A Hundred of Beautiful Lives - Chapter 012

“Roasted venison?” Ji Yang’s eyes instantly lit up at once, and she shot Zhu Xianyue a grateful smile.

“Yes, liù shěn shen, let us roast it ourselves—it is so much fun,” Shen Wei chimed in.

At once, everyone became lively again, especially among the younger generation of women. Although they were still somewhat reserved in Ji Yang’s presence, they could not resist the excitement of roasting venison and soon began chattering away noisily.

Everyone turned to look at Madam Qi. She smiled and said, “Go on, go on—but be careful with the fire. Do not burn your hands.”

A chorus of cheers erupted among the children. Ji Yang stood up and said, “Grandmother, come with us too. It will be much more fun with all of us together.”

Ji Yang stepped forward and supported Madam Qi by the elbow. Her voice was soft and sweet, the kind that naturally endeared her to others. Madam Qi had already intended to favour her, so she rose with a smile as well.

Only one person watched coldly from the side, feeling a surge of irritation in her heart. Usually, playing the spoiled, affectionate role around Madam Qi was her task.

“Little sister-in-law, you should also join us too. It is more lively with more people.”

There was nothing wrong with the words themselves, but the person who received the invitation was in an awkward position. Madam Ruan looked uneasily toward the Eighth Madam, He You.

It was clear that He You, displeased with Anle, was using Madam Ruan as a pawn. Although she had privately called her ‘little sister-in-law’ before, saying it now in front of Princess Anle was inappropriate.

He You was from the He family of Wú jùn. The He family was not an old aristocratic family like the Ruan family, but it was still considered an eminent household. He You was from the main branch and had only recently married into the Shen family, just a year or two older than Ji Yang. While still at home, she often heard her elders criticize current politics—particularly Empress Su, who drew scorn across the realm.

Her granduncle had died at the hands of Empress Su. After she married into the Shen family, she also heard an earful from Ba Lang about the hardships of current political affairs and the decadence of the imperial family. So, in her heart, she held very little respect for Ji Yang, this Princess.

Moreover, He You had heard from her mother-in-law, Madam Ding—how the Shen family had only taken Anle out of necessity.

Yet this Princess Anle did not know her place. Instead of obediently staying within her Gongzhu Fu,  she insisted on strutting about in front of others, making all the elders rise and salute her. She even dared to act coquettishly before the Old Madam—did she seriously think her beauty alone could win over the Old Madam? A proper lady values virtue above all; how could someone like her, who looks like a temptress spirit of some kind, possibly be seen as respectable?

In short, He You found Ji Yang disagreeable from head to toe. Earlier, she had not only stopped Shen Wei from helping Ji Yang, but now she also used Madam Ruan to provoke her even more.

Ji Yang herself was not a soft and gentle person. Her current gentleness was entirely for Shen Du’s sake. But now that He You was deliberately testing her bottom line, there was no room for retreat.

Everyone was stunned after hearing He You’s remark. But since Madam Qi said nothing, the others held back and waited to see how Ji Yang would respond.

Ji Yang’s expression remained serene. She did not spare He You a glance but turned directly to Madam Ruan.

Madam Ruan hurriedly knelt.

Only then did Ji Yang speak, “Madam Ruan, do you realize your mistake?”

Madam Ruan bowed her head and replied, “This concubine knows her fault.”

He You opened her mouth to retort—she had already prepared her argument. She had called Madam Ruan; ‘little sister-in-law’ before, and both Madam Qi and her mother-in-law, Madam Ding, had tacitly approved it. She was about to bring up these two great mountains—but Ji Yang swiftly cut her off.

“You are from the Ruan family of Chenliu, a household steeped in propriety. Surely, you were taught court etiquette from a young age and have studied li. Tell me, in all the realm, is there any justification for addressing a concubine as one’s sister-in-law?”

Of course, there was not. However, such titles might appear in informal folk usage under exceptional circumstances, but they had no place under proper li.

“It was presumptuous of this concubine,” Madam Ruan took all the blame.

Ji Yang was not done yet.

“Indeed, you overstepped—but there was more. Since the Eighth Sister-in-law called you ‘little sister-in-law,’ it meant she respects you. That can be pardoned only because she is young and ignorant. But you? Knowing she was in the wrong and saying nothing, indulging her impropriety? That shows a lack of uprightness in your heart.”

Ji Yang’s words left He You thoroughly embarrassed. She had not spoken directly, but she had belittled the He family as inferior to the Ruan family, insinuated that He You lacked proper upbringing, and accused her of being an ignorant child who could only mingle with concubines.

He You turned pale with fury. She was just about to point her finger at Ji Yang and explode when she caught a sharp glare from Madam Ding across the way, forcing her to swallow her anger.

Ji Yang knew when to stop. She did not intend to ruin everyone’s mood. So she smiled gently and said to Madam Ruan, “Even though you have admitted your mistake, I still must punish you. You will roast a few more skewers of venison for me later.”

A light punishment, indeed. Though Ji Yang had used Madam Ruan to rebuke He You, she still preserved Madam Ruan’s dignity, kept the mood cheerful, and earned favour with Madam Qi. Everyone thought to themselves, This Princess Anle is no fool—she is formidable indeed.

What they did not know was that Ji Yang was not scheming at all. She did not like Madam Ruan much, but she was always protective of those under her roof. Since Madam Ruan had joined their household, Ji Yang would not let anyone bully her and use her as a tool. Especially not He You. Ji Yang wasn’t that naïve.

He You, livid, turned as if to leave but was pulled back by Shen Wei. Only then did she reluctantly stay.

