Facing Li Nuo’s pleas to stay, Li Anning didn’t hesitate and turned to leave.
Mumu and Ning’er, the sisters, also went back to their rooms to sleep.
As she was leaving, Song Mu’er glanced at the two quilts and sighed softly.
There was nothing more she could do now.
After seeing off Mumu, Li Nuo closed the bedroom door.
He had an illusion that today it seemed like the whole world was against him.
Last night was supposed to have been a key step forward with his wife.
But today, it had all regressed.
An inexplicable extra quilt had appeared in the room.
Last time, Li Anning hadn’t been fussy about the bed, but this time she refused to sleep at the Song Residence no matter what.
Could this be a sign from heaven that the timing was not quite right yet?
Over the past month, his relationship with his wife had indeed progressed rapidly, but Li Nuo was well aware of the principle of not overdoing things.
Rushing things blindly might only backfire.
He spread out his own quilt and said, "Let’s go to sleep."
Song Jiaren lay in bed, relieved but with a tinge of disappointment in her heart.
Who on earth had put that quilt there?
At the Song Residence, in a small courtyard for storing miscellaneous items.
Inside a room.
The dim room was devoid of any light.
The woman curled up on the quilt-less bed, feeling a bit cold, her heart, however, was warm.
Although her senior sister had promised not to reveal her whereabouts, just to be safe, she could no longer live in that place.
The most dangerous place could be the safest.
That woman would never find her here.
She would have to ask Ning’er to find another quilt tomorrow. Although she wasn’t afraid of the cold, who wouldn’t want to sleep comfortably...
The next morning.
After getting up and freshening up, Li Nuo specifically asked Housekeeper Wu.
Old Wu said that the quilt wasn’t delivered by him.
The maidens in charge at the Song Residence also said that they didn’t know.
It was strange, who was meddling in his affairs?
This was completely bizarre.
It was understandable if things went missing in the house, but how could something suddenly appear out of nowhere, especially a quilt?
In the morning, Li Nuo didn’t go to the Ministry of Justice. Li Anning had returned, so there was no need for him to keep watch there. For any significant cases, she would not forget about him.
At noon, Song Yu walked into the courtyard.
He was holding a pot of flowers in his arms and said, "Brother-in-law, I just came back from the Jade Sound Pavilion, this is from Phoenix. She said you and Jiaren like flower arranging..."
Li Nuo looked up and said, "Who said I like flower arranging? Next time you go to the Jade Sound Pavilion, take it back to her."
Song Yu was startled, "Ah?"
Li Nuo said, "What ’ah’? If you have nothing else to do, go now."
That frail woman managed to run the Jade Sound Pavilion so well, which was indeed impressive.
If she had just directly said she needed some poetry for publicity, Li Nuo wouldn’t even charge her silver.
Alternatively, using him was fine too.
But she shouldn’t have involved his wife.
To appease his sulky wife, over the past month, his hand had almost broken from all the painting he had done, setting up a bookshop, sending poems, and even showing off their love every day, just to quell the rumors and make his wife happy.
An apology should look like an apology.
As the main culprit, she thought to get rid of him with a vase of flowers?
There’s no such thing in the world.
Moments later, at the Jade Sound Pavilion.
Phoenix gazed at the returned flower arrangement and sighed softly, "He still won’t forgive me..."
The nightingale sat opposite her and said, "You did go too far with this."
For once, Phoenix did not argue with her.
If it were those dandies coveting her beauty, using them would not bring any guilt...
But...
Phoenix looked at the cultivation technique on the table, recalling the past events, her heart was already submerged in regret.
She had lost a true friend.
Few men considered her a friend.
They approached her only to attain her, with one exception.
He had not only refrained from coveting her body but was also her confidant.
After much contemplation, Phoenix personally picked up the pot of flowers and said, "Yuan Yang hasn’t been to the Song Residence for a long time, has he..."
...
At the Song Residence.
Li Nuo was practicing his archery in the courtyard.
Every day he would study the zither scores and the Five Rites, practice his archery – this was what an Imperial Examination candidate should be like.
Engaging in proper pursuits every day, rather than just playing with Mumu and keeping his wife happy, otherwise how would Song Yu view him if he excelled in the Six Arts but forgot his true purpose?
Practice makes perfect.
With ample practice, his own skills were improving day by day.
Li Nuo had just thought of Song Yu when Song Yu appeared in his line of sight.
By his side was Yuan Yang.
Following the two were the Phoenix and the nightingale.
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They had already walked in; it was too late for Li Nuo to hide. He kept to himself and shot arrows as Song Yu approached and said, "Brother-in-law, Miss Phoenix is here to thank you. She says thank you for those poems you gave them. Without those, the Jade Sound Pavilion wouldn’t have its success today…"
Li Nuo released an arrow and corrected, "That wasn’t a gift, it was a purchase, one hundred taels of silver per poem. It was just a transaction, nothing to be thankful for."
The Phoenix stepped forward, spoke softly, "Still, I must thank the young master. These poems couldn’t be bought with silver anywhere else."
