"Brother A Qiao, this little flower basket...
There were five young ladies and four young masters in Duke Xiangguo's Mansion. Jiang Xuesui was clever; she had memorized the names and birth order of her cousins on the very first day.
The next day, just before dawn, Jiang Xuesui, who was used to sleeping in, was gently shaken awake by Hailan.
Jiang Xuesui had to follow the mansion's rules and go to pay her respects at Old Madam Wen's courtyard, as it was her birthday.
Originally, for a family like the Wen family, which had been officials for generations, the younger generation should have paid respects to Old Madam Wen every day. However, Old Madam Wen was not strict about these cumbersome formalities and only accepted their respects on major festivals.
Entering the Penglai Study Main Hall, first the Duke of Xiangguo, Second Master Wen, and Third Master Wen, along with their wives, paid respects to Old Madam Wen, who was sitting upright in a rosewood armchair in the center. Then, the wet nurses and nannies led the young masters and ladies to kowtow to Old Madam Wen in order of birth.
In the mansion, only the second daughter and son born to Concubine Miao of the main branch were concubine-born. But Old Madam Wen did not distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate; she treated her grandchildren equally and loved them all.
Those below took their cues from the masters and naturally treated the three children of Concubine Miao with equal respect.
Moreover, all the female members of the mansion held noble titles conferred by the emperor. Old Madam Wen was a First-Class Lady, Lady Sang, Lady Zhu, and Lady Yu were each Second-Class Ladies, and Concubine Miao was a Third-Class Lady.
Each had earned their title for different reasons: Old Madam Wen had delivered the edict of succession for the previous emperor during a palace coup when she was a child, rendering great service to the state and great kindness to the Great Zhao Imperial Family;
Lady Sang, before her marriage, had participated in disaster relief in Jiangnan, donating half of her father's property that he had given her to the court to aid the starving victims, and had also used her medical skills to ensure the safety of Empress Sun and the Crown Prince during his birth;
Lady Zhu had accompanied her father, the old Prince of Chu, on diplomatic missions to thirty-three countries since she was three, promoting friendly relations and trade between those countries and Great Zhao. She herself was proficient in the languages and scripts of various countries and often served as her father's scribe and secretary;
Lady Yu was the only daughter of the Duke of England. Her riding, archery, and swordsmanship were personally taught by the Duke of England. He had trained the Great Zhao navy for so many years, and Lady Yu had made significant contributions. She had even commanded warships to support her father in hundreds of battles against pirates at sea, turning the tide in critical moments.
Thus, the women of the mansion did not rely solely on their father's or husband's status; they had earned their titles through their own efforts.
Concubine Miao was an exception. Her family background was more than sufficient for her to be a legitimate wife in a respectable family, but she had been infatuated with the Duke of Xiangguo since childhood and was unwilling to marry anyone else, so she became his concubine. Her mother was the emperor's wet nurse, and she specially begged the emperor for a title for her daughter.
At this time, Jiang Xuesui was kowtowing to her maternal grandmother. Still somewhat drowsy and dazed, she banged her head down hard, making a "dong" sound and raising a big bump on her forehead.
This pained Old Madam Wen deeply, but the little girl neither cried nor made a fuss. She only touched the swelling on her forehead and smiled, saying, "Grandmother, this way Yuanyuan has also kowtowed on behalf of Father and Mother."
Hearing this witty remark, everyone in the hall laughed except Wen Qiao.
Wen Yuan'ai, who was being held by Lady Sang, took out a medicine box from her pouch and kept saying to her mother, "Medicine, medicine, little sister apply, little sister not hurt, hurt go away..."
Lady Sang held Wen Yuan'ai's hand tightly, afraid that if she let go, her daughter would rush over to apply medicine to her niece. Her daughter had a kind heart, but such abrupt behavior would surely frighten the little girl. It was better to avoid trouble.
Old Madam Wen, however, beckoned to Wen Yuan'ai, "Aijie'er, come here. Let grandmother see what good medicine you have in your hand."
Wen Yuan'ai trotted over. Old Madam Wen had already seated Jiang Xuesui on her lap.
After Old Madam Wen confirmed the medicine, Jiang Xuesui pointed to the bump on her forehead and said, "Elder Sister, help Yuanyuan apply the medicine."
Wen Yuan'ai generously scooped out a large glob of medicine from the box, rubbed it into her palm, then gently massaged it onto the bump on Jiang Xuesui's forehead with her warm palm. Her technique was smooth, her movements gentle, and her strength just right.
Lady Sang's heart was in her throat, afraid that if her daughter used too much force, her niece would cry out in pain and shed tears.
Jiang Xuesui obediently waited for Wen Yuan'ai to finish applying the medicine, thanked her, and then took her hand to go wash together.
Old Madam Wen looked at the nervous Lady Sang.
"Aijie'er has talent. If not for her condition, she would certainly be as gifted in learning medicine as you are."
Lady Sang rose from her seat, curtsied to Old Madam Wen, cowering as if she had done something wrong.
"Your daughter-in-law is useless. I have disappointed the ancestors of the Wen family by failing to give birth to a healthy child."
"You worry too much again. Aijie'er and Qiao'er just have some small ailments. With time, they can definitely be cured. Who sees Aijie'er and doesn't praise her as a beautiful, good child?" Old Madam Wen then thought of something good about her eldest grandson Wen Qiao. He had suffered from a cold disorder since childhood and had a personality like ice, cold and aloof. But his appearance was remarkably handsome and refined. Although he spoke little, outsiders who didn't know his true temperament would not dislike him like the other grandchildren did. They would have genuine admiration and fondness for him. "Qiao'er is also good."
