Binding Spring Love

Bai Ruizhu followed Miss Lan into the warm room in a daze, and hurriedly got up to greet the three of them.

The two young ladies of the Lan family wore smiles, but Jiang Jing couldn't quite manage a smile.

Bai Ruizhu lived up to her name; compared to the delicate and frail girls in the capital, she was more voluptuous, her round and plump figure exuding an air of wealth and nobility. When she smiled gently, her round almond-shaped eyes curved slightly, giving her a very kind and gentle appearance.

"Nice to meet you, this is a small gift for you... I embroidered it myself."

Bai Ruizhu took out a purse from her bosom and gave the group a fragrant pendant embroidered with auspicious bat patterns.

Jiang Jing took it blankly, feeling uneasy.

The small incense charm pendant was exquisitely crafted; she certainly didn't possess such skill.

"Thank you, Miss Bai."

"Just call me Ruizhu."

Miss Lan Qi smiled and said, "You can't call me that, it's more polite to call me Miss Bai first."

Bai Ruizhu blushed, her delicate and timid appearance making her extremely pitiful.

Jiang Jing felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he looked at Madam Chen. Thinking of Madam Chen's impatient and unruly manner, his gums ached and he felt sad.

The three girls chatted happily, while Jiang Jing lowered his head and looked lost in thought.

"These are the twelve beauties raised by Ninth Uncle. They are his most treasured possessions. If it weren't for our distinguished guests visiting today, we wouldn't even be able to come to this Floating Fragrance Pavilion."

Bai Ruizhu pursed her lips, too shy to speak.

She was quiet and reserved, and not very eloquent. When teased, she could only blush and giggle awkwardly, unable to utter a word in rebuttal. Seeing this, Lan Qi and Miss Lan Si grew even more fond of their aunt, and the two held hands and laughed happily.

Jiang Jing stood behind the three and said gently, "These Twelve Beauties are truly beautiful, but I wonder what words are engraved on that basin?"

"People say that one can express their aspirations through objects, but I wonder if it also expresses... what?"

Her words aroused curiosity among the three girls, especially Bai Ruizhu, who had never seen Lan Yunhe before.

Young women of this age naturally harbor a touch of girlish innocence, so how could they resist their curiosity about their future husbands? Hearing Jiang Jing say this, she couldn't help but squat down to examine the porcelain basin containing the twelve national treasures more closely.

The two young ladies from the Lan family also leaned over, and the three of them got closer and closer. Jiang Jing bit his lip, picked up a small red spider from an unopened crabapple tree, and secretly and carefully flicked it onto Bai Ruizhu's neck.

"what!"

Something crawled up from her neck, startling Bai Ruizhu. She jumped up abruptly, but her movement was so forceful that she knocked over the pot of Twelve National Beauties in front of her, scattering the petals everywhere.

"Ouch...

Miss Lan Qi's eyes widened, then she said in a panic, "This...this is Uncle Jiu's favorite potted plant. He spoils it terribly, but...what should we do?"

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to."

She had caused a huge disaster as soon as she arrived, and Bai Ruizhu's eyes reddened, but she dared not shed a tear.

"Don't panic, I... I'll send someone to find Uncle Jiu. Uncle Jiu won't punish us."

Bai Ruizhu said with red eyes, "It was my recklessness. I beg Fourth Miss to convey my apologies to Young Master Lan. I... my household will compensate for the Twelve Beauties."

Miss Lan held her hand and comforted her gently. After leaving the warm room and calling a maid to find Lan Yunhe, the four girls stood anxiously under the glass window, craning their necks in anticipation.

Jiang Jing glanced at Bai Ruizhu and saw her flustered and on the verge of tears, and felt a pang of guilt.

She did not intend to harm anyone; it was just that a woman's marriage was a matter of life and death. If she really went to the Chen family and had to make a living under the care of a vulgar and cunning person like Madam Chen, she would probably die within two or three years and have no future.

