To Be A Virtuous Wife

24

Qu Qing Ju toyed with the invitation sketched with a flower and had an underlying fragrance. She looked at Mu Jin with interest: "Let's hear it, it's winter, Rui wang fei is inviting people to some plum-blossom banquet, it is really due to interest or to torture people?" The Qin Family was a literary family so this Rui Wang Fei, Qin Bai Lu's actions did fit the label of the refined person.

"The flowers did not fall due in the white dew, and dried in the cold wind. No one loves the desolate state, even more, they avoid it and look from far away," Qu Qing Ju smiled as she put the invitation to one side, and exhaling a warm breath, "If there is much white dew, the autumn rice's ears are full. I wonder after the frost, is there really a good harvest?"

Mu Jin smiled and placed the invitation to one side. She replied: "Nubi heard that if there is frost before and after the white dew, there will be a good harvest. Dew without frost, the harvest could only be bad."

"Our Mu Jin knows so much," Qu Qing Ju stood, "Since it is the first banquet since san dimei[2]married into the Imperial Family, I, as her saosao[3], can't be absent. Get somebody to send back a reply, just say that I will arrive on time."

Yin Liu came in with a branch of red plum blossoms. Hearing Qu Qing Ju's words, she remarked as she inserted the branch into a vase: "Yesterday night, it just coincidentally snowed. Even though it is a good time to look at the plum blossoms, but it is very cold."

Qu Qing Ju gazed at that branch of red plum blossoms. She taunted: "So common, so common. Tomorrow, I'm not taking you to Rui Wang Fu."

Yin Liu opened her mouth to speak but saw Yu Zan walking in followed by Jin Zhan. Both had smiles on their faces as though they had encountered something good.

"Wang fei," The two bowed. Yu Zan, who had walked at the front notified in a quiet voice, "wang fei, just now news from the west corner came. Wang ye demoted Feng shi to yiniang. The Feng Family came again and was lectured by wang ye. 

Hearing the news, Qu Qing Ju had the feeling that this was what was expected. She loosened her grasp on the hand warmer to hold a cup of hot tea, "Did Feng shi make any noise?"

Yu Zan curled her lip and continued: "Nubi heard the tantrum started early in the morning but nobody paid attention so some things were smashed. It managed to quiet down by noon but until now, she still hasn't eaten." This Feng shi still hadn't given up. Last time after she had begged in front of wang fei, she had quieted for two days. Today, hearing that wang ye was demoting her, she once again started a senseless tantrum.

"Let the kitchen know to not slight Xi Jiao Yuan's food," Qu Qing Ju sipped on a cup of tea and intoned, "It doesn't matter if Feng shi eats or not. Whatever her stipend is, it will all be given to her. As to the objects she smashes? Let her. Our wang fu might not be extravagant, but it's possible to sacrifice a few vases. Don't stop her." That little suite in the western corner of wang fu, she wondered what it was like now.

Hearing wang fei's words, Mu Jin assured from the side: "Don't worry, wang fei. Nubi will tell Huang Yang to send your words over immediately. It's such a pity that wang fei's generosity and mercy hasn't eased Feng shiqie's hubris. Such a disappointment."

"It can't be helped. She's a pampered and spoiled daughter of a government official, her hubris is a habit," Qu Qing Ju put down the tea cup, "Just a little shiqie, there's no need to take her seriously."

Yin Liu heard this and raised her head. She saw wang fei and Mu Jin share the same smile. This smile seemed to have a hint of deviousness. The words were reasonable but why were wang feiand Mu Jin's smiles so strange?