Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 87 - 13: Disdain for Makeup’s Artificial Beauty
After the Chongyang Festival on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, it was soon the time for the palace examination results to be released. The Song Family had three young masters participating: besides the Princely Heir, there was also the Second Young Master and the Third Young Master. Previously, the Song Family had three Scholars from the same household, a fact that made many envious for quite some time. This time, some people made sour remarks, saying that the Song Family would only truly prove themselves if they produced three Scholars in one household again!
But each family knows its own affairs. The Second and Third Young Masters were just there for the experience this time, not really aiming for success; they were merely getting a feel for the examination!
Among the young masters of the Song Family, apart from the Princely Heir, the Fifth Young Master was the most talented in literature. The Second and Third Young Masters wanted to emulate the Second Master and buy an official position; the Fourth Young Master disliked studying the most and was instead interested in business; the Sixth Young Master wished to become a General; as for the Seventh and Eighth Young Masters, they were still too young to show any particular interest.
When the results were out, it was just as the Song Family anticipated: only the Princely Heir succeeded, and he was even at the top of the Second Class, which, though not as good as the First Class, was still rare among the children of new nobility.
A servant dispatched to check the results returned with the good news, and soon after, the official announcement arrived at the gates of Shun’an Earl Mansion. Firecrackers echoed through the sky, and baskets of newly minted Copper Coins were scattered for the Bystanders who came to share in the joy and offer congratulations.
In the inner courtyard, the Old Madam, beaming with joy, rewarded all the household staff with an extra month’s salary and a new set of clothes.
The Old Madam pondered and decided to bring back the First Madam from the other courtyard. The First Madam, simply dressed, seemed a little thinner but in good spirits. She didn’t care about the presence of the maids and knelt down before the Old Madam and the Master to admit her wrongs, vowing never to repeat them.
Regardless of whether the Old Madam and the Master believed her or not, past grievances were set aside, since she is, after all, the mother of the Princely Heir and the eldest daughter. However, the Master firmly warned her, "If you ever err again, you will go back to the other courtyard just as you came out, and you’ll not come out again until the day I die!"
The First Madam lowered her head, humbly acknowledging the warning.
The honor of being placed at the top of the Second Class allows the bearer to parade on horseback and attend the Emperor’s personally hosted Qionglin Banquet. All families on good terms with the Song Family sent gifts of congratulations. The Master initially thought of hosting a three-day banquet, but the Old Madam pointed out that the Princely Heir’s wedding was a month away, with its own days of feasting, and hosting a banquet now would be excessive. Let others secretly mock us as a nouveau riche if they will, but it’s no good if they think us arrogant in our moment of success. The Master relented!
Nonetheless, they awarded another month’s salary to all household staff, sent a hundred stones of fine rice and flour to the Charity Hall, and contributed a thousand taels of incense money to Jixiang Temple, known for its strong patronage in the Capital.
With two months of extra salary in hand, the household staff worked with even greater zeal, their laughter and cheer echoing throughout, as they knew that when the Princely Heir wed, more rewards would surely follow if they performed well!
For a senior maid like Susu, the two months’ salary wasn’t particularly important, but the joyful atmosphere was contagious, and the Old Madam privately bestowed additional rewards.
Even Susu, who ordinarily never cared for adornment, uncharacteristically applied some rouge and powder. Unfortunately, she wasn’t skilled at makeup, transforming her delicate little face into a comical sight.
Moreover, she sported this face in the main room, causing the usually unflappable Old Madam to spew her drink in laughter; Yang Liu knocked over a basin stand; Ning Cui, who was tidying the bedding, turned around at the sound and exclaimed, "My heavens!"; and Yun Duo, holding a peachwood comb, was so startled she snapped its teeth!
The other maids outside, observing Susu as she breezed into the inner room, were utterly bewildered, wondering, "What in the world?"
The Old Madam dabbed her face with a handkerchief, holding back laughter, and asked, "Susu, what nonsense are you up to?"
Susu, twisting her clothes bashfully, replied, "Everyday the Old Madam and my sisters say I dislike dressing up. Now, with all these joyous occasions in our mansion, it wouldn’t be right for me to look too plain."
Yang Liu, setting the basin stand upright and looking at the water spilled everywhere, remarked, "And you decide to dress up like this, and even step out of your room looking like this? Who are you trying to scare to death?" Unable to hold it in, Yang Liu slapped Susu playfully, saying, "Did you take the wrong medicine?"
