bent down, went inside, closed the door, and sat down as soon as her foot touched the stool at the front of the carriage.

The carriage headed towards the city. Danmei didn't look outside much, and the jostling inside made her drowsy. She didn't know how much time had passed before she felt the carriage finally stop and opened her eyes. When they left the garden, there were still some sunset clouds on the horizon, but now it was completely dark. Just as she was about to help Huijie up, the carriage door opened, and Xu Jinrong leaned in, saying, "Get down."

Danmei crouched down and stepped out of the carriage, but was taken aback. She had initially thought they had arrived at the Xu residence, but instead, she found herself surrounded by brightly lit shops on both sides, a wide street bustling with people, and red and black barriers separating the roadside – clearly the Nanxun Gate Imperial Street, extending south from the Xuande Tower of the Imperial Palace. Confused, she looked towards Xu Jinrong.

"Didn't you mention to me before that Sister Hui has never celebrated her birthday since she was a child? Her birthday is close to her mother's death anniversary, so it's inconvenient to celebrate. This month is a grand celebration for the new reign title, and there will be a carriage and elephant performance in front of Xuande Gate Tower every evening. They are all tributes from foreign lands, which are not often seen, so they are quite rare. I had some free time today, so I brought her over to see them, as a way of celebrating."

As Danmei listened to him speak, though her tone was flat, her eyes, reflecting the lights of the shops across the street, shone brightly. She stared blankly for a moment before she came to her senses and was helped off the carriage. Hui-jie, who was behind her, had also heard the conversation and her face lit up with surprise and excitement.

Xu Jinrong picked up Hui Jie, instructed the carriage behind them, which carried the wet nurse and her maid, to go back first, and told the driver to wait at the street corner. He then walked forward.

A large crowd surged toward the Xuande Tower to watch the elephant and carriage performance, and the closer they got, the more people crowded the street became. Afraid of being separated from her, Danmei held onto Huijie's hand tightly, following closely behind Xu Jinrong, but always maintaining a two-step distance. Xu Jinrong glanced back, stopped, squatted down, picked up Huijie with one arm, and pulled Danmei to his side with the other, whispering in her ear, "Stay close to me, or you'll get kidnapped and have to cry." His voice clearly carried a hint of amusement.

Danmei turned her head and saw his face looking at her, his expression carrying three parts gentleness and seven parts playfulness. For some reason, her heart skipped a beat, even more so than when he was on top of her in bed at night. Even the hand she was holding suddenly felt itchy. Afraid that he would notice, she hurriedly tried to pull her hand back and complained in a low voice, "Someone saw us."

Xu Jinrong chuckled, squeezed her hand slightly before letting go, and continued walking slowly forward with Sister Hui in his arms.

Today, because she was going to visit the old lady, Danmei dressed simply. Xu Jinrong was also dressed in casual clothes that were neither new nor old. Apart from Huijie, who was being carried in his arms, being a bit eye-catching, Danmei felt that they were no different from the ordinary couples who went out to watch the car show with their families. A faint warmth slowly grew in her heart. When she saw him suddenly turn his head to look at her, she smiled slightly at him.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Her pale plum eyes reflected the glittering streetlights, her two points of gaze like lotus blossoms just emerging from the water, her smile gentle, making her appear extremely elegant.

They had been married for over half a year, and this was probably the first time he had seen her smile at him like that. Xu Jinrong seemed momentarily stunned, and his pace slowed. Just then, several clanging sounds of gongs and drums came from the Xuande Gate tower not far ahead, indicating that the procession was about to begin. Hearing the sounds, the crowd behind them scurried over. Danmei was bumped by a sturdy woman behind her, and her body swayed forward. Xu Jinrong reacted quickly, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his arms to protect her. The woman, oblivious to having bumped into him, continued running forward and disappeared into the crowd in the blink of an eye.

Be careful.

