03. Sisterly Bond (Part 1)

Indeed, it is as if one is bringing up the very topic that should be avoided, even going so far as to insult someone as a child without a mother. "How will this affect your chances of getting married in the future? Ah, ah, ah..." Pang was wailing, refusing to shed even a single tear like that of a crocodile.

At that moment, Chu Lianyi gave a subtle signal to Shu Ying, who was quick-witted and immediately stepped forward to say that her young lady needed to take her medicine, prompting the Pang family to refrain from continuing the conversation and get up to leave

The旁氏, unable to bear it any longer, was not there to witness the deep bond between sisters. She affectionately pulled Chu Lianyi into her embrace, saying, "My dear child, your third aunt is heartbroken for you. How could the Yan family be so cruel, bullying a child without a mother? Wuwuwu..." The旁氏 cried out in a hoarse voice but did not shed a single tear.

In return for the peach, Li reciprocated. Chu Lianyi greeted Sixth and Ninth Young Ladies with a beaming smile, saying, "Shu Ying, please go and bring the jar of plum blossom snow that we buried last spring to brew tea."

Chu Lianqing also sighed, what a wonderful person she is, if this incident had not occurred, after getting married, the sisters would support each other, and a large family would share both honor and disgrace, thus becoming more deeply rooted.

Mother, please do not say such things, everything was fine originally. Chu Lianqing pulled Chu Lianyi away from the side of the Pang family.

In recent years, Pang has been tirelessly seeking a good match for his two daughters, insisting on finding the legitimate eldest sons of prestigious families who possess both good looks and virtuous character, and even aspiring to connect with royal families. This fastidiousness has delayed the engagements of the sixth and ninth daughters, who, at their age, have yet to be betrothed, almost becoming the subject of ridicule.

As the two sisters scrutinized Chu Lianyi, she also discreetly observed them in return. Chu Lianqing possessed a radiant beauty, a slender waist, and a pair of eyes that sparkled with emotion, truly a beauty that could captivate a city or a nation. On the other hand, Chu Lianxin, who was only half a year older than Chu Lianyi, was plump and alluring, rivaling snow and outshining frost, boasting an exceptional appearance. After not seeing each other for some time, today’s unexpected meeting revealed her transformation into a charming and enchanting young woman. The Ninth Young Lady, being comparatively plump and often accompanying her mother in social engagements, appeared even more mature than Chu Lianyi.

Yet even in such attire, Chu Lianyi stands gracefully, exuding elegance, with bright eyes and delicate wrists, fair skin and exquisite bones, unable to conceal her beauty that is reminiscent of a stunning maiden

"I can't tell that you are quite the chatterbox." Chu Lianqing gently pinched the soft cheek of Chu Lianyi.

What did I say? I am still concerned about your sister. How will she live from now on? It is all the Yan family's fault, causing our twelfth girl to only be able to become a concubine even if she gets married, and she won't even be able to acknowledge her own children as their mother. Wuwuwu... The Pang family has indeed depicted the tragic life that Chu Lianyi will face in the future.

"My twelfth younger sister and my sixth elder sister are both refined individuals; only I do not care whether it is snow water or rain water, as long as it is good tea, I like it." Chu Lianxin's personality is more lively than that of Chu Lianqing.

Mother ... ... "Chu Lianxin also spoke up.

"Aunt San, you have come! Lianyi is not feeling well; she caught a chill yesterday, so she did not come to greet you. Please do not hold it against her." Before the Pang family could say anything, Chu Lianyi took the initiative to admit her fault.

The words of the Sixth Young Lady were spoken as she stepped onto the stairs in front of the Moon Wave Pavilion. Inside the room, Chu Lianyi, upon hearing the song, understood the elegant intention and smiled, lazily sitting up from the couch. It seems that there are also remarkable individuals in the Third House

Chu Lianxin whispered to Chu Lianqing, following behind the side of the Pang family: "Sister, the twelfth younger sister is indeed elegant, it is a pity for such a wonderful person."

Sister, how is your health? I have been busy with my studies and did not dare to disturb you while you are recovering. Please forgive me for my shortcomings as your elder sister. Chu Lianqing stepped forward and affectionately took Chu Lianyi's hand, as if the two had never been separated as close sisters.

