Chapter 291: True Nature
By the time she returned home, changed her clothes, and discussed lunch with Yu Ting, Wan Jing had finally recovered from the extremely brief meeting.
“You’re still thinking about what to eat!” Wan Jing reacted, shocked by Li Xiaonan’s nonchalance.
“Hey, what do you mean by that!” Yu Ting chimed in, “The world is big, but eating is the biggest!”
“Yu Ting is right!” A Wu immediately agreed, then asked Wan Jing, “What do you mean by that? The Princess Consort didn’t fancy A Nan?”
Wan Jing ignored A Wu and sat down next to Li Xiaonan, taking the teapot from her.
“Does this trip count? It doesn’t count, right? Should I go find Shi Gun? What do you think the Young Lord is doing going there? No, I mean, is this trip of the Young Lord’s good or bad? It’s not good, right?” Wan Jing was extremely worried and conflicted.
“You weren’t like this before?” Yu Ting peeked at Wan Jing.
“If the Princess Consort agrees, she can marry into the Prince’s Estate!” Wan Jing glared at Yu Ting.
“That’s true.” Yu Ting glanced at Li Xiaonan, who was squinting at Wan Jing.
“Don’t worry, as long as the Young Lord wants to marry her, the Princess Consort will definitely agree. Didn’t you always say that in your household, the Young Lord’s word is final?” Yu Ting comforted her.
“Their household!” Wan Jing corrected first. “Right, forget it, forget it. She doesn’t seem worried at all, so why should I be? Forget it, forget it. What are we having for lunch?”
……………………
After being lectured by Li Xiaonan that day, Ninth Lady Pan was furious. It wasn’t until Li Xiaonan went to see Princess Consort Wei that Ninth Lady Pan left the city to find Miss Shi and cry her heart out.
After seeing Ninth Lady Pan off, Yu Lan couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, is Miss Li really going to marry into Prince Rui’s Mansion?”
“Why are you like Ninth Lady?” Miss Shi said, her expression and tone flat and lifeless. “From the day Wei Si accompanied her to set off from Pingjiang City, the matter was settled.”
Yu Lan stared blankly for a long time, looking at her young lady, unable to express what she felt.
“Go borrow a carriage from the Abbess, and go into the city,” Miss Shi instructed Yu Lan.
Yu Lan hesitated, wanting to ask, but Miss Shi had already turned and gone inside.
Li Xiaonan had just finished her lunch when Miss Shi arrived.
Li Xiaonan hurried to greet her outside the Second Gate. Seeing Miss Shi take off her veil hat, she hesitated, then asked, “Did you come from outside the city? Have you had lunch?”
“I eat two meals a day now,” Miss Shi said, handing the veil hat to Yu Lan.
“Then let Yu Ting go buy some pastries, and we’ll have tea and pastries,” Li Xiaonan gestured to Yu Ting, who was following behind.
Miss Shi sat in her usual spot and turned to survey the small courtyard.
“No canopy?” Miss Shi asked.
Li Xiaonan had seen canopies at the Prince’s Estate villa and shook her head. “I think it’s fine. I fumigate with mugwort in the early morning and evening, and there are almost no mosquitoes. There’s no need for a canopy.”
“The old rules of Prince Rui’s Mansion only allowed canopies in the Main Courtyard, and the gauze could only be replaced three times a year,” Miss Shi said with a subtle, unreadable smile. “The Young Lord detests mosquitoes, so his courtyard must have a canopy. I asked him: What do you do in the military?”
Miss Shi looked at Li Xiaonan, who nodded, indicating her agreement with Miss Shi’s question.
“He said the military is the military, and home is home. Because of this, we have disagreements several times a year,” Miss Shi bowed, picked up her teacup, and took a sip with her eyes downcast.
Li Xiaonan watched her, waiting for her to continue.
“There are many flowers and plants on the mountain, so there are many mosquitoes. A month ago, I had a canopy erected. My courtyard is small, so it was completely enclosed,” Miss Shi continued.
Li Xiaonan raised an eyebrow.
Miss Shi glanced sideways at Li Xiaonan’s raised eyebrow.
