Spring in the Hall of Paintings

After deep autumn comes the cold winter. The old lady of the Tong family, Mrs. Jueluo, did not like exotic flowers, but she had a particular fondness for the red plum blossoms that bloom in the snow. Therefore, she had a special courtyard in the Tong residence built and planted with plum trees. The garden, with its colorful blooms set against the white snow, was a breathtaking sight.

The maid beside Yun Wei, named Lu Yi, wore a half-length blue jacket with a pine green lining, a jade ring on her head, and held a golden hand warmer in her hands. She entered the pavilion where Yun Wei was admiring the snow-covered red plums and said, “Miss, if you catch a cold, the madam will peel my skin off.”

Yun Wei placed her small hand over her lips, exhaling softly. Her warm breath turned into white mist in the air. She took the hand warmer, warming her slightly cold fingers. The clusters of red plums, competing to bloom against the backdrop of the snow, were especially beautiful, embodying the noble purity of plum blossoms that do not fear the wind and snow. They were not as cold as the white plums, high and unreachable. “Now I understand why Grandmother loves the red plums so much.”

Lu Yi brushed the snow off Yun Wei’s shoulders and said softly, “Miss, are you really hiding out here?”

Yun Wei lightly tapped the hand warmer and smiled as she replied, “When have I ever hidden? One sister is enough. When Fourth Sister becomes famous, we can benefit from her too. It’s a win-win, don’t you think?”

With the attempt of Tong’s third son, Rongzhi, to rise through the ranks, more and more people were coming to seek connections. Mrs. Jueluo grew tired of the increasing visitors and did not want to entertain those who flattered and sought personal gain. The family’s connections in the government were mainly from her three sons’ support, and it wasn’t easy to dismiss them all. Therefore, the wives generally received the guests. But today’s visitors were different; they held significant weight, so Mrs. Jueluo had to personally attend to them.

Yun Wei had also dressed neatly to accompany her mother, Fucha, to visit the old lady, but she couldn’t match the grace of Yun Lan, who was adept at reading the situation. Yun Wei didn’t want to intrude on Yun Lan’s time, so she took the opportunity of folding plum blossoms for the old lady to sneak away.

Fucha was also willing, believing that Yun Wei was growing well, but her reputation should not become too prominent, as it would hinder her chances in the selection. Moreover, the daughter she raised would eventually shine in the world. There was no need to rush.

Fucha had privately discussed with Rongxuan that Yun Lan’s decision to marry Fourth Prince without regard for status was very beneficial for the future of the Tong family and for Yun Wei as well. The Fourth Prince was fair-minded and, being adopted by Empress Tong, was tied to the Tong family by a stronger bond. Moreover, the Fourth Prince had a good relationship with the Crown Prince, and the throne was likely within reach. Even if the Tong family wasn’t relying on their daughters to climb the social ladder, having a royal relative was still an advantage. Besides, from the looks of Yun Lan, she wouldn’t marry anyone but the Fourth Prince.

This consideration wasn’t just from them; Mrs. Jueluo was also very clear-minded. Otherwise, even if Yun Lan were willing, Mrs. Jueluo wouldn’t allow her to act recklessly.

The Tong family would neither help Yun Lan nor hinder her. This was the subtlety of the marriage alliance. In Mrs. Jueluo’s mind, no one could be more important than the Tong family, which she had supported for most of her life.

“Are you here to pick plums for the old lady, or to play chess?”

Lu Yi smiled and pointed to the chessboard on the stone table in the pavilion, where black and white pieces were arranged in a crisscross pattern. Yun Wei’s face flushed slightly, and she pouted, speaking coquettishly, “It’s both, really. I suddenly felt like playing, so what could I do?”

Although Yun Wei was somewhat obsessed with chess and painting, she always followed her heart and never forced herself. Sometimes, when she felt inspired, she would play a game of chess or create a painting. This kind of carefree mindset led her to progress quickly, as her work had a natural, unforced charm.

“Enough of that, I should go pick some plums to send to Mother.”

Yun Wei was always measured and knew when to stand out. She wouldn’t hide her brilliance just because of Fourth Sister’s radiance. When it was time to show herself, she wouldn’t hold back, just like how Fucha had taught her. As the legitimate daughter of the second branch, she should have her own grace and not be overshadowed by Yun Lan’s brilliance.

