Chapter 29.1: Telling a couple of jokes

The conversing group split into two. In the hall, Old Madame Pei was chatting merrily with Pei-Shi and the other two Madames, enjoying the harmonious atmosphere. On the other hand, Zhen Yi Yun led Zhen Ting Yun, together with a few maidservants towards Fragrant Pavilion that Old Madame Pei previously mentioned.

The Fragrant Pavilion was a waterside pavilion located in the backyard of Pei Residence, situated by a pond. It featured a crescent-shaped stone bridge connecting to the water’s edge, with winding corridors on both sides, creating a tranquil ambiance. If one stood in the pavilion and looked around, on a clear day, surrounded by the azure waves, it would offer a picturesque view.

However, since it was currently the first month of the year, and the thin layer of ice on the surface of the lake had just melted, the slope on one side of the mountain lacked much greenery. Fortunately, the water in the pond was crystal clear and one could spot fishes swimming by. It seemed that the mud in the pond had settled during the cold winter, revealing a pool of clear blue water. Due to the cold weather, the breeze that blew by the pond was chilly. To prevent the delicate young ladies from catching a cold, the Pei Residence had set up Shu brocade¹Shu brocade, also known as Shu Jin <蜀锦>, is a traditional Chinese silk fabric produced in the Sichuan Province, particularly in Chengdu. It is renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship, intricate patterns, and vibrant colors. screens on both sides of the pavilion. Additionally, they also instructed the maids to heat a few warming stoves and prepare tea and hot wine on the side.

Occasionally, the fragrance of tea and wine would waft through the air. Several maids, dressed in willow-yellow jackets and green skirts, carried items as they passed by the stone bridge. With the warm breeze brushing against their faces and their green skirts fluttering in the air, it created a somewhat intoxicating and enchanting scene.

As for the young ladies seated in the pavilion, some were drinking hot tea, while others were sipping warm wine. With the accompaniment of snacks, they chatted and laughed merrily, seemingly unaffected by the cold.

Zhen Yi Yun calmly led Zhen Ting Yun across the stone bridge. They spotted Third Miss Pei, Pei Ming Zhu, sitting in the pavilion, chatting jollily with many other young ladies.

Zhen Yi Yun slightly lifted her spirits and quietly introduced the present young ladies to Zhen Ting Yun. She gently pointed to them while whispering, “Eldest Cousin Ming Zhen has already married out and couldn’t make it today… That is Second Cousin Ming Ya, that is Third Cousin Ming Zhu, and that is Fourth Cousin Man Li²All the cousins present were females.. There’s also the young commandery princess³Commandery Princess <郡主> refers to the daughter of a crown prince or first-rank prince. from Duke Yan’s residence and the Second Miss from Zhongshun Marquis’s Mansion.”

As she was explaining, the people in the pavilion also took notice of Zhen Yi Yun and Zhen Ting Yun’s approaching figures.

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The late Emperor Xiaozong had a total of four sons and two daughters, but only three sons and one daughter survived to the end. As a result, the late Emperor had only two brothers, Duke Yan and Duke Su⁷Refer to Chapter 6 for the different titles if confused~. However, Duke Su was stationed at the border and, to this day, remained unmarried without an heir. On the other hand, Duke Yan, who was an avid practitioner of alchemy and Taoism, managed to find time to have a son and a daughter with his main consort. 

The late Emperor, himself, only had one son. Although he did not hold his elder brother, Duke Yan, in high regard he had great affection for his royal niece and nephew. It was especially the case for his royal niece since she was the only female offspring of her generation in the imperial family. The late Emperor and Empress Dowager Zheng both cherished her greatly, and there were even discussions of conferring her the title of an Imperial Princess. However, it was said that Duke Yan’s consort, in her humility, personally brought her daughter to the palace to decline the offer, and that was how this matter was resolved.

However, despite not holding the title of Imperial Princess, the status of this little commandery princess was not much different. She carried herself with an air of arrogance and aloofness.

Zhen Ting Yun only took a brief glance before averting her gaze. She did not dare to stare for too long or say too much. In her heart, she quietly mused to herself, ‘It feels this little commandery princess has a tiny resemblance to Yuan Hui. Especially when she’s wearing that expressionless face… Could it be that all good-looking people look somewhat alike?’

Amidst fluctuating thoughts, Zhen Yi Yun and Zhen Ting Yun had already crossed the stone bridge and stepped into Fragrant Pavilion.

Pei Ming Zhu stood up from her seat and personally welcomed them. She tilted her head, appraising them with a smile. Her voice was particularly crisp as she spoke, “Elder Sister Yi Yun, you’ve finally arrived! We were just saying that since you’re late today, you must be punished with a cup of wine!” 

With a swift turn of her bright eyes, she focused her gaze on Zhen Ting Yun’s face, reached out to take her hand with a natural and affectionate gesture, and continued, “This must be Younger Sister Ting Yun? Truly, seeing you in person is better than hearing about you. Grandma and Mother talked about you every day, and today, I finally get to meet you in person.”

