A Hundred of Beautiful Lives - Chapter 008

“Princess, this slave today was organising the trunks and boxes. The Empress prepared some fox furs and marten furs for you. Among them, one is even a fire fox fur, and the colour is exceedingly beautiful. Would it not be a pity to let it end up buried at the bottom of the trunk? How about having it made into something? The winter in Jizhou is bitterly cold, and it would be just right for warding off the cold.” Yù Suì’er murmured softly by Ji Yang’s ear. 

“These matters, you can decide as you see fit,” said Ji Yang lazily.

“But, the embroideress from the palace is also lost this time. The work done by people outside cannot possibly meet your standards. If we look for someone here, their styles are still those from Central Plains a few years ago. Why do we not ask her Majesty the Empress to send a few more people?’ Yù Suì’er felicitously advised.

Ji Yang’s eyes flickered mischievously, smilingly tapping at Yù Suì’er’s forehead and said, “I was wondering why you were so talkative today, so you have been waiting for me here all along. Speaking about wanting an embroideress, you are still hoping to have the Imperial Mother send over a female attendant, are you not?’

Yù Suì’er’s petty scheme was laid bare by Ji Yang, so she merely laughed and said, “The Princess is truly astute—nothing escapes your notice.”

It was the second time that Yù Suì’er mentioned the female attendant, and Ji Yang was not the sort of master who ignored her servant’s concerns, and asked, “Did you encounter something, Yù Suì’er?”

Yù Suì’er was silent for a moment before speaking, “This lowly slave girl’s words carry little weight. I am inexperienced and less insightful than those female attendants, so I am afraid I may not be capable of caring for the princess.”

In truth, the latter is all nonsense; only the words ‘a lowly person’s words carry little weight’ were the key point. Ji Yang was such a person; when not blinded by emotions, a single phrase was enough for her to grasp everything clearly, and she nodded, “Then you go grind some ink. I will write a letter to Imperial Mother and ask Uncle Prince An to take it back for me.”

After writing the letter, the hour was still early, but Ji Yang was a person who could not be idle. Since Yù Suì’er and the others were busy organising boxes and trunks in the Chóng Guāng Táng, Ji Yang only brought Zhēn Zhū’er along and headed to the courtyard of her eldest sister-in-law, Madam Pei.

Madame Péi had not anticipated a visit from Princess Anle, so, as usual, she was in the Buddhist hall, chanting sutras and praying for blessings.

When Ji Yang arrived at Madame Pei’s courtyard, the maid guarding the door saw her and immediately guessed her identity, hurriedly bowing.

“Is the elder sister-in-law inside?” Ji Yang asked.

“Replying to the Princess, the eldest young madam is in the Buddhist hall chanting sutras.” Chai Ya saw Ji Yang stepping inside and nervously followed, unsure whether she should or should not speak. If she angered Princess Anle, she could not bear the consequences. Fortunately, she spotted Cui Hua, beside the eldest lady, who was by the lady’s side, and quickly called out, “Cui Hua jiě jie.”

Upon seeing Ji Yang, Cui Hua turned at the call and dropped to her knees immediately to pay her respects.

Chai Ya said, “Cui Hua jiějie, the princess is here to see the eldest young madam.”

When Madame Pei was in the Buddha Hall, no one was allowed to disturb her at leisure; she felt that it was disrespectful to the Buddha. Especially after Dalang’s death, she was even more obsessed with Buddhism, and everyone in the house knew her habits; even Grandmother Qi would not look for her during her morning and afternoon chanting times.

But Princess Anle is the daughter of the Son of Heaven. If she wants to see Madame Pei, then Madame Pei would have to come out. Naturally, Cuì Huá and the others had to look after their mistress’s interests. Cui Hua, ever quick-witted, bowed and led Ji Yang towards the main hall, signalling Chái Yā with her eyes.

Chai Ya was also quick-witted. As soon as Ji Yang had just sat down, and series of hurried footsteps sounded.

“Wishing the Princess peace and prosperity,” The person who came was Lady Shen Wei, Madame Pei’s daughter and eldest miss of the Shen family.

Though Cui Hua and Chai Ya were clever, Ji Yang had already guessed from their glances at each other that Madame Pei disliked being disturbed during sutra recitation. In truth, she was only coming over to take a look. Madame Pei was quite a bit older than she was, and they had little to talk about anyway.