Li Nuo said nothing more, not even sparing a glance at her, and the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
The nightingale took the initiative to break the awkwardness, stepped in front of Li Nuo, and said, "Young master’s archery has greatly improved since the last time; however, that last arrow—if you had considered the effect of the wind, you could have shot closer to the bullseye. Let me teach you how to shoot more accurately with wind…"
The nightingale’s archery skills were indeed formidable.
Today’s weather wasn’t great; the wind in the courtyard was strong.
The archery range for the Imperial Examination was also outdoors, and in case of strong winds, the Shooting section would be postponed. But if it was a light breeze or the wind wasn’t strong, the Shooting section would still be held as usual.
Under these conditions, one had to consider the wind’s impact on the arrows.
Today’s wind had already exceeded the limits set for the Imperial Examination.
Yet the nightingale was still able to hit the bullseye accurately every time.
After learning from her for a while, Li Nuo found himself greatly benefiting, with much-improved accuracy in his shooting.
After a short while, feeling some soreness in his arm, Li Nuo set down the bow and said, "Let’s call it a day for now. Thank you, Miss Nightingale."
The Phoenix is the Phoenix, and the nightingale is the nightingale.
Though they were sisters, he always made a clear distinction between gratitude and grievances.
The nightingale rarely smiled but did so now, saying, "Young master has a natural talent for archery. You can often come to the Jade Sound Pavilion, and I will unreservedly teach you all my archery skills…"
Li Nuo said, "We’ll see…"
At this moment, Phoenix timely said, "I have recently composed a new piece of music. May I ask the young master for some guidance?"
Li Nuo waved his hand, "Sorry, I don’t understand the way of Music."
Phoenix didn’t give up, tentatively asked, "How about I play a piece, and you listen first?"
"Not listening."
Phoenix placed the flowers she held on the table, "This flower arrangement…"
"No, thank you."
…
Song Yu had already noticed the tension in the atmosphere.
As he was about to slip away, Li Nuo glanced at him and asked, "Where are you going?"
Song Yu, with an awkward smile, said, "I’m going to use the latrine."
Li Nuo said, "If it’s not urgent, hold it in for now."
He had left, leaving three women with him, wasn’t this just looking for trouble?
By chance, Song Jiaren walked in from outside. Phoenix picked up the vase of flowers and walked over to her with a smile, "I’ve heard that Miss Song likes flowers. This arrangement is the best I’ve done in recent days, I’d like to give it to Miss Song…"
Li Nuo often brought flowers back from the Jade Sound Pavilion, and Song Jiaren had grown accustomed to it. After accepting the flowers, Phoenix added, "If Miss Song is interested in flower arranging, I could teach you…"
Song Jiaren was slightly startled and asked, "Could I learn? I heard from my husband that it’s quite difficult…"
Phoenix immediately replied, "Of course!"
Flower arranging is indeed challenging, but she is the Phoenix, after all. While reaching the level of a master was difficult, the basics were quite simple.
For most people, mastering the basics was enough.
The two went into the room, and Phoenix noticed that there were a few more paintings on the wall than when she had last visited.
The person’s skill in painting was exceptional; with a little more improvement, they would truly master the art.
However, compared to her, it still fell short by a thread.
Just as she was about to look away, she paused, her gaze caught on one corner of a painting depicting several lotus flowers.
She was all too familiar with that lotus, the composition, and the details were exactly like her habits; she even thought they were her own work.
She looked at Song Jiaren and asked, "Miss Song, these paintings…"
"They were done by my husband," replied Song Jiaren.
Phoenix glanced at the lotus again.
Not only was he her soulmate in Music, but he was also one in painting.
Yet she had messed up everything.
She first apologized and bowed to Song Jiaren, "I’m sorry, Miss Song, for the trouble these past days. It was my fault; I didn’t stop those rumors in time…"
Song Jiaren didn’t say anything.
She had indeed felt a bit angry when she first heard the rumors.
But then she gradually got used to it.
What kind of person her husband was, she knew very well, and she had witnessed everything he had done over the past month—why bother getting upset over some silly rumors?
Phoenix didn’t pursue the issue further and said, "Let me teach you a few basic principles of flower arranging…"
Much later, Phoenix disassembled the flower arrangement and told Song Jiaren, "Miss Song, you can try to arrange these flowers again using the principles I just taught you. It doesn’t have to be the same as before; you can arrange them according to your own ideas."
A moment passed.
Phoenix watched Song Jiaren complete her arrangement, thought for a while, then looked at her, asking, "I wonder if Miss Song is interested in the way of Music?"
Song Jiaren nodded slightly.
She probably had no talent for flower arranging; there was a zither in the room. Phoenix walked over to it and suggested, "Then, maybe I should teach you to play the zither."
Another moment passed.
Phoenix’s face had turned somewhat pale.
Chills ran down her soft, pale arms; a buzzing noise filled her head, and she felt unwell.
Forcing a smile, she said to Song Jiaren, who was sitting by the zither, "Perhaps we should stick to flower arranging. I think you have more of a knack for it…"