Chapter 603: Realization [Many thanks! Bowing again! 44k words owed]

At exactly you hour (around six in the afternoon)

Xu Xu Zaijing, dressed in a spring robe and wearing a light cape, walked to the academy gate, turned to look at Sheng Changbai, who was still studying behind his desk, and said, "Sheng Changbai, I'm heading home first."

"Alright!"

Sheng Changbai looked up, smiled at Xu Xu Zaijing, replied, and then immediately returned to his studies.

Xu Xu Zaijing chuckled, took a step toward the courtyard exit, with Seeing Seeing Qingcao following behind, carrying the book box in both hands.

After leaving the academy courtyard and walking toward their family carriage, Seeing Seeing Qingcao glanced at Xu Xu Zaijing and said, "Young Master."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I want... I want to go see Sister Sister Xiaodie."

"Miss Sister Xiaodie just gave birth at noon; she's likely been exhausted for several hours by now and might be resting at this very moment."

"Young Master, but... but the Sheng family has already sent someone."

As Seeing Seeing Qingcao spoke, she noticed Xu Xu Zaijing stop and look over; she quickly lowered her head and said, "Then let's forget it."

Xu Xu Zaijing took a deep breath, shook his head slightly with helplessness, and said, "Today, take the detour through Zhou Wansheng Gate Inner Street."

Hearing this, Seeing Seeing Qingcao abruptly lifted her head, her face brimming with smiles, and said, "Thank you, Young Master."

Xu Xu Zaijing waved a hand and said, "If the Ni family's doors are closed when we arrive, we'll head straight back to the residence."

"As Young Master says!"

West of Jingcheng,

Jinming Pool Garden,

The weather grew increasingly warm, and the flowers, grass, and trees by the pool became ever more lush.

The sun slanted westward, turning the entire pool surface golden; whenever visitors gazed upon the water, they often felt a dazzling brilliance.

Though evening approached, numerous pleasure boats, large and small, still floated upon the pool.

As the boats rowed along, sounds of silk and bamboo instruments or opera singing could frequently be heard from within, clearly indicating the presence of musicians or opera troupes aboard.

On the northern shore of the pool,

Not far from the boathouse where the great dragon tower ship was docked, a carriage bearing the Rong family plaque stopped by the water's edge.

Within Jinming Pool,

A small skiff was just departing from beside a tall, two-story pleasure boat draped with light gauze on all four sides, slowly making its way toward the shore.

Aside from the female boatman poling the skiff, there were only three young ladies aboard: one mistress and two maids.

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang looked at Rong Rong Feiyan, who sat opposite wearing a pale veiled hat, its thin gauze curtain tied back behind her head to reveal her delicate, beautiful face.

She then turned to glance at the noble lady of the Dou family, who still stood beside the large pleasure boat, and said, "Miss, isn't departing like this showing too little respect to the Dou family?"

Seeing Xi Bu, sitting beside Seeing Seeing Ningxiang, patted Seeing Seeing Ningxiang's leg and said, "What do you mean by 'showing too little respect'? The Dou family invited our mistress, but they never mentioned that young men from other families would board the boat this afternoon!"

"Even though the pleasure boat is large enough, if I hadn't just now invoked our Second Young Master, several of them would have headed straight to the second deck! And the Dou family relatives didn't even try to stop them!"

"Truly!"

After hearing Seeing Xi Bu finish, Seeing Seeing Ningxiang nodded in agreement: "Sister speaks rightly! Miss, what do you suppose the Dou family is thinking?"

Rong Rong Feiyan, with a stern expression, watched the Dou family noble lady, who had already turned and departed from the edge of the two-story boat, and said, "Go back and tell Sister-in-law! The Dou family holds a Duke's title; by all rights, they shouldn't be ignorant of such matters."

As Rong Rong Feiyan spoke, several figures holding folding fans appeared again beside the two-story boat; although they pretended to admire the scenery of Jinming Pool, Rong Rong Feiyan could distinctly feel their gazes directed toward her.

Frowning slightly, Rong Rong Feiyan said, "Seeing Xi Bu, lower the veil curtain on the veiled hat."

"Yes, Miss."

Speaking thus, Rong Rong Feiyan and Seeing Xi Bu both leaned forward together, preparing to untie the veil curtain.

Three breaths later, Rong Rong Feiyan's delicate, beautiful face was concealed behind the light gauze.

A spring breeze blew across the pool surface, carrying a slight chill; it stirred the light gauze before Rong Rong Feiyan and fluttered the fine-quality hair ribbons tied by Seeing Xi Bu and Seeing Seeing Ningxiang.

Gazing at the pool, Seeing Xi Bu said softly, "Miss, this servant feels that henceforth we should only associate with those few families—the Zhangs, the Gus, and the Chais! This first outing with the Dou family's noble ladies has already made this servant feel utterly uncomfortable."

"Since this incident occurred today, why don't you send a request to the palace to meet Consort Rong?"

