Spring in the Hall of Paintings

Ma Jing Yi’s palms were damp with sweat. The red-clad young lady before her came from a noble background, highly respected in the palace, and was skilled in horse riding. She had no chance of winning against her in a competition, and even if by some miracle she did win, there would be no benefit for her.

Jing Yi appeared pitiful, as though hurt by the young lady’s arrogance. Her pink lips trembled, “I… Why should I compete with you?”

“Is this how a young lady from the Tong family behaves? Causing trouble but lacking the courage to face it, acting like a coward?”

The young lady sat confidently on her horse, her eyebrows and eyes like a painting, her skin fair, and her eyes, shaped like phoenix eyes, filled with mockery. She lightly flicked the horsewhip against her palm. “If you don’t have the ability, you shouldn’t have come to the outskirts of the capital, and you definitely shouldn’t have provoked others.”

Jing Yi bit her lip, feeling the mocking gazes from all around. She was already physically weak and seemed on the verge of collapse. “You… you…”

“Guo Luoluo, Cousin Jing Yi can’t represent the Tong family.”

Yun Lan rode up, and Yun Wei instinctively looked behind her at Yun Lan. The Fourth Prince was nowhere to be seen. Cheng Wu made a noise with his mouth. Yun Wei noticed a white steed by the forest, realizing that he had gone into the woods. The Fourth Prince must have considered Yun Lan’s feelings. Apart from a few people, not many knew that Yun Lan and Yinzhen were in love, not even Jing Yi, who only knew that Yun Lan had risen to favor with an influential person.

Grandmother had issued a gag order to Jing Yi and her aunt, Rongxian. If any word leaked out, she would disown them both. Although Jing Yi was unwilling, she didn’t dare to offend the elderly lady.

Yun Wei was one of the few people whom Yun Lan treated sincerely and could be considered her closest confidante. Yun Lan liked Yun Wei’s character, knowing she was not one to gossip. Yun Lan often confided in her about the details of her relationship with the Fourth Prince. As a result, Yun Wei knew more about their romance than anyone else.

Yun Wei never expected that the cold and distant Yinzhen would ever act romantically. He was very attentive and considerate towards Yun Lan.

“Tongjia Yun Lan,” Guo Luoluo said with a raised eyebrow, her mockery unchanged. “Ma Jing Yi grew up in your family, no, she grew up alongside you. She acts so delicate, not at all like a noble young lady from the Eight Banners, and is unworthy of being in the spotlight.”

Yun Lan was puzzled. What had Jing Yi done to make Guo Luoluo so angry? In response to Guo Luoluo’s ridicule, Yun Lan calmly smiled, as though she were watching a child throw a tantrum, and said lightly, “You have a point. There’s a saying that ‘cousins, especially maternal cousins, are like bones connected to muscles.’ Guo Luoluo, you’re right to scold her.”

“You… you…” Guo Luoluo, in her fury, swung her horsewhip and snapped, “Who is related to her?”

“Jing Yi, what have you done wrong to make you so angry, Sister Guo?” Yun Lan’s voice was soft as she turned to Jing Yi. “Have you even acknowledged her as your cousin?”

Yun Lan’s mother was a cousin to the noble and influential General Ho Shen, and since they were close cousins, Yun Lan and Guo Luoluo were first cousins, an important relationship in the Qing Dynasty. The Qing highly valued family connections, and Guo Luoluo’s harsh words about the Tong family girls reflected poorly on herself as well. Yun Lan used this to her advantage, with a gentle yet effective retort, leaving Guo Luoluo speechless.

Guo Luoluo glared at Yun Lan, unwilling to back down. Although she came from a lower status, her fame surpassed Yun Lan’s. The current emperor had even praised her, which made Guo Luoluo, who was raised in the Iron Hat Prince’s mansion and often visited the palace, quite resentful. The day before, she had heard Consort Yi mention Yun Lan, and today, she encountered Jing Yi bothering her, so Guo Luoluo sought to use Jing Yi as a tool to put Yun Lan in her place, reminding her that her status was not fit for a prince.

