Chapter Fifteen: Change

Qianqian’s affair had finally come to an end. There was no trace of her left in the entire Duke’s Mansion, yet Qin Muchuan couldn’t let it go. To have been schemed against by a little maid, and almost falling into her trap—no matter how one looked at it, it was a rather humiliating business. It felt as though someone had ruthlessly stamped a single word on his forehead—Fool!

This was something Qin Muchuan could not tolerate.

He had always considered himself a gentleman above the mire, detached from worldly fame and fortune, a hidden talent living quietly. He claimed not to care for success or riches. But could a fool even have the right to speak of such things?

Nursing his injuries was terribly dull. Doctor Ning’s skills were remarkable; within a day or two, Qin Muchuan was able to get out of bed. The study was prepared for comfort: cushions were laid upon the chairs, fresh ink was ground on the desk, a paperweight of purple sandalwood held down freshly cut rice paper, brushes from Huzhou were at the ready, and a glass crane incense burner filled the room with a delicate fragrance. Qin Muchuan began—to study.

It was a perfect excuse. For the time being, he was too embarrassed to seek out Gu Qiulan to tease her, but studying was a wonderful pretext. First, it made him appear diligent, putting both the Duke and Madam Zhou at ease. Secondly, Gu Qiulan, seeing her husband so devoted, would surely feel awkward to continue dwelling on his previous misunderstandings. Truly, it killed two birds with one stone!

Qin Muchuan felt quite pleased with himself, an unbidden smirk curling his lips; that peerlessly handsome face of his was now twisted into a rather roguish grin—Oh, how clever I am! Ha ha ha!

“All right, all right, time to study! Let the old man see what I’m made of. It’s not that I don’t want to take the imperial examinations—it’s that I don’t deign to!” he declared, brimming with vigor as he picked up his book.

One stick of incense, a quarter hour, two quarters, half an hour passed… His gaze never moved beyond the first few paragraphs of the first page. His earlier grand declarations fizzled out, dazzling firework in the night—dead in an instant.

Qin Muchuan sighed and let his thoughts wander. If there really were immortals in this world, he’d have them send him back to his childhood. Cao Zhi could compose poetry at seven; if Qin Muchuan could return to age seven—ah, he’d be a prodigy! Every scholar-official in the court would envy the Duke for having such a son.

Wait, why not return to age twelve? Seven-year-old poets are nothing; Gan Luo was prime minister at twelve! Yes, if he could go back to twelve, carrying all his knowledge and skills, and attend court with his father—ha ha ha, what a scene that would be…

But should he return to seven or twelve? What a difficult choice!

Qin Muchuan conjured up a delightful tale in his mind: “Qin the Prodigy, unmatched in the capital, praised by all, his name recorded for ages.” His mood soared.

Until a gentle breeze drifted in from outside the window, and Qin Muchuan suddenly realized he hadn’t turned a single page. Irritated, he glanced at the book—what was the point of forcing himself like this? There was still plenty of time before the exams, after all. He could keep delaying, and with his intelligence, seven days would be more than enough to prepare!

Yes, tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will truly study hard. Qin Muchuan nodded solemnly, closed the book, stretched lazily—and wondered what Qiulan might be doing.

Gu Qiulan was sitting in the little garden of Mingyue Pavilion, enjoying the breeze, sipping fragrant tea, nibbling on flower cakes, and listening to Madam Li, sent by Madam Zhou, recount the illustrious history of the Duke’s Mansion.

Madam Li was the mansion’s etiquette instructor, known for her sternness. Even now, despite having slipped into the ranks of the senior maids, she couldn’t help but tremble when she saw him, hurrying to salute with utmost propriety.

This, of course, was hard on Yue’er and Linglong.

When Madam Li arrived, she announced, “Young Madam, I am straightforward by nature and speak plainly. If I say anything amiss, I beg your forgiveness. You are kind-hearted, which is why some lazy, mischievous maids take advantage of your kindness to act recklessly!” Her gaze swept over them, and Yue’er and Linglong nearly burst into tears in fright. “So the Madam sent me over. I have no other talent but have taught rules and etiquette for over twenty years, so I do have some experience.”

Gu Qiulan, naturally, was gracious in her manner. To be honest, she rather liked Madam Li’s bluntness—life should be lived openly and straightforwardly, with a bit of spice! So she welcomed Madam Li warmly, and the latter did not immediately begin drilling the maids in etiquette. She considered that Gu Qiulan was a new bride, likely unfamiliar with the household, and so began by sharing stories of the mansion’s past.

When telling stories, Madam Li was actually quite charming, and Gu Qiulan listened with rapt attention. But halfway through, Madam Li glanced over. “Young Madam, you’ve been sitting here for so long—why has no one served tea and refreshments?”

The maids broke out in a cold sweat. They’d been so absorbed in the stories, they’d neglected their duties. Madam Li was indeed strict; at once the maids scrambled to pour tea and serve snacks, attending to Gu Qiulan with utmost care.

So when Qin Muchuan arrived, he saw his former beloved Yue’er peeling grapes with her delicate hands for Gu Qiulan, feeding them to her one by one. The other former favorite, Linglong, stood beside Gu Qiulan, fanning her devotedly, and said in a sweet voice, “Young Madam, I can make all sorts of pastries—Yangzhou style, Cantonese style—whatever you wish, I’ll make it for you.”

“Can you brew wine?” Gu Qiulan asked.

Linglong replied promptly, “Of course. The fruit wine I used to make in the village was so fragrant you could smell it from across the river.”

“That’s right, Linglong’s wine is wonderfully aromatic,” Yue’er, for once, didn’t contradict her but continued, “Next month is the Mid-Autumn Festival. We can bring out the wine Linglong brewed last year for you and the young master to savor together under the moon—wouldn’t that be lovely?”

Gu Qiulan’s thoughts became lively. The moon wasn’t much to look at, but drinking wine… hehehehe…

Linglong pressed on, “And we can bring out the new set of jewelry for you to wear—you’ll look absolutely stunning.”

Gu Qiulan’s eyes lit up at once. The next moment, she asked, “Will my husband also… I mean, will he…?”

Yue’er immediately caught her meaning. “The young master will certainly put on new clothes as well. If, on that day, you both wear outfits in matching colors, anyone who sees you will know at once how harmonious you are, the perfect couple.” Congratulations to Yue’er for unlocking the couple’s outfit skill.

Matching clothes—hehehe… Gu Qiulan felt she was almost drooling. These two little beauties were each more considerate than the last!

“Linglong, start brewing at once. Even though there’s wine left from last year, we can’t do without a fresh batch this year. And Yue’er, about those outfits—I think it’s a great idea. Tomorrow, think it over carefully and talk to Xiuniang; see if the clothes can be ready before the Mid-Autumn Festival. As for etiquette lessons, the two of you can skip them for now—I’ll speak with Madam Li.”

“At your command! Young Madam, you really do care for us best!” Yue’er and Linglong both breathed a sigh of relief, nearly moved to tears with joy. Truly, when the Young Madam was happy, their lives were much easier.

Not far off, Qin Muchuan watched this scene, feeling as though he’d just caught a lover in the act.

He suddenly found it hard to understand: why was it that when Gu Qiulan was with a man, he felt as though he’d caught her in an affair, but when she was with women, he felt that way too? What on earth was happening to this world?!