Zhenxiu said, "She lowered herself to become our maid, and we couldn't stop her."
Madam Shen found it amusing and called over her maid, Banlan, saying, "This is the maid I prepared for you. I was planning to bring her over today, but I guess I was not prepared enough."
Zhenxiu glanced at it and said, "If that's the case, just have Banlan follow me closely. As for the eldest sister and the younger sister, let her serve them."
In front of everyone, Jung-won and Jung-seo couldn't very well scold Jung-soo, so they had no choice but to agree.
The young ladies boarded the carriages. Zhenyu and Shenshi rode in one carriage, while Zhenyuan, Zhenxiu, and Zhenyi rode in another. Zhenshu and the maids and servants naturally carried their bundles as they walked below.
Seeing that even a young lady like Zhenshu was working as a maid, Banlan smiled and said, "Third Miss, please get in the carriage quickly. We servants will take care of you."
Zhenyu's maid, An'an, replied, "I'm afraid the Third Miss also wants to see the prosperity of the capital and would like to come with us."
Zhenshu smiled but did not answer, but thought to herself: May God bless Zhenxiu so that she can find a good marriage in the capital and not have to go back to Huixian.
Although the Marquis of Beishun's residence was not far from the Song residence, the streets of the capital were bustling with carriages and people, and there were countless vendors, creating a thick cloud of dust along the way. By the time they arrived at the Marquis's residence, Zhenshu's clothes and shoes were covered in dust, and the other maids were also covered in dirt. The Marquis's residence had towering red walls and green tiles that seemed to reach the clouds. The carriage circled around the main gate and stopped at another gate. Madam Shen first got out of the carriage and helped Zhenyu down, then came over to help Zhenyuan and the others, while the sisters naturally got out of the carriage on their own.
Several stewardesses from the Marquis's residence were already waiting at the door. One of them was Mama Hu, the attendant of Madam Tao, the wife of the Marquis's heir. She stepped forward and helped Madam Shen up, saying, "Fourth Madam, it's been a long time since you've come. My heir's wife has really missed you."
After politely declining, Ms. Shen waited until all the young ladies had entered before she and Madam Hu entered together.
Miss Dou Mingluan of the Marquis's Mansion held a banquet in the back garden. First, Mama Hu introduced several young ladies from the Song family to Madam Zhang, the wife of the Marquis, before leading them to the back garden to meet Dou Mingluan.
Although the Song family also had a back garden, Zhong Shi was never good at managing household affairs, and Shen Shi was unwilling to spend time on such matters, so it had been neglected and closed for a long time. The Marquis's mansion was large and wealthy, and the entire garden was now in full bloom with flowers of all colors. There were also artificial hills and strange rocks, pavilions and towers everywhere, which amazed Zhenyi, who kept shouting and screaming.
After venturing deep into the garden for a while, they came to a row of pavilions beside a bamboo grove, with many maids and servants standing outside. A beautiful young woman emerged from one of them, wearing a pink, square, openwork cloud-shaped shoulder cape and adorned with pearls and jade ornaments. She lightly lifted the curtain of her skirt with her slender fingers and stepped forward to greet Zhenyu, saying sweetly, "Sister, if you hadn't come soon, I would have sent someone to the Song residence to kidnap you."
This is Dou Mingluan, the young lady of the Marquis's mansion. She is beautiful, but only fifteen years old.
She and Zhenyu helped each other into the house, and Zhenyuan and the others followed. They greeted each other and sat down, and the maids brought in tea and fruit. Zhenshu, carrying her bundle, naturally stood outside with Banlan and An'an.
It was, after all, just a gathering of young ladies. When Mingluan recited poetry, Zhenyu and Zhenxiu applauded enthusiastically. When Mingluan painted, Zhenyu and Zhenxiu also applauded enthusiastically. After all, they were quite inexperienced in this area, and even if Mingluan's work was not good or bad, they wouldn't be able to tell.
Zhenshu, who was outside, overheard Miss Mingluan reciting lines of poetry such as "lying by the rain-soaked window through the curtain, watching the children sweep in the idly sunny weather." He thought to himself that this young lady must have read a lot of leisure books, just like him. However, he preferred reading storybooks and plays and was limited in his knowledge of poetry, while Miss Mingluan loved reading poetry and was able to compose such elegant verses.
After lunch, the maids were called in to help the young ladies with their hair and clothes. Zhenxiu, acting coquettishly, had Dou Mingluan and Song Zhenyu beaming with joy. Now, having drunk some fruit wine, her face was flushed and sweaty. There were some food scraps on her chest. Zhenshu, with a long face, helped her take off her clothes and put on another. Just as she was about to help her up, Zhenxiu took the opportunity to stomp hard on Zhenshu's instep, raising her eyebrows and coldly whispering, "See? What's the use of good looks? In the capital, you still need someone like me to get ahead."
