Chapter 36
Yin Jiuyi was already twenty-three years old, and both Princess Consort and the other consort were around twenty.
The Princess Consort was named Lu Yurong, and the secondary consort was named Fang Henyu.
The Princess Consort was the youngest daughter of Old General Lu, and Yin Jiuyi’s maternal cousin. She was adorable, with sweet and lively features.
Concubine Fang was the second daughter of Lord Fang, Chief of Dali Temple. She was a beauty with an ethereal and cool temperament.
Despite being dressed in splendid clothes and adorned with precious jewelry, I still felt unable to lift my head in front of them, a sense of awkwardness like a country hen before phoenixes arising spontaneously.
They were true ladies of noble families; every gesture was pleasing to the eye, even their posture while drinking tea was so elegant.
Standing below were three beautiful young women, who appeared to be Yin Jiuyi’s concubines.
“Yanyan, later take the kitchen’s account book to Concubine Zhang,” Lu Yurong said to the lower seat.
A woman in yellow stepped forward, seemingly not expecting this, and after a moment’s hesitation, replied, “Yes.”
I couldn’t read account books, not at all.
Before I could voice my refusal, Yin Jiuyi glanced at me and said, “There is no one in the Prince’s Mansion who cannot read account books. If you don’t understand, come ask me. In half a month, I will personally check.”
“You can ask me or Henyu as well. The two of us are quite bored all day,” Lu Yurong’s bright almond eyes curved, her smile a bit mischievous.
After sitting for a short while, I left with Yin Jiuyi.
“You must read the account book. If you feel embarrassed to ask others, you can come to me.”
Sunlight shone on Yin Jiuyi’s face, softening the sharpness of his features.
He looked straight ahead, thinking as he instructed, “Among the three concubines, Fuluo is especially skilled at the pipa; her playing is unrivaled in Yangzhou City. She is timid and shy; you can play with her, and if you want to learn the pipa, she can teach you. Also, if you need anything or lack anything, you can go to the Princess Consort, or come to me.”
He turned to look into my eyes, gently patted my head, and said, “Now that you are a Concubine, you must fulfill your role, assist the Princess Consort in managing affairs, and do not belittle yourself.”
“And, you should wear the jewelry given to you. Don’t feel it’s ostentatious or be embarrassed. Things are best used for their purpose.”
A warmth rose in my heart, and I nodded lightly.
At night, I sat before the flickering candlelight, concentrating on deciphering the symbols in the account book, but could not make sense of them.
Yin Jiuyi pushed the door open, bringing in a gust of cool wind. He lifted his robe and sat down leisurely. “It’s normal not to understand at first.”
He was extremely patient, teaching me to read the account book all evening. In the candlelit room, he held a brush, writing on xuan paper, speaking softly and gently.
There were many kinds of people around me: some envied me, some ignored me, some looked down on me.
Since Liu Chaoming, no one had ever spoken to me so kindly.
The flickering candlelight shone on Yin Jiuyi’s face, reminding me of the same time a year ago, the same season, the same night.
Liu Chaoming had climbed through my window, the candlelight dancing at the corner of his eyes, a strange kind of beauty.
Time passed so quickly; in the blink of an eye, a year had gone by.
“All right, let’s stop here for today,” Yin Jiuyi put down his brush.
As he was about to get up, I tugged at his sleeve. “Why? Why are you so good to me?”
He gazed at the place where my hand met his sleeve and said, “I like you as a person, nothing to do with romance.”
“Why? I’m a terrible person, I’m good for nothing-”
“Liking is a feeling; there aren’t so many reasons. Just like many things in this world, there’s no logic to them. If you must get to the bottom of it, then I’d say, it’s a feeling of heartache.”
He bent his index finger and flicked my forehead. “You are so beautiful, you should be a peony admired by all in a flourishing age. How could I bear to watch you take root in the mud, accompanied by withered lotuses in autumn waters?”
He truly knew how to speak; I had never heard such beautiful words in my life.
He curved his lips, not the slightest hint of annoyance on his face, and clarified again, “Marrying you was no effort at all, and I have no intention of using you. It’s all right, you can take your time to be sure.”