But Lady Shen Wei was already sixteen, a year older than Ji Yang. With their ages so close, conversation flowed more easily.

Shen Wei was already engaged to the eldest son of the Governor of Dōnghǎi in Xú Zhōu, with their wedding scheduled for the spring of the following year, the twenty-sixth year of Yǒng’ān. Under the guidance of Madame Pei, she was learning household management while also setting aside time to embroider her wedding dress.

As soon as she heard it, Ji Yang became interested. “May I have a look at it?”

Shen Wei naturally could not refuse, so she invited Ji Yang to her room. The dress was not luxurious, made of simple fabric, but her needlework was exquisite. She had embroidered butterflies among flowers, and the butterflies seemed almost alive, leaving Ji Yang full of praise.

“If you used rose-gold thread to embroider a trail of roses on the cuffs and collar, it would make the colours pop. During the evening wedding ceremony, it would be stunning, under candlelight,” Ji Yang said. Otherwise, the dress would not stand out no matter how good Shen Wei’s needlework is.

The Shen family could afford rose-gold thread, but they had always insisted on frugality, so Shen Wei’s dress did not use gold thread. Yet, she was just a young girl, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime event- she could not help but yearn for it. When Shen Du and Ji Yang got married, Shen Wei had seen Ji Yang’s magnificent wedding robes from afar, glittering under moonlight and candlelight, breathtakingly beautiful.

Even so, Shen Wei shook her head, seeing her like this, Ji Yang had guessed the reason. Madame Pei, devout in her faith, preferred simplicity. She still wore simple clothes herself.

“But it’s already quite beautiful. Your needlework is truly excellent. Using gold thread might even overshadow the main design,” Ji Yang added, bringing back the conversation.

Shen Wei secretly sighed over Ji Yang’s perceptiveness; she had not expected Princess Anle to be like this, utterly without airs. As the two started talking, Ji Yang also asked her what she usually did for recreation and other related activities.

Not long after, Madame Pei finished reciting the sutra, and a maid informed her that Princess Anle had come over, so she also went to Shen Wei’s room.

Ji Yang stood up and greeted her, “Elder sister-in-law.” Seeing that Madame Pei was about to bow, Ji Yang hurriedly supported Madame Pei and said, “Elder sister-in-law, we are family now. If we have to bow to each other like this every time we meet, would it not be foreign, and I am the most impatient with these etiquettes anyway.”

Madame Pei insisted on bowing, so Ji Yang could only let her. After Madame Pei was over, Ji Yang returned the courtesy. Madame Pei wanted to stop her, but she dodged and laughed, “Elder sister-in-law, just now we performed the rites of subject and ruler, and now let me do the courtesy of a younger sister-in-law to her elder sister-in-law. If we keep this up, we will keep bowing and kneeling to each other every time we meet.”

Unable to argue with her, Madame Pei gave in. 

Ji Yang then had Zhēn Zhū’er present a Buddhist scripture wrapped in yellow silk to Madame Pei, “Elder sister-in-law, this is the ‘The Original Vows of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Scripture’ that a monk from the Western Regions gave me last time. I do not chant it myself, but you, elder sister-in-law, are most sincere in your devotion to Buddha. Only in your hands will this scripture avoid being buried and wasted.”

Madame Pei was unwilling to interact with Ji Yang, but this gift struck her heart, so she accepted it with a smile. She also accepted Ji Yang’s thoughtfulness. For the dignified Princess Anle to go out of her way to learn the preferences of a widowed woman showed sincerity.

After sitting for a while, Ji Yang got up to leave, “Elder sister-in-law, I still have to visit the Fifth sister-in-law’s place, then I will not sit for much longer.” 

Ji Yang turned her head to look at Shen Wei. Although she and Madame Pei didn’t have much to say, Ji Yang got along well enough with Shen Wei. Being someone who enjoyed spending time with others, she pleaded with Madame Pei, “Elder sister-in-law, could you let the eldest young lady accompany me to Fifth Sister-in-law’s place? I do not know her well, and now that I am brazenly going to bother her, I am afraid…”

Since Ji Yang asked, Madame Pei had no reason to refuse. Shen Wei was also a bit bored having been cooped up in the courtyard, and was happy to go too.

