Chapter 167 Good News

Time flows like water, slipping away swiftly.
Shadows chase the light, coming and going in haste.
Peaches and plums wither, wild roses bloom; whose mesmerizing beauty outshines the city?
Yet the cherries have turned red and the plantain leaves green; Jiangnan abounds most in graceful maidens.

In the blink of an eye, it was May of the following year, just after Liu Qin celebrated her ninth birthday.
In the Plum Courtyard, beside the blossoming trees, women in elegant attire sat scattered at leisure, resembling figures in a classical painting. On this early summer morning, they enjoyed the warm sun, the fragrance of flowers, and leisurely moments.
The sole young master, attired in a brocade robe and a jade crown, was Liu Qin, the absolute center of attention, surrounded like the moon among stars.

The Plum Courtyard was now bustling with numerous maids. Here, Liu Qin sat closely alongside her mentor's wife, chatting idly and cheerfully. Cuiliu embroidered a handkerchief while quietly keeping them company, looking up with a gentle smile whenever she heard something amusing.
Not far away, Cuiyu and Cuitong played the knucklebone game, surrounded by two gate-keeping maidservants, occasionally stirring up playful arguments and laughter.
Farther over, Wenxing, Lanke, and Qiuxing each practiced large-character calligraphy at tall desks. Lanke served as Qiuxing's semi-teacher, instructing earnestly while the other studied diligently, sparking Zhou Ruomei's eager desire to try her hand nearby.
Only the mischievous Zhou Chengzhi ran back and forth across the courtyard, leaving the little maid Xueru to chase closely behind, panting with exhaustion.

Such wonderful times, resembling the prosperous era of the Dream of the Red Chamber, made one wish to capture and hold the fleeting moments forever.
Liu Qin leaned lazily against Yao Xuanrong, watching Cuiliu's flying needle and thread, and smiled: "Sister Cuiliu, you are truly diligent, never idle for a moment. You've already made me so many handkerchiefs; why are you still embroidering? Rest a while, don't strain your eyes."
Cuiliu looked up and smiled, neither pausing nor speaking.
"She is embroidering this for Mei'er. The moment I merely mentioned how exquisite her embroidery is, she labored over it heart and soul. Listen to your young mistress, Cuiliu, and rest for a bit so you don't hurt your eyes."

Cuiliu still looked up with a soft smile, speaking quietly after a moment: "It's almost finished, just a few stitches left."
With that, she quickened her pace for a few stitches, secured the thread, clipped the end, and inspected her work with mild satisfaction before handing it into Yao Xuanrong's hands.
Leaning over her mentor's hand, Liu Qin glanced sideways—it was truly lifelike. Even though she was well accustomed to Cuiliu's craftsmanship, she still had to praise how wonderfully this handkerchief was embroidered. The verdant lotus leaves, the graceful lotus blossoms, the unopened flower buds, and the dewdrops rolling across the broad leaves vividly conjured a scene of a summer lotus pond: *In Jiangnan, one can gather lotus; how lush and dense the lotus leaves are.*
She could not help but praise: "Oh, how truly beautiful! Sister Cuiliu, you are far too partial. Why was the one you made for me never this pretty? Hmph, truly partial."
"You child, always uttering ungrateful words," Yao Xuanrong tapped her forehead. "I saw it with my own eyes—every single handkerchief Cuiliu made for you was meticulously chosen, fearing lest any detail might fall short. It's thanks to her good temperament; if it were me, I wouldn't put up with a master like you."
"Who? Who wouldn't put up with whom?"
Cuiyu, who had only caught the tail end of the conversation nearby, chimed in with a question entirely out of context, setting Liu Qin off into hearty laughter.

A gentle breeze swept by, scattering a flurry of petals.
Laughter in the Plum Courtyard drifted like a swing on its frame, rising and falling, carrying far beyond the courtyard walls.
In the outer courtyard, Master Liu's personal attendant hurried into the estate, shouting all the way, "Glad tidings have arrived! Glad tidings have arrived!"
He ran straight through to the Old Madam's inner chambers.
A maid had already dashed hastily into the Plum Courtyard to summon Liu Qin and Yao Xuanrong. The little maid could not explain clearly, knowing only that an expedited dispatch and a family letter had arrived urgently from the imperial capital.
This was news of the teacher at last. Liu Qin rose urgently, pulled her mentor's wife—who was equally eager yet forcibly steadying herself—and hurried toward the inner chambers.
A flock of maids rustled along behind them.
Cuiliu, following at the rear, pinched her fingers hard to suppress the surging emotion in her eyes. Finally, there was news; he must have attained his wish, placing high on the imperial examinations and at last becoming a man above men.
Henceforth, he would be an official, and she a servant.
Henceforth, he would dwell in the North, and she in the South.
Henceforth, he would walk the broad sunlit avenue, while she trod a single-plank bridge.
Henceforth, even if they met, they could scarcely gaze upon one another.
Though she might walk a solitary path all her life, she wished only for his lifelong peace and well-being.
At this thought, Cuiliu smiled. Gazing afar into the distant sky, her smile was more brilliant and charming than blooming flowers.

