Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 76 - 6: Beauty Like a Painting

When Xiang Ming and Susu arrived at the waterside pavilion, the young ladies were still at the lake pavilion, while there was a small boat on the nearby lake, with people waving at Susu.

Susu looked closely and saw that it was Sixth Miss, Miss Zhao Jiu, and Miss Xue, all around ten years old.

The lake in the Yangzhou garden was bigger than this one, and in previous years, the young ladies often played on small boats. Even Susu had once acted as a Lotus Gatherer, with maids and servants who could swim on board, so they felt secure.

Susu waved back at them, while Xiang Ming stayed in the waterside pavilion and lit a small red clay stove to boil water, and Susu stepped onto the corridor.

Following Sixth Miss’s gaze, the girls at the lake pavilion looked over, seeing Susu approaching, natural in posture, full of grace, and a beauty that captivated, like a painting.

The legitimate granddaughter of the Minister of Revenue, Zhou Mei, who is thirteen years old, always carries herself with pride, known as a talented woman in the Capital. She sighed, "Usually people say beauty is like a painting, and I never believed it, but seeing her today, I realized what ’the hibiscus cannot compare to the beauty’s adornment; the pearl and jade fragrance comes with the breeze in the water palace’ truly means."

The other young ladies felt the same, secretly envious and jealous, but outwardly maintained an expression of calm and grace.

When Susu approached, although everyone caught a glimpse of her in the garden earlier, Susu paid respects and left quickly, not allowing time for a careful look. Now, secretly observing, they inevitably praised, "A lotus emerging from water, elegance unparalleled," she’s not only beautiful, but her demeanor is unlike any maid’s. Though her attire was not striking, it was of genuine quality gauze, surpassing some of the fabrics worn by young ladies present, albeit less ornate but more elegantly simple!

After paying respects to the young ladies, Fourth Miss pulled Susu beside her, laughing, "The beautiful scenery is like poetry, the beauty is like a painting, soon there will be fine wine and food, making us complete with all four beauties!"

Hearing this, Susu discreetly pinched Fourth Miss’s hand, and Fourth Miss blinked in resignation.

Grandmother dotes on Susu, and the legitimate mother mentioned something about "people inside the house" before, although Grandmother had the servants’ tongues restrained afterward, this talk isn’t a secret within the Song Family, and it wouldn’t be hard for the Zhao Family to find out either.

Upon seeing Susu grow up truly beautiful, the Zhao Family couldn’t help but have some thoughts. Better to let them understand Susu’s character, so that the eldest sister-in-law doesn’t feel awkward, and to clear Susu’s name! If Susu really wanted to become a concubine, there would be no need for the legitimate mother to speak up.

Susu sighed inwardly, feeling unsuited for social interactions, yet she smiled outwardly, "The beautiful scenery won’t escape, but the beauties must be hungry and thirsty; fine wine and food might be impatiently waiting. You young ladies are elegant, seeing everything like poetry and painting, but as a servant, I am simple and feel urgently hungry when I miss a meal!"

Just as the three young ladies got on the pavilion, holding freshly picked lotus leaves and flowers, Susu took them, pointing at the lotus leaf, "This is lotus leaf cake!" Then she shook the lotus flower, "This is lotus tea!"

This left Sixth Miss a bit perplexed, "What’s wrong with elder sister," seeing the other sisters all covering their mouths, she only felt more confused.

Third Miss laughed as she explained what was said earlier to her younger sister, and Sixth Miss also laughed, saying, "People often say true simplicity is great elegance, Sister Susu is truly someone of genuine character."

Beside her, Miss Zhao Jiu’s eyes were full of curiosity and intrigue, "Earlier on the boat, Qing Wan (Song Sixth Miss’s maiden name) talked about inviting us for lotus tea, even picked several flower buds, saying it was sister’s novel idea for clothing. Though I haven’t tasted the tea yet, upon seeing elder sister, I suppose the tea must be excellent!"

Susu responded, "Can’t take such praise from Miss Zhao Jiu, it was merely a casual attempt seen in a book, not expecting Old Madam and the young ladies to like it. Now, having a lotus banquet today, it’s been brought out."

While speaking, everyone moved to the waterside pavilion, which was surrounded by water on three sides, decorated with floor-to-ceiling glass doors. Now, the three glass doors were wide open, all hung with fine gauze of rain-washed blue, gently swayed by the breeze, more comfortable than placing ice basins.

