Chapter 11: Scented Sachet

“Are these the young ladies of the Qiu family?” Feng Caixing was not very old, her bright eyes crinkling with a smile as she greeted them in a crisp, clear voice.

The Changchun Marquis’s Mansion and the Yongqing Earl’s Mansion did not have much interaction. This was the first time the Qiu sisters had been invited to a banquet at the Changchun Marquis’s Mansion. They had expected to be quietly settled in, so Feng Caixing’s enthusiasm came as both a surprise and a delight to the sisters.

“This is the Second Miss Qiu…” someone familiar with both sides introduced them.

“Oh? Did the Sixth Miss Qiu not come?” Once the introductions were finished, Feng Caixing asked.

The Second Miss, Qiu Xuan, vaguely understood that the Second Miss Feng’s enthusiasm was actually curiosity about her sixth sister. She replied politely, “Sixth Sister just returned home after a long journey and is quite exhausted. Grandmother dotes on her, so she told her to rest well and recover before going out.”

“I see.” A flash of disappointment crossed Feng Caixing’s eyes, and her fervor faded, though she remained polite and ordered someone to see to the arrangements for Qiu Xuan and the others.

Watching Feng Caixing’s retreating back, Qiu Fu bit her lip. “What is the meaning of this? If Qiu Heng doesn’t come, are we not considered guests?”

Qiu Xuan knew well that her fourth sister was spoiled and, fearing she might throw a tantrum in such a setting, quickly soothed her. “It is thanks to the Marchioness of Changchun that Sixth Sister was found. The Second Miss Feng must have heard her mother mention it; it is only natural for her to be curious about Sixth Sister.”

“So you mean we were only able to come because we were riding on Sixth Sister’s coattails?” Qiu Fu felt even more displeased.

Even with Qiu Xuan’s good temper, she wanted to roll her eyes.

The Marchioness of Changchun was the younger sister of the Princess Consort of Kang, and the Yongqing Earl’s Mansion was not among those they usually associated with. If they were invited by the Feng sisters, who else could it be for if not for Sixth Sister?

She just didn’t know if this curiosity was well-intentioned or malicious.

Qiu Xuan thought this because, very soon, many noble young ladies gathered around, every sentence revolving around Qiu Heng.

“What is the Sixth Miss Qiu’s name?”

“I heard the Sixth Miss Qiu was raised by mountain folk in the south. Is she accustomed to life in the mansion?”

“Is the Sixth Miss Qiu as beautiful as you sisters?”

…

The tone of these young ladies was carefully measured, but Qiu Xuan frowned inwardly.

No matter how they disguised it, they could not hide their contempt for her sixth sister. One had to know that if one truly respected a person, they wouldn’t be prying and asking this and that.

Qiu Xuan gradually fell silent, and it was the Third Miss, Qiu Yun, who took over the conversation.

Feng Caixing returned to her sister’s side and whispered, “What a pity, I didn’t get to see the Sixth Miss Qiu.”

Feng Caiyue glanced at her sister. “Contain your curiosity. Don’t let the Qiu sisters get any ideas.”

Feng Caixing tilted her chin toward the direction of Qiu Xuan and the others. “Sister, don’t lecture me. Look at how many others are curious.”

Someone who had been lost for ten years and only found because her mother happened to run into her—how could they not be curious?

Feng Caiyue shook her head slightly at the noisy scene and walked over.

“How lively.”

“Miss Feng.” The noble ladies greeted Feng Caiyue.

Feng Caiyue nodded in response and greeted the Qiu sisters one by one. “There are many sisters here today; please forgive any lack of hospitality.”

“The First Miss Feng is too kind,” Qiu Xuan replied with a polite pleasantry.

One young lady asked, “Is the County Princess Jiayi not here today?”

County Princess Jiayi was the daughter of the Prince of Kang and Feng Caiyue’s cousin.

Feng Caixing pursed her lips and smiled. “Cousin is at a critical stage in her research of a certain incense and didn’t have time to go out.”

County Princess Jiayi’s obsession with the way of incense was well-known in their circles.

Such an obsession was not criticized; rather, it was considered an elegant pursuit.

Even in this garden where the banquet was held, various incense burners were placed on high tables in every corner, emitting curling wisps of fragrance.

