Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 52 - 4: Each Has Their Differences (Part 4)

Sixth Miss intentionally put on a cat-like greedy face, which made Susu laugh, "It sounds like you’re suggesting the family has mistreated you. The Fragrance Palace gave only a box of sixteen bottles. Eight were given away, with each of you girls and Fifth Young Master, Sixth Young Master getting one bottle each. Third Madam received one, and Old Madam kept one, and that was the end of it. As for Old Madam’s bottle, I don’t even need to say where it went."

Sixth Miss giggled, "I know grandmother dotes on me!"

Fourth Miss was broad-minded and kind to her sisters. Even though she knew that Old Madam favored Sixth Miss a little more, which was often just giving her a few more things, she had never minded. Instead, she said, "I’ll keep what Susu made, but the bottle of rose scent I received some days ago is still untouched. I’ll have it sent to you tonight." This earned her endless calls of "Good sister" from Sixth Miss, who then looked pitifully at Susu.

Susu, amused and helpless, said, "I only formulated four bottles of this plum blossom scent. One bottle was divided among the sisters in the courtyard to taste, one must be reserved for Old Madam, and the remaining two bottles are all that’s left. You know Third Madam has already instructed me not to damage the plum trees in the courtyard for the March Plum Blossom Banquet."

Sixth Miss and Susu exchanged a glance, both recalling two years ago when Susu planned to brew plum wine, and Sixth Miss had helped pluck quite a few plum trees bald, feeling rather guilty, then let out a sheepish laugh, which gave Fourth Miss a sense they were conspiring together.

Fourth Miss, while cheerful, was also astute. She realized this plum blossom scent wasn’t ordinary after tasting it and told Susu, "Make sure to keep the recipes for these things. If you ever leave the household, selling the recipes alone would bring you a lifetime of wealth. But using up all your resources at once isn’t a wise method; opening a cosmetics shop would be better." Then she sighed, "We rarely venture out, so we don’t know the worth, but I heard from the nanny that in the Capital, even the simplest rose scent sells for one tael of silver a bottle. The cosmetics we use are supplied to the harem ladies and go for a hundred taels per set outside. Even the favored imperial ladies in the palace sometimes can’t get the French perfumes, and in my opinion, what Susu makes is even better."

Susu hadn’t really considered what to do after leaving the household, though she imagined she wouldn’t open a store. She’s not cut out for business, and thinking about it, she found Aunt Su increasingly mysterious. The recipes she got from her didn’t seem simple. It’s one thing to concoct them for fun within the family, but selling them outside might not be appropriate.

Susu was always cautious; even her current formulations were slowly improved by adding and subtracting from the recipes memorized, thanks to her longstanding hobby of DIY herbal skincare in modern times.

Still, she understood Fourth Miss’s goodwill but couldn’t help but feel guilty. Smiling, Susu said, "Opening a store isn’t easy. It’s just for fun at home now."

Sixth Miss commented beside her, "Susu puts so much care into what she makes, and even then, there’s so little, not enough for me even."

Fourth Miss tapped her forehead with a smile, "You’re quite shameless, the way you coax Susu into giving you so many good things!"

Sixth Miss protested, "I have set aside good things for Susu too, but I’ve been so busy lately it slipped my mind." She then hurriedly instructed her personal maid to fetch a large black lacquer box inlaid with a mother-of-pearl design of hens pecking rice from her bedroom.

Seeing this, Fourth Miss laughed, "For New Year’s, you just gave me a pouch. Yet for Susu, it’s such a big box. Who’s really your sister? The difference in treatment is too much."

Sixth Miss wasn’t embarrassed at all, as she kept opening the box, she said, "Haven’t you heard that it’s the thought that counts more than the gift? Besides, you’ve seen all the good things in the Capital, even been to the Imperial Palace, we haven’t."

Fourth Miss pinched her chubby cheek, "You cheeky little thing. Quick, let me see. What good things have you prepared for Susu?"

Inside the black lacquer box were three smaller boxes. Fourth Miss casually opened one, containing a bottle of the French perfume she had mentioned earlier.

The glass bottle was painted with an angel, even the cap was set with sapphires. Upon opening, it revealed the fragrance of gardenias, a scent Susu was quite fond of.

Sixth Miss said, "Our family has merchant ships, so these aren’t hard to come by. We got a dozen bottles last year, but Susu said most of them were too strong. I specifically asked dad to have this bottle brought by the steward sailing with the ship."

Susu did not expect Sixth Miss to remember so many things besides the grapefruit and was touched. Gratitude seemed inadequate for such a thoughtful gesture, so she kept Sixth Miss’s thoughtfulness close to her heart.

Sixth Miss enthusiastically opened the remaining two boxes, showing them one by one to Susu. Two of the boxes, about the size of an adult’s palm, were filled with polished diamonds. The larger ones were the size of pigeon eggs, the smaller ones the size of beans, in various dazzling colors.

"My dad said there are countries overseas that produce gold and diamonds in abundance. A box like this can be obtained for merely a few bolts of silk or stones of grain. Although due to the Holy Ancestor Emperor’s favor, they flowed into Great Chu, they were not as valued as red or blue gems. I don’t understand why my sister likes them so much?" Sixth Miss was quite puzzled.

Looking at the box of diamonds, Susu was ecstatic. After hearing Sixth Miss’s words, she truly didn’t know how to explain her fondness for them. In modern times, no woman disliked diamonds, and she couldn’t possibly say, "Dear girl, you’re too generous, this box would have been worth billions in my past life." As for the idea that they symbolize love, "A diamond is forever," Susu truly didn’t care.

The other box contained several pearls about the size of beans. They weren’t very large, but they all shared the same uniform size, perfectly round with a luster and a hint of purplish color.

Fourth Miss picked one up to examine it, "These are genuine South Sea pearls. Although small, they have an exceptional sheen and color, especially given their number. No wonder people say Sixth Little Miss is a spendthrift Money Boy."

"These were only found when the maids were organizing my belongings this year. I don’t even remember when I got them. Wasteful to leave them unused, giving them to Susu seemed a good idea given her skillful nature," Sixth Miss said, nonchalantly dismissing the value of what could easily be worth several hundred silver taels, treating the rare pearls as if they were less important than the bottle of plum blossom scent.

Fortunately, Sixth Miss wasn’t clueless like the eldest. Instead, she had her own set of principles. Otherwise, Susu would find herself worried about her.

Susu accepted the items without hesitation, smiling, "Since they’re given to me, I won’t stand on ceremony. I’ll make some trinkets from these things for both of you to enjoy, a token of thanks."

Fourth Miss responded, "Susu is always thinking of me." As she spoke, she took off a red coral bracelet from her wrist and put it on Susu’s hand, making Susu’s jade-like hands appear even fairer. "Just got this, and the color is nice. Wear it for fun."

Thinking of all the things she had received this time, Susu said with a smile, "If there’s another chance like this, I won’t dare come again. Getting so many good things from the two of you has left me at a loss for words."

Sixth Miss was busy fiddling with Susu’s other hand, which bore a silver ring set with a sapphire on her slender middle finger, and she said, "No one else compares to sister. Whatever delicious foods or fun things, you always think of us! Such heartfelt gestures are worth whatever I have to give. Besides, you live with grandmother; what good things haven’t you seen? It’s the fate of those ordinary things to be enjoyed by you."

The mention of "fate" made Susu and Fourth Miss both laugh helplessly. To Sixth Miss, beautiful girls were akin to celestial fairies, blemish-free, especially beauties like Susu. It was only natural to exchange mountains of gold or silver for a smile from such a beauty, yet that left Third Madam worried.