Chapter 048
Chapter 48: Countdown ?: The Heart Demon’s Prank and the First Madam’s Scheme
In Madam Wang’s bedchamber, sandalwood smoke curled through the air. A gilded Kingfisher Hairset was pushed in front of Second Miss Lin Yu Jiao of the second branch; its deep blue feathers shimmered in the light, so delicate that it was hard to look away.
Madam Wang wore a kindly smile as she spoke with warm intimacy: “Jiaojiao, you have often invited the Vice Minister of Rites’ daughter, Miss Qiu, to visit lately. Your Aunt is pleased, so take this and wear it.”
Lin Yu Jiao’s eyes lit up at once. It was the most fashionable style in the Capital City, the kind young ladies could hardly ever get. She knew exactly what this meant. Aunt had set her sights on Qiu Ru Ying and was using this treasure as a finder’s fee, hoping she would help bring Qiu Ru Ying together with that elder cousin of hers who only wanted to study Buddhism. She thanked her crisply, saying with a honeyed smile: “Thank you, Aunt!”
She leaned in to flatter the plan: “Ruying loves reading sutras. She always says she cannot find anyone who really understands. If she can discuss Buddhist Dharma with Elder Cousin, she will be glad to come often.”
The words landed perfectly. First Madam nodded in satisfaction and skimmed the tea to clear the foam as she said: “Miss Qiu is gentle and proper, and she is the Vice Minister of Rites’ only daughter. Her family and talent are both first class.”
Seizing the chance, Lin Yu Jiao praised her best friend to the skies: “That is right. Ruying is skilled in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Even a nanny from the Imperial Palace praised her poise, saying she is a model among noble ladies.”
The smile in First Madam’s eyes deepened, a glint flashing as she began to plan how to let her stubborn son spend more time with this beautiful and talented Miss Qiu.
In Lin Qing Xuan’s study, a cool trace of incense drifted. First Madam brought in fresh tea and spoke gently, but with calm authority: “Qingxuan, you are not young. You should meet more girls from good families.” She set the cup on his desk and shifted her tone: “I think Miss Qiu of the Vice Minister of Rites’ household is excellent. I heard she also understands Buddhist teachings and shares your interests…”
Lin Qing Xuan’s fingers kept rolling his prayer beads without a pause. He did not even lift his eyelids. His face was as calm and cold as ice as he said: “My vows are not yet concluded. Do not speak of worldly ties.”
The conversation died on the spot. First Madam’s brows drew tight. Her patience thinned, and her voice cooled: “Do you think I know nothing about you and that maid, Xiao Man?”
His prayer beads stopped. He finally raised his gaze. His eyes were dark and still, like a deep well, as he said, utterly flat: “Since Mother already knows, why bring up anyone else?”
The plain tone hit like a heavy punch. First Madam’s chest tightened. She swallowed her next words and let out a long sigh, saying only: “Enough. Do as you wish.”
Humming a tune, Xiao Man returned to her small room in good spirits. By habit, she looked up at the wooden plaque hanging on the wall, the one she called her Chastity Defense Countdown. It read 210 days. Her smile froze. That was wrong. She had written 190 yesterday with her own hand. The ink on that “2” was noticeably darker than the “10” behind it, and the edges showed marks of being rubbed and altered. [That idiot Heart Demon Tuan Tuan!] She nearly rolled her eyes to the ceiling, yanked the plaque down, and pulled out a charcoal stick, grumbling through her teeth: “You think I can’t count when you scribble like this?”
She pressed hard and wrote “190 days” again. As soon as she finished, something strange happened. The three digits twisted, squirmed like living things, and slowly turned back into that glaring “210 days.” Xiao Man stared in silence. Her brain stalled for three seconds. [Is that Heart Demon sick or what?] Anger shot to the top of her head. She slapped the plaque on the table. It bounced up with a snap, flipped in midair, and the digits flashed madly. With a final clack, it landed and froze on a new symbol: ?.
She looked at the sideways “8” for a long half minute, then let out a silent roar. [What is that supposed to mean? Infinite? Does that rotten Heart Demon think I can keep dragging this out with that ice block Lin Qing Xuan until the end of time?] [I cannot live like this!]
Though she had told her son “Do as you wish,” Madam Wang’s well-kept face went stony the moment she left him. Her fingertips tapped the rosewood table in a dull rhythm. “Qiu Ru Ying is good, but we cannot hang from one tree,” she said coolly to Nanny Zhou. “When choosing a daughter-in-law, we need several options in hand.”
Nanny Zhou bowed and echoed at once: “Madam has a mother’s good heart. Eldest Grandson Young Master is young and hot-blooded, bewitched for a time by that girl. Once he meets truly proper noble ladies, he will wake up.”
First Madam gave a sharp, humorless laugh. “If he will not wake up, does that mean I will not be clear-eyed either?” She rapped the tabletop. “Go bring a discreet Matchmaker. Use the back door. Do not let Auspicious Cloud Residence catch a breath of this.”
“Understood,” Nanny Zhou said, already on her way.
Before dusk, a Matchmaker dripping with gold and powder slipped like a thief into Blooming Years Court, the First Madam’s courtyard in the Heir Apparent Manor. Hugging a heavy stack of scrolls, she beamed: “Heir Consort, rest easy. Every Miss I brought is top tier and worthy of our manor’s door!”
First Madam lifted her tea with unhurried grace and tipped her chin: “Speak.”
The Matchmaker’s hands flew as fast as her tongue while she unrolled paintings and recited like a roster: “This one is the Minister of War’s legitimate second daughter, Miss Zhao Lv Liu! Seventeen, best at painting, gentle as they come. They say she would not step on an ant.”
“This one is the Director of the Hanlin Academy’s only daughter, Miss Sun Qian Qian! Skilled in every art, especially hairpin-small regular script. Even the Empress praised her.”
“And this one,” the Matchmaker’s voice jumped an octave as she unfolded the last scroll like a trophy, “the eldest Miss of the Imperial Merchant Qian Household, Qian Shuang! She is merchant-born, yes, but the family is rich enough to rival a country. They say her dowry could fill half the treasury. Look at her face, bright and stunning, a living peony of wealth.”
First Madam narrowed her eyes, letting her gaze travel among the three portraits. Her fingertip finally tapped Qian Shuang’s lovely face. “This one is… interesting.”
Nanny Zhou leaned close and murmured: “Imperial merchants are not as noble as officials, but they are practical.”
First Madam snorted. “Practical? As if my son lacks a few coins?” Even so, she did not have the Qian Shuang scroll put away.
Skilled at reading faces, the Matchmaker’s eyes rolled once and she chuckled: “If Madam is pleased, I can arrange a viewing anytime. Quiet as a mouse. No one will know.”
After a moment’s thought, First Madam nodded: “Let them ‘happen’ to meet Qingxuan, but do not make it look planned.” She added, “Bring Qiu Ru Ying of the Qiu Clan as well. I like that girl. Have Jiaojiao invite her.”
“What reason shall we use?” Nanny Zhou asked.
First Madam considered, then a calculating smile curved her lips: “Invite my sister-in-law over. Use our youngest girl’s upcoming birthday as the reason. Call some noble ladies in to make the place lively.”