Cui Yunchu shot Cui Yunfeng a sharp glare, withdrew her gaze, and softly nestled into Old Madam Cui's embrace, completely devoid of her usual arrogance.
"Grandmother~" Cui Yunfeng gritted her teeth in anger.
"Enough," Old Madam Cui shot a reproving glance at Cui Yunfeng. "Have you forgotten what Grandmother told you?"
Cui Yunfeng indignantly fell silent.
Old Madam Cui said, "It is good that you both came today. Tomorrow, the Eldest Princess's estate is hosting a flower-viewing banquet, and half the female family members of the capital's officials have been invited. I had Nanny Li prepare two sets of jewelry for you. Dress yourselves up well, and be sure not to embarrass yourselves in public."
A servant woman came forward with a smiling face, holding a tray. On the left was a gold filigree phoenix hairpin set inlaid with gemstones; on the right was an openwork carved flower set with coral and gold beads.
The former was simple and elegant, accentuating a young woman's delicate beauty. The latter was luxurious and extravagant, perfectly matching Cui Yunchu's previous tastes.
"What are you spacing out for? Pick one," Cui Yunfeng urged.
"I am the elder sister, and you are the younger sister. You choose first."
Cui Yunfeng widened her eyes in disbelief. "Swinging a broadsword in a graveyard, you are going to scare someone to death."
"..."
Cui Yunchu did not want to be a good person anymore. She wanted to march right up and smack Cui Yunfeng's mouth shut.
She clearly did not have a bad heart, yet she possessed such a sharp, venomous tongue.
"Then I will choose." Cui Yunfeng stood up tentatively.
"As you should," Cui Yunchu smiled softly.
"Are you sure you won't be passive-aggressive later? Make veiled attacks? Stammer and shed floods of tears? Confuse right and wrong?"
Cui Yunchu thought to herself: You are just showing off how many books you have read.
Cui Yunfeng pointed at the coral and gold bead openwork jewelry set on the right. "Then... I choose this one...?"
The young girl's voice carried a hint of questioning uncertainty.
Cui Yunchu kept her smile. "Then I will take the one on the left. Yunchu thanks Grandmother."
Xing'er immediately stepped forward and received the jewelry set from Nanny Li's hands.
Old Madam Cui's gaze turned from surprise to gratification. "Yunchu has grown up. She knows to yield to her younger sister now, which is a good thing. Nanny Li, go and fetch that pearl-entwined, gold-inlaid buyao hairpin from the bottom of my trunk, and give it to the Eldest Miss as well."
Cui Yunchu was taken aback.
She knew of that buyao hairpin. It was part of Old Madam Cui's dowry. The late Noble Consort had once worn it, and later bestowed it upon the Li family, which was Old Madam Cui's maiden family.
She could not help but sigh emotionally. Her grandmother truly asked very little of her and held very low expectations for her.
"Why is that fair?" Cui Yunfeng protested indignantly. "I am the one who yields to her every single time, yet Grandmother has never rewarded me once. She yields to me just this one time, and Grandmother gives her both praise and rewards."
Cui Yunfeng did not expect her grandmother to favor her, but could she not at least treat them fairly?
Old Madam Cui shot her a reproving look. "You have grown up with fine clothes and rich food. Do not fight with your elder sister over such a trivial matter."
"..." Cui Yunfeng stomped her foot in anger, turned around, and left Songhe Courtyard.
The buyao hairpin worn by the Imperial Noble Consort was indeed dazzling and noble. Holding it in her hand, however, Cui Yunchu felt it weighed a thousand pounds.
So it turned out that a good person had to endure eighty-one tribulations to become a Buddha, whereas a bad person only needed to act like a good person once to achieve the same.
"Old Madam, the Eldest Miss has finally shown some improvement. Your painstaking teachings over the past year have not been in vain," Nanny Li said with gratification.
Old Madam Cui smiled affectionately. "I hope so. If Yunchu could just settle down a bit, this old woman could rest easy and enjoy her twilight years."
"Old Madam." A maidservant walked in briskly.
Nanny Li said, "It is a maidservant from the Cousin Miss's courtyard."
Old Madam Cui nodded.
After bowing in greeting, the maidservant reported everything that had happened at the cliff in the suburbs last night in meticulous detail.
Hearing that Cui Yunchu had not only written a letter to His Highness the Crown Prince, but even had the audacity to run to a restaurant to block his path, speaking reckless lies and acting nonsensically, Old Madam Cui was so furious that her vision went dark time and time again.
That little bit of hope and gratification receded like the tide.
Songhe Courtyard was deadly silent. Even Nanny Li was trembling with fear. "The Cousin Miss is quite capable. I imagine she will make the Eldest Miss learn her lesson."
Old Madam Cui shook her head. "How can she be so foolish? As long as this old woman is still alive, that child Qingwan will consider our family ties and show some mercy. But a few years from now, they will no longer be cousins; it will be the Crown Princess and her subject. How could she possibly let her off then?"