Xu Jinrong released his hand from her waist, but then quietly took her hand again along his sleeve. The sleeve was a bit large, and when it fell down, it covered where the two were holding hands. Since it was night, it wasn't very noticeable, and even Sister Hui, who was being held by Xu Jinrong with one hand, didn't notice.

His hands were large, somewhat hard, with prominent knuckles, but warm and dry.

Danmei's heart skipped a beat, and fearing that passersby would notice something amiss, she quickly pulled her hand away. He not only didn't let go, but held on even tighter, and smiled slightly at her, saying, "Let's go, it's just ahead." After saying that, he turned his gaze to the front and quickened his pace slightly, so Danmei had no choice but to follow.

When the three arrived at the city gate, they saw that the open space, usually guarded by the Imperial Guards, was now brightly lit, with people crowding around it, even outside, with people bringing their own stools. The air was filled with a cacophony of noise. Occasionally, half of an elephant adorned with red and green decorations could be seen peeking out from between the crowd, but the performers inside were nowhere to be seen.

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty by Emperor Taizu, it had always held celebratory events in front of the Xuande Tower of the Imperial Palace on major occasions such as imperial weddings, the birth of a son, and the change of reign title. Ordinary people, who were not normally allowed to enter, were permitted to watch, signifying that the celebrations were shared with the people. This November happened to be the month of the new reign title, hence the elephant and chariot performance held here. The elephants were all imported tributes, quite rare, and naturally attracted countless onlookers.

Danmei was fine; she'd seen circuses before. But Sister Hui, who rarely came out, couldn't get close. She craned her neck anxiously, afraid her father would displease her. Even though she was still being held by Xu Jinrong, her eyes were fixed on Danmei beside her.

Xu Jinrong looked around, put Hui Jie down, and whispered to Danmei to wait. He then walked towards the crowd ahead. Several people dressed like shop assistants from a roadside shop were standing on a long bench, watching with great interest. Danmei saw him lightly pat one of the men's arms. The man, engrossed in the watch, turned around after being pulled a few times. Seeing a stranger standing behind him, he was about to glare and reprimand him, but seeing the man's tall stature and distinguished bearing, he shut his mouth, only muttering something under his breath. Just as he was about to turn around, his eyes were immediately fixed on the silver coins in the man's outstretched hand.

"I'll borrow a few stools from you; these are yours now."

Xu Jinrong smiled at the man.

In no time, Danmei was helped onto the bench by Xu Jinrong, and Huijie was also carried up by him. Their view suddenly became half a head higher than others, giving them a clear view of the carriage and elephants inside. In the vast open square, a carriage pulled by four horses stood, with two flags and a drum on it. Warriors dressed in purple robes guarded the sides of the carriage, looking imposing. Seven elephants rode in front of the carriage, each with a rider on its neck, wielding a whip. The elephants marched in perfect unison to the Xuande Tower, circled a few times, and then, following the mahout's instructions, knelt on their two front legs to the north in a bowing ceremony. At this moment, fireworks prepared on the city tower were ignited, their colorful rays illuminating half the night sky, prompting the crowd below to clap and cheer.

This scene wasn't particularly surprising to Danmei. She was surprised to see such a performance at this time, and for a moment felt a sense of déjà vu. She smiled and turned her head to look, seeing Xu Jinrong beside her merely smiling slightly, appearing more relaxed than during the day, and somewhat uninteresting. It was Hui Jie, whom he was holding, who was innocent and lively, clapping along with the crowd, quite adorable.

As Danmei was watching, she suddenly met Xu Jinrong's gaze again. This time, his face was reflected with the colorful light of fireworks, sometimes red and sometimes green, looking like a ghost face, which was quite comical. Danmei immediately covered her mouth and chuckled, which startled Xu Jinrong.

