Okay, the last of the mass release before I go back to edit all the previous chapters and the upcoming 10 chapters (Yes, I stockpiled 10 of them already and it’s the start of the second arc). Don’t worry, this time, I will not disappear for months again. Peace~★
Chapter 10: Xie Family Lady’s Coming of Age
Just like that, Young Miss Zhao messed up the treating those people for free outside incident. I was afraid that the news would travel to Madam Xie's ears while Song Zi Jing was afraid of falling into Young Miss Zhao's devil claws. For the time being, the two of us resumed the regular and dull life pattern of studies.
On a magnificent spring afternoon, I was diligently studying medical skills while Song Zi Jing was playing chess alone.
Outside, there were birds on the tree singing and flowers blooming at the tip of a branch. The weather had turned warm now, we had changed into a relatively thinner clothes. Among the warm breeze and flower fragrant, I suddenly remembered Zhang Zi Yue.
I reminiscing in the past during countless similar afternoon, he would sit beside me, helping me in study.
He would patiently explain a formula five times. He would carefully revise for every mistake in my English compositions.
Actually, asking him to guide me in homework was my mom's biggest mistake. With the loved one at my side, where would I have the heart to study? Of course all my attention would be transferred from my reasoning to my sensory organs.
From his straight nose bridge, his soft hair, his low and deep gentle voice and inadvertently touch on his tepid and smooth skin.
I suddenly opened my mouth to ask, "Mister, have you ever liked someone?"
Song Zi Jing lifted his head to look at me. "What?"
I stared at his pretty face and repeated, "Have you liked someone before?"
Song Zi Jing indifferently asked, "Why ask this?"
"Have or don’t have?"
He put down a piece of chess and said, "Have."
I was curious. "How does she look like?"
Song Zi Jing smiled and lost himself in his memory. "She is a girl from a good family, educated and well cultured, we exchanged poems a few times at the scholar gathering while separated by screen. She is of brilliant talent which is rare among girls. She originally had an engagement, later her parents made decision for her to marry off."
I waited for him to continue. When he resumed playing the chess, I asked, "Finished?"
"Finished," Song Zi Jing said.
"You don’t even know how she looks like?"
Song Zi Jing smiled. "I don’t know."
I was disappointed. "What does this count? You don’t fight for her?"
After saying that, I knew I had spoken wrongly. Song Zi Jing although highly knowledgeable, he was in the end just a pauper. The social ranking system in Eastern Qi was so strict, how could it be changed to fulfil his wish?
Song Zi Jing simply smiled because all were already known well.
I continued to diligently study medical book.
Zhang Qiu Yang wrote this book was to pass down all his lifetime knowledge to his successor. It had the uninteresting information exchange so I got uninterested. Therefore, it was not hard for me to read smoothly. On the other hand, the Canon of Poisons was very interesting, some of it were just like as described in the wuxia stories.
An A country personage, Zhang San fought with B country personage, Li Si. In their progressing illegal-natured martial battle, Li Si poisoned Zhang San with five parts of his clan exclusively secret art which affect males only, the godly poison, Disseminating Heartbroken. It caused Zhang San abdominal pain as if his four swollen limbs were wrung and dark spots appeared on his body. He pained for exactly forty-nine days before he died from broken belly and rotten heart. While the curing method should be in this way and that way.
A C country personage, Wang Er was in a love affair with a D lady, Xiao Cui. After they broke up, Xiao Cui gave Wang Er with her clan exclusive copyrighted invention, a blue bottle with new wrapping of rare poison, Lingering. As long as Wang Er touched another woman, his whole body would itch and red rashes would appear all over his face. Scratching repeatedly with whole strength until the skin broke, flesh rot and blood flowed completely then only over. The curing method would be like this and like that.
There was another one. People from N sect went to F religious sect under a provocation, greatly violated the Regulations and Punishments by Public Order Management. So, the F religious sect protector, Xuan something gave their newly developed and advanced invention that received a national legalised award, a strange poison named, A Thousand Despairs. The poisoned victims' whole body skin would turn blue, itchy and yet painful. The skin would rapidly rot, the flesh would fester and bones would shatter. This would continue until the whole person turned a puddle of blue ink. As for the curing method…. Old man Zhang wrote: No cure, just prepare the coffin.
I was laughing when Yun Xiang came for me. "Young Miss, Madam called you for a trip."
"Ah?" I had done a deed that troubled my conscience, immediately got restless. I thought to myself, it can't be that Madam Xie already know I sneaked off the mansion before?
Madam Xie dignifiedly sat in the main hall. Standing at her side were Eldest Sister-in-Law whose underbelly was still even although already pregnant, wearing maternity dress and affectionately placing her hand on her waist, Xie Zhao Ke who from beginning until the end beautiful like peaches and plums yet as cold as ice as well as practically neglected yet diligent snail, Young Miss Bai Yan Er.
