The noble girl is beautiful.

In the afternoon, there was a sudden rainstorm, which beat down the grass and trees, causing chaos. Even the lotus flowers and leaves in the lake turned over, each holding a pool of water droplets.
Shen Qinghan took advantage of the coolness and went to the Yang family’s courtyard to inquire about the monthly allowance matter.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard arguing from inside the house. A servant woman was dragging a young maid out, who was crying as if her tears were endless.
“What’s going on?” She asked.
The servant woman replied, “The little maid broke a teacup, which angered the madam and she ordered her out, not allowing her to serve in the her courtyard anymore.”
Shen Qinghan entered the house and saw a large ice mirror in the middle of the room, with most of the ice melted inside.
Lady Yang was sitting askew in the inner room, wearing a semi-old and semi-new dark purple skirt with scattered hair, and a forehead band with embedded pearls.
Upon hearing Shen Qinghan enter, she sat up, still looking gloomy.
“What’s wrong, Mother?” Shen Qinghan personally served tea.
Lady Yang waved her hand, asking, “Why did you come to me at this time? Do you have something to say?”
Shen Qinghan said, “Seeing that the month is about to end and the monthly allowance hasn’t been distributed yet, even if the servants don’t say anything, they must be murmuring in their hearts.
Moreover, your actions are not proper. How can you use public funds for private matters? If it gets to Father and Grandmother’s ears, they’ll be angry again.”
Lady Yang immediately became angry, “Am I not doing things properly? Whose actions are proper, huh? The eldest daughter-in-law does things well, so let her manage the household!”
Shen Qinghan tried to explain, but she interrupted, crying out, “Who am I doing this for? If it weren’t for you and your brother, why would I do these things? I have to save money from the seams of the wall, do you think I don’t know how others laugh at me? If you want me to fight for some dignity, why do you let me be like this!”
Shen Qinghan’s eyes turned red with anger and frustration. “Ask me to fight for dignity? How can I compete with my eldest sister! She has the dowry of the primary wife, Father and Grandmother dote on her, and my brother sends all the good things to her courtyard every day.
One hairpin of hers is worth all the jewelry on my body. How can I compete with her! How can I compare with her!”
“Are you despising me?” Lady Yang said angrily. “Yes, my background is not good, I am just a concubine who has been elevated! But have I ever lost out to you in terms of food and clothing?”
She wiped away her tears, “Everyone sees me as a concubine who has been elevated, and everyone in the house is looking down on me.
“What are you saying,” Shen Qinghan said, “If you don’t respect yourself, and belittle yourself, who will look up to you?”
Lady Yang snorted, “In the future, there will be no place for me in this house!”
Shen Qinghan’s heart skipped a beat and said, “Mother, what nonsense!”
Lady Yang stopped speaking, still wiping her tears.
Seeing this, Shen Qinghan’s voice softened, “It’s the daughter’s fault for not being right, I shouldn’t argue with you. But the monthly allowance really can’t be delayed any longer. I don’t have much money left, you should use it first, but don’t let it reach Father’s ears.”
Lady Yang said, “I don’t need your money, I still have some private funds. The monthly allowance will be distributed as soon as possible, you don’t need to ask anymore.”
Shen Qinghan had to agree and sat for a while before leaving.
She walked heavily to the East Garden, and she met Shen Yourong who was walking through the pavilion. She stopped and greeted her.
Shen Yourong was dressed in a woven gold half-sleeve jacket and a mud-gold long skirt that swept the ground, her fingers shaking the folding fan stained with rouge, looking exceptionally bright.
Shen Qinghan felt a slight sourness in her heart when she saw her. Shen Yourong had outstanding features, and her gorgeous clothes made her stand out.
She always looked appropriate whether heavily made-up or lightly adorned. As for herself, she couldn’t compare to her elegance and luxury. She could only dress plainly and maintain the reputation of being untainted by worldly dust.
But seeing Shen Yourong’s beautiful clothes, she couldn’t help but feel envious.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Yourong shook her fan and asked, “Your eyes are red, who bullied you?”
Shen Qinghan quickly lowered her head and said, “It’s nothing, just the wind in my eyes.”
Shen Yourong knew it wasn’t true, but she didn’t say much, just said, “The third sister doesn’t seem to be feeling well, I’ll go check on her, are you coming?”
Shen Qinghan had just cried, her makeup was half ruined, and shook her head, “I have something to do right now, I’ll come later.”
Shen Yourong nodded and was about to pass her.
Shen Qinghan felt a slight sourness in her heart and said, “elder sister, I’m afraid I can’t surpass you no matter what I do.”
Shen Yourong was stunned and turned to look at her. After Shen Qinghan said this, she felt embarrassed and covered her face with a handkerchief, hiding her expression.
Shen Yourong smiled and said, “You have your biological mother by your side, just that alone surpasses countless things I lack. Besides, we are sisters, there’s no need for one of us to surpass the other.”
Shen Qinghan was slightly stunned, looking at Shen Yourong smiling as she spoke, feeling a strange sensation in her heart.
