Time Is Slow - Chapter 46
“It’s been some days since I paid my respects to Xiangjun. You look even more spirited than before.”
The speaker was Madam Li, whose husband worked at the Ministry of Justice and was a subordinate of Old Madam Jiang’s son, Li Guangyan.
“I’m getting old,” Old Madam Jiang replied.
“You are not old at all. I can see that Second Miss has become more refined under your guidance. This year, the young ladies of the Li family will surely bring you great honor.”
“Exactly! If I remember it correctly, there was a young lady last year from your family who had her copied Buddhist scriptures selected by the high monks,” someone chimed in.
Old Madam Jiang smiled with modest grace. But in her heart, she thought it was a pity.
The Buddhist scriptures copied by Jiaojiao last year were sent to Shuying Nunnery and never heard of again. Instead, it was Miss Zhu Qi from the Marquis Taining’s household and Miss Lu Si from the Vice Minister of Rites’ family who received words of praise from the Grand Princess residing at Shuying Nunnery.
After the two young ladies gained their reputation, suitors flocked to their doors, nearly wearing down their thresholds. Miss Zhu Qi, being still young, had not settled on a match, while Miss Lu Si was arranged to marry the eldest grandson of the Assistant Minister Xu.
Sitting in the corner, quietly chatting and laughing with a few familiar young ladies, Li Jiao heard the words and secretly clenched her fists.
If only she had given her full effort last year, how could the Li family’s scripture have gone completely unnoticed?
In the end, it was her, Li Jiao, who had failed!
But this year things were different. With Grandmother’s support, she no longer needed to yield the spotlight to Li Jiaoo. Her calligraphy would surely catch the eye of the Grand Princess.
Li Jiao had never met the Grand Princess, who had renounced the secular world. However, she has heard since childhood that the princess had once been hailed as the most talented woman in the land—a figure that stirred the imagination.
Meanwhile, Li Jiaoo lifted her chin proudly.
Last year, only seven or eight families had their scriptures sent to Shuying Nunnery, and hers was among them. Even without praise from the Grand Princess, it was still an accomplishment worth mentioning. Over the past year, she had diligently practiced and never slacked. This time, she was bound to go further.
The other young ladies in the room each harbored their own thoughts upon hearing this.
Just then, an ill-timed voice broke the harmony.
“Xiangjun, why don’t we see your third young lady? If I recall, she didn’t come last year either.”
There were seven or eight madams in Old Madam Jiang’s small hall who were all from families with civil officials. The strife between their husbands in court often extended into the women’s circles as well.
The one who spoke was Madam Wang, wife of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Her husband had longstanding tensions with Li Guangyan, and the women of their families often clashed during social events.
Old Madam Jiang’s face immediately darkened. She inwardly cursed the Third Miss of the Li family for ruining the family’s reputation but didn’t let her tone falter.
“There’s nothing to be done. Divine Doctor Li, who escorted the Third Miss home, advised that she’s in poor health and needs rest.”
The news of Divine Doctor Li’s arrival in the capital had already spread across the court. Many noble families had eagerly tried to invite this almost mythical physician to treat their ailments. After much effort, they finally discovered where he had taken up residence.
It turned out to be—Prince Rui’s manor!
When Prince Mu heard the news over dinner, he overturned the entire table in a fit of rage.
All those families who had been itching to make a move suddenly fell silent.
After all, none of their illnesses were life-threatening. Better to wait and see.
Although Divine Doctor Li held no official post and had no illustrious background, his miraculous skills had earned the deep respect of all. No one wanted to offend him.
Hearing Old Madam Jiang’s explanation, Madam Wang tactfully dropped the subject of the Third Miss being abducted, but she wasn’t about to retreat completely. Her gaze shifted to Li Jiao, and she said with a faint smile, “I thought your Eldest Miss would have stayed behind to keep Third Miss company.”
Old Madam Jiang’s lips tightened in anger.