The elephant performance wasn't over yet when Xu Jinrong said it was time to go back. Danmei thought his actions today were truly astounding, like the sun rising in the west; knowing when to stop, she simply nodded. Huijie, though reluctant, didn't dare argue since her father had said so, and remained silent with a pout. Danmei, however, couldn't bear it. On the way back, seeing various clay and wooden elephant sculptures for sale along the Imperial Street, she bought a few for Huijie to take home, and only then did she see Huijie become happy again.

The three returned to the street corner, where the coachman was still waiting. Since Xu Jinrong's horse had been led back to his residence by his attendants earlier, he also rode in the carriage with her. The two faced each other, with Huijie nestled against Danmei. At first, Huijie was fine while awake, occasionally exchanging a few whispered words with Danmei. But as Huijie grew sleepy and fell asleep against Danmei, with only Xu Jinrong staring at her from across the carriage, she gradually became somewhat uneasy.

"I'll hold you, and I'll pin you down."

As Xu Jinrong spoke, he leaned forward, picked up Sister Hui, and laid her on his lap before sitting back down.

Danmei sat upright with her hands clasped behind her back. Although her eyes were lowered, she clearly felt that Xu Jinrong was still staring at her. She became increasingly uncomfortable and wished she could get there as soon as possible, but there were still quite a few people on the street, and the carriage was moving slowly. When she felt really awkward, she finally looked up and saw that his head was leaning back slightly against the carriage wall, seemingly resting with his eyes closed. The carriage was somewhat dim, but the light filtering in from the streets outside made it clear that there was a serene look between his brows.

Upon arriving at the Xu family's gate, servants who were already waiting at the entrance came out to greet them. After entering the inner courtyard, Xu Jinrong told Danmei to go back to her room first, while he carried the still-sleeping Hui-jie to her room.

As November began, charcoal fires were lit early in each room for warmth. Xu Jinrong, who would be leaving the capital to take up his post soon, was extremely busy these days, juggling social obligations and official duties, often staying in his study until late at night. As usual, snacks were brought over around 7 PM. Danmei ate a few bites, then, remembering Xu Jinrong was still in his study, she asked someone to bring him a bowl. However, because of what had happened before, she didn't want to go herself. After finishing her snacks and rinsing her mouth, she waited a while longer. Seeing that Xu Jinrong hadn't returned, and feeling a bit sleepy because she hadn't taken a nap at the old lady's that afternoon, and considering Xu Jinrong was used to her going to sleep before he returned, she went to bed first.

Danmei slept for a while, but the charcoal was burning brightly and the brocade quilt was thick, so she felt a bit hot. She took off her inner garment and lay down wearing only a bodice, with her arms outside the quilt. Only then did she feel more comfortable, so she closed her eyes and waited while sleeping.

After finishing the last task in the study, Xu Jinrong leaned back in his chair. His eyes caught sight of the celadon bowl with lotus scroll pattern that held the pastries. He recalled the carefree and unrestrained behavior he had shown in the study of the garden outside the city. The image of her smiling at him several times today, her eyes crinkling with a charming and delicate beauty, flashed before his eyes. He felt a tightness in his heart, stood up, and went outside.

Xu Jinrong returned to his room and saw that Danmei's two personal maids were still waiting in the outer room. The older one, with red lips, greeted him with a smile and bowed respectfully, while the younger one seemed timid and fearful. At that moment, he was filled with the urge to see the young woman in the inner room immediately, so he didn't pay much attention to her. He casually replied that she should go out and rest, and then pushed open the door and entered himself.

The room was still brightly lit, and a warm, fragrant aroma wafted towards me as soon as I entered. Composing myself, I looked up and saw that the bed curtains were hanging low, revealing half of a pair of delicate red embroidered shoes. I guessed that the young woman had gone to bed to rest without waiting for me again.

When Xu Jinrong arrived at the bed curtains, he lifted one side and immediately saw his little woman lying on her side, sleeping with her long, dark hair loosely piled on the pillow. Her slender arms were draped over half of the brocade quilt, and she was only wearing a peach-colored bodice, revealing most of her snow-white shoulders and back. A thin ribbon was tied around the back of her neck.

