Chapter 61 — Sisters (Bonus Update for 360 Pink Votes)
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 3 of 4
Dou Yan had even gone to their third cousin to demand silver, saying their mother's seasonal allowances were too meager. She wanted to use her own silver to reward the maids and old women who served her, which made the Second Old Madam summon their father for questioning, so that now the very first thing their mother did upon receiving silver from the outer compound was to settle the monthly wages of Dou Yan's maids and serving women—with the result that every one of them in Dou Yan's household strutted about with her nose in the air, not deigning to spare a glance for the other maids and serving women in the household. With a single word from Dou Chu, the maids and women of the household would run faster than anything—all but wagging their tails as they circled around Dou Yan.
The thought of it made her furious, and she shouted at the maid beside her: "I'm going to play with Yi!"
Naturally, no one in the household dared to stop her.
She at once had the carriage hitched and sent her to the Eastern Mansion.
Yi was in her room changing clothes, a flock of maids swirling around her, while Shu sat on the kang piled high with garments, clutching a wooden doll and waiting for Yi.
Seeing Dou Ming come in, Yi caught her by the hand. "Look, how does this outfit suit me?"
A moon-white summer jacket of silver-striped gauze, a horsetail skirt of scallion green edged with a border embroidered with green bamboo, and a pair of tiny red-gold lilac studs at her ears.
Dou Ming's eyes went wide despite herself. "Dou Yi has clothes and jewelry like that too."
Yi's face flushed scarlet on the instant, and she protested stoutly, "When did she ever have a dress like this? Why didn't I know of it?"
Shu chimed in as well. "Aunt Five must have mistaken it. Aunt Four gave her red-gold lilac studs to me. Aunt Four's horsetail skirt is water blue, embroidered with magnolia."
What difference did that make? It was only another color, another pattern.
Yi, however, said, "Exactly, exactly. How could I ever wear the same clothes as Aunt Four?"
Dou Ming was left gaping.
Shu had already grown impatient. "Second Sister, how much longer? I've been waiting on you near half an hour."
"Coming, coming," Yi said, and with a last glance in the mirror she turned to Dou Ming. "Qi is here. We're going to Sixth Aunt's. Are you coming?"
If they were all going, then of course she had no choice but to go too!
Glumly Dou Ming said, "Qi is here. What are you all going to Sixth Aunt's for?"
"After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Qi is going to the capital with Old Mrs. Wu," Yi said, and laid the whole matter out for Dou Ming from beginning to end.
Dou Ming's spirits rose as she listened. "The capital is such fun. There are people everywhere..."
The three little girls went chattering off to Ji's rooms.
Not only was Bi there, but the brother and sister Wu Shan and Wu Ya as well.
They paid their respects to Bi with great deference, and exchanged greetings with the Wu siblings.
It was the first time Bi had laid eyes on Dou Ming, and she asked with a smile, "And who is this?"
"She is the second daughter of Seventh Uncle," Ji said. "Her childhood name is Ming."
"So this is Ming," Bi said, nodding with a beaming smile, and had the maid beside her reward Dou Ming with a jade plaque.
Yi and Shu had each received just such a plaque at their first meeting with Bi, and so thought nothing of it.
Dou Ming, however, felt that Bi was rather fond of her; otherwise she would never have given her a gift. So she said to Sixth Aunt with a smile, "My sister has come home too!"
Sixth Aunt smiled gently. "I know. She sent me some fresh eggs and vegetables a little while ago."
Dou Ming's spirits sank.
Dou Yan, it seemed, never put a foot wrong!
Yi took Wu Ya by the hand. "Grandmother Wu, I'd like to invite Aunt Qi out to the courtyard to play."
Bi looked at Dou Ming, hesitating for a moment.