Li Jiao had just had her engagement broken off. With what happened, Old Madam Jiang had originally intended to ask Old Madam Deng of the Western Residence to make her stay at home, lest she embarrass the family.
However, Li Jiaoo had embarrassed her in front of her sister-in-law that day, so she held back the suggestion.
And now, as expected, it has become a target for mockery.
Old Madam Jiang showed a troubled expression but said nothing. The atmosphere in the hall instantly became awkward.
Li Jiao, feeling countless gazes land on her, sat in the corner with her head lowered.. She had to bite down hard on her teeth to keep her expression from betraying her.
Sensing the tension, the quick-witted Madam Li tried to smooth things over.
“Oh? How odd. The guest monk is much later this year than in previous years.”
With that, the ladies in the hall agreed it was indeed strange and began chatting again, letting the tension between Old Madam Jiang and Madam Wang dissipate.
As they resumed their small talks, a servant who had been standing guard outside came in to report.
“The guest monk is coming.”
The ladies kept a calm expression, but tension instantly rose in their hearts.
There were a dozen or so reception halls of various sizes in this area. Who knew which ones the guest monk would enter?
It was not only the hall of Old Madam Jiang who sent a servant to keep watch but the other halls also sent their servants outside.
“The footsteps drew near, then faded away. Each time the guest monk passed a hall’s entrance, the expressions of those inside darkened.
As the guest monk neared the end of his walk, the ladies in each hall shared the same doubt: How strange.
Could it be that the families favored by the esteemed monks this year all happened to be in the same hall?
“Quick, go see which hall Master has entered!”
Soon, a servant returned and reported, “He entered Mingxin Hall!”
In one of the reception halls, the ladies from Marquis Taining’s family and Earl Guchang’s family were seated. Du Feixue couldn’t help but speak up, ‘How could Cousin Yan not be included?
The girl who was called Cousin Yan, who looked about fourteen or fifteen, had snow-white skin and delicate features, exuding an elegant demeanor.
Hearing the words, she responded calmly, “Feixue, don’t speak carelessly. In literature, there is no absolute first place, and in martial arts, there is no second place. There are plenty of people whose calligraphy surpasses mine.”
Du Feixue was unconvinced.
“You’re just being modest! Last year, only Lu Chuchu was on par with you, and both of you received praise from the Grand Princess of Shuying Nunnery. This year, Lu Chuchu is engaged and didn’t come. Among us, your calligraphy is surely the best. So Mingxin Hall must—”
She suddenly paused and cried out, “Oh! I just remembered—Cousin Jiao is over there!”
Turning to her mother, Lady Zhu of the Duke Guchang’s household, she pleaded, “Mother, I want to go take a look! Maybe Cousin Jiao was the one who stood out!”
Everyone in the hall was full of curiosity. Lady Zhu thought that since the two families were related by marriage, letting her daughter go over was no big deal, so she nodded in agreement.
Du Feixue was overjoyed. She grabbed Zhu Yan’s hand and said, “Come on, Cousin Yan, let’s go!”
“I think I’ll stay—”
“Cousin Yan, aren’t you curious who wrote better than you?”
Zhu Yan looked over at the Marchioness of Taining. Seeing her mother nod, she finally followed Du Feixue.
In Mingxin Hall, the atmosphere was already growing restless.
According to tradition, five to ten families’ copied scripture would be selected each year to be sent to Shuying Nunnery. But now, with only seven or eight families in this hall, could it be that all of them had caught the monks’ eyes?
Oh dear, was it that their daughters had truly improved, or were the monks growing senile?
Several ladies, who were quite self-aware, quietly wondered to themselves.
Their gazes naturally drifted to Old Madam Jiang.
That’s right. Second Miss of the Li family had been selected last year, and rumor had it that the eldest daughter’s calligraphy was also quite good.
The guest monk gave a formal greeting to the group, then walked over to Old Madam Jiang and made a startling announcement.
“May I ask which young lady in your household copied this scripture? The Grand Princess of Shuying Nunnery wishes to meet her.”
