Empress’ Game: Make-up Master Chapter 36 - Another Newcomer Takes the Road

With the Old Madam’s guarantee, Wu Sheyue was satisfied. It seemed the Eighth Prince was not much after all. Even if he did have some ability, the Old Madam now valued Wu Sheyue, so the chancellor’s estate would not simply throw her away.

Only then did Wu Sheyue release the Old Madam’s hand and slowly wander over to look at the clothes and jewelry.

Earlier, Wu Lixiang had only seen the top two jacket-skirts and already liked them immensely. Now that Wu Sheyue opened the jewelry box, Wu Lixiang’s eyes went straight. The Old Ancestress is truly willing to spend on this ‘new granddaughter.’ Silver hairpins, jade pendants, a collar with red tassels, agate bracelets… and rouge and face powder?

Wu Lixiang shifted her bottom quickly to sit more firmly in her chair. She gripped the armrest and tried not to look, but her heart was filled with gloom.

Wu Sheyue picked up a small pearl hairpin and asked with delight and curiosity, “Grandmother, how do I wear this?”

The question made Ning’er, who had been silently following behind her, lower her head to hide a smile. Third Miss has clearly done her own hair, yet now she asks how to wear a hairpin. I have never known Third Miss could speak this way.

But more importantly, she actually felt that Miss’s behavior was truly excellent.

The Old Madam’s gaze grew even gentler. She reached out and took the pearl hairpin. “You do not even know this? Did your concubine mother not teach you while she was alive?”

Wu Sheyue lowered her eyes, looking somewhat sorrowful. “Yue’er does not seem to have seen Mother use one either… Mother did not seem to have things like this.”

“Sigh…” The Old Madam also seemed to recall the past. Her gaze toward the front became distant, and she sighed as if regretful. She placed the pearl hairpin in Wu Sheyue’s hair. “From now on, come sit with Grandmother often. If there is something you do not understand, ask more. Your concubine mother is gone now. In the future, you no longer need to suffer.”

“Mm.” Wu Sheyue felt that last sentence sounded strange, but she could not grasp the details right then.

Seeing Wu Sheyue play an emotional card to gain sympathy, Wu Lixiang became anxious. She increasingly felt that if the Old Madam pitied Wu Sheyue this much, she probably would not think to give Wu Lixiang anything. After thinking about it, Wu Lixiang suddenly reached into the box and picked up a hair ornament decorated with red beans.

One person was feeling sad, the other was thinking. Wu Lixiang’s bright voice abruptly cut in. “Third Sister looks so pretty wearing that hairpin. Grandmother really has excellent taste. Grandmother, Grandmother, look. Does Lixiang look pretty like this?”

Wu Sheyue looked over. Wu Lixiang wore the red-bean hair ornament crookedly and mischievously shook her head, making its tassels sway back and forth. She said very cutely, “Grandmother, look, look.”

The Old Madam kindly reached out and pinched Wu Lixiang’s little face. “Yes, yes. Our Little Four is also the prettiest.”

Wu Lixiang accepted the praise with great satisfaction. She took the ornament from her hair and sighed slightly. “Sigh… It is just that Concubine Yin passed only two days ago. Third Sister cannot wear such a festive color.”

With that reminder, the Old Madam also nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that red had not been quite suitable for Third Miss.

Wu Sheyue’s eyebrow lifted beyond her control. To be honest, Wu Lixiang’s little scheme was truly… far too shallow. The red beans on the ornament were merely decorative, and there was very little red. If one were to say festive jewelry was unsuitable, there were also agate pieces in the box. Did she mean to take away everything red?

Wu Sheyue glanced at the Old Madam. People said old people were crafty; she did not believe the Old Madam could see nothing. But she wanted to know what this old woman intended.

Looking at Wu Lixiang’s aggrieved little expression, the Old Madam’s face was full of tenderness. Watching her, Wu Sheyue seemed to know how the Old Madam was about to speak. So just as the Old Madam was about to open her mouth, Wu Sheyue pitifully cut in. “Sigh, when Younger Sister mentions Mother, I… I…”

Wu Sheyue’s eyes instantly brimmed with tears. The Old Madam wiped her face with a handkerchief and sighed. “All right, all right. Neither of you needs to feel wronged. People must look forward. You should not always think of the past.”

Wu Lixiang had thought the Old Madam was about to give the ornament to her. Instead, Wu Sheyue’s crying had snatched away the opening, leaving Wu Lixiang deeply regretful.

Reluctantly, she placed the ornament back in the box with a look of fondness. “But this hair ornament really is beautiful, and the style suits the season. Otherwise, Third Sister would certainly look very pretty wearing it out these next two months.”

Wu Sheyue wiped away the nonexistent tears on her face. “Fourth Sister need not worry. Things Grandmother gives are always good. Even if they are kept for several years, they will still be good. Yue’er will definitely keep them carefully and absolutely not knock or scratch them.”

Hearing Wu Sheyue’s childish yet sincere words, the Old Madam felt very pleased. She tapped Wu Sheyue’s nose and smiled. “You. Use them when you should. In a few years, the style will be old. Grandmother will buy you new ones then.”

“Mm. Thank you, Grandmother.” Wu Sheyue broke into a smile through her tears. “Grandmother… now that Yue’er has lost her concubine mother, only Grandmother treats Yue’er best.”

“What are you saying? Your mother, your brothers, and your sisters will treat you well too.” The Old Madam liked this granddaughter more and more. Over these years, the First Madam had managed the rear courtyard, and the Old Madam almost never asked about anything. Wu Sheyue was the first to speak to her this way.

Thinking about the children she had watched grow up, not one of them had said she was the best. Instead, it was this newly recovered granddaughter who liked her so much. Fate was truly strange.

“Mm, mm.” Her mother, brothers, and sisters will treat her well? Wu Sheyue’s face kept smiling. Forget it. I do not want to die.

Wu Lixiang was surprised by this turn of events. How had things inexplicably become Wu Sheyue and Grandmother sighing over each other? Thinking back, she had indirectly asked for many things before. Even if those sisters were unwilling to give them, she could always get something. This time… would she truly get nothing?

Wu Sheyue suddenly looked at Wu Lixiang with a half-smile. Wu Lixiang froze under that gaze, unsure what had happened.

Wu Sheyue had said before that she would not tolerate anyone climbing onto her neck to run wild. In her previous life, she had not lived freely. Now that she had a second chance she was not about to compromise. Wu Lixiang had clearly irritated her badly, but Wu Sheyue was such a kind person. What she loved most was teaching children how to behave.

She pointed at Wu Lixiang’s ear. “Fourth Sister, that earring of yours is lovely too. I’ve been looking at it ever since I came in.”

Wu Lixiang touched her ear in surprise. “Is… is it?”

Wu Lixiang was somewhat confused, but after the Old Madam glanced sideways at her, the Old Madam’s expression was obviously no longer very pleasant.

Wu Sheyue immediately smiled again. “Fourth Sister’s bracelet is beautiful too. Maybe it’s because Fourth Sister herself is pretty, so everything I look at seems beautiful.”

Wu Lixiang finally understood. She covered it with her sleeve and smiled awkwardly. “This… I saw Concubine Zhao wearing it and thought it looked nice, so I borrowed it for a couple of days.”

(To be continued)