Chapter 41: Peerless Beauty
As if sensing her gaze, Shen Mingzhen turned her head. Upon seeing Jiang Ruan's appearance, she was first startled, then immediately and inexplicably flared up in anger. "Who is she?"
Before anyone around could respond, Jiang Ruan smiled faintly, a hint of something unreadable flickering at the corners of her eyes, and said calmly, "The legitimate eldest daughter of the Jiang family, Jiang Ruan."
"So you're Jiang Ruan?" Shen Mingzhen was taken aback. She had heard of Jiang Ruan before. She had always been close with Jiang Susu, whose beauty was ethereal and whose temperament was gentle. Recently, due to Jiang Ruan's testimony in court, the Jiang family had become the target of public criticism, leaving even Jiang Susu gloomy for days. Thus, in Shen Mingzhen's eyes, Jiang Ruan was nothing more than a crude, incompetent, cowardly, and ugly village girl. Yet now, seeing her in person—not to mention her noble bearing akin to a palace lady—her beauty alone was on par with Jiang Susu's, if not even more radiant. Witnessing this, Shen Mingzhen felt an inexplicable displeasure.
Jiang Ruan gave a slight nod, and Jiang Li chimed in with a smile, "Mingzhen, this is our Da Jiejie. She just returned from the countryside and isn't very familiar with the capital. This is her first time visiting your residence."
Emphasizing this, Shen Mingzhen's eyes flashed with disdain. "The capital is quite different from the countryside. Miss Jiang, you'd better take a good look around."
The remark was outright rude, a blatant attempt to humiliate Jiang Ruan to her face. Luzhu and Lianqiao's expressions darkened with indignation. Amidst this covert strife, Xia Yan merely chatted and laughed with Madam Shen, seemingly oblivious to the situation and naturally offering no intervention.
Jiang Dan, needless to say, was too frightened to even breathe loudly, standing with her head bowed, hoping no one would notice her. Jiang Li was already gloating, but surprisingly, Jiang Susu simply stood to the side with a smile, saying nothing.
This scene was unprecedented. In her past life, whenever noble young ladies confronted Jiang Ruan, Jiang Susu would always step in to mediate—whether to win her trust or to cultivate a good reputation. Yet now, she wouldn't even offer a kind word. Had she already lost her composure? How peculiar.
Jiang Ruan merely smiled quietly, refusing to engage, unwilling to waste her time sparring with Shen Mingzhen. This rendered Shen Mingzhen's provocation as ineffective as a punch thrown into cotton. Frustrated, Shen Mingzhen grabbed Jiang Susu's hand and said, "Mother, the ladies in the main hall have been waiting for a while. Let Madam Jiang and Su Su Jiejie hurry along."
Shen Mingzhen's arrogance was evident—she only mentioned Jiang Susu and Xia Yan in her words, a clear discourtesy. Yet Madam Shen showed no sign of reproach, merely smiling in agreement. Clearly, this was commonplace. Shen Mingzhen was indeed the treasured pearl of the Shen family, spoiled since childhood.
In the main hall of the Shen residence, the ladies and young misses had been waiting for some time. Those familiar with one another sat together chatting. Someone remarked, "I heard the eldest daughter of the Jiang family will be here today."
"The eldest daughter of the Jiang family?" A lady with high cheekbones said, "The legitimate daughter mistreated by Lord Jiang? Poor child, losing her mother at such a young age and ending up in such a wretched state. If Imperial Censor Wang hadn't stumbled upon her by chance, who knows how much more suffering she would have endured."The woman beside her, however, smiled and said, "Though she is pitiable, I heard she has the Eight Characters destined to bring misfortune to one's family. Lord Jiang is known for his fairness—there must be a reason for this." This woman had a round, plump face, her eyes narrowed into slits when she smiled, resembling a benevolent and prosperous Bodhisattva from a temple, exuding nothing but warmth and kindness. She continued, "But having grown up in the countryside, how could she compare to one raised in the manor? Her manners must be lacking. She’s certainly no match for the Second Young Lady of the Jiang family."
At the mention of the Second Young Lady, everyone naturally thought of Jiang Susu’s talent and beauty, nodding in agreement. "The Second Young Lady is naturally exceptional, a celestial beauty. The Eldest Young Lady is far beneath her."
"The contrast between the Eldest and Second Young Ladies of the Jiang family is just too stark."
"The Jiang family only needs one Second Young Lady—she is the capital’s talented maiden, after all. A girl raised in the wilderness must be utterly uncouth, let alone her appearance."
The round-faced woman’s smile deepened as she nodded at the high-cheekboned woman, who looked displeased, then leisurely sipped her tea. Before the discussion could die down, someone suddenly called out, "Look, Madam Jiang and the Second Young Lady have arrived."
Everyone lifted their heads to see Xia Yan and Jiang Susu walking at the forefront. Xia Yan’s attire was tasteful and appropriate, perfectly accentuating her gentle, scholarly demeanor—a picture of soft-spoken grace. Her outfit did nothing to overshadow Jiang Susu.
The young lady approaching was clad in a snow-white fox fur coat, cinched at the waist to highlight her slender, graceful figure. Below the waist was a brocade skirt of the same color, its wide hem swirling like mist as she moved. Her hair was loosely tied at the back, with two pristine silk ribbons trailing down. Her face bore no heavy makeup, her pale cherry lips curved into a smile, dignified yet delicate. Her features were naturally exquisite, and her air of innocent purity tinged with a hint of aloofness made her as enchanting as a fairy. As she glided forward, the women present couldn’t help but murmur praises.
For Jiang Susu, this was routine. But today was different, because the crowd’s attention was soon drawn to the figure behind her.
The girl following Jiang Susu walked forward unhurriedly, like a flame in the snow or a plum blossom in frost, instantly capturing everyone’s gaze. Her gilded butterfly jacket and scarlet fairy skirt were already dazzling, yet on her, they shone with just the right brilliance. The white fox fur trim peeking from the sleeves of her crimson crane cloak shimmered with a silvery glow, full of vitality and radiance.
As she drew nearer, the onlookers held their breaths at the sight of her. Her skin was naturally fair, and with a touch of powder, it resembled the finest mutton-fat jade. Her lips were a deep red, like the brightest morning clouds, and her dark eyes sparkled with a charm as warm as spring—though upon closer inspection, the slight upward tilt at their corners seemed to carry a trace of icy mockery. Her arched brows were long and elegant, her allure penetrating to the bone. While Jiang Susu was ethereal and refined, this girl’s beauty was vivid and intoxicating, making even those accustomed to celestial maidens feel dazzled. It was as if a bewitching malevolent spirit had emerged from the flowers, parting the blossoms and willows as she approached.Observing the young girl's movements, her steps were unhurried, and beneath her radiant appearance lay a serene demeanor. Such unique charm was rarely found in one so young, making her seem like a rare gem in this world.
What was most astonishing was that when she stood beside Jiang Susu, their grace was on par. Upon closer inspection, the ethereal purity of the fairy-like beauty paled slightly in comparison to the vivid, spirited allure of this enchanting sprite. The immaculate snow-white was indeed overshadowed by the passionate, unrestrained crimson.
"It's the eldest daughter of the Jiang family!" a lady murmured in realization.
(End of Chapter)
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