Noble's Woman Guide

Chapter 73 - Scalded

Mother earth is warming up again and the air is refreshingly clear that the getaway palace is surrounded by the scene of spring. As such, it's inevitable to have revelry for string instruments, chess-games, poetry-reciting and tea parties. So, on a certain warm sunny afternoon, the Empress invited all the womenfolk to attend a tea party.

In previous years, Chu Sanghuai always took Bai Zhixuan and other imperial concubines to play in the vacation palace while the Empress stayed in the Imperial Palace to preside over the internal affairs. Perhaps she was valued highly for having a child that for the first time, she was the only one who was brought along this year. The Empress' liveliness has also become more and more comfortable under such extreme doting while the fetal development becomes all the more stable too. Hence, she has such leisure to hold a tea party.

At the early hour of shenshi (3pm-5pm), the womenfolk had successively taken their seats at the feast. Although the Empress has yet to arrive, there are already palace maids in the garden to welcome the guests and some holding jade jars treading gracefully as the green silk ribbons fastened on their arms fluttered along the wind whenever they turn and bow, appearing pleasantly nimble.

The vacation palace is built precisely halfway up the mountain and the garden here is certainly not as spacious as the imperial garden. Nevertheless, dozens of square tables were scattered around separated by begonia trees and half moon-shaped screens at various distances, thus forming several small social circles. Musical instruments, calligraphy and paintings were randomly arranged inside for people to enjoy, which was extremely ingenious.

This sort of situation is naturally suitable for close friends to gather for fun in twos or threes and also to strengthen the family bonds between relatives of the noble women but for noble ladies like Ye Huaiyang, who is the head of the family, it is considered an exceptional existence. She did not have time to make friends when she was unmarried and stayed at home while others avoided and ran away after she became Wangfei Lan; hence, the area where she was in now was somewhat inevitably deserted.

Xie Yun probably was the only one who was not afraid to get into trouble when she arranged the hem of her skirt before sitting with self-possessed calmness in front of Ye Huaiyang and even held up a cup of tea to drink, not knowing how familiar she appeared and seemingly without the slightest care of others' point of view.

Ye Huaiyang also seemed used to her course of actions as she drank her tea and looked at the landscape below the mountain before turning her head around the moment she spoke.

"Please thank Wangye for saving my elder brother."

Though her voice was low, her earnest tone discerned her sincerity in expressing her thanks. However, there was not much reaction from Ye Huaiyang as she merely asked indifferently, "Is your elder brother's injury better?"

"A lot better. It's just that the bite was too deep and injured the tendons. I'm afraid he still needs to recuperate for some time more." Xie Yun lowered her eyes as fear still lingered once she recalled the bloody wounds, "My elder brother told me that white-fronted tiger was extremely ferocious. Not to mention how scrupulous he was but even if he was free to deal with it, he probably would have had difficulty defeating it. If it was not for Wangye's arrow, he would have certainly died there."

"The matter had passed, so don't think about it anymore. Just focus on taking care of your elder brother for a full recovery."

Xie Yun nodded in response, then realized suddenly that Ye Huaiyang's attitude today seemed to be a little more gentle and not as aloof as before. Raising her eyes abruptly, she was somewhat astonished and a little delighted but before she could discern anything from Ye Huaiyang's face, the solemn voice of the palace maid-in-charge resounded from behind.