Chapter 3: Bright Classic Paper

“Miss, Miss! You’re finally back!”

That afternoon, upon returning from outside, Chu Mingxi had just stepped into the courtyard when the young maid who usually served in the wing room, Mo Xiang, rushed out in a flurry.

“What is it?” Chu Mingxi handed her hand warmer to Qingdai and asked as she walked, “Has Young Master Wei’s injury taken another turn?”

“No, no.” Mo Xiang stamped her foot anxiously. “Young Master Wei is gone! Today, when I brought the noon meal as usual, I discovered that Young Master Wei had left the room sometime earlier. I assumed he was just taking a breather in the courtyard, but after searching inside and out, I couldn’t find him anywhere.”

Chu Mingxi’s steps paused momentarily, then her expression returned to indifferent calm. “His injuries are already sixty to seventy percent healed. If he left, he left.”

“Ungrateful wretch!” Qingdai muttered under her breath nearby.

Chu Mingxi acted as if she hadn’t heard and gracefully lifted her skirt to step onto the veranda.

Mo Xiang followed. “A note was left on the table in the wing room. I think Young Master Wei left it for you, Miss.”

“Oh?” Chu Mingxi’s expression was unreadable.

The maid standing at the main hall door raised the curtain for her with a lowered head. She entered the room. After the servants helped her remove her cloak and wash her hands, she sat on the heated kang with a cup of hot tea before finally gesturing to Mo Xiang with her chin. “Bring it here.”

The young maid was stunned for a second. When she realized what she meant, she scampered out.

“Running just a few steps, so impetuous,” Qingdai pursed her lips.

Chu Mingxi smiled lightly. “When you were her age, you were even less steady than her.”

Sure enough, Mo Xiang returned shortly, carefully holding a sheet of paper—Bright Classic Paper, the kind commonly used in the study. The ink on the paper was still fresh.

“Leaving without farewell, I beg your forgiveness. A kindness as deep as a spring, I dare not forget.”

“The handwriting isn’t bad,” Chu Mingxi pinched the paper between two fingers and commented with a raised brow.

Qingdai craned her neck to peek. Though the strokes on the paper were still somewhat immature, they already displayed a distinctively sharp vigor.

Chu Mingxi said, “We’ve lingered here long enough. Tell Lei Min to have the storehouse take inventory of the collected herbs. Keep an eye on the weather these next two days; we’ll start the journey back to the Capital.”

“Eh?” Qingdai was startled, then jumped for joy. They were finally going back to the Capital! Chu Mingxi had already turned back toward her room. Qingdai watched her Miss walk away without any intention of giving her the Bright Classic Paper. She blinked. Could it be Miss wants to keep it herself?

That year’s procurement had yielded a bountiful harvest. In times of war, commoners couldn’t tend to everything else. They sold off their goods as much as possible in exchange for silver, which was easier to safeguard. But even so, the Chu family’s trading company didn’t take advantage of the situation to lower the herb farmers’ prices.

Qingdai led a few young maids in packing the personal belongings inside the bedchamber. Everyone was quite happy they would soon return to the Capital.

“Sister Qingdai, if we leave now, can we make it back in time for the New Year?” The speaker was still the lively Mo Xiang.

After Wei Qingchen had left without saying goodbye, she’d stayed to help in Miss’s courtyard. During the day, Miss had given the order that her father was to oversee a cart of medicinal herbs, and she could follow along to the Capital too!

Qingdai folded a piece of clothing and nodded. “We should be able to, I think. Brother Min said yesterday the snow hasn’t blocked the roads yet.”

“Then why don’t we wait until the snow melts next year to travel?”

Before Mo Xiang’s voice had faded, another young maid chimed in, “Silly, if we travel next year, who will preside over the Opening Ceremony?”

“Opening Ceremony?” Mo Xiang was bewildered.

Qingdai shot the other little maid a reproachful glare and casually explained, “The Opening Ceremony is the great furnace-lighting ceremony, the most important event of the year at our Imperial Medicine Hall. Every year, it was presided over by the Old Family Head. This year, since the Old Family Head is no longer with us, naturally, Miss will preside.”

By the time Chu Mingxi returned from the study, the maids had nearly finished packing. Two rattan chests sat in a corner of the flower hall, still open, neatly stacked with books. One chest contained books brought from the Capital for daily amusement. The other held books encountered along the journey and purchased.

“You’re back, Miss,” Qingdai came out from the inner room holding an object, smiling. “I was just looking for you.”

“What is it?” Chu Mingxi’s gaze was still on the books. This antique edition of “Classified Materia Medica” was missing a few pages, a fact she found regrettable.

“A while ago, Brother Min sent over this fur. He said it was the one you spotted during the last herb collection and had set aside. It’s been in the warehouse for quite some time.” Qingdai gave a knowing smile. “Is it for Lord Li?”

It was a whole black sable pelt, soft and glossy, fine and light to the touch. Though not the absolute best one could find in this vast Northern Region, it could still be considered a fine specimen.

Chu Mingxi gave it only a casual glance, her line of sight returning to the book. Indifferently, she said, “It was meant to be made into a coat for that child, but I didn’t expect it wouldn’t be needed.”

“That child?” Qingdai was startled for a moment, then her eyes widened. “You mean Young Master Wei?”

“Mm. The Deep Cold of the Northern Border is harmful to his injuries,” Chu Mingxi explained a little, weariness showing on her face. She instructed, “Tell someone to bring water. I wish to wash up.”

Qingdai looked at the fur in her hands and bit her lip. “And now…?”

Chu Mingxi was indifferent. “If it’s not needed, just store it. We’re not so lacking in space that the warehouse can’t spare a corner for one item.”

