Bai Qingzhou began to grow anxious.
Shen Mianmian couldn’t help laughing.
“I appreciate the thought, but I’d rather write it myself.”
“I’ve actually wanted to learn calligraphy for a long time.”
“I’ve always admired people with beautiful handwriting.”
“I just never had the chance to learn.”
What she meant was that she had never had the opportunity before transmigrating into the novel.
But Bai Qingzhou interpreted it differently.
In his mind, the courtesan training academy had deliberately neglected her education in order to focus on “specialized training.”
Looking at the cheerful young woman before him, he said sincerely,
“You’re very strong.”
“…?”
Shen Mianmian looked confused.
“How did we suddenly get to ‘strong’?”
Though, to be fair, she did consider herself fairly resilient.
Bai Qingzhou smiled bitterly.
“You never got to live the life you wanted.”
“And yet you’re still so optimistic.”
“This punishment is supposed to be copying scripture.”
“But you’ve turned it into an opportunity to learn.”
Shen Mianmian gave an awkward laugh.
“Uh…”
“Well…”
For once, even she couldn’t think of a convincing explanation.
A single lie required countless more lies to support it.
The fewer lies she told, the fewer she’d have to patch later.
And the fewer brain cells she’d sacrifice.
Bai Qingzhou suddenly asked seriously,
“Whose calligraphy do you like?”
“I have many famous copybooks.”
“If the calligrapher you admire is in the capital, I can even arrange for them to teach you.”
Most accomplished calligraphers were scholars.
And many scholars were eager to associate with noble families.
If the Marquis of Anning’s household extended an invitation, most would gladly accept.
Shen Mianmian blinked at him.
Then smiled.
“I like your handwriting.”
Bai Qingzhou froze.
“Mine?”
“Of course.”
She pointed at one of his practice sheets.
“I don’t really appreciate the styles that people call ‘free and unrestrained.'”
“To me, they just look like scribbles.”
“A huge sheet of paper filled with characters of different sizes scattered everywhere.”
“I’m not saying they’re bad.”
“I just don’t understand the appeal.”
Then she tapped his writing.
“On the other hand, I love neat, orderly regular script like this.”
Bai Qingzhou pressed his lips together.
He had studied many styles of calligraphy.
But regular script was indeed his greatest strength.
After a moment, he said quietly,
“I’ll teach you.”
Under the cover of night, Hanrong quietly slipped into Peony Courtyard.
She faithfully reported everything that had happened.
“The Heir said he wanted to tell Concubine Shen a secret.”
“Then he sent this servant away.”
“I couldn’t hear anything afterward.”
Inside the room, Jiang Yinjin sat lazily upon a couch.
She wore a pale violet silk dress embroidered with delicate patterns.
Unlike the perfectly dignified image she displayed during the day, she now resembled a relaxed cat curled comfortably in its favorite spot.
Soft.
Graceful.
Yet beneath that softness lurked the instincts of a hunter.
Smiling faintly, she said,
“I see.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“It’s late. Go get some rest.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Chuxue stepped forward and handed Hanrong five taels of silver.
The silver had been warmed in Chuxue’s hands beforehand.
Yet when Hanrong received it, it felt burning hot.
She clutched it tightly.
After kneeling and thanking the Young Madam, she withdrew.
As she walked through the night, Hanrong’s hands trembled.
The silver weighed heavily on her conscience.
Yet she had no choice but to accept it.
Her family had already exhausted their savings treating her younger brother’s illness.
They were drowning in debt.
They desperately needed money.
But this money had been earned by betraying her mistress.
And that filled her with shame.
Before the heir’s wedding, Concubine Shen had always been eccentric.
She refused to let servants kneel.
She even insisted on eating at the same table as them.
Those actions had terrified Hanrong.
After the wedding, Shen Mianmian claimed she no longer wished to pretend.
She stopped talking about equality.
Yet she had never once treated Hanrong like a servant.
She dressed herself.
Washed her own face.
Handled her own daily affairs.
At most, she asked Hanrong to help arrange her hair—and even then insisted on the simplest style possible.
She cleaned her own room.
Claiming she needed exercise.
She never made unreasonable demands.
Most days she either sat quietly at her dressing table or played card games.
When evening came, she urged Hanrong to go rest early.
