Spring in the Hall of Paintings

The next morning, as the sun rose high in the sky, Granny Lin, dressed in a blue-green qipao with a gold hairpin in her hair, woke Yun Wei from her sleep. “Miss, Miss.”

“Granny Lin, I want to sleep a little longer,” Yun Wei mumbled, turning her back to the bed.

“Today is the day you go to school. The Madam has given instructions; you mustn’t be late.”

Fucha cared deeply for her daughter Yun Wei. When Yun Wei was born, Fucha had ample milk. Although she had prepared a wet nurse, Granny Lin, Fucha insisted on personally nursing her daughter, relegating Granny Lin to a secondary role. However, Fucha trusted Granny Lin immensely, and even though Granny Lin never nursed Yun Wei, she stayed close to serve her.

Granny Lin originally came from Suzhou and Hangzhou, renowned for her family’s embroidery skills in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. She later married a prosperous husband who ran a embroidery workshop.

Unexpectedly, Granny Lin’s husband saved a woman in distress. Granny Lin, being kind and honest, treated the woman like a sister. However, the seemingly timid woman, under the pretext of repaying the life-saving favor, seduced her husband, resulting in an illicit affair. Her husband, enchanted and forgetting his vow not to take a concubine, was deeply affected, and Granny Lin, feeling heartbroken and with no other options, was forced to accept the woman into their home.

From then on, the once harmonious couple began to quarrel incessantly. The woman, skilled and attractive, knew how to please men and accused Granny Lin of being envious and plotting against her unborn child. She also falsely claimed that Granny Lin had an affair with her servants. Her husband, believing these accusations, expelled the pregnant Granny Lin from their home.

Granny Lin faced a tremendous upheaval, becoming destitute in Fujian and surviving by selling embroidery. Tragedy struck when her infant daughter, not yet a month old, died. In utter despair, Granny Lin attempted to hang herself but was saved by Fucha, who was visiting a temple. Upon learning of Granny Lin’s plight, Fu Cha, enraged by her suffering, investigated thoroughly and, after awakening Granny Lin from her suicidal thoughts, took revenge on her behalf.

Granny Lin, deeply grateful for Fucha’s kindness, pledged to serve her for life. Fucha tested Granny Lin several times before entrusting her with the care of her daughter. Granny Lin promised to teach Yun Wei the ancestral embroidery techniques with utmost dedication.

Spending a lot of time with Granny Lin, Yun Wei adopted her accent, acquiring the sweet and soft tone characteristic of women from Suzhou and Hangzhou. Even though Fucha tried to teach her the standard Beijing dialect, she could not change her daughter’s accent.

Yun Wei reluctantly opened her eyes and, with a sense of reluctance, got up from the bed. Granny Lin helped Yun Wei with her grooming and dressing, and after she was properly attired, placed a jade-encrusted necklace around her neck. She gently said, “Forgive me for saying this, but sisters should always be mindful of each other.”

Yun Wei looked at her favorite necklace with a sweet smile. Granny Lin, who had seen much in her time, sighed inwardly and turned to instruct the maidservant Mo Yu, who would accompany Yun Wei to school, lowering her voice, “Stay close to the young lady and don’t be mischievous.”

“Yes.” Mo Yu, who was two years older than Yun Wei and had a clear, delicate appearance, nodded. She knew a few characters and had been assigned to assist Yun Wei with her writing supplies. Mo Yu had already prepared the writing tools Yun Wei would need. With Fucha’s strictness and Granny Lin’s loving watch over Yun Wei, the maidservants dared not be unruly.

The senior maid, Qing Lu, was four years older than Yun Wei, sensible and kind-hearted with a good education. Fucha had chosen Qing Lu for her daughter because she could help manage Yun Wei’s temper and guide her well.

“After school, I will prepare your favorite lotus seed porridge,” Qing Lu said.

Qing Lu bent down to smooth out Yun Wei’s moon-white embroidered lotus leaf qipao. Yun Wei smiled sweetly, “Sister Qing Lu will be making the lotus seed porridge herself.”

Yun Wei went to Fucha’s room to say goodbye. Yun Yi was chatting and laughing with Fucha, who looked over her obedient daughter and said sternly, “Yun Wei, study hard.”