Zhenshu glared at her coldly and ignored her, then went to help Zhenyi with her clothes and makeup.
After tidying themselves up and having a refreshing cup of tea, Dou Mingluan suggested that the young ladies of the Song family take a short walk by the water. Zhenxiu quickly got up and helped Zhenyu up; the two exchanged a knowing glance and smiled at each other. Zhenyuan, being older and not particularly talkative in front of others, stayed behind the younger girls the whole time.
In the back garden of the Prince of Beishun's Mansion, a pure white pebble path paved along the water led a group of beautiful young women to stroll along. It was mid-April, and the flowers were more beautiful than the women, while the women were more beautiful than the flowers. The scene and the people complemented each other, making it a truly beautiful sight.
Further ahead lay a wide-open space, an endless carpet of dense green grass devoid of any cultivated vegetation, yet separated from this place by a waist-high parapet. Several young men were gathered on the grass, all dressed in fine clothes, one even wearing a crown, clearly not from ordinary families.
Chapter 8 Home Tutoring
Dou Mingluan turned around and pointed to that spot, laughing sweetly, "That's where my brothers practice archery in the winter. Today, my fifth brother got into the mood and invited some friends to come here for some practice. Would you like to go and take a look, sisters?"
Before anyone could respond, Zhenxiu shouted, "Good, good!"
Seeing this, Dou Mingluan smiled and led them forward another half an arrow's distance, passing through a moon gate. The place suddenly opened up, revealing a grove of white poplars in the distance, where the young gentlemen were shooting arrows.
Seeing Dou Mingluan arrive with a group of young ladies, the servant quickly beckoned the group of young men over. Most of these young men were not yet fully dressed, all wearing short clothes, with only their collars and cuffs slightly more ornate. Among them, the young man wearing a crown and military uniform had delicate eyebrows, long eyes, red lips, and white teeth, and was even more beautiful than many women. Most boys with feminine features appear too effeminate and lack masculinity, but this young man was different. Although he had red lips and white teeth, he exuded a strong masculine aura and stood there with an imposing presence. Even Zhenshu, a woman who did not wish to indulge in romantic feelings in the capital, had to secretly admire his good looks.
This young man was Dou Keming, the fifth son of the Marquis of Beishun. He came over and clasped his hands in greeting, and the young ladies of the Song family naturally returned the greeting. Before they could even look up after the greeting, a delicate cry was heard: "Oh dear! My purse!"
Hearing this tone, Zhenshu naturally knew that Zhenxiu was up to her old tricks again. She rolled her eyes and stepped forward to pick up the purse that had fallen to the ground for Zhenxiu, but Zhenxiu gently pushed her away and said, "No need to trouble the maid, I can pick it up myself."
The two siblings from the Hou family, along with their friends and several young ladies from the Song family, all watched as Zhenxiu gracefully lifted her skirt and crouched down to pick up the small purse. The purse landed right at her feet, and as she picked it up, a pair of three-inch-long bound feet were revealed to everyone's eyes. If there were any men in the court who appreciated bound feet, they were mostly elderly men in their fifties or seventies. How could young gentlemen appreciate such a thing? On the contrary, they, untouched by worldly trials, were at the age where they admired the innocent charm of women, even if it was just a pair of delicate feet, they loved the white, tender, and complete five toes. This deformed contraption, with its broken joints and wrapped into a small dumpling, was something they, at their age, could not appreciate.
The boys around Dou Keming gasped in shock, as if to say: This girl is ruthless, she can do such a thing.
Zhenxiu had bound her feet for seven or eight years, all for the sake of making a name for herself in the capital. Although she knew she should first suppress her age and please Zhenyu before revealing her true self, the fifth young master of the Dou family was too handsome, and in a panic, Zhenxiu tried to seduce him with her bound feet. Just now, hearing the shouts of these young gentlemen, she thought she had conquered most of them with her feet and was secretly pleased with herself, but to her surprise, Zhenyu immediately gave her a cold look.
It turns out that Zhenyu was willing to elevate Zhenxiu only because she felt that among the daughters of the second branch of the family, Zhenxiu was the only one with an average appearance, and that being with her would make Zhenxiu stand out from the crowd. Little did she know that Zhenxiu was climbing the social ladder by climbing up to these young doctors. She had kindly offered to help her, but Zhenxiu saw her as a ladder to climb up. Just now at the banquet in the pavilion, Zhenxiu had praised Dou Mingluan more than she had. Now, it was as if Zhenxiu was stepping on her to get ahead.
