No Meeting

Lu Zhengliu after the carriage of Prince Huan's Residence.

He saw Lin Yunwan being helped into a carriage from afar, and in just one glance, he recognized that familiar figure.

"Yun Wan..."

"Yun Wan!"

Lu Zhengliu his horse and rode forward, too focused on the carriage in the distance. He didn't notice the stone under the horse's hooves, and the horse didn't jump over it, causing him to fall off as well.

"Arise! Arise!"

Lu Zhengliu grabbed the horse, but the horse's leg buckled and it couldn't get up.

He abandoned his horse and ran wildly.

The carriage traveled quickly down the mountain road.

The carriage from Prince Huan's Residence quickly disappeared from his sight.

"Bang."

Lu Zhengliu punched a giant tree next to him, drawing blood from his knuckles.

Caught in a dilemma, he had no choice but to turn back and look for his horse.

The Chang family's carriage passed by him, but Madam Chang didn't even glance at him.

The personal maid asked Madam Chang, "Do you believe what the Lu family and that lady said, or what Madam Chen said?"

Madam Chang sighed, "Is that even a question?"

"I was also taken aback by the identity of the Duchess Xingguo, but upon reflection, what she said makes sense."

"Perhaps the Lin Family has offended the Chen family, or what that Mr. Lu family said is true."

The maid then asked, "What are your thoughts, Madam? Miss is about to go on a meeting with the young master of the Lin Family. Is this a meeting or not?"

Madam Chang remained silent for a long time.

She gritted her teeth and said, "I'm not looking at you anymore!"

Madam Chang sighed, "Even if the Duke Xingguo's Residence is lying, we have to take it as the truth. Otherwise, if the Chen family tries to make things difficult for the master in the future, even if the young lady gets married, she won't have a good life."

"Besides..."

She comforted herself, "The Lu family and that young lady praised Young Master Lin so highly, I don't think so."

"He's only seventeen, and he's already Passing the Provincial Examinations this year? That's the Provincial Examinations, not the Tongsheng Examination! It's not uncommon to see a seventeen-year-old scholar pass the county-level examination, but a seventeen-year-old Provincial Graduate? Your wife hasn't seen many of those yet."

"It's not a big deal if you miss out."

The maidservant said regretfully, "Lin Family has an excellent reputation. If Miss misses out on such a good opportunity..."

Madam Chang, clinging to a sliver of hope, said, "Where would we find such a perfect match? If she were truly exceptional, she wouldn't have waited until she was eighteen or nineteen to get engaged."

The more I think about it, the more sense it makes.

Madam Chang said, "My daughter must marry into a good family to live a comfortable life. As for the Lin Family —they've offended the Duke Xingguo's Residence, alas, their fate is grim. But it's none of our business anymore."

She made up her mind. "I'll go back and tell the matchmaker that I'm not going to be on a date with that young master from the Lin Family."

Lin Yunwan's carriage encountered Qi Lingheng's carriage halfway there.

Both carriages came to a stop.

Qi Lingheng alighted from his carriage, sat in Lin Yunwan's carriage, and laughed, "Luckily, I didn't miss you."

Lin Yunwan made room for him, saying, "If you can't make it, don't bother. If you take the wrong path, you'll have made a wasted trip."

"This is just in time."

Qi Lingheng took her hand and asked her if her day at Red Elephant Temple went well.

"You've met Madam Chang and Madam Chen the Duke Xingguo's Residence's Mansion? What did you think? Are you satisfied with Yun Yi's marriage to the Chang family?"

Lin Yunwan then recounted what had happened to her that day.

She said calmly, "The Chang family is neither steadfast nor discerning. If Yun Yi himself is not satisfied, there's no need to marry into such a family."

Qi Lingheng laughed, "Then why are you wasting your breath arguing with them?"

Lin Yunwan helplessly, "I can't just stand by and watch them slander Yun Yi. If word gets out, Yun Yi's reputation will be even worse. When will he ever get married?"

Qi Lingheng put his arm around her shoulder.

Lin Yunwan leaned in gently.

"Yun Yi is an excellent younger brother, and he will be a wonderful husband as well."

"Yun Wan, don't blame yourself. A good marriage is worth waiting for."

Lin Yunwan nodded.

She went back and told Yun Yi about it, letting him make his own decision.

Lin Yunyi touched his nose and chuckled, "Elder Sister, this isn't my decision."

"How?"

The Chang family has already sent someone to say they're no longer interested in dating me.

Lin Yunwan paused for a moment, then said, "They really acted quickly."

Lin Yunyi said nonchalantly, "The Provincial Examinations is in two months, but I'm really not interested in it."

"Great talents mature late, and so may good marriages also come late!"

He said playfully, "Just like you and your brother-in-law."

Qi Lingheng came out and said, "Just focus on your exam preparation." He patted Yun Yi on the shoulder.

They had dinner together, Lin Yunwan played a piece on the zither. After giving birth to Qi Zaijun, her zither skills had become rusty, and the first piece wasn't very good. But by the third piece, Lin Yunyi could hear the charm in it.

"Elder Sister, I never imagined you'd become so skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I'm ashamed of myself."

Lin Yunwan stood up and said with a smile, "Let me test you. What progress have you made in the past few years?"

Lin Yunyi then said he would write a poem for Lin Yunwan to see.

Cuiqin went to lay out the brush and ink, and Qi Lingheng's advisor came over. He went to the study.

Lin Yunyi wrote a Five-Character Quatrain.

After reading it, Lin Yunwan said, "You've improved a lot compared to a few years ago, but your handwriting... it's still the same as before. It seems you haven't put in much effort."

Speaking of calligraphy, Lin Yunyi laughed, "My calligraphy is nothing special. Elder Sister, you really should look at Chang Gong's calligraphy. His calligraphy is now..."

He stopped halfway through his sentence.

Lin Yunwan with great curiosity, "How is his handwriting now?"

Lin Yunyi paused for a moment, then said gently, "His Clerical Script is exactly the same as yours, sister. However, he doesn't often show his work in Clerical Script; he usually writes in the Pavilion Style at the Mingshan Academy."

"I remember seeing his calligraphy in clerical Clerical Script one day, and I thought it was written by you, my Elder Sister."

Lin Yunwan held the Five-Character Quatrain written by Lin Yunyi and suddenly fell silent.

In recent years, she has deliberately avoided thinking about Chang Gong, but it would be a lie to say that she doesn't think about it at all.

After all, these were children she had personally raised.