Shen Yourong fanned herself and said, “It’s getting hot again now, you should go back quickly.”
After bidding farewell to her, Shen Yourong walked along the pebble path towards Shen Qingyan’s courtyard. On both sides of the road were newly planted Morning Glory flowers, and there were birds taking shelter from the heat in the shade of the trees.
She walked while observing, and she reached the Peach Blossom Cottage. By now, the peach blossoms had all fallen, leaving only lush green leaves, and a small bamboo pavilion hidden among them, quiet and serene.
Standing under the Morning Glory flowers, she saw a little maid entering the Peach Blossom Cottage from the other side and asked, “Isn’t that Zhu Zhao, the maid beside Third Sister?”
Du Juan looked and said, “Yes, it’s her. She’s not serving by the mistress’s side right now, but rather hiding here to avoid idleness.”
Shen Yourong was about to go down when she saw Ji chengyao passing by from the other side and entering the Peach Blossom Cottage in large strides. Du Juan was suddenly startled and said, “Miss!”
Shen Yourong didn’t say anything, holding the fan to cover half of her face, not revealing her thoughts.
It wasn’t that Zhu Zhao wasn’t serving by the mistress’s side, but rather that she was helping the mistress secretly meet with the Fourth Prince.
Du Juan looked at Shen Yourong, who was shaking the fan, and her voice was calm, “Just now, I saw a few maids coming this way. Go intercept them and don’t let them come over.”
Du Juan agreed and left.
Under the Morning Glory flowers, Shen Yourong was alone. She looked down at the Peach Blossom Cottage and her eyes flickered with uncertain thoughts, which others could only glimpse but not understand.
She didn’t go down, only instructed Du Juan to intercept those who were coming this way. After standing for a while, she lifted her clothes and turned around, unexpectedly bumping into Ji Zhuo on the side of the hill.
She paused, her expression suddenly changing.
He stood with his hands behind his back, looking calm and composed. He saw the Peach Blossom Cottage and also saw Shen Yourong, but his expression was calm as if he hadn’t seen anything.
Her heart thumped, and she bowed to him, “Master, greetings.”
He nodded faintly, “Greetings, Miss.”
Her fingers holding the fan tightened, and she asked, “Why is master here?”
He brushed aside the branches, walked over to this side, took a few steps under a Chinese wisteria tree, and stood under a Japanese pagoda tree not far from her.
“Taking advantage of the coolness after the rain, I came out for a walk. Seeing the lush trees and the tranquility here, I walked deeper and arrived here.”
She held the fan and smiled, “Although the trees are lush, it’s too deserted and quiet here, not suitable for long stays.”
He didn’t say anything. She took the lead and said, “Let me accompany you back.”
He raised an eyebrow, “Alright.”
So he walked in front, and she followed half a step behind. The two walked back along the path she had come from.
She discreetly looked back, but no one came out of the Peach Blossom Cottage.
The two walked silently for a while until they met Du Juan and Changming head-on. Changming had come to look for him and hurriedly apologized when he saw him, then stood beside him.
Ji Zhuo turned around, nodded slightly to Shen Yourong, and said, “Thank you, Miss.”
She said, “you are too polite.”
The two then went their separate ways, with Du Juan walking to Shen Yourong’s side, looking worried. Shen Yourong shook her head at her, and the master and servant returned home in silence.
On the other hand, Ji Zhuo and Changming walked back on another path. Changming glanced back at Shen Yourong and said, “It’s strange, the second miss is so good-natured.
The concubine’s maid is secretly meeting her future husband, but she didn’t say a word. She’s too good-natured.”
Ji Zhuo’s expression remained indifferent, “What future husband? These are just groundless rumors.”
Changming hurriedly agreed. Ji Zhuo turned his head and could still vaguely see Shen Yourong through the flower shadows.
“She’s not that good-natured, covering up this matter, there must be other intentions.”
The next day in the classroom, after the break, he went behind the screen by himself. This time he didn’t call Shen Yourong, who was diligently copying her lesson.
Shen Qingyan walked to Shen Yourong’s desk and said, “I heard from Second Sister that you went to see me yesterday, why didn’t I see you?”
Shen Yourong said, “Don’t mention it, I thought it was cool after the rain and wanted to come to your place. But unexpectedly, when I passed by the trees, a few maids were playing around the tree and splashed me with rainwater.
I had to go back and change my clothes, and by the time I returned, it was late and I didn’t feel like moving anymore.”
Shen Qingyan nodded, took out a purse, and divided candies for Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan to eat.
After Shen Qinghan ate it, she exclaimed, “Where did these candies come from? When I go back, I’ll have someone buy some too.”
“You can’t buy them, I only have a little.” Shen Qingyan said.
Shen Yourong looked at the candies in her fingertips and recognized them as a kind from the palace. The craftsmanship of the royal kitchen was always only offered to the inner palace and couldn’t be eaten outside. She had tasted them in the Palace.
She listened to Shen Qinghan and Shen Qingyan discussing which candies were delicious, but she remained silent, putting the candies into her mouth with her fingertips.