Chapter Six, the delicate and troubled young woman is deeply ensnared

She glared at me, and I simply ignored her. In fact, Awu was not unaware of the difficulties faced by the Cui family. With only one set of attire left to wear when going out, those ladies who were more adept at judging appearances than recognizing faces would naturally look down on her, mock her, and ridicule her. However, Awu was truly eager to see some of her former acquaintances, even if it meant hearing a few trivial matters about the princess's residence.

Generally, all talented individuals possess a certain pride. Gu Yu has a complexion like jade, a beautiful face, and an enchanting demeanor. Just look at that perfectly poised chin, her grace surpasses Bai Suxin by a third.

The Cui family has never been willing to convey such hurtful words to Awu

"Is Madam not going out today?" Awu asked in confusion

Bai Suxin, dressed in a blue gown, gracefully entered while holding a plain gauze shawl. She slightly nodded towards Rong Wuyi before sitting down at the table, her back straight, not even casting a glance at Awu, which suggested she held this student in great disdain

Fingers danced gracefully, melodies flowed like a stream. As the piece concluded, Rong Si and Tong Awu appeared bewildered, while Rong Wu could barely play the first few notes. He then cast a disdainful glance at them and said, "Enough, enough, I will play it once more"

These days have passed while I counted on my fingers in a daze

As for Awu, Rongjin merely cast a glance at her, feeling regretful that her fine appearance had ended up in the third household. Only the two children secretly observed Awu, whispering, "She is truly beautiful"

After school, Rong Si cast a disdainful glance at A Wu and said, "Such trivial skills are only of concern to you"

As for meeting the Grand Princess, Awu had no such thoughts. Her mother was the most proud, and the Jing'an Marquisate, being a declining noble family, was simply beneath her notice; she would never lower herself to such a level. Moreover, Awu had never even considered the possibility of being recognized by the Grand Princess. From what she knew of the Grand Princess, she feared that as soon as she spoke, the Grand Princess would think of her as nothing more than a petty person seeking power and wealth, spouting nonsense, and it would be surprising if she did not have her killed.

Awu gazed at Cui with her big, watery eyes, clearly filled with extreme disappointment. Cui felt that her daughter's eyes were misty, and the innocence and trust within them made her turn her head, unable to meet Awu's gaze.

Thus, Rong Si took A Wu to the Tinglan Isle by the Linshui River, where the guqin class was held. However, as Rong Si left the Yuxiu Pavilion, she could not help but look back. A Wu observed the raised chin and envious gaze of Rong Si and thought to herself that this fourth young lady, born of a concubine, must indeed possess great ambition, but she feared that without self-awareness, it would only lead to trouble for both herself and others.

Awu stood silently, her lips curved into a perfectly measured smile, appearing neither neglected due to the indifference of others nor envious of their exuberance

Those ladies looked at Awu as if they were gazing upon a future concubine, merely a plaything of the noble clan. Such a gaze was beyond the comprehension of Rong Wuyou at the time, but Cui, having lived many more years, understood it very clearly.

The dexterity of her fingers dazzles the onlookers, evoking great admiration. Awu also has a fondness for the qin; in her previous life, she collected quite a number of ancient scores. When her health improved slightly, she enjoyed playing the qin to express her emotions. During times of illness, she would listen to the qin and appreciate the music, finding solace in distraction. However, due to her poor health, she is not skilled in playing the instrument, yet her ability to listen and critique can truly be regarded as that of an expert.

Mr. Bai first spoke for half an hour about the passage from "The Analects of Liang Hui Wang" which states, "By weighing, one knows the light and heavy; by measuring, one knows the long and short..." Mr. Bai paused for punctuation, leading the three girls to read it several times, then he broke it down sentence by sentence for explanation. Finally, he called on Rong Wu to share her understanding, while Rong Si and A Wu became mere background figures.