Thinking this through, Mingyu subtly took two steps to the side. Dou Keming had some dealings with Mingyu and assumed that the beauties of the Song family were no more attractive than Mingyu. Now, seeing several women of varying shapes and sizes arrive, including one of marriageable age with a fair complexion, shy eyes, and long hair gathered in front of her chest, the wind seemed to make his soul almost float away. He was, after all, a young man, and his mother kept a close eye on him. The maids serving him were all of average appearance, and even so, he hadn't managed to get his hands on any of them. Only Mingyu was someone who constantly offered herself up, but her appearance was more like a man's. Therefore, although Dou Keming was extremely eager, he was still holding back and hadn't given his heart to that woman.
Today, there was only one, and with just one glance, she almost stole his soul.
Dou Keming swallowed hard, raised his bow, and pointed at Mingyuan, asking, "Is this lady also from the Song family?"
Dou Mingluan smiled and said, "That's right, she is the eldest daughter of the Song family."
Zhenyu had known him since childhood. Seeing the gleam in his eyes, she knew things were going badly. Dou Keming had probably taken a liking to Zhenyuan. In her heart, she secretly resented Dou Keming for being so ignorant, liking such a pretty face but no substance. At the same time, she thought she had to quickly tear him away, otherwise, if he looked at her a few more times, he might not even care about her anymore.
Thinking of this, Zhenyu stepped forward and said with a smile, "Brother Keming, I have some new ideas about what we talked about last time. Would you like to discuss it with me again?"
Dou Keming was still staring at Zhenyuan, but he nodded and said, "Alright, where to?"
Zhenyu said, "Let's take a walk in the woods ahead."
She turned around and saw Zhenxiu eagerly wanting to follow, so she gave her a cold glare and pointed at Zhenshu, saying, "You come with me."
Since you want to show off, I'll give someone else a boost. Zhenyu thought to herself, keeping a close eye on Zhenxiu from afar, but then dragged Zhenshu away.
Seeing that Dou Keming was still some distance away from them, Zhenshu lowered her head and said softly, "Second Sister, you brought your own maid, and besides, I'm not carrying your bundle."
Zhenyu looked up and said, "So what? Didn't you lower yourself to be a maid? If you can be their maid, why can't you be mine?"
Zhenshu gritted her teeth and thought to herself: Once I return to Huixian, I will never come to the capital again, no matter what. All the young women in the capital are truly insane.
As they entered the woods, Zhenyu quickly caught up with Dou Keming, leaving Zhenshu to follow behind. She said sweetly, "Fifth Brother, Consort Rong from the palace has sent another letter urging us to get married. What should we do?"
Dou Keming laughed and said, "If that's the case, you can choose a good son-in-law yourself. Why ask me?"
Mingyu glared at her and said, "How annoying!"
Her pursuit of Dou Keming was common knowledge throughout the capital. Although Dou Keming did not like her appearance, Zhenyu was cheerful and outgoing, capable of being both charming and generous, and they could get along well. Moreover, such a passionate and bold young lady was rare. Therefore, although Dou Keming was somewhat unwilling, he never thought of rejecting her.
Hearing Zhenyu's audacity from behind, Zhenshu felt embarrassed and took two steps back. Even so, Zhenyu's voice still reached her ears clearly.
“I won’t stop you from taking concubines, nor will I stop you from sleeping with maids, and you’ll have a large dowry.” Mingyu stared at Dou Keming and said, “And what about you? You’re not the heir apparent, and you have four brothers ahead of you. How much of the Marquis’s fortune will you have left? I can help you deal with those annoying sisters-in-law, and I can bring you a large dowry, Fifth Brother…”
Seeing that he hadn't responded after she'd been talking for a while, Zhenyu waved her hand in front of his eyes and said, "Are you listening to me?"
Dou Keming remained silent for a while, then suddenly asked, "How old is your eldest sister this year?"
Zhenyu sneered, "That's strange. So you've taken a liking to her."
She took two steps forward, then turned back and said, "Her father is an illegitimate son, and his family's wealth consists of only a few acres of meager land. As for her dowry, she has no money at all. She is eighteen, a year older than you."
Dou Keming shook his head and said, "I can't tell. She looks no more than fifteen or sixteen years old."
Zhenyu stared coldly at Dou Keming for a long time. She loved his appearance, but was also angry at his frivolousness and heartlessness. She wished she could make him kneel down and beg for her marriage right away, but she would coldly refuse him. Only in this way could she avenge the bitterness of her years of compromising and flattering him.
