In the eighth year of Chengyou in the Northern Jin Dynasty, before the New Year was over, a sudden heavy snow fell quietly, dyeing the entire Yunjing City silver-white.
At one o'clock in the morning, there was no light in the sky, the snow was still falling, the biting cold wind was swirling and howling, and snowflakes were flying all over the sky, as if it was the coldest day of winter.
At this time, all the lights in the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion were lit, and the servants began to get busy. The masters who were usually still sleeping soundly also got up one after another.
In the Qinfangxuan in the southwest corner, Nanny Jiang brushed off a thin layer of snow on her body, lifted the heavy door curtain and entered the main house.
"Qinggui, is the young lady awake?" Nanny Jiang asked softly the little maidservant who was burning incense in the incense burner while wearing a mauve embroidered cotton skirt.
"Mammy, Sister Bai Tan has gone in for a while and should not have woken up yet." Qinggui looked up and said, seeing Mammy Jiang's expression, she added timidly with a pleading tone, "Mammy, it's too early today, can you let the girl sleep a little longer?"
"If you sleep any longer you will miss the time. I'll go in and take a look. By the way, it's cold today. Go and get the new fox fur brocade cloak made before the New Year for the young lady. Also, the incense should be stronger, and you should prepare a few more handkerchiefs. Don't forget the sachets and sandalwood. There are many people going out, and the young lady can't stand the smell outside." Nanny Jiang frowned and gave Qinggui a few more instructions.
Everyone who serves her knows that Wen Zhuojin, the eldest daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, who lives in Qinfangxuan, is very sensitive to smells and loves the art of incense. She cannot live without fragrance for a day.
Therefore, Qinfangxuan is also the cleanest and most fragrant place in the Marquis' Mansion.
When you go out to burn incense and pray for blessings, there will be many people and a variety of smells, so you must be well prepared.
Qinggui responded, and Nanny Jiang didn't say anything else and walked into the inner room.
Under the warm candlelight, a faint and refreshing fragrance emanated from the Boshan stove. A pretty maid was lying on the head of the bed, whispering something softly. The person on the bed was covered with a brocade quilt, with her head and face covered, and only a few strands of black hair were exposed.
Nanny Jiang wrung out a hot towel from the hot water basin, walked over and asked the maid to move aside. She skillfully lifted the person from the quilt with one hand and covered the porcelain-white face with the closed eyes with the hot towel with the other hand.
Even after covering her face with the hot towel, Wen Zhuojin still couldn't open her eyes. Her body instinctively wanted to fall down and get back into the quilt, but Nanny Jiang caught her as if she had anticipated it.
"Miss, today is the birthday of the Goddess Xuannv, and also the eldest princess' birthday. Praying for blessings is most effective. We should go to Xuannv Mountain to burn incense at the hour of Chen. Miss, I'm sorry to have worked so hard. Please pack up and hurry to get on the carriage to leave."
Nanny Jiang wiped Wen Zhuojin's face and spoke softly.
"Praying is not as important as sleeping. I'm dreaming..." Wen Zhuojin still closed her eyes, frowned and puffed up her cheeks as she spoke. Before she finished speaking, her mouth was covered by Nanny Jiang.
"Young lady, be careful with your words. If the Queen Mother Xuannv finds out, she will punish you. Please don't blame me, Queen Mother Xuannv. Young lady is still young and doesn't know the seriousness of the matter. Please don't bother with her. If you have any problem, just come to me." As Nanny Jiang spoke, she looked up and muttered, as if someone was listening to her invisibly.
Wen Zhuojin listened to Nanny Jiang's voice and woke up a little. Her bad mood was somewhat dissipated. She opened her eyes and saw Nanny Jiang's pious expression. She let out a light breath, and then her brows relaxed, and her impatience disappeared.
"Young lady, please don't blame me for being nagging. Today is a big day and we can't make any mistakes. We missed the opportunity to pray last year. Before the New Year, we injured our hand and then our leg. We finally recovered but got sick again. This year we must pray to the Goddess Xuannv and ask for a peace talisman. There were too many people praying and something happened last year, so the number of people allowed to go is limited this year. Those who can go are approved by the eldest princess herself. It's a great blessing." Nanny Jiang let go of Wen Zhuojin's mouth and whispered.
"Mammy, I understand." Wen Zhuojin's mouth twitched and her expression was almost out of control. She slowed down and spoke softly, then smiled faintly at Mammy Jiang. Her slightly pointed canine teeth were revealed a little bit, her black eyes were watery and clear, and her cheeks still had a little baby fat, making her look innocent and obedient.
Wen Zhuojin looks like her deceased mother, the former Marquis's wife.
She has round almond eyes, a straight nose, and soft and smooth lines on her oval face. Overall, she has a very good appearance and a quiet and gentle temperament. When her eyebrows are lowered and she looks obedient, it is easy for people to think of the words "gentle, kind, respectful, frugal and modest".
