Volume 1: The Grand Gathering at the Wang Estate (Three)

  The two aunts from the Korean palace arrived last, but Zhang Hui Xin's innocence and generosity in giving gifts to everyone made it so that no one questioned their tardiness. The Princess of Jin ordered her maid to go invite the Thousand Golds who were waiting outside to prepare, then led the way out of the room, with everyone else following closely behind. Zhang Hui Xin was delighted that Chen Lan had just spoken up for her and, being an old acquaintance, pulled her hand aside to chat, and the two ended up falling behind at the very back.

  For several days in a row, the sky was overcast and although it didn't snow, it was still bitterly cold. As soon as they stepped out of the warm house, everyone felt a chill despite wearing sheepskin boots and thick cloaks. Zhang Hui'er rubbed her hands vigorously, took a deep breath, and stomped her feet before taking the hand warmer from Yinger. She glanced at Chen Lan's rose-purple cloak and smiled: "Is this cloak a gift from your sister? I have one just like it, but unfortunately, I didn't wear it out today!"

  Chen Lan saw that she shouted out without any restraint, and the people in front had already walked far away. She nodded her head and said it was a reward from the old lady before the New Year. As soon as Zhang Hui heard this, she looked at the color and style again, and smiled: "It's said that the old lady in your mansion loves her granddaughter, and indeed, elder sister Crane gave a gift to her aunt, and her aunt thought the color was bright, so when I came back this time, she gave it to me. I didn't expect that you would get it in your mansion. Today, I originally wanted to wear it out, but my mother said that after all, it was originally from Auntie, wearing it out is not respectful, so I had to wear this peacock golden thread one."

  Two people walked and talked, unknowingly leaving the people in front of them far behind. Chen Lan had developed a habit of listening more and speaking less at home, except for his brother and a few trusted servants, there was no one else he could talk to. However, Zhang Hui Xin loved to talk and laugh, asking about the Hou Fu situation, complaining about her parents forcing her to learn needlework, curiously asking Chen Lan about his legendary self-sacrifice to save his brother, and talking about the books she had been reading recently. In short, Chen Lan was seeing for the first time that among the sequestered young ladies of this era who rarely showed their smiles, there existed such a talkative and cheerful anomaly.

  "Hey, little sister, do you know that today's plum blossom appreciation event is said to have a princess from the palace sending over a female official to take a look at people?" Zhang Hui suddenly whispered to Chen Lan as they approached the Moon Gate of the flower garden. "Everyone else envies being a princess, but I think it's so boring - having to be virtuous, manage the household, and attend social events all day... and you can't even avoid people you don't like... Luckily I have my mother, I don't need to be treated like livestock here, being picked over and chosen... Ah, no, that's not what I meant!"

  Seeing Zhang Hui's face full of distress, he immediately winked at himself, as if thinking about how to apologize. Chen Lan couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Good, you tease us as livestock?"

  "Good sister, whatever you do, don't say it was me who said it. Otherwise, when your sister-in-law goes back and tells my mother, I'll get scolded again!" Zhang Hui's hands were clasped together as she bowed to Chen Lan, seeing that she only smiled but didn't speak, knowing that everything must be alright, she couldn't help but smile too. She then quickly pulled her forward, asking in a hurry, "When I was in Jiangnan, I had someone bring something from the capital for you, did you receive it?"

  When she picked up the thing, Chen Lan hesitated a bit, but she liked Zhang Hui Xin's temperament and didn't want to deceive her casually, so she shook her head in the end. Seeing this, Zhang Hui Xin furrowed her brow, but soon relaxed and smiled: "It doesn't matter, it's just some small trinkets like fans and decorations from Jiangnan, probably something my family forgot to send when they were giving gifts. By the way, be careful today, you don't have parents, if someone randomly matches you with someone, it would be terrible..."

  Since rebirth in this strange era, Chen Lan has seen plans that are either deep or shallow calculations and malice, with kind reminders being extremely rare. At this time, listening to Zhang Hui's murmurs of some out-of-tune suggestions, she didn't find it funny, but instead felt a faint warmth. When she vaguely saw that patch of bright red color, her mood unknowingly improved.

  "Look, isn't that your second sister?"

  However, this good mood only lasted for a moment. Chen Lan was looking at the plum tree in the courtyard when Zhang Hui suddenly pulled her sleeve and asked in a low voice. Turning her head, she was shocked to see that by the moon gate, a stealthy figure also looked over at the same time, and as soon as he saw her, he immediately lifted his skirt and ran inside, who else could it be but Chen Bing, who should have been locked up?

  It wasn't long after entering the Water Dream Pavilion that Xiu Zhu disappeared, presumably to deal with Chen Bing on behalf of Princess Jin. Now, she had unexpectedly returned, and she couldn't help but feel extremely surprised and suspicious.

  After a while, Zhang Hui suddenly curiously asked: "Isn't your second uncle's title just been stripped away? How did your second sister come?"

  At this moment, Chen Lan couldn't help but gently rub her temples with her thumb and index finger. It's okay for Chen Bing to make a fool of herself alone, but now that Second Uncle Chen Jiu has just been stripped of his title, what good would this reckless behavior do for her? Thinking back, Chen Bing had gotten into the sedan chair at the second gate earlier, and it was likely that she had used some trick to slip out halfway, so she quickly pulled Zhang Hui Xin and said without thinking: "Sister Hui Xin, let's hurry in, don't let Second Sister cause any more trouble."

  Zhang Hui Xin's eyes widened: "Trouble? At most, it's just someone gossiping about her, what trouble could there be? Besides, maybe your second sister was just bored at home and came out to clear her mind, what's the big deal!"

  For this explanation, Chen Lan really didn't know what to say, so she just mumbled something and dragged her into the Moon Gate. Not far away, she saw Xiu Zhu hurrying towards them. Seeing him looking at herself, she was stunned for a moment, then stepped forward to pay respects. She couldn't care about that much, and quickly pulled Xiu Zhu aside, leaving Zhang Hui Xin behind.

  "Embroidered bamboo sister, did you just see my second sister come in?"

  "The slave was just about to say that. Embroidered bamboo's eyebrows were furrowed, and she immediately sighed, 'The second young lady had been here before, the road is familiar, plus I don't know which little servant in the mansion made a mistake, and actually brought her here... Fortunately, the slave bumped into her, and just now I've already let the maid take her to the Wang princess's place, it's better than letting the second young lady wander around here.'"

  She said with a glance at Zhang Hui Xin, who was full of concern on the other side, and then smiled ambiguously: "With the princess here, the second lady's affairs can be covered up. It's just that I have one more thing to ask of you, Third Miss. My family's Second Lady has a big temper that not many people can tolerate. In these days since returning to Beijing, she has also seen several young ladies of similar age who are not others who are humble and polite to her. In the end, when she loses her temper, it is always her who speaks endlessly, and others get impatient. Just now, the eldest lady asked me to pick two people to follow Second Lady, but with so many people in the mansion today, where can I find extra people? If you agree, Third Miss, I will entrust Second Lady to you, and also avoid worrying my family's princess and eldest lady."

  Chen Lan glanced at Zhang Hui Xin who was peeking over there, and didn't hesitate to agree, but couldn't help laughing in her heart.

  Is this straightforward and innocent nature actually becoming a source of dislike?