Chapter 7, Common ailments connect the hearts of sisters

Awu followed the Cui family into the house, greeted her maternal grandfather and uncle, and also extended her regards to her two cousins

The Duke of Anguo is now advanced in age, with only three sons beneath him. His eldest son, the heir apparent of the Duke of Anguo, currently holds a nominal position in the Ministry of Revenue; the second son is idle and only knows how to take concubines and father children, having already fathered four sons, three of whom are illegitimate; the third son, who is also the father of Awu, although somewhat better, has repeatedly failed in his examinations and holds little hope. The entire family appears to lack ambition, and if it were not for the Duke of Anguo's past sacrifices alongside the current ruler, which has earned him some degree of favor in the ruler's eyes, the Duke's residence would have long since fallen into decline

The Cui family established a three-courtyard residence in the area of Shangjing Donglum门, where Cui Zhixing took up lodging. Accompanying him on this trip were also Cui's elder brother and his two sons

Princess Kangning has left, and this news brought a sense of relief to Awu. She could not quite articulate what she felt, but deep down, she was absolutely unwilling to have another soul take her place in enjoying the favor of the Grand Princess, for that was her mother. Yet, she did not know how she should feel sad at this moment; the Grand Princess's affection for Awu was deeply ingrained.

Awu was aware of her own frailty and had never considered marriage. She had only harbored a slight affection for that talented scholar from Tang, which she eventually let go. With her proud disposition, how could she be willing to endure hardships in her in-laws' home due to illness? Otherwise, with the influence of the eldest princess, it would not have been difficult for Awu to find a husband.

It is said that she is a favored concubine. As soon as she entered, the brother-in-law slapped the elder sister for that wretched woman. Now, he does not even dare to step into the elder sister's room, but has been resting in the favored concubine's quarters.

Rong Si has become increasingly diligent in his studies. Although he may not be as outstanding as Rong Wu, he is still considered exceptional compared to others, and he has also become more pleasing to Rong Wu.

"Sister Si, how can you say such things?" The somewhat traditional and old-fashioned Awu couldn't help but lecture.

Rong Siyanjing glanced around, noticing that there were not many people present. Only then did he lower his head and quietly say to Awu: "Did you know that the elder sister returned yesterday?"

Elder Rong Si let out a long sigh with an air of arrogance, "Do you think the brother-in-law dares to bully the elder sister like this?"

Ah Wu shook her head; this Fourth Sister is truly perceptive, as she seems to know a little about everything that happens in this household.

Awu thought for a moment, then nodded slightly, deciding that it would be best to forget all this nonsense once he returned.

On this day, during Mr. Bai's class, Rong Wu appeared somewhat distracted, yet Mr. Bai frequently furrowed his brows, and she remained oblivious to it. After class, she was kept behind by Mr. Bai, while A Wu followed Rong Si to Ting Lanzhou

In the past six months, Awu has hardly left the residence, and the social engagements of the Cui family have been exceedingly few. Compared to the situation during the time of the Grand Princess, who had small gatherings every three days and grand banquets every five days, the difference is indeed like that between clouds and mud

At the end of summer, a new teacher for chess and calligraphy was appointed, a renowned Confucian scholar was also invited to teach. Although there are distinctions between men and women, the old gentleman, having surpassed seventy years of age, inevitably relaxed these boundaries somewhat. The old lady entrusted someone to help and also invited the experienced court lady, who had returned to her hometown, to instruct on etiquette. In the past six months, Rong Wu has begun to make her mark in the circle of noble ladies in the capital, and it is expected that as she grows older, the title of the capital's dual beauties will still belong to her.

Rong Si's expression was indeed as I had expected, but there was no one around to gossip with, so I could only confide in this younger sister, "The elder sister came back in tears, saying that the elder brother-in-law has taken a concubine."

It turned out that Cui's father, Cui Zhixing, the governor of Qingzhou, had completed his three-year examination and came to the capital to report on his duties, awaiting the reappointment by the Ministry of Personnel. With his father going to the capital, Cui had to meet him no matter what.

As the year-end approaches, on this day, the Cui family suddenly announced that they would take Awu out.

In fact, Rong Si's words served as a reminder to A Wu, allowing her to truly understand her current identity and status, which was no longer that of the Princess of Kangning. The Princess of Kangning could worry about nothing, had no concerns about marriage, and certainly did not worry about being treated poorly by her husband's family after marriage. Well, of course, she did have concerns about marriage; at that time, she was frail and sickly, and a woman unable to bear children would not be hastily married off even by families of power and wealth.

As for Rong Xuan today, the matter of marriage indeed deserves some consideration. Upon this consideration, A Wu was left astonished, as the future appeared bleak. A high marriage is not feasible, but even a low marriage may not guarantee peace of mind. The Duke of An Guo's residence sounds appealing, yet it is merely an empty shell, increasingly unable to even present itself as a paper tiger.

Therefore, today during class, Awu listened particularly attentively. Mr. Gu's "Autumn Melody of the Han Palace" has already been mastered by her, which is a significant improvement compared to the hesitant progress of Rong Si and Rong Wu. However, it cannot be achieved all at once, lest it astonish everyone; Awu has merely accelerated her pace of progress slightly.

It is said that Princess Kangning of the Princess Mansion has left, and the Princess has been feeling downcast. Recently, she has not been in good health, and the Duchess of Jin left early to visit the Princess.

