Chapter 3, Hall of Flower Praise

Xuan Ye's face turned red, "The Third Young Master isn't starting a fire over there, where will the ingredients come from?"

Mr. Cui chuckled and said, "In this world, there is no such thing as good or bad, right or wrong. Debating what is right or wrong is the most tedious thing in existence; even if you argue for a hundred years, it will not lead to a conclusion. If you can stand at the highest point and command the harem, whatever you do is right."

Su Ying asked in surprise, "Why should Mr. Cui ask me about these things when I don't have to worry about them?"

Xuan Ye took it as a compliment and smiled playfully

Go to the Flower Hall to find the lady teacher

Mr. Cui's eyes lit up. Although it was just a moment of brilliance, Su Ying had already sensed the teacher's appreciation for her

The year Su Ying's mother passed away, the seventh lady of the Su family, Bai Xiaoxiao, also lost her firstborn and was unable to conceive again. Bai Xiaoxiao was heartbroken and, seeing the young Su Ying and her siblings pitiably deprived of their mother, she spoke to Master Su and decided to raise the two of them as her own children

The harsh winter arrives fiercely and departs swiftly. The cold wind sweeps away the remnants of snow, and spring in the northern country arrives as scheduled

I am waiting for you here, hurry up—don't use colored or patterned paper to wrap it, Mr. Cui will dislike it

Su Huai hesitantly replied: "My younger sister is not as clever as the seventh sister and does not have much ability to attract attention."

Since Xuan Ye has nothing to do, let her take it. The sisters are all busy, how can I trouble you? Su Ying smiled and declined, pulling Xuan Ye along as they left

Sister Ba Mei gently said: "In fact, sometimes, rather than showing off power to those people, it is better to get along well—there will always be times when it will be useful in the future"

Mr. Cui watched as Xuan Ye placed the bean cake wrapped in clean white paper on the table, nodding to Su Ying as if he knew it was her idea, yet he said, "Xuan Ye's thoughts are becoming increasingly meticulous."

However, the servants all know that they appear to be close but are actually distant. At this time, Bai Xiaoxiao's favor has not waned, and she has not truly taken the Su Ying siblings seriously. The servants rely on reading the room to make a living, and understanding the dynamics at play, they naturally do not expend effort on Su Ying, treating her with indifference.

Su Ying and Mian Sheng were ready, just waiting for Xuan Ye to bring the ingredients. After waiting for a while without seeing Xuan Ye's figure, she became a bit anxious and ran to the courtyard gate to look around. After a long time, she finally saw Xuan Ye walking back in a huff.

The relationship between the Cui family and the Su family is extremely close: the Cui family has served as instructors for the imperial concubines for generations, almost exclusively providing education for the Su family. The members of the Cui family are well aware of the Su family's dedication to the inner palace, and thus they cultivate their own children to become specialized instructors for young women. Year after year, this practice has allowed the daughters of the Cui family to accumulate a wealth of experience and connections, leading the Su family to increasingly value them, while the Cui family, unwilling to remain in the ranks of ordinary families, has chosen to serve specifically in the Su family.

Another maid, feeling indignant, snorted and said: "No matter how clever she is, it is of no use! If she has the ability, let her enter the inner palace and compete with the eldest and second young ladies! If she cannot enter the palace, what good are her wits?"

The twelfth month of the lunar calendar is the busiest time of the year, and the young masters and ladies are all extremely occupied. In contrast, Su Ying's side remains as quiet as ever, with only Su Sa occasionally sending someone to deliver some New Year necessities to her. This situation has persisted for several years, and Su Ying has long since become accustomed to it. Only Xuan Ye, every New Year, feels compelled to speak up for Su Ying, which inevitably leads to arguments with the servants in charge from various places—these disputes rarely result in any significant change, and in the end, it is only she who sheds a few bitter tears for Su Ying. Instead, Su Ying finds herself comforting her.

Mr. Cui immediately became nonchalant again and softly said: "I have an older sister who is also a teacher. She often asks her students: In the harem, where people of all kinds are mixed, how should one treat them? Many young ladies can articulate their thoughts eloquently, but there is one young lady who does not respond at all. When my sister privately asked her what she thought, she smiled calmly and said, 'If the teacher is a wise person, she should not keep pressing me for an answer.'

At this moment, Su Lan persistently asked, "Teacher, please tell us who is right between me and Huai Mei!"

