The noble girl is beautiful.

Shen Qinghan leisurely strolled into Shen Yourong’s courtyard, noticing the maids by the pond washing clothes, laughing and joking as they worked. She walked up the steps and glanced inside through the window.
Inside, Shen Yourong and her two maids were tracing flower patterns and selecting silk threads. Seeing her outside, Shen Yourong said, “Come in, it’s terribly hot outside.”
A little maid lifted the curtain, and she entered the room. There was an ice chest filled with various fresh fruits and tea, and the room was filled with a sweet, refreshing fragrance, completely free from the stifling summer heat.
Shen Yourong sat on the couch inside, with various silk threads spread out on a table. She was tracing flower patterns, while Du Juan and Hua Mei organized dozens of silk threads. Seeing Shen Qinghan enter, Du Juan quickly invited her to sit down.
She sat on the other side of the long couch, put down her fan, and picked up one of Shen Yourong’s patterns to look at. She was tracing two overlapping green peonies, the petals layered and luxurious, with elegant and refined colors.
She said, “You must have asked elder Brother to draw these patterns for you.”
She just smiled and said, “Just tell me if they’re beautiful or not.”
“Beautiful, of course, they’re beautiful,” She said. “Whether you embroider a handkerchief, make a fan, or cut out a piece for an embroidery piece, it will look good anywhere.”
Shen Yourong continued tracing with a delicate brush and said, “I’m planning to make a fan. The flowers are just the right size.”
Shen Qinghan watched her work and said, “Have you heard that this year the Empress wants to assess our needlework? The items we make will be sent for her to review.”
“I haven’t heard about that,” Shen Yourong said. “Have you started already?”
“I’m already halfway through,” Shen Qinghan said. “I’m planning to make a sachet, but it’s too hot to hold the needle. I’m planning to work on it in the cooler evening.”
“Doing needlework at night damages the eyes,” Shen Yourong said. “What about Third Sister?”
“Who knows,” Shen Qinghan said. “This time the embroidery has to be sent to the palace, I can’t fool people with her work anymore. She has to do it herself, and she’s quite annoyed these days.”
“Then I need to hurry up,” Shen Yourong said. “But honestly, what kind of exquisite items can be made in just a few days?”
Shen Qinghan helped Du Juan organize the threads and said, “Third Sister is competitive and doesn’t want to lose to us.”
Shen Yourong laughed and asked, “Why do you say that?”
Shen Qinghan hesitated for a moment and said, “I heard that recently she has been getting close to the Fourth Prince. Sister, weren’t you supposed to be betrothed to him?”
“That was just a joke; no one took it seriously,” Shen Yourong said. “Besides, we’re all still young. Playing together doesn’t mean anything. The Fourth Prince’s status is high; he can play with whomever he likes. Third Sister is clever and spirited. Not just the Fourth Prince, even I like to play with her.”
Shen Qinghan mumbled, “Well, it seems everyone likes to play with her.”
Shen Yourong laughed and asked, “What’s this, do you want to get close to him too?”
“Not really,” Shen Qinghan said. “Among our sisters, the Fourth Prince enjoys playing with Third Sister and has some respect for you, but he doesn’t think much of me.”
Shen Yourong was about to say something, but she continued, “He doesn’t think much of me, and I don’t like to hang around him either. But some of the maids and servants in our household are always fawning over him, and I can’t stand it.”
Shen Yourong laughed and said, “Our Second Miss is the most aloof and doesn’t like those fawning behaviors.”
Shen Qinghan couldn’t help but laugh and said, “You think well of me, but others find me annoying.”
“Who cares about others?”
Just then, Shen Qingyan lifted the curtain and came in, “Second Sister, I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Shen Yourong said, “Third Sister is here, come sit.”
She entered the room, and Du Juan quickly brought a chair. She picked a grape from the ice chest and said, “I was looking for Second Sister to ask her to teach me embroidery.”
“Eldest Sister is here, why not ask her? Just watch her embroidery,” Shen Qinghan said.
Both sisters wanted to watch Shen Yourong embroider, so she had no choice but to wash her hands, rub them with purple jasmine powder, and pick up the light green silk thread to embroider a few stitches.
She was embroidering green peonies, using sixteen different shades of green to gradually shade the petals.
The flower’s center was a touch of light yellow, using eight shades of yellow silk thread, making the peony bloom with open and lifelike petals.
Before long, she finished a petal. The stitches were dense, and the hidden stitches were exquisite, looking the same from both sides.
Shen Qingyan was amazed and said, “Eldest Sister’s skills should be showcased to everyone.”
Shen Yourong chuckled, took back the embroidery frame, and continued to thread the needle, “This is just an ordinary embroidery technique, only beautiful because of the pattern and delicate colors.”
Shen Qingyan sighed and said, “Eldest Sister excels in everything, no wonder the Empress likes you.”
She and Shen Qinghan exchanged a glance. Shen Qinghan smiled and asked, “Are you envious?”
Shen Qingyan snorted and didn’t reply.
Shen Qinghan said, “Third Sister, I heard that you have been getting close to the Fourth Prince lately, even playing recklessly at school.”
Shen Qingyan looked calm and said, “I enjoy spending time with him.”
Shen Qinghan didn’t expect her to be so straightforward. She glanced at Shen Yourong and said, “But he’s an outsider.”
“So what?” Shen Qingyan said. “Father allows us to attend school together, which clearly shows he wants us to get along with him.
Besides, the Fourth Prince has always been like a cousin to us. When your cousin visits, we aren’t that reserved either.”
