Spring in the Hall of Paintings

The Buddha hall was serene and dust-free. Old Madam Jueluo, twirling the prayer beads she had never put down, knelt before the Buddha statue, silently reciting scriptures. After a long time, she picked up the golden mallet from the offering table and tapped the golden bell, producing a crisp sound that resonated through the hall.

When Nurse Chen heard the noise, she supported Old Madam Jueluo and comforted her, saying, “Old Master’s spirit in heaven will be at peace.”

Old Madam Jueluo adjusted her prayer beads and said softly, “I’ve worked hard all my life to raise these three brothers. I owe it to the Old Master. The Emperor… the Emperor still remembers the Old Master’s contributions. This is even more pleasing than the reward of the noble title for the third brother, Rong Zhi. The Tong family has not fallen.”

“With you in charge, the Tong family will not suffer,” Nurse Chen replied, helping the straight-backed old lady as they walked toward the residence. Suddenly, the old lady said, “Today is Wei girl’s birthday. You should personally deliver the box I prepared for her.”

“You still remember?”

“Of course, Wei girl is my own granddaughter. How could I forget? I initially wanted to make it a lively occasion, but it coincides with such a joyous event. We can’t hold a feast, so I’ll give her that pair of matching emerald hairpins from my dowry.”

Nurse Chen calculated in her heart that this gift was even more substantial than the one given to Yun Lan in February. That pair of emerald hairpins was exquisite and very precious. Although she had nursed Rongxuan for two days and favored him a bit more, she remained loyal to the old lady and said:

“Third Master won’t mind such small matters, but Third Madam… Fourth Young Lady is her most cherished.”

Old Madam Jueluo stopped in her tracks and said, “Wei girl is also the apple of the second daughter-in-law’s eye. Today, we are celebrating a joyous occasion, and everyone in the Tong family is here to congratulate the third brother. The second daughter-in-law is busy hosting, so she won’t have time to prepare a birthday celebration for Wei girl. If we don’t make it more substantial, how will Rongxuan’s wife think? The Tong family has just started to see hope, so we can’t harbor any suspicion. This matter must be handled fairly. Moreover, Wei girl…

Among the sisters, Yun Lan is the most outstanding, and Rongzhi’s promotion also has her contributions. I value Rongxuan, who has endured hardships. He has been away from the capital for over ten years, and the second one has truly seen bloodshed and fought in battles, which is different from the eldest. Besides, don’t underestimate Wei girl just because she isn’t prominent now; she has ambition and is very much like me in temperament. She can endure hardship and won’t give in. She’s adorable, and once she opens up, she will be even better.”

Nurse Chen nodded with a smile. She cherished the sweet and delicate Yun Wei deeply; every time she heard Wei softly call her “Nurse Chen,” it brought her comfort. She bowed and said, “This servant will go right away.”

Old Madam Jueluo whispered, “Most importantly, Wei girl has a good mother; Rongxuan’s wife is well taken care of.”

In the quiet study, candlelight cast a solitary shadow against the window, contrasting sharply with the lively sounds of celebration and the colorful decorations of the main residence, as if they were two different worlds. Before Yun Wei lay a chessboard; she fiddled with the pieces, pondering earnestly, recalling the chess games she had studied and played before. She placed her pieces slowly, fully immersed in the game.

“Miss, Miss, Nurse Chen has brought you something.”

Qing Lu led Nurse Chen into the room and stood there for quite a while, but Yun Wei hadn’t noticed. Upon hearing her voice, Yun Wei’s hand steadied as she placed the final piece on the chessboard, then looked up, smiling brightly as she called, “Nurse Chen.”

“Greetings, Sixth Young Lady,” Nurse Chen said as she bowed slightly and handed over a box wrapped in red satin. “This is a gift from the Old Madam.”

Yun Wei was taken aback for a moment and then smiled even sweeter. “Thank you for your trouble, Nurse Chen. Please, sit down.”

“No, no, I still have to attend to the Old Madam,” Nurse Chen quickly shook her head, her eyes filled with concern as she advised, “Young Lady, don’t overexert yourself.”

Yun Wei saw Nurse Chen out the door and said sweetly, “Nurse Chen, playing chess is quite fun and not tiring at all.”

Nurse Chen took out a small purse and placed it into Yun Wei’s fair little hand. “Please don’t think it’s too simple.”