Once Yun Wei and Yun Yi had left, Fucha asked, “Granny Qi, have the books been sorted out?”

“Replying to the Madam, there are several large boxes. I estimate that the young lady’s room won’t be able to fit them all.”

Feeling concerned for her daughter, Fucha had Yun Wei placed in a suite. Realizing that the piles of books indeed couldn’t fit in Yun Wei’s room, Fu Cha pondered for a moment and instructed, “Prepare the room on the west side to serve as Yun Wei’s study.”

Fucha personally arranged the room for Yun Wei. The large boxes contained rare books, which were the only items left behind by Fucha’s father. He had accompanied the Taizu into the capital and collected many books during his southern expeditions, including numerous volumes abandoned by scholarly families fleeing from Jiangnan.

The spacious room was furnished with several black lacquered desks. Yun Wei, a second-born daughter, was placed next to Yun Lan. Yun Lan gave Yun Wei a kind smile, easing her nervousness, and whispered, “Sixth Sister, don’t be afraid. The teacher is very kind and doesn’t punish easily.”

Sitting on Yun Lan’s other side, cousin Jing Yi held a book and said, “That’s true for you.”

Little Yun Wei was at a loss. She had heard her brother Cheng Wu mention that the teachers at the school would hit students’ hands. Yun Wei clenched her soft little fists and called out, “Jing Yi Sister.”

“Sixth Sister, I’m just giving you a heads-up. The teacher likes to hear praise, and it’s usually your Fourth Sister who receives it. As for us, we’re merely supporting characters.”

Yun Wei looked at Yun Lan with eyes full of question, wondering if this was the case. Yun Lan had a look of helplessness akin to that of an adult dealing with a quarrel among children, showing no sign of smugness, and explained, “Sister Jing Yi, I never intended to compete with you.”

“Hmph, you say it so nicely, but you seem to compete everywhere, hoping everyone praises you.”

Yun Wei was speechless and said softly, “You all…”

“Sixth Sister, don’t worry. We’re fine,” they reassured her.

Yun Lan gave a magnanimous smile, ignoring Jing Yi’s provocation, and softly explained the teacher’s preferences to Yun Wei. Yun Wei beamed with gratitude, and Yun Lan was momentarily stunned by the cuteness of the delicate, snow-white little girl.

“Fourth Sister, don’t pinch me.”

Yun Wei’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she avoided Yun Lan’s reaching hand. With her smooth touch and sweet voice, Yun Lan realized that Yun Wei, with her delicate and exquisite features, was like a fine porcelain doll.

“Sixth Sister, is your nickname ‘Ya Ya’?”

“Yes, yes, yes. It was given by Mother.”

Yun Lan gently tapped Yun Wei’s forehead with a smile in her eyes. “Ya Ya is truly adorable. I want to take you home and raise you myself.”

“Ahem, ahem, ahem.” The sound of a man’s cough was heard, and the sisters quickly stood up, bowing their heads in respect. “Good day, Teacher.”

Wearing a long gown and sporting three strands of long beard, the man in his forties sat down, and after a satisfied wave of his hand, the sisters took their seats. He first tested Yun Wei, asking her to write a poem. Yun Wei picked up the brush, dipped its tip in ink, and wrote “Quiet Night Thoughts” on the snow-white rice paper.

Her small hand gripped the brush tightly, and the characters were round and neat. After finishing, she handed the paper to the teacher, watching him with hopeful eyes. Her handwriting was well-regarded among the young ladies of Fuzhou.

“Not bad,” the teacher commented, “the handwriting is neat, but it lacks the charm of the Li style.”

He set aside the rice paper and picked up another piece, handing it to Yun Wei. “This is a piece written by the Fourth Miss last year. Take it home and study it. It will benefit you, Sixth Miss.”

Yun Wei lowered her head, looking at the characters on the rice paper, which were indeed better than her own. The poem was unfamiliar to her, and she couldn’t even recognize all the characters. Stealing a glance at Yun Lan, whose expression remained calm and unproud despite the teacher’s praise, Yun Wei realized how far behind she was compared to her Fourth Sister.