Xiang Ming stood up to greet the young ladies. By now, the water boiled on the red clay stove long rolled and bubbled. Once all the young ladies were seated, maids brought fresh fruit, pastries, and preserves.

Susu asked the young ladies to wait a moment, then took the flower buds picked by Sixth Miss to Xiang Ming, requesting a set of glass tea ware brought over.

After Susu’s preparation, returning to the table with the tea ware, and the teapot brewed tea, there was an unopened lotus flower inside.

While the young ladies were cultured and refined, none had thought of brewing tea with a lotus flower.

Zhao Fourth Miss laughed, "This looks rather novel, asking Susu to explain to us, so we can show it off to our grandmothers once we’re home."

Such novel items may not impress the madams due to insufficient substance, but the young ladies are sure to love them.

Susu saw the young ladies all eagerly looking at her, their innocent curiosity was endearing enough to charm anyone, then she smiled slightly, saying, "This tea, its name is not unusual, just called lotus tea. It’s made by sealing high-quality tea leaves inside a budding lotus flower, tying it tightly with thread, and when you want to drink, you pluck the entire flower with its stem, brewing it whole in a glass pot, allowing its flavor to bloom." (This was picked up from Huai Su’s esteemed writing in "Easy to be a Concubine," one of Ah Biao’s favorite time-travel novels.)

Since entering the garden, Zhao Sixth Miss had barely spoken, and after hearing this, she sighed, "Only someone with a crystal heart and discerning taste could think of such a piece, Susu indeed is truly elegant."

Susu quickly waved her hand, "This wasn’t my idea, it’s simply that I read many books and my thoughts revolve around eating and drinking, pray the young ladies don’t laugh at me!"

Zhou Mei, who always loved lotuses, naturally adored it greatly, "It’s too late this year, but next year I’ll try making lotus tea at home using this method, then invite everyone to taste and critique!"

Susu replied, "Young ladies are about music, chess, literature, and painting while I’m about firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea; to lead you all into the realm of eating and drinking would be my fault!"

Third Miss laughed, "Here you all are being polite and cordial, while the tea is about to go cold."

The young ladies pondered Susu’s words "music, chess, literature, painting, poetry, wine, flowers; firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea," and couldn’t help but inwardly acclaim her, looking at Susu in newfound admiration!

This was truly a genuine misunderstanding.

Susu was genuinely poor at poetry and didn’t want to repeat clichés. Whenever young ladies composed poetry, she fled far away. This phrase was book read in her past life, merely spoken today without intent.

Later on, the young ladies discussed the water used for brewing tea, with Third Miss bringing Xiang Ming over, and the young ladies noticing that the couple of maids from the Song Mansion were so cultured and tempered, while the young ladies were proficient in music, chess, and painting, shifting their views significantly about Shun’an Earl Mansion!

Knowing that First Madam when visiting guests would act like a real nouveau riche, Second Madam would be excessively "no dust in sight," and Second Miss only socialized with legitimate daughters from noble and high-official households, leaving Shun’an Earl Mansion poorly reputed among the noble circles.

If not for the elder uncle’s eloquent nature, alongside the talented and well-mannered young masters, Shun’an Earl Mansion could never have hoped for marrying into Wenchang Marquis Mansion.

Comparing today once more, they indeed admired Old Madam Song genuinely. If Old Madam Song had accompanied us to the Capital three years ago, today she’d surely have numerous prestigious guests.

Even if showing one’s face at palace banquets can earn admiration from Princess Changlong, Grand Princess Consort Gong, and Duke Zhen Guo’s Old Madam. A maid’s origin, after all, maids born from Prince Mansions are in high demand too. Plenty are rightfully married to officials of the seventh or eighth rank! Hence, upon seeing a maid like Susu with complete grace and beauty, they did not underestimate, and even if some held inner disdain, acknowledging Zhao Family and Zhou Family young ladies’ compliments, while Song Family young ladies advocated this maid, none showed it outwardly.

The banquet ended around one in the afternoon, proving to be mutually enjoyed by hosts and guests, as Shun’an Earl Mansion’s Old Madam and the young ladies’ refined qualities and looks spread throughout the noble circles, naturally including remarks within lady’s chambers about Susu, Song Mansion’s exquisite maid.