“It’s been some days since I paid my respects to Xiangjun. You look even more spirited than before.”
The speaker was Madam Li, whose husband worked at the Ministry of Justice and was a subordinate of Old Madam Jiang’s son, Li Guangyan.
“I’m getting old,” Old Madam Jiang replied.
“You are not old at all. I can see that Second Miss has become more refined under your guidance. This year, the young ladies of the Li family will surely bring you great honor.”
“Exactly! If I remember it correctly, there was a young lady last year from your family who had her copied Buddhist scriptures selected by the high monks,” someone chimed in.
Old Madam Jiang smiled with modest grace. But in her heart, she thought it was a pity.
The Buddhist scriptures copied by Jiaojiao last year were sent to Shuying Nunnery and never heard of again. Instead, it was Miss Zhu Qi from the Marquis Taining’s household and Miss Lu Si from the Vice Minister of Rites’ family who received words of praise from the Grand Princess residing at Shuying Nunnery.
After the two young ladies gained their reputation, suitors flocked to their doors, nearly wearing down their thresholds. Miss Zhu Qi, being still young, had not settled on a match, while Miss Lu Si was arranged to marry the eldest grandson of the Assistant Minister Xu.
Sitting in the corner, quietly chatting and laughing with a few familiar young ladies, Li Jiao heard the words and secretly clenched her fists.
If only she had given her full effort last year, how could the Li family’s scripture have gone completely unnoticed?
In the end, it was her, Li Jiao, who had failed!
But this year things were different. With Grandmother’s support, she no longer needed to yield the spotlight to Li Jiaoo. Her calligraphy would surely catch the eye of the Grand Princess.
Li Jiao had never met the Grand Princess, who had renounced the secular world. However, she has heard since childhood that the princess had once been hailed as the most talented woman in the land—a figure that stirred the imagination.
Meanwhile, Li Jiaoo lifted her chin proudly.
Last year, only seven or eight families had their scriptures sent to Shuying Nunnery, and hers was among them. Even without praise from the Grand Princess, it was still an accomplishment worth mentioning. Over the past year, she had diligently practiced and never slacked. This time, she was bound to go further.
The other young ladies in the room each harbored their own thoughts upon hearing this.
Just then, an ill-timed voice broke the harmony.
“Xiangjun, why don’t we see your third young lady? If I recall, she didn’t come last year either.”
There were seven or eight madams in Old Madam Jiang’s small hall who were all from families with civil officials. The strife between their husbands in court often extended into the women’s circles as well.
The one who spoke was Madam Wang, wife of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Her husband had longstanding tensions with Li Guangyan, and the women of their families often clashed during social events.
Old Madam Jiang’s face immediately darkened. She inwardly cursed the Third Miss of the Li family for ruining the family’s reputation but didn’t let her tone falter.
“There’s nothing to be done. Divine Doctor Li, who escorted the Third Miss home, advised that she’s in poor health and needs rest.”
The news of Divine Doctor Li’s arrival in the capital had already spread across the court. Many noble families had eagerly tried to invite this almost mythical physician to treat their ailments. After much effort, they finally discovered where he had taken up residence.
It turned out to be—Prince Rui’s manor!
When Prince Mu heard the news over dinner, he overturned the entire table in a fit of rage.
All those families who had been itching to make a move suddenly fell silent.
After all, none of their illnesses were life-threatening. Better to wait and see.
Although Divine Doctor Li held no official post and had no illustrious background, his miraculous skills had earned the deep respect of all. No one wanted to offend him.
Hearing Old Madam Jiang’s explanation, Madam Wang tactfully dropped the subject of the Third Miss being abducted, but she wasn’t about to retreat completely. Her gaze shifted to Li Jiao, and she said with a faint smile, “I thought your Eldest Miss would have stayed behind to keep Third Miss company.”
Old Madam Jiang’s lips tightened in anger.