Lady Liu of the Jin State is extremely well-known. The Duke of Jin enjoys great favor from the current ruler, and this duchess is also a person of considerable popularity; there are hardly any in the capital who do not like her, even the notoriously difficult Princess Chang gets along very well with her

In the afternoon calligraphy and painting class, Awu's calligraphy received the teacher's admiration. As for chess skills, Rong Wu still leads, while in needlework, Rong Si remains at the top. The three sisters each have their strengths and generally get along harmoniously

Unexpectedly, Rong Jin's heartfelt confession upon returning home had such a significant impact on her gradually maturing younger sisters. Rong Wu also changed her previously aloof demeanor, beginning to navigate the circles of the elite young ladies in the capital, and her reputation gradually rose.

Is Fifth Sister sad about this? Awu asked softly

On the second day, Awu went to Yuxiugge as usual. Rong Si and Rong Wu had already arrived and were waiting for Mr. Bai.

As Rong Si was still eager to boast about her experiences, Mr. Bai arrived, thus she had no choice but to stop.

Awu gazed at Rong Si with a somewhat dazed expression, not expecting her to speak such words to him, and thus he chose not to hold her usual pettiness against her

"Sister Four, what happened to Sister Five today?" Awu couldn't help but feel a bit curious, after all, they were sisters and had been together for quite some time. Although Rong Wu was somewhat proud, she was not a bad person.

Ah Wu did not speak, but fell into deep thought. It was unexpected that the situation of the Duke of An's residence had deteriorated to such an extent. However, it is also true that in the capital, who among the people is not shrewd? They have long seen that the Duke of An's residence is merely a hollow shell now, and some people are even unwilling to give them the slightest semblance of face.

"Oh, Fourth Sister, this bracelet is so beautiful!" Awu pointed at the jade bracelet on Rong Si's wrist, noting that its color was warm and its quality was quite good. Compared to the bracelets Rong Si had worn before, this one was significantly better, unlike the work of that second aunt who was so harsh on the illegitimate daughter.

Just for this? "Ah Wu looked completely bewildered."

Days pass like flowing water, and Awu's academic performance is improving increasingly. In the subjects of music and literature, he has become the teacher's most valued student. Occasionally, the elder asks his grandchildren about their studies, and the teacher points to Awu, who nods while stroking his beard. There is little hope for the younger generation, and he can only wish that a few of his grandsons will succeed. As for the granddaughters, excelling in their studies will also help them in marriage prospects, and they will be able to support the family in the future

Rong Si spoke at length about the noblewomen she had encountered, disparaging those who looked down upon her as a concubine's daughter, and added, "Fortunately, Sixth Sister, you did not go."

Awu thought to herself, well, this Lady of the Jin State is indeed cunning, impatient with socializing with these people, and has borrowed the title of the Grand Princess. However, Awu was surprised to learn the information she wanted to know from Rong Si, which made her admiration for that ordinary bracelet worthwhile.

Cui's family resides in Qingzhou, and she has no close friends in the capital. She is often reluctant to engage in social gatherings at her residence, and others do not expect her to attend. As for the social invitations from Master Rong San, they are even fewer. Master Rong San usually socializes with his fellow scholars, naturally without bringing their families. He is merely a minor degree holder, and during the year he first passed the imperial examination, there were still those who valued him and invited him to banquets. However, after failing the examination three times, he has lost the desire to pursue such social engagements, and naturally, no one invites the couple anymore.

Rong Si curled his lips, clearly unconvinced, "Are you still listening or not?"

"This was given to me by the Lady of the Jin State yesterday," Rong Si said somewhat proudly, extending his wrist in front of A Wu for her to take a closer look. In this household, he could only find a sense of pride in front of A Wu.

Rong Si sighed, at this moment sharing a mutual sympathy, both being grasshoppers on the same string, and she felt an additional sisterly concern for A Wu. "Sixth Sister, we must rely on ourselves in the future, you must be more mindful and not be so muddled. Just like Eldest Sister, although the family she married into seems good, who knows what it's really like behind the scenes? When she comes home to complain, what can the family do?" Not to mention that even a legitimate daughter like Rong Jin is in such a situation; if it were her and Sixth Sister, who knows how much more pitiful it would be.

Awu blushed, her mouth agape in surprise as she looked at Rong Si. How could such private matters be inquired about? This Fourth Sister was truly too bold, even sharing such things with her much younger sister. Was she not ashamed? How were these second aunts raising their children?

"Why did she leave so early?" Awu asked casually.

Although Awu is proud, he does not dare to be arrogant in front of the old gentleman and diligently follows him to learn

Thus, Awu completely extinguished her thoughts and devoted herself entirely to her studies. The Rong family, in order to support Rong Wu, who now has only a modest reputation, has invested significantly. The matriarch sought connections everywhere and invited quite distinguished teachers to give lessons, allowing Rong Si and Awu to benefit from this opportunity to learn at a reduced cost

Awu truly looked at her with envy, and thus Rong Si began to speak, listing the merits of the Duchess of Jin. He described how kind and approachable she was, how dignified she appeared, and how much he admired her.

Mr. Bai's class did not interest Awu, but he perked up during Mr. Gu's piano lesson. Originally, he intended to pass his studies in a mundane manner, but after yesterday's events, Awu decided to make an appearance, hoping to secure opportunities to go out in the future; otherwise, continuing to fade into obscurity would render him even less noticeable.

Awu listened with one ear in and the other ear out, understanding the appearance and temperament of the noblewomen in the capital far better than Rong Si. In the end, Rong Si remarked, "It's a pity that the Duchess of Jin passed away early; otherwise, she would have certainly kept me engaged in conversation"

Early in the morning, the Cui family gave Awu a complete makeover and together went to report to the old lady about their departure.

Awu felt unconvinced; it is quite normal for a man to take a concubine. What is the point of the legitimate wife running home in tears? It is rather petty. Instead of wasting time on that, it would be better to return home and ensure that the concubine is obedient and compliant.