Chapter 30 - ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 30
When she returned to the Li residence, it was already quite late. Li Zhizhi saw Li Xingzhi coming out of the main gate, and he seemed relieved, saying, “Why did you come back at this hour? I thought something had happened.”
Li Zhizhi smiled and replied, “I encountered some things that delayed me for a while. I’m sorry for making Brother Xingzhi worry.”
Li Xingzhi noticed a man standing next to the carriage, who looked unfamiliar and was dressed as a guard, with a sword hanging at his waist. He asked in surprise, “Zhizhi, who is this?”
Li Zhizhi gestured towards the guard and said, “I appreciate your help in this matter. Please convey my gratitude to Her Highness, the Princess Yongning, on my behalf. I’m truly grateful.”
The guard promptly agreed and then rode away, disappearing into the night.
In the main hall, the room was brightly lit with candles, casting a clear and transparent glow. On a folding screen, there was a beautiful embroidery of butterflies and flowers, which created soft, shadowy patterns in the candlelight. Lady Li was sitting by the couch, engrossed in her accounts. A servant woman entered and whispered something to her, leaving Lady Li astonished and forgetful of her bookkeeping. She asked, “Is it true?”
The servant woman replied, “It’s absolutely true. I heard it with my own ears. She mentioned the Princess Yongning, and that guard is a tall and imposing man, not someone an ordinary family could afford.”
“Could it be that the Princess Yongning truly favors her?” Lady Li couldn’t believe her ears but was overjoyed. She continued, “This is like a ray of hope breaking through the darkness! If she can truly establish a connection with the Princess Yongning, she can help my daughter get ready for her coming-of-age ceremony. I won’t need to run around, worrying about what others think.”
The mere thought of the other noblewomen’s expressions filled her with anger. Lady Li was becoming increasingly anxious as Li Suwan’s coming-of-age ceremony drew nearer. She was losing her appetite and sleep, which led to painful blisters in her mouth. Now, with this unexpected development, she was ecstatic and eagerly instructed, “Hurry and fetch that girl; I have some questions for her.”
The servant went to fetch her. Meanwhile, Li Zhizhi was in the Shuyue Pavilion and, upon hearing the message, felt a wave of nausea. She even had the urge to vomit. She knew exactly what Lady Li intended, but she didn’t want to give her the chance. It wasn’t because she disliked Li’s lady using her; it was because Li Zhizhi sincerely didn’t want her to pursue a connection with the Princess Yongning.
In her eyes, Lady Li wasn’t worthy of it. To her, the weaker should naturally seek to align themselves with the stronger as a survival instinct. However, in Li Zhizhi’s view, a place like the Li residence was only fit to rot in the mud.
She politely declined the servant who had come to deliver a message, claiming that she was not feeling well and couldn’t go to the main courtyard. However, not long after, Lady Li herself came to visit.
The servants at Shuyue Chamber, unaware of the situation, were very excited, including Madam Wang, who said to Li Zhizhi with relief, “Miss, look at what the old woman told you before. As long as you remain patient, over time, Lady Li will naturally notice you, and there’s no need to compete with anyone.”
If it were Li Zhizhi from a previous life, she might have thought the same way, filled with joy, believing that Lady Li had finally noticed her. However, the truth is often more cruel.
While she was contemplating this, Lady Li had already arrived with a large group of maids and servants, bustling into the room. Even the small Shuyue Chamber appeared crowded as Lady Li did not forget to display her grandeur, even in her own estate.
Since Li Zhizhi pretended to be ill, she didn’t get up to greet Lady Li and instead lay in bed, watching as Lady Li took a seat. Lady Li looked around and, with a rare gentle tone, said, “This courtyard is indeed a bit small. I’ll have Ruyi Garden prepared for you. It’s more spacious there; you can move there.”
Li Zhizhi replied casually, “Thank you, Lady, but I’m used to living here, and moving to another courtyard would make me feel uncomfortable. Shuyue Chamber is just fine.”
It was just a casual remark, and since Li Zhizhi didn’t want to move, Lady Li didn’t insist. After all, her visit today was not to make Li Zhizhi vacate her courtyard. She patiently spoke a few more words before getting to the main point, “I heard you visited the Princess Consort’s residence today.”
Li Zhizhi lowered her gaze and said hesitantly, “It doesn’t really count as a visit. The Princess Consort holds such a high position, I wouldn’t dare to presume.”
