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"Cai Yue, did you hear any strange voices at breakfast just now?"

The older maid hesitated, then answered, "No."

You didn't hear it either.

Xie Madam was even more puzzled. Why had Nian Chun been the only maid to hear it? What was different about her?

While Xie Madam puzzled over this, Madam Zhou returned to her courtyard and called Nian Chun into her room alone. The moment Nian Chun saw her, she dropped to her knees.

Madam Zhou asked, amused, "Why are you kneeling?"

Had today really frightened her that badly?

Nian Chun trembled. "M-Madam, I—I heard a ghost..."

"What ghost?"

"I think I heard a voice just like Young Madam Shen's saying strange things. I couldn't understand most of it. I only heard her say Young Master Xu was keeping... keeping..."

"Keeping what?"

Nian Chun gritted her teeth and said firmly, "Young Master Xu is keeping a mistress! And he goes to brothels!"

She really had heard it!

Her suspicion confirmed, Madam Zhou sat down and let out a long breath. After a moment, she turned to Nian Chun.

"Get up."

"..."

"Up."

Only then did Nian Chun rise.

"Since you heard it, I won't hide it from you."

"What you heard wasn't a ghost or spirit. It was Lan Tang—but it was her inner voice. She never said those words aloud."

"What?" Nian Chun covered her mouth, her eyes wide.

"How could the young madam—could she be a fox spirit from the mountains?"

"Ahem. We don't know whether she's a fox spirit. But she is a daughter-in-law of the Xie Family, and her fortunes are bound to ours. Don't spread this around. If you hear her again, you mustn't react as you did today, much less tell anyone. Otherwise, the Xie Family has no place for a disloyal servant like you!"

"Yes, yes! Nian Chun understands!"

To a maid, whether someone was a spirit was a matter for the heavens. Whether she could remain at the Xie Residence was what mattered.

Having delivered her warning, Madam Zhou's expression softened, and she continued:

"Since you heard the young madam's thoughts, you know the Xu Family's young master is all show. Beneath that handsome exterior, he's just a man who haunts brothels. He could never be a suitable match for the young lady. If she still wants to see Young Master Xu, find a way to stop her, or tell me."

"Nian Chun understands."

"Good. You may go. Don't let anything slip in front of the young lady."

"Yes."

After dismissing the maid, Madam Zhou pressed a hand to her chest. Xie Madam was still investigating, but Madam Zhou had already decided to reject the match. Now she only had to worry about how to turn down the Xu Family.

Meanwhile, the people Xie Madam had sent to follow Xu Mingyan returned with news.

Many of the Xie Residence's servants were skilled former yamen men who had retired after being injured. Adept at concealing their movements and investigating cases, they soon uncovered Xu Mingyan's daily routes, what he ate, and which alley he visited. They even found out exactly who lived there.

When the report reached Xie Madam, she flew into a rage:

"Xu Mingyan! How dare he make fools of the Xie Family!"

Xu Mingyan had not only kept a mistress—he had even fathered a child with her! A shameless hypocrite so given to wine and women had nearly become the Xie Family's son-in-law. If the marriage had gone through, it would have ruined Xie Ying's life!

The thought left Xie Madam shaken. She told Xie Father everything that very day.

Marriage arrangements for the children were customarily handled by the mistress of the household, but that did not mean its master took no interest. Xie Father was furious when he read his old subordinate's report. The thought that he had nearly sent his second brother's daughter into misery kept the anger burning on his face.

"How dare the Xu Family deceive us like this!"

He looked around, snatched the sword hanging on the wall, and headed for the door. Xie Madam hurried to stop him. "Calm down!"

Having already spent her own fury, Xie Madam grew calmer at the sight of his.

"From what I've seen, Xu Mingyan sneaks about when he goes out and even takes money from home to support his mistress. I doubt the Xu Family knows. You and Minister Xu serve in the same court. Don't let one cowardly young fool sour your relations."

Xie Father gave a cold snort.

Xie Madam continued, "Whatever the case, the marriage is off. I'll turn down the Xu Family."

Xie Father said, "Good. But Madam Xu has always doted on her youngest son. Even if she learns of this, she may cover it up for him. Go and break off the engagement as soon as you can. Minister Xu and I are colleagues. His son's conduct is disgraceful, and as his colleague, I ought to let him know."

Let him know his son's disgrace had become public knowledge.

Xie Madam's anger had not abated either, so she made no attempt to stop him.

The Xu Family had not come in person to propose that day. If they had, the Xie Family would have had to go through a formal process to break off the engagement, damaging both families' reputations.

Xie Madam summoned the matchmaker the Xu Family had previously sent. She declined the match tactfully, then mentioned Xu Mingyan's misconduct and the mistress he was keeping in secret. The matchmaker knew her business. One word of that, and she knew the match was impossible. What respectable household would marry a daughter to a man who kept a mistress before marriage? Besides, a family of the Xie Residence's standing had no shortage of prospective sons-in-law.

After the matchmaker left, Xie Madam invited Madam Zhou over and told her the match had been called off. Madam Zhou thanked her, then summoned Xie Ying, shut the door, and told her everything in full, without leaving out a word.

Xie Ying was stunned. She was a young girl experiencing her first stirrings of love; how could she have imagined her first romance would end so painfully? The whole fiasco would not harm her marriage prospects, but it broke her innocent heart. For a time, Xie Ying withdrew into the house and sank into gloom.

With that, the search for a match for Xie Ying came to an end for the time being. But one question continued to trouble Xie Madam.

Why had only Nian Chun heard it?

If Xie Ying couldn't hear it because she was the person involved, that might count as a "rule." But why could Nian Chun hear it? Xie Ying and Madam Zhou were her closest family, while Nian Chun was only a maid. And why couldn't Zhi Xia, who was also Xie Ying's personal maid, hear it?

Ranking List

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Time-Travel and Rebirth Romance

One and Only

Jiang Ciyu

Mind Reading

Salty Fish