Danmei was half asleep when she suddenly felt a pair of slightly cool hands reach out onto her shoulders. She opened her eyes with a start and looked back to see that Xu Jinrong had returned sometime earlier and was lying on the outer couch, his hand holding her exposed shoulder.

Just as Danmei was about to say "You're back," she felt a sudden tightness on her shoulders and back as he hugged her from behind, rubbing his stubble-covered face against her back a few times, leaving red marks on her fair and delicate skin.

Danmei felt a slight ache and itch on her back where he had just rubbed against her, but his cool face pressed against hers, and her skin, which was burning from the warmth of the room's heating, felt incredibly comfortable. She couldn't help but let out a soft "hmm."

Xu Jinrong stopped what he was doing, picked up Danmei and turned her to face him. He saw that her cheeks were flushed from the warmth of the room, her eyes were moist and had a lazy and charming look of just waking up, and her lips were red and plump. He felt a surge of desire and was about to kiss her, but she nimbly dodged him.

"The light is still on."

Danmei gently nudged his shoulder and gestured towards the outside of the tent.

Seeing her blushing, delicate appearance, Xu Jinrong, though he preferred the lamp to be on, softened his heart and couldn't bear to go against her wishes. He chuckled, reached out and pinched her nose, then got up, lifted the curtain, and blew out the lamp.

Last night, in the brocade tent, although the man was almost succumbing to desire towards the end, seemingly wanting to mold her into a shower of peach blossoms, his touch also became more tender. Even Danmei felt it was better than before. She saw him off early this morning, and before noon, she received an invitation, saying she had long admired Madam Xu's refined manners and knew she would soon be leaving the capital with her husband, sincerely inviting her to visit the garden the next day as a farewell gesture. The person who invited her was Princess Yuyang of the Chong Prince's residence.

Author's Note: Thank you all for your support!! (*^__^*)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Since the official document from the Ministry of Personnel regarding the relocation of officials to other posts was issued, Xu Jinrong has been busy with social engagements, and Danmei has also become much busier than before. She receives invitations from various women in the capital every one or two out of three days. Some of these invitations are from women of similar rank who are envious of her husband's promotion and wish to befriend him. Although Danmei dislikes socializing, she had witnessed many official women's comings and goings while serving Qin. Now that she is the matriarch of the Xu family, she must maintain appearances; not attending would be disrespectful. Fortunately, her mother, Qin, is also invited most of the time, so the two have met frequently. Qin is both happy and reluctant to part with her daughter, and every time they meet, she holds her hand and has endless things to say.

The invitation I received today points to the Chong Prince's residence, which is descended from the lineage of Emperor Taizong's fourth son. The old Chong Prince was sent as an envoy to the Liao Dynasty during Emperor Zhenzong's reign, thwarting their conspiracy and earning the emperor's great trust. Therefore, although he is now enjoying his retirement, Emperor Renzong will still personally send gifts and congratulatory messages on his birthday, showing that his favor remains undiminished. The princess has given birth to three sons and a daughter in her middle age. From a young age, she was exceptionally beautiful and talented, and at the age of six, she was granted the title of Princess and the name Yuyang.

Although Princess Yuyang was showered with affection, her reputation among the noblewomen of the capital surpassed even that of the former Wen Danmei. Wen Danmei, though widowed in her youth, was known for her promiscuity. It was said that while still living with her husband, she had an affair with a guard, a situation her husband's family found shameful but unable to voice their grievances. In the first two years after her husband's death, she even frequented temples under the guise of Buddhist worship to meet with men. Rumors eventually reached the Chong Prince's residence. The old Chong Prince was deeply ashamed, but the old Princess Consort didn't believe the rumors. She simply summoned Yuyang back to the palace, partly to keep her company, and partly to keep an eye on her, hoping to find her a suitable husband again. Yuyang, however, refused in every way, even declaring that she wouldn't marry unless she found someone she liked, and that if forced, she would cut her hair and become a nun. Thus, several years passed, and she remained in the palace as a princess. Although the old princess was anxious, she couldn't dissuade her daughter, so she prayed every day before the Buddha that she could find a suitable husband to marry her daughter off to.

