Chapter 830: 350 Tingyi Gets Married (Part 2)
Xi Juan turned and left, returning shortly with a scroll in her hands. This was a wedding gift for Tingyi, and Yuebing was merely delivering it, naturally offering no refusal.
By the time she returned to the Lian Mansion, it was time for lunch. In front of everyone, Yuebing presented the scroll to Tingyi. Unrolling it, Tingyi found it was actually a congratulatory message written by Yueyao. It read: “Together till our hairs turn white, the mandarin ducks fly side by side; as the green sun heralds auspicious tidings, the peach and plum trees bloom with united hearts.”
After reading, Tingyi hastily asked, “Is this congratulatory message truly written by Yueyao?”
Yuebing shook her head, “Yueyao said this was her wedding gift for you, brother. I think she must have written it herself; surely she wouldn’t give a gift with someone else’s writing!”
The statement staggered Tingyi. It was incredibly difficult to write in Plum Blossom Seal Script, and only a few could master it. It required not just a grounding in seal script but also precise control over angles, spacing, and positioning, as well as a profound understanding of color and skilled brushwork. To master any one aspect was not hard, but to master all aspects was no easy feat. To excel, not only effort but also natural talent were necessary. Only by mastering everything could one expertly embed flowers within the characters, then seamlessly blend the seal script with the plum blossoms. The Plum Blossom Seal Script Yueyao had written reached the level of “from afar it appears as flowers, up close as characters, with words within the blooms and flowers hidden within the script, both seamlessly intertwined.”
Yuehuan wasn’t aware of the intricacies of Plum Blossom Seal Script and couldn’t help but admire it, exclaiming, “Sister’s calligraphy is truly beautiful, it’s said her painting is excellent, and her writing is equally impressive.”
Although Tingyi knew of Yueyao’s high caliber, he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes. The outside rumors didn’t much affect him, but now, gazing at the calligraphy, a bitter taste filled his heart. Such a talented sister should have been the pride of the Lian family, yet due to his mother’s actions, she nearly became an enemy, and it even made Yueyao reluctant to enter the Lian Mansion. Swallowing his bitterness, Tingyi said, “Have this piece of calligraphy framed and hung in the bridal chamber.” He had once thought it an exaggeration that a painting by Yueyao could be worth a fortune, but now it seemed that not just her paintings but even her calligraphy could be considered priceless.
Seeing that Yuebing also adored the painting, Yuehuan said with a smile, “Sister, if you like it, you could also ask for a piece of calligraphy like this from her.”
Yuebing shook her head, “I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
Yuehuan looked puzzled, “Why not? It’s just a piece of calligraphy. Yueyao surely wouldn’t be so petty.”
Yuebing let out a small sigh, “When has Yueyao ever sent us calligraphy or paintings during her time in the Lian Mansion?” When Yueyao was at the mansion, she often gave them things, but they were always food, daily necessities, or items like jewelry and fabrics, never calligraphy or paintings.
Laughing, Yuehuan said, “Sister wasn’t a master then, but now that she writes so well, she surely wouldn’t refuse such a request.”
Without much hope, Yuebing replied, “I wish!” She had heard others say that Yueyao never gifted her calligraphy or paintings to anyone. As far as Yuebing knew, her brother was the first exception, and she didn’t think she would be the second.
The wedding gift for Tingyi had been sent, as had Zhou Yue’s, which Yueyao needed to add to her dowry. However, since she was ill, she had asked someone else to deliver them. As a result, no one at Tingyi’s wedding asked about Yueyao, for everyone knew she was genuinely unwell this time.
Xiang Wei was quite unhappy about Yueyao sending the piece of calligraphy to Tingyi as a wedding gift. Though the congratulatory message consisted of only sixteen characters, Yueyao spent two days on it, going through a lot of paper, yet it ended up benefiting the people of the Lian family, “Such a fine piece of calligraphy; why should you give it to Tingyi? Any item chosen from the storeroom would have sufficed.” Xiang Wei herself was very fond of the calligraphy, yet it was given to someone from the Lian family.
Yueyao set down the goat hair brush and, looking up, said, “Giving other items wouldn’t convey sincerity. Xiang Wei, it’s hard to clap with one hand. Tingzheng plans to pursue a career as an official, and our family’s reputation mustn’t be tarnished. Even for Tingzheng’s sake, I can’t afford to completely sever ties with the Lian family. Moreover, although I detest Lady [family], the main branch of the family are reasonable people. I shouldn’t let one person’s fault affect all of them.”
Xiang Wei said disapprovingly, “Does that mean you are going to repair relations with them?”
Yueyao smiled, “Repairing relations is a bit much. I simply don’t want to leave things so strained. Many issues are two-sided. I’ve been avoiding going back for years, not participating even in weddings. Outsiders may blame the main branch, but Tingzheng and I are equally at fault. Also, I don’t want to be accused of abandoning my own family.” Though she loathed Lady [family] and was wary of her eldest uncle, she never considered forsaking the Lian family.