Only Madam Pei continued gazing at Ji Yang’s departing figure, her thoughts unreadable. Clearly, this Princess Anle was indeed nothing like what everyone had imagined. 

Madame Pei thought her manner was a tad too blunt and forthright. However, that was understandable, as she was the only daughter of Empress Su, pampered and indulged since birth. No one had ever dared cause her the slightest grievance. The inner palace had been thoroughly cleansed by Empress Su, leaving no room for intrigue. With no one around her to scheme or contend, it was only natural that she had grown up with such a straightforward temperament.

The Fifth Young Madam Zhu lived not far from Madame Pei’s courtyard. Ji Yang and Shen Wei walked a short distance, turning through a covered corridor, and entered Zhu Xianyue’s courtyard through the half-open back door.

With the Princess’s arrival, commotion followed, voices greeting her from every direction. Upon hearing the noise, Zhu Xianyue quickly stepped out from the east wing and bowed to Ji Yang.

After the usual formalities and polite refusals, it was clear that Zhu Xianyue was more easygoing than Madame Pei. Despite being sisters-in-law under one roof, she did not insist on rigid etiquette, so Jī Yāng soon began addressing her comfortably as “Fifth Sister-in-law.”

“Fifth sister-in-law, were you practising calligraphy just now?” Ji Yang asked.

“How did Liù Shěn know?” Shen Wei asked in surprise.

“I smelled the ink,” Ji Yang replied, grinning smugly.

Shen Wei looked at Ji Yang’s rosy pink cheeks. Her eyes were large and bright, and when she smiled, her eyes curved gently, and so did the corners of her lips. Just watching her was enough to lift one’s spirits without reason.

Perhaps, she thought, all beauties indeed have a way of enchanting one’s emotions.

Since they mentioned the zì word, Ji Yang and Shen Wei accompanied Zhu Xian Yue to her study.

Elegance defined the decor of Zhu Xian Yue’s study. There were no gold and stone antiques, or any precious jade and ornamental stones. What adorned the room were simple items of little material worth, yet each had a bead crafted exquisitely. One such piece was a bamboo-carved brush holder depicting the scene of Dōngshān Bàojiè. The carving was delicate, the figures vivid and lifelike, so much so that Ji Yang could not bear to put it down.

The furnishings were ordinary; however, what hung on the wall were valuable calligraphy and paintings of people from the previous dynasty, each priceless value. Upon seeing the seal imprints on them, Ji Yang mused inwardly: The Zhu clan truly deserves its reputation as a household of talent.

The Zhu family was a famous family of poets and book scholars, renowned for its poets and scholars, boasting generations of women who had served as female officials in the palace and deeply respected by the nobility. The woman before them, Zhu Xianyue, was the legitimate daughter of the main Zhu lineage. Though her appearance was elegant, the grace shaped by a life steeped in literature gave her a natural radiance. She carried herself with a quiet gentleness and ladylike elegance that made people like her instantly.

Ji Yang and Shen Wei walked to Zhu Xianyue’s writing desk, where a sheet of white paper lay, bearing the verse: ‘A lonely light shines on the unreturned plum, deepening the sorrow of parting’, clearly, an unfinished cí.

“Fifth Aunt’s calligraphy has become even more refined. No wonder even Sixth Uncle praises her characters as elegant and free-spirited,” said the eldest young lady.

Zhu Xianyue smiled faintly, accepting the compliment with composed indifference.

On the contrary, Ji Yang looked at it and gazed slightly, hesitating whether to speak directly or not, however her nature was such that she could not hide her words, “Indeed, Fifth Sister-in-law’s xiǎo kǎi and certainly a unique masterwork, but when writing dà zì, it then loses its soft grace.”

[T/N: If you’re already familiar or prefer not to know, feel free to skip to the next chapter.

Meaning- Chóng Guāng Táng (Hall of Radiant Light), Liù Shěn (sixth aunt), zì (style name), Dōngshān Bàojiè (Victory Reported from Mount Dongshan), ‘Gū guāng zhào hái méi, zhuǎn yì shāng líbié’ (A lonely light shines on the unreturned plum, deepening the sorrow of parting), cí (lyric-style poem), xiǎo kǎi (small regular script), dà zì (large characters)].