The old princess had no suspicions and simply said, "Then you should do your part. Once you've chosen her today, make sure she's not away from home all the time."
Unexpectedly, Chu Pei said, "I also need to help my fifth cousin choose a congratulatory gift. I'll have to go shopping around and ask my sister to help me make an opinion."
The old princess couldn't help but get annoyed. Were they all here to choose a gift or to go out and have fun? "Can't you just choose from the storeroom? Why do you have to buy it outside?"
However, remembering that he also liked to go out when he was young and didn't want to be cooped up at home all day, he waved his hand and said with some dissatisfaction, "Fine, fine, do whatever you want."
Chu Pei, having grown up by the side of the old princess, was very close to her and always did as she pleased. She didn't care about her mother's expression and pretended not to understand the spite in her words, so she retreated with a smile.
Chu Wan carried a sandalwood box inlaid with mother-of-pearl and filled with various snacks onto the carriage. As soon as she was settled, Chu Pei lifted the curtain and came in, sitting down next to her in a very casual manner.
"Is Sister going out too?" Chu Wan hugged the food box tightly. Inside were some leftover dishes prepared by the Imperial Kitchen and sent by Consort Jing. She wanted to bring them to Wushuang and didn't want to share them with Chu Pei.
"Let's go see your sister-in-law together," Chu Pei said with a smile.
Chu Wan leaned back abruptly, like a rabbit pricked by a hedgehog: "Who...who said I was going to see my sister-in-law? I...I was going to buy a congratulatory gift for my fifth cousin."
"What lies are you telling me?" Chu Pei pried open Chu Wan's small hand, opened the box, pinched a piece of pea flour cake and put it in her mouth. "Where your carriage goes every day, you can find out if you want to."
That was for Shuangshuang...
Chu Wan pouted, looking both surprised and aggrieved.
Could it be that there's a traitor among her?
Chu Pei chuckled and pinched her younger sister's cheek: "Don't be afraid. I'll cover for you if Mother asks. After all, you accepted your sister-in-law's gift, so I can't be too ungrateful. You're really lucky to have your sister-in-law."
As she spoke, she tugged at her clothes.
Chu Wan recognized the fabric and understood what Chu Pei was referring to, but she still refused to travel with her.
Chu Pei seemed oblivious to her sister's reluctant expression, and continued to grumble, "We can wear pretty clothes together, and we can go out to play together, but if you kick me off the carriage, I can't guarantee what I'll say to Mother."
Chu Wan was simple-minded, and when threatened, she couldn't help but say, "Don't do anything reckless. If Shuangshuang and my brother get a divorce, I will definitely not forgive you!"
Ha, so being scolded by your mother a few times is enough to cause such a serious divorce?
Chu Pei recalled Wushuang's behavior and felt that she was not someone who could be easily upset, so she said dismissively, "Have you been reading too many storybooks? Are you worried that if we had a sister-in-law with a bad temper and a mean attitude, we would have our monthly allowance cut off, go hungry and cold, and have to squat in the yard in the dead of winter to wash the whole family's clothes with that icy well water?"
How did my sister know she liked reading storybooks?
Chu Wan's face flushed red, and she became unreasonable: "Anyway, I don't want anyone else to be my sister-in-law except Shuangshuang!"
This was her lifelong dream, and she wouldn't allow anyone to shatter it. (txt download 80)
"Hey, even your brother isn't worried, why are you so anxious?" Chu Pei found it even more amusing. "I'm just keeping it a secret for you guys."
"Alright then." Chu Wan accepted her sister's kindness and softened her tone. "I'll take you." Suddenly, her tone became urgent again. "The snacks were for Shuangshuang. Your aunt also sent some to you. Don't take hers!"
Chu Pei glanced at her right hand, which was already inside the treasury box, and slowly picked up a candied fruit: "We're all family, so of course we should share good food together."
With her right hand sticky with candied fruit, she reached over with her left hand to take a piece of Dingsheng cake. Seeing that Chu Wan's eyes were brimming with tears and she was about to cry, she finally stopped teasing her. "Alright, alright, you can say I still have some. At worst, I'll just share half with Sister Shuangshuang."
The carriage slowly drove away, but the sounds of the two sisters bickering could still be heard, sometimes loud, sometimes soft:
"Didn't you say you were going to give Shuangshuang some pastries? Why didn't you send someone to get them?"
"Oh dear, you don't understand. If we send too much at once, she won't be able to finish it, and the snacks can't be stored. They'll just end up being given to the servants. Wouldn't it be better to bring her more tomorrow if she likes it today?"
"Then you have to keep your word..."
Have I ever lied to you?
"..."
Upon arriving at the Marquis of Runan's residence, they encountered Wuxia, who was returning to her parents' home with her child from the Prince Yi's residence.
The four of them sat under the flowering trees in the courtyard of Furong Lane.
Wuxia's daughter, Chuyi, is three and a half years old. Girls are naturally clingy and always snuggle in her mother's arms, refusing to go anywhere. So Wuxia holds her on her lap.
The youngest son, Chu Yue, was learning to walk. His wet nurses would accompany him on the lawn as he practiced. He was unsteady on his feet and often fell, but he never cried. Instead, he would smile, get up, and continue walking. Later, perhaps feeling tired, he would fall down and refuse to get up. Instead, he would roll around to Wu Xia's feet, hug her legs, and refuse to let go.
Without any haste or impatience, she gently rubbed his head with a smile, not insisting that he stand up or anything, but simply instructing the wet nurse to wring out a handkerchief to wipe his face.
Upon seeing this, Chu Wan remarked with emotion, "If only my mother had a good temper like my third sister-in-law."
Wu Xiao smiled and said, "Can all people in this world be the same? Let's not talk about others, just take you and Shuangshuang as an example. Although you've been close since childhood, your personalities are not entirely the same, are they?"
She was sent by Madam Yang to reason with her younger sister and persuade her to return to the Prince of Ying's residence, so she naturally took every opportunity to say a few more words.
Chu Wan nodded in agreement with a simple and honest expression.
Chu Pei was more thoughtful than her younger sister. She rolled her eyes and guessed Wu Xia's intention, so she echoed, "Third sister-in-law is right. Just like when I first met you, my relationship with you was not like this. It's all thanks to your broad-mindedness. It's just as you said: 'Time will tell.'"
Wushuang wasn't stupid; of course, she could tell that this meant she shouldn't argue with the old princess and should move back to the Prince of Ying's residence as soon as possible.
But she pretended not to understand and simply didn't respond.
She grabbed a piece of candy from the box Chu Wan had brought to tease Chu Yue. When he opened his little mouth to eat it, she suddenly pulled her hand away. After several repetitions, the little guy got interested, opened his bright eyes, let go of Wuxia, and pounced at Wushuang's feet.
He was somewhat annoyed that he had no time to see his sister like this, but he couldn't say anything to her in front of Chu Wan and Chu Pei.
Just then, a young maidservant came in with a tray to exchange the tea for snacks, and the matter was dropped.
A few people were chatting casually when they suddenly saw Wu Hui running over, lifting her skirt and stumbling along.
"Something terrible has happened! I just heard people on the street saying that during a firearms drill, a musket misfired, causing a large number of deaths and injuries."