Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Clear Sight

Madam of Dongyang felt happy, and her expression towards the others softened.

When someone curiously asked, “You really married him off without knowing?” she didn’t shy away.

Of course, she couldn’t say that her son was truly disobedient and unfilial.

“He said before that he would choose his own second wife.” She said to the lady, then sighed, “You all know, for the sake of the Lu family, he even declared that he wouldn’t marry again. As long as he was willing to remarry, I would agree to anything.”

The other madams also knew that Zhou Jingyun hadn’t remarried for so many years. If they put themselves in her shoes, they would also be anxious and reckless, accepting even the most absurd things for their sons.

“I think she’s really a scholar. Although she’s young, she has a powerful presence.” One madam said with a strange look in her eyes, “Just now when she spoke, I thought of the tutor at home. I inexplicably felt the fear my son experiences when facing the tutor.”

The other madams also nodded in agreement: “It’s good that she comes from a scholarly family.” “A clean and respectable background, even if it’s a bit humble, it’s not a big deal.”

The smile on Madam of Dongyang’s face deepened, and she glanced at Old Madam Xue again: “The Marquis and I don’t care about family background, unlike some people who only focus on that.”

The madam who was close to her patted her hand and said with a smile, “You should control your temper and don’t really provoke her.”

Another madam whispered, “In a couple of days, His Majesty is holding a palace banquet, and she will definitely be invited.”

Madam of Dongyang raised her eyebrows: “His Majesty is holding a palace banquet? I thought he was advocating frugality?”

The late Emperor and Empress Jiang were extravagant and held constant banquets and entertainment. Every time there was a celebration, the palace was lit up like daylight, and in one night, they could burn through a city’s worth of tax revenue.

After the new Emperor ascended the throne, he promoted frugality and prosperity. Apart from festivals and sacrifices, and occasional family banquets, he never held palace banquets. The consorts and concubines in the palace were also extremely frugal, all afraid of being accused of being extravagant like Empress Jiang.

Another madam said with a faint smile, “We can’t be too frugal, it wouldn’t be good to lose the grandeur of the late Emperor’s era.”

It wasn’t just Empress Jiang who was extravagant back then. The late Emperor, in his younger days, built numerous palaces, took in many beauties, and enjoyed himself every day. He would often hold grand ceremonies for all the people to pay tribute, to show the magnificence of the Great Zhou.

Even if the new Emperor wanted to rectify the past, he couldn’t go too far and tarnish the late Emperor’s reputation.

One madam whispered, “Moreover, there’s a joyous occasion.”

Madam of Dongyang looked at the people around her and saw that they all had knowing smiles, clearly aware of some news.

What joyous occasion was there in the imperial palace?

Madam of Dongyang had been staying indoors these days because of Zhou Jingyun bringing Zhuang Li back, and she was completely unaware of other matters.

The movements of the imperial court were related to her own family. Madam of Dongyang, who had originally planned to take Zhuang Li and leave immediately after meeting everyone, couldn’t help but take a step closer to that madam and ask, “What joyous occasion?”

“His Majesty has been childless for so many years…” One madam whispered, but stopped as soon as she started, clearing her throat and looking behind Madam of Dongyang.

Madam of Dongyang looked behind her and saw Zhuang Li standing there with her head bowed respectfully.

“You should go and get acquainted with the sisters.” She said.

Madam Xue, who had overheard the conversation, hurriedly brought her three daughters over and said with a smile, “Take your sister-in-law to the flower hall and sit for a while.”

The three Xue daughters stepped forward and bowed. Zhuang Li returned the courtesy and followed them out. Before stepping out, she heard Madam of Dongyang’s surprised voice.

“Is it true? Could it be that—”

The voice was immediately lowered, and as the curtain fell and the group walked out, the voices in the hall could no longer be heard.

The Xue family’s garden was bustling with scenery and people.

Seven or eight people were sitting in the small flower hall.

Previously, Madam of Dongyang had only introduced the elders, and the younger women had not been formally introduced to each other.

Madam of Dongyang’s intention was to let Zhuang Li get acquainted with Madam Xue’s daughters, but she wasn’t there to supervise. As there were many young girls present, seeing Zhuang Li come out with the Xue daughters, they naturally followed and surrounded them. The Xue daughters couldn’t very well drive their guests away.

However, after the incident with Old Madam Xue and the discussion about Laozi, the young women didn’t dare to speak rashly, afraid of saying something wrong and being mocked as foolish again.