She later entered the palace with that young lady Mr. Cui said flatly while eating the bean cake: "That young lady is the current empress"

Su Ying also understood that she currently held no significant status and might not achieve great success in the future. She would endure some minor grievances, knowing that Aunt Qi would not truly take them to heart—after all, she was not a biological child. However, she was certain that Bai Xiaoxiao would not mistreat Su Sa in the future. Her brother would still need to rely on Bai Xiaoxiao to speak on his behalf in front of their father, so she did not care how this aunt viewed her, focusing solely on maintaining a good outward appearance.

Su Ying smiled but did not respond

The Yonghua Hall is a relatively large courtyard within the Su residence. In his youth, Master Su was charming and had a great appreciation for beauty. One day, while enjoying wine and merriment in this courtyard, he looked at his beautiful wives and concubines around him, and in a moment of joy, he named this place "Yonghua Hall." Moreover, he named each of his twelve wives and concubines after flowers. The first wife, of course, was the flower queen, the peony. The seventh concubine, Bai Xiaoxiao, was named after the poppy, and the late mother of Su Ying, the ninth concubine, was named after the daffodil. Not only that, he also named each of his twelve wives and concubines after flowers. The first wife, of course, was the flower queen, the peony. The seventh concubine, Bai Xiaoxiao, was named after the poppy, and the late mother of Su Ying, the ninth concubine, was named after the daffodil.

Su Ying's deceased mother was from Mianzhou, and during her childhood, she only ate spring pancakes specially made by chefs from Mianzhou. Of course, such pampering will not befall her now. Fortunately, Su Ying has an excellent memory; as long as all the ingredients are prepared, she can also make very delicious spring pancakes herself

Su Ying was in high spirits today and instructed Xuan Ye to fetch some ingredients from her brother, while she herself hurried to the side room to start a fire

If Bai Xiaoxiao really sees this box of spring pancakes after returning, it would indeed be a strange occurrence! Su Ying is well aware that as soon as she turns to leave, that box of spring pancakes will be immediately divided among the maidservants. This is not the first time she has encountered such a situation. The year before last, when she and Xuan Ye brought a box of cold cakes, those maidservants devoured them. When Bai Xiaoxiao inquired about it later, they actually said: "After all, that thing is quite unremarkable, only suitable for us lowly servants to taste, how could it be presented before the madam? Your stomach is quite delicate; what if you get sick from it!" Bai Xiaoxiao has always indulged these girls, and they even said: "After all, that thing is quite unremarkable, only suitable for us lowly servants to taste, how could it be presented before the madam? Your stomach is quite delicate; what if you get sick from it!" Bai Xiaoxiao surprisingly said nothing. Su Ying soon heard about this incident, and she was so furious that her teeth chattered, vowing never to believe the nonsense of these maidservants again

Xuan Ye had been serving the young ladies in the mansion since childhood and had never learned to cook. Therefore, her father assigned a maid who could cook to assist her. However, after half a month, Su Ying fell ill with vomiting and diarrhea, lying in bed without the strength to speak. Xuan Ye cried and scolded, driving away that maid, and began to figure out how to prepare delicious food for Su Ying. It took three to four months of nurturing before Su Ying regained her strength.

Xuan Ye said: "The maid has made some bean cakes and has brought them for you to taste"

Su Ying frowned: "Aren't you supposed to go to San Ge's place? Why did you run to the big kitchen? You're just asking for trouble."

Mr. Cui, as always, is impeccably clean and tidy from head to toe. She only applies a light touch of makeup during lessons and does not pay much attention to her appearance on ordinary days. Her looks are plain and unremarkable, showing no signs of being superior to others, yet whenever she speaks, she possesses a unique demeanor

With the study established, it is only natural to invite a gentleman to take residence. Among a group of candidates, the third young lady of the Zhitong Cui family stood out and became the female tutor for the young ladies of the Su family

Seventh Aunt Bai Xiaoxiao has a preference for receiving gifts that are multiples of twelve, and everyone in the Su family is aware of this

Miss Cui San, named Luo Hua, has given herself the title of the Western Wind Nun. Her temperament is like the wind, free and indifferent. She is twenty-six years old this year and has never married. This is a peculiar phenomenon in the Cui family: many girls from the Cui family are accomplished, and there are quite a few who remain unmarried throughout their lives. Perhaps it is due to having seen too much of the ways of the world that they are unwilling to marry—many people say this.