Mentioning incense, Feng Caiyue sniffed lightly and took Qiu Xuan’s hand. “I was wondering where such a clear and subtle fragrance was coming from. So it was brought by the Second Miss Qiu. What incense is the Second Miss Qiu wearing?”

What Qiu Xuan was wearing was the sachet gifted by Qiu Heng.

She had cherished the unique scent, never expecting the First Miss Feng to notice it.

This seemed like an opportunity to build a reputation for her sixth sister.

Qiu Xuan’s heart stirred, and she took off the sachet to show the ladies. “I am only wearing a sachet gifted by my sixth sister today.”

Feng Caiyue looked surprised. “The Sixth Miss Qiu made this?”

“Yes, my sixth sister’s foster parents made a living by gathering incense.”

“May I take a closer look and smell it?”

Qiu Xuan did not hesitate and handed the sachet to Feng Caiyue.

Feng Caiyue reached out and took it, completely ignoring the coarseness of the sachet’s fabric, and brought it to her nose to sniff gently.

A moment later, she returned the sachet and said sincerely, “This incense is blended exceptionally well. The Sixth Miss Qiu has extraordinary attainments in the way of incense.”

“No way. It’s not hard for an ordinary person to process incense materials, but can one really become a master at making and blending incense?”

The ladies were incredulous.

It wasn’t that they looked down on others, but a master of incense had to be familiar with the characteristics of various spices and constantly experiment to improve their craft. Many spices were expensive; how could commoners afford to use them for practice?

“There is always someone better than the best, and a heaven beyond our heaven,” Feng Caiyue said as the hostess, cutting off the skepticism, a thought forming in her mind.

If the Sixth Miss Qiu truly had such attainments, perhaps she could help her cousin solve the problems she was encountering, saving her cousin from being so obsessed with incense that she wouldn’t even leave the house.

“Oh, the fragrance on the Fifth Miss Qiu is also lovely. It’s the same as the Second Miss Qiu’s,” Feng Caixing suddenly said.

Qiu Ying’s face turned red instantly, and she stammered, “I… I am also wearing a sachet gifted by my sixth sister,” while quietly lowering her hand, using her sleeve to hide the sachet hanging at her waist.

On the way back to the mansion, Qiu Fu, who was seething with suppressed anger, sneered, “If Fifth Sister wanted to wear the sachet Sixth Sister gave her, she should have worn it openly like Second Sister. Why did you go and change the outer pouch?”

It turned out that the sachet Qiu Ying had deliberately hidden at the flower banquet was made of fine silk—the material commonly used by noble ladies.

Qiu Ying was embarrassed by the retort and couldn’t help but say, “The sachet Sixth Sister gave me is indeed fragrant.”

She couldn’t bear to part with that unique scent, but felt the original sachet was too unsightly to be seen in public, so she had transferred it to a different pouch.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal, but compared to her second sister, who wore the sachet gifted by her sixth sister with such poise in front of everyone, her actions appeared unsightly.

“Is a single sachet worth so much trouble? Have you never seen a good thing before?”

Hearing her fourth sister’s mockery of the fifth, Qiu Yun silently moved a little further away from Qiu Fu.

She, too, was wearing the sachet gifted by her sixth sister, but fearing her fourth sister would be displeased if she saw it, she had kept it tucked close to her body, which was why the scent wasn’t as obvious.

The usually gentle Qiu Xuan lowered her voice. “Even the First Miss of the Changchun Marquis’s Mansion praised Sixth Sister’s sachet; how can it not be a good thing? People outside hear that Sixth Sister came from the countryside and are waiting to see something strange. Fourth Sister, instead of being happy that Sixth Sister has talent, do you want those people to make a laughingstock of our mansion?”

The words made Qiu Fu’s temper flare, but she had no rebuttal.

“Where is Second Sister going?” Seeing Qiu Xuan turn toward another direction, Qiu Ying asked.

“To Lengxiang Residence, to thank Sixth Sister.”

Qiu Ying hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth. “Third Sister, Fourth Sister, I haven’t been to Lengxiang Residence yet. I’ll go with Second Sister to take a look.”

Seeing the two leave, Qiu Yun looked at Qiu Fu.

Qiu Fu’s face was cold as frost; she flicked her sleeves and walked away, also heading in the direction of Lengxiang Residence.

A-Heng did not appear, but this was an important piece of foreshadowing.

(End of chapter)