In the inner chambers, the Old Madam had Yao Xuanrong sit, then beckoned Liu Qin over, folding the girl into her embrace before bidding the attendant deliver his report.
The attendant smiled broadly: "Congratulations to the Old Madam, congratulations to Madame Zhou. After placing in the top tier of the metropolitan examination, Master Zhou has now been personally appointed as the Third Rank Scholar (*Tanhualang*) by the Emperor during the palace examination. Riding an imperial steed, wearing palace blossoms, and parading through the grand streets—what a magnificent sight! The official gazette has already reached the South, and accompanying it is a letter from Master Zhou. May Madame Zhou please review it."
Yao Xuanrong accepted the letter with trembling hands. Unfolding it, she beheld her husband's familiar handwriting:

*Xuanrong, my beloved wife:*
*By the time you receive this letter, my wife should already know of my affairs. Is it fortune? Is it celebration? Sitting alone in my corner, today's grandeur and bustling acclaim are like passing mist and smoke. I remember only the hardships we shared back then. That I have attained this day is thanks, first, to my wife's unwavering steadfastness, trust, and deep affection, and second, to the Liu family's companionship and assistance—saving me from absolute desperation and lifting me from destitution. Your profound devotion I shall cherish until our hair turns white and never forsake; the noble generosity of the Liu family I shall repay with supreme righteousness even unto death...*
*I remain in the imperial capital, eagerly awaiting my wife and child to travel north swiftly, that we may reunite as a family. Your husband writes in earnest!*

Having finished reading, Yao Xuanrong fought back the tears threatening to fall, but suddenly her vision darkened, and she tipped sideways.
"Mentor's wife..."
"Madame Zhou..."
The inner chambers instantly descended into utter chaos.

Doctor Jiang hurried into the estate to examine her and prescribed a decoction. There was no grave danger; it was merely prolonged anxiety and worry congealing in her heart, compounded by the sudden, overwhelming joy. Overwhelmed by grief and elation, phlegm had temporarily clouded her mind, causing a brief faint from which she would soon awaken.
The sky grew dusky as night fell. Several candle flames flickered within the room, casting a warm glow across the chamber.
Yao Xuanrong slowly regained consciousness. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Liu Qin sitting by the bedside, gazing at her with worry.
Seeing her awake, the girl beamed and threw herself into her embrace: "Mentor's wife, if the teacher knew you fainted from sheer happiness, he would surely be so moved. Hehe, the teacher is truly formidable—just a few strokes of his brush have stolen your soul away."
Teased thus by a child, Yao Xuanrong flushed crimson, not knowing where to cast her gaze.
Yet, loosened by this playful banter, the tension in her heart melted away. Smiling bashfully, she stroked the girl's head: "You child, actually teasing your elder—so disrespectful, you deserve a scolding! Furthermore, a young maiden shouldn't talk about things like 'stealing souls' or use such unseemly phrases. You must not do so again in the future."
"Yes, yes. Mentor's wife, are you hungry? I had Cuiliu brew some porridge; won't you have a little?"
"Thank you for your trouble." Yao Xuanrong nodded.
"What trouble is it of mine? It was all Cuiliu bustling about."
At her call for Cuiliu, the maid walked in shortly after carrying a tray holding a bowl of clear porridge and several small side dishes—warm to the stomach, and warm to the heart.
Cuiliu, who always wore a gentle smile, now maintained a completely calm expression, resembling a pool of serene, rippleless green water.
Yao Xuanrong looked at her; a stir arose in her heart, but she quickly suppressed it. Sipping the plain porridge, she said no more.

The itinerary for traveling north had already been finalized. Yao Xuanrong had very few belongings to pack, and the Old Madam instructed Cai Xinlan to select two families of honest, reliable household servants within the estate who were willing to travel north, and gifted them to Yao Xuanrong.
On this day, Yao Xuanrong kept Liu Qin back alone and broached a certain matter to her.
"What?"
Hearing this, Liu Qin was utterly astonished. Finding it hard to believe these words had been spoken by her mentor's wife herself, she stood frozen in place, dumbfounded.