Two days ago, when Danmei was invited to the residence of a noblewoman who was on good terms with the Qin family, she heard the ladies mention the princess's past romantic affairs several times. She was secretly surprised, not expecting that there would be such an outrageous person among the royal family. Unexpectedly, she received an invitation from the princess today.

Danmei considered that she had no prior dealings with Princess Yuyang, and in terms of status, the princess was at least equal to her own, so there was no need for the princess to lower herself to make a special effort to befriend her. She pondered for a long time, still puzzled. Then she heard from the maid that the messenger from the Prince's residence was still waiting for a reply, and not daring to delay, she had someone prepare an even amount of reward money, tied with a red ribbon, and send it out. This was to indicate that she would accept the invitation to visit the residence.

Earlier that morning, Xu Jinrong had mentioned to her that he was going out of the city to settle some business matters in nearby Jiliang, and wouldn't be returning if the city gates closed late. Jiliang was located on the Bian River, also part of Kaifeng Prefecture. Although not a large place, it was a bustling hub where all the merchants of the capital gathered for their goods and warehouses. Danmei waited until late afternoon, figuring he wouldn't be returning that night, and then closed the door to rest. The next morning, remembering the invitation she had received the day before, she carefully changed her clothes and sat down at her dressing table to put on her makeup.

Looking through the bronze mirror, Danmei saw Miaochun carefully combing her hair behind her, her movements gentle as if afraid of hurting her scalp. Having spent several years with this girl, she had indeed always served her wholeheartedly. Even after she learned of Miaochun's feelings and deliberately distanced herself, Miaochun showed no resentment and continued to serve her attentively. Humans aren't plants or trees; how could they be without feelings? It was just a pity that this girl had harbored the thought of becoming someone's concubine.

Recalling Qin's initial arrangements and her reaction when she tested her, Danmei suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, wondering if her initial acquiescence was a mistake. Should she have nipped that idea in the bud? Now that she had given someone over half a year of empty hope, was it too late to refuse her now?

"Madam, these are all freshly taken flowers from the front. Which one do you like best?"

Danmei was lost in thought when Miaochun suddenly asked her a question. She looked up and saw some flower-shaped hairpins in the box, shimmering with light. They must have been prepared by Qin Shi when she got married, with different headdresses for each season.

She didn't usually pay much attention to these things, so she just casually said "oh".

"This flower looks nice; it matches your clothes perfectly."

As Miaochun spoke, she picked out a hairpin and tucked it into Danmei's already styled hair. Danmei glanced in the mirror and saw it was a kingfisher feather butterfly hairpin, inlaid with gemstones, looking extremely beautiful and exquisite, which must have cost a lot of money. Thinking that Madam Qin would spend so much on even such a small item as her hair ornament, she felt a pang of emotion, fearing that Madam Qin had probably spent most of her savings to marry off her daughter.

After Danmei finished packing, she prepared some seasonal fruits as gifts as is customary. Seeing that it was almost time, she took Miaochun and Miaoxia and rode in a carriage to the Chongwang Mansion.

The Prince's Mansion was located next to Baokang Gate in the inner city, and the surrounding area was inhabited by members of the imperial family and nobility.

Such private gatherings of young women usually didn't go through the main gate, but rather entered through a side gate in the wall. As soon as the carriage stopped, a brightly dressed maidservant was waiting inside. Upon hearing that it was Madam Xu, she smiled and welcomed her in. She was led through a hanging flower gate to the inner hall, then through several corridors, until they arrived at a large room, which appeared to be a warm chamber. Two other maidservants from the Prince's residence standing at the door quickly lifted the curtain upon seeing them arrive.