The others in the room, upon seeing Susu’s face resembling a paint palette, couldn’t help but burst into laughter!
The Old Madam laughed and said, "Everyone says I’m biased towards her; with such a treasure how could I not be!"
Ning Zui also laughed, saying, "No wonder Susu never uses rouge or powder. People often say, ’Despise cosmetics for spoiling natural colors,’ which I never believed before. Today, I am finally convinced!"
Yun Duo, being a good child, fetched water and led Susu to wash her face. As the clear water turned into a basin of red soup, Yun Duo playfully remarked, "Dear sister, this basin of water has cost a dozen taels of silver." Hidden sharpness in her comment, Susu clutched her chest, feigning a heartache, which amused everyone even more.
The Old Madam pulled Susu close, looking at her tender, fair little face, jokingly said, "You are not allowed to ruin this face anymore!" Then added curiously, "You talk smart, you use smart; how come when it comes to yourself, it’s..." she couldn’t find a word for it. Susu quietly responded, "A gentleman uses words, not hands!" which earned her a playful pinch on the cheek, "Nonsense!"
Ning Cui, having folded the bedding, waited until Yang Liu called people in to clean the floor before saying, "Everyday we tell you to dress up, meaning to show off those nearly moldy new clothes and jewelry. Upon entering the Capital, that red outfit was nice enough; today’s is quite fine too."
The Old Madam glanced along with Ning Cui’s comments, noting Susu’s attire: a pink-purple cross-collar inner garment with entwined osmanthus flowers embroidered at the collar and cuffs, overlaid with a long jacket of pale blue with silver thread embroidery of white orchids, paired with a light pink ru-yi patterned silk skirt beneath, seemingly simple, but accentuated by a large red palace tassel around her waist, making a perfect finishing touch!
Along with the pearl flower set with red gemstones on her head, a jade bracelet on her wrist, and two rings of jade and red gemstones, she could very well pass as a daughter of a wealthy family.
The Old Madam nodded with satisfaction, "Ning Cui is right, today’s attire is quite suitable. That red outfit is good too; wear it, and don’t think that just because you look nice that fine clothes aren’t for you. The world doesn’t work that way. From now on, make more outfits with bright colors for these ladies to wear, as it pleases me." Susu laughed, "Then I dare not step out in the future."
Yun Duo, secretly envious, watched Susu. Someone looking good would shine even in tattered clothes, let alone in beautiful attire adorned with fine accessories, truly fairy-like. Hearing Susu’s comment, she curiously asked, "Why can’t you go out wearing good clothes?"
Susu, with her pride, answered, "If I go out, the moon won’t come out, flowers will shy away, what if the geese flying in the sky fall down? Even the fish swimming freely would stop coming out — wouldn’t it all be my fault?"
It took everyone a while to react, then they burst into laughter. Even Yun Duo, with not much learning, had heard of tales of ’Blush overshadowing flowers, casting a shadow on the moon, sinking fish, and falling geese,’ let alone the others!
Yang Liu, pulling Susu closer, quipped, "Let me see how thick this skin of yours is!" Ning Cui laughed until tears came out, saying, "Stop teasing her, what if you end up dunking her in the water tank and not come out?"
Yang Liu, hearing Ning Cui’s teasing, let go of Susu and pretended to hit her, "Let me give you a taste of a goose’s face hitting the ground first!"
The Old Madam hurried to stop them, laughing, "Enough fooling around, let’s first see if the flowers we’ve planted in front are still blooming?"
Since the Old Madam wanted porridge, Nanny Qin personally went to the small kitchen to give a command. Just as she returned and entered the door, she happened to hear this, and said, "The flowers are blooming well, with little maids watering them; shall we clip a few branches for vases inside?"
This time, even Susu joined in the laughter, "I at most make flowers shy, but Nanny Qin goes straight to destroying them, I concede."
The Old Madam pointed at Susu, "You mischievous little thing!" Then seeing Nanny Qin looking utterly confused, she laughingly explained the situation to her.
Nanny Qin said, "No wonder those little maids were craning their necks to look inside, I even scolded them for being indiscreet, and it turns out they witnessed a good foreign spectacle!" Then she too laughed, "Truly a little treasure!"