Aside from refusing to help with her brother’s illness, Shen Mianmian had always treated her kindly.
And yet she had sold her out for money.
As she walked, tears streamed down Hanrong’s face.
The guilt grew heavier with every step.
Inside another room, after Hanrong departed, Jiang Yinjin remained curled upon the couch.
She didn’t move.
She simply thought.
Chuxue stood nearby.
Soon Chuyu entered quietly.
Jiang Yinjin looked up.
“Did something happen outside?”
Earlier, Chuyu had been called away.
Trying to appear calm, Chuyu replied,
“Young Madam, we’ve received information.”
“The main courtyard has been investigating the Heir’s movements over the past few days.”
“They even questioned people from Peony Courtyard.”
“Because the order came from the main courtyard, the servants were too afraid to report it.”
“Yesterday I gave Cui’er a bracelet.”
“She struggled for a long time before finally telling me.”
Chuxue’s expression changed.
“This is bad!”
“Will Madam suspect that the request for Concubine Shen’s promotion originated from Peony Courtyard?”
Jiang Yinjin’s eyes turned cold.
Her fingers tightened.
Yet after a moment, her expression relaxed again.
“I was careless.”
“I assumed Madam had already given up trying to control her son.”
“It seems she’s relaxed on the surface but vigilant underneath.”
“She shouldn’t be underestimated.”
Chuxue asked nervously,
“What should we do?”
“If this continues, Madam may never hand over control of the estate.”
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Yinjin smiled faintly.
“Don’t worry.”
“I have a solution.”
Chuyu hesitated.
“Young Madam…”
“Should we investigate the secret the Heir mentioned?”
Jiang Yinjin laughed dismissively.
“No need.”
“I already know what it is.”
Both maids stared in shock.
“You do?”
Jiang Yinjin nodded.
“There is no need to hide it from you.”
“When Hanrong left, the Heir mentioned the gradual decline of the Marquis’ household.”
“My guess is that he intended to reveal the secret about the Marquis.”
“The injury he suffered fifteen years ago.”
“The one that damaged his legs.”
“Although his legs healed later, he lost the ability to father children.”
The two maids were dumbfounded.
“Young Madam… how do you know that?”
Jiang Yinjin replied calmly,
“I happened to hear someone mention it years ago.”
Naturally, the truth was that she knew it from her memories of her previous life.
“This is a private matter of the Marquis’ household.”
“Neither of you are to speak of it.”
“Yes, Young Madam!”
“We would never reveal it!”
The two immediately swore their loyalty.
Jiang Yinjin rose to her feet.
“That’s enough.”
“You may leave.”
“I’m tired.”
“Yes, Young Madam.”
After helping her prepare for bed, the maids quietly withdrew and closed the door behind them.
They gave instructions to the night servants before returning to their own room.
Only then did they finally relax.
Chuxue sighed.
“That really frightened me.”
“I was worried all of Young Madam’s efforts would be wasted.”
Chuyu laughed.
“You worry too much.”
“Do you think Young Madam is as helpless as we are?”
“She’s extraordinary.”
“Just look at tonight.”
“Even after learning all this, she can still sleep peacefully.”
“That level of composure is something neither of us could ever match.”
“You’re right.”
After chatting a little longer, they washed up and went to sleep.
What they didn’t know was that Jiang Yinjin wasn’t sleeping at all.
She had only sent them away so she could think in peace.
The night grew deeper.
The moon hung high overhead, shining silver-white across the heavens.
Meanwhile, Bright Moon Courtyard remained brightly illuminated.
“Well?”
Shen Mianmian lifted her brush and admired a character she had just written.
“How does this one look?”
Bai Qingzhou smiled.
He seemed genuinely pleased for her.
After studying it carefully, he offered a detailed evaluation.
“The strokes are balanced and refined.”
“The style is elegant and graceful.”
“You’ve written it very well.”
Shen Mianmian was already in a good mood.
Being praised so seriously only made her happier.
“As expected of a cultured scholar.”
“Even your compliments sound poetic.”
A faint blush appeared on Bai Qingzhou’s pale cheeks.
“What scholar?”
“And what do you mean by that strange phrase?”
“You really shouldn’t use such improper expressions.”
He had no idea what “rainbow-flavored flattery” meant.
But based on experience, he was fairly certain it wasn’t something respectable.