“Your embroidery skills are outstanding; Yun Wei still needs to learn from you.”

“Not at all, not at all. I’m just a simple worker from the palace. If you compare me to Lin Mama by your side, she is truly an expert in embroidery.”

After chatting and laughing with Nurse Chen for a while, Yun Wei returned to her chessboard. She opened the box her grandmother had given her and found a pair of white jade bangles, two pairs of cat’s eye earrings, four pairs of gold-inlaid tourmaline rings, and two pairs of bright red hairpins. Yun Wei picked up one of the hairpins; it was as red as fire and clearly extraordinary.

Her Fourth Sister didn’t have a pair like this. Yun Wei licked her lips, placed it in her hair, twirled around once, and then calmed down to continue with her chess game. With no banquets or theatrical performances to attend, having her mother, father, brother, and grandmother’s gifts made Yun Wei feel no regret or disappointment in her heart. The most important and closest people all remembered her, and that was enough.

With the third brother Rongzhi’s promotion and title, along with the reconciliation between the Kangxi Emperor’s maternal family and the Tong family, the Tong family resumed their ties with the Tong clan. At this moment, people began to take a closer look at the previously unremarkable Tong family, realizing that they were descendants of the loyal minister Tong Yangxing, who had served before the Taizong Emperor ascended the throne. Over the years, the three brothers of the Tong family had consecutively received high praise from the officials, leading to the family’s gradual rise in prominence.

In the past few years, there has been a well-known young lady in the Tong family—the third branch’s legitimate daughter, Yun Lan. It is not surprising, as all three brothers of the Tong family hold official positions, with the third brother, Rongzhi, being the most dazzling.

Rongzhi’s wife is Guo Luoluo, who is a cousin of the highly favored Imperial Concubine Yi from the palace. It is said that they were very close during their time in the boudoir. With a husband in a high position and a wife of noble birth, Guo Luoluo often took Yun Lan into the palace to pay their respects to the Imperial Concubine.

Yun Lan is beautiful and charming, eloquent and graceful. She knows when to be low-key and never seeks to stand out. She is well-versed in various arts, including the guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and she also has knowledge of Western mathematics and plays Western musical instruments.

It is said that she once received praise from the Kangxi Emperor, who called her a rare and precious young lady. Yun Lan’s reputation is resounding, yet she remains very aware of her circumstances. She does not act superior because of her accolades, earning a reputation for being modest and polite. Engaging with the princesses and noble girls takes up much of her energy, and her desire to learn has faded somewhat. However, Yun Lan does not feel regret; she believes that her knowledge for the future is sufficient. Since she is a woman of the Qing Dynasty, she can be low-key but must not be ordinary.

In the thirty-second year of Kangxi’s reign, on Yun Lan’s birthday, the Tong family welcomed many princesses and noble young ladies, making the occasion lively and festive. Four months later, when it was Yun Wei’s birthday, the only ones celebrating were her close family. Since she was turning ten, the gifts from her grandmother, Rongxuan and his wife, and Cheng Wu were even more precious. On that day, Yun Wei’s sweet smile never left her face.

“Mother, the teacher says that Yaya’s guqin playing has improved more and more.”

After bathing, Yun Wei was fragrant all over, her small face flushed and tender, almost as if one could pinch water from it. She snuggled into Fucha’s arms and blinked her bright, clear eyes, saying, “It’s more artistic than Fourth Sister’s.”

Fucha held her daughter’s small hands. If she hadn’t been careful, making Qing Lu apply medicine every day, her daughter’s fingertips would have developed calluses from the strings. Whether in the freezing cold of winter or the sweltering heat of summer, Yun Wei never missed a moment of practice. How could she possibly be inferior to Yun Lan?

“Why are you in tears?” Yun Wei gently wiped the dampness from Fucha’s eyes with her small hand. Fucha touched her daughter’s forehead and said, “Mother is happy. My girl is the best.”

“My mother is the best too.”

Yun Wei wrapped her small arms around Fucha’s neck and giggled, her delicate features appearing even more ethereal. Fucha lightly patted her daughter’s back, quietly reflecting that Yun Wei was only ten years old, and after she comes of age, no girl in the capital would be able to compare to her. The phrase “a beauty who could bring a nation to ruin” flashed before Fucha’s eyes.