Chapter Six: The Maid's Secret Thoughts, Brother Should Study the Art of War Instead!

“Miss... oh dear...”
Bing'er held four sheets of paper in one hand and lifted her skirt with the other, jogging lightly along the path.
But the cobblestone walkway was uneven, and with a moment’s inattention, she stumbled, taking three or four steps forward before regaining her balance.
“Thank goodness...” She patted her slightly rising chest in relief, then turned her attention to her feet.
“Watch where you’re going,” Bai Li Ming Su waited beside the pavilion; as Bing'er approached, she chided her gently, then fixed her gaze on the papers in Bing'er's hand. “Are these all his?”
He—there was no one else but Han Fu.
“Yes.” Bing'er handed the papers to Bai Li Ming Su, grinning. “Miss, it seems Master Qin has lost. Congratulations, you’ve found your ideal husband.”
“You little imp, what nonsense are you spouting?” Bai Li Ming Su laughed and scolded, accepting the papers.
Bing'er stuck out her tongue playfully and followed Bai Li Ming Su into the pavilion.
Once inside, they sat down. Bai Li Ming Su spread out the sheets, reading them one by one.
In truth, she’d guessed as much when she saw Bing'er hastily clutching four papers.
The first two were masterpieces.
For these four to reach her hands, the worst would be decent.
Six poems in total, compared to Qin Wei Ren’s, Han Fu had the clear advantage.
Even if Han Fu’s seventh poem proved mediocre, the victory was secure.
Yet in her heart, curiosity lingered.
“Silver traded for pine trees... At night, the good news comes quietly...”
The third poem was solid, with a distinct theme, considered a fine piece.
Bai Li Ming Su glanced at it briefly, then looked at Han Fu’s fourth poem.
She couldn’t help but softly recite, “The cold cicadas wail, beside the long pavilion at dusk, sudden rain just ceased... Love, since ancient times, is wounded by parting... With whom can I share this pain...”
As she read, Bai Li Ming Su became somewhat lost, dazed by the completion of the poem.
Perhaps she was moved, perhaps the verse’s mood touched her.
Ripples stirred her calm heart, soon settling again.
She gave the poem a verdict: immortal!
Another masterpiece—was he some kind of prodigy?
Of four poems, three were masterpieces and one excellent.
Bai Li Ming Su’s lips curved; her mind was made up.
Qin Wei Ren, who had prepared for three months, not only lost, he lost utterly.
It wasn’t only Qin Wei Ren who lost—all involved in this scheme had lost: the Zhou family, the Qin family...
No one lost more thoroughly than the Qin family, who failed to secure a fine son-in-law and could not ally with the Zhou family.
Bai Li Ming Su considered this.
They’d planned so carefully, yet never imagined someone like Han Fu would emerge, defying all expectations.
She did not blame herself; such a poetic genius could not have been foreseen.
Yet, though defeated, she surrendered willingly, even joyfully.
She smiled faintly, which made Bing'er snicker.
Perhaps it was fate, or her brother’s divination had proven true?
Thinking of this, her amusement deepened.
Her brother’s curse of reversed augury, after all, was an unbreakable shackle.
Bai Li Ming Su took a deep breath, calming herself and looking to the next poem.
“Don’t mock the farmer’s rough wine... Amid dark willows and bright blossoms, another village appears... Leaning on a staff, knocking on doors at night...”
“Amid dark willows and bright blossoms, another village appears...”
“Amid dark willows and bright blossoms, another village appears...”
Bai Li Ming Su repeated the line, her bright eyes shining with intelligence, murmuring, “Is he speaking to me? If lost in the mulberry, found at the east corner, isn’t it just like ‘amid dark willows and bright blossoms, another village appears’?”
Heaven knows, Han Fu was simply borrowing poems, without any hidden meaning.
Bai Li Ming Su laughed awkwardly, realizing she’d overthought it.

She had never met Han Fu; how could he be conversing with her through poems?
But this poem... superb!
The sixth.
Pushing aside all distractions, Bai Li Ming Su’s gaze landed on the last sheet.
“When will the bright moon rise? I raise my cup to ask the sky... May we live long, sharing the moonlight across a thousand miles...”
