Chapter 201: Meaning Beyond Words
The notice about the case of the Chen family father and son from the Maritime Tax Bureau that Li Xiaonan saw was urgently delivered by Li Xuedong during a break in class.
Including the Old Master Chen, who was recuperating at home, seven lives were lost among the ten members of the Chen family across three generations, grandfather and grandson.
Li Xiaonan slowly read the notice word by word. Each life represented a thrilling struggle, and there were undoubtedly many more lives lost and unknown that had long since vanished.
The notice left Li Xiaonan feeling utterly despondent and chilled.
“A Nan, are you alright?” Mei Jie leaned over to Li Xiaonan, looking at her pale face with concern.
“I’m fine, just startled,” Li Xiaonan straightened her back and shook the notice. “It says the Chen family is responsible for seven lives.”
“Hmph! Is that the family of the young lady who slit her own throat at the opera house?” Mei Jie’s eyes widened. “Seven lives? What a sin!”
“Three were scholars from the Inspection Office, and two were colleagues from the Maritime Tax Bureau. The Chen family is truly ruthless,” Li Xiaonan explained the contents of the notice in detail to Mei Jie.
In the past year, Mei Jie had gone from thin and dark-skinned to plump and fair, and her talkativeness had increased from very little to a chatterbox, able to strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere.
The surrounding small business owners, servants from various households, hairdressers, tailors, and others who interacted with Mei Jie referred to their family as Aunt Mei’s family.
Once Mei Jie understood the Chen family’s case clearly, she could quickly relay it to these people, who would then spread the word further.
To contribute a small bit of strength.
The next day, just as Li Xiaonan was about to go out, Wan Jing arrived.
Li Xiaonan invited Wan Jing in. Wan Jing looked around the courtyard, then peeked towards the main courtyard, retreated behind the screen wall, looked around again, and asked in a hushed voice, “Is there no one in this courtyard? Can we talk here?”
“Yes, what’s wrong?” Li Xiaonan leaned over and asked in a low voice.
“Our cousin girl asked me to invite you over. Don’t agree yet, listen to me first!” Wan Jing stopped Li Xiaonan, who had started to nod, and said impatiently.
“Mhm, go on.”
“It’s not that our cousin girl has something to do; our cousin girl is also in a difficult position. It’s Miss Shi, she wants to see you!”
Li Xiaonan’s eyes widened.
“Listen to me!” Wan Jing patted Li Xiaonan. “She said the Eldest Madam is going back, which is probably true, they’ve already started packing.
“Our cousin girl is a cautious person, you know that. The formal request for you to visit was made yesterday evening when our cousin girl called me over and told me.
“But yesterday at noon, Yin Xing came over and ate with me. We chatted about random things like flowers and plants, and then she said the Eldest Madam has truly made up her mind. She said Yu Lan had spoken to her several times, and Yu Lan said her Eldest Madam is very grateful to you, and she herself is also very grateful to you.
“At the time, I thought, why is Yin Xing telling me this? What does she want? Did the Eldest Madam do something wrong to you? In the evening, when I heard our cousin girl say that the Eldest Madam wanted to bid you farewell in person, I finally understood. It was for this reason.
“Let me tell you, our cousin girl and the Eldest Madam have been friends since childhood. For the Eldest Madam to bid you farewell in person is a matter of etiquette, and she certainly couldn’t refuse. I am a servant of our Prince’s Estate, and she is our cousin girl. If she asked me to come, I naturally couldn’t refuse, right?
“You’re the one who has the choice. If you want to see the Eldest Madam, go. If you don’t want to see her, say you’re busy, or have me say I couldn’t find you and that you’ve gone on a long trip and won’t be back for a few days.”
“I’d quite like to see her. I think the Eldest Madam is very nice,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“Alright then,” Wan Jing looked disheartened, as if she couldn’t do anything about a naughty child. She patted Li Xiaonan’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Li Xiaonan called out a greeting to Mei Jie, went out the courtyard gate, got into the carriage, and headed towards the villa.
Wan Jing accompanied Li Xiaonan, and they followed a little girl waiting inside the second gate into a small warm chamber not far away. Before long, Miss Shi also arrived.
Wan Jing saw Yu Lan stop at the steps of the warm chamber, hesitated for a moment, then left the warm chamber and stood beside Yu Lan.
Miss Shi looked at Li Xiaonan and smiled, “We’ll be departing for the Capital City the day after tomorrow.”
“Have a safe journey,” Li Xiaonan replied with a smile.
“Originally, I should have visited to express my thanks, but I feared it would be too much of a disturbance, so I boldly invited Miss to come over. I hope you’ll forgive me,” Miss Shi curtsied slightly.
“You are too kind, Eldest Madam. It is indeed more convenient for me to come over,” Li Xiaonan carefully observed Miss Shi’s complexion, which was very good.
Miss Shi was silent for a moment, then looked at Li Xiaonan and said, “Is Miss Li’s lifelong happiness dependent on the Young Lord?”
“What do you mean, dependent on the Young Lord?” Li Xiaonan asked, then immediately realized, “You mean, am I thinking of marrying the Young Lord?”
Miss Shi’s eyebrows slightly raised, then she smiled, “Miss Li is more straightforward than I am.”
“I’ve never thought about it. Firstly, the Young Lord’s family is in the Capital City. Once he finishes his official duties here, he’ll have to return. I don’t want to leave Pingjiang Prefecture, and I certainly don’t want to leave my Sister and Brother. This is my home.
“Secondly, my family and I are worlds apart from the Young Lord and Prince Rui’s Mansion. It’s too far. A suitable match is best.
“Thirdly, I interact with the Young Lord as a friend, truly just a friend. Although he is extremely handsome, I’ve never felt…”
Li Xiaonan’s words stopped. She swallowed the word “tempting” forcefully and thought for a moment before saying:
“When I’m with him, it’s like when I’m with you. When I face him, I’ve never blushed or had my heart race, nor have I developed any romantic feelings. I don’t think he has any romantic feelings for me either. You should be able to sense this, right?”
Miss Shi’s expression was stunned.
Blushing, racing heart, budding feelings – had she experienced them? And him towards her?
Li Xiaonan tilted her head slightly, looking at the stunned and lost in thought Miss Shi.
“There are rules and propriety,” Miss Shi came back to her senses and replied vaguely.
“Propriety cannot contain this. Feelings cannot be hidden, especially in front of someone like the Eldest Madam,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“I thought…” Miss Shi’s words stopped. She lowered her eyes, and after a moment, looked up at Li Xiaonan. “Even if Miss Li will not marry into Prince Rui’s Mansion, this friendship between Miss Li and the Young Lord…”
Miss Shi’s words stopped again. After a moment, she smiled, “I hope to often exchange letters with Miss Li. Miss Li surely doesn’t only intend to support her husband and raise children her whole life, does she?”
“I just want to do business and earn some money. At least, that’s what I think for now. If the Eldest Madam doesn’t mind, I’d be very willing to exchange letters with her.
“Eldest Madam, please send the letters to the villa first, and have Wan Jing forward them to me. After Wan Jing returns to the Capital City, I’ll discuss with the Eldest Madam where to send them,” Li Xiaonan’s smile bloomed.
“Thank you,” Miss Shi pursed her lips, smiling, and curtsied to Li Xiaonan.
