Chapter 101 - A Visit
Nangong Yue read the post at a glance, put her hands together, and gently stroked the lines on the post. This post was sent by Jiang Yixi, the eldest girl of the Duke's Mansion, saying that she would come to visit her in the mansion in three days. Nangong Yue guessed that her visit this time was probably because the prescription given to Mrs. En Guogong last time worked.
Nangong Yue pondered for a moment and said, "Yimei, change my clothes and let's go to Rong'an Hall."
Yi Mei softly answered yes and served Nangong Yue to change into a pink dress, her black hair was twisted with silk ribbons and she had a pink silk flower pinned on her hair, making her more elegant and lively than usual.
In this way, Nangong Yue took Yimei to Dongci Room of Rong'an Hall to meet Su Shi.
Su Shi is sitting on a lohan bed by the window with her eyes closed. She is wearing an autumn-coloured, crane-patterned gown with a green jadeite hairpin in her silver and grey hair, looking very dignified.
Nangong Yue bowed gracefully and said, "Greetings to grandmother."
It was not yet time for the morning and evening greetings(jinan), so Su Shi asked, somewhat puzzled, "Yue Jie Er, why are you here at this time?"
Nangong Yue replied with a respectful expression, "I was just about to report to my grandmother that Eldest Miss Jiang from the En Guo Gong Mansion has sent the granddaughter a letter of esteem."
Duke Eun Guo's House?
That's the Empress' maternal family!
Su Shi sat up straighter, the last time an invitation was sent to the flower show had already taken her by surprise, but she didn't expect that today this Eldest Miss Jiang would send an invitation to Yue'er.
At this moment, Su Shi was truly amazed. She had heard that although Miss Jiang was modest and courteous, and had the style of a first daughter of a famous family, she seldom took the initiative to give invitations to other people's houses. I didn't expect that Yue Jie Er would have the ability to befriend Miss Jiang and allow her to visit her house.
Thinking of this, Su Shi could not help but feel a bit relieved, it seems that this Yue Jie er has improved a lot in terms of dealing with people.
Su Shi's smile became more loving, and she said, "Take care of the matters between you little sisters on your own. If you need anything, just tell your aunt and let her prepare it for you."
Nangong Yue got Su Shi's promise, and she bowed to leave.
After leaving Rong'an Hall, Nangong Yue turned to Nangong Zheng's Wanqing Courtyard.
Nangong Zheng soon greeted her, dressed in a red dress with a waistline, her figure becoming more and more exquisite, her skin like a piece of fine jade, emitting a lustrous brilliance.
"Third sister, you are really a rare guest." Nangong Zheng took Nangong Yue's small hand, deliberately using a slightly naughty tone to show how close they were.
" Big sister, if you say that, I'll have to come and bother you every day from now on."
Nangong Yue followed Nangong Zheng into the house. As the eldest daughter of the house, Nangong Zheng's boudoir was naturally furnished with extraordinary decorations. The wardrobe, table and chairs carved from fine rosewood were delicately engraved with delicate floral patterns. Everywhere there is the gentle feeling of a daughter's home-style, with an elegantly carved pear-shaped guqin stand against the window pane, on which there is a long guqin.
Beyond the jade and bamboo screen was the dressing table that all daughters in the family owned, on top of which was a bronze mirror with a brocade cover and a large red lacquer jewellery box carved with plum blossoms and inlaid with warm rubies. Every item in the room was of great value, so it was clear how much Nangong Zheng was loved by Su Shi and Zhao Shi.
Nangong Yue sat on the sandalwood chair with a calm expression. She was an empress in her previous life, and she has seen more luxurious decorations than these. Now that she sees these, naturally she will not be moved in any way.
After a while, Shuxiang served tea.
Nangong Yue picked up the white porcelain tea cup and took a sip, before explaining her intention: "Big sister, I'm here today to ask for a favour."
"Why should the third sister be so polite? Just say what you need." Nangong Zheng answered straight away, showing the demeanour of the elder sister.
" En Guo Gong House's Miss Jiang sent an invitation today, grandmother has agreed to let me host Miss Jiang in Mo Zhu Courtyard in three days, I would like to ask for elder sister's help in hosting her then." Nangong Yue pleaded earnestly.
A gentle smile appeared on Nangong Zheng's face as he said, " Third sister, don't worry, I will definitely go there then."
She got up and took out a set of rare luminous cups and said, "Third sister, when the time comes, I will bring this set of luminous cups and home-brewed wine with me to treat Miss Jiang well, what do you think?"
The luminous cups are made of a rare dark green jade, which is already rare, not to mention Nangong Zheng's set, with a delicate texture and translucent patterns woven into the shades of green, which is very distinctive and excellent.
Nangong Yue pursed her lips and smiled lightly: "If big sister is not afraid to bump this set of valuable luminous cups, I certainly have no objection."
"Look what you said, it's just a set of cups, so naturally we should make the best use of it." Nangong Zheng smiled.
The two of them talked for a while before Nangong Yue got up to say goodbye.
...
Three days passed in a flash, and it was a beautiful day, with bright sunshine and clear blue skies.
Jiang Yixi came to visit as promised, and Nangong Yue was waiting at the second door when she got the news.
Shortly afterwards, an exquisite carriage was guided by a servant of the house and stopped at the second gate. The first person to come down was a maid of about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a light blue jacket and two buns, with her eyes narrowed and her eyes downcast, looking very calm. The maid in the blue dress set the footrest, then reached out and raised the curtain. Jiang Yixi got out of the carriage gracefully with her help.
