Chapter 4: Guests

Leng Shi had no intention of finding a husband for her daughters in Qingzhou, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want them to stand out. After all, they represented the Duke Dingguo’s family.

Luckily, she had recently made new clothes for Xie Zhen and Xie Xian, using silk fragrance cloud fabric brought from the capital. It was a material that money in Qingzhou couldn’t buy. One piece of fabric was just enough to make two short shirts, and the size was just right for the two girls. In addition, she paired a cherry-patterned coral red gauze skirt for Xie Zhen and a light green gauze skirt for Xie Xian. After they put on their outfits, the two little girls stood in front, brightening up the whole room.

Leng Shi also made a new azure silk robe for Xie Rong, fair and impartial, ensuring she never favored one over the other.

Moreover, even if he didn’t intervene, Xie Rong wouldn’t fuss with his two precious younger sisters.

Xie Zhen and Xie Xian were standing in front of a copper basin, washing their faces. Both were short and couldn’t reach the water in the basin, so maidservants had to help them wash. Xie Xian finished quickly, but Xie Zhen mischievously splashed water on her face while laughing, “Little sister is a delicate flower, and I want to splash water on you.”

Xie Xian had to wash again, grumbling, “Sister is naughty.”

Thinking of resisting, but repeatedly falling victim to Xie Zhen’s teasing, the two little ones ended up in a playful mess, laughing and shouting.

However, spending fifteen minutes just to wash their faces—how long would this go on? Leng Shi sighed helplessly and said to Xie Rong, “Your father has gone to call the carriage; he’ll be back soon. Watch over Gao Gao and Ah Xian as they freshen up.”

Xie Rong nodded.

As soon as their brother arrived, the two little ones immediately behaved. Xie Zhen approached him, pulling at his sleeve and said pleasingly, “If you help me, I won’t make trouble.”

In their eyes, although their brother was authoritative, he was still their dear brother. As long as they behaved, whatever they asked for, he would agree.

Sure enough, Xie Rong took the half-damp cloth from Shuangyu’s hand, crouched down, and gently wiped her eyes and nose. “You can’t bully Ah Xian anymore.”

Xie Zhen behaved well this time, not moving at all. Her large, dark eyes sparkled like springwater, “I didn’t bully her; I was just playing with her.” After saying this, she turned her soft and fair face, looking at Xie Xian beside her, “Right, Ah Xian?”

Xie Xian nodded vigorously.

At a crucial moment, they were surprisingly good at cooperating and fooling him.

Xie Rong didn’t say anything, just patted Xie Zhen’s head, continuing to wipe Xie Xian’s face. After that, he taught them both to brush their teeth with new salt and mint. Xie Zhen took it seriously; unlike other children, she paid great attention to her body, had a love for beauty, and appreciated refinement from a young age.

Finally, after getting them ready, Shuangyu and Shuangyan helped them put on the newly made clothes and each wore a long-life lock. Since they were young, they didn’t need elaborate hairstyles; a simple floral bud bun would look the most charming and cute. Shuangyu wrapped silk pearl flowers and gold chains around their floral buns. Suddenly, she had a whimsical idea and applied a vermilion mole on Xie Zhen’s smooth forehead. As for Xie Xian, who had bangs, they had to skip that.

Xie Zhen leaned towards the mirror and took a look. The mole was light, not too pronounced, and she reluctantly accepted it.

The vermilion mole adorned her delicately sculpted face, complementing the floral bud bun, making her look even more adorable.

With both of them dressed up, Leng Shi changed into her clothes and sat in front of a bronze mirror. She applied light makeup, styled her hair into a simple side bun, adorned it with pearls and emeralds, creating an elegant appearance.

*

Xie Liqing waited for quite a while at the door before his wife and children finally emerged.

Seeing Madam Xie, his eyes brightened. When he looked further down, his two daughters captivated his attention even more. Especially Xie Zhen, a rosy and tender bundle, despite her young age, already possessed exceptional beauty. She was charming and cute on ordinary days, and with this dressing up, he was even more fond of her.

Xie Zhen was holding Leng Shi’s hand, walking and playing with the silver-blue frills on her body. When she spotted Xie Liqing, she quickly ran over with open arms, “Father!”

Xie Liqing quickly crouched down to catch her, affectionately patting her head, “Why do you look like you haven’t woken up yet?”

She nestled in his arms, pitifully pouting, “Mother woke me and Ah Xian up early, Father, I’m tired…”

Leng Shi watched her daughter complaining in her husband’s arms, smiling indulgently. Even at such a young age, she already knew how to complain, truly a mischievous spirit.

