Twenty-five Tofu

  Two days later, the weaving girl sent over four pairs of finished underpants, all with brocade outer fabric and silk inner lining. Two pairs of winter pants were padded with cotton wool, while the other two were single-layered, suitable for spring and summer wear. Zhang Yan was overjoyed and immediately changed into the new underpants, feeling a warm sense of security that even made her walk more confidently.

  "Master Weng," Cao Zhan shouted from behind, "at least put on your robe. It's not decent to go out like this."

  Zhang Yan stopped in her tracks, put on a dark-colored brocade robe, and smiled slightly as she turned back to see Hou standing under the corridor outside the hall with Lü Yi.

  "Yan's sister looks great in black," said Lyu Yi, walking up and smiling as she grasped Zhang Yan's hand. "I used to think that black was a quiet color, only suitable for people with a calm temperament who could bring out its elegance. Yan is beautiful, but I'm afraid it wouldn't suit her. Who would have thought that wearing it would also give her a unique charm?"

  "Eldest sister is being polite," Zhang Yan said with a smile, "I think eldest sister is beautiful." Her face was flushed with a deep purple glow, bright and radiant.

  Lü Yi let out a laugh and said casually, "I heard that A Yan went with her uncle to pay respects to the Emperor in Luoyi a few days ago?"

  "Hmm." Zhang Yan blinked and said, this matter is known to all, there's no need to hide it.

  "It's really great." Lü Yi said leisurely, with a look of envy, "Is Yue very fun?"

  "It's not bad," Zhang Yan smiled and said, "If Yijie likes it, she can go play once herself. Lüyi is not far from Chang'an."

  She was originally trying to comfort her, but unexpectedly, Lü Yi suddenly changed her face and threw down her hand, saying "Who likes to go? What's so great about it?" She turned around and ran along the corridor, leaving Zhang Yan standing there in confusion, calling out for half a day, but not knowing how to call her back.

  "What's wrong with her?" Zhang Yan asked strangely, "She's being weird and unreasonable. I didn't even offend her."

  "Lü Niangzi," Lianlian said softly, standing behind Zhang Yan and biting her lip as she gazed at the back of Lü Yi disappearing around the corner of the long corridor. "It's a pity. Although the Empress is her aunt, but in terms of blood ties, she isn't as close to you, Master Weng. However, whenever you're in the palace, the Empress always treats you better than her. She can't help but feel unhappy about it."

  "It shouldn't be, right?" Zhang Yan laughed in surprise, "I think she's not that kind of petty person, and she shouldn't get angry over such a small matter."

  Since she couldn't figure it out, she might as well give up thinking about it. On this day, she followed the palace's music teacher to the Pepper Chamber Hall to practice the guqin. From her past life, she had always envied those women who could play the guqin, thinking that anyone who touched a string would be imbued with elegance. However, she had no foundation in playing the guqin at all. Her past experiences were of no help in learning to play the guqin, neither did they hinder her like her handwriting did. In terms of playing the guqin, she was no different from any ordinary six-year-old child who was just starting out.

  The only advantage is that Zhang Yan sighed and stopped, it was the patience and perseverance given by her adult soul.

  "Why has it stopped ringing?" someone suddenly asked outside the hall.

  Zhang Yan was taken aback for a moment, this familiar tone, she suddenly turned her head back, and indeed saw Liu Ying's smiling face standing at the gate of the hall.

  "Uncle," Zhang Yan was overjoyed and threw down her zither, running to his side.

  "I didn't originally plan to come over," Liu said with a smile, "but hearing this twanging and clattering sound of the zither, it was like it was grating on my ears, so I came over out of curiosity to see who was so talented that they could produce such sounds."

  "Uncle," Zhang Yan said with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, "other people are just learning."

  "Just you wait—" she said with her head held high, "I'll study for a few more years and I'm sure to compose a piece that will make your jaw drop."

  "Good." Liu Ying couldn't help but burst out laughing, "I'll wait. - Since I've seen you, I might as well give it to you." He suddenly said, taking out a delicate thing from his pocket and waving it in front of Zhang Yan, "Take a look at what this is?"

  "Ah." Zhang Yan exclaimed in surprise.

  "I promised to give it to you, and now I have, so don't blame me for owing you anything in the future."

  It was a small, exquisite silver-inlaid perfume sachet, wrapped in a blue satin pouch with floral and bird patterns, with two ribbon ties at the top that could be worn on the body. Zhang Yan took it over, turning it over and examining it carefully, her face flushing as she said, "I'm not as shameless as you say I am."

  "Really?" Liu Ying smiled slightly.

  Where did this sachet come from out of thin air?

