Chapter 167: Talking Nonsense
The night was already very deep. Miss Shi, wrapped in a silk wadding cape, sat on the terrace, staring blankly at the crescent moon and cold stars hanging in the night sky.
The chirping of autumn insects had moved from its peak to its end. In the distance, the sound of the night watch drum came and went.
The head maid, Yu Lan, put down her needlework and went to touch the incense burner at Miss Shi’s feet, urging, “It’s the second watch, Young Lady. You should rest.”
“You know I can’t sleep.” Miss Shi’s voice was low. “Rather than lie in bed suffering, it’s better to sit here and listen to the insects.”
“Young Lady is always like this…” Yu Lan’s throat choked up.
Her Young Lady’s day and night suffering like this, she feared, wouldn’t last much longer.
“Put on a thicker coat and keep me company,” Miss Shi said softly and slowly.
“Alright.” Yu Lan went inside, put on a long jacket, and handed Miss Shi a cup of hot soup.
“Did you hear everything Miss Li said?” Miss Shi took the hot soup and held it.
“Mm.” Yu Lan moved a low chair and sat beside Miss Shi.
“Tell me, should I take a step back, and another, and retreat step by step, or should I not compromise?” Miss Shi looked at the distant, brilliant starry sky.
“If you don’t compromise, where will you go? What will you do afterwards? You’re not thinking of…” Yu Lan’s words choked, and she shivered slightly.
Was her Young Lady contemplating death?
“I just don’t know how to not compromise,” Miss Shi’s voice was extremely low.
“I think what our Second Madam said was right, Young Lord isn’t the best one either,” Yu Lan hesitated, then gritted her teeth.
“I never thought of marrying anyone else,” Miss Shi said slowly.
“Young Lady!”
“What Miss Li said must have been what Young Lord told her to persuade me. I just don’t know if her ‘not compromising’ was her own idea or Young Lord’s.” Miss Shi placed the cup of hot soup on the side table.
“Young Lady thinks too much about everything,” Yu Lan said very tactfully, expressing her disagreement.
“I’m not thinking too much. That Miss Li is very cautious, and very cunning. If she hadn’t received instructions from Young Lord, she wouldn’t have said those things to me.
“And Fourth Mistress, you know she never talks much. If she hadn’t received instructions, why would she have brought up the topic of marriage interviews with me?”
Yu Lan was stunned for a moment, then softly hummed in agreement.
Ever since Young Lord broke off her Young Lady’s marriage engagement, in their mansion, this villa, and among relatives and friends who knew, everyone avoided topics of marriage interviews and engagements in front of her Young Lady. Even they themselves didn’t mention such things to her Young Lady.
“I want to talk to that Miss Li,” Miss Shi said softly after a moment of silence.
Yu Lan was taken aback.
“I want to ask her, if I don’t compromise, how should I not compromise?” Miss Shi said, word by word.
“Young Lady wants to use her mouth to ask…” Yu Lan vaguely trailed off the words “Young Lord.”
“Mm.” Miss Shi lowered her eyes and gave a noncommittal hum.
………………………………
The archives on the long desk were finally decreasing. Li Xiaonan decided to work hard for two days and finish them all at once.
The next day, Li Xiaonan arrived at the villa half an hour earlier than usual.
Wan Jing jumped off the carriage and immediately hunched her shoulders, lowered her head, and drooped her eyebrows, standing extremely properly.
Li Xiaonan’s reaction was much slower, still speaking, “…Your Young Lord… Huh, why are you…”
Before she could finish asking “why are you,” Li Xiaonan saw Gu Yan standing with his hands behind his back, glancing at her askance. She immediately felt incredibly annoyed and slapped her forehead.
If Wan Jing could instantly resume her professional demeanor, it would definitely be because she saw her Young Lord. This had happened countless times; why couldn’t she remember!
“Come here!” Gu Yan pointed his finger at Li Xiaonan and turned to walk inside.
Li Xiaonan subconsciously glanced at Shi Gun.
Shi Gun looked even more proper than Wan Jing.
It seemed something had happened, and their Young Lord was unhappy!
Li Xiaonan followed Gu Yan, passed through the moon gate, crossed a bridge, and entered a warm pavilion that extended into the lake.
“Did you talk nonsense again yesterday?” Gu Yan stopped and faced Li Xiaonan.
“No! Me talking nonsense? That’s impossible!” Li Xiaonan flatly denied.
“I asked you to persuade Miss Shi. What did you mean by ‘not compromising’?” Gu Yan almost gritted his teeth.
Li Xiaonan gave a sound, admitting that sentence was a bit… off.
“You definitely won’t compromise. Listen to what you said. You’re not persuading her, you’re provoking her!
“Miss Shi is proud and arrogant. If you don’t compromise, how can she? Is that how you persuade people?” Gu Yan became increasingly angry.
“I already told you, I don’t persuade people. This matter can’t be persuaded,” Li Xiaonan leaned back.
“You said you wouldn’t persuade her to marry, but you promised me you’d persuade her to be more open-minded. Is this persuading her to be more open-minded? You’re pushing her into a corner!” Gu Yan’s breathing grew rough.
“Is she alright? Has she fallen ill again?” Li Xiaonan asked with concern.
“She said she wanted to talk to you, just you,” Gu Yan sighed heavily.
“Just me?”
“I’ll have Fourth Sister arrange for someone to watch you from a visible spot. You have to talk to her. Remember! No more talk of ‘not compromising’! Say something that will make her more open-minded, like ‘there are plenty of fish in the sea’.” Gu Yan pointed at Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan took half a step back, forcing a dry laugh.
That kind of nonsense like ‘plenty of fish in the sea’…
“I have to go quickly to welcome the Crown Prince. I’ll say it again! Persuade her to be more open-minded, don’t add fuel to the fire. Oh, right,” Gu Yan took a paper scroll from his sachet, unrolled it, and thrust it in front of Li Xiaonan, “Look closely at this person, and remember!”
“Who is this? So handsome. Who drew it? Did you draw it?” Li Xiaonan looked closely at the portrait on the palm-sized Xuan paper. The portrait was simple, with just a few strokes, yet lifelike.
“This is the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is here incognito. In front of him, you absolutely must not speak carelessly or talk nonsense!” Gu Yan pushed the Xuan paper forward again. “See clearly? Remember it well?”
“This is the Crown Prince?” Li Xiaonan reached out and took the Xuan paper, looking at it again carefully.
He was just a handsome young man. She couldn’t see any kingly aura or dragon-like presence.
“Listen to me: the most important thing in serving a ruler is the heart. As long as the ruler feels your loyalty and reverence, any mistakes will not harm the foundation. If the ruler feels you have no heart to serve them, then any step forward is treason, any step back is resentment, looking too much is prying, looking too little is contempt,” Gu Yan said with a serious expression.
Li Xiaonan nodded continuously.
He was giving too many instructions. She would only meet the Crown Prince once or twice at most. She definitely wouldn’t have the chance for any prying or contempt later, and she didn’t even plan to visit the Capital City.
“Did you draw this?” Li Xiaonan pointed at the small portrait on the Xuan paper.
“Mm. Have you remembered everything I said?” Gu Yan folded the Xuan paper.
Li Xiaonan quickly nodded.
“I’m leaving. I’ve picked out a few books on family lineage and genealogy for you. Finish them and memorize them in the next two days.” Gu Yan took out his folding fan and turned Li Xiaonan around.