But she knew this was impossible. He was so handsome; women in the capital would flock to him. If she let him go, someone would immediately snatch him away, and he would marry a lady from another household. Then she would truly become the laughingstock of the capital. She calmed herself with this thought before speaking in a gentle voice, "She's just a daughter of a concubine; how can she compare to me? If you love her looks, when you marry me, I'll bring her along as your concubine, how about that?"
Dou Keming, who had been gazing into the distance, turned back with a smile and asked, "With her looks and character, would she really be willing to become someone's concubine?"
Zhenyu suppressed her anger and said, "She's nothing but a pretty face, clumsy with words, and dull-witted. No respectable family in the capital would want to marry someone like her as their mistress. Besides, she has no dowry. It's already an honor to bring her along as my concubine. I wouldn't even look at an ordinary woman."
Actually, she was just making this up, but for some reason, she started to believe her own lies. Then she thought to herself, "Isn't Dou Keming just taking advantage of my looks? If I really brought him a beautiful concubine, would he agree to marry me?"
Dou Keming was also pondering, wondering if Song Zhenyu's words were true. In terms of dowry and social standing, Song Zhenyu was indeed a good match for him; however, her appearance was too ordinary. Even at his current age, full of youthful vigor, he couldn't muster any interest in her. What would he do in the future? But what if he could really bring the eldest daughter of the Song family along as a concubine…
When Zhenyu saw his eyes flicker and a slight smile appear on his face, she knew that she had guessed his thoughts again.
She crossed her arms, deliberately raised her chin, and said slowly, "She's just a daughter from a second wife's household. It's not difficult for her to be my concubine. But now Consort Rong in the palace is pressing me hard. If you don't want this vast fortune and a delicate concubine, I'll have my grandmother go and ask around the capital to see if there's anyone else..."
Dou Keming took Zhenyu's small hand and said, "What are you saying, little sister? I'll urge my mother to come to your residence to propose marriage in a couple of days..."
As the two were talking, a short-clothed servant came running up, panting, and shouted, "Fifth Young Master, the Marquis is calling you from the front courtyard."
Dou Keming frowned as he looked at Zhenyu, who also looked bewildered. The two turned to the servant and asked, "What's going on in the front yard? Is it urgent?"
The servant waved his hand and said, "This servant also heard the message from the second gate, but the second gate also said that it is extremely urgent and that the Fifth Young Master should hurry there."
Dou Keming bid farewell to Zhenyu and turned to leave. Zhenyu, having just received his confirmation, was so overjoyed she wanted to shout it out. Just as she turned to walk back, she saw the dark-skinned Zhenshu standing not far away, coldly watching her. Zhenyu thought to herself: Oh no, I completely forgot I brought the wrong maid.
But she naturally didn't show it on her face, and went over to extend her hand, saying, "Help me back."
Zhenshu coldly looked at her hand and said, "Second sister, you have quite the nerve. You really treat our whole family like servants. The eldest daughter of the manor is actually going to be taken away as your concubine as part of your dowry. Do you think this is still the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, or the Three Kingdoms Period, where we illegitimate children were all lowly people killed by you?"
Upon hearing this, Zhenyu realized she had made a mistake and quickly put on a smiling face, saying, "I was just trying to fool that idiot. How could you believe such a thing?"
Seeing that Zhenshu still had a long face, Zhenyu stepped forward, took her hand, and said affectionately, "There have been frequent banquets in the capital these past few days, specially arranged by Consort Rong of the palace, to find good husbands for all of you sisters. I don't usually like socializing, but I have to force myself to be cheerful for your sake. Besides, that's just how it is in the capital; it's harmless for relatives and friends to say some playful things to each other. Even if you go back and complain to your grandmother today, you'll only get a scolding from her. Let me ask you, from childhood to adulthood, have you ever seen a woman marry with a concubine?"
Zhenshu was half-believing and half-doubting Zhenyu's flowery words, but she could tell that Zhenyu was deliberately provoking her, so she turned around and said, "Of course, I will tell my grandmother and mother when I return to the manor. As for whether it is a joke or not, you can explain it to them yourself."
Seeing that she was still walking forward with a bundle in her arms, Zhenyu suddenly said loudly, "I forgot that the third young lady of the Song family has already found her ideal husband in that poor and remote place, unlike the others who are eager to come to the capital to find a rich family and dream of rising to the top in one step."
Zhenshu stopped in her tracks upon hearing this. Seeing Zhenyu raising her eyebrows and looking at her with a mocking smile, she slowly walked up to her and said, "Second sister, your words are so sharp, yet you truly have the manners and upbringing of a fine young lady!"
