Meeting Elder Xiao

"Never forgetting anything you read?"

Elder Xiao was astonished. She had lived through three reigns, yet she had met only one such prodigy before. Bai Mo was the second.

A smile touched Bai Mo's lips. "Not exactly! It's not as though I remember everything I read. Perhaps my memory is a little better than most people's. No matter how obscure or difficult an essay is, if I make an effort to memorize it, I can remember it after reading it once."

"I hear you composed two poems that made your name throughout the Capital. Might this old woman have a chance to appreciate them?"

Bai Mo recited the two poems from the poetry gathering, then gave her a detailed account of how Great Master Xiao had taken her as a student and invited her to study at Xiaoshan Academy.

"Hahaha, this 'Peach Blossom Immortal' is truly marvelous. To think you have such a temperament, young friend, but... what a pity."

Tang Xin was puzzled. "Teacher, why is it a pity?"

Elder Xiao looked at her beloved pupil, who had failed to grasp the reason, and patiently explained, "This child has a carefree nature and likely has no interest in court affairs. With such talent and intellect, if she did have such an interest, she would surely be no creature destined to remain in a pond.

"And there is also a hint of frustration at being unable to fulfill one's ambitions in the poem.

"Young friend, am I right?"

Bai Mo was abashed. The old lady was absolutely right. Wasn't Tang Bohu frustrated in his ambitions and unable to put his talents to full use? But she wasn't!

Bai Mo could only put on a profound air and say, "A keen insight, Elder Xiao. I did indeed write that poem from the feelings in my heart. Aunt was quite right: I used to be a good-for-nothing who thought no one would appreciate anything I did, so I refused to study.

"But people's dispositions can change. This time I'm striving for love; next time I can strive for my family. If there ever truly comes a time when I'm needed, I can strive for the country, the people, and the sovereign as well..."

Elder Xiao found the child most amusing. She spoke of love without the slightest embarrassment, sounding perfectly grand and dignified. Hahaha, amusing, amusing!

"When one is young and doesn't know the road ahead, that is only natural. Your aunt has told me about your family circumstances, and now that I've met you today, I understand the reason behind it too. You only need someone to guide you onto the right path, child, and one day you'll surely become a pillar of the nation."

Tang Xin and Bai Jingyao exchanged a glance. Neither of them had expected Elder Xiao to hold Bai Mo in such high regard.

"Now that you have joined my Xiao family's school, study diligently under my younger sister. Though she is a little dull-witted, she has some learning in the Feng Dynasty Kingdom."

That old auntie Great Master Xiao was dull-witted? Bai Mo didn't dare respond to that.

Seeing her niece at a loss, Tang Xin chuckled. "I asked you to make this long journey, Teacher, because I was worried about my niece's marriage. The Grand Preceptor's Residence truly is too far above us in status. What do you think about the proposal...?"

Elder Xiao waved a hand.

"It's no trouble. Bai Mo is a good child. For the young master of that family to marry young friend Bai would be the Grand Preceptor's Residence's good fortune. Set a date, and I need only speak to Shen Jingwen.

"What a pity. If only we had met sooner. My younger sister's grandson is an excellent young man. I raised him myself, and he truly is good in every way. He's no worse than any young master of the Grand Preceptor's Residence, and he could even hold his own against a prince."

Elder Xiao's eyes shone as she spoke of the child in her family.

Bai Mo was stunned!!

Xiao Muzhi?

"Surely you don't mean Xiao Muzhi?"

"You know my grandson, young friend? He only came to the Capital recently."

"I do know him."

Bai Jingyao looked over, his eyes bright with curiosity. "Momo, Great Master Xiao's beloved grandson must be wonderful, right? A child raised by Elder Xiao herself must be a gentleman of the finest family. How did you meet?"

Remembering what had happened that day, Bai Mo looked a little uncomfortable. "Teacher brought him to the poetry gathering that day. The Xiao sisters and brother are all very good people. Xiao Muzhi is handsome and quick-witted, so naturally he's wonderful."

Bai Jingyao joked to Tang Xin, "It's a pity we don't have a daughter. Otherwise, I'd swallow my pride and ask for young master Xiao's hand."

Tang Xin glanced at him, a hint of consolation in her eyes.

They chatted merrily, and hosts and guests alike enjoyed the meal.

When they had finished eating, Uncle Fu presented a red letter.

"Family head, first husband, Matchmaker Song has sent over a date. The day after tomorrow, the seventeenth of the seventh month, is an auspicious day."

Bai Jingyao hurriedly took the red letter and read it, very pleased.

"Elder Xiao, wife, would the day after tomorrow do? If there are no problems, I'll go to the Residence of the Earl Who Protects the State tomorrow to take stock of the betrothal gifts, and we'll go make the proposal the day after."

Elder Xiao nodded and said kindly, "One day's rest is enough for me. For our visit the day after tomorrow, I can have my old servant go to the Grand Preceptor's Residence ahead of us and notify that child Shen Jingwen."

Tang Xin rose and bowed in thanks. "Thank you for the effort, Teacher. I'll never forget this kindness."

Seeing her aunt make such a formal gesture, Bai Mo bowed as well. "Thank you, Elder Xiao, for going to such lengths on my behalf. I'll never forget it."

Elder Xiao helped them both up. They exchanged a few more courtesies and discussed the matter a little further before parting.

The next day.

As soon as Grand Preceptor Shen returned to the residence, Nanny He and Mama Sun reported everything they had discovered, one matter at a time.

Grand Preceptor Shen's hands trembled as she looked at the information they had gathered.

"Good, good, good. My second son-in-law is quite something."

Seeing how angry the grand preceptor was, Mama Sun hurried forward to comfort her.

"Please don't be angry, Family Head. Take care of your health. Now that things have come to this, nothing can be done."

Shen Jingwen did not feel much sympathy for her grandson Shen Qing. She was angry that her son-in-law had defied her, angry that the marriage alliance had been forced to a halt, and even angrier that her plans had been thrown into disarray.

"Yuan-shi has quite the tricks up his sleeve, to have gotten his hands on the Ghost Physician's Ten-Year Powder. Rather than administer such a slow-acting poison, he might as well have poisoned the child outright with a bowl of arsenic. With Yuan-shi's paltry skills, did he think he could use a slow poison without anyone being the wiser?"

"Even a vicious tiger does not eat its own cubs."

Nanny He stepped forward. "Family Head, should we still take the imperial physician to check his pulse?"

Shen Jingwen's expression was cold. "How could a mere imperial physician cure the Ghost Physician's poison? Just tell the physician to go and give the second young master a routine examination."

"Yes. I'll take the imperial physician over now."

When the imperial physician entered the Pure Elegance Courtyard, Shen Qing and Yun Wu were enjoying tea beneath a crape myrtle tree. The sight of two such stunning men filled the young physician's eyes with wonder.

Seeing the imperial physician stop in his tracks, Nanny He quickly spoke up. "Second young master, the family head has invited an imperial physician to give you a routine examination."

A faint bitterness welled up in Shen Qing's heart when he saw the imperial physician. He couldn't refuse, so he could only steel himself and step forward.

"Sorry for the trouble, Nanny He. Grandmother is very thoughtful."

He nodded to the young imperial physician.

Both sides sat down, and Yun Wu placed a handkerchief beneath Shen Qing's wrist. The young imperial physician hurriedly composed himself and began to examine his pulse.

Before long, the young imperial physician's expression grew increasingly grim.

Yun Wu asked anxiously, "Is something wrong with the young master's health?"