Xie Liqing chuckled, lifted her onto the carriage, “Then, take a nap in the carriage. We still have a long way to go to the Gao residence; there’s no rush.”

After holding Xie Zhen, he went to pick up Xie Xing. Once both the lovely daughters were on the carriage, he looked at Leng Shi, “Did I tire you out this morning?”

Madam Xie glanced at him, “What nonsense are you talking about? Gao Gao and Ah Xian are my precious daughters; how could I complain about them tiring me?”

Xie Liqing was momentarily taken aback by her response but didn’t mind. He still insisted, with a thick-skinned face, “I’m just showing my concern for you.”

After finishing speaking, Xie Rong walked past them with an unchanged expression, and sat in the back of the second carriage as if he hadn’t heard their conversation.

Xie Liqing’s old face couldn’t hold back a bit: “This child…”

Leng Shi gave him a push, “Hurry up and go over, or we’ll be late.”

Xie Liqing had no choice but to sit in the back of the second carriage as well.

The two carriages slowly set off towards the southern mansion.

As soon as the Xie family left, a small figure slowly emerged from the Li mansion’s entrance.

Watching the carriages getting farther away, Li Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they hadn’t seen him. Today, the Li family also received an invitation from the Gao mansion. Li Xiqing and the Military Secretary Gao Qing had known each other for a long time, one in business and the other in literature, maintaining their friendship for decades. The Li family often visited the Gao mansion, but this time, Li Yu was particularly averse to it.

He didn’t want to see Xie Zhen.

Just thinking about the last time he almost wet his pants in front of her, he wished he never had to see her again. Unfortunately, they still lived so close, and sometimes when she made noise in the courtyard, he could hear it clearly at home.

As for why he could distinguish it? Because that day she sang to him, her voice was so beautiful that he remembered it instantly.

Song Shi walked out from inside and saw him standing at the door, “Yu’er, what are you looking at?”

Li Yu walked to her side, “Nothing.”

Song Shi didn’t believe it. This child is usually indifferent. If there’s nothing, why would he stand at the door for so long? She looked outside, but there was nothing to see. She didn’t press further, “If you’ve packed, let’s set off.”

Li Xiqing walked over from behind, lifted him up, and walked towards the carriage outside with a smile.

*

Resting in Leng Shi’s arms all the way, Xie Zhen slept soundly.

When they arrived at the Gao mansion’s entrance, Leng Shi pinched her cheek to wake her up, “Little lamb, we’re here.”

Xie Xian also climbed up, “Sister, sister…”

Rubbing her eyes, Xie Zhen, holding Leng Shi’s hand and her sister’s hand, got off the carriage. In front of them was the magnificent Gao mansion, with gates even taller and grander than those of the Xie mansion. However, it couldn’t compare to the Duke Dingguo’s mansion in the capital, clearly lacking the profound heritage of a major aristocratic family.

Vermilion lacquered gates, even the copper rings were gilded.

Several carriages were already parked at the entrance, indicating that they weren’t early arrivals. The servants at the gate, having checked the invitation, respectfully guided them into the mansion. Xie Liqing handed the box containing the birthday gift to the servant, “Where is Lord Gao?”

The servant took it, “Lord is welcoming guests in the main hall. Allow me to take you there.”

The birthday feast had not yet started, and there was an hour left until noon. The men gathered in the main hall, drinking tea and chatting leisurely, while the women, led by maids, went to the backyard to wish the old lady a happy birthday. However, due to the large number of guests today, the old lady had to move to the octagonal pavilion in the backyard. All the women would be present there, creating a picturesque scene from afar with various flowers.

The maid in a green jacket led them there and said to the sitting seventy-year-old lady in the pavilion, “Madam Xie has arrived.”

Although the old lady was elderly, her mindset was young, more spirited than the average elder. She wore a headpiece made of sleeping rabbits and a vermillion purple rich and noble bamboo-patterned jacket. She had a kind and amiable smile.

In the pavilion, there were three or five young women, three of whom were Gao’s daughters-in-law. The other two were Madam Yang, the wife of the governor, and Madam Fang, the wife of an official under Xie Liqing.

Seeing Leng Shi approaching, the old lady stood up to welcome her, “Madam Xie, please have a seat.” Glancing down, she was immediately captivated, “Is this Madam Xie’s daughter?”

Leng Shi had her two little ones call out, “Gao Gao, Ah Xian, this is the old lady.”