The most importantly, these few women were amicably smiling while looking at me. It caused all my hair stood on end[1].
Madam Xie began, "Little Hua, on the eighteenth next month, you will be fully fifteen years old. No longer is a little girl already."
So, it was about this. I released a breath.
Xie Zhao Ke gave me a smile lovely enough to cause the fall of a city and state[2]. "Congratulation to little sister for going to be an adult soon."
Ah? Now I remembered, girls in ancient period were considered as adult when reached 15 years old. Then, could discuss about marriage.
No wonder the way Madam Xie looked at me was like a farmer looking at his personally grown white radish, like a breeder looking at a fattened pig. It had the feel like the happiness when working people gained great rewards.
Madam Xie said, "The hairpin ceremony is a grand ceremony, cannot be careless. We decided to begin preparation now, you also need to make a few new clothes. In the afternoon, you don’t have to go to classes anymore. The imperial clothes bureau will come here to take measurements. We are actually benefiting from the imperial family's goodness this time. Your Third Elder Sister that year during the hairpin ceremony just wore the clouds separating specially made clothes."
Xie Zhao Ke happily said, "Mother, little sister is very unfortunate in the past, this time must pay more attention to the hairpin ceremony to make up for it."
Madam Xie satisfyingly nodded her head and said, "In the afternoon, go and choose some pins of clothes to make skirts."
Eldest Sister-in-Law dangled her voice to say, "Fourth Younger Sister is very lucky, see how mother cares of you. In the future after marrying a good husband, don’t forget your maiden family."
I continued to dryly laugh at the side.
Just like this, up until the day of my birthday, I didn’t have a chance to go out.
The new clothes were done and sent over. The colour was bright and beautiful, the fabric light and graceful, I got a bit unable to tear myself away from it[3]. However, when I turned around to see Xie Zhao Ke wearing new clothes, it was so beautiful as if anytime she could ride the clouds and fly on the mist[4], immediately hit down into dust. The genes really decided everything.
Now Xie Zhao Ke frequently roamed around the academy, sending some freshly made fruit pastries. Every time, she would meticulously dress up. This extremely dazzling beauty due to the influence of romantic love, made others' eyes unable to open but Song Zi Jing this master unexpectedly still unmoved.
To be truthful, I pitied Xie Zhao Ke a little. Although she felt she was happy of herself extremely at my question yet didn’t sympathised adequately with me.
Just like this, my 15th major birthday finally arrived.
18th of April was a day with lovely spring sunshine. From the early morning, I was dragged out from the quilt. Madam Xie personally supervised the freshening process.
I was again forced to wear a piece of peach blossom formal dress, then sat down for Madam Xie to personally trim my eyebrows.
She pinched the tweezers between her fingers closer to my eyebrows and then she suddenly pulled out. I gave a world shaking, blood-curling scream.
Xie Zhao Ying knocked the door from the outside. "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
I said, "I'm dying already!"
Madam Xie slapped me once and said, "Nothing. You go greet the guests."
I cried. "Mother, it's painful to death. Don’t trim anymore. Being natural is beautiful."
Madam Xie gave a poker face. "Don’t make trouble." Then, she called two old maidservants each to hold me at both sides. Xie Zhao Ke personally held my head. I simply was just like a fish peeled scale alive on the chopping board. I freely released my voice to roar and shout, to lament to heaven and knock my head on earth[5]. It was so painful that my tears kept rolling down nonstop. I really couldn’t understand. How much willpower those ancient girls in bedroom have to endure eyebrows trimming every now and then?
Madam Xie in the end was a ginger which got spicier as it got older[6], as she endured my ghost-alike wails and wolf-alive howls[7], her action was not softer in the slightest.
When the hard trimming done, I was as if I just died once and returned, fully covered in sweats.
Now, it was Xie Zhao Ke's turn to personally apply red face powder and head ornaments on me. Finally, my clothes were sorted out with everyone's help. Only then, it was with difficultly considered as the end.
I had yet to look at the mirror when I was wrapped up by those people to go outside.
Beyond the separating screen, the main hall was filled with numerous people. Most of them were those unknown relatives. Grand Tutor Xie was clad in dark red court dress while sitting at the main seat. Madam Xie had changed into a purple, gold and red official wife court dress with dignified bearing sitting beside him. A woman was dignifiedly seating at a conspicuous seat, with phoenix coronet and purple qipao gown, graceful and reserved noble woman. She was my third paternal grandaunt, Prince Shou’s Consort. She was the main guest of this ceremony.
Grand Tutor Xie stood up and said a few polite banalities. Then, the ceremony began.
I was accompanied by Xie Zhao Ke into the scene, began a long string of salutations, kneeling, delivering head and combing.
After Xie Zhao Ke finished combing my hair, she put aside the comb on the mat. I thought it had ended and excitedly held up my head. Xie Zhao Ke with one hand pushed down my head back.