“Oh…”

Hurrying and hastening, the Chu family caravan reached the Capital Outskirts over a month later. After a night’s rest at the post station outside the city, early that morning, the caravan headed towards the city from afar.

The queue to enter the city stretched out beyond measure. Chu Mingxi didn’t wish to use power or influence to cut ahead, so she simply told Lei Min to proceed as any ordinary merchant would. Qingdai, accompanying her Miss inside the carriage, was bored to death. She repeatedly took apart and reassembled a Luban Sphere, occasionally poking her head out to see how much the line had moved.

“Miss.” Not long after, Lei Min rode his horse back, his face beaming. “Miss, look who’s here to greet you!”

Hearing his call, Chu Mingxi rolled up the carriage curtain halfway, revealing a small portion of her face. Lei Min pointed at two young men standing not far away. The one in the front, in brocade robes and a jade crown, seeing her lift the beaded curtain, cupped his hands and bowed in salute.

Qingdai saw him too through the window crack and said joyfully, “Ah! It’s Lord Li! He must have come to welcome you!”

Chu Mingxi didn’t reply. She let down the carriage curtain and waited for the coachman to set the mounting stool down before slowly alighting, lifting her skirt.

Li Shaohua’s face was full of irrepressible joy. He took a few steps forward, but upon seeing Chu Mingxi’s graceful figure dressed entirely in pure white robes, even her cloak a plain color, he suddenly remembered that recent tragic event and hastily stopped.

Chu Mingxi stood five or six paces away from him, and politely curtsied.

“Lord Li.”

“Miss Chu.” Li Shaohua bowed again. “It has been a long time.”

Chu Mingxi merely murmured an “Mm” and said nothing more.

Li Shaohua understood her reservations and did not approach further. He simply smiled gently. “A few days ago, I went to the Imperial Medicine Hall to get some tonics for my mother and happened to run into Uncle Kang. I heard you were returning to the Capital these days, so I thought I’d come out and welcome you.”

He spoke frankly, so Chu Mingxi also offered a slight smile. “Father Li and Mother Li have been well?”

“All well. And I am also well.” Li Shaohua said, taking a step closer, wishing to thoroughly study the face of the woman he admired.

Chu Mingxi retreated half a step and said calmly, “It’s getting late. The caravan must enter the city. I cannot chat longer with Lord Li. I hope you will forgive me.”

Saying this, she curtsied to bid farewell.

“Mingxi!” Li Shaohua grew a little anxious and couldn’t help calling out.

Chu Mingxi half-turned, looking at him with a touch of detachment.

He halted his steps, reined in that feeling of loss, then smiled again. “I’ll see you off.”

Chu Mingxi nodded, and supported by her maid, returned to her carriage.

Lei Min had already taken care of the arrangements for entering the city up ahead, and the caravan rumbled into motion. True to his word, Li Shaohua mounted his horse and accompanied them from a respectful distance, his page in tow.

“Miss, Lord Li says he went to the Imperial Medicine Hall for his mother, but it was clearly just to ask about your return date. You treat him… so… so…” Qingdai kept squeezing the Luban Sphere, just like she couldn’t seem to find the words to say.

“So what?” Chu Mingxi leaned against the carriage seat and half-closed her eyes wearily. “I am still in mourning. A private meeting like this—if it were called an accidental encounter, that’s one thing. But if it were said he came specifically to wait for me, and word got out, do you think it would sound good?”

“But Miss, everyone in the Capital knows you and Lord Li are betrothed. If not for… if not for the Old Master passing away so suddenly, you would have become Lady Li by next year at the latest!”

“Precisely because of that, I cannot be too close to him now. We entered the city late today. Tomorrow, summon Uncle Kang. From now on, my schedule and return dates are not to be told to outsiders.”

“Outsiders…” Qingdai stuck out her tongue and half-jokingly asked, “Miss… could it be you… actually don’t like Lord Li?”

The carriage smoothly entered the city gates. The clamorous sounds of the street drifted in. Chu Mingxi pressed her forehead with her white jade fingertip and said faintly, “It’s not a matter of like or dislike. It was arranged by our parents and the matchmaker, that’s all.”

“Then…” Qingdai hesitated, opening her mouth.

Chu Mingxi ignored her and poured herself a cup of hot tea, wanting to soothe the fatigue from traveling day after day.

Having grown up by her side, Qingdai had long since been spoiled into some cheekiness. Unable to contain her curiosity, she fearlessly leaned in and asked mysteriously, “What about Young Master Wei?”

“What about Young Master Wei?” Chu Mingxi took a sip of tea.

Qingdai blinked. “Miss, do you like Young Master Wei?”

Chu Mingxi’s hand paused, and she almost spat out her tea.

Years of upbringing allowed her to hold back. She raised her hand to cover half her face with a silk handkerchief, composed herself a little awkwardly, and swallowed the tea before glaring at her close maid. “What nonsense are you spouting?!”

“How am I spouting nonsense? You treat Young Master Wei so well, handling everything personally. When he was still unconscious, you even changed his clothes yourself…” Qingdai took the teacup from her hand and placed it on the low rack, sighing. “Miss, don’t be a bystander who sees the chess game clearer yet fails to recognize your own heart.”

Chu Mingxi was very helpless. “I just felt compassion because his wounds were severe and hard to treat. Was I not good to you when you were sick?”

“I’m a woman, how can you compare me to him?!” Qingdai cried out in protest. “Besides, when I was sick, it was the junior maids who fed me medicine. You, you—Miss, you personally fed him medicine and water, and even…”

Chu Mingxi picked a smoked plum from the low table and casually stuffed it into her mouth.

Qingdai froze. “What’s this for?”

“Poison. To poison you mute.” Chu Mingxi said, exasperated.

Qingdai stomped her foot. “Miss!!”