Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Nothing but a Verbal Promise
"It’s the eldest son of the Zhang Family, Zhang Tan. He solved it in just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea," Pei Yuan said, his tone still filled with admiration.
Upon hearing this, Pei Ji’an slowly put down the teacup and spoke blandly, "So it was him."
Clearly dissatisfied with his second brother’s perfunctory response, Pei Yuan picked up the chessboard next to him and reset the game. "Look at this, this is how he solved it. Isn’t it time-saving and effortless?"
Qu Fulan, observing from the side, thought to herself that it was no wonder Heir Pei wasn’t interested. After all, the chess game wasn’t particularly difficult. In the past, she had played with the Princely Heir and didn’t even know it was a designed problem; she just solved it without thinking.
How could it appear as a hard puzzle to the eldest son?
While Qu Fulan was lost in thought, Pei Lian, using the pretext of drinking tea, kept glancing at her.
Girls in their teens grow taller by the day, and in the short time since they last met, she’d grown significantly, much more distinguished than when she was in the old lady’s courtyard.
Upon a distant glimpse earlier, he saw a lady dressed in a silk ensemble standing under a tree, graceful and poised. He was startled, thinking she was a guest lady of the house. Later, hearing her bell-like voice, it felt like a clear spring flowed through his heart, refreshing his previously weary limbs.
His second brother truly knows how to care for a person. Look at her demeanor, how is she like a maidservant?
Knowing full well she was his second brother’s maidservant, Pei Lian still couldn’t control his desire to take a few more glances, though he knew it was impolite to stare.
Such a direct and blatant gaze, Qu Fulan could feel it even if she were blind. She didn’t like that kind of gaze, feeling averse, she turned her face away.
From this angle, she looked even more beautiful, indeed a beauty, evocative of affection no matter how one looked at her. Particularly her ears, small and exquisitely cute, and her neck, long and fair, with smooth skin. At first glance, her swan-like posture was simply too perfect.
Pei Lian was almost entranced by the sight, his heart once again struck with awe. But upon retracting his gaze, he met his second brother’s cold stare, and despite the heat of summer, Pei Lian felt a chill crawl up his spine, cold to the bone.
He immediately lowered his head, realizing that he had crossed his brother’s line. Instantly, he dismissed the idea of asking his brother for her.
His brother keeps only one attendant at his side, which speaks to her uniqueness.
Pei Yuan didn’t notice the undercurrents between the brothers; he merely observed his third brother’s apparent unease, which prompted a thought.
"The autumn exam next year, are you confident, Third Brother?"
Not mentioning it was better; hearing it, Pei Lian, who was already somewhat deflated, slumped further.
Before getting married, he was full of confidence. Now that he’s married, instead, he feels unmotivated.
The third house is always in chaos. He doesn’t even want to return there, let alone find the heart to study.
Yet how could such matters be mentioned to his elder brothers?
Pei Lian mumbled, "Eighty to ninety percent sure."
Pei Yuan nodded—the Pei Family’s children aren’t lacking in talent, so he believed Third Brother would surely succeed.
The eldest brother wanted to play chess with the second brother, and with nothing else to do, Pei Lian rose to take his leave. Had it not been for his brother’s silent warning earlier, he might have stayed. But now, he dared not.
However, the eldest son and Heir Pei did not play for long today. Usually unhurried and leisurely when playing, today Heir Pei’s moves were decisive, giving no breathing room, and the eldest son was soon stuck again, not knowing how to save the situation. After pondering for a long time without finding a solution, he was interrupted by a message that the second madam had matters to discuss, leaving an unsolved puzzle behind.
Since Pei Ji’an taught Qu Fulan how to play chess, he would often invite her to play every few days, always giving her a chance, so she wouldn’t lose too badly.
Perhaps due to being taught by a great master, though she wasn’t quite an outstanding pupil, she could still solve simple chess problems.
The puzzle left by the eldest son seemed solvable to her.
In the past, Heir Pei would surely have her fill in.
But today, he did not.
From the start, she’d sensed something amiss with Heir Pei, but exactly what, she couldn’t say.
After all, she didn’t possess divine powers to know what was happening outside his affairs.
This kind of uncertainty made her uneasy. She’d planned to bring up her intentions with Heir Pei, but now, how could she?
Yet if she didn’t speak, how could she act?
As Qu Fulan pondered, she heard him speak.
"Why stand there dumbfounded?" he said.
Qu Fulan suddenly felt relieved; it was good to speak. Her worry was when nothing was said, even finding a topic seemed impossible.
Qu Fulan sat down, looked at the chessboard before her, and with a smile asked, "Does the Princely Heir want to continue playing?"
With one hand supporting his chin, Pei Ji’an shook his head, slowly saying, "Now that the ’Flower Garden Ode’ operates steadily, it might become renowned across the Capital City. It’s all thanks to your efforts. Whatever request or reward you desire, you may freely ask."
Qu Fulan raised her eyes. He had regained his former lazy composure, as if whatever request she made, he would fulfill it.
...
When Mrs. Xiao heard that her son admitted to having a fiancée at the palace banquet, she nearly fainted.
"You’re endangering the entire Xiao Family!" Mrs. Xiao clutched her chest, utterly exasperated. "The Li Family committed a grave sin. Li Jirou may not have survived. Even if she did, she’s the daughter of a criminal. How can our family accept such a person? You said earlier you would look for her, and I thought since our families were once neighbors, it was enough to show some concern. But how could you declare this at a palace banquet? Who would dare come forward with a proposal after this?"
Xiao Shiqing brushed his horse in the backyard stable, his favorite stallion.
When needing calm, he habitually groomed his horse.
Upon hearing his mother, he paused, turned to look at her with a calm expression, and said, "The Xiao and Li families arranged this long ago. We would be engaged once she comes of age. This was determined by the elders of both families. How was I wrong to speak of it now?"
He then turned back, continuing to brush his horse. "Besides, I have a feeling she’s alive, and I will find her."
Mrs. Xiao was completely taken aback by her son’s actions, pointing at him in agitation, yet speechless for a long time.
Earlier, her son said he would search for two more years. She outwardly consented, but all along secretly urged a match, believing that effort over two years would suffice to bring him around.
Instead, he went further, declaring a fiancée at a palace banquet, thwarting all her plans.
After the Li Family’s incident, who would remember such an arrangement?
Even she had forgotten it, let alone expect her son to remember.
The engagement to the Li Family was merely a verbal promise without a token. How could it count?