Madam Qi finally spoke.

“That is enough, You-Niang. You were in the wrong first. Her Highness the Princess has been magnanimous not to argue with you. Hurry and apologize to the Princess.”

In the end, Madam Qi was still partial to He You. Otherwise, she would not have said so much.

Ji Yang, however, did not think so deeply. She cheerfully embraced Madam Qi’s arm and led her into the garden.

It seemed the masters of the Shen household’s inner court were quite used to roasting meat. By the time they reached the back hill, the maidservants had already spread out bamboo mats on the grass and erected roasting racks. They had lit the coals—everything was in perfect order.

The others helped Madam Qi and the three madams to their seats. Ji Yang, unable to sit still, walked over to the grill. She observed that the venison had been well seasoned ahead of time in a variety of flavours and divided into more than a dozen plates—soybean paste, salty sauce, spicy sauce, sweet sauce, and others she did not recognize. Just looking at them made her mouth water.

Shen Wei stood beside her and whispered while pointing to a plate of meat marinated in a bright orange-red sauce. “That one’s with sour tangerine sauce—Great-Grandmother’s favourite. Grandmother prefers the salty one.”

Ji Yang turned her head and winked at Shen Wei in thanks. She picked up a skewer of the tangerine-marinated meat and one of the salty kind, wrapped the ends of the thin iron skewers in a cloth Madam Ruan handed her, and began to roast them over the fire.

Everyone soon had chosen their preferred venison and was gathered around the fire. Some disliked the smoke and stood off to the side. Ji Yang, however, had already picked a spot upwind. With a skewer in each hand, she roasted the meat skillfully—while Yu Sui’er stood behind, carefully holding back her sleeves.

Zhu Xianyue saw how skillfully Ji Yang turned the skewers and could not help asking, “Your Highness, is this not your first time roasting meat?”

Ji Yang, grateful to Zhu Xian Yue for the help earlier, turned and smiled warmly.  

“Well. Deer, muntjac, roe deer—I loved roasting them in the palace. The scent of the fat dripping onto the fire smelled even more delicious than the meat itself.”

Yu Sui’er rolled her eyes playfully from the side.

“When Her Highness was younger, the Empress would not let her roast meat. She once snuck into the imperial kitchens and nearly set the Empress’s favourite plum orchard on fire.”

Ji Yang shot her a playful glare, puffed up with pride and then boasted. 

“That was when I did not know how to build a fire. Now, I am an expert. Fifth Sister-in-law, you must try my cooking later. I guarantee the venison will be tender and fragrant. Mastering the heat is no small feat!”

Madam Qi, accompanied by Madam Xue, Madam Jiang, and Madam Ding, sat on a nearby rise, drinking tea and admiring the flowers. Yet none of their gazes strayed far from Ji Yang.

In the Hua Dynasty, beauty was the ultimate virtue; the very first words used to praise someone were always ‘beautiful appearance and bearing’. If one were born ugly, then no matter how great their talent, they would still fail to catch the eyes of people of that era.

Ji Yang, as Princess Anle, was naturally blessed. Of course, even beauties have unflattering moments—rolling one’s eyes, scratching one’s feet, or sweating profusely.

But Ji Yang’s beauty carried a charm that ran bone-deep. Even drenched in sweat while roasting meat, people saw only glistening, fragrant perspiration.

In her every movement and stillness, she seemed like light clouds gently veiling the moon, drifting and fluttering softly like the flowing wind swirling snow. Such a beautiful woman captivates anyone who looks at her, bringing delight to the heart and pleasure to the eyes—missing even a single glance would be a sincere loss.

Madam Qi watched Ji Yang coldly but had to admit that she had not expected someone like Su Jiang to raise such a daughter. Yet Ji Yang’s every movement was appropriate, her gestures as fluid as clouds and water, without a trace of awkwardness, and with a lively charm and youthful energy. No wonder, in just the time it took to roast venison, the younger girls had all started flocking to her.

By contrast, the other young ladies of the Shen family—despite their meticulous training—still seemed a bit too practised in their grace. Their refinement felt forced, unlike Ji Yang’s effortless, dào fǎ zì rán.

Madam Jiang, being blunt and unable to hide her thoughts, said, “I did not think Su Jiang could raise a daughter like this. Could she have picked up the wrong child?”

“With that face, how could it be a mistake?” The third Madam Ding pursed her lips.

Before long, Ji Yang led the younger ladies to the high platform, bringing skewers of roasted venison to Madam Qi and the others, playfully asking them to judge who had roasted best.

Madam Qi, being older, did not have strong teeth. She picked the tenderest-looking skewer, tasted it, and smiled.

“This one is good—tender but well-cooked, so I do not have to worry about an upset stomach.”

The other’s meat was either too rare, too hard, or burnt on the edges. After tasting, everyone agreed Ji Yang’s cooking was the best. People joked about how many imperial deer she must have ‘tormented’ in the palace gardens.

Upon hearing the result, the young ladies groaned in frustration. One cried, “My handkerchief!” Another wailed, “My embroidered sachet!” Only then did the elders realize the girls had made a bet earlier. Naturally, Ji Yang was the biggest winner, grinning with pride.

When they returned to the hillside, the younger girls clamoured around Ji Yang, demanding a taste of her ‘the best under heaven’ roasted meat.

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

Meaning- liù shěn shen (Sixth Aunt), Wú jùn (a historical administrative division roughly corresponding to modern-day Suzhou, Jiangsu Province), li (ritual propriety), dào fǎ zì rán (Dao follows nature)]