Lady Li was momentarily taken aback, but Li Zhizhi raised her eyes to look at her and earnestly said, “Rest assured, Lady. I am fully aware of my own status and would never engage in flattery or seek favor from the powerful. We should not let our family be ridiculed for vanity.”
Upon hearing this, Lady Li became anxious and said, “Oh, you child! What do you mean by seeking favor from the powerful? The Princess Consort’s favor is an honor for our Li family. Who would dare to ridicule us?”
Perhaps realizing that she sounded too eager, Lady Li quickly calmed down and held Li Zhizhi’s hand, teaching her earnestly, “Next time, if you meet the Princess Consort, you should greet her openly and respectfully, observing all the proper etiquette. There should be no mistakes, so our Li family will appear cultured. Do you understand?”
Seeing Li Zhizhi obediently nod, Lady LiLooking at her expression, Li Zhizhi felt nauseated and extremely disgusted. She withdrew her hand, and at that moment, she suddenly understood the words Xiao Yan had said by the lake back then. Some people, upon hearing the words “nobility and power,” acted as if they had just eaten bee excrement.
Lady Li continued to chatter, “But you’re still young, haven’t been in the capital for long, and don’t understand the intricacies of social etiquette and the delicate balance of making friends. Furthermore, she’s the eldest princess, with a high status. If you ever offend her, things might turn…”
Li Zhizhi, growing impatient, interrupted her with a cold tone, “What’s your point, Lady?”
Lady Li disregarded her attitude and hurriedly explained her purpose, “My point is, the eldest princess sent her guards to escort you back today as a special favor. We should show our gratitude properly. How about you invite her to our home? I heard that the eldest princess loves tea, and I happen to have some excellent Emei snow buds. We can offer her some to try.”
Li Zhizhi lowered her eyelids and remained silent. Lady Li continued, trying to persuade her, “I’m thinking about your best interests. Social connections are crucial. If you mishandle them, the eldest princess might think you lack manners.”
Her roundabout way of speaking was becoming tiresome, and after a moment of silence, Li Zhizhi responded, “I understand.”
Before Lady Li could feel relieved, Li Zhizhi added, “However, I should consult with the eldest princess first. It might be too abrupt to invite her to our home without her consent. What if she is not available?”
Lady Li thought for a moment, agreeing, “You should ask first, but be careful with your words. Don’t forget your manners.”
With that, she patted Li Zhizhi as if she had high expectations and smiled, “Good child, make sure you follow through with this. Don’t disappoint me.”
The same gesture from the eldest princess felt warm and kind, but when Lady Li did it, Li Zhizhi felt a chill down her spine, with goosebumps all over her body.
Once Lady Li left, Li Zhizhi immediately got out of bed. She had Yulan fetch water for her to wash her hands and even used soap, washing them three times until her skin turned red. She stared at the shimmering ice patterns in the wooden basin with an expressionless face. She had no intention of following Lady Li’s suggestion to invite the eldest princess. She planned to find an excuse to decline it in a few days.
Lady Li was dreaming.
..was very satisfied and asked in detail, “What did she say to you during your visit today?”
Li Zhizhi initially thought about giving a vague answer, but she quickly dismissed the idea. While lying is easy, spinning lies is difficult. If Lady Li were determined, a simple inquiry with the coachman would reveal that she had escorted Xiao Rulei to the Princess Consort’s residence. Thus, Li Zhizhi had no choice but to answer truthfully. After hearing her response, Lady Li was visibly pleased and repeated the words “very good” twice, then pulled Li Zhizhi closer and said, “You did well. Getting to know the Princess Consort will bring many benefits in the future.”
Looking at her expression, Li Zhizhi felt nauseated and extremely disgusted. She withdrew her hand, and at that moment, she suddenly understood the words Xiao Yan had said by the lake back then. Some people, upon hearing the words “nobility and power,” acted as if they had just eaten bee excrement.
Lady Li continued to chatter, “But you’re still young, haven’t been in the capital for long, and don’t understand the intricacies of social etiquette and the delicate balance of making friends. Furthermore, she’s the eldest princess, with a high status. If you ever offend her, things might turn…”
Li Zhizhi, growing impatient, interrupted her with a cold tone, “What’s your point, Lady?”
