The Counterfeit Madam Hou Chapter 28

*unedited

Three days later, when Aersi once again appears in front of her, Liu Qinghuan really thinks that the guards need changing.

A carefully wrapped painting is in his hands as he walks towards her.

” The《Golden Chrysanthemum· Autumn》. ”

Her eyes shines as she reaches out for the painting just as Aersi withdraw his hand. She looks up at him, silent, while Aersi smirks.

” Yi Jin told me specifically before I came that you would have to pa.s.s me the《White Jade Orchid • Spring》 before I can show you mine. ”

She frowns as she considers about it, before walking over to her bed and uncovers a piece of paper. Sullenly pa.s.sing it over to Aersi, he looks suspiciously at her before opening it. On it is a simple drawn map, the words hardly readable. Aersi lifts his brow as he glaces at her.

” What is this? ”
” The map I copied from《White Jade Orchid • Spring》. ”

Aersi's eyes narrows and takes a while before asking.

” The painting? ”
” Xue Mu had long since submitted it to the Emperor and I do not have the ability to sneak into the palace for it. ”

Pausing, she looks sardonically at him.

” But you are free to try. ”

Aersi, who is studying the map intently, missed the mocking in her eyes.

” How do I know if the map is the real deal? ”
” That… would have to rely on your eyesight. ”

” You can choose not to believe me, but then there is also the fact about your 《Golden Chrysanthemum· Autumn》being authentic or not. ”

Aersi purse his lips before looking at the map in his hands again.

” Since it's a copy, why does the words looks to be so… so scrawly? ”
” … I am simply trying to be true to the real map. ”

Aersi silently tuck the piece of paper into his pocket before handing the painting in his hand to Liu Qinghuan.

She instead grows suspicious at the authenticity of the painting seeing how easily he gives up the painting. Walking over to the table, she takes the painting out of it's wrappings and unfolds it gently.

The yellow chrysanthemum opens up like a fiery flame, yet manages to look like a floor of gold as well. Glancing at the poem, it is a poem about lilies. Smiling, she takes a drink of water before turning to Aersi.

” Do you know the easiest way to check for it's authenticity? ”

Just as the last word is out of her mouth, Liu Qinghuan sprays the cold mouthful of water she had onto the painting.

Aersi frowns and step forward to grab the painting but Liu Qinghuan surprises with a few nimble steps of hers and actually manages to dock his movements.

His movements pauses subconsciously. This woman have a better base in martial arts than she looks. He most certainly underestimated her before.

Aersi turns around and look at Liu Qinghuan who is standing before the windowsill before flashing over to her. Because he's guarded this time round, she couldn't avoid his attack as she did before.

Dusting her empty hands, Liu Qinghuan smiles at Aersi.

” Do you need to be so stingy about a little look? ”

Aersi look down at the appeared map on the painting and frowns as he wraps it up again.

” You better start telling me about how you are planning to sneak into my team before I regretted it. ”

Liu Qinghuan begins to explain excitedly. Although Aersi thinks that her plan is way too complicated and troublesome, he still grudgingly agrees to it.

After the exchange, Liu Qinghuan smilingly watches as Aersi leaves. After knowing he have gone quite a distance away, she withdraws the smile on her face as she sits down in front of her study table. Closing her eyes and visualizing it for moment, she picks up a brush and begin drawing over the paper.

What she is currently drawing is none other that the map that appeared a while ago.

To become a brilliant swindler, having a good memory is a must. Although she only had a few glances at the map, everything is already stored inside her brain.

Finishing the drawing, she blows on it to dry it out before satisfactorily hiding it.

Back in his mansion, Aersi finds Yi Jin standing in front of the window admiring the moon. Seeing Aersi is back, he jumps down from the window, graceful as a cat.

” How was it? ”

Taking out the drawing from his pocket, Aersi pa.s.s it over to Yi Jin.

” She said it's copied from the original painting but we wouldn't know. ”

Studying it for a bit, Yi Jin laughs.

” No matter, as long as she is in our hands, it means that we have《White Jade Orchid • Spring》. ”

Aersi nodes but thinks of something as he worriedly speaks up.

” Oh yes, she saw the map《Golden Chrysanthemum》, but only for a split second. There shouldn't be any problem, is there? ”
” I can't be sure, some people do possess telegraphic memory. But it's still that, as long as she is in our hands, what is it with her seeing it? ”

That is true, Aersi thought. Once they are in Mongolia, even if she is Du Juan, there is no way she can escape.

Seeing that the 8th is approaching, Liu Qinghuan grows excited. She is soon to leave the Hou Mansion. Thinking back, there are things she can't bear to part with. Especially Xue Mu. It is regretful that she did not even have a taste of him.

As Liu Qinghuan lies on the bed thinking of random stuff, a gust of wind goes by and someone enters the room through the window. Her lips twitches, thinking it is Aersi once again. Lifting her head to take a look, she is surprised.

” Nuo Yan? ”

Liu Qinghuan blinks, silently guessing the reason for him being here. He still have that cold look on his face as he stares at her face for a while.

” The Marquise already knows about you and Aersi. ”

Liu Qinghuan freezes for a second before saying seriously.

” There is nothing between us and besides, the Marquise looks way better than him. ”

Nuo Yan looks at her, a glint of unbelievable flashes by in his eyes.