Aren't you always saying that the third young lady of the Jing'an Marquisate glares at you when she sees you? It doesn't matter if we don't go. Today, I will have the kitchen prepare the osmanthus fish that you like, how about that

Cui observed that Awu was wearing a newly made peach-red short jacket, a high-waisted skirt in the color of Xiangfei, tied with a five-colored ribbon, adorned with a white jade ring, and wearing her usual gold sunflower eight-treasure necklace and longevity lock, all of which were indicative of her going out attire

A few days later, Cui arranged the writing materials for Awu, instructing Ziyan and Zishan to take good care of her as she went to school

Cui held Awu in her arms, yet she did not know how to explain her difficulties to her daughter. The noblewomen in the capital are the most powerful; the more distinguished the noblewoman, the more powerful she is. How could someone of Cui's status catch their attention? Not to mention her, even the first and second madams would find it hard to gain the favor of the ladies from the fallen Duke's household.

On the tenth day of the month, Ah Wu got up early. For the first time, she sat in front of the mirror for a quarter of an hour before rising. Ah Wu hurried to the main room to see Cui Shi, only to find her still dressed as usual, wearing a somewhat worn smoky purple robe and a white skirt embroidered with black orchids. Her hair was simply styled in a bun, with a jade hairpin inserted at an angle. Although Cui Shi still retained her charm, this casual attire was truly not suitable for going out.

Awu is undoubtedly the most beautiful girl in the entire capital of this generation, yet she lacks talent and appears trivial in every aspect. Such beauty on her seems like a mistake, as if a person like her should not tarnish such a visage

Rong Jin simply does not like her, yet he cannot harbor any feelings of disgust.

Cui's expression darkened slightly, and with a hint of guilt, he beckoned Ah Wu over, adjusting her longevity lock: "You are thinking about the birthday celebration of the matriarch of the Jing'an Marquisate today, aren't you?"

Pian Bai Su Xin regards Rong Wu as different, having mentioned the "Mencius" early on, regardless of whether others can keep up with the pace

Mr. Bai assigned homework, then let Rong Si and A Wu go, leaving only Rong Wu to discuss with her

The music teacher is said to be the former instructor of the music troupe, with the surname Gu and the given name Yu

However, Cui knows that Awu enjoys lively gatherings, and on several occasions, she has gone out to socialize for Awu's sake. Yet, it is precisely because she has seen the way those wealthy ladies look at Awu that Cui has increasingly gone out less.

Cui has gone out once or twice, but from now on, he does not enjoy socializing much. Every day, he spends his time at home embroidering and tailoring clothes, taking care of his children, which can be considered a source of his own happiness

Awu nodded slightly

Awu found her place, sitting behind Rong Si and Rong Wu, propping her chin on her hand and gazing out the window at the green wall covered in Xue Luo, lost in thought, reflecting on how her princess mother favored grass over flowers, with a particular fondness for herbs

On the second day, due to the marriage of the eldest son of the Jing'an Marquis's residence, the grandmother Rongjin brought back two children to the residence. The matriarch specially permitted the three young ladies in the residence to take a day off from school.

Awu found it quite amusing; Gu Yu's musical skills were truly remarkable, with proficient techniques and harmonious melodies. However, he really did not understand how to teach students.

After a few days of this, Awu appeared to be average in all subjects, but there was some improvement amidst the mediocrity, and gradual progress in the future would not be surprising. In contrast, Rong Wu was clearly much more outstanding in terms of knowledge, but in needlework, he was not as skilled as Rong Si, each excelling in their own areas like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums.

Regardless of Rongjin's attitude, Awu was extremely happy, thinking that he could finally walk out of the second gate of the An Guo Gong mansion, and perhaps even encounter acquaintances and friends from his past life

Ordinary families invite female teachers primarily to discuss the "Four Books for Women" and the "Classic of Filial Piety for Women." However, Bai Suxin, with her innate disposition, naturally looks down upon the weak and inferior arguments of the masters, such as "the righteousness of women." Today, the topic of discussion is the "Mencius," which is quite profound.

This child can only take this longevity lock when going out, which made Cui feel a wave of sadness

Rong Si saw Rong Jin and smiled as she sweetly called out, "Elder Sister." Rong Jin responded indifferently and continued to engage in conversation with Rong Wu.

"Awan, come here and let me have a look at you." As soon as Rongjin saw Rongwu, she eagerly took her hand and examined her from head to toe, "You look even more graceful than the last time I saw you. Just yesterday, the old lady of the Hou residence inquired about you." Rongwu and Rongjin are biological sisters, so they are naturally closer to each other than to others.