Silence.
When she finished reciting, the lakeside pavilion fell still, only the rustle of leaves and flowers carried by the autumn breeze could be heard, unable to disturb the profound quiet.
A string in her heart seemed plucked, vibrating endlessly.
“Miss...” Bing'er called, breaking the silence.
Bai Li Ming Su returned to herself, carefully gathering Han Fu’s poems, praising, “Fine poems, fine verses.”
“More than fine poems and verses, he’s a worthy man too.” Bing'er covered her mouth, laughing softly. “Just now I peeked over the wall. Though Master Han wore plain clothes, he couldn’t hide his grace. Not only is he brilliant, he’s also strikingly handsome, a true scholar. Facing so many people, he remained composed, witty and confident.”
“You little minx.” Bai Li Ming Su glared playfully at Bing'er, smiling, “Anyone unaware would think you’re choosing a husband yourself—are you lovesick?”
“Miss, you...” Bing'er’s face blossomed like sunset, red as a ripe cherry, stamping her foot in protest. “Bing'er was just happy for you, nothing so improper, not... oh dear...”
At this, she covered her face with both hands.
Seeing Bing'er so flustered, Bai Li Ming Su couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head and saying seriously, “Anyone can appear confident in the moment of glory. Judging character based on that alone is too hasty.”
“Do you mean even after marriage, you’ll observe his character before sharing the bridal chamber?” Bing'er put down her hands, her cheeks still rosy, curious.
“Yes.” Bai Li Ming Su nodded slowly.
She was unlike ordinary young women, with her own independent and unique ideas.
Though Han Fu’s poetic talent was extraordinary and she admired him, even Bing'er’s high praise after peeking,
All this was only surface.
“How will you observe him?” Bing'er asked again.
“Time reveals a horse’s strength, and a person’s heart.”
“Oh? It takes time...” Bing'er couldn’t understand Bai Li Ming Su’s thinking.
“What’s wrong? Are you impatient?” Bai Li Ming Su teased.
“What do you mean?” Bing'er was puzzled, tilting her head.
Bai Li Ming Su’s eyes sparkled with laughter as she watched Bing'er’s lingering blush. “If I marry him, you and Lian’er will become chamber maids. His talent is rare in this world; if you’re moved, it’s only natural. As for your impatience, it’s for that night of spring. If so, you may serve him closely and warm his bed.”
Lian’er was Bai Li Ming Su’s other maid, currently on leave to visit family.
“Miss, you... Bing'er isn’t that shameless.” Bing'er stamped her feet, her blush deepening, then whispered, barely audible, “Besides... Bing'er is your maid; you and the young master haven’t even shared a chamber—how could I dare overstep?”
As Bai Li Ming Su had said, Han Fu’s astonishing talent and integrity would attract any maiden.
Even she was moved, though she remained rational.
Until she understood his true nature, she wouldn’t hastily entrust everything, even if married.
Han Fu was like a comet, suddenly appearing;
She’d never heard of him before, knew nothing about him.
To entrust body and heart at once? Throughout history, many talented men turned out to be villains.
Ordinary girls like Bing'er valued talent and appearance,
Unaware that a true gentleman’s character is engraved in his bones.
Seeing Bing'er embarrassed to the extreme, Bai Li Ming Su no longer teased, smiling as she rose and walked toward the garden’s other path.
Bing'er, overwhelmed with shame and anxiety, felt her secret exposed.
As Bai Li Ming Su had said, Bing'er was a chamber maid, her fate entwined with her mistress’s husband.
She’d heard about Qin Wei Ren—
The scheme to unite the Zhou and Qin families made her uneasy, but she had no choice.
Her mistress was sacrificing happiness for the family; as a maid, she could only follow loyally.
With Han Fu’s arrival, besting Qin Wei Ren’s three months of preparation, her mistress’s heart changed; it was like clouds clearing to reveal the sky.
Even Bing'er, after peeking, felt her heart stir.
He seemed a worthy man, though specifics were unknown, but certainly better than Qin Wei Ren.
Bai Li Ming Su had laid Bing'er’s feelings bare; Bing'er was anxious and shy, worried about angering her mistress.

