"The crabapple remains, but the green leaves grow lush while the red blossoms fade!"
Xu Xiangqian let out a long sigh. "Late spring is but the dusk of the year, truly sorrowful to behold."
Li Longchuan had been testing his bowstring with fervent concentration, his mind now freed from the heat of battle, only then able to notice the activity outside the arena. Hearing Xu Xiangqian's dramatic display, he had already braced himself.
As he turned his head, a brilliant and open smile spread across his face. "Grandmother! What brings you here to watch your grandson practice?"
The young man, valiant in bearing, gestured for Jiang Chen to follow while eagerly sidling closer to Old Matriarch Li.
A hidden smile danced in the old lady's eyes, but she let out a deliberate cold snort. "This old woman spends her days idly enough, but it seems you, my grandson, are the one who rarely has leisure!"
"Not at all!" Li Longchuan approached, naturally taking her other arm. He introduced Jiang Chen, "Grandma, this is a new friend of mine."
Jiang Chen bowed with perfect courtesy. "This junior, Jiang Chen, greets the Old Matriarch."
"Well." Old Matriarch Li smiled warmly. "One look and I can see you're a promising young man."
"My brother is lamenting the passing of spring in the depth of autumn—such refined, scholarly airs!" The voice was cool and distant, yet somehow drew one closer.
Jiang Chen looked toward the source of the voice and saw a beauty who seemed sculpted from ice and jade. She was exquisite, her features clear and sharp, yet radiating a chilling aura.
The remark was a sharp jab at Xu Xiangqian's clumsy attempt to smooth things over. First, it was autumn, so lamenting spring was absurdly out of season. Second, the Li clan was a family of generals for generations—where would Li Longchuan get any scholarly airs?
Li Longchuan acted as if he hadn't heard, merely introducing to Jiang Chen, "This is my elder sister, Li Fengyao."
Jiang Chen bowed again. "Miss Li."
Li Fengyao nodded. "I accept your greeting."
"Enough." Though the old lady herself sometimes scolded him, she couldn't bear to see her youngest grandson chided too harshly.
As the saying goes, affection skips a generation, and while "rulers love their eldest, commoners dote on the youngest." Her wrinkled hand patted Li Longchuan's arm gently. "You young people go have your fun. There's no need to stay here keeping this old woman company."
"There's nothing fun to do outside anyway!" Li Longchuan, normally a valiant and dashing young man, showed a tender, clingy side before Old Matriarch Li. "While I'm out, I always worry about you at home, wondering how you're feeling. I'd much rather walk with you in this courtyard!"
"It's good for Brother Li to keep the Old Matriarch company. We'll take our leave then!" Xu Xiangqian seized the opening.
That big-headed fellow! So cold and heartless! I'm still trying to keep the old lady in good spirits, and you're ready to bolt!
Li Longchuan seethed inwardly but could only force a smile. "Well then, Brother Xu, watch your step on the road. Be careful with the carriage and horses."
He deliberately stressed the word "careful."
"Don't mention it!" Xu Xiangqian seemed not to understand a thing. He pulled Jiang Chen along. "Well then, Old Matriarch, Sister Fengyao, we'll take our leave now and visit another day!"
Li Longchuan called after them, "I'll see my two friends off."
But Xu Xiangqian had already ruthlessly pushed him back. "No need, no need! It's not my first time here! I know the way!"
...
After leaving the Marquis of Cuicheng's estate, Jiang Chen found that his anxious mood, stirred by Chongxuan Sheng's situation, had suddenly grown much calmer.
Perhaps it was because the sight of the enviable noble young master Li Longchuan, so at ease and natural with his grandmother, had brought a sense of peace even to onlookers.
Such was perhaps the joy of family bonds.
It was a feeling Jiang Chen hadn't experienced for a long time.
"What's wrong?" Xu Xiangqian waved a hand in front of Jiang Chen's eyes, teasing. "Pining for Longchuan's sister?"
Jiang Chen wasn't used to such jokes. "Wh-what? Of course not."
Xu Xiangqian was shameless by nature, and without an audience, he started swaying his head mockingly. "'A fair lady is a gentleman's perfect match!'"
