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Chapter 47 — Everything Settled, A Perfect Match

Yu Mingyao, exhausted, had just returned to Pear Blossom Courtyard. As soon as she stepped inside, she was greeted by the beaming faces of Yanyue and Madam Shi Luo.

“Mingyao, come here quickly,” Madam Shi Luo beckoned to her. “The result of your Eight Characters (birthdate compatibility) with Pei Shang is out. Your grandmother sought it from the most spiritual temple in the capital, Hualuo Temple, and personally asked the abbot.”

“It guarantees you and Pei Shang will have a harmonious marriage and a good start.”

Seeing their joy, Yu Mingyao knew the fortune-telling result must have been favorable. She tried to force a smile in response—her lips tugged upward for a long while but not even a hint of a smile could form.

“Grandmother seems so happy. It must be a good lot, right?”

She forced herself to respond.

Immersed in her happiness, Madam Shi Luo didn’t notice anything unusual about Yu Mingyao at first. They were standing several zhang (yards) apart, so she hadn’t noticed the bloodstains splattered on the hem of Mingyao’s skirt.

“It says A Perfect Match Made in Heaven! A perfect match!”

Madam Shi Luo was ecstatic, waving her arms in excitement.

“The abbot told me that such a match is rare even among a hundred couples—you two truly have a bond cultivated over many lifetimes.”

She held the red paper tightly, her face full of satisfaction. Even Yanyue, who could barely read, leaned over eagerly to take a look.

The two of them stared so hard at the red paper, on which both Yu Mingyao’s and Pei Shang’s birthdates were written, that it seemed their gazes might bore holes through it. Occasionally, mysterious smiles appeared on their faces.

Yu Mingyao lowered her eyes and stood still.

Her body still felt drained of all strength.

It wasn’t until Madam Shi Luo and Yanyue had giggled foolishly for a while that they noticed something was wrong.

“Mingyao, what’s the matter? Don’t scare your grandmother.”

Madam Shi Luo stuffed the red paper into Yanyue’s hands and quickly walked over to her.

Yu Mingyao leaned heavily against Madam Shi Luo, borrowing her strength to feel a little relief in her breathing.

“Help me sit down first.”

She squeezed out a barely audible sentence from her throat. Yanyue, seeing this, quickly set the red paper on the table and rushed over to assist her.

The red paper, which had garnered all the attention earlier, was now completely forgotten.

“Where did you come from? And what’s with the blood on you?”

Madam Shi Luo finally noticed the state of Yu Mingyao’s clothing. Yanyue followed her gaze and inhaled sharply.

Under the scrutiny of their anxious gazes, Yu Mingyao didn’t respond immediately.

She sat back against a carved wooden chair, resting for a long time before she could shift her attention elsewhere.

Her gaze fell on the red paper lying on the table.

Under her familiar birth details were the words A Perfect Match Made in Heaven.

To be honest, she had never expected such a fortune. In her past life, the Eight Characters compatibility result between her and Xie Zhuoguang had merely been Harmonious Music Like Qin and Se.

Back then, everything was rushed, and Xie Zhuoguang had handled the compatibility matter alone. Grandmother had repeatedly reminded him not to overlook it. The result had also been delivered on a similar red paper.

At that time, Cheng Qing had brought it over, showed it to them briefly, and said that the lot was too auspicious and the heir wished to keep it.

After those words, Grandmother didn’t argue and simply let Cheng Qing take the paper back.

But in the following years, she had never seen Xie Zhuoguang treasure or display that paper anywhere.

Seeing Yu Mingyao drift into thought while sitting there, Madam Shi Luo anxiously called out to her and asked what had happened.

Yu Mingyao gathered herself and briefly recounted Xie Zhuoguang’s situation.

She only said Cheng Qing had invited her to see him, without elaborating further.

After hearing her out, Madam Shi Luo and Yanyue exchanged glances and sighed in unison.

After a moment, Madam Shi Luo spoke:
“In three days, the Marchioness of Ningyuan will visit for the third time. If things are settled, we’ll have to give them a definite answer. This lot isn’t just known to us; the Pei family is aware too.”

“That Pei Shang boy—when he saw the lot, he was so happy he jumped up and down. If Madam Zhen hadn’t stopped him, he would have flown over here right away.”

“Marriage is not enmity. Whether it succeeds or not, we can’t keep stringing the other side along. Mingyao, do you understand?”

Madam Shi Luo’s tone uncharacteristically carried a hint of sternness.

Yu Mingyao lowered her gaze.

“Grandmother, wait. Let’s wait just a little longer…”

Tears fell drop by drop onto her skirt, a few landing exactly on the bloodstains, spreading the already bluish marks even further.

Two days later, news came from Tangdi Pavilion that Pei Shang, upon hearing the Yu family still had concerns, had proactively agreed to delay the date again.

He said he would only propose again when she agreed.

Nearly a month had passed, and delaying any further would be unreasonable.

Three days later was the only auspicious day for an engagement in the next half-year. Pei Shang, feeling aggrieved, had already sent several letters to gauge her feelings.

Yu Mingyao saw no one and replied to no letters, only saying she wished for quiet.

That evening, she finally received the news she had been waiting for.

Cheng Qing, dressed in black, entered the hall under Yanyue’s guidance, his usually simple and honest face brimming with excitement. At that moment, Yu Mingyao felt her legs go weak.

Her mind went blank.

“He… is he better now?”

Yu Mingyao stared at Cheng Qing’s smiling face and finally squeezed out the question.

“Thanks to you, he’s mostly recovered. The imperial physician said his vitality was damaged and he’ll need to recuperate for three to five years, but it won’t be an issue.”

“Good, good.”

Yu Mingyao shifted her gaze into the distance. Her nose turned sour and a wave of heat surged from her chest.

Seeing her like this, Cheng Qing scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Well, if Miss Yu has no other matters, I’ll return to the manor. The heir has just recovered, and there’s plenty to do at home.”

With that, Yu Mingyao nodded without further thought. As Cheng Qing stepped out, she suddenly seemed to remember something and called out to him.

“Did… did he ask you to tell me this?”

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

Cheng Qing, the honest man, suddenly looked troubled. He forced an awkward smile.

He said nothing, but that silence cut deeper than words.

“Enough,” Yu Mingyao didn’t want to see him anymore. “Leave, and don’t come again. I don’t want to hear any more news about him.”

“Anyway, in three days, I’ll be engaged to Pei Shang. He has nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Ah?”

As soon as she finished, Cheng Qing’s eyes widened like brass bells.

“Isn’t that rather sudden?”

“Sudden? My lady has already delayed this for nearly two months. If it weren’t for your heir’s uncertain fate, the marriage would have been settled long ago!”

Yanyue placed her hands on her hips, glaring angrily at Cheng Qing.

Seeing that both mistress and maid were displeased—not with him, but clearly with his master—Cheng Qing could only show an awkward yet polite smile and take his leave.

“Bah! What kind of people are they!”

Even after Cheng Qing walked far away, he could still hear Yanyue grumbling behind him.

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