Each concubine in the residence has her own small courtyard, and Bai Xiaoxiao's courtyard is situated in a prime location, which she seized from the previous lady who resided here after her arrival. Having been favored for over a decade, the threshold of this small courtyard has been worn smooth from constant use.

The maids hurriedly said: "How can we trouble the young lady with this! It is our duty to deliver it."

Xuan Ye complained while washing the vegetables, and Su Ying listened with a smile. The two quickly made twenty to thirty translucent spring pancakes. After eating a few while chatting and laughing, Su Ying suddenly said: "Get a nice food box and pack twelve of them"

In the northern regions, daughters do not reside in embroidered buildings like the young women in the southern regions. In families of respectable status, each daughter has a small courtyard; the main house is for the young lady, while one side room is for the maids and the other serves as the kitchen, responsible for cooking and boiling water. According to custom, daughters are not allowed to dine at the table with their family, and each one resolves their meals in their respective small courtyards, with all ingredients provided by the large kitchen.

Sister Qimei chuckled and said, "When you encounter such a person, if you don't let her know your capabilities, she will always find ways to climb over you! Therefore, I say—regarding those unpromising individuals, you must let them know whose words carry weight!"

The teachings of the Cui family are extensive, covering astronomy, geography, political history, and the intricacies of human relationships. After reading numerous books, they lament the fate of women and are unwilling to submit to men. The Cui family's perspective is remarkably unique, and their teachings are quite special—they are able to extract the survival strategies of the inner court from any event, which is also the reason why the Su family has invited them.

Su Ying was startled as she listened from outside the window: her two younger sisters were only one year younger than her, yet they were no longer children. Then she thought again, Xuan Ye was one year older than herself, yet she often acted foolishly as well. Whether one is impressive or not has nothing to do with age

Over the years, everyone in the Su residence has come to know that the Sixth Miss, Su Ying, has become increasingly gentle and well-behaved, and more agreeable in her demeanor

Su Ying let out a soft "hm" and selected twelve exquisitely crafted spring pancakes, arranging them in a delicate floral shape within the box. Satisfied with the impeccable presentation, she took Xuan Ye by the hand and headed towards Aunt Qi's small courtyard

"Ladies, you have piano lessons this afternoon, so you should head back to prepare," Mr. Cui dismissed Su Lan and Su Huai, then smiled slightly at Su Ying, saying, "It has been a long time since the sixth young lady last visited."

In fact, the young ladies do not focus their thoughts on eating; most of the time, they simply instruct the chef to prepare a little extra when cooking for the family. Su Ying used to eat this way as well, but after her mother passed away, this practice had to change. The food sent from the kitchen was subpar, and eventually, there was no longer any for her. The servants' attitudes shifted, and they dared to speak all sorts of unpleasant words. "According to the rules, the young lady should cook for herself in the courtyard," and "Do you think anyone can command us?" were among the remarks Su Ying often heard. The servants' attitudes shifted, and they dared to speak all sorts of unpleasant words. "According to the rules, the young lady should cook for herself in the courtyard," and "Do you think anyone can command us?" were among the remarks Su Ying often heard.

Su Ying had always been cherished and pampered by her mother, never having suffered even the slightest grievance. Hearing their cold words left her dumbfounded, unable to utter a retort. During those days, her third brother Su Sa had just been sent to the Eastern Palace as a reader, and had not returned for an entire month. She and Xuan Ye were left helpless, and the two of them were so hungry that they cried in each other's arms. Taking advantage of her young age, Su Ying went to her father, crying and making a scene—after all, children speak without restraint. Her father was at a loss with her, and ordered the kitchen to prepare ingredients, instructing her maids to cook special meals for her, ensuring that she was not neglected.

Su Lan and Su Huai, both lost in thought, fell silent.

