Chapter 391:: The Phoenix Hairpin
Experience has proven, both in ancient times and the modern era, that girls always take forever to get ready.
Before heading out, Li Shu had said she would go to the backyard to tidy up and would be ready soon. Yet, Zhu Ping’an and the two younger children ended up waiting for nearly half an hour before Li Shu, accompanied by her little maid Hua’er, nicknamed Baozi, finally sauntered over, fashionably late.
Makeup, dressing up, changing clothes—it seemed the routine for girls back then was not much different from modern times.
Li Shu likely wore a light, delicate makeup that made her already fair and tender skin appear even more radiant. Her brows were long and graceful, like strokes of ink on a scroll. Perhaps ancient women had a way of painting eyeliner too, for after outlining her eyes in soft black, Li Shu’s gaze seemed larger and brighter than before, like a clear, tranquil pool reflecting the sky. Her cherry-red lips curled slightly in a playful, enticing smile, adding a subtle hint of charm to her already captivating demeanor.
Her black hair had been styled into a princess bun, adorned with a meticulously carved purple crystal hairpin in the shape of a celestial swan. Dangling from it was a string of agate tassels that sparkled with every movement, making Li Shu’s presence shine all the more brilliantly.
And, of course, she had changed into another new outfit: a pale green cross-collared top paired with a light red ruqun, her waist cinched with a cream-colored silk ribbon. The flowing fabric seemed to dance around her as she moved. It was almost as if this girl had never worn the same clothes twice.
Zhu Ping’an couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose. “Who could possibly afford a girl like this?” he muttered to himself.
“Looking at me, hmm?”
Li Shu approached from a distance, catching Zhu Ping’an staring, and inwardly she felt a small thrill of joy. Yet her face maintained a proud, coquettish tilt, her delicate nose emitting a faint, dignified sniff.
In contrast, the little maid Baozi was far more modest. Though she had been cleaned and dressed, Li Shu’s brilliance made her look plain by comparison.
“Fifth Sister is so pretty! When I grow up, I want to be just like Fifth Sister…”
The little girl’s sweet words made Li Shu’s face light up with a smile. She pinched the girl’s chubby cheeks and planted a soft kiss on them.
Meanwhile, the mischievous little boy had no such charm at his disposal.
“Fifth Sister, you’re really slow. You didn’t even wet yourself—why did you need to change clothes?” Li Yan’gong, the little rascal, folded his hands behind his back and frowned, his chubby cheeks puffing in protest at losing half an hour of his day.
“Hehe… Next time, I’ll be quicker,” Li Shu said with a gentle laugh, nodding reassuringly at him. But then the boy suddenly felt a chill on his back. He turned around, but there was nothing behind him. Strange.
Contrary to modern assumptions, girls in the Ming Dynasty were not confined to their homes. Streets were not only for men. From Zhu Ping’an’s experience, ordinary families—especially modest ones—did not forbid girls from going out. They simply observed stricter rules of propriety than today, and outings were less frequent. Girls still had to help with household chores, which required stepping outside occasionally.
Daughters of wealthy families went out less often, but they were not entirely restricted. They usually traveled in carriages or palanquins to shield themselves from the public gaze, complying with social etiquette. Some married women even wore veils or hats for extra privacy, though this was optional.
The Marquis of Linhuai had prepared a covered carriage for Zhu Ping’an and the others, complete with curtains and window screens to block prying eyes.
The streets near the emperor’s palace were bustling. Just past the Marquis of Linhuai’s mansion, the scene came alive with vibrant shops, shouting street vendors, monkey performers, martial arts demonstrations, and feats like chest-cracking stone-splitting acts, all clamoring for attention.
As usual, when girls went shopping, clothes and jewelry were the main focus.
Shuntian City had ready-made clothing shops that far surpassed those in other counties, both in style and quality. Jewelry shops were even more abundant, seemingly endless.
By the fifth clothing shop, Li Shu could no longer resist. She jumped out of the carriage with Baozi, and despite the little girl’s tiny legs, she ran straight into the store, eyes sparkling. Zhu Ping’an had no choice but to follow with the little boy.
They visited several shops. Li Shu bought three sets of clothes for herself, sizes irrelevant, for she wouldn’t wear them herself—they were merely references for the seamstress. She also bought one set for Baozi and two for the sweet little girl.
The sight of the little girl clutching her two new outfits with joy made Li Yan’gong green with envy.
“Fifth Sister, why did you buy two sets for the little girl but not a single one for me?” he whined, his round face puffed out in protest, eyes flashing.
“Handsome boys don’t need dressing up,” Li Shu said, crouching down to pat his chubby cheeks with a tender hand.
Zhu Ping’an coughed back a laugh. That was classic Li Shu—clever and mischievous.
Who was he to argue? The little boy had complained earlier about her being slow and changing clothes for no reason… now he looked utterly bewildered.
Clothing shops were merely a warm-up; the real excitement lay in the jewelry stores.
After only two jewelry shops, Zhu Ping’an was already carrying numerous boxes—all Li Shu’s purchases. And the reasons she gave for buying each piece were enough to make him dizzy.
“Oh, this hairpin is beautiful… buy it.”
“Oh, these earrings are so cheap… buy it.”
“Hmm, this hairpin isn’t pretty, but it’s unique… buy it.”
“Look, the color of this one is different from the last… buy it.”
“See, the stamen on this hairpin is smaller than the one at home… buy it.”
“Although this dangling ornament isn’t very pretty, it feels right… buy it.”
Once, even when examining a pair of earrings, she murmured, “I don’t really like these earrings, but somehow a voice inside me says… buy them.”
Inevitably, all this buying exhausted her funds. When they returned to the carriage, she saw a simple street stall selling peachwood jewelry, but she had no money left.
The stall was run by a local woman, a simple wooden structure mounted on a one-wheeled cart. Hanging from it were various wooden trinkets. Li Shu’s eye caught a finely carved peachwood hairpin shaped like a cicada-head phoenix. It was exquisite but paled compared to the treasures she had already purchased.
“You just bought so much already,” Zhu Ping’an commented casually, a man of modest means somewhat shocked at her extravagant habits. He suspected most of her purchases would never even be used.
“Here, lend me twenty wen. I’ll pay you back later,” Li Shu said, rolling her eyes at him, frustrated with his slow-wittedness, then held out her delicate hand.
“What for? Consider it a gift,” Zhu Ping’an said, shaking his head. He drew the money from his pouch, bought the peachwood hairpin, and handed it to Li Shu.
He didn’t stop there—he also bought two small carved peachwood rabbits, giving one to the little girl and the other to the almost-drooling little boy.
But when Li Shu received the hairpin, her heart raced as if a tiny, lost deer was leaping inside her chest.
“Who even cares~~” she said, rolling her eyes disdainfully, yet her delicate fingers clutched the hairpin tightly, unwilling to let go.