Shen Qinghan was at a loss for words. What she really wanted to talk about was Shen Yourong’s potential engagement to him, but Shen Yourong’s indifferent expression left her unsure of how to proceed.
Shen Qingyan knew what she meant. After hesitating for a moment, she asked Shen Yourong, “Eldest Sister, do you mind?”
“Me?” She laughed and said, “How could it concern me? But do you really find the Fourth Prince so good?”
Shen Qingyan thought for a while and said, “I do find him good. Although he is a prince, he treats me very well and doesn’t put on airs.
When I share my thoughts with him, he doesn’t find them absurd. I think, in this lifetime, we must experience certain things. Meeting him at such a good age is a wonderful thing.”
Although she didn’t speak of love, every word was filled with emotion.
Shen Qinghan felt embarrassed to say more, while Shen Yourong looked at her and asked, “Don’t you care about your reputation as a lady?”
“Those are just shackles imposed on women by society. I don’t care,” She said. “Living life to the fullest is what matters.”
Shen Qinghan pondered, while Shen Yourong laughed and said, “Look at our Third Sister, so extraordinary. If I were a man, I would love you too.”
With that, the sisters all laughed. They no longer mentioned the Fourth Prince, but talked about embroidery and needlework until the evening.
On the evening of the Chinese Valentine’s Festival, the Old Lady had already arranged a banquet. Shen Yourong and the others attended early, listening to the story of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl at the waterside pavilion.
After the play, the Old Lady, sitting at the head, laughed and asked, “Who won the needle threading competition this year?”
Shen Qinghan said, “Who else could it be? Eldest Sister is always the best.”
The Old Lady laughed and called Shen Yourong to her side, asking, “What embroidery did you make this year? Show me.”
Hua Mei handed over a handkerchief. She examined it carefully, feeling the stitches, and said, “Not bad, but the stitches aren’t fine enough.”
Shen Qinghan said, “grandmother, don’t just look at Eldest Sister’s work, look at ours too.”
So Shen Qinghan and Shen Qingyan presented their embroidery. The Old Lady first looked at Shen Qinghan’s and praised her for her cleverness, then examined Shen Qingyan’s and remarked on the novelty of her patterns.
After everyone had seen the work, the Old Lady ordered the embroidered items to be collected and sent to the waiting eunuch outside.
The girls sat with the Old Lady for a while, and then she dismissed them.
“It’s the Festival today, let the girls be free. They can wander in the courtyard without a curfew, just ensure the maids and servants are careful with the lights,” she said.
Lady Yang quickly agreed, and Shen Yourong led Shen Qinghan and Shen Qingyan out.
The night grew darker, and it was time for them to start having fun.
Shen Qingyan hurriedly said, “I’ll go back and change my clothes first. I’ll meet you in your courtyard later.”
Shen Qinghan didn’t plan to change clothes, but Shen Yourong wouldn’t allow it. “You come with me, I have a nice outfit for you. Third sister, you should come quickly too.”
She led Shen Qinghan back to her courtyard and ordered the maids to bring out the clothes she had prepared earlier.
The maids carefully brought out a set of clothes and unfolded them, revealing a wide-sleeved robe made of silk and a long skirt with embroidered flowers. Shen Qinghan touched the fabric, which was embroidered with lifelike autumn begonias.
“This material is too luxurious,” She said. “An inch of silk is worth an inch of gold. Even Mother doesn’t have many pieces of kesi clothing.”
“This isn’t a complete piece of good material,” Shen Yourong explained. “It was originally woven with some mistakes in the warp and weft, so I had the flawed sections cut away to make this long-sleeved gauze robe. It looks just like a perfect piece.”
Shen Qinghan wanted to say more, but Shen Yourong handed the clothes to her. “Go change quickly. We still need to do our hair later.”
She had no choice but to change. Shortly after, she emerged from behind the screen, and the little maids all vied to compliment her, saying she looked like a celestial being from the Moon Palace, ethereal and elegant.
Shen Yourong also changed her clothes, wearing a wide-sleeved gauze robe in a rain-washed sky blue, paired with a floor-length skirt made of azure brocade with floral patterns. Despite her young age, she already exuded an air of grace and poise.
She sat in front of the mirror, a pair of jade earrings dangling from her ears, as Du Juan applied a floral forehead ornament. The dark red and gold ornament on her forehead highlighted her shimmering eyes.
“A floral forehead ornament?” Shen Qinghan walked to the mirror and said, “It’s been years since anyone used these. I wonder where you found it.”
“I’ve always had them, just never had the right occasion to wear one.” Shen Yourong finished her makeup and switched places with her in front of the mirror.
Given Shen Qinghan’s elegant attire, a lavish floral ornament would not suit her, so Shen Yourong found a box of pearl face decorations and applied one to her forehead.
As they were speaking, a sudden gasp from the little maids at the door drew her attention. She looked over to see Shen Qingyan dressed in a soaked jade belt, a crown on her head, and pink shoes on her feet, looking like a handsome young gentleman.
“Young ladies, this humble gentleman salutes you,” She said, bowing in a manner befitting a young man.
Shen Yourong and Shen Qinghan covered their faces and laughed. Seeing the floral ornaments on their foreheads, Shen Qingyan said, “They look so pretty. I want one too!”
“You’re dressed like that and still want a floral ornament?” Shen Qinghan said, laughing.
“So what?” She walked over, pushed Shen Qinghan aside, and sat in front of the mirror. “Hurry, give me one too.”
Shen Yourong placed a green floral ornament on her forehead. Although she was dressed in men’s clothing, her fair face and red lips made her even more attractive than usual.
With the green ornament on her forehead, her beauty was further accentuated.