For a while, everyone truly only admired the scenery in the garden, creating an atmosphere that was both lively and awkward.

Until a maid rushed over, saying that Madam Xue had sent a “flower for sister-in-law Zhuang, just to play with.”

The others initially didn’t pay much attention, but when Seventh Miss Xue saw the box the maid handed over, her eyes lit up, and she reached out and grabbed it first.

“Sister-in-law, do you think this pomegranate flower is beautiful?” She asked.

Seventh Miss Xue was a daughter born to a concubine. Because her birth mother was a maid, Old Madam Xue considered her beneath their status and had her raised by Madam Xue from birth.

Seventh Miss had delicate eyebrows and long eyes, and she was charming and delicate. At this moment, she was holding a hairpin flower in her hand, its red petals trembling slightly.

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Zhuang Li said with a smile, “It’s beautiful.”

A girl next to her immediately covered her mouth and laughed: “Wrong, wrong, it’s a fake flower.” She then said with a mocking smile, “Is this the first time Madam has seen this kind of silk flower?”

These words were a bit like saying Zhuang Li was ignorant.

Following the girl’s words, eyes darted around the flower hall, and many people lowered their heads and chuckled.

Surely, common knowledge about silk flowers wouldn’t involve Laozi, right?

Although she wasn’t familiar with this new sister-in-law yet, she was still family. Fifth Miss Xue coughed lightly: “This silk flower was just bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress. Has Miss Zhu seen it before?”

Miss Zhu’s face stiffened. Her father was merely a minor official in the Capital Prefecture, not even qualified to enter the imperial palace, let alone receive a reward from the Empress.

This Fifth Miss Xue was clearly defending her sister-in-law and mocking her.

Miss Zhu curled her lip. Treating such a sister-in-law as a treasure. She turned her head away and stopped talking.

Fifth Miss Xue glared at Seventh Miss Xue: “Aunt brought it for sister-in-law, it’s not for you to play with.”

They knew about this flower. It was the least valuable item Old Madam Xue had picked out from the rewards she received from the imperial palace, and she had given Madam Xue a whole box of them.

Madam Xue had already distributed them among her daughters, and there was one left, which she specifically had brought for Zhuang Li to use.

Although Fifth Miss Xue was from the second branch of the Xue family, she was a legitimate daughter, and Seventh Miss didn’t dare to talk back to her.

“Sister, I just thought it was a good thing and wanted to show it to everyone.” She hurriedly explained, offering the silk flower to Zhuang Li with a hint of coquettishness, “Sister-in-law, please don’t blame me.” She then explained seriously, “This is a silk flower, the latest style from the palace.”

Zhuang Li took the flower, held it in her hand, and said, “This is also a real flower, a silk flower made with real flower stamens.”

Real flower stamens?

Seventh Miss Xue was stunned. Zhuang Li reached out and gently took her finger, guiding her fingertip to touch the stamen.

Seventh Miss Xue’s eyes widened in an instant.

“Ah!” She exclaimed, “This, this is real!”

It was a real stamen. No matter how realistic a silk flower was, its texture was different from a real one.

These words surprised everyone else. “Really?” They all gathered around, vying to touch the stamen, and then exclaimed, “This is truly unprecedented!” “The Empress’s gift is truly precious.”

They had originally thought that apart from being a gift from the Empress, there was nothing special about it and didn’t take it seriously.

They didn’t expect it to be made from real flowers.

This was indeed a bit unique.

Fifth Miss Xue also almost joined the crowd to take a closer look, but remembering her role as the host and the need to entertain the guests, she refrained from moving. Looking at the serene Zhuang Li sitting there, and then at the girls crowding together and chatting and laughing, she couldn’t help but think, who was truly ignorant?

The books she read were ones they hadn’t, and the silk flowers she had seen were ones they hadn’t.

“Sister-in-law.” She couldn’t help but ask, “How did you know it was real?”

She couldn’t have seen it before, right?

Although the Zhou family was a marquis household, they weren’t favored enough to receive gifts from the Empress. The Empress was also a very frugal person.

In other words, very stingy.

After all, she had lived a very poor life when she was with Prince Changyang.

Zhuang Li looked at her and smiled slightly: “I have good eyesight, I could tell.”

Could tell? Was she joking? Fifth Miss Xue didn’t know how to respond for a moment, but the hidden disdain she had before dissipated somewhat, replaced by a bit more scrutiny and speculation.

This chapter is categorized as palace intrigue and domestic strife, so readers who don’t enjoy this genre should proceed with caution.