As Song Qingling listened to her younger sister's thoughts, she realized that her sister had been an academic ace in her previous life!
Was an academic ace an overlord of learning? Did that mean she was very good at studying?
What was a top student who had studied straight through a bachelor's, master's, and doctorate?
Was that a learned person, like a licentiate or a provincial graduate?
Song Qingling truly lived up to her reputation as a talented lady. She had already pieced together most of what Song Yaoyao and Guagua's conversation meant!
Once they left the residential district, more pedestrians gradually appeared on the road.
The farther they went, the more crowded it became. The carriage stopped outside a clothing shop.
The coachman said,
"Young ladies, we're here."
Song Qingling said to Song Yaoyao,
"Little sister, we're here. Let's get out."
"All right, eldest sister."
After stepping out of the carriage, the sisters headed inside.
Song Yaoyao wanted to take a good look at an ancient clothing shop, too.
A pretty young woman immediately came forward to greet them.
"Young ladies, would you like to look at fabrics or ready-made clothes?"
Song Qingling glanced at Song Yaoyao. Seeing that her sister had no suggestions, she said,
"We'll look at the fabrics first, then the ready-made clothes."
"Certainly.
The fabrics are downstairs, and the ready-made clothes are upstairs.
Please take your time browsing. Just call me if you need anything."
Song Qingling nodded, and the shop assistant went to attend to other customers.
Song Yaoyao surveyed the shop and couldn't help saying to Guagua,
*[Guagua, there really are a lot of fabrics here.*
*The shop assistant's service is pretty good, too.]*
*[Host, this is the largest clothing shop in the capital.*
There are over a hundred kinds of fabric on the first floor, and plenty of finished clothes on the second.
*The assistants here undergo training and only start work once they've passed.]*
*[Guagua, I didn't expect this shop's owner to be so good at running a business!*
*Leaving aside the quality of the fabrics and clothes, the service alone is excellent!]*
Just then, Song Qingling asked,
"Little sister, is there anything you like?"
Song Yaoyao waved her hand.
"Eldest sister, I'll keep looking."
After looking around downstairs, the two went upstairs.
Once she had seen all the finished clothes, Song Yaoyao had a clear idea of the selection.
*[Guagua, there seem to be lots of ready-made clothes, but there are really only a dozen or so styles.*
*It only looks like a lot because they've hung up the same styles in all their different colors.]*
[Mm, I noticed that, too.]
In the end, Song Qingling chose two bolts of fabric and bought them.
Leaving the clothing shop, the two headed toward a jewelry shop.
Song Qingling took a liking to a dangling hairpin and picked it up to examine it closely.
The proprietress explained,
"You have an excellent eye, young lady.
This hairpin is called the Begonia Jade Dangling Hairpin.
Begonias are among the most gorgeous of all flowers.
This hairpin is green throughout and shaped like a begonia, hence its name, the Begonia Jade Dangling Hairpin.
Look, it's set with twelve gemstones, primarily in red, blue, and purple, each displaying a different shade.
The shaft is carved with begonia designs, exquisitely beautiful and lifelike.
The entire hairpin sparkles with begonia-colored gemstones. It's truly magnificent.
Young lady, this hairpin suits you perfectly!"
Before Song Qingling could speak, a voice came from the doorway.
"I'll take that hairpin."
Song Yaoyao looked toward the voice. A pretty young woman in a pale red dress walked in.
Song Qingling's expression changed when she saw who it was.
"Rong Feifei, don't go too far.
We clearly had our eye on it first."
The young woman approached, glanced at Song Yaoyao, then turned to Song Qingling and said disdainfully,
"Have you paid for it?
If you haven't paid, it isn't yours yet."
Song Yaoyao couldn't help asking Guagua,
[Guagua, who is this woman? Why is she so arrogant?]
Several girls around the young woman's age followed her inside. A flicker passed through a few of their eyes when they saw Song Yaoyao, but they still greeted her respectfully.
"Greetings, Little Lord Song."
The other girls followed suit. "Greetings, Little Lord Song."
Song Yaoyao nodded. "Hello."
Song Yaoyao had seen a few of them at the palace banquet several days earlier-the girls who had been the first to greet her.
The young woman called Rong Feifei gave Song Yaoyao another once-over. Deciding there was nothing unusual about the little girl before her, she returned to the subject of the dangling hairpin.
"Proprietress, I'll take this hairpin. Wrap it up for me."
"Rong Feifei, you..."
Just then, Guagua's voice rang out.
[Host, the woman in pale red is Rong Feifei, the concubine-born daughter of Left Remonstrance Councillor Rong Ping. Her father holds the same rank as yours: Principal Fourth Rank.]
Song Yaoyao froze for a moment, then couldn't help asking inwardly,
[Guagua, how can a concubine-born daughter be so arrogant?]
Although Song Yaoyao did not look down on concubine-born sons and daughters, in this ancient society with its rigid hierarchy, the distinction between daughters born to wives and those born to concubines was very clear.
Besides, Rong Feifei's father held the same official rank as her own father, and Rong Feifei was a concubine-born daughter. By rights, she ought to bow to her eldest sister when they met.
But what had actually happened? Not only had Rong Feifei failed to bow, she had openly tried to snatch something from her. Whose power was she relying on to act so arrogantly?
The girls who had come in with Rong Feifei had heard that Little Lord Song had received an official appointment because she was different from other people. But whenever they asked how she was different, everyone hemmed and hawed and refused to explain.
Now that they had met Little Lord Song, they kept watching Song Yaoyao, some openly and others discreetly.
When Song Yaoyao's and Guagua's inner voices rang out, they could clearly see that Song Yaoyao's mouth had not moved. Yet her voice sounded in their ears?
Could this be what made Little Lord Song different?
Just then, Guagua explained to Song Yaoyao,
[Rong Ping's wife-born daughter, Rong Miaomiao, married the Third Prince as his secondary consort. He dotes on her!]
Puzzled, Song Yaoyao asked,
*[Are the wife-born and concubine-born daughters in Rong Ping's family on very good terms?*
*Is Rong Feifei relying on her elder sister Rong Miaomiao's influence?]*
*[Host, you've got that wrong.*
The wife-born and concubine-born daughters in Rong Ping's family get along terribly. You could say they've reached the point where they're as incompatible as fire and water!
Rong Feifei is so arrogant because she has long since hooked up with her brother-in-law, the Third Prince, behind her elder sister's back.
The two of them have done everything they should and shouldn't do!
The Third Prince promised to bring her into the Prince's Manor after a little while.
*Rong Feifei considers herself the Third Prince's woman already, so of course it's his power she's relying on!]*
Song Yaoyao couldn't help exclaiming,
[Th-this... A young woman with an unblemished reputation could have fallen for anyone, yet she went and had an affair with her own brother-in-law!]
Looking at Rong Feifei's arrogant expression, Song Yaoyao asked,
*[Guagua, Rong Feifei likes snatching things so much that it's probably become a habit. Snatching her brother-in-law, snatching a hairpin...*
Those are just the things we know about. Who knows what else she's snatched?
*Since she loves snatching things so much, Guagua, if I said that pile of dog crap on the ground smelled delicious, would she snatch it up and take a few bites, too?]*