Lady Li disregarded her attitude and hurriedly explained her purpose, “My point is, the eldest princess sent her guards to escort you back today as a special favor. We should show our gratitude properly. How about you invite her to our home? I heard that the eldest princess loves tea, and I happen to have some excellent Emei snow buds. We can offer her some to try.”
Li Zhizhi lowered her eyelids and remained silent. Lady Li continued, trying to persuade her, “I’m thinking about your best interests. Social connections are crucial. If you mishandle them, the eldest princess might think you lack manners.”
Her roundabout way of speaking was becoming tiresome, and after a moment of silence, Li Zhizhi responded, “I understand.”
Before Lady Li could feel relieved, Li Zhizhi added, “However, I should consult with the eldest princess first. It might be too abrupt to invite her to our home without her consent. What if she is not available?”
Lady Li thought for a moment, agreeing, “You should ask first, but be careful with your words. Don’t forget your manners.”
With that, she patted Li Zhizhi as if she had high expectations and smiled, “Good child, make sure you follow through with this. Don’t disappoint me.”
The same gesture from the eldest princess felt warm and kind, but when Lady Li did it, Li Zhizhi felt a chill down her spine, with goosebumps all over her body.
Once Lady Li left, Li Zhizhi immediately got out of bed. She had Yulan fetch water for her to wash her hands and even used soap, washing them three times until her skin turned red. She stared at the shimmering ice patterns in the wooden basin with an expressionless face. She had no intention of following Lady Li’s suggestion to invite the eldest princess. She planned to find an excuse to decline it in a few days.
Lady Li was dreaming.
…
It’s probably because she had some favor from Li Zhizhi, and in the past few days, Madam Li’s attitude towards her has been exceptionally good, with a pleasant demeanor, smiling and speaking kindly, which was never seen before. Everyone in the household noticed this change, and on one hand, they were surprised that this young miss finally received favor, and on the other hand, some people were secretly speculating if the one from Ziteng Courtyard was going to be sent back.
For a while, everyone in the mansion, from top to bottom, treated Li Zhizhi with improved attitudes, in stark contrast to how it was before. When they met her, they would smile warmly and be very respectful.
Wang Pozi secretly scolded them for being a bunch of opportunists, and Yulan mocked, “They say dogs look down on people, and now we finally get to witness it.”
The commotion on this side was naturally not hidden from Ziteng Courtyard, and Li Suwan, who had been bedridden for the past few days, was shocked when she heard the news. She couldn’t stay in bed any longer and got up to meet people.
On this day, she dressed up nicely and went to the flower hall with a burning and restless heart. As soon as she entered, she heard Madam Li’s gentle and smiling voice talking to someone, “The weather has warmed up these days, and it’s time to make some lighter clothes. Tomorrow, the tailor’s wife will come to the mansion for measurements. If you have any preferred styles, just tell them, and they’ll make a few beautiful ones.”
Her tone even carried a hint of trying to please. Li Suwan abruptly stopped in her tracks and bit her lower lip hard. How could this be?
Li Zhizhi seemed to sense something and casually glanced towards the doorway, where she saw that lingering shadow. She suddenly said with a smile, “I like the style that Sister Wan’er wears.”
Madam Li readily agreed, “Tell them to make it that way.”
Li Zhizhi propped her chin with one hand, still smiling, and said playfully, “I heard there’s a kind of flowing cloud silk that’s currently in fashion in the capital. It looks very beautiful. Madam, I’d like all my clothes to be made from this fabric.”
Flowing cloud silk was smooth and soft, perfect for summer clothes, and highly sought after by the noble ladies in the capital. It was quite expensive, costing one guan per foot. Even Madam Li found it a bit pricey, but she still smiled and said, “Since you like it, we’ll make it.”
At that moment, Li Xingzhi’s voice came from outside, “Wan’er, why are you standing at the door?”
Li Suwan anxiously lowered her head and stammered, “I, I came to have my breakfast…”
Inside the room, Li Zhizhi smiled as she picked up her teacup, gently blew on the hot tea, and leisurely took a sip.
A moment later, Li Xingzhi walked in, followed by Li Suwan. Li Zhizhi watched her with interest, carefully examining her. She couldn’t help but think, “This pale face and fragile appearance look quite pitiful.” But in her heart, she thought, “But it’s truly a relief.”