Fortunately, Bai Li Ming Su wasn’t angry; Bing'er sighed in relief, and when she came to herself, Bai Li Ming Su had already moved away.
“Miss, wait for me...”
She hurried after, her light green skirt fluttering as she ran.
...

In the rear courtyard of the Zhou residence, in a secluded garden,
Bai Li Ming Da, slightly plump and fair-faced, sat in the main room, engrossed in a book of divination.
Today, his beloved sister Bai Li Ming Su was holding a contest for suitors—a farce concocted by the Zhou and Qin families after much plotting.
His sister was sacrificing her happiness for the Zhou family’s future, making him feel deeply ashamed.
Beyond studying divination to improve himself, he could do nothing.
“Don’t worry, sister; your brother will protect you...”
This was Bai Li Ming Da’s fervent vow.
As for unexpected events in today’s contest, he was unconcerned.
He’d cast a divination beforehand.
The sign was auspicious: all would go smoothly!
Though never accurate before, this time there could be no mistake.
Just yesterday, his skill in divination had advanced dramatically, filling him with confidence.
Thinking this, he smiled contentedly.
“Creak...”
The door opened; Bai Li Ming Su entered, Bing'er following.
Bai Li Ming Da looked up, gaze passing Bai Li Ming Su to rest on Bing'er, surprised. “Are you ill? Your face is as red as a cooked crab.”
Bing'er was embarrassed, bowing her head. “No... not sick.”
“Oh.” Bai Li Ming Da didn’t ask further, turning to Bai Li Ming Su.
“Brother, didn’t you say today’s contest would go smoothly?” Bai Li Ming Su placed a stack of papers before him, smiling meaningfully.
“Of course,” Bai Li Ming Da said, glancing at the inked papers, smiling, “These are Qin Wei Ren’s preparations...”
Suddenly, he stopped, realizing his sister’s smile was odd. He looked at her pretty, smiling face, blinked, and probed, “Something unexpected happened?”
“As you predicted, it did,” Bai Li Ming Su replied, smiling.
“Impossible, absolutely impossible...” Bai Li Ming Da was agitated. “My divination clearly showed...”
He thought of his history of reversed auguries, and faltered. “But my skill improved greatly—how could this happen?”
Bai Li Ming Su ignored his doubts. “His name is Han Fu. He once had a marriage contract with Qin Zhao Ning, but the Qin family, being powerful, broke it, looking down on his poor background. Today, in the contest, even with only six poems out of seven, Qin Wei Ren was utterly defeated.”
“So the Qin family has shot itself in the foot...” Bai Li Ming Da’s expression was strange, then puzzled.
Looking at his sister, he said, “And you’re still smiling—don’t try to fool me.”
“True or false, you’ll see for yourself.” Bai Li Ming Su shook her head, indicating there was no need to deceive him. “I just wanted to say, brother, you’ve miscalculated again. You have no talent for divination; stick to studying the classics and military strategy.”
Denied talent, Bai Li Ming Da was annoyed, rising and leaning on the table. “I don’t believe it. The Qin family’s misery is too much of a coincidence. The cycle of fate shouldn’t turn so quickly. You must be teasing me.”
He spoke firmly, then hurried out of the room, his voice trailing behind: “I’ll show you—you dare tease your brother!”
Actually, he was nervous now, wanting to get away and see for himself.
Bai Li Ming Su watched the empty doorway and her brother’s retreating figure, following with interest.
Bai Li Ming Da jogged, his plump frame panting, and reached the front courtyard, where the gate was shut and a ladder leaned against the wall.
He changed direction, ran to the ladder, and climbed up, peering over the wall to see the contest.
He fixed his gaze on Han Fu.
At that moment, Han Fu was reciting his seventh poem, “Self-Mockery.”
Han Fu’s face came into view; Bai Li Ming Da stared, his eyes widening in shock, muttering, “How can it be... impossible, I must be seeing wrong.”
He looked again, his expression growing heavier, his body trembling slightly with his pounding heart.
As if confronted with a great terror, he could not control himself.
“Impossible, impossible, impossible...”
He was trapped in a daze, repeating the phrase endlessly.