“Abbess Qiao spoke to me several times, saying that those who cultivate spiritually should not be too extravagant.”
“Then what did you say?” Li Xiaonan asked with a smile.
“I said that ascetics cherish gauze mosquito nets for lamps, and the same applies to canopies,” Miss Shi smiled faintly.
Li Xiaonan chuckled and said in a low voice, “The expenses for my place in Jianle City, even this house, are all from Tang Weng Weng’s copper coins. If you use someone else’s copper coins, you can’t be too extravagant. If I had my own copper coins, I would also erect a canopy.”
“I heard about your academic discussions with Song Yun,” Miss Shi changed the subject.
Just as Li Xiaonan was about to speak, Shi Gun’s voice came from outside the Second Gate: “Is Miss Wan Jing here?”
Wan Jing immediately looked at Li Xiaonan.
Miss Shi lowered her eyes and sipped her tea.
Li Xiaonan gestured to Wan Jing, “Go see.”
Wan Jing hurried out. Shi Gun was standing inside the courtyard gate and was about to call out a second time when he saw Wan Jing emerge and smiled, “Young Lord…”
Hearing the words “Young Lord,” Wan Jing quickly put a finger to her lips, “Shh!”
Wan Jing stepped forward two paces, pushed Shi Gun outside the threshold, and said in a voice as low as possible, “Miss Shi is inside! She just arrived!”
Shi Gun’s eyes widened, and he nodded repeatedly, waving for Wan Jing to go in before quickly running out.
Seeing Shi Gun leave, Wan Jing composed her expression and turned back inside. Meeting Li Xiaonan’s gaze, she said with a smile, “It’s nothing, Shi Gun said it’s nothing.”
Miss Shi looked at Li Xiaonan.
“You heard I often discuss academics with Mr. Dongxi, what about it?” Li Xiaonan continued their previous conversation.
“At first, I thought you were being clever, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt you were speaking of great principles. I’ve thought a lot. Do you know about the Ci Yu Association?” Miss Shi’s topic jumped.
Li Xiaonan shook her head, “Like the Ze Lou Garden?”
“It’s similar now, but it wasn’t before. Before, the Ci Yu Association wasn’t called the Ci Yu Association; it was called the Sang Zi Association,” Miss Shi said.
“Sang?” Li Xiaonan was surprised.
“Not that great-grandmother. It was originally Empress Dowager Ming Xian who taught women to plant cotton and weave cloth, and later, they just did good deeds,” Miss Shi said somewhat vaguely.
Li Xiaonan hummed in disappointment.
“The current head of the Ci Yu Association is the Old Madam of the Changsha Prince’s Estate. The Old Madam is sixty-eight this year,” Miss Shi paused.
“You want to take over?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“Yes,” Miss Shi nodded.
“What are your plans?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“I am a person of spiritual cultivation,” Miss Shi paused, then said directly, “Before I broke off my engagement, the Old Madam mentioned several times that she wanted to hand it over to me.”
“I support you!” Li Xiaonan stated clearly and directly.
Miss Shi was stunned for a moment, then smiled, “Aren’t you going to ask me about my plans?”
“It’s definitely not for money, nor for accumulating virtue for the next life, nor out of boredom to pass the time. You and the Young Lord are quite a good match,” Li Xiaonan said, tilting her head to look at Miss Shi.
“What you said to Ninth Lady Pan was very true. He is not worthy of me, and you are the most suitable for him,” Miss Shi said slowly.
“When do you plan to take over? Do you need my help? I am currently…” Li Xiaonan ignored Miss Shi’s remark.
“No need. It’s already difficult enough for you to manage yourself now. The day before yesterday was the new moon, and there was no morning court. This has never happened before. The Emperor is ill,” Miss Shi paused. “The Princess Consort will see you soon, and the engagement will be discussed.”
“We met this morning,” Li Xiaonan sighed.
Miss Shi was taken aback. “The Emperor is very well. I’m leaving. If you have time, come find me to talk.”
“Okay,” Li Xiaonan stood up and saw Miss Shi out of the main gate.
