Chapter 190 – A Writing Brush And A Puppy
To the Madam Dowager, even though Wei Qiuju was her own granddaughter, she was born by a concubine, and she was both envious and selfish. Such a granddaughter was really worthless in the eye of the Madam Dowager.
Wei Qiuju’s face instantly turned pale after the Madam Dowager referred to her as a concubine-born daughter. She didn’t dare to say anything else. She lowered her head, but she was unable to conceal the hatred in her heart.
Wei Yuejiao was also a concubine-born daughter. Why did Wei Yuejiao have it while she was neglected?
Wei Yuejiao had an awkward smile on her face. No matter what, she was still a concubine-born daughter. After glancing sideways at Wei Yuewu, she snorted coldly. She wouldn’t be a concubine-born daughter for long. Mother said that when she entered the capital this time, she would definitely make her a legitimate daughter. She would definitely help her step on Wei Yuewu’s head.
“Grandmother, will that custom-made collar be different from ours?” Wei Yuewu asked worriedly.
The Madam Dowager shook her hand. “How could it be different? It is made by the same master who made the other three collars.”
The style was definitely the same, but the materials used would definitely be different. The Madam Dowager did not feel that she had to treat this concubine-born granddaughter as an equal to other legitimate daughters.
“Since Grandmother has already made a collar for Fifth Elder Sister, then I would keep it and thank Grandmother first. The collar that Grandmother gave me is so beautiful. I have never seen such a beautiful collar before.” Wei Yuewu also picked up the collar in the box. Her face was filled with joy. Anyone could tell that she really liked it.
There were four sisters, but there were only three collars. The Madam Dowager said that she customized them when she was young, and also said that she would customize another one that was exactly the same and made by the same craftsman for Wei Qiuju.
This meant that the Madam Dowager had lied: these collars weren’t customized by her when she was young at all. It should have been custom-made recently. Moreover, the collar in her hand was shining brightly, and it did not look like an old one. However, such exquisite craftsmanship also indicated that it could not be made in a day or two.
In other words, the Madam Dowager knew that three puppies would be sent into the mansion, so she customized three collars in advance. But now, there were clearly four puppies. Wei Fengyao should have promised to send three puppies to the mansion long before. As for the one extra puppy…
The meaning behind this was enough to make Wei Yuewu speculate. The corners of her lips curled into a sneer. It seemed that there was something special with the puppy that Wei Fengyao had given her…
The Madam Dowager asked Nanny Hong to explain the rules of the various mansions to the four sisters. She also specifically reminded them that Princess Nan’an had a special habit and asked them to take care not to do something that might offend Princess Nan’an when they were in the Prince Nan’an Mansion. She especially emphasized it once again to Wei Yuejiao and Wei Yuewu.
One of them only occasionally returned to the capital, and the other had been away from the capital for many years and both of them were unfamiliar with the rules in the capital. The Madam Dowager felt that it was necessary to remind them again and again, in case something really went wrong. The Eldest Master, Marquis Hua Yang, was about to return to the capital, so she couldn’t let anything happen to the two of them under her nose.
After Nanny Hong finished speaking, the Madam Dowager nodded her head as a signal.
Nanny Hong smiled as she entered the inner chamber. Not long after, she took out some gifts and piled them on the table in four portions. In addition, there were several pieces of brocade placed in the middle. The colors were very bright. It was clear at first glance that they were for the young ladies to choose.
“You girls, come take a look. These are the gifts your Eldest Brother brought you after he returned from the border. One portion for each person. This time, you all have the same gifts, except the color of the brocade. You can choose your favorite color by yourselves.” The Madam Dowager smiled and pointed at the brocade.
Wei Yuejiao let the maid pick up the gift in front of her. She glanced at Wei Yuewu and said coquettishly, “Eldest Brother is really polite. I’ve told him not to give me these gifts, but he still gave me one portion. Grandmother, I won’t take the brocade. Leave it to the other sisters!”