” The Marquise knows about your escape plan with Aersi. ”

As the explanation from Nuo Yan is over-simplified, she have no idea how much does Xue Mu knows about her plan, nor their exchange condition. Seeing how she is staying silent, Nuo Yan speaks up again.

” I am here to help. ”

Liu Qinghuan looks at him surprisingly.

She knows that Nuo Yan is truly Xue Mu's most trusted aide. He is much better at martial arts than Nian Tang and can can see further and deeper than Peng Peng. Besides, he is deeply loyal to Xue Mu.

And he's saying he will help her? There is no way in h.e.l.l she will believe that.

As if seeing through her thoughts, Nuo Yan explains.

” I don't understand how the Marquise can still keep you around despite knowing you're a fake. No matter, I do not wish a person like you to be around the Marquise. ”

His tone is full of disdain for her and even so, Liu Qinghuan looks at him with a smile on her face.

” Hmm, I don't understand as well, but seeing that our motives are of one, I believe this will be a happy collaboration. ”
” …. On the 8th, the Marquise wants me to watch over you. You try to avoid Nian Tang and I'll help you meet up with Aersi. ”
” Okay. ”

Nuo Yan's brows creases a little before he flips out of the window. Qing Zhi, who is just pa.s.sing by, muse to herself that Madam has taken to the moon and poems recently.

Liu Qinghuan lies back down and closes her eyes. The visit from Nuo Yan doesn't seems like it have gone through Xue Mu… So he is willing to go against Xue Mu's orders to help her?

Ha.

She laughs lightly.

And in a blink of an eye, it is already the 7th. The 7th of July, the Magpie Festival.

Today, all the maids in the mansion are in a great mood, and even Ci Tao Qing Zhi have a face of happiness. Liu Qinghuan looks at them teasingly.

” Are both of your planet Venus rotating today? Tell me who you like… and I'll help you. ”

The two turn red from her teasing and run out with an excuse.

Qing Zhi runs back in, a big bunch of fresh flowers in her hands. Seeing her placing them in a vase before moving them outside to the courtyard, Liu Qinghuan is amused.

” What are you doing? ”
” Madam, haven't you heard? You soak the flowers in water throughout the night on the Magpie Festival, under the stars and if you use the water to wash your face on the 2nd day, your skin will turn extremely soft and supple! ”
” Really? ”
” You'll see when you try it on the 2nd day! ”

Liu Qinghuan laughs but said nothing. After a while, she sees Qin Zhi walking back in, a silver box in her hand.

” This I know, you're using the spider to beg right? ”
” Yes. I hope it can spun a beautiful web out tomorrow. ”

Liu Qinghuan can't help but laughs.

” You are really looking forward to getting married. ”
” No-no I aren't! ”

Qing Zhi face flushes red once again. Liu Qinghuan stop her teasing and seeing that Ci Tao is not around, she asks.

” Where's Ci Tao? ”
” Oh. Today Old Madam is holding a gathering at the flower garden and everyone is there for the stars. Everyone is really excited and there are even dancers there! Would Madam like to go take a look? ”
” Hmm.. I'll skip. ”

Just as she finishes, Ci Tao runs into the room.

” Madam! Madam! ”

She pants, holding out a piece of paper towards Liu Qinghuan.

” Madam look! This is written personally by Sir! ”

Liu Qinghuan blinks and takes the paper from Ci Tao's hands. On it are five beautiful written words —————— Till the end of time.

Liu Qinghuan knows that Madam Ning is a famous scholar in her younger years and could write beautifully but she haven't expected that Xue Mu would take after his mother in this aspect too.

” Sir have been learning writing from Old Madam since young. The student sure becomes superior to the master! ”

Evidently, it is not only Liu Qinghuan who thinks that Xue Mu writes beautifully. Hearing Qing Zhi saying that, Ci Tao puffs up her chest.

” This is won by me in a needle compet.i.tion! You have no idea how much the others want it! Hmpt! Who ask them to think about Sir all day long! ”

Saying that, Ci Tao gleefully looks at Liu Qinghuan.

” Words written by Sir must of course be given to Madam! ”

Staring impa.s.sively at the paper, Liu Qinghuan walks over to her table and adds a row of words besides it.

—————— Life is of gathering and parting.

TN : Phew, loads of note for this one!

– Magpie Festival.
I had a struggle on how to name this festival. At first, I am using Tanabata, as it's the shortest one of them all. But that j.a.panese. Then I'm struggling with using the chinese name of it: Qixi Festival. But that doesn't sound all that great to me. Then the longest name of all… The annual meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaver Maid.
…..Nah. Oh yes, not to mention the ugly sounding ‘Chinese Valentine's Day'.

Which one do you prefer?
As for the tale behind it, feel free to google. It's widely available.

– ‘Spider Begging'
There is a custom for young ladies, in their new dresses, to ‘beg' for wisdom from the Weaver Maid. It's called Qi Qiao. There are different ways to ‘beg', like tests/compet.i.tion on threading a thread through a needle hole, making stuff, etc. Different areas have different ways of doing it.

Spider-begging is one of the more famous ways of ‘begging'. A girl would catch a spider and keep it in a box for a night, On the 2nd day morning, if the web it spun is in a circle, it would meant that the girl had ‘wisdom'.

Tdah!