The youthful pleasures quickly faded away, and Master Su discovered that the beauties, as lovely as flowers, were declining day by day. Around him, a group of lively little ones had appeared... The interests of yesteryear soon vanished, and Master Su began to contemplate: this one can be sent to the palace, that one is of no use, it would suffice to send her off to a family of equal status, this one is frail, I fear she cannot be sustained... As the children grew a little older, it was time for them to learn to read and write. Master Su spoke up: since the Yung Hua Hall is idle, let it be used for the young ladies' education. The interests of yesteryear soon vanished, and Master Su began to contemplate: this one can be sent to the palace, that one is of no use, it would suffice to send her off to a family of equal status, this one is frail, I fear she cannot be sustained... As the children grew a little older, it was time for them to learn to read and write. Master Su spoke up: since the Yung Hua Hall is idle, let it be used for the young ladies' education

From that time on, the two of them, mistress and servant, personally handled everything, and after a few years, both of their skills were quite good. At first, Xuan Ye absolutely refused to let Su Ying take action, but later thought: what if one day she is no longer around, and the new maid does not understand Su Ying's tastes, causing her to have an upset stomach? With this thought, she allowed Su Ying to season and cook.

Su Ying hurried to the door and smiled at Mr. Cui, saying, "I heard the teacher speaking all along, so I didn't dare to come in and disturb."

"I happen to be going over there as well, so I might as well take it with me," Su Ying said as she walked outside.

As Su Ying entered, she saw Bai Xiaoxiao's maid organizing a box of spring clothing. Perhaps due to the pleasant weather, the clothes were taken out to be aired—each piece was radiant and brilliant, spread out in the small courtyard, resembling clusters of vibrant evening clouds.

What happened again? Su Ying could tell from her expression that it was not a good thing

Xuan Ye sighed, lost in thought for a moment, and suddenly said: "How unfair life is—being born just a month late, and one's entire fate could be different. I heard that Consort Dan was also born on a very cold day, coincidentally on the seventh day of the first month, right when the selection of women was taking place, and the number 'seven' is quite auspicious... Just look at her glory now..." As she spoke, she realized she had misspoken and quickly slapped her mouth, saying, "Let’s not talk about this!"

Mr. Cui raised his voice and asked, "Who has been outside all this time?"

Mr. Cui picked up a thumb-sized bean cake and tasted it, praising Xuan Ye's skill without reservation, while Su Ying chimed in beside him, extolling Xuan Ye to great delight. As they were talking, Mr. Cui suddenly asked: "Miss Liu also heard what was just said, I wonder what Miss Liu thinks?"

Mr. Cui gave a slight bow to Su Ying, while Su Huai greeted Liu Jie. However, Su Lan seemed to see nothing and continued to focus on her book

Mr. Cui said lightly: "The two young ladies have distinctly different personalities, so their approaches to dealing with people and situations naturally vary."

Where is Aunt Qiyi going for a stroll today? Su Ying asked with a smile.

Su Ying did not hear what she said, only hearing her ask: "If it were you, how would you handle such a situation?"

Mr. Cui has many sisters, among whom there are several outstanding female instructors

"Miss, your disposition is too mild." Xuan Ye often shook his head and sighed, "If you keep enduring like this, others will not value you; instead, they will think even more that they can bully you at will"

On the day of the Beginning of Spring, everyone in the Su residence ate spring pancakes to celebrate the occasion. However, Su Ying found it rather dull—this year, there were two types of spring pancakes. One type was sent by Aunt Qi, who is from Luanzhou. The chef specially made her spring pancakes with a Luanzhou flavor, filled with dried shrimp and crab meat. Su Ying did not like seafood, so she reluctantly ate one and gave the rest to the maids coming in and out. The other type was sent by her elder brother: last time, Su Ying had given him a piece of wood, and he used the spring pancakes to express his gratitude. However, the spring pancakes he sent were filled with his favorite mixture of lard and fried tofu, which Su Ying found even more distasteful but could not voice her feelings. This time, she had no choice but to force a smile and eat a few, not daring to share them with the servants for fear of offending her brother. For the next two days, she felt a heaviness in her stomach and had no desire to eat anything.

"It is probably due to being born in the twelfth lunar month," Su Ying said with a gentle smile, teasingly adding, "It was particularly cold on the day I was born, so it is destined by heaven that my temperament is cool and indifferent, and that I must endure."

Su Ying understood her innocence and did not take offense, yet she felt a slight sense of disappointment in her heart

"Enough already! Can you really compete with them?" Su Ying took a few steps and suddenly said, "You should hurry back and pack four pieces of the bean cake we made last night."

Xuan Ye understood immediately and quickly found a clean and beautiful round box. "Is the young lady going to send this to Aunt Qi?"