Behind the thin gauze, Rong Rong Feiyan pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Mm."

A quiet moment passed among the mistress and her two maids,

until the skiff reached the shore; the three stepped onto the footstool, boarded the Rong family carriage, and began driving out of Jinming Pool.

Inside the carriage,

Rong Rong Feiyan removed her veiled hat herself.

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang glanced at Seeing Xi Bu from the side and said, "Sister, if Miss goes directly to seek Her Ladyship, won't that be making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"Our mistress's sister-in-law is, after all, with child," Seeing Xi Bu replied. "No matter what our mistress says, if she claims discomfort, even if our mistress is entirely in the right, it will be twisted into her being at fault!"

"That's true!" Seeing Seeing Ningxiang nodded.

Watching Rong Rong Feiyan, who was bowing her head to stroke her veiled hat, Seeing Xi Bu continued cautiously, "Miss, earlier, hearing Seeing Ningxiang say a few things, this servant felt they were inappropriate! But over these recent days, this servant has come to feel there is some truth in what she said."

"Hmm? What words?" Seeing Seeing Ningxiang looked at Seeing Xi Bu with some surprise.

Rong Rong Feiyan lifted her head and said, "Seeing Xi Bu, you speak."

"Miss, Seeing Seeing Ningxiang previously said that the authority over household management should not have been handed over to Wu Da Da Niangzi so quickly!"

"Recently, this servant has carefully observed Wu Da Da Niangzi's conduct and demeanor over these past days; watching the personal maids attending her, this servant invariably feels they somewhat look down upon our courtyard."

Hearing this, Seeing Seeing Ningxiang's eyes darted; she looked at Rong Rong Feiyan and said, "Miss! If Sister Seeing Xi Bu hadn't spoken, this servant would never have thought deeply about it! Now that I consider it, their gazes are very much like those we saw when we were children."

It was not only the mistress, Rong Rong Feiyan, who was looked down upon by noble ladies from certain meritorious and high-official families; even among the maids and servants of various households, there existed a chain of contempt.

For instance, when a master's family suffered scandal or filthy affairs, their maids and servants, when going out to make purchases, would be pointed at and criticized by familiar young attendants and maids, spoken of until they could not lift their heads.

When Seeing Xi Bu and Seeing Seeing Ningxiang were young and had just begun serving Rong Rong Feiyan, they encountered many instances of people smiling and flattering them to their faces while casting disdainful glances and slandering them behind their backs.

"Miss, this servant feels that not everyone responds to a peach given with a plum returned."

After hearing Seeing Xi Bu finish, Rong Rong Feiyan took a deep breath and said, "Mm, I understand."

No one in the carriage spoke further; it fell silent.

Thus, from the street outside, the clamor of various vendors' cries drifted into the carriage.

"Miss, should we tell Young Master about today's events?" Seeing Seeing Ningxiang asked in a low voice.

Rong Rong Feiyan shook her head and said, "Not yet! Lest Brother hear it, grow angry, and go cause trouble for the Dou family and the scions of those other clans."

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang hurriedly nodded.

After speaking, Rong Rong Feiyan reached out, lifted the carriage curtain, and gazed outward through the thin gauze.

Watching the scenery along the road from outside Jinming Pool to Xinzhen Gate, Rong Rong Feiyan let out a soft sigh.

As they approached the vicinity of the city wall,

suddenly,

the carriage grew exceedingly dim; they had entered the gate tunnel of the outer city.

Rong Rong Feiyan lowered the curtain she had been holding aside, closed her eyes slightly, and leaned against the carriage compartment.

Although her eyes remained closed, after a short while Rong Rong Feiyan still sensed the light before her brighten; evidently the carriage had exited the gate tunnel and entered the city proper.

Just as the Rong family's carriage proceeded toward Qi Yiqiu Gate of the inner city,

"Yo-ho~ Da Da Niangzi! Slow down a bit! ~"

Hearing the shouts from outside the carriage,

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang lifted the curtain a crack and peered out curiously, only to see several bare-chested young men on horseback in the street, their arms adorned with brocade-body tattoos.

At that moment, these young men were chasing three women who were likewise mounted, dressed lightly, and wearing veiled hats.

Not far from this group, before a peddler's stall, a Miss was selecting goods.

"Dong-dong-dong~"

The sound of that Miss shaking an Er Lang Gu rang out by the roadside, prompting Seeing Seeing Ningxiang to glance in that direction.

Not only did Seeing Seeing Ningxiang see it; the mounted young men were also drawn by the drumming of the Er Lang Gu and turned to look.

The Miss before the stall wore a beaming smile, clearly very pleased with this Er Lang Gu.

Gazing at the Miss standing before the stall—her eyes bright, her face alight with smiles and dimples—the young man's gaze instantly fixed!

In an instant, he felt that the three women he had been chasing earlier, even with their veils, were nothing but common, vulgar beauties.

(End of chapter)