Chapter 9 Mingluan
She was a head taller than Zhenyu, and looking down at her intently made Zhenyu feel a little intimidated. Zhenyu forced a smile and said, "I was just joking. Besides, Grandmother is always on my side. Even if you take this to her, it'll just be a joke. As for your family's scandals, I know every detail. If I tell Grandmother, you and your mother will become a laughingstock. So, let's not bully each other. As for my eldest sister, such a beauty, I can't keep her around and flaunt her."
Ever since Madam Su brought her two sisters from her second wife to the capital, Zhenxiu had clung to Zhenyu like a lackey, never separating from her. The fact that Zhenshu and Tong Qisheng were secretly engaged must have been something Zhenxiu had whispered to Zhenyu to curry favor. This was nothing more than private gossip between young women; if the two sisters had been of one mind, who would have known?
The second wife's daughter, Zhenxiu, was single-mindedly ambitious and determined to marry into a better family than her sisters. She was also cunning and shrewd; even if Zhenshu and Tong Qisheng didn't have any romantic feelings for each other, she could still fabricate stories. The matriarch of the Song family, Madam Zhong, already disliked these granddaughters born to illegitimate sons, and when she heard about this, she used it as an excuse to expel the second wife's mother and daughters from the capital. All of Madam Su's plans were thus rendered futile.
Thinking of this, Zhenshu could only nod in agreement with Zhenyu and silently bear the matter. In her heart, however, she secretly pondered that she must keep a close eye on her eldest sister Zhenyuan and not let Zhenyu set a trap for her.
As soon as they left the woods, Zhenxiu rushed over and grabbed Zhenshu, asking, "What did they say in the woods?"
Zhenshu shook her off and went straight back to the group of maids. She coldly watched Zhenxiu greet Zhenyu who came out of the woods and continued to act coquettishly beside her. Finally, she coaxed Zhenyu into smiling and then turned around to wink at her.
Because Dou Keming had been summoned away by his father, the Prince of Beishun, and the remaining youths were not familiar with the Song sisters, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Seeing this, Dou Mingluan invited several of the Song sisters to sit in her room. Zhenyu, now that her plans were settled, was naturally overjoyed and focused on winning over Dou Mingluan. Zhenxiu and Zhenyi were her little followers and would not leave her side. Only Zhenyuan slowed her pace and gently retreated to Zhenshu's side, saying, "I'm sorry to have troubled my third sister today."
Zhenyuan was simple-minded and prone to overthinking, so Zhenshu didn't tell her what had happened in the woods. Instead, she gently comforted her, saying, "What's there to feel aggrieved about? Finding you a good marriage is the most important thing right now."
Zhenyuan sighed, "I don't ask for wealth or status. I just want to find someone who can be devoted to me and share my life with me. I'm not the type to stand out, so I'm afraid I'll disappoint my mother."
Seeing that Dou Mingluan's boudoir was so close, Zhenshu didn't say anything more and silently retreated to the side. Since these maids were all close servants, they hadn't eaten lunch yet, and soon a maid from the Marquis of Beishun's mansion came to invite them to have a simple meal.
When it was time to eat, Madam Shen bid farewell to Madam Tao, the wife of the heir apparent, and prepared the carriage. Then she sent her maid Rongrong to invite the young ladies of the Song family to return home together. Dou Mingluan was very pleased with Zhenxiu and Zhenyi's hospitality and naturally did not want them to leave early. She tried to persuade them to stay, but to no avail. She saw them off to the gate of the Marquis's residence before reluctantly seeing the carriage off.
After returning to the Song residence with her sisters, Madam Shen had dinner with the matriarch, Madam Zhong. Only then did the sisters from the second branch of the family take their leave, their little feet trembling, and return to the small west courtyard.
Su Shi had stood in strict decorum before Zhong Shi all day, her legs trembling so badly she could barely walk, and she had to lean on Zhen Shu to get into the small west courtyard. Even so, she was still in high spirits, taking Zhen Yuan's hand and asking, "Did you see any young masters from prominent families today?"
Jung-won withdrew her hand and lowered her brows, saying, "No, not at all."
Zhenxiu smiled and came closer, saying, "Of course there is. The fifth young master of the Marquis's mansion even asked for eldest sister's name and stared at her for a long time."
Upon hearing this, Madam Su's eyes lit up, and she asked repeatedly, "Really? I knew my Zhenyuan was so beautiful, how could any man not be moved by her?"
Zhenxiu responded with a cold laugh, "What a pity, the Marquis's family has already arranged for our second sister to marry the fifth young master. I'm afraid the eldest sister has given her heart to the wrong person this time."