Shu Ying smiled slightly upon hearing this, realizing that the daughter of the Chu family truly understood the bigger picture. No wonder there are constant praises outside about how intelligent and talented the daughters of the Chu family are

What an elegant place; such a location can indeed only be inhabited by immortals, " said Miss Liu, Chu Lianqing, with a beaming smile.

The young ladies exchanged a few indifferent remarks. Seeing that Chu Lianyi, although her eyes were filled with sorrow, did not appear overly depressed, Pang Shi realized that there was nothing more amusing to observe. Reluctantly, she left with her two daughters. However, just before departing, one of her remarks startled Chu Lianyi. She said: "You need not worry about your marriage; how could your third aunt bear to see her own niece suffer? Tomorrow, I will help you find a better match. Speaking of which, my maternal uncles..."

"Aunt San, this can only be blamed on Lianyi's misfortune. Please do not be sad, Aunt San, take care not to cry too much and hurt your eyes. That would make Lianyi feel even worse," Chu Lianyi said with concern. Under such tenderness, the旁氏 could no longer wail.

Chu Lianxin secretly clicked her tongue; the Chu family produces beauties. She had thought that her own elder sister, Chu Lianqing, could already be considered one of the top beauties in the capital. However, upon seeing the just fourteen-year-old Chu Lianyi today, Chu Lianxin finally understood the saying that there are always greater talents beyond the ones we know. She truly could not imagine what kind of stunning beauty Chu Lianyi would become when she grew up

Madam San should have accompanied Master San to take up his post in the local area, but she was solely focused on finding a good family for her daughter in the capital. Therefore, she refused to go to the remote and impoverished place she referred to, and only sent a young concubine to accompany Master San to his post.

Yes. Shuying responded and went to prepare tea, noticing that her young lady seemed quite fond of these two young ladies from the third room. The plum blossom and the snow water swept from the picture book are something her young lady usually wouldn't even dare to drink.

The name is well chosen; 'In the Depths of the Hundred Flowers, There Are People Living' is certainly a place where immortals could reside. Ninth Miss also echoed her sister's sentiment. As for their mother, daughters cannot speak ill of their mothers, yet these two sisters have always disagreed with some of their mother's practices.

Chu Lianqing nodded slightly, as she was indeed amazed by the cleverness of her twelfth younger sister. It had been quite some time since she last saw this twelfth sister. A few years ago, she had accompanied their father during his official duties, and this year during the New Year, the twelfth sister happened to fall ill, so the matriarch kept her confined indoors to prevent her illness from spreading to the family. Therefore, it had been a long time since they had seen each other. Upon their first meeting today, she was able to discern each of their preferences from the gifts they had presented to her. The gifts were truly heartfelt and perfectly suited to the recipients.

Madam San gazed enviously at the courtyard of Chu Lianyi. Upon entering the courtyard, one is greeted by a meandering stream, where water flows gently, occasionally adorned with water lilies, arranged in a thoughtful and artistic manner. The banks of the stream are lined with hibiscus, and along the path, there are several trees of plum, magnolia, weeping crabapple, and pale pink peach blossoms. Between the stones, orchids, ferns, and various flowers such as poppies, ginger, and those from Luoyang are planted. A winding plank bridge leads through the willow path to an embroidered building, with the words "Yuebo Pavilion" embedded above the door.

I am just bored; if Sixth Sister and Ninth Sister often came to visit me, I wouldn't have the mind to fuss over trivial matters like snow water. Isn't this just to remind my two sisters of my tea fragrance, so they will come to play more often in the future? Chu Lianyi is accustomed to solitude, and it is rare to have two sisters of the same age to chat with, which brings her joy.

Upon seeing Chu Lianyi's face, Pang Zi was filled with anger. The pink hue was delightful, showing no signs of illness whatsoever; it was clearly intentional. This girl was cunning; she had suffered a setback five years ago. Today, he had intended to mock her thoroughly, but to his surprise, there was not a trace of pain on Chu Lianyi's face, as if she were not the one who had been jilted.

