White Calculation

Chapter 4 (part 1)

The day of coming-of-age was soon here.

Although she was an adopted daughter, it does not need to be as grand as the legitimate daughter's. As she was the only girl of Zhen Nan Wang manor, Ji Ting especially sent a steward to assist Wangfei in handling the coming-of-age. Even Princess Yan Yang seems like she dropped the unhappiness from a few days ago and especially entered the palace to request a proclamation and unexpectedly invite the empress niang niang to be the honored guest of the coming-of-age.

Immediately no one in the manor dared look down upon the little orphaned girl, and all treated her with seriousness.

How could Wangfei know what Princess Yan Yang was planning, she (wangfei) just assumed she (princess)released past grudges and (wangfei) became overjoyed for few days). When the day arrived, Wangfei headed to Langhuan Pavillion early in the morning to personally dress her up.
 

Zheng Nan Wangfei came from Night Valley's South Butterfly Sect, which is known for its expertise on armour. So naturally, their needlework is also extraordinary. The clothes that Ji Xiaoli was wearing today was personally stitched by Wangfei; a soft beautiful and dignified, moon yellow silk gauze skirt, which was embroidered with large orange daylily and tendrils of leaves with unique silk threads that made it fluctuate with the light and appeared to sway like it was real.  The young girl with snow white skin and raven black hair in gentle yellow dress against her autumn water eyes and vermilion lips. 

Now was late spring and the morning light just begin to dye the sky, a relaxed girl slenderly stood in front of the dressing table like a lotus fresh out of the water and gave a naturally carved feeling.

At the beginning when she was just adopted, she was no bigger than a pillow. Wangfei stared at the freshly browed girl in the morning light, and could not help have tears in her eyes.

"Xiaoli, come!" Wangfei dabbed her eye corners, and from her sleeves, she took out a worn silk edge precious gold phoenix hairpin. On the top had a gemstone as red as fresh dove blood and as big as dragon eye, which was inlay on the phoenix's body. So delicate and resplendent, that one can tell it's no ordinary goods of folks.

Ji Xiaoli's eyes became pointed-- that gemstone was brilliant and lustrous, a two-three century-old item, so it certainly has some spirit. It would be wonderful if it was broken off to be crush and used to concoct pills.

Wangfei saw that she was visibly happy as she stared at that hairpin, lightly sighed and her tone turned softer, "Initially I prepared this hairpin to be used for your coming-of-age, however, today the honored matron is Empress niang niang and the green jade hairpin for the up-do has already been prepared by the Princess. Since it like this, you keep this hairpin. It was found in your swaddling clothes when we just picked you up. It should what your mother left for you...... Today you turned into an adult, and if she knew, she would be happy for you."

Hearing that it was left by her biological mother, Xiaoli reluctantly took her itching to have a go gaze from that gemstone, and regretful sighed.

Guess... it can't be broken off to concoct pills.

"Come, let mother put it on for you. From now on this hairpin is yours, so you need to take good care of it. This is what your biological mother especially left for your dowry." Wangfei carefully put the hairpin into her hair.

She pulled the young girl around to have a look, compliment with heartfelt, "It's gorgeous! Our Xiaoli ah, when not causing trouble is really a beautiful lady!"

Xiaoli winked her eyes and frankly pointed out, "Then... only beautiful when asleep."

Wangfei paused and then immediately swatted her in annoyance. Qian Yi who accompanied Wangfei as dowry burst into giggles and teased, "Even when asleep, Young Miss isn't obedient either. One bed is still not enough for one to occupy. When I accompany for the night, the numbers of time falling off the bed when sleeping isn't low!"

The roomful of maids and attendants all covered their mouth and laughed. Smilingly, Xiaoli caught Liu Hai.

The Morning sun was shining bright, the doors of Zhen Nan Manor opened wide. The family, friends, and guests that came to congratulate came one after another. It just reached 7am, a riotous noise sounded outside. Empress niang niang's carriage has arrived.

The current Empress is the Emperor's biological mother, Empress Dowager Ci Xiao's niece from the maternal family. The two people came from one of Great Night's most prominent family, Song Family. Princess Yan Yang was Empress Dowager Ci Xiao's eldest daughter, and the Empress niang niang is her legitimate sister-in-law. That's why Zhen Nan Wangfei and the first rank matron kneeled to welcome the Empress, while Yan Yang just go out to meet and after curtsying, she called and reached out to support Empress niang niang .

Yan Yang kindly smiled as she supported Empress, "Empress sister-in-law came at the right time!"

"Zhen Nan Manor's Young Miss holding her coming-of-age, would bengong dare to come late?" Empress politely ordered to noblewomen to rise, and on the side joked with her sister-in-law.

Princess Yan Yang used her sleeve to cover as she giggled, toward Zhen Nan Wangfei at the side, she told, "Sister, since the honored guest is here, let's start?

Zhen Nan softly responded okay, sent someone to the inner yard to invite Young Miss to come and give curtsy.

When Ji Xiaoli came out, she was supported by Qian Yi. It did counts as the footstep of a beauty that trod lightly, willow-like posture and that light yellow dress set off the raven black hair and snow skin. Her attitude as she kneeled down to greet the Empress was elegant and respectful. All attending madames were surprised. They previously heard that the adopted daughter of Zhen Nan manor was absurd and impolite. Now personally seeing it, it was clearly a proper gentlewoman!

All those with son or nephews at the right age and wanted to get married, had glitterly eyes as their heart was moved.

Satisfied, Princess Yan Yang made an expression at Zhen Nan Wangfei. Wangfei was also smiling with a face full of joy.

At that side, Empress niang niang had already put on the green jade hairpin for Xiaoli, said some words, "Make the bun full of the thought of its heart proper;  Act for the thought of its heart as a whole" and then signaled the palace attendant to hold up the girl on the ground-- Time to show the needlecraft.

When girls put up their hair, they are grown-up ladies waiting to marry. According to custom, they should display their own personally-made needlecraft. Wangfei had already prepared a sachet embroidered with magnolia for Xiaoli and ordered explicitly for it to stored in her sleeve.

Xiaoli reached a hand in to take it out, the palace attendant presented it in front of Empress niang niang.

Empress niang niang picked it up the sachet with a face full of smile and examined the embroidered flower on the sachet. Lightly uttered 'yi?' and asked, "This is ... embroidered by you?" The well-kept, slender finger stroked the embroidery, feeling the peculiarity under the fingertip and continued inquiring, "What is contained inside?"

Xiaoli raised her head to look, cries in shocked and hastily rummaged through her sleeve and pulled out the magnolia sachet and apologetically said, "It's incorrect! I took the wrong one, it should be this one!"

Empress laughed, holding the gold embroidered cloud patterned black sachet and sweetly waved for Xiaoli, "Come, rise to bengong's side-- this sachet is yours?"

Ji Xiaoli honestly nodded and answered, "Grand Tutor gave it to be me when I was five and instructed me to open it ten years later."

Last night, she pestered Wangfei for this sachet and being pestered by her, Wangfei left with no choice but to bring out and give it to her. She ordered her personal maid to store it well. Xiaoli clearly remembered that she kept it in her cosmetic case on the dressing table, how did it get to her sleeve?

"When you were five......then that was the former grand tutor," Empress spoke as if lost in thought. She personally handed over the sachet to her and smilingly voiced out, "Bengong revere the former Grand Tutor for so many years, it is fate to meet something he left behind today and deeply want to have a look!"

Ji Xiaoli did not see Princess Yan Yang's puckered brows and expression that want to stop, so she candidly and generously gesture it was no problem, I can let you look!

She opened the sachet and inside was a piece of paper.