Chapter 1: solar terms
Chapter Text
Haitang did not think much of it when Yin An first brought home a girl and announced that her name was Bailu - after all, delusional as he might be about the extent of his handsomeness, what half-wealthy man in this Xin State did not have a concubine or two; Yin An was a prince, and Haitang was not so naive as to think he would remain loyal only to her.
But when Bailu was followed in rapid succession by Shuangjiang, Lichun, Dashu, Xiaoman, Guyu, Xiaoxue, Lidong, Mangzhong (his insistence on renaming them all after solar terms ceased to be funny and was already very exasperating by the time Xiaoman arrived), until their courtyard numbered 16 plus Haitang, Haitang found herself torn between fury towards Yin An for the astronomical level of entitlement that he displayed which surely surpassed even that of the Lord of Xin State himself, wonder that anyone could be so delusional as to sincerely believe a person as dim and uninteresting as he could make so many ladies fall in love with him, sorrow for the ladies themselves, and, deep in her heart, a selfish little comfort that they were here, accompanying her and making life with Yin An so much more interesting than Yin An himself could ever manage.
But she did not enjoy her solar sisters’ company so much that Haitang would wish this fate on any more innocent girls, and after Dongzhi, Haitang vowed to herself, there might be 24 solar periods in a year, but their band of sisterhood would never, never reach 24, and if Haitang had to play the jealous shrew, then so be it.
Chapter 2: plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo
Chapter Text
Old habits apparently died hard; or could not die at all, because only a few of years after the Solar Term ladies left the manor of the Third Young Lord, Yin An one day brought back to the house four young ladies that he proudly introduced to Haitang as Xiao Mei, Xiao Lan, Xiao Ju, Xiao Zhu.
Haitang wasn't about to wait until Chun, Xia, Qiu, Dong joined them to take actions, but knowing that it was likely futile to reason with Yin An, she simply bundled the wide-eyed girls up and took them to the restaurant, where after a hearty meal with the Solar Term ladies who still remained in the capital - others, with some capital from the restaurant beneath their belt had left with their sisters' blessings to seek their fortunes elsewhere - Mei, Lan, Ju, Zhu thankfully all became wise enough to agree to not return to the manor.
When they expressed concerns about how Yin An would react to this, Haitang merely said, "The Lord of Xin Chuan is so ill, it is not as if he would have the mind or heart to give permission for a divorce, and Lao Liu as regent will definitely not permit it, and Lao San would not dare divorce me without permission!"