Once outside the courtyard, the Duchess of Dingguo spoke gently to Chu Muqing, “Muqing, let your cousin take you to your mother’s courtyard first. Rest for a while. I’ll send someone to fetch you for dinner. If you need anything, just have someone call your aunt.”
Chu Muqing smiled softly. “I understand, Aunt.” Her voice was gentle and sweet, which made the Duchess of Dingguo quite pleased. Compared to her tomboyish daughter, this niece was far more endearing.
The Duchess of Dingguo smiled and nodded at Chu Muqing, then turned to Xiao Yuzhu. “You obediently take your cousin to your aunt’s courtyard, understand?” Her tone was suddenly firm, lacking the warmth she had shown just moments ago.
Xiao Yuzhu pouted. “I know, Mother.”
With that, she tugged Chu Muqing along. Bai Zhi and Xiao Yuzhu’s personal maid, Du Ruo, hurried after them. The Duchess of Dingguo sighed quietly behind them. If only her own daughter were even half as sensible and composed as Muqing, she wouldn’t worry so much about her marriage prospects.
Chu Muqing followed Xiao Yuzhu toward to her mother’s courtyard. Xiao Yuzhu walked quite quickly, and Chu Muqing, trained in both her lives to know that a young lady of a respectable family should never walk hastily, found herself struggling to keep up.
After a while, Xiao Yuzhu seemed to notice and said a little embarrassedly, “Oh dear, I’ve gotten so used to walking like this, I made my cousin rush along too.”
Chu Muqing’s voice was gentle. “It’s alright, sister.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yuzhu blushed further and slowed her pace, walking side by side with Chu Muqing to chat.
“When I arrived in the capital, I realized it was completely different from the border. The houses were different, the food was different, even the women were different. Life on the border wasn’t bound by so many rules, and the women were freer. Here in the capital, everything has rules.”
Chu Muqing replied, “I only learned about Yuncheng’s scenery from books when I was studying. I heard the women there can ride horses and even fight in battles?”
Border cities like Yuncheng, in the southwest of the Great Zhou Dynasty, bordered foreign tribes.
Xiao Yuzhu was surprised, then pleased that Chu Muqing knew where she had grown up. “That’s right. Because it’s close to Southern Chu, military invasions happen frequently. So although Yuncheng isn’t a city where everyone fights, some women are trained to go to the battlefield. Not all women, just a portion. When there’s no war, everyone rides horses, shoots arrows, and travels around. Cousin, what did you usually do?”
Chu Muqing smiled. “In Hezhou, I usually followed my aunt to learn how to manage the household and the inner quarters. Occasionally, I would spend time with music, chess, poetry, and painting.”
Xiao Yuzhu couldn’t help speaking up. “When I was little, my mother made me learn all those things, but I wasn’t interested and couldn’t master them. I just liked going out and playing with my older brothers. Later, she stopped worrying about me. Now she’s worried about my marriage, but I don’t want to marry into a wealthy family. There are too many rules. I’d rather have an ordinary husband, someone who can ride a horse and maybe knows some martial arts, so he can come with me on my travels. If not, that’s fine too, I can protect him.”
Du Ruo couldn’t help but call out, “Miss! Our young lady, how can you say such things? If Madam hears, she’ll be angry again.”
“It’s alright. My cousin isn’t an outsider,” Xiao Yuzhu said, looking at Chu Muqing. “Cousin, do you think I’m just daydreaming?”
Chu Muqing was struck by her cousin’s boldness and straightforwardness. Noble ladies in aristocratic families are pampered and confined from childhood. They benefit from their family’s wealth and position, but also bear the weight of expectations. From a young age, they are trained in household management, and many live their whole lives confined to a small courtyard, waiting to marry into a prominent family.
Seeing Xiao Yuzhu already thinking for herself, Chu Muqing thought it admirable, perhaps her cousin’s heart was as bold as her words.
She said sincerely, “As long as you never regret anything, that’s enough.”
Moved, Xiao Yuzhu hugged Chu Muqing tightly. “Cousin, I really like you so much.”
Chu Muqing smiled, then suddenly remembered that Xiao Yuzhu had mentioned her eldest and second brothers. She asked, “Sister, you mentioned your eldest and second brothers earlier, why haven’t I seen them today?”
Xiao Yuzhu replied, “My eldest brother hasn’t returned yet, he’s still at the border.” She pursed her lips and added, “As for my second brother, the moment he came back to the capital, he disappeared again. Who knows where he is now?”
After speaking, she seemed to recall something. “Cousin, there’s a pavilion ahead. Wait for me there. My second brother gave me a puzzle box and bet that if I could solve it, he would give me his sword. I’ve wanted that sword for a long time, but I’ve been trying to solve it for days and still can’t. Cousin, you’re so clever, you can definitely figure it out. Wait here, I’ll go back to the courtyard to get it.”
Without waiting for Chu Muqing to respond, she dashed back toward the courtyard.
Seeing this, Du Ruo quickly said to Chu Muqing, “Please forgive us, Miss. Please wait in the pavilion ahead for a moment. Our young lady will be back soon.”
Chu Muqing smiled. “It’s alright. You go with Sister Yuzhu first, Bai Zhi and I will go to the pavilion.”
Du Ruo bowed and hurried after Xiao Yuzhu.
Once they had gone, Chu Muqing said to Bai Zhi, “Let’s go. We’ll wait there.”
Following Xiao Yuzhu’s directions, they walked for a while and soon saw a pavilion on the lake in the distance. Inside, two men were playing chess, sitting face to face. One wore white, the other black. The man in black was facing Chu Muqing.
Before she even reached them, the man in black noticed her and turned his gaze toward her. At that moment, Chu Muqing observed his features, sharp and handsome, with peach-blossom-shaped eyes and a faint, teasing smile.
“The Young Master of the Duke of Zhenguo,” Chu Muqing thought, wondering why he was at the Duke of Dingguo’s residence.
The man in white, noticing that his opponent hadn’t moved for a long time, cursed, “Gu Yanci, what are you dawdling for? Trying to stall for time? If not, I suggest you admit defeat already.”
Gu Yanci seemed not to hear him, still watching Chu Muqing. Yet, with a casual movement, his well-shaped hand picked up a black chess piece and placed it on the board. The man in white shouted in disbelief, “How is this possible? Did you look at it beforehand?”
Gu Yanci finally glanced at the man in white and said coolly, “This is the chess manual you found. If you can’t compete, don’t make a fuss.” Then he lowered his head, cracked his wrist, and added, “Don’t blame me for not warning you, you’ve got people backing you up.”
The man in white was about to continue cursing when he noticed something behind him. He paused and turned around.
There, standing behind him, were a woman and her maid.