However, Yun Lan’s quick wit left Guo Luoluo embarrassed, and the humiliation was too much to bear. How could she tolerate this? She pointed her horsewhip at Yun Lan and said, “Stop with the nonsense. Yun Lan, since you’re defending Ma Jia Jing Yi, show us your real abilities and make us acknowledge you. Otherwise, the Tong family isn’t fit for the limelight.”

A flicker of anger rose in Yun Lan’s calm eyes. No one had ever dared to insult her so directly. The eighth Fujin (wife) was arrogant and domineering, but Yun Lan couldn’t understand why the Eighth Prince, Yinti, would rather endure a reputation of being henpecked and spend his life with her. Was it because of the royal power behind her? If given the chance, she would like to explore this mystery and uncover the truth.

Yun Lan turned her horse away, ignoring Guo Luoluo’s provocation. When Yinzhi finally obeyed Emperor Yongzheng’s command and divorced her, Guo Luoluo’s fate was tragic. Why should she lower herself to argue with her?

Now, when the Tong family is mentioned, who wouldn’t praise Tongjia Yun Lan? Her relationship with Yinzhen must be handled with caution. If her reputation is ruined, Emperor Kangxi will never grant her a marriage. To stay with Yinzhen, she has already taken a step back. She does not want her reputation to be tarnished before the selection process, attracting too many admirers and giving Emperor Kangxi a chance to interfere with her match. If she misses out on Yinzhen, she does not want to end up like the tragic female characters in Qing dynasty historical novels, suffering in frustration for the rest of her life. What she wants is Yinzhen’s love and future happiness and honor.

“Tongjia Yun Lan, are you scared? Are you afraid of me, Guo Luoluo Jingxiu?”

Yun Lan’s concession didn’t make Jingxiu happy. Instead, it felt like a missed punch. Whether it was a misconception or not, Yun Lan noticed that no one looked at her with the same jealousy and admiration as others. Occasionally, there was a hint of pity. Jingxiu, who had been pampered and raised with pride, had never experienced this. Even if the Tong family had risen, they could not match her noble birth. How could Guo Luoluo Jingxiu, with her prestigious background, ever pity Yun Lan?

Yun Lan was not one to back down when bullied. That would only make the proud Yinzhen look down on her. She turned back and said, “Guo Luoluo, what are we competing in?”

Yun Lan’s reputation for talent was well-known, and Jingxiu had heard of it. She didn’t think she could impress others with her own skills, so instead, she chose to challenge Yun Lan to a race on horseback. “As noble daughters of the Eight Banners, we will race, and the one who returns first wins.”

“Fine, it’s a deal.”

Yun Lan gently patted the neck of her red-brown horse, smiling lightly. “Xiaohong, it’s all up to you now.”

Xiaohong? What a common name! Guo Luoluo Jingxiu sneered and patted her own horse. “Xuewuhen, we cannot lose.”

“Yun… Yun Lan, cousin.” Jing Yi called out softly, her eyes showing a hint of gratitude. Yun Lan smiled lightly, unperturbed. “You’re my cousin. Since this concerns the honor of the Tong family, this contest isn’t just for you.”

“Be careful.”

Surrounding them were more than a dozen noble girls. Guo Luoluo Jingxiu and Tongjia Yun Lan were famous names in the capital, two shining stars, and everyone was eager to see which one would outshine the other. The noble relatives in the arena turned their attention to the two of them. If Guo Luoluo Jingxiu was like the noble peony, then Tongjia Yun Lan was like the brilliant begonia.

However, it wasn’t the peony or the begonia that caught the attention of Ce Ling. Instead, he was quietly observing Yun Wei, who was watching the changes in the arena. Who knew that the Tong family had an even more dazzling gem?

“Sister, who do you think will win?”

Yun Wei ignored Ce Ling’s gaze and sincerely said, “I hope it’s Fourth Sister.”

“If you were to participate, Guo Luoluo Jingxiu wouldn’t stand a chance.”

After the tribes returned to the Qing court, Ce Ling had been raised in the inner court, so he knew something of Guo Luoluo Jingxiu’s abilities. Yun Wei’s horsemanship was far superior to Guo Luoluo’s; she could blend seamlessly with her steed.

Yinzhen, with his hand resting on the tree trunk, glanced at Yun Lan from afar. In the sunlight, she was so dazzling. And this radiant, proud woman only had eyes for him. His heart softened, and a sweet feeling rose within him.