Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Ten Thousand Thoughts (1)
“My lady, the road ahead is blocked, we can’t pass through.”
The carriage had not yet arrived at the residence, but the driver called the horses to a halt.
Zheng Wan heard the hubbub of voices in the distance, hurriedly got Luodai to lift the curtain and looked out. She saw that the entire Ronghe Lane was jammed, and carriages of all sorts were stuck at the entrance of the lane, slowly lining up to enter.
“Which family is having a wedding?”
Which of those who could live in Ronghe Lane were not of the capital’s upper-class? But there also wasn’t any noble family who had such prestige as to make all these carriages line up obediently.
“I’ll go take a look.”
The driver jumped off the carriage.
But Luodai tiptoed and peered out, and after a moment, suddenly slapped her forehead.
“My lady, look, isn’t that person in the brown top Xiao Lu Zi?”
Zheng Wan took a closer look—indeed, the person organising the order of the carriages up ahead was a member of her own family’s stablemen. Young and lively, he was the one who had prepared her carriage that morning.
At this time, the driver returned with the information.
“My lady, these people are here to congratulate you on your birthday.”
“To congratulate me on my birthday?”
But Zheng Wan clearly remembered discussing with her parents a few days ago that she would not have a big celebration this year. She would simply have a bowl of longevity noodles at home, and she did not tell anyone outside about it.
“Apparently, these noblemen have come on their own accord.”
The driver climbed up and tugged the reins. “Master has ordered me to let my lady go through the corner gate.”
Fortunately, Zheng Wan’s carriage did not stop for too long. In a short while, it successfully went round to the corner gate. Sure enough, there were people waiting there; they unlocked the gate and let them through. She walked along the covered walkway, and when she approached the baoxia1, she heard a burst of laughter from the main hall; it seemed extremely lively.
Zheng Wan also heard her own third aunt’s loud voice.
“Nanny, who has come today?”
The one leading the way was Madame Wang’s personal nursemaid; she said attentively, “Both Jin Wang and Huai Wang’s families have all come, Eldest Princess, Princess Rong Yi, as well as the Duke of Chu, Defender Duke, Duke of Liang, the Liu family, the Wang family… all the dignitaries in the capital have come. His– His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince is also here.”
With that, they arrived at the door.
“Oh, look, the birthday star is here.”
On this happy occasion, Madame Wang was in high spirits. When she saw Zheng Wen approach, she hurriedly waved her over, “Wanwan, come and meet all the Madames, they are all here to celebrate your birthday.”
Zheng Wan noticed Rong Qin and Third Lady Jiang, who were shrunk at one corner, wearing reluctant expressions. Her unhappiness at having her birthday disturbed suddenly dissipated.
If her enemies were unhappy, she was happy. Zheng Wan smiled, her eyes forming upturned crescents, and she curtsied daintily in greeting.
“Greetings, Madames.”
“Indeed, you are truly extraordinary.”
Rong Qin listened as the group sucked up to Zheng Wan with gusto, and her face darkened another shade. Then, seeing Zheng Wan’s triumphant expression, which was so proud she could even compete with the colourful-tailed pheasant that stalked around in the emperor’s White Dew Gardens, she became even angrier.
But it just so happens that——
“Such a good life.”
Third Lady Jiang muttered to herself.
“If you’re envious, you can also go over too.” Rong Qin was unhappy, so she didn’t want to see others happy. “But first, you’d have to see if the State Preceptor would take a fancy to that face of yours.”
“You——”
Third Lady Jiang was furious; she turned her head and said nothing.
After entertaining one group, Zheng Wan continued to entertain another. Amidst the crowd’s praise, she seemed to have gone back to the old days—— no, it was more than before. Even at the peak of her prestige in the past, she had never received such treatment.
Everyone cautiously held her in the palms of their hands, for fear of irritating her. They praised her from head to toe, and then from toe to head, and she felt good from the flattery.
Zheng Wan had to admit that pleasant words made her happy.
She loved such pomp and vanity, but she hadn’t forgotten that everything before her was just a mirage; without Cui Wang, there would be nothing.
And now that she has Cui Wang——
It seemed like she had everything again.
“Wan’niang, Wan’niang!”
Rong Yi interrupted Zheng Wan’s thoughts. When she saw that it was Rong Yi, her expression warmed and her voice softened, “What’s the matter?”
“My mother asked me to give this to you.”
Rong Yi handed her a talisman that had been folded into a triangle, “She specially obtained it from Xingjue Temple, one for you and one for me. It’s to bless marriage.”
Speaking of “marriage”, Rong Yi’s face flushed red.
Zheng Yu couldn’t resist pinching her cheeks. When she received the marriage talisman, she looked up at the eldest princess and saw her turn away as if nothing had happened. At that, she was about to head back to her room with the excuse of changing her clothes, when she heard a pageboy from the front yard rush over, panting heavily.
Footnotes:
1 baoxia: 抱厦; an ancient Chinese architectural feature. It refers to the small rooms that protrude out from the main room in the centre, somewhat like a turtle head and its little limbs sticking out.