Madam Lin smiled and asked, "Erlang, what do you think?"
Ling Xiao snapped out of his thoughts, lowered his gaze, and deliberately replied in a cold tone, "His Majesty intends for the old courtiers to marry the princess to foster unity between the old and new factions. Since the princess's name hasn't even been submitted for consideration, there's no need to discuss it."
Yue was taken aback and quickly said, "I must have misunderstood. I thought since the princess came in person, perhaps..."
Perhaps there was still lingering affection between them.
Madam Lin continued, "What about Miss Chen then? She's well-educated, comes from a respectable family, and Yue mentioned that among all the candidates submitted, she stands out in every aspect."
A sudden wave of irritation surged in Ling Xiao's chest, and he impatiently cut her off, "We'll discuss this another time."
Madam Lin frowned. Did this mean he was still unsatisfied?
Yue Yao pressed her lips tightly together, her eyes flickering with barely restrained frustration. She had asked him repeatedly about his preferences, only for him to dismissively say it didn’t matter. Now, after she had gone through the trouble of selecting candidates, he found fault with every one of them.
If he was so particular, why didn’t he just choose for himself?
Was he deliberately making things difficult for her?
She shouldn’t have taken on this task in the first place.
"But—"
"I still have matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave now."
Madam Lin wanted to press further, but knowing how busy he was, she could only nod in resignation. "Very well, go ahead."
Ling Xiao stood and left without another word.
Once he was gone, Madam Lin sighed. "It seems Erlang isn’t satisfied with the choices?"
Yue Yao replied woodenly, "Perhaps my taste isn’t to the Marquis’s liking. It’s better if he handles this himself."
Madam Lin frowned but eventually sighed again. "Let’s set this aside for now. He’s likely overwhelmed with court affairs and has no mind for such matters. The spring hunt is approaching, so we’ll revisit this when he has more time."
Yue Yao nodded obediently. "As you wish."
She couldn’t care less.
With that, Yue Yao washed her hands of the matter entirely and never brought it up again.
Now that the housewarming banquet was over and there were no major events in the estate, she focused on organizing her late husband’s manuscripts and preparing calming incense for Madam Lin.
Her father had once worked as an accountant in a spice shop, and as a child, she often visited the store. Watching the perfumers craft their blends, she had picked up a trick or two.
After joining the Ling household, she noticed Madam Lin struggled with sleep. Since the calming incense sold in town was expensive, Yue Yao began making her own, which Madam Lin grew fond of.
Her late husband had once praised her skill and even suggested she open a spice shop someday.
No matter what she did, he always approved.
Unlike Ling Xiao, who found fault with everything!
Yue Yao snorted and turned the pages of her book with extra force.
Ling Xiao had been busier than usual lately—partly due to the mounting troubles at court, and partly because whenever he had a moment to himself, an inexplicable restlessness would cloud his mind, leaving him even more agitated.
Returning to the estate on horseback, he dismounted, and the gatekeeper hurried forward to take the reins. "Welcome back, Marquis."
Jian Shuang followed suit, keeping pace with him cautiously.
The Marquis had been in a foul mood these days, and his attendants treaded carefully around him.
"The roster and arrangements for the spring hunt have been finalized. Would you like to review them, Marquis?"
This would be the first grand hunt since the new emperor’s ascension, with all officials in attendance—a grand affair indeed.
"Leave it for now."
Ling Xiao strode forward, his expression indifferent.
"Yes."
As he rounded a corridor, his steps faltered slightly. He glanced toward the path leading to the inner courtyard—he hadn’t set foot there in days, nor had he visited Madam Lin.
Unconsciously, he had been avoiding any place where Jiang Yueyao might be.
"How has the old madam been?" he suddenly asked.
Jian Shuang was momentarily taken aback. "The old madam is in good health. Nothing out of the ordinary."
The old madam lived a life of leisure in the inner courtyard, so much so that she had recently taken an interest in gardening. Was the Marquis really concerned?
Ling Xiao’s sharp gaze swept over him, and Jian Shuang felt a chill down his spine. Perhaps his answer had been too vague.
He quickly elaborated, "The inner courtyard steward mentioned that the old madam has been in high spirits lately, eating heartily. The first madam accompanies her daily, and the third master frequently pays his respects. Just the other day, the first madam even arranged for an opera troupe to perform in Fushou Garden. The old madam enjoyed it greatly."
Ling Xiao’s brows lifted slightly. "The first madam arranged the opera troupe?"
Jian Shuang was puzzled—why was this detail noteworthy?
