Chunxing looked at the characters and frowned. “But hasn’t Miss always hated practicing calligraphy?”
Li Chu’s handwriting had been a mess for years. No matter how much the master and madam lectured her, it never helped. Miss never listened. The moment she picked up a brush, she’d be in a bad mood.
“Who says that?” Li Chu shot back. “I just hate copying those awful old men’s handwriting. How could Cousin Brother’s writing be the same?”
Cousin Brother was far better-looking than those crusty old men.
Just looking at his writing made her happy.
Chunxing: “…”
Unable to hold it in, Chunxing whispered, “But didn’t Miss say that handwriting reflects the person? The copybooks the old masters gave you were written by their own hand.”
Li Chu nodded seriously. “Exactly. That’s why I think those copybooks are ugly too.”
Chunxing: “…”
You just think they’re old.
Cradling Lu Shiji’s handwritten drafts, Li Chu happily returned to her courtyard. “Anyway, starting today, I’m going to practice calligraphy properly!”
Jinxiu Garden.
“You’re saying A-Li went to Wenlan Courtyard today?” Madam Shen sounded a little surprised.
“Yes. She said she went to deliver a thank-you gift. Apparently, the young lady almost slipped while playing near the rockery yesterday, and the heir helped steady her. Because of that, the young lady went specially to send a gift. When she came back, she even brought some of the heir’s handwritten drafts and said she wanted to practice writing.”
Madam Shen smiled with satisfaction and nodded. “It seems they get along quite well after all.”
Nanny Cai massaged Madam Shen’s shoulders and said with a smile, “Madam truly worried too much before. The heir refusing the marriage back then was likely just out of caution. It really is a troubled time now. But judging from this, the heir clearly doesn’t dislike the young lady.”
“If they truly come to like each other, that would be best. Once they’re married, A-Li won’t have to suffer, and she can give birth to a child early.”
“For this marriage between the young lady and the heir, Madam has exhausted herself with worry. Now we just wait for the rebel case to be fully settled. Once the marriage is brought up again, the engagement will surely go smoothly.”
Yet Madam Shen still felt uneasy, though she couldn’t say why.
“Let’s hope so.”
She then darkened her expression and asked, “What about Song Qinghe’s marriage? Have you found a suitable family yet?”
It had to be foolproof.
“It’s already been arranged,” Nanny Cai said dismissively. “Song Qinghe is just an adopted daughter. What is there to carefully choose? Being able to marry out from the Duke’s household is already a blessing she’s earned over eight lifetimes.”
“But the match can’t look bad on the surface,” Madam Shen said. “The old madam is watching.”
Madam Shen’s reputation for virtue was among the best in the capital. No matter how many dirty matters there were, she never touched them herself and never let anyone catch her at fault.
Nanny Cai snorted. “She’s just an adopted girl from outside. The old madam is giving her far too much face.”
Madam Shen sneered. “The old madam isn’t giving her face. She’s giving face to the former madam. Wang-shi has been dead for so many years, yet the old madam still remembers her. Song Qinghe keeps playing up Wang-shi’s memory to gain pity, so naturally the old madam softens.”
But no matter what, an adopted daughter was still an adopted daughter. There was no reason not to marry her off. Once she married out, she’d be like water thrown away, with nothing more to do with the Duke’s household.
Nanny Cai soothed her gently. “The old madam is just lonely in her old age, treating her like a cat or dog to keep herself company. If we’re talking about real affection, it’s still our own Fourth Young Master.”
Madam Shen lifted a hand. “You don’t need to comfort me like that. Whether the old madam likes me or not, I don’t care. As long as the Duke knows my worth, that’s enough. She’s old and in poor health. Why should I take it to heart?”
“Yes, Madam is right.”
“So,” Madam Shen asked, “what kind of family did you choose for Song Qinghe?”
Only then did Nanny Cai smile. “Li, the only son of Lord Li, Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial. The family is known for its integrity, a scholarly household, and the family structure is simple. It’s such a good match that even the old madam wouldn’t be able to find fault with it.”
On the surface, it certainly looked clean enough.
But whose ugly family matters are ever laid out in the open?
Wouldn’t they be hidden as tightly as possible, for fear that anyone might find out?
Madam Shen smiled, her expression carrying deeper meaning. “It does sound like a very good match. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go report it to the old madam. She’ll surely be pleased.”
Night fell, but the small embroidered pavilion was still brightly lit.
Li Chu sat at her desk, carefully copying Lu Shiji’s handwriting, stroke by stroke. Her soft, round face was drawn tight with concentration, looking unusually serious.
Chunxing quietly walked in and set a cup of flower tea on the table. She lowered her voice. “Miss, it’s getting late. You should rest.”
Li Chu frowned as she lifted her brush and picked up her own crooked, uneven writing, comparing it to Lu Shiji’s elegant characters.
“I copied it exactly, didn’t I? So why is it still this different?” Her serious gaze carried a hint of doubt about her own existence.
Chunxing couldn’t bear to look at the writing and gently comforted her. “Practicing calligraphy was never something you master overnight. It takes time.”
Li Chu propped her cheek with one hand, looking discouraged. “Why is it so hard?”
“What in this world isn’t hard?” Chunxing said patiently. “If it only took three or five days to learn, what would teachers even be for?”
Li Chu suddenly nodded. “That makes sense!”
Her eyes lit up with a smile. “You need to practice writing for a long, long time, so of course you need a teacher for a long, long time too!”
Chunxing froze for a moment. Was that really what she meant?
Li Chu cheerfully set her finished pages on the desk to dry. Tomorrow, she would take them to Cousin Brother and ask him for guidance!
Seeing that Li Chu was finally willing to sleep, Chunxing quickly helped her bathe and change.
Li Chu crawled into bed and, out of habit, reached under her pillow—only to find nothing.
“Where’s my safety talisman?”
Chunxing paused. “Oh, this servant changed your bedding today and put it away. Do you still need it?”
That dream had been so long ago. Just a nightmare, really. Was it necessary to be this scared?
After Chunxing said that, Li Chu felt like she might indeed be making too big a deal out of it.
It made her seem timid.
“Forget it,” she said stubbornly, closing her eyes.
But perhaps it was all in her head. The nightmare from that night came back to her again—the burning heat of a large hand gripping the back of her neck, as vivid as if it were happening all over again.
That chilling voice echoed by her ear. “Why don’t you dare look at me?”
Her eyes flew open.
“…Give me the safety talisman after all,” she said, swallowing nervously.
Only then did Chunxing go to the drawer and take it out, slipping it back under Li Chu’s pillow.
Li Chu slid her small hand underneath, holding the talisman in her palm. Only then did her heart finally settle.
She even felt like going to Fahua Temple to hold a ritual. She was starting to suspect she’d been tainted by something unclean.
The next day, after court, Lu Shiji returned to the residence. Just as he reached Wenlan Courtyard, he saw a slender figure already waiting anxiously.
“Brother Shiji!”
Song Qinghe hurried over, panic clear on her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“The Duke’s wife wants to arrange a marriage for me. What good intentions could she possibly have toward me? She’s always hated the former madam, so of course she hates me too. I don’t know what she said to the old madam, but the old madam actually agreed.”
Song Qinghe’s eyes were red as she looked at him pleadingly. “But… but I truly don’t want to marry…”