TSNCWEM Chapter 37.1

“Forget it, I might as well go. After all, I did stay at the East Courtyard for a few days last time.”

Song Yunzhao reluctantly got up and changed into her outdoor clothes, her expression gloomy. She just wanted to relax comfortably; why was it so difficult?

She passed through several moon gates and arrived at the East Courtyard, only to unexpectedly run into Song Jinxuan at the entrance. Both sisters were taken aback upon seeing each other.

“Third Sister, are you here for tea too?” Song Jinxuan spoke first.

Song Yunzhao found it even stranger. Song Yexi invited Song Jinxuan too, who also wasn’t participating in the selection. What was she up to?

“Yes, I didn’t expect to see you, Second Sister,” Song Yunzhao replied with a smile, walking alongside Song Jinxuan.

Seeing the surprise on Song Yunzhao’s face, Song Jinxuan realized she must have been as clueless as she was about Song Yexi’s invitation. She whispered, “Elder sister had an unpleasant encounter with Song Qinghan today.”

There was such a thing?

Song Yunzhao, unaware of the excitement, looked at Song Jinxuan and asked, “Second sister, do you know why?”

“It’s said to be because of a bracelet.”

A bracelet?

What kind of bracelet could cause such a commotion between the two?

Song Yunzhao had a feeling that Song Yexi invited them because of this bracelet.

When Bai Lu saw the two of them approaching, she immediately came out to greet them. “Greetings, Young Ladies.”

Seeing that Song Yunzhao wasn’t about to speak, Song Jinxuan smiled and said, “No need for formalities. Where is Yexi? We’re here for tea; is the tea ready?”

Bai Lu smiled and said, “Our Young Lady had us prepare everything in advance. Please come in.”

Bai Lu personally lifted the curtain made of fine bamboo strips, its edges wrapped in bamboo-colored satin with intricate curling grass patterns embroidered on it; it looked very elegant and beautiful.

The two entered, and upon hearing the noise, Song Yexi came out to greet them. She took each of them by the hand and led them into the main room to sit down, instructing the maids to serve tea and refreshments.

The maids bustled about, and Song Yunzhao noticed that Song Yexi didn’t seem to have the look of someone unhappy about competing for something, which piqued her curiosity.

She sent her maid Jiang Xiang out to talk with Bai Lu and the others, and seeing this, Song Jinxuan’s maid also left after exchanging a glance with her mistress.

“Older sister Yexi, you didn’t invite us over just for tea, did you?” Song Jinxuan looked at Song Yunzhao, who was as calm as ever, and couldn’t help but twitch her lips. She realized that since forming an alliance with her, this younger sister had been extremely resourceful. Now, she wanted to act as the vanguard.

Song Yunzhao took a sip of tea. The taste wasn’t bad, definitely better than the tea Cai Shi provided her courtyard. She didn’t drink that tea and gave it to the maids. The tea she drank was always taken from her Father’s stash in the front courtyard.

Since the mother didn’t behave with integrity, the father had to fill in the gaps.

Song Yexi smiled upon hearing this. “Of course not, I have something to show you. Once you see it, you’ll understand.”

Song Yunzhao finally raised her eyes to look at Song Yexi, who had taken a palm-sized brocade box from the antique shelf. She placed it on the table and personally opened it. “Take a look, what do you see?”

Song Yunzhao looked down and frowned, finding it somewhat familiar, but couldn’t immediately recall where she had seen it before.

As she hesitated, she heard Song Jinxuan exclaim, “Isn’t this… isn’t this grandmother’s bracelet?”

Song Yunzhao suddenly realized why the bracelet looked familiar. It was indeed her grandmother’s, although she had passed away early and Song Yunzhao hadn’t paid much attention to these things, so she hadn’t immediately recognized it.

However…

She looked at Song Yexi and said, “I remember there were two pairs of these bracelets. Grandmother gave one pair to my aunt and one pair to my mother. Could this bracelet be from my aunt?”