The two second-tier maids, Amber and Tortoiseshell, were holding a white porcelain flower vase from the Song Dynasty Ru kiln and following Yun Wei. Yun Wei instructed, “Make sure you’re careful. It’s not easy to find another pair of Ru kiln vases like this.”

“We understand, Miss.”

Actually, Yun Wei had spotted these vases with the old lady of the Tong family a long time ago. She had tried all sorts of ways to please her, acting sweet and obedient, but Mrs. Jueluo refused to give them to her. Instead, she enjoyed Yun Wei’s persistent flattery and, at times, would give her a better Ru kiln porcelain bowl as a substitute. The old lady’s greatest joy was teasing her darling granddaughter.

As Yun Wei wandered through the red plum grove, she raised her head, searching for the best plum branch to pick. She handed the hand warmer to Lu Yi and took the golden pruning scissors, reaching up to cut a beautiful plum branch. She flicked off the snow from the blossoms and brought the branch to her nose, inhaling the faint fragrance of the plum flowers. A contented smile spread across her face as the cold wind swirled, carrying the falling snowflakes and petals. Amber and Tortoiseshell bowed, holding up the flower vase. Yun Wei arranged the flowers, and the scene was so beautiful that even the most skilled painter would be unable to capture the moment’s elegance.

“Sixth Sister.”

Yun Wei froze for a moment, recognizing the voice as belonging to her cousin, Jing Yi. Shouldn’t they both be with the old lady? Furthermore, the tone of Jing Yi’s voice seemed off. Yun Wei calmly composed herself, suppressing her smile and looking as usual. She then noticed that beside the pavilion stood a young man and woman, their expressions ranging from infatuation to surprise, to envy.

The young man, dressed in fine clothes, stood out. He was none other than Aixinjueluo Qing’e, the son of Prince Gong, Chang Ning. She had heard not long ago that his mother had been promoted to a secondary concubine, and as a result, his status had risen as well. He was no longer the same young man who had once played chess with her.

To the people watching, Yun Wei, dressed in a crimson fur-trimmed coat with white fox fur, smiled as she arranged the plums in the vase. The beauty of the moment was unforgettable, and everyone longed to lose themselves in her charm. Qing’e shot a glance of disdain at Jing Yi, who had startled Yun Wei. It was because of her that Yun Wei’s pure, sweet smile was no longer visible.

Yun Wei walked gracefully toward the group, with two graceful maids holding the vase behind her. Yun Lan couldn’t help but quote from ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’: “Just like the double beauty painting hanging in the old lady’s room.”

Yun Lan continued, answering her own words, “No, there’s no such clothing in that painting. The person in the painting isn’t even as good-looking as this.”

“Fourth Sister, have you gone mad? When has there ever been a ‘Double Beauty’ painting in the old lady’s room? How could I not know?”

Jing Yi softly spoke, hiding the jealousy in her eyes. She gently said, “Prince, it seems the wind has picked up. Let’s go to the pavilion and avoid the wind and snow.”

In response to Jing Yi’s attentiveness, Qing’e seemed unaware. His gaze intertwined with Yun Wei’s, and Yun Lan quietly laughed to herself. She did have a slight feeling of envy toward Yun Wei. If this was natural human emotion, she hadn’t expected Yun Wei, a native-born Qing Dynasty lady, to possess such charm. However, Yun Lan felt more confident—confident as a woman from the Qing Dynasty. Her brilliance would never be overshadowed by Yun Wei.

“Fourth Sister, why are you out here as well?”

Yun Lan linked her arm with Yun Wei’s, smiling brightly. “You left without a word, so of course, we had to come look for you.”

Yun Wei’s cheeks flushed pink, as if a layer of soft pink silk had been draped over her fair face. Her dark, sparkling eyes carried a hint of mist, perfectly complementing the dazzling beauty of Yun Lan. They were both irresistibly charming, and neither of them could conceal the other’s brilliance. Instead, their combined radiance shone even brighter.

Although Yun Lan was lovely and even more famous, Qing’e seemed to prefer Yun Wei’s delicate, somewhat shy nature. Skilled at chess, he found himself liking Yun Wei even more for her ability to play with him.