Miao Chun and Miao Xia stood outside, while Dan Mei bowed slightly as she entered. Upon entering, she was greeted by a warm, fragrant scent, but it wasn't the delicate, sweet aroma she was used to; the fragrance was quite strong. After catching her breath and looking around, she was somewhat surprised. The warm pavilion was lavishly furnished. Yet, the large room was eerily quiet, with only her present, a stark contrast to her usual gatherings where she would always invite many ladies to sit with her.

Before long, a maidservant brought tea and said that the princess would be arriving soon. She asked the lady to wait a moment and then stood aside with her hands clasped.

The invitation was sent by the other party, and now that she, the guest, had arrived on time, the host had yet to show up. Moreover, the maid standing there kept glancing at her with a strange expression. Danmei suddenly felt uneasy. Although she didn't know what Princess Yuyang was planning, the fact that she had been invited today suggested that she might have ulterior motives.

Now that she was already here, and not wanting the maid from the nearby Prince's mansion to see through her thoughts, Danmei calmly picked up her teacup and slowly took a sip.

About half a cup of tea's time had passed when footsteps were heard coming from the corridor outside. Danmei looked up towards the door and saw the curtain being lifted, and a tall, slender woman entered. She was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with her hair slightly disheveled, her face rosy and her eyebrows delicate and graceful. Her clothes were exquisite, and she knew that it was the princess who had come.

Danmei put down her teacup and was about to rise to greet her when the princess quickly walked up to her, stopped Danmei from bowing, and said with a smile, "Please sit down, sister. I invited you here today, but I was tied up with worldly affairs and arrived so late. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm too busy to accept your greeting. Wouldn't that be too much for you?"

Danmei was even more surprised. She and Princess Yuyang were not related, yet the princess addressed her as a sister upon their first meeting, which was far too intimate. However, she did not show it on her face. She simply released her hand that was supporting her, stepped back slightly to perform the curtsy, and then raised her eyes and smiled slightly, saying, "Princess, you flatter me. I should have done it."

Seeing Danmei's demeanor and her humble yet assertive manner, Yu Yang seemed taken aback for a moment before smiling and saying, "I am a few years older than you. I felt an instant connection with you when I first saw you, so I took the liberty of calling myself 'elder sister.' Please don't laugh at me, younger sister."

Danmei replied, "Your Highness is of noble birth. It would be an immense honor for you to call me 'sister.' I would beg for such a thing."

Yu Yang covered her mouth and laughed, her natural grace and charm undeniable, even Dan Mei found it hard to look away. She thought to herself, "With such a celestial beauty and renowned talent, it's no wonder ordinary men can't catch her eye."

The two sat down and exchanged a few more polite words. Danmei noticed that Danmei only talked about the local customs and people in the capital, without mentioning the purpose of inviting her today. After chatting for a while, she looked at Yuyang opposite her and smiled, "Your Highness, did you invite me here today for any purpose? Please speak freely, Your Highness. I will do my best to help you if I can."

Yu Yang chuckled and said, "Look at what you're saying, little sister. I've long admired your name and wanted to be your friend, but I've never had the chance. A few days ago, I heard that you'll be moving to Huainan Road with Lord Xu next month. I was reluctant to part with you, and if I don't invite you over for a chat, I'm afraid we'll be separated by mountains and rivers. Wouldn't that be a regret?"

Upon hearing this, Danmei knew the other woman was merely making things up. Even if she was famous, it was for the infamous reputation of being a jinx to her husbands. No matter how foolish the woman was, she wouldn't have invited her specifically just because she, like her, had lost her husband. Since the woman wouldn't say it outright, Danmei didn't press the matter. She would simply respond to whatever the other woman said, without uttering a single extra word.