Chapter Forty-Six
Feng Xiyang bit her lip and remained silent. Xia Jingshi casually handed the gift list back to her and, seeing her expression, softened his tone. "Actually, when I asked you to prepare the congratulatory gifts, it wasn’t just about these items. But don’t dwell on it too much. I can see you put a lot of effort into it. The first step is always the hardest, and this is already quite good. Just follow this list for the preparations." Noticing that Xiyang still hadn’t left, Xia Jingshi stood up from behind the desk and walked toward the door. "I have matters to attend to outside. Make yourself at home." Before the words had fully left his mouth, he had already vanished beyond the doorway.
Her gaze fell upon the unfolded Five-Character Dragon-Patterned Powdered Wax Paper on the desk. When she had entered earlier, a palace attendant had been grinding ink for him—clearly, he had been preparing to write something...
"Does the Princess Consort wish to look for a book?" The attendant interrupted her reverie. "The study is over there." Feng Xiyang shook her head and was about to speak when a strange voice called from outside, "Your Highness should rest now! Your Highness should rest now!" It was that Han Gao.
The Han Gao seemed oblivious to Xia Jingshi’s departure and continued tirelessly calling from the corridor. Xiyang stared at it for a while before suddenly turning back to the attendant in the study. "Who gifted this Han Gao to His Highness?" The attendant hesitated slightly before replying respectfully, "This servant does not know, Your Highness."
Feng Xiyang merely smiled at the response and strolled out of the study. Even after walking a considerable distance, she couldn’t suppress the waves of irritation rising within her. Unable to help herself, she glanced back once more—whether it was her imagination or not, the Han Gao’s tone bore an uncanny resemblance to Fu Yixiao’s.
The most glorious day in a woman’s life is her wedding day.
Xueying’s mother, Xue Ningsu, was the epitome of a refined noblewoman. On the day of the wedding, she rose early and, after meticulously burning incense and offering prayers, personally helped Xueying into her bright red wedding robes.
Even Xiumu, for once, took things seriously. Following the prearranged steps, she dipped a comb into fragrant Clear Brew Flower Dew and carefully combed Xueying’s long hair. "First comb to the end, second comb to white hair and shared brows, third comb to children and grandchildren filling the halls, fourth comb to four Silver Bamboo Shoots standing tall..." As she chanted, tears suddenly streamed down her face, and she sobbed, "From today onward, Young Miss will no longer be part of our family... Xiumu can’t bear it."
Xueying’s eyes reddened slightly as she scolded, "What do you mean, 'no longer part of the family'? It’s just a wedding, not Father casting me out... If I’d known calling you Xiumu would make you dumber, I’d have named you Monkey Spirit back then." Xiumu wiped her tears and protested pitifully, "If Young Miss wanted to rename Xiumu, Xiumu would be happy. But the young ladies next door name their maids Wan’er or Shan’er—even the worst gets a Fang’er. Why does Young Miss choose names like Xiumu, Huadiao, or even Maoxie..."
Xueying’s expression darkened, and she was about to retort when she noticed Xue Ningsu frowning, the Eyebrow Ink Stick in her hand. She promptly shut her mouth and obediently tilted her face up, allowing her mother to apply her makeup. Secretly, she wished she had eyes in the back of her head—just so she could glare fiercely at Xiumu for a good long while.
Indeed, other people’s maids had names like "Fragrance," "Blossom," or "Grace," but Xueying found those far too clichéd. When naming her maids, she had racked her brains for the most unique and unparalleled names, revising and rewriting them repeatedly, determined to give them titles unmatched in heaven or on earth.Xueying explained the name Xiumu as: "A withered tree regains life in spring." Why? Because Xiumu's original name was Chunni (Xiumu: >__
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