Li Jiao had just had her engagement broken off. With what happened, Old Madam Jiang had originally intended to ask Old Madam Deng of the Western Residence to make her stay at home, lest she embarrass the family.
However, Li Jiaoo had embarrassed her in front of her sister-in-law that day, so she held back the suggestion.
And now, as expected, it has become a target for mockery.
Old Madam Jiang showed a troubled expression but said nothing. The atmosphere in the hall instantly became awkward.
Li Jiao, feeling countless gazes land on her, sat in the corner with her head lowered.. She had to bite down hard on her teeth to keep her expression from betraying her.
Sensing the tension, the quick-witted Madam Li tried to smooth things over.
“Oh? How odd. The guest monk is much later this year than in previous years.”
With that, the ladies in the hall agreed it was indeed strange and began chatting again, letting the tension between Old Madam Jiang and Madam Wang dissipate.
As they resumed their small talks, a servant who had been standing guard outside came in to report.
“The guest monk is coming.”
The ladies kept a calm expression, but tension instantly rose in their hearts.
There were a dozen or so reception halls of various sizes in this area. Who knew which ones the guest monk would enter?
It was not only the hall of Old Madam Jiang who sent a servant to keep watch but the other halls also sent their servants outside.
“The footsteps drew near, then faded away. Each time the guest monk passed a hall’s entrance, the expressions of those inside darkened.
As the guest monk neared the end of his walk, the ladies in each hall shared the same doubt: How strange.
Could it be that the families favored by the esteemed monks this year all happened to be in the same hall?
“Quick, go see which hall Master has entered!”
Soon, a servant returned and reported, “He entered Mingxin Hall!”
In one of the reception halls, the ladies from Marquis Taining’s family and Duke Guchang’s family were seated. Du Feixue couldn’t help but speak up, “How could Cousin Qi not be included?”
The girl who was called Cousin Qi, who looked about fourteen or fifteen, had snow-white skin and delicate features, exuding an elegant demeanor.
Hearing the words, she responded calmly, “Feixue, don’t speak carelessly. In literature, there is no absolute first place, and in martial arts, there is no second place. There are plenty of people whose calligraphy surpasses mine.”
Du Feixue was unconvinced.
“You’re just being modest! Last year, only Lu Chuchu was on par with you, and both of you received praise from the Grand Princess of Shuying Nunnery. This year, Lu Chuchu is engaged and didn’t come. Among us, your calligraphy is surely the best. So Mingxin Hall must—”
She suddenly paused and cried out, “Oh! I just remembered—Cousin Jiao is over there!”
Turning to her mother, Madam Zhu of the Count Guchang’s household, she pleaded, “Mother, I want to go take a look! Maybe Cousin Jiao was the one who stood out!”
Everyone in the hall was full of curiosity. Madam Zhu thought that since the two families were related by marriage, letting her daughter go over was no big deal, so she nodded in agreement.
Du Feixue was overjoyed. She grabbed Zhu Qi’s hand and said, “Come on, Cousin Qi, let’s go!”
“I think I’ll stay—”
“Cousin Qi, aren’t you curious who wrote better than you?”
Zhu Qi looked over at Marchioness Taining. Seeing her mother nod, she finally followed Du Feixue.
In Mingxin Hall, the atmosphere was already growing restless.
According to tradition, five to ten families’ copied scripture would be selected each year to be sent to Shuying Nunnery. But now, with only seven or eight families in this hall, could it be that all of them had caught the monks’ eyes?
Oh dear, was it that their daughters had truly improved, or were the monks growing senile?
Several ladies, who were quite self-aware, quietly wondered to themselves.
Their gazes naturally drifted to Old Madam Jiang.
That’s right. Second Miss of the Li family had been selected last year, and rumor had it that the eldest daughter’s calligraphy was also quite good.
The guest monk gave a formal greeting to the group, then walked over to Old Madam Jiang and made a startling announcement.
“May I ask which young lady in your family copied this scripture? The Grand Princess of Shuying Nunnery wishes to meet her.”