“Exactly,” Song Yexi nodded. “Originally, I wouldn’t have had the good fortune to have it, as mother wouldn’t part with it so easily. But since Qinghan was wearing one, I couldn’t help but be envious.”

Envious?

Could envy cause such a commotion?

It was clear there was more to the story, but Song Yexi wasn’t willing to elaborate.

Song Jinxuan’s expression was subtle. After a brief pause, she smiled and said, “Such a beautiful item is indeed something one would like. But as an illegitimate daughter, I wouldn’t dare to covet it.”

Song Yunzhao glanced at Song Jinxuan, noting her slyness, as she subtly implied something.

Song Jinxuan met Song Yunzhao’s gaze with a smile, adopting a defiant stance. This bracelet had a significant history; as an illegitimate daughter, she dared not fight for it, but Song Yunzhao, being a legitimate daughter, surely couldn’t avoid the matter.

“A pair of bracelets, the two sisters should each have one.”

Song Yexi observed Song Yunzhao’s indifferent demeanor and laughed. “I knew younger sister Yunzhao didn’t care for such external things, but with the selection approaching, you ought to have one or two pieces of decent jewelry, right?”

Song Yunzhao understood. It was about making an impression.

In ancient times, women would compare talents, clothes, jewelry, and family background. The Song family had some heritage, but not much.

As for talent, Song Yunzhao, sticking to her persona of hiding her true abilities, never showcased her talents.

Comparing clothes and jewelry… Song Yexi was right. Since arriving in the capital, Song Yunzhao had gained a few more pieces of jewelry thanks to her Aunt, a few pieces from Linlang’s bribes, and a few gifts from her Father. However, in terms of quality and value, this bracelet was indeed more significant.

Song Yunzhao felt a bit frustrated.

Looking at Song Yexi, she slowly said, “Thank you for the reminder, Sister Yexi.”

Song Yexi didn’t get a definite answer from Song Yunzhao, but she wasn’t surprised. This younger sister had a strong will. She was just giving a kind reminder without insisting on a definite response.

Song Qinghan resented herself for deliberately showing off the bracelet to Yexi, implicitly suggesting that her mother was not as good as the Third Madam, as she wouldn’t even spare a bracelet for her.

Now that she had received the bracelet from her mother, Song Yexi thought that showing it off in front of Song Qinghan wasn’t meaningful anymore. However, if Yunzhao could get her hands on the other bracelet from Cai Shi, Song Qinghan would probably be enraged, which was exactly what she wanted.

After Song Yunzhao and Song Jinxuan left Song Yexi’s place, on the way back, Song Jinxuan whispered, “Are you really planning to ask for the bracelet? Madam is not all that magnanimous, so you should think it over carefully.”

Although she had instigated the situation earlier, it was mainly for Song Yexi to see and not to truly stir up trouble for Song Yunzhao.

They were now in the same boat, and the better Song Yunzhao did, the better it would be for all of them. She didn’t wish for her to suffer any misfortune.

Song Yunzhao chuckled, “Who cares about that? I’ll have something even better.”

Hm?

Song Jinxuan was puzzled, “Something better?”

“Just wait and see,” Song Yunzhao said, waving her hand dismissively as she walked ahead.

Song Jinxuan was so annoyed she stomped her foot. This Song Yunzhao was becoming more and more infuriating, always leaving things half-said and making others feel uneasy.

Song Yunzhao returned to her courtyard and immediately took a nap. After recharging her energy, she found out that her Father had already returned home from the office. She then picked the simplest outfit, adorned her hair with the pearl flower her Father had given her, and examined herself carefully in the mirror. She also selected a plain silver hairpin from the jewelry box, which Cai Shi had previously given her as a token, and inserted it into her hair. Only then did she head to the study.

The Third Master was reading a book. His current position in the capital was at the bottom, and the Ministry of Works was among the lower-middle ranks of official positions in the capital. He didn’t want to spend his whole life in this leisurely office, so he returned home to read up on matters related to the Ministry of Works that he didn’t understand.

He had only read a few pages when he heard the servant announce that his youngest daughter’s arrival. Rubbing his forehead, he said, “Let her in.”