Nanny Jiang felt so soft-hearted when she saw this, fearing that Wen Zhuojin would be bullied if she went out.
"Today, you are only allowed to bring one servant with you to burn incense. Let Zirong accompany you. She has a loud voice, nimble legs, and great strength. Bring everything you have prepared for you. You must have everything that the Second Miss and the Third Miss have. If Madam treats you harshly along the way, you can ask Zirong to beg for it. If you can't get it, let everyone who comes to pray see what a petty person Madam is... Don't be afraid, you have Earl Changyuan to support you, and if things get worse, you still have this old servant here."
Nanny Jiang couldn't help but remind her.
A smile appeared in Wen Zhuojin's eyes as she listened.
Nanny Jiang is Wen Zhuojin's wet nurse. After her mother passed away, Nanny Jiang was afraid that the stepmother would treat Wen Zhuojin harshly, so she worried about everything.
With her uncle, Earl Changyuan, around, the stepmother of the Marquisate did not dare to treat Wen Zhuojin harshly. In addition, with the good intentions of Nanny Jiang, Wen Zhuojin did not have to do anything and could live a comfortable life.
Wen Zhuojin listened obediently. Nanny Jiang washed her face, wiped it with homemade facial cream, and carefully applied hand cream. Then she called the maids Qinggui and Baitan to help Wen Zhuojin dress and comb her hair. She went out to see what was happening outside.
Wen Zhuojin's bad mood after waking up was almost gone, and she was in a better mood.
Qinggui brought the fumigated clothes to Wen Zhuojin, looked at Wen Zhuojin with her big eyes, sniffed them carefully, and waited for Wen Zhuojin's reaction.
"The new recipe with the green cinnamon added is indeed better. It doesn't have the slightly bitter taste it had before, and it has a hint of sweetness. It seems that green cinnamon is excellent." Wen Zhuojin looked up and said with a smile.
Qinggui's cheeks flushed and her eyes brightened a little.
"Girl, I think you can add some white sandalwood." Bai Tan said beside her, seemingly unintentionally but paying attention to Wen Zhuojin.
"Okay, let's try adding sandalwood next time, it might be better!" Wen Zhuojin said with a smile.
Bai Tan raised the corners of her mouth and then pressed them down again, and hurriedly prepared Wen Zhuojin's makeup.
Wen Zhuojin is fond of the art of incense and likes to tinker with various incense recipes, but it's not just to please Bai Tan.
Seeing that the two of them had prepared everything, Wen Zhuojin didn't ask Qinggui for help and went behind the screen to change into pajamas.
She's still thinking about adjusting the recipe and trying it again later.
Wen Zhuojin had just turned eighteen. She was tall, a head taller than Qinggui, and Bai Tan, who was the same age, was half a head shorter than her.
When she took off her pajamas, her waist was exposed, which was slender, yet flexible and strong. When she raised her arms, the lines revealed were also very powerful, not as delicate as those of ordinary ladies in the boudoir.
Wen Zhuojin changed into her inner clothes, but the outer robe was a little difficult to put on, so she called Qinggui for help.
"Miss, you haven't applied the freckle cream today." Qinggui came in with a small porcelain bottle and said.
Wen Zhuojin frowned slightly as she looked at the small porcelain bottle, but when she thought of the scars on her legs and arms, she still used it to apply the medicine.
The smell of medicine made the clothes that were originally scented with incense smell a little different.
"I should finish reading the Materia Medica as soon as possible, and then buy some aromatic herbs to try..." Wen Zhuojin muttered after applying the ointment. She wanted to find aromatic herbs that would not destroy the medicinal properties but could suppress the original medicinal smell of the ointment.
When Wen Zhuojin came out after getting dressed, Nanny Jiang had already come in with a food box.
"Why haven't you combed your hair yet? We have to set off at 4:44 in the morning. We can't delay any longer. If you delay the young lady's prayer, I will not forgive you." Nanny Jiang said anxiously.
Bai Tan quickly apologized and combed Wen Zhuojin's hair.
Wen Zhuojin gave Bai Tan a comforting look and then gave Nanny Jiang an obedient smile.
"Don't be angry, Ma'am. I can skip breakfast." Wen Zhuojin said.
"That won't do! We don't know when we'll be able to come back once we get there, and I'm afraid we'll have trouble even getting a drink of hot soup. There will be quite a few people going there to pray today." Nanny Jiang said as she went over to help Bai Tan comb Wen Zhuojin's hair.
The Chaoyun Jinxiang bun, which is popular among boudoirs nowadays, was done much faster than usual with the combined efforts of the two.
After Nanny Jiang put a flower ornament on Wen Zhuojin's forehead, she was about to see if there was anything else that needed adjusting, but she saw that Wen Zhuojin had closed her eyes and was dozing off.
"Miss, it's time for breakfast!" Nanny Jiang cleared her throat and raised her voice. Wen Zhuojin was startled and looked up. The mist in her eyes left by yawning made her look pitiful, like a frightened innocent little animal.
