Chapter 15: Xiang Pei

Turning his head, the Earl of Yongqing said to the Old Madam, "I believe Heng'er has learned her etiquette well enough. From now on, let her go out more often to broaden her horizons."

The Old Madam looked at the Earl of Yongqing in surprise.

Since when had the Earl become so concerned with matters inside the household?

"She has only recently begun learning etiquette; it would be better to temper her temperament further, lest she make a fool of herself when out in public."

"She will have her sisters to look after her when she goes out; she won't make a fool of herself. Keeping a person locked up at home all the time only makes them increasingly narrow-minded."

The Old Madam felt even more bewildered.

"Why has the Earl suddenly taken such an interest in Heng'er?"

"The Sixth Girl just happens to suit my fancy," the Earl of Yongqing said, his tone cooling. "Madam, you should also take more notice of Heng'er's strengths."

The Old Madam’s heart stirred.

Having been husband and wife for decades, she understood him well: once the Earl took this tone, it was no longer a casual chat that could be negotiated, but a serious decision.

Despite the myriad of doubts in her heart, the Old Madam did not oppose him further: "Understood."

Not long after this conversation, another invitation was delivered to the Earl's mansion—it was for the birthday banquet of County Princess Jiayi, inviting the Qiu sisters to attend.

The invitation even specifically mentioned that she had long heard of the Sixth Miss Qiu’s reputation and looked forward to meeting her.

The Old Madam stared at the invitation, her mood complex.

How did the Sixth Girl, who spent all her time in Lengxiang Residence, manage to curry favor with the Earl at home and catch the eye of County Princess Jiayi abroad?

She had always said this girl was uncanny!

But her annoyance with Qiu Heng did not dampen the Old Madam's good mood: this was an invitation from the Prince Kang’s Mansion.

The Old Madam immediately summoned her granddaughters to give them instructions, urged the needlework room to finish the summer garments that had been measured and cut for the girls some time ago, and even took out her private savings to instruct her trusted mammy to select five sets of expensive jewelry from a famous silver shop in the capital.

On the day of the banquet, on the way to Prince Kang’s Mansion, even the somewhat willful Qiu Fu was quiet.

This was the first time they had been formally invited to a Prince's mansion as guests. Would they meet the Princess Consort of Kang? Were noble ladies of County Princess Jiayi’s status easy to get along with?

Qiu Heng, however, seemed not to notice the tension among them and took out several fragrant pendants. "I mentioned before that I had made a type of fragrant accessory. Now that they are finished, I’ve brought them for my four sisters to enjoy."

Fragrant pendants, also known as fragrant plaques, would become the most common fragrant accessory in the Great Xia thirty years later, just like sachets. But at this time, they had not yet appeared.

Qiu Xuan and the others naturally did not recognize them.

"This is—"

"This is called a fragrant pendant. It is made from various fragrant materials. It serves the same purpose as a sachet, but the scent is more lasting and stable."

"It has the same function as a sachet?" Qiu Xuan picked one up and held it to her nose to sniff; indeed, it was pleasantly fragrant.

Qiu Ying also couldn't wait to pick one up, turning it over and over to examine it. "I've never heard of a fragrant pendant. Could it be that the Sixth Sister thought of this herself?"

That would be too impressive.

Qiu Heng shook her head. "No, a wandering Taoist priest I met in the past taught me."

Not far from Yunfeng Village was a Taoist temple with thriving incense. That area was a gathering place for spice merchants from all over the world.

"Sixth Sister has good fortune." Qiu Fu’s tone was stiff; she didn't quite believe it.

Just randomly meeting a wandering Taoist with a unique skill? Did she think she was a fairy descended from heaven?

Qiu Heng smiled faintly. "Perhaps it was because he saw that I had exceptional talent in the way of incense, so the Taoist priest begged me to learn it."

Qiu Fu: "..."

"Then, thanks to the Sixth Sister’s blessing, we are the first to gain such knowledge." Qiu Xuan took off the sachet she was wearing and replaced it with the fragrant pendant.

Qiu Ying was also fond of hers, her eyes falling on the two remaining pendants in Qiu Heng’s hand. "Third Sister, Fourth Sister, aren't you going to pick one? I want the one with the pink tassel."

The four pendants were identical butterflies with wings spread; only the colors of the hanging tassels differed.

