Chapter 21- Blending In – Transcendental Translations

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Chapter 21

Standing at the doorway, Jiang Ruoting stared blankly at the harmonious scene inside. Liu Xiyun’s dance was renowned throughout the capital, and as she danced against the backdrop of the endless green lake, it seemed as though she was moving among the mountains and rivers. Xie Shuyan captured this scene in her painting, while Zhang Wanwan and the others sipped tea and admired the view. As for Jiang Ruohua, she was in an exceptionally good mood!

Playing the zither can indeed refine one’s character and lift one’s spirits—the teacher wasn’t wrong.

Jiang Ruoting clenched her fists inside her sleeves, watching this harmonious scene that made her feel as if her former friends were excluding her. She knew this wasn’t really the case; after all, the friends she had carefully chosen were all well-mannered and proper. She also knew that Jiang Ruohua was just that type of person—since she was acting to get closer to Jiang Ruoting, this situation was perfectly normal. But still… still!

The scene before her made her feel both powerless and resentful!

She had spent years cultivating relationships with these truly noble young ladies, who would one day become the wives of influential figures. But now, in just a short time, it seemed as though they were all gravitating toward Jiang Ruohua!

It was so unfair. The fact that Jiang Ruohua was even born was the greatest injustice the heavens had dealt her!

Liu Xiyun, her face slightly flushed from the dance, noticed Jiang Ruoting and quickly stopped. “Sister Jiang, when did you arrive? Are you feeling better now?”

“I’m fine. I rested for a bit, and I don’t feel uncomfortable anymore.” Taking a deep breath, Jiang Ruoting reminded herself not to lose her composure over such a minor setback. She then put on a smile and said, “I’m sorry to have worried you all.”

Xie Shuyan pulled her down to sit beside her. “Are you sure you don’t need to rest a little longer?”

“I’m really fine, Sister Xie. Can’t you see how much better I am now?” Jiang Ruoting smiled warmly, forcing herself to remain cheerful. She had to maintain her composure; her mother had been planning for her future for so many years, and she couldn’t let a little incident ruin everything now.

“As long as you’re not pushing yourself too hard.” Xie Shuyan smiled with a hint of exasperation, as if this wasn’t the first time Jiang Ruoting had insisted she was fine. She seemed to be used to Jiang Ruoting’s tendency to overexert herself.

Today, however, Jiang Ruoting found herself struggling to maintain her composure. “I really am fine…”

“Good to hear. Sister Xie and the others were really worried about you, Second Sister,” Jiang Ruohua said, sitting among the group and smiling as she waved for Jiang Ruoting to join them. “Come sit down. If you catch a chill again, Auntie won’t be pleased.”

Just as Jiang Ruoting sat down with a forced smile, Ning Zhiyao poured tea for both her and Liu Xiyun before speaking curiously, “I noticed it earlier—Sister Liu, is that a new hairpin you’re wearing? What is it made of that makes it so dazzling?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiyun sipped her tea and then smiled as she removed the hairpin from her head. The gold hairpin was intricately carved with a bird motif, its beak holding a large, clear gemstone that glimmered like a precious jewel, unlike the usual pearls, jade, or glass.

The Liu family had a daughter in the palace—Liu Xiyun’s aunt, who was the birth mother of the seventh prince, Prince Yue, as well as the fourth and thirteenth princesses. Although the emperor’s love for her didn’t surpass that of the empress, as the mother of the emperor’s children and a member of the court, she was still respected. Liu Xiyun’s hairpin was almost certainly a gift from her aunt.

“This is a type of gemstone from Jinsha, as clear as water and pure white, sparkling brilliantly in the light. The larger it is, the rarer it becomes,” Jiang Ruohua said, seizing the opportunity to further isolate Jiang Ruoting. She continued, “I have a pair of earrings made from Jinsha gemstones as well. They’re not as large as Sister Liu’s hairpin, but they’re quite eye-catching. My uncle brought them back for me last year from the border between our country and Jinsha.”

Liu Xiyun nodded with a smile. “Yes, I received this from my aunt after visiting the palace recently. The emperor had gifted her a full set of Jinsha gems, and I had to beg her for quite a while before she gave me this one!”

“But I didn’t expect that Sister Jiang would know about this gemstone. When I first brought it back, my mother even scolded me, thinking it was something too flashy—she feared it might be some kind of enchanted item,” Liu Xiyun added, her expression turning to that of a slightly rebellious young girl. After all, at fourteen, she was at the age when girls loved beautiful things, and having such a rare and exquisite hairpin naturally made her feel proud.

“I remember Sister Jiang…”

Jiang Ruoting tried to interject, but Jiang Ruohua quickly cut her off. “I have a pair of earrings made from Jinsha gemstones, though they’re smaller and less grand than Sister Liu’s hairpin. Aside from the tribute gems sent annually from Jinsha to our court, there aren’t many left. My earrings were a lucky find by my uncle when he was traveling near the border.”

Zhang Wanwan looked on with envy. “They’re truly beautiful. The more I look at them, the more I like them. Sister Liu, why don’t you let me borrow your hairpin for a couple of days? I don’t have an aunt like Consort Qian, nor an uncle like Sister Jiang’s, so let me enjoy them vicariously through you!”

“Sure, you can borrow it, but remember to give it back after two days,” Liu Xiyun replied.

With that, the other young ladies also expressed their interest. As noblewomen with good manners and close friendships, it wasn’t uncommon for them to borrow each other’s jewelry and clothing. At their age, they all had a longing for beauty, but without any envy or jealousy, the atmosphere quickly became lively.

Except for Jiang Ruoting.

She felt guilty.

“My uncle loves collecting rare items from all over. Most of the jewelry my cousins and I have comes from his finds. If you like, I can ask him to bring more next year,” Jiang Ruohua said casually, using the opportunity to further solidify her connections. Jiang Ruoting might still be too young to avoid feeling guilty, but Jiang Ruohua was not. She knew that now was not the time to care about appearances—hesitation would only cost her. She wasn’t about to make the same mistake she had in the past by being too timid.

Her words delighted the noblewomen, who eagerly promised to prepare their silver to buy the items when the time came. Jiang Ruoting opened her mouth a few times, but couldn’t find the right moment to speak. Her mind raced as she tugged at Jiang Ruohua’s sleeve, trying to remind her as she had done in the past.

To remind Jiang Ruohua that merchants were lowly, and as a noble lady—especially one destined to be a princess—how could she allow herself to be tainted by the stench of money? She needed to keep her connections to her merchant family quiet…

In the past, Jiang Ruohua would never have mentioned her uncle on her own. Why was this time different?

But Jiang Ruohua simply ignored her small gestures, fully immersed in the conversation with the other young ladies, and, of course, didn’t notice—or pretended not to notice—Jiang Ruoting’s silent attempts.