Chapter 39: The Foil
Jiang Dan's outfit was a camellia-yellow fitted cotton jacket paired with a spring-green satin skirt—simple yet striking, perfectly complementing her timid and endearing demeanor. Both Jiang Li and Jiang Dan's dresses were quite beautiful, but compared to Jiang Susu's, they paled in comparison. If the three stood together, outsiders would only notice Jiang Susu's ethereal grace. Jiang Li was aware of this and didn't seem pleased with her dress, whereas Jiang Dan was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Jiang Ruan's dress was buried at the bottom of the pile. Cai Que helped her pull it out and shake it open, revealing a crimson foreign satin jacket embroidered with golden butterflies and a matching deep-red fairy-skirted gown—vibrant and eye-catching. When the others saw it, Jiang Susu gasped, "How bold!"
Though young ladies favored bright colors, they usually opted for softer shades like pink or peach. Such a vivid red was rarely chosen. Firstly, fiery reds suited those with passionate temperaments, while gentler girls in red often seemed lacking. Secondly, Jiang Susu, who adored white, dominated the household's aesthetic. Wearing red beside her created a stark contrast. Since neither Jiang Li nor Jiang Dan could rival Jiang Susu's beauty, choosing red would only make them look ridiculous next to her.
Yet Jiang Ruan had deliberately selected this blazing, true-red ensemble.
Jiang Li giggled. "Da Jiejie, you’ve picked a color completely different from Su Su’s. The two of you standing together will be quite the sight—how amusing!"
Jiang Susu paused briefly before smiling. "Da Jiejie must look even lovelier in red than I do. It’s so festive." Though she knew Jiang Ruan had chosen red satin, she hadn’t expected Ruyi Pavilion to craft something so intricate and opulent. Still, it reassured her—such a lavish red would overwhelm any young girl. Even if Jiang Ruan had striking features, the dress’s grandeur would overshadow her, making her appear top-heavy and garish.
Jiang Li thought the same, her gaze at Jiang Ruan tinged with schadenfreude, though she said sweetly, "Manager Liu must favor Da Jiejie—this embroidery is far more elaborate than ours. Only Da Jiejie would dare wear such a flamboyant dress."
"As the Jiang family’s eldest legitimate daughter, it’s fitting for me to dress boldly," Jiang Ruan replied with a smile. "But your choices suit you perfectly too. Every Jiang daughter is exceptional."
Jiang Dan glanced at Jiang Ruan and whispered, "Da Jiejie’s dress is stunning. I’ve never seen anyone in the household wear something like this."
From her seat, Old Madam Jiang narrowed her eyes, studying Jiang Ruan meaningfully. "The dress is fine, but something’s missing. The eldest girl seems to lack a cloak. Du Juan, fetch that crimson crane cloak from my chest later and deliver it to Ruan Residence."
The crimson crane cloak was part of Old Madam Jiang’s dowry, a priceless heirloom. Jiang Susu, who preferred plain white, had never asked for it—but that didn’t mean she didn’t covet it. Seeing it gifted to Jiang Ruan now left her stunned. Jiang Li’s eyes burned with envy as she remarked sourly, "Grandmother dotes on Da Jiejie so much—giving her such treasures the moment she returns."Old Madam Jiang glanced at her, her tone unreadable: "Have you ever lacked for clothes or necessities while being raised in the Jiang residence? The eldest girl has just returned after suffering hardships for years in the countryside. Look at her—not even a decent piece of jewelry to wear."
Jiang Susu thought for a moment and said, "Grandmother is right. Da Jiejie, I have quite a few pieces of jewelry at my place. Why don’t you come to my courtyard and pick some out? Though my jewelry is rather plain—I don’t know if you’d like it."
Jiang Li couldn’t bring herself to be as generous as Jiang Susu, nor could she feign it even if she tried. She simply turned her head away, pretending not to hear. Jiang Dan only lowered her head, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her dress. Her jewelry collection was meager compared to her elder sisters', mostly gifts from the madam during festivals. She had saved them all, hoping they might be pawned in case of emergencies.
"How could I take my younger sister’s belongings?" Jiang Ruan replied. "It’s alright, I’m sure Mother has prepared some for me."
Old Madam Jiang’s eyes flickered. She waved her hand dismissively. "Never mind. Since you’ve all received your new clothes, make sure to dress properly tomorrow when visiting Vice Minister Shen’s residence. The daughters of the Jiang family are all noble ladies. Second Girl, your elder sister has just returned to the capital and isn’t familiar with many people here. Tomorrow, you must take good care of her. Outside these walls, you represent the face of the Jiang family—you must support one another."
Jiang Susu nodded. "Grandmother’s words are wise. Su Su understands."
Jiang Ruan also inclined her head in agreement.
After some more conversation, Old Madam Jiang signaled for them to leave so she could meditate. The girls each took their new clothes and returned to their courtyards. In the end, Jiang Ruan did not go to Jiang Susu’s courtyard to pick out jewelry. It was said, however, that Jiang Li had gone and taken some necklaces and hairpins. Jiang Susu was never stingy with jewelry when it came to Jiang Li—perhaps because Jiang Quan had never deprived her of such luxuries.
By evening, Cai Que, Old Madam Jiang’s maid, arrived with the crimson crane cloak and a box of jewelry, explaining that it was a gift from Old Madam Jiang. She instructed Jiang Ruan to dress elegantly the next day. Jiang Ruan did not refuse and accepted with a smile. She then picked out a modest silver hairpin from the box and handed it to Cai Que, thanking her for the trouble. Cai Que initially declined but eventually accepted with a smile after much insistence.
After Cai Que left, Lianqiao remarked, "Old Madam is treating our young lady so well now. It seems her days of hardship are finally over."
"This crimson crane cloak is so precious—to give it to our young lady just like that shows how much Old Madam cares for her," Zisu added joyfully as she carefully folded the cloak, smoothing its fur lining.
Luzhu shook her head. "I’m not so sure. Our young lady has just returned, and Old Madam is already having her dress up for Vice Minister Shen’s gathering tomorrow. All the noble young ladies of the capital will be there. After five years away, this will be our young lady’s first public appearance. It’s clear Old Madam wants everyone to know that the eldest daughter of the Jiang family is a true noble beauty. That’s what I think this is about."
Jiang Ruan adjusted the lamp wick. "Luzhu is right. It’s all for the sake of the Jiang family’s reputation as the eldest daughter. Put that box away—tomorrow won’t be as simple as it seems."In the Osmanthus Courtyard, Mama Zhang stood up to serve Old Madam Jiang a cup of red date and lotus seed tea. The old madam accepted the cup but didn't drink, instead gazing thoughtfully at the floating date slices in the tea. "Mama Zhang, what do you think of the eldest girl?"
Mama Zhang smiled. "The young miss is quite beautiful, and now her manners and speech show remarkable grace. It's just that fate has been unkind to her, losing her mother so early."
"She's clever," Old Madam Jiang frowned. "When she first came to see me after returning to the manor, you didn't see it—this girl carried herself like someone raised in the imperial palace. She used to appear timid and docile, but now her entire demeanor has changed, quite unlike her birth mother. All these years she's been living on that country estate, and you know full well what Xia Yan has been up to. How could the eldest girl have fared well under those circumstances? It's a wonder she wasn't completely ruined. How did she manage to become what we see today?"
(End of chapter)
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