The two of them called out in unison, sweet and melodious.

The old lady immediately fell in love with them. The Xie family was truly skilled in raising children. Just by looking at these two daughters, one could tell they were not from an ordinary family.

She returned to her seat and introduced everyone at the table one by one. On her right were three daughters-in-law, and on her left were Madam Yang and Madam Fang.

The daughters-in-law of the Gao family and Madam Fang were very polite to her, especially Madam Fang, whose husband served under Xie Liqing and treated her with particular courtesy. Madam Yang, on the other hand, seemed a bit aloof, with a cold and distant tone, perhaps feeling that her husband’s status surpassed everyone present.

However, Madam Xie was no ordinary person, as she was quite indifferent herself.

She wasn’t intentionally adopting a high posture; it was her natural demeanor. If she wasn’t genuinely close to someone, she often gave off a chilly impression. She wouldn’t go out of her way to flatter people, nor would she deliberately be harsh to anyone; she always maintained this composed demeanor.

Having encountered resistance from Madam Yang, she didn’t feel particularly pleased, and she let out a soft hum. The sound was subtle, audible only to herself.

Xie Zhen and Xie Xian stood on the side, admiring the flowers. Xie Zhen glanced at Madam Yang, winked, then turned back to continue talking with her sister.

Soon, a few young girls appeared in front of the pavilion. The leader was dressed in a butterfly and flower-patterned jacket and a pleated skirt, approximately six or seven years old. She had a complex hairstyle, and with great enthusiasm, she was introducing something to her companions. Her eyebrows were raised, carrying a hint of pride and satisfaction, clearly showing a spirited and wilful personality.

She called out to her grandmother from a distance, “Grandmother!” and leaped into the old lady’s arms.

While cautioning her to be careful, the old lady was secretly delighted, smiling and asking, “Where did Tongtong take her sisters to play?”

This was Gao Mansion’s eldest granddaughter, Gao Tongtong, born from the main branch. Behind her were daughters from the second and third branches, and another one from Madam Fang, named Ye Zhiying. Among the girls, Gao Tongtong was the oldest, while the others appeared to be around four, five, or six years old. Ye Zhiying was about the same height as Xie Zhen.

Gao Tongtong pointed to the front garden, “I took them to the lake to see the lotus flowers; they’re blooming beautifully there.”

The old lady didn’t quite agree, “The lakeside is slippery, you can’t bring your sisters there in the future.”

Gao Tongtong proudly declared, “Grandmother, you forgot that I can swim. If my sisters fall in, I can rescue them all!”

Despite her confidence, the old lady couldn’t allow it. Seeing that a scolding was imminent, Gao mansion’s main Madam immediately led her away, saying, “Whatever Grandmother says is final. No backtalk.”

Gao Tongtong wasn’t entirely convinced but said, “I understand.”

At that moment, the main Madam Gao, introduced Xie Zhen and Xie Xian to her, “These are Madam Xie’s daughters. They are younger than you. Today, I’ll trouble you to take good care of them.”

The two little ones turned their heads upon hearing this, each one seemingly trying to outshine the other in beauty.

With two pairs of eyes staring at her, Gao Tongtong took a while before saying, “So many people want me to look after them. How can I manage?”

Since childhood, she had been praised for her beauty, and she herself believed she was good-looking. However, standing in front of these two little girls today, she unexpectedly felt a hint of insecurity for no apparent reason. Especially the one on the left with cinnabar dots on her head, looking as enchanting as a fox spirit from a painting; she didn’t like her at first sight.

Madam Gao gave her a stern look, and she quickly changed her tone, “I understand, I understand. I’ll take good care of them.”

In just a short hour, numerous women arrived one after another, many of them accompanied by children. The children gathered in small groups, and at a glance, the two little dolls standing next to the pavilion were the most eye-catching.

Where they stood became an instant picturesque scene.

Xie Xian reached for the autumn chrysanthemums on the table, but being too short, she couldn’t reach them for a long time.

Xie Zhen couldn’t bear to see it and stood on tiptoes to help her. Just as she was about to pick them, she heard someone whispering behind, “Madam Li from the Li family has arrived.”

Madam Li?

Has Little brother come?

She turned to look, her face filled with joy.

Unfortunately, there was no one beside Madam Li, and there was no sign of Li Yu at all.

Didn’t he come? Xie Zhen instantly felt disappointed and pouted. Little brother was so beautiful; she wanted to look at him a bit more.

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