Speaking of which, Pei Ming Zhu and Zhen Ting Yun were of the same age, only three months apart. Pei Ming Zhu was born in the first month of the year, while Zhen Ting Yun was born in the fourth month. Therefore, Pei Ming Zhu could naturally and rightfully refer to Zhen Ting Yun as her ‘younger sister’.

Pei Ming Zhu as her name suggested, Ming Zhu, was considered as the true gem of the Pei family. Her paternal grandfather was the Minister of Revenue, a crucial figure in the cabinet. Her mother was the legitimate daughter of Marquis Zhongshun’s residence and her father, who had just passed his thirties, was already an official in the Ministry of Justice with a promising future. Her elder brother, Pei Ru Song, was the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Pei family. At the young age of seventeen, he had already passed the imperial examination and gained fame, only awaiting next year’s spring imperial examination to achieve even greater success…

If the little commandery princess from Duke Yan’s Mansion was someone Zhen Ting Yun currently considered to be beyond reach, then this third cousin, Pei Ming Zhu, was someone Zhen Yi Yun could not afford to offend at the moment.

Therefore, when Pei Ming Zhu extended a friendly gesture, Zhen Ting Yun naturally responded warmly. After having a short conversation with Pei Ming Zhu, she went to greet the other young ladies, exchanging names and pleasantries one by one.

With Zhen Yi Yun’s prior introduction and Zhen Ting Yun’s composed demeanor, the salutations proceeded smoothly without any mistakes.

In fact, those present at Pei Ming Zhu’s birthday banquet were all aware of the circumstances of the Pei and Zhen families. Naturally, they had heard some things about Zhen Ting Yun and were curious about the young daughter brought from the countryside to the imperial city by the Zhen family. Now that they saw her in person, although not reflected on their faces, they were secretly surprised. This girl was not the rustic village bumpkin they had imagined. On the contrary, she possessed skin as fair as snow, a face akin to a beautiful flower, with willow eyebrows and cherry lips, displaying a delicate and lovely charm.

If Zhen Yi Yun was described as ethereal and graceful, delicate and graceful like the first blossoming magnolia on a branch, evoking one’s sympathy; then this Second Miss Zhen was vibrant and charming, like the first ray of spring light falling on the flower branches in the third month of the year, brightening up its surroundings and adding joy.

People often say not to judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to people, the first impression is often based on appearance. These young ladies, born into wealthy families, initially assessed Zhen Ting Yun by her appearance before observing her demeanor and speech. The doubts and disdain in their hearts gradually disappeared, and they even became more amicable towards her. They began to inquire about her situation with interest.

Having greeted everyone, Zhen Yi Yun and Zhen Ting Yun finally took their seats.

In front of these people, Zhen Yi Yun assumed the role of a caring elder sister and explained on behalf of Zhen Ting Yun, “When our father was assigned to a role at an external post, our grandmother was unwilling to leave her hometown. Therefore, our family had no choice but to leave my second sister with our grandmother to take care of her and fulfill filial piety on our behalf. It’s only now, after all these years, that our family has finally reunited…”

Although there were various reasons for Pei-Shi‘s decision to leave Zhen Ting Yun behind with her mother-in-law initially, the Zhen family now had to present a unified stance. Hence, they simply stated that Zhen Ting Yun stayed with her grandmother to fulfill filial piety duties, reducing opportunities to invite trouble for their family. This arrangement also allowed Zhen Ting Yun to gain a reputation for being both virtuous and filial, which would benefit her.

While everyone knew that there might be many things going on behind the scenes, they adhered to the principle of not needing to bring those matters to light. Instead, they simply remarked, “We’ve often heard you talk about her in the past, and today, it seems we finally get to see her for ourselves.”

Zhen Yi Yun smiled and took Zhen Ting Yun’s hand, intentionally or not, it revealed the jade bracelet given by Old Madame Pei. She spoke as if she was playfully showing off, “My sister is truly well-liked. This bracelet, I once asked Grandmother for it, but she refused me. However, as soon as she saw my younger sister today, she liked her so much that she immediately gifted it to her.”

On Zhen Ting Yun’s slender and fair wrist, adorned the vibrant jade bracelet, with its rich green hue and sparkling translucency, looked dazzling against her snowy skin. The vibrant green complemented the paleness of her wrist, creating a striking and eye-catching effect.

The three Pei cousins stared at the jade bracelet, feeling a bit stifled in their hearts. That bracelet was indeed a cherished possession of Old Madame Pei. As granddaughters, they had also requested it before, but unexpectedly, it ended up in the hands of this country bumpkin, Zhen Ting Yun! Although it was not a significant matter, there was still an indescribable sense of discomfort and dissatisfaction, as if they had been outshone by a girl from the countryside. However, considering their status as hostesses, they could not show any signs of pettiness. They had to smile along, pretending to be happy about it. Truly, the more they thought about it, the more frustrated they became.

Seeing that she had stirred up enough resentment for Zhen Ting Yun, Zhen Yi Yun decided it was enough and changed the subject, smiling as she asked, “So, what fun games are we playing today?”