TCN: Mei Gongqing

Chapter 69: Rubbing Elbows

Chapter 69: Rubbing Elbows

In the afternoon, an unfamiliar voice called in: "Is Ah Rong home?"

"She is," Nurse Ping smiling said with a greeting.

A girl about 18 or 19 with a round face and large eyes came forth. Although she was dressed in a servant's attire, her garment was violet silk and she carried a modest smile. She seemed to be even more genteel than some of the young noblewomen.

She glanced toward Nurse Ping then looked to the bedchamber with a smile. "Lady Ruan has asked for Ah Rong."

Lady Ruan? Chen Yuan's primary wife?

Chen Rong shuddered and quickly got to her feet, answering from her room: "A moment please, I'll be right there."

"Aye," the maid smiled in reply.

Before long, Chen Rong had changed into an old dress she had often worn in Ping and appeared at the steps.

When the maid saw her come out, she curtsied again and stepped back to let her walk in front.

Chen Rong went on ahead.

The maid led two younger girls and gracefully followed behind. From her movements, propriety and a polished deportment gained through years of training could be seen. They were things Chen Rong did not know, for she had come from the north and her father's discipline had been lax.

Glancing over, Chen Rong slowed down to imitate her steps. But almost as quickly, she discerned that she didn't need to curry favor with Lady Ruan. Moreover, nothing would change even if she were to curry favor with her, so why should she bother learning to walk from the people of Handan? (1)

Residents of Handan, capital of Zhao, were known for their graceful steps. A Yan citizen who visited Handan had imitated the way they walked only to forget how to walk himself.

At this thought, she simply relaxed her gait and strode away.

Puzzled by her sudden quickened pace, the maids hurried to catch up to her.

They were a little out of breath by the time Chen Rong arrived at Lady Ruan's courtyard.

At the gate, one of them panted as she smiled at Chen Rong: "Miss, please wait while we let the madam know."

Chen Rong nodded and then tilted her head to view the surrounding scenery.

"Ah Rong, come in." go to moc.824retsmah

"Aye," Chen Rong replied and walked into the courtyard.

The maid modestly smiled at Chen Rong from the steps. When she saw her approach, she gave a small bow and said, "The madam is waiting inside."

"Aye."

Chen Rong passed her and went straight into the room.

The area was lavishly decorated. The first thing that caught Chen Rong's eyes was a three feet tall coral. It was superior than the one she had casually smashed in Ping in both luster and integrity.

And yet this precious object was so casually placed on a mahogany table.

Chen Rong withdrew her gaze, curtsied to the woman sitting on the divan by the exquisite jade wall divider in the center of the room and greeted her: "Aunt."

The woman was in her forties. Her skin was smooth and plump. Her long face, on which she wore a faint smile, was without a trace of wrinkle.

Behind her was a young woman in her late twenties whom Chen Rong had met before. She was the one who had come to expose her malingering that day. Chen Rong knew her as Chen Yuan's concubine.