The main hall of Rongtang Courtyard was in an uproar.
Wang Da blamed Bai Shi for not taking good care of Wang Qinglin, saying her upbringing over the years was wasted. He demanded that Bai Shi send Wang Qinglin to the estate to recuperate, ensuring that no one else in Duanjing would know about her disfigurement, thus protecting the Wang family's reputation.
Bai Shi, who had endured for years, finally erupted.
"Do you have any conscience at all? Now that your daughter is disfigured, all you care about is face, face, face. Have you ever considered what her future will be? Have you thought about her feelings? And you want to send her to the estate! How can you be such a heartless father?"
Bai Shi's eyes were bloodshot, filled with disappointment and anger as she glared at Wang Da.
"How have I not cared about her? Isn't sending her to the estate for her own good? Do you want to keep her locked up at home forever, never letting her go out? What if others find out? How will she bear those embarrassing stares?"
Wang Da felt a pang of guilt, but after saying this, he straightened his chest.
Bai Shi sneered, "You speak as if you're singing, but all you think about is getting promoted and getting rich. Your daughter is merely a stepping stone for you to climb higher! Now that she's no longer useful, you want to kick her aside!"
Wang Da was furious. His fingers trembled as he pointed at her, too angry to speak!
Bai Shi scoffed, "No, it's not just promotions and wealth you think about, but also women! All sorts of lowly women, as long as they crawl into your bed, you welcome them without refusal!"
With a "slap," Wang Da struck her. Five finger marks immediately appeared on Bai Shi's fair, tender face. She looked at Wang Da in disbelief.
Old Madam Wang also looked at her in disbelief. To outsiders, Bai Shi had always been dignified, courteous, generous, and virtuous. Had she lost her mind today to speak to her husband like this?
"If you want to send Lin'er to the estate, you'll have to divorce me!" Bai Shi said, word by word, through gritted teeth.
Wang Da genuinely considered divorcing her at this moment, but since Bai Shi had not committed any of the seven grounds for divorce, he had no valid reason.
Furthermore, the Bai family was about to become in-laws with the Wang family, and he did not wish to stir up more trouble.
More importantly, his legitimate eldest son could not have a mother who had been divorced.
The matter of sending Wang Qinglin to the estate had to be temporarily shelved. Wang Da and Old Madam Wang discussed it and decided to replace the governess of Lijing Courtyard and Wang Qinglin's two head maids, keeping a constant watch on her and preventing her from leaving Lijing Courtyard.
Wang Qinglin, lost in anger and shame, had no intention of going out for the time being. She assumed the change in servants was because they had not taken good care of her, and Wang Da was punishing them.
She already suspected that Lijing Courtyard had a traitor, so she didn't object to the change in servants.
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month was the Dragon Boat Festival. In the Great Sheng Dynasty, the Dragon Boat Festival was a grand celebration, lasting more than just one day.
From the first day of the month, the streets and alleys were immersed in a festive atmosphere, which reached its peak on the fifth day.
The Wang family's festive mood was dampened by Wang Qinglin's disfigurement.
In previous years, Bai Shi would personally take the three daughters of the main branch to the streets to purchase festival supplies.
This year, Bai Shi had no such inclination and merely instructed the steward to handle the arrangements.
Wang Qingzhen and Wang Qingzhu dared not show any joy, fearing they would incur the displeasure of their stepmother. Even the ingredients for the most important orchid bath were purchased by their maids.
On the third day of the fifth lunar month, Xiao Yun sent a message to Wang Qingyao, inviting her to meet at Xinghua Tower on the fourth.
Due to paying respects to Old Madam Wang and the matter of Wang Qinglin, Wang Qingyao was late, making Xiao Yun wait for half an hour.
"I'm so sorry, I'm late," Wang Qingyao apologized as soon as she arrived.
Xiao Yun was unconcerned.
He had chosen a private room facing the street, with the window open. A cool breeze wafted in, and the number of street vendors was several times the usual.
Wang Qingyao found it strange upon her arrival. Was the first day of the fifth lunar month in ancient times equivalent to Labor Day, with a seven-day holiday?
Xiao Yun handed her a yellow paper packet and a green cloth bag. She knew without opening them that the paper packet contained medicinal herbs, and the cloth bag contained a new dress.
She could understand receiving a new dress, but what was the point of receiving medicinal herbs?
"These are herbs for your orchid bath."
Wang Qingyao didn't understand "orchid bath" but understood "bath." After a moment of confusion, her face showed disbelief. "What does my bathing have to do with you?"
Although she didn't say it, her eyes clearly conveyed three words: "You pervert."
She was getting married in July. Was he impatient and trying to "pre-regulate" her now?
Xiao Yun knew she had misunderstood and explained with a wry smile, "In the Great Sheng Dynasty, women have a custom of bathing in orchid water during the Dragon Boat Festival. Orchid water is herbal bath water. Since the fifth month is considered an inauspicious month, bathing in orchid water is mainly to ward off insects, avoid harm, and prevent illness."
Wang Qingyao then realized she had misunderstood Xiao Yun. She gave an embarrassed smile, her face blushing with shyness.
It was only then that she remembered that Yin Zhu and the others had mentioned something about an orchid bath.
Xiao Yun, seeing that she didn't even know this, felt a pang of heartache for her. How could he blame her?
He had originally only prepared the herbs for the orchid bath and a new outfit. Now, he also instructed someone to buy her mugwort, a portrait of Celestial Master Zhang, calamus wine, and a pile of snacks. He then took her to Da Xiangguo Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.
Ancient people loved burning incense and worshipping Buddha during festivals. Every time Wang Qingyao visited Da Xiangguo Temple, it was bustling with people. After waiting in a long queue to enter the main hall, she burned incense, donated money for the incense, and then received a sachet for warding off evil from a monk.
Xiao Yun taught her, "You must wear the sachet close to your body. After your... cough, orchid bath tomorrow, you must tie colorful silk threads around your arms and hang small talismans for warding off evil in your hair. All of these have been prepared for you. Once everything is ready, it will be sent to the Wang family first."
Wang Qingyao listened with great interest. The ancient people's Dragon Boat Festival customs were indeed varied, lively, and interesting.
Unlike in her modern life, where eating zongzi was the end of it. After her grandparents passed away, she sometimes even forgot to eat zongzi, with no festive atmosphere at all.
Xiao Yun saw her looking as if she was hearing about it for the first time and felt another wave of heartache.
How had she spent her childhood? Wasn't there a wet nurse? Didn't the wet nurse teach her?
"After breakfast, I'll pick you up. We'll hang up Qu Yuan together and watch the dragon boat races."
Wang Qingyao nodded excitedly, "This is my first time watching dragon boat races in person!" Although she had seen them on television, watching them live must be different.
Xiao Yun felt that this girl was truly pitiful, so pitiful, even more pitiful than him.
Yet, despite living such a pitiful life, her personality showed no signs of it. She was like a pampered young lady, but she was more optimistic, open-minded, and full of enthusiasm than anyone he knew.
In any case, Xiao Yun had never met a girl whose background and personality were so contradictory.
He had forgotten to ask about these things last time. If he had the chance to get her drunk again, he would definitely unravel all these mysteries.