My mother and older brother had been busy preparing betrothal gifts. Miao Yin was from the Empress’s family, necessitating the meticulous following of the six traditional rites, with nothing lacking. An Jin had the accounting room allocate considerable silver for this, which I supplemented in secret. With my brother’s savings, it was more than sufficient.
Nanny and Big Brother were often away from home, leaving Little Sister bored.
Moreover, Song Sitang was about to marry Tang Wei, the young master of the Tang family, and was busy preparing her wedding dress and dowry, leaving no time to accompany me. Feeling uninteresting, she ran to the study to keep me and Yuanxiao company, lamenting life’s unpredictability.
I also felt emotional. The memory of Song Sitang, a beautiful young girl, begging me to bring her and An Jin together, was still vivid. Now she has found a good destination. Who doesn’t want to roam the blue sea and sky?
Little Sister was melancholic. Seeing her brother about to get married and her girlfriends already settled down, while she remained single, left her feeling lost. Yuanxiao seemed to sense this, lying at our feet and softly whimpering.
Little Sister was as picky as Yuanxiao, who disdained all eligible female dogs in the neighborhood. After being disappointed by Feng Yuxi and the Eastern Palace, Little Sister rejected all marriage proposals, determined to find a truly compatible young man. This pair of kindred spirits sat by the study window, gazing at the sky and sighing, scaring away many visitors.
I knew she was somewhat dissatisfied with my favoritism towards Song Sitang and was about to comfort her when the doorbell rang, signaling another guest’s arrival.
Princess Jiang Yunqiao of Nanrui and General Shen entered the study. Jiang Yunqiao, dressed in casual attire, softened her stern expression upon seeing me. “Madam,” she said.
I quickly guided Little Sister to bow to her. Meanwhile, Little Sister and Yuanxiao fixated on the small yellow bird on General Shen’s shoulder.
The small yellow bird flapped its wings and flew around the room, landing on the bookshelf and chirping loudly: “Ugly woman, stupid dog! Ugly woman, stupid dog!”
Jiang Yunqiao looked slightly awkward, while General Shen sternly instructed, “Come back.”
The bird tilted its head at him but stayed put. Yuanxiao remained unusually calm, lying on the ground with eyes closed.
