Seeing the Beauty Again

So the two knew each other.

To avoid any misunderstanding, Shen Lantang had already stepped out of the pavilion. She walked slowly to Xie Jin's side and bowed to the young man. "Lan Tang greets you, sir."

The young man hurriedly returned the courtesy. "Good day, madam."

The beautiful lady came down as well. "Good day, Master Xie."

"Good day, madam."

Shen Lantang looked from one to the other and asked, "Are you acquainted with them?"

"Yes. This is Tan Shaoyuan, son of an official in the Ministry of Revenue, and this is his wife, Lady Qi. We've been friends since childhood."

"Lady Qi?" The surname sounded familiar to Shen Lantang. Then she thought of the woman's face and asked in delight:

"Could you be the fourth daughter of Scholar Qi of the Grand Secretariat?"

Qi Tongjun bowed gracefully. "I am."

Shen Lantang had heard of Qi Tongjun, Zhaojing's foremost beauty, but her former standing had never allowed her into gatherings of this caliber, so she had never seen her. Now that she had, the title was clearly well deserved!

Tan Shaoyuan asked, "How did you two meet?"

Qi Tongjun said, "I was resting in the pavilion when I happened to meet Sister Lan Tang. I never imagined she was the young madam of the Xie Family. What a coincidence."

The beautiful lady is so kind—she's even covering for me! Shen Lantang was touched.

"I see. What a coincidence!" Tan Shaoyuan clapped his hands.

"I'd only met your wife at the wedding. She looked familiar just now, and I was trying to remember which family she belonged to. Of course she's from yours."

"You haven't visited in months, so it's no wonder you don't recognize my family. Come over when you have time."

"Haha, it's a promise!"

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they said their goodbyes. Days off were rare, and none of them wanted to spend too long chatting. Before Qi Tongjun left, she bowed to the two of them and glanced at Shen Lantang with her luminous eyes. That one look outshone countless sights in the mortal world.

Once they were gone, Shen Lantang turned sharply to Xie Jin.

"How close are you to that gentleman?"

"Tan Shaoyuan and I? The Xie and Tan families have been on good terms for generations. We're close in age, grew up together, and now serve in the same court. We've never had any disputes, official or personal. I'd call him a friend."

"I see."

Shen Lantang was delighted. If Xie Jin and Tan Shaoyuan were friends, it was only natural for their wives to become friends too, wasn't it?

At the thought of visiting her beautiful lady again, Shen Lantang felt as though she were riding a white bird into the clouds.

Shen Lantang's mood had been ordinary when they set out, but on the way back, Xie Jin could clearly sense her excitement. He was quietly wondering why when the words beautiful lady suddenly reached his ears.

"What beautiful lady?!"

Shen Lantang froze, thinking she had spoken her thoughts aloud. She wasn't embarrassed, though, and answered frankly, "She really is beautiful, isn't she?"

"She's why you're so happy?"

"Yes. Of course I'm happy after seeing someone so beautiful."

Qi Tongjun's beauty was acknowledged throughout Zhaojing, but Xie Jin hadn't expected Shen Lantang to say so quite that openly. He admired how readily she could appreciate another person's beauty and nodded.

"She really is beautiful."

Shen Lantang said, "Right?"

Baozhu, following behind them, wondered, Am I the only one who thinks this conversation is strange?

Seeing the Beauty Again

A trip up the mountain to escape the heat and soak in the baths had done them good. Not only had it driven the heat from their bodies, but they had also met a peerless beauty. The only downside was...

"Father and Mother went out to have fun without me! Hongwen is angry!"

The little boy planted his hands on his hips, his face puffed up with indignation.

Shen Lantang felt like a heartless parent who had deliberately left her child behind to go have fun. The worst part was that she wasn't just like one. She was one.

Shen Lantang guiltily touched her nose and said:

"All right, all right. Mother was wrong. To make it up to you, how about I take you to see a fairy sister?"

"A fairy sister? Where? Hongwen wants to see her!"

Xie Hongwen was still a child, after all. His attention was diverted at once.

"Come on. Mother will take you to see her!"

Shen Lantang waved a hand, and Lan Xin quickly arranged a carriage. The group rode to the Tan Residence.

At the time, each household's carriage bore its own insignia. People of status preferred not to show themselves in public, and the markings made it easy for others to yield to them.

If two carriages met on a narrow road, their passengers could look at the insignia, weigh the other party's standing, and decide whether to give way. How convenient.

When the carriage stopped, a servant at the gate saw its insignia and immediately came forward. Baozhu lifted the curtain and said, "My mistress wishes to visit Lady Qi. Please let her know we're here."

Naturally, no one dared neglect visitors from the Xie Family. The gate soon opened, and a man who looked like a steward hurried out to greet them.

"May I ask which lady of the Xie Residence has come?"

Shen Lantang lifted the curtain, revealing the plump little boy in her arms. "Shen Lantang of the Xie Family."

"Ah, the young Madam Xie and young Master Xie! We didn't know you were coming. Forgive us for not receiving you properly. Please, come in."

Shen Lantang handed Xie Hongwen to someone outside, then stepped down with Baozhu's help. Two maids also emerged from the carriage behind them and came forward to take Xie Hongwen into their arms.

"Is Lady Qi at home?"

"Yes, she is. This way, madam."

Once a servant brought word of their arrival, Qi Tongjun came out of her room. She had changed clothes today. Gone were the gauzy layers that had made her look like an ethereal immortal the other day. Now she wore a pale blue, narrow-sleeved jacket beneath a green embroidered vest, with a light green pleated skirt below. Like a lotus rising from clear water, she needed no adornment. She was less dazzling than she had been outdoors, yet still breathtakingly beautiful.

Before Shen Lantang could speak, Xie Hongwen stretched both arms toward Qi Tongjun. "Fairy sister!"