Although the brocade Wei Ziyang brought was gorgeous and beautiful, she had seen too much of them at the border. She might as well pretend to be generous and please the Madam Dowager. A moment ago, Wei Yuewu had hypocritically offered to give her collar to Wei Qiuju.
“Yuejiao is so sensible.” Although the Madam Dowager knew that Wei Yuejiao might not like the brocade, she still praised her for being generous.
Wei Yuewu smiled faintly as if she didn’t notice Wei Yuejiao’s provocative gaze. She stepped forward and picked the brocade.
“Sixth Younger Sister, can we exchange our gifts?” Suddenly, Wei Qiuju’s low voice sounded in her ears. Her watery eyes turned and landed on Wei Qiuju’s face…
“Fifth Elder Sister, what did you mean?” Wei Yuewu smiled and asked softly.
The two of them stood very close, leaning against each other and whispering softly. At this moment, everyone’s gaze fell on the brocade, so that no one noticed them.
“I… I want to exchange my gift with Sixth Younger Sister. I wonder if you…” Wei Qiuju blushed and stammered. It seemed she was about to say something, but she hesitated and her eyes were filled with tears. She looked extremely pitiful.
“Aren’t they all the same?” Wei Yuewu asked in confusion.
The gifts were placed in front of each of them, and apparently, each of them had her own portion.
Their gifts did look exactly the same, except for a few items, and Wei Yuewu’s gaze fell on a writing brush in Wei Qiuju’s portion of gift.
It was a big and thick writing brush that seemed to require the person who used it to have powerful hands. Otherwise, it would be difficult to use this writing brush.
Normally, a writing brush given to an unmarried young lady could not be so thick. From whichever perspective, such a writing brush was intended for use by a man. However, if this writing brush was given by Wei Ziyang, it would be reasonable.
Wei Ziyang had been guarding the border with Marquis Hua Yang for so many years. People living at the border were tough and valiant, so it was nothing for a woman to use such a writing brush.
“Sixth Younger Sister, I like your ink stick. I don’t have one. Can I give this writing brush to you in exchange for the ink stick?” Wei Qiuju gently wiped the corner of her eyes with her handkerchief and said pitifully, “Eldest Brother has always treated me well, but I never thought that I… was after all different from the three of you!”
This was a slender piece of ink stick. The top was made into a unique flower shape. It was obvious that it was intended for use by unmarried young ladies. Wei Yuejiao had one, Wei Qiufu had one, and Wei Yuewu also had one. Only Wei Qiuju did not have one. No wonder Wei Qiuju had such a sad expression.
Huamo suddenly moved as if she wanted to say something, but Wei Yuewu stopped her with a quick glimpse so that she stood still again.
Wei Yuewu looked at Wei Qiuju’s sleeves and nodded calmly, “Fifth Elder Sister, let’s just exchange our gifts!”
“Thank you, Sixth Younger Sister!” Wei Qiuju was overjoyed and excited as she hurriedly asked her maid Yueya to change the gifts in front of them.
Although the Madam Dowager saw clearly what happened, the two sisters were willing to do that, so she didn’t say anything.
There were a total of twelve pieces of brocade. Originally, each of them had three pieces. Because Wei Yuejiao gave away her portion, each of the other three sisters had one extra piece. After they picked the brocade, the Madam Dowager let them go back to their own courtyard.
When the four of them left the courtyard together, Wei Yuejiao raised her head at Wei Yuewu. She only greeted Wei Qiufu before leaving with her maids.
Wei Qiufu looked increasingly calmer and she smiled at Wei Yuewu. “Sixth Younger Sister, I’m leaving first!”
“Fourth Elder Sister, take care!” Wei Yuewu smiled and nodded.
“Fifth Younger Sister, do you want to come with me?” Wei Qiufu invited Wei Qiuju. During this period of time, Wei Qiuju had been avoiding Wei Qiufu. How could Wei Qiufu not be aware of the estrangement between the two of them that had arisen because of Imperial Academician Xie?