Xuan Ye walked straight into the kitchen without saying a word, angrily throwing various vegetables onto the stove, and said: "Those people in the big kitchen are simply infuriating! They say they have nothing when I ask for anything! They reluctantly give me three or five scallions, ginger, and garlic, and they are all the leftover, inferior ones!"

Su Ying certainly cannot tell others that she is cooking, as such self-deprecating behavior would only lower her status further in the eyes of others. Therefore, everyone in the household believes that the delicious food and drink are all arranged by Xuan Ye. Whenever there are gatherings or banquets in the small courtyards, they would say a few flattering words to her, asking for her assistance in preparing a few items.

Su Ying blinked her eyes and asked, "Which one is your sister?"

I know

You go and tell him, he will naturally send someone to the kitchen to request it. Su Ying said lightly, "Even if he doesn't start the stove, the kitchen wouldn't dare to be negligent. I don't believe the kitchen staff would disregard Third Brother either." As she spoke, she checked the items and smiled, "Our Su family's kitchen will not have anything subpar. These vegetables and dishes merely have a few minor flaws, which do not affect the taste"

Xuan Ye was already fearless, and with this ability, she became even less afraid of the other servants. When encountering someone she found displeasing, not only would she refuse to make snacks for them, but even if they invited her to eat, she would still give them a scolding.

Su Ying, being slightly older, understands that the affairs of this household are complex. Whether there was poisoning back then is still difficult to say; even if there was indeed poisoning, it may not have been the idea of Concubine Seven. Moreover, although Bai Xiaoxiao, Concubine Seven, has no children, she has consistently enjoyed favor and holds considerable power in the household. Therefore, in the past year or two, Su Ying has intentionally sought to get closer to her. Bai Xiaoxiao also understands that there will come a day when she will grow old and lose her beauty; at that time, having the siblings Su Sa and Su Ying is certainly better than having nothing at all. Both of them share this idea, and they hit it off immediately, appearing harmonious on the surface.

The maid assigned to cook for Su Ying initially came from the Seventh Concubine. For this reason, Xuan Ye has always harbored resentment towards the Seventh Concubine. She firmly believes that Su Ying nearly lost her life at that time because the maid tampered with the food. At that time, Su Ying was young and unable to make decisions for herself, while Xuan Ye, being a year older, took it upon herself to drive the maid away, which led to a very unpleasant situation with the Seventh Concubine. Although Bai Xiao Xiao is nominally considered the adoptive mother of Su Ying and her brother, she has never been close to them.

Su Ying noticed Mr. Cui's awkward expression and calmly said: "Su Ying does not have much insight on these matters. However, I do believe that... if there are any thoughts, they should not be expressed, even if asked by a teacher"

Su Ying smiled slightly and said nothing. Since she was destined not to enter the inner palace, there was no need for her to learn the ways of the harem in the Songhua Hall

It is just a casual inquiry. If Miss Six finds it inconvenient, it is perfectly fine not to say anything

Is it for Mr. Cui of Yonghua Hall?" Xuan Ye replied with a smile, "For Mr. Cui, I would gladly make an extra trip.

Xuan Ye sneezed twice while walking and said resentfully, "It must be that group of dead girls gossiping!"

The maidservants understood her intention upon seeing the food box in Xuan Ye's hand. "Madam has gone out, and the Sixth Miss is here to deliver something; just set it down," the maidservants said, "She will naturally see it when Madam returns"

Su Lan let out a cold snort, "Sister, you are truly foolish! Do you think that by giving someone a little benefit, they will remember you forever? What they want, you cannot provide!"

On the contrary, Su Ying has become increasingly shrewd, learning to assess people and their actions. When faced with formidable brothers and sisters seeking favors, she first responds with a smile and agrees, and then advises Xuan Ye to withdraw from the matter.

As they watched the two of them walk out of the courtyard, a maid exclaimed, "Don't be fooled by the Sixth Miss's young age; she is quite clever! What will happen in the future? And that Xuan Ye, if she stays in the residence for a few more years, I fear there will be few who can catch her eye."

Whose approach is truly better? Su Lan must seek a resolution

When Su Ying and Xuan Ye arrived outside the Yonghua Hall, they happened to hear Mr. Cui recounting stories from the Han Dynasty. Her voice was very soft and gentle, yet it always carried a tone of gravity and seriousness.

Over the years, everyone in the Su residence has come to know that Xuan Ye's skills have improved significantly, while his temper has become increasingly domineering