Jiang Jing's eyes reddened, and he took Bai Ruizhu's hand.

Bai Ruizhu sniffled and patted her: "Don't be afraid. It's my fault and it won't affect your reputations at all. It was all my recklessness and has nothing to do with the other ladies."

Jiang Jing's eyes reddened upon hearing this.

Although I feel bad for her, she really needs the marriage with the Lan family more than Bai Ruizhu.

Jiang Jing now only hopes that the marriage between the Bai and Lan families will fall through, so that Madam Lan can take another look at her. If she can successfully marry into the Lan family, she will burn incense and chant Buddhist prayers for Bai Ruizhu every day for the rest of her life, hoping that Buddha will protect her and make her life smooth.

When Lan Yunhe's personal maid came over with the things, she saw that the four girls all had miserable faces and looked pitiful.

She scrutinized Bai Ruizhu's face closely before looking away when she got closer.

"I'm so sorry, it was my clumsiness that damaged Young Master Lan's Twelve Beauties. I just wrapped them up with a handkerchief, but I don't know if it can be salvaged."

Bai Ruizhu hurriedly said, "Regardless of whether it can be saved or not, my household will compensate you. Does anyone know where these Twelve Beauties are sold? Please tell me, sister, so I can look for them as soon as I return to my residence..."

The maid smiled and said, "These Twelve Beauties were brought back by Ninth Master from Guanfeng Cliff six years ago. He said they grew on the edge of the cliff and were only picked with great difficulty. There is no other plant like them in the world."

"Then... what should we do?"

Bai Ruizhu's round little face flushed red, tears welled up in her eyes but she dared not let them fall, and could only force herself to apologize.

The maid chuckled and said, "Ninth Master said that his fate with those twelve beauties has ended, and it has nothing to do with Miss Bai."

"Ninth Master also prepared gifts for the young ladies, telling them not to let this matter spoil their fun and not to take it to heart."

The maid handed four sandalwood carved boxes to the group. The boxes in Lan Si, Lan Qi, and Jiang Jing's hands were all the same size and had the same carvings, except for Bai Ruizhu's box, which was much larger than the other three's.

Jiang Jing's face turned pale, and his lips trembled slightly as he said, "This...this isn't good."

"One should not refuse a gift from an elder. It is proper to accept the girls that Ninth Master gives us."

Thinking that Jiang Jing dared not accept gifts from men outside the family, the maid explained softly and comforted Bai Ruizhu for a few more minutes before slowly leaving.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Since Uncle said he wouldn't blame us, he won't. Why don't we see what Uncle sent? He has the most good things in the whole mansion."

Miss Lan Qi hurriedly opened the box, and inside was a small sheepskin rattle drum with a jade handle inlaid with colorful gemstones.

"My fourth sister and I are already so old, yet Uncle Jiu still sends us these childish toys."

Jiang Jing opened the wooden box in a daze, and the items inside were the same as those of the two young ladies from the Lan family.

Lan Qi urged Bai Ruizhu to hurry up. Bai Ruizhu blushed and opened the box. Inside was a string of red gold wire inlaid with agate. Although it was also something for a child, it was obviously very valuable...

Even after Jiang Jingru returned to Song Wan's side as if she had lost her soul, what still came to mind was the sentence, "Ninth Master said that his fate with the Twelve Beauties of the Kingdom was over, and he couldn't blame Miss Bai," as well as the dazzling red-gold necklace in the wooden box.

Once inside the Marquis's carriage, Jiang Jing was still in a daze.

Looking at her ashen face and bluish cheeks, Song Wan asked calmly, "What did you do?"

Jiang Jing trembled, then pressed his lips tightly together and remained silent.

Turning her head to look out the car window, Song Wan said slowly, "Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable; people bring them upon themselves."

"If you have brought this trouble upon yourself, you should bear the consequences yourself. It is not the act of a gentleman to shift the blame onto others, and you should not do so either."