Prince Shou’s Consort at this moment stood up, walked to a side to wash her hands. Then, she exchanged polite remarks with my parents. I thought that now should be inserting the hairpin into my hair. In the end, those three old fellows sat back.
Xie Zhao Ke directed me to turn to a certain direction. There was an attendant offered silk handkerchief and hair pin. Prince Shou’s Consort stood up, with high note recited an ode of congratulatory speech. "The first of month is an auspicious day, to begin adding comb. Discarding young mark, in sequence to adult mark. With longevity and luck, a transient thought and great blessing."
I couldn’t understand a single sentence. While I was baffled, Prince Shou’s Consort was already knelt beside me and started to comb my hair.
This aunt was no longer young so she might had cataract and presbyopia. Her eyesight was not good. After working around half a day, pulled my scalp to pain, finally done. Then, for inserting hairpin, with one stick, she stick until my scalp, I immediately felt pain until my tears flow.
Thankfully, the hairpin was made of jade and not of reinforced steel. If not, I'm going to lose my life here.
Xie Zhao Ke assisted me to stand up and quietly stuffed a handkerchief to me. I gratefully wiped the sweat all over my face. The ceremony was brought to a temporary close. I returned to my room to change into an informal clothes. Due to not eating anything since early in the morning, my stomach was drumming in hunger. I saw pastries arranged on the table so I stretched out my hand to grab them.
Xie Zhao Ke stopped me. "Wait, next is the Three Obeisances."
I wailed in my heart, I utterly detest the feudalism society!
Just like this, when I had done all the protocols, it was already in the afternoon. Returning to the courtyard, landed on the bed, practically lost conscious.
I guessed after experiencing the ancient ceremony system's miscellaneous and tediously long procrastination which was just purely asking for trouble for self-torment, I nearly covered the thick clothes in prickly heat.
Yun Xiang instead was very happy. "Fourth Young Lady, I heard from the other maidservants that there are so many young ladies in the Xie family but our hairpin ceremony is the most, most grand one. Even the Third Young Lady one paled in comparison."
I dispiritedly said, "Of course. They wanted to let the others know that Xie family's fourth daughter is no longer crazy. This way, I will have the right to join concubine selection. Damn it, why not just straightforwardly take a gong and drum to the entrance of the downtown to yell while drumming?"
Yun Xiang carried a bowl of appetising Wonton noodles. I wolfed down a clean sweep of it. Right after finished it, I went to sleep.
Now that I had come of age, it was not appropriate to study with Song Zi Jing. The later days were rather more relaxed. Usually worked hard to study intensively the medical arts, I was still very lacking in herbal aspect. Recently, I was working hard in attempting to make fruit pie. Like how to refine cream….
I instantly opened my eyes.
My line of vision was dim, there was only faint candlelight from outside the compartment. The sky was already dark. I unknowingly slept so long.
My heart was unusually restless, as if there was something scratching nonstop, made me fidgety. Yun Xiang was sleeping outside, she too was tired the whole day, now wouldn’t be shaken by thunder[8]. I silently walked over and opened the door.
Cold cicadas made low noise outside, moonlight shone all around, the night winds were soft and gentle, unable to bear rousing the lover's dream. A fine jade flower bloomed thrillingly at the corner of the walls, the gigantic shining white petals gracefully swayed at the moonlight, like a pair of jade hands holding a piece of moonlight.
I too spread out both my hands, watching my hands wholly bright and clear, as if filled with snow frost, unable to murmur, "Unable to give a handful as present, yet an end to wedding dream."
"Who are you gifting a grasp of moonlight?"
I lifted up my head, at the corner of the walls stood a familiar silhouette. His hair was messy, his clothes were a sorry figure, yet they were unable to hide the lights of cracked coldness in his eyes. The corner was very dark, couldn’t see clearly his expression but heard clearly his turbid breathe.
Among the flower fragrances and moon, I acutely smelled a wisp of reeking blood.
"Second Elder Brother?!"
That large and tall figure softly fell down, I went and caught him in a flurry. He heavily pressed on my shoulders. A thick blood reek mixed with a strange sweet smell travelled to my nose.
"Yun Xiang! Yun Xiang!" I loudly called.
Yun Xiang in messy clothes rushed out and was greatly surprised. "This, this, this…. Second Young Master?"
"Quickly help me, carry him inside," I ordered, "And then, go and boil some water, bring out my set of scissors and small knives over. Remember, don’t alarm the others!"
We put down Xie Zhao Ying on the bed. Under the candlelight, his handsome face was deadly pale, his lips were turning black, his body was burning hot and his breath was faint.
An intense feeling gushed out, I tightly grasped his hand.
"Second Elder Brother, with me here, you will be fine."
[1] Absolutely terrified
[2] Devastatingly beautiful
[3] Too fond of it
[4] Walk on air
[5] Utter cries of anguish
[6] The old, the wiser
[7] Terrible rackets
[8] Sleep ahead no matter what