Lady Zhu and Lady Yu also praised Lady Sang's twin children.
Only then did Lady Sang feel a little better.
When it was time for breakfast, the Duke of Xiangguo, Second Master Wen, and Third Master Wen had to go to court, so they did not eat at Penglai Study.
The remaining three ladies sat at a table with their children to accompany Old Madam Wen for breakfast.
Originally, the seat next to Wen Qiao should have been taken by Wen Yu, the third young master born to Concubine Miao.
But Wen Yu had been called to the study by his father, the Duke of Xiangguo, the day before to be examined on his studies. For every ten questions, he could barely answer one or two, and even those were not entirely correct. The Duke ordered Wen Qiao, who had also been called in for examination, to strike Wen Yu twenty times with a ruler.
Wen Yu felt his elder brother was unfeeling in three ways: first, when his father examined him, Wen Qiao stood by without secretly prompting him; second, when his father grew angry at his laziness in studies, Wen Qiao did not plead for him; third, when his father punished him, Wen Qiao did not go easy but struck him hard twenty times.
Wen Yu, sulking because of this, deliberately refused to sit beside Wen Qiao that day and instead took Jiang Xuesui's seat.
Seeing her seat taken by Wen Yu, Jiang Xuesui initially wanted to reason with him, but noticing that the seat next to Wen Qiao was next to Wen Yuan'ai, whom she liked, she went and sat there instead.
Wen Yuan'ai also liked Jiang Xuesui. Whenever she had the chance, she would pick vegetables she liked and put them into Jiang Xuesui's bowl. Soon, the vegetables in Jiang Xuesui's bowl formed a small mountain.
Jiang Xuesui tilted her head and stared at the pile of vegetables, feeling worried.
So many, she didn't like eating them. If she ate them, she would throw up.
Wen Qiao exchanged his untouched bowl of sweet milk porridge for Jiang Xuesui's bowl of vegetables.
Jiang Xuesui then heard Wen Qiao speaking to her in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"My sister is a simpleton. Are you also a simpleton? If you don't like something, refuse it, even if it's offered with good intentions."
"Thank you, Brother A Qiao."
Jiang Xuesui smiled at him.
"I like vegetables and don't like sweet porridge," Wen Qiao said coldly. "If you don't like the sweet porridge, you can give it to my sister. She likes it."
Jiang Xuesui drank the entire bowl of sweet milk porridge in one go, then also ate shrimp dumplings, steamed cakes, taro cakes, and other snacks.
Jiang Xuesui ate until her little belly was round. Hailan, afraid she might suffer from indigestion, took her to the garden to play.
Just then, Wen Qiao was walking a little gray dog around the rockery.
Remembering that Wen Qiao had helped her eat the vegetables that morning, Jiang Xuesui ran over with the little flower basket she had just woven, intending to give it to him.
Wen Qiao was bending down feeding snacks to the dog.
Jiang Xuesui approached. "Brother A Qiao, this little flower basket is for you."
Wen Qiao continued playing with the dog, not even glancing at her or saying a word, as if Jiang Xuesui wasn't standing there.
Thinking her voice was too soft, Jiang Xuesui called out "Brother A Qiao" again, louder.
But Wen Qiao simply led the dog away.
Jiang Xuesui stood there stunned. She understood why the other young masters and ladies in the mansion disliked this cousin. His temperament was truly strange—one moment he sincerely helps you, the next he acts as if you don't exist and ignores you.
Hailan was indignant at how Wen Qiao had cold-shouldered her young lady. She ordered the other maids to keep a good eye on the young lady while she played, and then headed to Fuxi Pavilion, where Lady Sang lived.
Through the closed courtyard gate, she heard voices inside.
Hailan recognized them as Lady Sang and her personal maid Shuangxi.
Lady Sang: "I'm not worthy to stay here. Aijie'er and Qiao'er cannot compare to the other young masters and ladies. Their mothers come from princely or ducal mansions. My maiden family, though imperial merchants, are just merchants after all. What do I have to compete with them?"
Shuangxi: "Aijie'er likes to be close with the young lady, and the eldest young master is willing to look after her. Why must you worry so much about appearances and insist that Aijie'er and Qiao'er have nothing to do with the young lady?"
Lady Sang: "If something happens to the young lady, I won't be able to explain to the old lady. I keep Aijie'er and Qiao'er away from her to avoid trouble. The young lady is young, but the old lady intends to strengthen ties through marriage. No matter how she looks, she won't consider Qiao'er as a husband for the young lady."
Shuangxi: "Our eldest young master is a child prodigy. His appearance is among the best of all the young masters in Xuanjing City. The old lady praises him the most."
Lady Sang: "The old lady praises him for his diligence in studies, but everyone knows that Aijie'er's condition may be curable, but Qiao'er's cold disorder will stay with him for life. It's destined that Qiao'er will never have children, and even the title of Duke of Xiangguo might not fall to him. What good girl would be willing to marry a husband who cannot have children with her? If there is one willing, she must be even more simpleminded than my Aijie'er."
After hearing this conversation, Hailan understood Lady Sang's difficulty and forgot about seeking redress for her young lady.
On second thought, it was better for Suijie'er to have nothing to do with the eldest young master, Wen Qiao.