The two of them both lived in the part of the mansion occupied by the third branch, so they definitely had to take the same way back.
“Sixth Younger Sister, then I’ll go back with Fourth Elder Sister first!” Wei Qiuju had a helpless look on her face, as if she had no alternative but to follow Wei Qiufu.
“Fifth Elder Sister, take care!” Wei Yuewu was still having a light smile on her face.
Thus, Wei Qiufu and Wei Qiuju took another path and headed towards the third branch.
After they had both left, Wei Yuewu turned and walked towards her own Lotus Courtyard.
“Miss, I saw that piece of ink stick was hidden by Fifth Young Lady!” Seeing that there was no one else around, Huamo reported angrily. She had wanted to say it a moment ago, but was stopped by Wei Yuewu.
“She also put that writing brush in the gift!” Wei Yuewu turned her head to look in the direction where Wei Qiuju had left. Judging by the fact that Wei Qiuju hurriedly left and she even followed Wei Qiufu who was at odds with her, Wei Yuewu knew that something was going on.
A writing brush? Previously, Wei Qiuju had said that Wei Qiufu sent her a writing brush and told her that it was from Xie Qingzhao.
When Huamo was holding the gift from Wei Ziyang, Wei Yuewu specifically asked her to walk around in front of Wei Qiufu. She didn’t notice anything unusual about Wei Qiufu, who just glanced at the writing brush and then quietly looked away.
“Miss, did you mean that Fifth Young Lady took away her piece of ink stick, put a writing brush in her portion of gift and then asked to exchange it for your ink stick? What did she want?” Huamo asked in confusion.
“She wanted to give me the writing brush!” Wei Yuewu sneered in her heart and said indifferently.
That writing brush should be part of Wei Fengyao’s scheme!
“A writing brush? What did Fifth Young Lady want to do?” Huamo was stunned as she looked at the writing brush held in her hand. She immediately felt that the writing brush became much heavier.
“A writing brush and a puppy, maybe that’s where the problem is!” Wei Yuewu smiled faintly, her eyes glittering with a trace of serenity.
“Miss, is there also a problem with the puppy? But it looks so cute!” Huamo took a deep breath.
“Very cute stuff might also be poisonous!” Wei Yuewu said indifferently. “Has Shufei been out to investigate?”
She had sent Shufei to investigate the background of Yueya.
“Yes. Before we left, Shufei had gone out. She said that she had a bosom friend who was related to Yueya.” Huamo answered.
Shufei and Huamo were both bought by the mansion after Wei Yuewu returned. Both of them were intelligent and good-tempered, and they could easily get along with people. Therefore, Wei Yuewu asked Shufei to investigate the background of Yueya.
They returned to the Lotus Courtyard. Just after they put down the gifts, Shufei lifted the curtain and walked in.
“Miss, I got some information about Yueya.” Shufei reported to Wei Yuewu.
Wei Yuewu was appreciating a pair of small earrings in her hand. She raised her eyebrows and said, “Speak!”
“I first heard from Nurse Mei that Fifth Young Lady’s birth mother was from an ordinary family. It was said that the Third Lady helped bring her into the mansion as the Third Master’s concubine. However, she died not long after giving birth to Fifth Young Lady. She was a stranger to almost the entire mansion.” Shufei sorted out the information she had collected and started her report with the information she got from Nurse Mei.
“This is something that all the older nurses in the mansion know. Nurse Mei was serving the Madam Dowager at that time, so she didn’t pay any attention to an insignificant concubine in the third branch.”
“But the information I got from Qingyan, Yueya’s distant cousin, is different. She said that Fifth Young Lady’s birth mother used to be a senior maidservant of an aristocratic clan. Later, something happened and she was released. At that time, Yueya’s mother was a junior maidservant who was released together with her.”
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