Jiang Chen wished he could shut his mouth. "Nonsense! We haven't gone far yet! Aren't you afraid someone will hear?"
It was only meant as a joke, but Jiang Chen's shy reaction only made Xu Xiangqian more excited. "So what if someone hears? She's allowed to be beautiful, but you're not allowed to have thoughts?"
"Allowed, of course allowed."
At that moment, a cold voice came from behind. "Big Head, why don't you tell me—what thoughts are those?"
Li Fengyao's voice!
How was she behind them? He had no idea how much she'd heard or from where.
Both Jiang Chen and Xu Xiangqian broke into a cold sweat. Especially Xu Xiangqian—his earlier bravado vanished completely, and he wilted like a slug.
He stammered weakly, "Wh-what thoughts? I have none!"
He deflected the trouble to Jiang Chen. "Do you have any?"
I have your mother!
Jiang Chen nearly cursed aloud, but fortunately, his conscience was clear. He forced himself to ask naturally, "Why has Miss Li come out?"
Seeing Xu Xiangqian so cowardly, Li Fengyao let him off for the moment, only addressing Jiang Chen, "Grandmother said that since this is our first meeting, we must give you a gift."
It seemed they had left in such haste that the servant bringing the gift hadn't arrived yet.
For a distinguished family like this, there was absolutely no notion of keeping a guest waiting for a gift—that would only show the hosts to be overly arrogant, turning a greeting gift into something like charity.
For someone familiar like Xu Xiangqian, such formalities weren't necessary. But this was Jiang Chen's first visit, and the Li clan would never be discourteous. Hence Li Fengyao's pursuit.
As she spoke, she presented a jade box. The lid was carved with delicate flora, its verdant green dripping with color, lifelike.
One need not look inside to know the gift was extraordinary, judging solely by the exquisite craftsmanship of the box.
Jiang Chen declined, "To visit uninvited and empty-handed was already a breach of etiquette. How could I accept such a generous gift from your distinguished house?"
"I never understood these pleasantries. All this push and pull is quite ridiculous." Li Fengyao turned to Xu Xiangqian. "Scholar, explain it for me."
Xu Xiangqian said, "When an elder bestows a gift, one does not dare to refuse. I received my greeting gift without fuss."
Jiang Chen's reluctance to accept Old Matriarch Li's gift stemmed mainly from fear that it might be intended to repay Chongxuan Sheng's gift of the bow, thereby diminishing the goodwill. No matter how valuable the gift, if Chongxuan Sheng's gift went unreturned, his mission would be a failure.
And Xu Xiangqian was reminding him that this was merely the Li estate's standard courtesy, not a sign of drawing boundaries.
Courtesy begets courtesy—the very foundation of friendship.
"Miss Li is too celestial a being to be kept waiting," Jiang Chen said. "Then I shall humbly accept."
He reached out with both hands to take the jade box.
Li Fengyao nodded, said nothing more, and turned back into the estate.
...
Long after they had left the Li estate, Xu Xiangqian was still shaken. "That was close!"
"Is Miss Li really that frightening?" Jiang Chen was puzzled.
In his view, Li Fengyao might be cold and a bit proud, but she seemed to be so by nature, with no real malice. It didn't seem fitting for the notoriously bold Xu Xiangqian to fear her like a tiger.
After all, this scholar had once dared to mock the Gao clan of Jinghai right to their faces outside the Heavenly Capital Secret Realm, for relying on women to climb the social ladder.
"I'll tell you one thing." Xu Xiangqian wore the expression of someone who knew Jiang Chen had no idea what he was talking about. "The character 'Yao' in her name originally wasn't the 'Yao' from the ancient sage kings—it was 'Yao' as in precious jade. She changed it herself in the clan genealogy!"
Jiang Chen silently clicked his tongue in amazement.
This was no ordinary household. This was the hereditary, perpetually inherited title of the Marquis of Cuicheng, the genealogy of the Li clan of Shimen. Who would dare tamper with it? Who could?
Yet Li Fengyao had done exactly that, changing her own name!