All Hail Cousin Brother

299 Asking for a Beating

In the end, they had to praise her for being clean and honest like the Empress Dowager.

At this moment, Yu Youyao finally understood what this palace token represented.

This was the glory that her cousin had schemed for her.

Qi Sinian held the palace token in his hand and looked at it carefully. She could tell that it was extraordinary. “The jade bead tassel under the palace token doesn’t seem to be made of Lantian jade.”

The craftsmen of the Internal Affairs Department had all been through thousands of refinements. This palace token was also beautiful, and the craftsmanship was obvious. If one did not take a closer look, they would not be able to tell the difference in the materials used.

At the very least, no one had noticed it before.

Yu Youyao and Song Wanhui quickly leaned closer to take a look.

Song Huiwan picked up a yellow and white jade bead and carefully observed its texture. “This yellow and white jade bead is an expensive Dushan Jade. Its texture is delicate and smooth. The luster on the bead is mottled and varied.”

Qi Sinian also said, “The dark green one is made of Biyu jade. It’s firm and warm, delicate and round, transparent and lacking in flaws. It’s also a rare and precious item.”

Yu Youyao looked at the last white jade bead. It was Hetian Jade.

The palace token was made of three colors: yellow, green, and white. There were Lantian Jade, Hetian Jade, Xiuyan Jade and Dushan Jade. When the four precious jade pieces were used together, the quality was also carefully selected, and the craftsmanship was even more exquisite.

Yesterday, everyone in the house was dazzled by the Lantian jade. No one really noticed the falling jade beads.

Song Wanhui was shocked. “It’s really beautiful!”

Yu Youyao glanced at her waist and she happened to be wearing a light white to pink hibiscus red jade pendant. This was the most precious and expensive piece of jade.

Then, she looked at Qi Sinian. She was wearing a dark green jade bracelet. It was also the rarest and most expensive color of jade.

The Great Zhou Dynasty especially praised the four precious jade pieces.

Other than the Lantian jade, which was often used by the imperial family, all the wealthy families liked to wear expensive jade. The eldest daughter of a wealthy family had to find good expensive jade the moment she was born and the family had to make expensive jade accessories for her. When the sisters were a little older, they were given jade to carry around with them to nourish their lives and health.

Therefore, other than being a reward from the Empress Dowager, there was nothing special about this palace token.

Qi Sinian noticed her gaze and pursed his lips. “How can what we’re wearing be the same as the Empress Dowager’s reward? But put away your eyes. You’re really asking for a beating.”

After being rewarded with the palace token, Yu Youyao put it away and asked Chun Xiao to put it back.

Yu Youyao changed the topic. “The peach blossom water in the cellar was ready a while ago. I made peach blossom face cream, lip gloss, and peach blossom dew. I wonder if you like it.”

With that, she instructed Xia Tao to get it.

When Qi Sinian heard this, his interest was piqued. “What’s bad about what you make? The sheep cream you gave me a while ago is excellent.”

Song Wanhui also said, “The sheep cream is smooth and white. I think I’ve become a little fairer these past few days.”

Yu Youyao chuckled. “The weather has been getting hotter recently. The texture of the sheep cream is a little thicker, and you’ll feel oily after using it. The peach blossom face cream is more refreshing. After washing your face, you first massage it with peach blossom dew. Apply some lipstick around your eyes. Then, you apply the peach blossom face cream. Not only can it improve your complexion, but it can also whiten your skin.”

At this moment, Chun Xiao brought something over.

In the glass bottle, there was a crystal clear peach blossom dew. It was pink and as beautiful as honey. The peach blossom paste was placed in a round porcelain box. It was pink and white, like jade paste. The texture of the lipstick was thicker and redder, like a ball of sparkling red pig fat.

As soon as the things were opened, a faint peach blossom fragrance filled the room.

Song Wanhui and Qi Sinian’s eyes lit up.

What they usually used on their faces were also expensive goods bought from shops. They were not bad, but they were still a little inferior to what Yu Youyao had personally made.

After all, it was a secret recipe of the palace. How could it be different from ordinary ones?

Song Wanhui poured some peach blossom dew on the back of her hand. She wiped the oily dew on the back of her hand and spread it bit by bit. The places where the dew had been applied were thin and sparkling, not greasy at all.

She was amazed. “This is really good stuff. It’s even more refreshing and smoother than the rose water that was sold for five taels of gold in the shop. It also smells good.”

Qi Sinian also took some lip gloss and turned to ask Yu Youyao, “Isn’t lip gloss used on the lips? Why do you have to apply lip gloss to your eyes?”

Yu Youyao did not say anything. She picked out a ball of lip fat with the tip of her little finger and leaned closer to Qi Sinian. She used the tip of her ring finger to circle her eyes a few times and apply the lip fat evenly.

When she was finished, she asked, “How do you feel?”

Qi Sinian blinked. “It seems to be much more moisturized. It’s not as dry as before.”

Yu Youyao explained, “This lipstick looks red and bright, but it doesn’t have any color when applied. The texture is also thinner, and the eyes and lips are more tender. It’s clearer and smoother when applied. When you go out, apply a layer of peach blossom fat before applying it. The lipstick will be more even, and the color will be brighter.”

Upon hearing her words, Song Wanhui shouted that she wanted to give it a try.

Qi Sinian was also eager to try.

Yu Youyao brought them into the room and they washed their faces again. They used the peach blossom dew, peach blossom fat, and peach blossom face cream one by one. The two of them were indeed very satisfied.

The two of them pulled Yu Youyao to the pavilion and asked her for advice on her beauty and skin nourishment secret techniques.

Yu Youyao did not hide anything. She had given away a lot of things in her hands.

In the afternoon, when Qi Sinian and Song Wanhui left, their hands were filled with bags again.

The Marquis of Changxing’s Residence put in a lot of effort to organize the flower festival, but it did not end quickly.

Seventh Miss Cao had ruined her reputation, and the Marquis of Changxing’s wife had been reprimanded by the Empress Dowager. Old Madam Cao had personally gone to the Yu Residence to apologize, and the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence had lost all its dignity.

Old Madam Cao rushed to bring Seventh Miss Cao back to the clan the day before the imperial examination.

This matter also came to an end.

After that, the most discussed topic in the capital was that although Eldest Miss Yu was a bereaved eldest daughter, she had grown up in front of Old Madam Yu and had been raised extremely well by her. Even the Empress Dowager praised her and specially rewarded her with a palace token made of Lantian jade.

Yu Youyao was also in the limelight in the capital.

However, after discussing her for two days, they stopped.

After more than half a year, the final palace examination finally arrived.

Just like the previous time, Yu Youyao helped Nanny Liu manage the place. Unknowingly, she had been busy for the entire day.

In the early morning of the 26th, Yu Shande and the others from the Yu Clan who were participating in the palace examination arrived.

...

Old Madam Yu said solemnly, “I won’t say anything else. I also hope that you can become famous on the Golden Ranking List and bring honor to your ancestors.”

Yu Shande agreed respectfully.

After that, Yu Zongzheng told her about his previous palace examination and encouraged him.

Yu Zongshen only explained the rules of the palace examination.