Nanny Jiang's expression froze, and she felt that she had committed a sin.
"Girl, don't be afraid. Now is not the time to sleep. Wait until Qifu comes back, then you can have a good sleep. Eat more for breakfast and drink some soup to warm yourself up. It's very cold outside today, and there is a thick layer of snow."
Nanny Jiang spoke gently and helped Wen Zhuojin to the table outside where the food boxes were placed.
"It's snowing?" When Wen Zhuojin heard that it was snowing, her eyes lit up a bit.
"Yes, it's raining quite heavily, it's as thick as a finger, and it's still raining. I hope the road will be easier to walk on today." said Nanny Jiang.
Wen Zhuojin walked to the table and tapped it lightly with her fingers, then sat down, took the spoon and drank the soup first.
This may be the only good news today.
There is a tree of the finest beauty plum in the Tianxuan Palace on Xuannv Mountain, also known as the Powder-faced Shy Plum. It is said that it blooms when it snows, with double petals, the color of which is like a shy beauty, and the fragrance is light and elegant, which makes you forget the world.
Today you may be able to see the shy pink-faced flower in full bloom in Tianxuan Palace.
"The eldest princess's name is Su Chen. It snowed on her birthday, which is a good omen. She is truly the reincarnation of the Goddess Xuan Nu. I heard that the eldest princess would meditate in Tianxuan Palace during the New Year and pray for the people. Perhaps I can be in Tianxuan Palace with the eldest princess today. That would be a great blessing."
Wen Zhuojin was squinting her eyes and drinking a mouthful of hot soup when she heard Nanny Jiang mention the eldest princess again.
The corners of Wen Zhuojin's mouth curved down.
The eldest princess of Northern Jin has been the most powerful woman in the entire Northern Jin since she helped the young emperor ascend the throne at the age of fifteen.
If she had not entered the Taoist priesthood as a nun and announced to the public that she was the reincarnation of the Goddess Xuannv, the Goddess Xuannv would not have been deified to such an extent that people would have to get up so early to burn incense and pray for blessings.
Is it a blessing to be in Tianxuan Palace with the eldest princess?
Wen Zhuojin felt helpless when she saw Nanny Jiang's pious expression.
Nanny Jiang was still chattering, but Wen Zhuojin didn't refute anything. She sorted herself out and thought about her embarrassed face, which made her feel better.
I haven't smelled that scent yet, maybe I can add another fragrance to my own incense blend.
Wen Zhuojin was full and there was not much time left.
Wen Zhuojin was wrapped in a fox fur cloak, with a warm hand warmer stuffed in her hand. When she was in the house, she got into the sedan chair arranged by Nanny Jiang and was carried out by a servant. This way, she would not be cold and could avoid the snow.
The maid Zirong followed quickly, carrying the prepared things on her back.
Wen Zhuojin thought she finally didn't have to listen to Nanny Jiang's nagging, but before she even left the corridor of Qinfangxuan, Nanny Jiang caught up with her again.
"I almost forgot. When you go to pray today, if you run into someone from the Duke of Rong's side, don't be timid and say hello. Take the initiative to greet them. I heard a few days ago that the Duke of Rong's wife was ill, and I don't know if she's recovered yet. It's always a good idea to say a few more words of greeting. The old lady's mourning period is over, and she's getting married this year. After she gets married, she'll rely on the Duke's wife, so being close to her will make life easier... If you meet the Crown Prince, you must be polite, but you can't let him get too close, as it will affect your reputation... Remember this, young lady!"
Nanny Jiang whispered something in Wen Zhuojin's ear again.
"Mammy, I know we're going to miss the time." Wen Zhuojin responded to Mammy Jiang. Mammy Jiang was also afraid of missing the time, so she quickly asked the servant to carry the sedan chair away.
Watching Wen Zhuojin leave, Nanny Jiang always felt that there was something she had not explained. After thinking about it, she couldn't figure it out for the time being. She just sighed that she was old, turned around and slowly went back.
Wen Zhuojin, who was sitting in the sedan chair, had a frown on her face.
The prince of the Duke of Rong's Mansion that Nanny Jiang mentioned was the marriage that was arranged for her when her mother was still alive.
As the eldest son of the family, the prince of Rongguo came from a distinguished family, was handsome and talented, and was young and promising. No matter who saw it, they would think that Wen Zhuojin had married into a wealthy family.
Even her uncle and aunt, who had always loved her, thought this marriage was excellent.
Nanny Jiang was thinking about how to keep this marriage going, but Wen Zhuojin was thinking about how to cancel this marriage in a reasonable and advantageous way.
Wen Zhuojin really disliked the prince of the Duke of Rong. Besides the fact that the prince had a bad smell, Wen Zhuojin also had no expectations for marriage. No matter how noble the other person's status was, she had no interest in him.