Wei enter the main mansion's garden pavilion, where the flower gathering was held. Her stepping inside the garden, made heads turn. She was a figure that was never seen in a social setting before. Even on her wedding day she outshined everyone, but she got more attention for her missing groom. Today she is a highly honourable lady, whose husband brought victory in a failing battle. Wei held her head high as the Madame of the General's mansion should and walked towards Madame Xu to greet her.
Madame Wei : "Greetings to mother."
Even before madame Xu could say anything, madame Su attacked. "Ah now the lady of the hour comes. Because your husband won the war, does it mean we are all beneath you now, young lady?" Wei did not say anything in reply, instead Mei took this opportunity to plunder Wei from any honour she could have among these aristocrats.
Mei : "My sister is a lady with no proper mannerism towards such settings, I'm apologetic for this situation. Wei you should apologise to them for your tardiness." To hide her own failings in giving the invitation, she turns this situation over to Wei. "I apologise for my tardiness. I have been feeling unwell lately, that is why my sister did not want me to exert myself today and asked me to rest." Wei turned towards Mei and says, "You look after me so well even when we are not at our maiden home." Wei portrayed that it was Mei who did not want her to be at the flower gathering, while she told the ladies that Wei was poor in character. This made Mei look bad in front of the aristocratic ladies. Also Wei's status was of Madame and not lady, the way Mei addressed her was deeming. But she let it slide. However Madame Xu was not of the same opinion, she immediately corrected Mei. "Mei'er she is your sister but she is the Madame of general's mansion her status remains the same regardless of your relation." Mei could only bite the back of her lips and say "Yes, Mother," she turned to Wei and greeted her respectably, "Greetings to General's wife."
Wei : "Since I appeared late, let me apologise to everyone present here with a present."
Madame Dongping : "Oh what present?"
Wei directed towards her servant Fei who held, painting supplies. "Painting?" questioned Duke Su. "Yes, since there is such a beautiful blossom of orchids today, wouldn't it be the best to appreciate it, by capturing its beauty on paper?" suggested Wei with an enticing smile. Everyone there liked the idea. All the guests enthusiastically layout throughout the garden space, positioning themselves in different angles of the potted flowers to paint. Wei also participated among other. When a lady wanted help with their painting, Wei assisted with strokes, colour or guidance. The flower gathering became even livelier, seeing her parade over Mei's efforts of gaining her mother-in-law's trust, she was bubbling with rage. She stepped forward and intentionally tripped the bowl of wasted brush over Wei's painting. "Aya! sorry General's wife, I did not mean to, it was an accident." And ruined the painting even further, by rubbing off the water on the paper. Wei did not say word, but held Mei's hand, took out a silk handkerchief and wiped her sister's hand. She took the paint brush again and used the seeping excessive water to her advantage by blending it, in the background. She took a container from the tray kept in front her. And sprinkled salt on the watered down painting. Salt created encrusted spots on the painting, this method of using washed water of the paint brush created soft strokes of scenery behind, while the salt created texture. And after which, the excessive salt was brushed off and Wei took a new brush and dipped it in a vibrant pink to create the orchid flowers. Her painting attracted the attention of the guests, they all encircled around Wei who was painting skilfully. "Madame is talented in the arts," complimented duke Dongping.
Wei : "I do it as a hobby, I'm glad, it is to your liking, Duke Dongping."
Madame Dongping : "Looking at the painting makes me want to see your house General's wife. It must have been decorated beautifully!" Fei's expression changed. For the war supplies most of the furniture and valuables were sold off for money and currently the house was decorated meagrely. Reputation of the renowned general will tarnish if anyone visited. Madame Wei was someone who wasn't extravagant, she did not host parties at the reflection mansion therefore their living condition was unknown, but today everyone will see. Fei was worried, that he could not contain his expression. Wei simply agreed, for what excuse could have she made to not let them enter.
Everyone walked over to the plot of reflection mansion, as if on a field trip. They entered the pathway leading to the main entrance of the reflection mansion and the moon gate. At the moon gate they saw that the sign board was written weirdly.
Madame Su : "What a strange plaque, general's wife, did you not check the name board while installing?" Duke Su nudged his wife and pointed at the circled shaped pond, and there on the still water, clearly reflected the correct name of the mansion. Madame Su was flabbergasted she look on top and then again in the water's reflection, as if some magic was unveiled in front of her.
Madame Dongqing : "What a marvel! This is the wittiest trick, I've ever seen!"
Duke Dongqing : "Wife let's go see the main entrance too, I want to see what wonder has been decorated there." And half of the guests dispersed to the main entrance. The main entrance was made of shiny bronze, that worked as a three way mirror, reflecting any one passing by the main entrance. It was another wonder. Everyone crowed at the main entrance seeing their own reflection on the side and also on the ceiling. "Madame really knows how to decorate a house," said a guest. "I also want this in my mansion, it feels like I'm walking in a divine realm!" said another guest. The guest were happy with Wei's arrangements, but there was no real marvel inside the mansion. So when they entered the mansion there was minimal furniture, however the atmosphere inside the mansion made the visitor feel grandeur.