Qiu Fu shot Qiu Ying a look, reached out to take the pendant with the purple tassel, and reluctantly replaced her sachet.

She didn't really care for this pendant; she just didn't want to appear out of place while out in public.

And as they walked through the spacious and imposing Prince’s mansion, the sisters’ eyes involuntarily fell on the sachets worn by the noble ladies who had also come to the banquet, and their tension faded significantly.

Even the Princesses and County Princesses were only wearing ordinary sachets.

Many noble ladies were surprised by the appearance of the Qiu sisters, among them Fang Rui, the granddaughter of Minister Fang.

"How is it that any stray cat or dog can come to the banquet now?" Fang Rui’s gaze swept over Qiu Xuan and the others, and she covered her mouth to laugh with the noble ladies beside her.

The Earl of Yongqing was always fawning over her grandfather, and her grandmother had long ago told her not to get too close to the Qiu girls, lest they use her to scheme.

Actually, there was no need for her grandmother to remind her; with an elder like the Earl of Yongqing who loved to flatter and curry favor, could the Qiu women have any good character?

And here they were, scheming their way into County Princess Jiayi’s birthday banquet.

Fang Rui’s voice was not soft, and many people heard her, immediately casting various looks toward Qiu Xuan and the others.

Qiu Fu’s expression changed, but she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue after Qiu Xuan gently tugged at her sleeve.

Unlike the awkward expressions of Qiu Xuan and the others, Qiu Heng appeared completely indifferent.

This stark contrast quickly drew many eyes toward her.

Is that the Sixth Miss Qiu?

Is she so boorish that she can’t even understand a backhanded compliment?

A noble lady beside Fang Rui walked over, opening her mouth with feigned enthusiasm: "Are you the Sixth Miss Qiu?"

The noble ladies who had been chatting among themselves stopped in unison, and even more eyes fell on Qiu Heng.

Is Cheng Susu trying to watch the Sixth Miss Qiu make a fool of herself?

Will the Sixth Miss Qiu be so stage-frightened that she won't even dare to open her mouth?

"I am Qiu Heng." The young girl, wearing the same style of clothing as her sisters, remained as calm as ever. "Who are you?"

As soon as these words were spoken, those gazes immediately shifted to Cheng Susu.

It was a simple question, yet she felt inexplicably ashamed and annoyed.

How could a girl from the countryside dare to ask her back? Did she think they were the same kind of person?

Seeing that Cheng Susu did not answer, the young girl looked puzzled. "Is the elder sister embarrassed to say her own name?"

"My name is Cheng Susu." Cheng Susu gritted her teeth secretly and asked again, "I heard that the Sixth Miss Qiu has always lived in the countryside in the south and only just arrived in the capital?"

The noble ladies: Here it comes, she’s starting to mock the Sixth Miss Qiu’s status as a country girl.

Some noble ladies felt Cheng Susu was going too far, while others simply wanted to watch the show, so no one spoke up for a moment.

"Yes. Has Miss Cheng always lived in the capital? Have you ever been to the south?"

The ladies:?

How is it that she’s asking questions back and forth?

Cheng Susu felt a sense of frustration.

If they kept chatting like this, she would be the one who became the joke!

"I plan to host a poetry banquet in a few days and would like to invite the Qiu sisters to attend," Cheng Susu said, then suddenly realized, "Oh, the Sixth Miss Qiu is literate, right?"

As soon as this question was asked, some of the sharper noble ladies couldn't help but show sympathy.

That sympathy was not for Qiu Heng, but for Cheng Susu.

They saw Qiu Heng nod earnestly: "I am literate. Is Miss Cheng literate?"

Cheng Susu: She wanted to tear this wild girl’s mouth apart!

Feng Caixing, who had just walked over and was standing on the periphery, couldn't help but burst into laughter, only to be pinched hard on the arm by her sister.

County Princess Jiayi, along with the Feng sisters, had just come over from the Princess Consort of Kang’s side. After greeting the ladies, she looked at Qiu Heng with burning eyes.

"I heard from my cousin that the Sixth Miss Qiu is very accomplished in making incense. I wonder if I might see the sachet my cousin saw that day?"

"I am not wearing a sachet today." Under the disappointed gaze of County Princess Jiayi, Qiu Heng took the fragrant pendant from her waist.

"I am wearing a fragrant pendant."