Jiang Yixi is wearing a goose yellow wide-sleeved skirt, with double scales on her waist and a rose skirt and pendant jade beads hanging on her waist. In her hair, a phoenix auspicious cloud is swaying, and the tassels are swaying gently. The streamer flickers while walking, very moving .
Jiang Yixi was dressed in a goose yellow dress with wide sleeves, with a double-balanced pendant on her waist, a rose belt with jade beads. She has a luan bird stepping hairpin on her hair, the tassels swaying lightly, and the light shimmers as she walks.
She smiled slightly, with a small dimple on the corner of her mouth, and said: "Miss Nangong, it's been a long time since we last saw each other."
Nangong Yue greeted her with a smile, "Miss Jiang, please come inside."
The two laughed and walked through the corridors, rockery and courtyard, all the scenery they saw was deep, beautiful and dignified, and Jiang Yixi sighed in admiration: "As expected of a century-old family, I have never seen such an elegant courtyard in the royal capital!"
Nangong Yue smiled faintly and said, "People in the royal capital have their own preferences, they all have their own characteristics, there is no difference between good and bad!" Although she was being modest, Nangong Yue did not deny Jiang Yixi's compliment.
Jiang Yixi followed Nangong Yue all the way to Mo Zhu Courtyard and entered the house.
Nangong Yue's house is a three-entry layout, with the small room for guests separated by an embroidered screen of pearwood inlaid with flowers and birds. Although the furnishings are not very impressive, and the ornaments on the pavilion are just ordinary porcelain, jade and wood carvings, they give the room a sense of elegance and simplicity. A large ink painting of a landscape hangs on the wall, which occupies most of the wall, making it a very cheerful place to look. On the table is a three-legged incense burner carved from green jade with a dragon knob, containing a sweet fragrance that is refreshingly sweet and unlike anything you have ever smelt before. Of all the furnishings in the room, this incense burner is the only one that is not ordinary.
Jiang Yixi only felt that the Third Maiden of the Nangong family has a unique taste and does not resemble the boudoir of an ordinary girl.
Nangong Yue smiled and greeted Jiang Yixi as she took her seat, while Jiang Yixi took a small square basket made of purple bamboo from the maid behind her: "Third Miss Nangong, this is a pastry I made with my own hands, although the taste is mediocre, it is my intention, please don’t mind."
"Thank you, Miss Jiang." Nangong Yue smilingly took the small basket, followed by a snort of laughter. "Look at the way in which we call around as Miss(guiniang), it's very unfamiliar. Sister Xi, may I call you sister?"
"Then I'll take the liberty of calling you Sister Yue." Jiang Yixi replied, saying sincerely, "Sister Yue, if it weren't for your prescriptions, my grandmother would have suffered a lot. I don't know how to express my gratitude to sister, so I made these dim sum with my own hands.
Since the two became sisters, the atmosphere suddenly became much more harmonious, and they chatted about each other's usual hobbies.
After chatting for a while, Nangong Yue noticed that although the makeup on Jiang Yixi's face was exquisite, the part blocked by the bangs was a bit unnatural. She took a closer look and found that there was a small acne under Jiang Yixi's bangs.
"Sister Xi, please stay here for a while." Nangong Yue stood up, bowed and then walked towards her sleeping room.
"Please make yourself comfortable, sister Yue." Jiang Yixi only thought that Nangong Yue was going to restroom, so she didn't care.
Nangong Yue took from the dressing table in the bedroom a small porcelain box with patterns of intertwined blue flowers and branches, returned to the small hall, and handed the box to Jiang Yixi.
Nangong Yue took a small porcelain box from the dressing table in her bedroom, depicting an intertwined pattern of green flowers and branches, and returned to the small hall, handing the box to Jiang Yixi.
"What is this?" Jiang Yixi was a little curious, she carefully uncovered the lid, she saw that the light green paste in the box was exquisite and refreshing, the light fragrance was like lilies, but also like adding some mint, very pleasant.
"Sister Xi, this is my homemade ointment, it's quite effective in cleansing heat and removing dryness." Nangong Yue said.
Jiang Yixi looked at Nangong Yue with some surprise, subconsciously stroking the position of her bangs, then smiled and graciously accepted it. "Then I'd like to thank my sister."
Que'er and Huamei served tea, fruits and snacks, and Yimei came over to report: "Third Miss, the eldest Miss is here."
Nangong Zheng's voice with a smile came from outside the door: "Sister Xi, it's been a long time since I've seen you, and you didn't even tell me you were coming to the residence!" There was a touch of affection in her tone.
Although they had not known each other for a long time, Nangong Zheng and Jiang Yixi shared the same interests and had been on good terms when they met at the En Guo Gong Mansion.
Jiang Yixi hurriedly got up, obviously also very happy: "Sister Zheng, long time no see. We're just meeting up here."
"If Yue Jie Er hadn't invited me here, you wouldn't have remembered me!" Nangong Zheng walked up with a bright smile. When she got closer, she instructed the two big maids behind her, "Shuxiang, Moxiang, put it away carefully."
"Yes, Eldest Miss." Shu Xiang and Mo Xiang gently placed the luminous glasses and grape wine on the table.
Nangong Cheng personally held the pot and poured three glasses: "Taste the wine I made and see if you like it."
"The luminous glass are filled with fine wine." Jiang Yixi picked up the luminous glass appreciatively.
(A Verse of Liangzhou, by Wang Han of Tang Dynasty)
The three girls talked all afternoon about their daughter's boudoir, and it was not until evening that Jiang Yixi reluctantly left.