  "Quickly, quickly!" Zhang Yan hurried back to the palace, jumping and skipping with joy, saying "You help me fill this sachet with fragrant herbs, I'll wear it today."

  "Good." The herb shop owner smiled and nodded in response, took a few steps away before turning back to ask, "What kind of spice does the master want?"

  "Ah," Zhang Yan raised her head in surprise, "Are there many other types of spices?"

  "Ah, naturally," said the old lady, "we have two kinds of incense in our house: one is made from grass and the other from orchids. If you want to wear it as a perfume, then angelica, patchouli, or white angelica would be suitable. Which one do you prefer, Master?"

  Zhang Yan felt dizzy and replied casually, "Then let's go with Du Ruo, I like this name very much."

  Du Ruo brought it, still in the shape of a grass stem. Chang'an City has been rainy for days, Zhang Yan waited for many days before finally getting a sunny day. She dried the Du Ruo branches in the sun for several days until they were extremely dry, then cut them into small pieces and carefully collected them in a sachet, which she wore on her leather belt. Zhang Yan smiled and asked Huai Lan, "Does it look good?"

  Ling Xian also smiled and curved her eyes, "No matter how you dress up, Master Weng, you always look good." She said sincerely.

  The sweet fragrance of Du Ruo's waist wafted out, and Zhang Yan seemed to smell the scent of the beautiful woman in "Jiuge". She walked through the Pepper Chamber Hall, suddenly thinking of her little brother, and ran excitedly to the Western Secondary Temple to tease him.

  Only two months old, the baby can't do anything, can only drink milk, sleep, open his eyes, cry and laugh. When Zhang Yan arrived, her brother had just finished drinking milk, and the wet nurse brought him back to Lu Yuan's side. Zhang Yan rolled on Lu Yuan's wide and long bed, turned over and poked at her brother once, then turned over again and poked at her brother once more. Today, Zhang Yan was in a good mood, not crying or making a fuss, just staring at her own sister with a pair of big black eyes.

  "The child's feeling is the most sensitive." Lu Yuan suddenly smiled and said.

  "What does it mean?" Zhang Yan hugged her little brother and looked up with a puzzled expression.

  "Hey, Yan'er," Lu Yuan stood up and walked to the siblings, teasing his son, "He knows you're just joking with him, but he likes it in his heart, so he doesn't cry or throw a tantrum."

  So this little guy also knew that I had ill intentions towards him before? Zhang Yan was speechless, Ah Ma, I know that all mothers think their sons are good, but you don't have to think of your son as a child prodigy either.

  "The Hou Mansion in Shangguan is almost repaired." Lu Yuan continued to chat.

  "So soon?" Zhang Yan was somewhat curious.

  "It's not going to be quick." Lu Yuan glared at her, "The Weiyang Palace in the west has only been under construction for a year. The Hou Mansion is smaller, so it won't take much time. Just as the Weiyang Palace is almost finished, the Ministry of Works is slacking off and using the same craftsmen." However, the scale will naturally be far inferior to that of the Weiyang Palace.

  "Oh." Got it.

  "In just a few more days, it will be the Spring Festival."

  "Oh."

  "A Yan"

  "Huh?" Zhang Yan raised her head and looked at her suspiciously.

  "On the day of Shangsi," Lu Yuan smiled at her, his eyes shining brightly, "our whole family will move back to the Hou Mansion, how about that?"

  Mom, do you miss Dad?

  Zhang Yan guessed.

  "Alright." She said, and lowered her head to tease her younger brother, smiling meaninglessly, "It's time to go back home, if we don't go back now, Yan Ge will forget what his own home looks like."

  Lu Yuan smiled slightly and his eyes swept over the fragrance sachet at Zhang Yan's waist, pausing for a moment as if in thought. "A Yan?"

  "Hmm," what's up?

  "Do you like your uncle very much?"

  Zhang Yan was taken aback for a moment, then relaxed her expression and smiled, "Yes, he's my uncle."

  Lu Yuan's smile was gentle and soft, her eyes nostalgic, "Yingdi is a very good person."

  "When I was young, when we were in Fengpei, I was eight years older than him, and he was still a little kid. Every day, I had to help Mother with household chores and farm work. Father was never at home. Whenever I had worries, Brother Ying would quietly keep me company and comfort me. His eyes... just one glance and you'd feel your heart soften, as if your troubles were his too - it's really not fair to him. I've always wondered why Father never seemed to like Brother Ying, but in my heart, he was the best younger brother, the best son..."

  One day, unable to sleep, Mother said: "Count sheep. You'll fall asleep as you count."

  I said, "I don't have feelings for sheep."

  "Count whatever you like."

  So, late at night I was counting, "One pink ticket, two pink tickets, three pink tickets..."