After selling the valuable furnitures of the mansion, there wasn't enough money to replenish the missing furniture. Therefore only bare minimal was brought. Wei spend her days trying to make the minimal furniture look like luxury, her skills in painting saved their reputation. Anyone entered the mansion's main hall would be careful to step on the floor, as there were painted vines of flowers and leaves running on the wooden floor, at the centre of the hall, it would join and make a rippling circle, with a strange seat in the middle. It was a two-seater wooden chair and each seat faced opposing direction like yin yang. The right and left of the hall had wall murals of scenic beauty, accompanied by tie dyes fabric runners hanging from the ceiling, making the arrangement look as if one had actually entered into a different dimension. The wooden cabinets were also painted to match the theme of the room, everything had design motifs, the lanterns, pots, table runner cloth, and pillars. All of it, put together created a one panoramic painting. And every guest was marvelled by this. Everywhere they looked there was something decorated with motifs. Wei meticulously painted the house herself with little decorative motifs to look, put together and hide the fact that there were no real valuables in the house. These elite guests were used to having inlayed and craved wooden furniture; expensive and rare ceramics and jade. Therefore simplistic decor like this became a marvel to them.
"Madame really knows how to decorate a home, its truly marvellous. If the Madame Xu's garden has seasonal flowers that bloom only at the given time. Then general's mansion has flowers that are evergreen," said Madame Dongqing while holding Wei's hands.
"Thank you," Wei said with a shy smile.
"Does the general know that his wife has decorated a war militant's house like a painting? Did he give you permission for this?" Duke Su asked with an unimpressive expression. To which madame Su added, "That's right, will a military general like these efforts you put in the house to beautify it? He will come home to this! Your efforts are wasted, as he is not a man of culture. He will never be able to appreciate the arts. Look at you, you have great taste, what your wearing now is a beautiful piece of fabric, but general won't be able to select such a piece, because he does not have cultured taste." Their attempts of contempt and mockery was not settling for Wei.
Wei replied, "I understand your concern, therefore let me put your worries to rest. General has given me full liberty to do what I wish with the house. He said that it is my house and that I do not need to seek his permission related to it. As I will be spending the most time in it, I must make it comfortable like a home. Oh, and this clothing I am wearing, is gift from general itself, a victory present."
Duke Su and his wife made an expression as if they bite a sour grape. Duke Dongqing, "Has general returned?" "Replying to Duke Dongqing, general has not returned yet, he is at the Shenzhou court completing the war dealings. He send this present from Shenzhou." Replied Fei, with boast. "Oh general is so thoughtful about his wife," said madame Donqing dreamily, indicating what a sweet relation, this husband and wife duo has, despite being away from each other. Whispers from behind can be heard of other guests, "Who would have thought general was romantic." "That maybe the case but I think it is nice to have a household without in-laws, if I wanted to change the decor of my mansion, my mother-in-law would never let me even change the position on of a flower pot." "You're right!" "Ah, don't you think its romantic how general trusts his wife, that she does not need to seek his permission, I can't do anything without my husband's permission." "Now I look at it husbands are only romantic when away from home." The ladies having such lively gossip looked at their significant other and sighed, as they were envious of Wei's situation. But only Wei wished the opposite. She wanted her husband to be in the house along with her. Although she enjoyed her own company for so many years, this sudden change in anticipating letters of her husband has made her life thrilling. She no longer wanted to play hide and seek, she wanted to personally know her husband, and hoped that her husband also felt the same.
The day of the flower viewing gathering ended, Wei became close friends with the house of Dongqing, she was invited to their mansion for tea. However the house of Su were bitter towards general's household, therefore Wei did not pretend to be chummy with them, she is not the character that acts one way in the front and then backstabs. She does not want to be likeable by all, only few but true companions are better then thousands backstabbers. The evening dusked, Wei did not change her attire. She was at the patio looking over the moon gate, as if someone would just walk in, right that moment. It was misunderstanding on their part, general only said he will be arriving soon, not that he will be driving today. Wei was hopefully yearning for husband's return. "Madame, why don't you retire for the night? General will take time to come back, the court dealings always take long," suggested a concerned aide Fei. "Alright it has indeed been a tiresome day. Lin can you make be some soothing soup, I'm not hungry enough for dinner," said Wei. Lin prepared soup with snow fungus and jujube dates, like a herbal dessert soup. Wei had finished her bath and was in her chambers, when Lin brought the soup pot to serve Wei. Fei followed behind, looking at it, she asked, "What is it, that brings you, aide Fei?"
Fei : "Madame I thought for your pass time, I'll tell you stories."
Lin : "What stories?"
Fei : "Valour of the mighty general Xu Guoqiang! I used to be the storyteller in our camp for pass time."
Wei : "Alright you can."
Lin : "So what are going to say?"
Fei : "How about I start from the beginning of General's journey?"
Wei nodded with a smile.