Outside Cien Temple in late spring, wisteria arbors hung down like waterfalls, and twelve Xiangfei bamboo mats were spread out along the floral path, with freshly picked jasmine floating in celadon teacups. Jiang Wan had just seated herself on a bamboo mat, and the agarwood scent from her cuffs drifted out, blending with the tea aroma and prompting Miss Li on the far left to glance over a second time.
"So this is the Marquis's Mansion's Miss Jiang?" Miss Li covered her mouth with a fan, her gaze sweeping past the white magnolia hairpin at Jiang Wan's temple. "I heard a few days ago she was nearly startled by a runaway horse in the suburbs. Looking at her now, she appears quite unharmed?"
Before the probing tone in her words could fade, a flash of peach-red cloud brocade swept past the wisteria arbor. Liu Shiyao walked over with graceful steps, the Eastern pearls dangling from the gold step-shaker in her hair trembling slightly with each movement. "Sister Li's words are far too dramatic—Sister Jiang is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, and naturally she is protected by good fortune." She sat down opposite Jiang Wan, her fingertips brushing back and forth across the rim of her teacup. "Though Shiyao did hear that after Sister Jiang took charge of the household, she even cut her mother's monthly allowance. The majesty of the Marquis's Mansion's legitimate daughter is truly extraordinary."
Chapter 93