After the matter was settled, Awu followed the Cui family back to the courtyard. Rong Wu walked behind her and said, "Sixth sister, you have been ill for quite some time and have fallen behind in your studies. I have compiled a list of what the teacher has covered during these days for you. You can take a look at it when you return, and if there is anything you do not understand, feel free to come and ask me or Fourth Sister."

Do not mention that girls of this age, even boys are only studying the "Great Learning" at most, and perhaps the "Analects". Among the Four Books, the "Mencius" comes after the "Analects". For children like Awu, who have only recently begun their education, learning the "Analects" is already quite challenging, let alone the "Mencius"

This appearance is such that even those who are extremely eager to ignore her cannot help but keep glancing at her. One feels that she stands gracefully, evoking the meaning of "the young lotus has just revealed its pointed tip, and already a dragonfly perches upon it." With her delicate features resembling those of a finely crafted jade, and a hint of baby fat on her face, she is irresistibly charming no matter how one looks at her

Because contemporary society values talent, even daughters from noble families must be compared in terms of their knowledge and learning. Therefore, the four arts of the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting are essential subjects for every young lady in the household, and the Duke of An's residence is no exception

Thank you, Fifth Sister. Awu took the list from Rong Wu's hands and expressed his gratitude once more

Awu's words made the Cui family even more troubled. The Cui family was reluctant to go out for two reasons: first, they did not want to go out, and second, the old lady did not like Awu going out. Awu's previous demeanor was one of humility and lowliness, yet she was completely unaware of it, imitating Rong Wu in every way, which was simply laughable. Although her face was beautiful, her temperament did not match her appearance, which seemed to tarnish her looks, to the extent that even the old master was somewhat displeased.

The academy for the daughters of the Duke's residence is located in the Yuxiu Pavilion within the garden, presided over by Bai Suxin. This woman is indeed remarkable; she has been renowned for her talents since childhood and is determined to remain unmarried for life, unwilling to bow down to and curry favor with despicable men. It can be said that she is a distant relative of the Duke's residence.

"You see, I haven't prepared anything today, and it's too late to go out. Next time, will you let me take you out again?" Cui was almost pleading with Awu in a low voice.

However, after listening to it twice, Awu was able to grasp it. Gu Yu instructed them to practice on their own, while Rong Si was flustered and, in the span of a breath, had already made three mistakes in the notes. Rong Wu did not fare much better. Only Awu, without even needing to look at the score, effortlessly played the melody, which flowed into the ears of the listeners like a stream of water. The three bystanders exchanged surprised glances, prompting Awu to quickly make three mistakes and become flustered.

Awu could only nod slightly, lowering his head as he returned to his room

Although music, chess, calligraphy, and painting are all considered disciplines, music takes precedence. However, contemporary individuals place greater emphasis on literary talent; playing the guqin skillfully does not attract as much attention as composing a fine poem. Moreover, the art of guqin is often viewed as merely entertaining, making it the least esteemed among the four disciplines in the eyes of modern people.

On the tenth day of the month, the matriarch of the Hou residence is celebrating her birthday. Mother, you should bring Awan and come early. " After saying this, Rongjin turned to the second madam and said, "Second aunt, you should also come early. " Then, somewhat perfunctorily, he said to Madam Cui, "Come early as well.

When Dai Rongwu hurriedly arrived, Gu Yu cast an unhappy glance at her and then spoke: "Today we will teach a new piece, 'Autumn Melody of the Han Palace.'" After saying this, she disregarded how the students were reacting and began to play the guqin.

As he observed, Rong Si, who was twelve years old, found himself lost in confusion during the class, struggling to keep up; after a while, he became distracted, while Rong Wu was genuinely paying attention.

Awu misses her

In order to honor her granddaughter Rong Wu, who has been talented since childhood, the elderly lady made various efforts to invite Bai Suxin to preside over the establishment.

In the afternoon, there are both calligraphy and painting classes as well as embroidery classes, the schedule is packed to the brim. Awu sighed that being a talented woman is indeed not easy. Back then, due to her poor health, her talents were pursued only according to her interests; learning was merely an embellishment, and not learning was acceptable given her noble status. Now, however, it feels somewhat like forcing a duck onto a perch.

The three finally expressed their surprise. In the end, Gu Yu looked at A Wu and nodded slightly, acknowledging that although there were some mistakes in the ensuing chaos, the initial tone was still quite good, slightly better than Rong Wu.