Still, he answered truthfully, "Yes. The first madam has been sorting through old belongings and preparing incense for the old madam. To keep her entertained, she invited the troupe. She’s always been attentive to the old madam’s needs."
Ling Xiao didn’t interrupt, so Jian Shuang added, "The spring hunt roster also specifically includes the first madam—apparently at Princess Huaining’s request."
Ling Xiao’s eyes darkened. "She certainly keeps herself occupied."
Jian Shuang hesitated but ventured carefully, "Will you be visiting the old madam today, Marquis?"
Ling Xiao’s lips thinned. After a long pause, he turned and headed toward the inner courtyard.
Fushou Garden and Yue Yao’s residence, Bright Moon Pavilion, were adjacent, so passing by the latter was unavoidable.
As Ling Xiao walked along the corridor into the inner courtyard, he soon came upon Bright Moon Pavilion.
It was a quiet little residence, with flowering branches spilling over the walls and sparrows chirping in the trees—a scene so peaceful it soothed the restlessness that had plagued him for days.
Unconsciously, his steps slowed.
Jian Shuang, accustomed to his master’s brisk pace, nearly stumbled in surprise before adjusting his stride.
He wiped nonexistent sweat from his brow, lamenting how this job grew more challenging by the day.
Just then, a maid’s voice drifted from within the courtyard. "Will the first madam be going out?"
"Yes, I’m taking some calming incense to the old madam." Jiang Yueyao’s voice was light and refreshing, like a cool breeze.
Ling Xiao’s footsteps paused, and he slowed further.
Yue Yao stepped out of Bright Moon Pavilion, a small basket in hand, and immediately spotted Ling Xiao standing not far away.
Clad in a deep blue robe with his hair tied back in a silver crown, his usual sharp aura was slightly subdued, lending him an air of nobility. From a distance, he almost looked... presentable.
She frowned inwardly, debating whether to pretend she hadn’t seen him. He probably didn’t want to speak to her anyway.
But if he had already noticed her, ignoring him outright might come across as a challenge.
Most people wouldn’t mind, but he wasn’t most people—his pride was notoriously fragile.
Biting the inside of her lip, Yue Yao approached and greeted him properly. "Marquis."
Ling Xiao stopped and regarded her coolly. "Where are you headed?"
Yue Yao kept her tone respectful. "I was just going to visit Third Brother. He’s been studying hard lately, so I prepared some calming incense to help him sleep better at night."
Ling Xiao sneered inwardly. Just moments ago, she had claimed she was going to visit the elderly madam, yet the moment she stepped outside, her destination changed to Ling Shen’s place. Did she think he wouldn’t notice her sudden shift in tone when she assumed he was heading to see the madam?
She really could spin lies effortlessly, all while maintaining that innocent, meek facade.
“If you know how hard he’s been studying, then don’t disturb him unnecessarily,” Ling Xiao said coldly.
Yue Yao: “…”
One had to bow under the eaves.
It wasn’t as if she saw him every day—why make such a fuss?
Swallowing her anger, Yue Yao replied meekly, “Understood. I’ll take my leave now.”
She turned to go, but Ling Xiao spoke again, “The list for the spring hunt has been finalized. Princess Huaining specifically requested your presence.”
Yue Yao’s brow furrowed slightly. The princess still remembered that matter?
She had assumed that after all this time, the princess would have forgotten—after all, the princess was capricious, acting on whims like a child.
Why was Ling Xiao bringing this up now?
Was he planning to chastise her again for overstepping her bounds by currying favor with the princess?
Alarm bells rang in Yue Yao’s mind, and she answered cautiously, “The princess was likely just momentarily excited. But the spring hunt is an imperial event—grand and formal. I’ve never attended before and fear I might cause trouble by not knowing the proper etiquette. Perhaps… the marquis could help me decline on grounds of illness?”
She hadn’t wanted to go in the first place.
Ling Xiao’s voice was icy. “If the princess has personally summoned you, how would it look if you feigned illness to avoid attending?”
Yue Yao: “…”
Was he doing this on purpose?
He was just looking for reasons to pick on her!
Her lips pressed into a tight line, her expression barely concealing her displeasure. Even her obedient tone carried a hint of cold mockery as she said, “Thank you for the reminder, my lord.”
Ling Xiao glanced down at her. The distant coolness in her eyes had now sparked with anger, making her expression far more vivid.
Strangely, his mood improved slightly. He tilted his chin up and said, “The spring hunt is in three days. Be ready to depart at the hour of Chen.”