Upon hearing these words, Shuying felt a sense of relief in her heart. After all, she was a lady of a prominent family, and her conduct was superior to that of women from lesser backgrounds like the Pang family. In fact, the father of the Pang family had also held the position of prefect, but in the face of a prestigious clan like the Chu family, that was merely a humble abode.

As for the headpiece, Chu Lianyi's style was rather simple; she simply styled her hair into a double bun, each adorned with a pinkish-white satin ribbon, with the ends of the ribbons each hanging two pearls the size of longan fruit. This attire still resembled that of an unmarried girl.

However, the one who suffers the most is Chu Lianyi. The ending that Pang Shi described, Chu Lianyi had already anticipated long ago; she just did not want to think about it. Yet, with Pang Shi being so disgusting here, there is no way to escape it. Even so, one cannot blame her; Pang Shi has good intentions, or at least it appears that way. This good intention that leads to bad outcomes is truly repulsive. Chu Lianyi cannot withstand her coming to cry once every few days. Even so, one cannot blame her; Pang Shi has good intentions, or at least it appears that way. This good intention that leads to bad outcomes is truly repulsive. Chu Lianyi cannot withstand her coming to cry once every few days.

When Chu Lianyi was conversing with Pang Shi, the sixth young lady, Chu Lianqing, and the ninth young lady, Chu Lianxin, were staring at her intently

One could see that Chu Lianyi was wearing a pink base satin cross-collared top with white plum blossom and silver brocade, a plain white plum blossom standing collar inner garment, and below, a long skirt of plain pink with silver plum blossoms. Around her waist was cinched a wide powdery purple waist belt, and at the center of the belt hung a pink tassel connected to a jade silk cord, swaying gently as it draped over the hem of her skirt

Compared to the astonished Chu Lianxin, Chu Lianqing appeared much more composed, yet she was still in awe of Chu Lianyi's beauty and demeanor

With a daughter like this, it is no wonder that Madam San is so particular when choosing a son-in-law; she looks down on those with poor family backgrounds, yet feels unattainable to those with good family backgrounds

The three sisters exchanged gifts again. Chu Lianqing gifted Chu Lianyi a hand-stitched pouch featuring blooming flowers of all four seasons, while Chu Lianxin presented an eight-color dried fruit box. In return, Chu Lianyi gave Chu Lianqing a pot of specially cultivated pale green camellias and gifted Chu Lianxin a jar of honeyed plums. The plums were thick-fleshed and large, with a fragrant sweetness that tempted Chu Lianxin to disregard her decorum and pop one into her mouth, exclaiming how delicious it was

The courtyard of Twelfth Sister is truly beautiful, aptly described as "the winding stream obstructed, the steep slope imposing; the green pond rippling gently, the green willows swaying softly." Sixth Young Lady Chu Lianqing noticed that her mother’s words were laced with bitterness, and seeing Shuying’s demeanor—elegant and poised, with a measured way of speaking—she realized that she was no ordinary maid. With her impressive bearing, one could easily mistake her for a young lady of high status. Furthermore, the exquisite and ethereal arrangement of the scenery here added to her admiration for the long-unseen Twelfth Sister, stirring a desire to befriend her. Moreover, having heard that Twelfth Sister's health was poor and now facing the matter of a broken engagement, she felt even more pity. Unable to bear seeing her mother make things difficult for her, Chu Lianqing finally spoke up to diffuse the situation.

Although the Chu family has been a prominent clan for a hundred years, producing a cabinet minister, two high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Personnel, and three top scholars, these achievements are now merely a part of history. In recent years, the family has seen a decline in its population, and there are not many promising descendants. Currently, the only one serving in the capital is Chu Lianyi's father, Chu Qingquan. However, he is but a single tree unable to support the forest. Furthermore, due to the factional disputes within the court, and Chu Qingquan's neutral stance, he has become an awkward figure who is not favored by either side. He has held the position of Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue for several years without any promotion, making it inevitable for the future of the Chu family to be underestimated.

Master Chu Qingshan of the Sanfang family is an outgoing county magistrate. Although his rank is not insignificant, as a local official, he is not as esteemed as a seventh-rank official from the capital. The capital is filled with hidden talents, which makes Master Chu appear even more ordinary.

The most difficult thing for a person is to provide timely assistance in times of need

This is the residence of Chu Lianyi