“Oh, now you’re really happy, aren’t you? I saw it with my own eyes—your little beauty is indeed as fair as a celestial maiden, so delicate that even I feel tenderness. Master Mei, you certainly have a share of good fortune!” Bi Zhen said through gritted teeth.
“Where, where… I’m not being modest, but where could such a thing come from?” Mei Qing sweated profusely.
Just moments ago, Mei Qing had been climbing the social ladder, calling “Senior Uncle” with great warmth. He never expected that in the blink of an eye, Senior Uncle had transformed into a potential father-in-law, leaving Mei Qing drenched in sweat and Bi Zhen in a rage.
“Uncle, this matter really needs careful deliberation… Besides, many people share the same names; perhaps you’ve mistaken someone else?” Mei Qing, seeing the fury blazing in Bi Zhen’s eyes, hastily tried to deflect the situation.
“How could I possibly mistake him?” Old Master Liu, visibly displeased, retorted, “Not only do the name and official title match, but your appearance is practically a carbon copy of your father’s. You were young back then, so it’s understandable you might not remember. But since fate has brought you back to me, how can we possibly miss this opportunity for marriage? My daughter is gentle, well-mannered, and quite lovely—anyone can see that…”
As the two were still arguing, a young woman appeared, accompanied by a maid, walking gracefully toward them.
“Greetings, Father,” the girl said softly.
“Mei’er, you’ve come,” Master Liu smiled. “This is the descendant of the Mei family I’ve often mentioned to you. He’s your senior by birth, so you should greet him properly.”
“Mei’er greets Senior Mei,” the girl said indifferently, bowing to Mei Qing.
“Oh, no, no, Mei’er younger sister, there’s no need for such formality,” Mei Qing replied hastily, raising his hand slightly, when suddenly he let out a sharp “Ah!”
“What’s the matter, dear nephew?” Master Liu exclaimed in alarm.
“Ah… Well, I suddenly feel a terrible headache. I hope Uncle will allow me a moment to rest. Please excuse my rudeness,” Mei Qing said awkwardly, enduring the pain of Bi Zhen secretly pinching his ribs.
“Oh dear, what can we do?” Master Liu looked genuinely concerned. “Quickly, go rest in the back. Mei’er, help your senior brother…”
“Oh, no, no, I couldn’t possibly trouble my younger sister. Uncle, just let my brother stay with me for a while; there’s no need to trouble Mei’er younger sister…” Mei Qing’s frown deepened.
He rushed into a guest room at the side of the garden like someone escaping for his life. Sighing deeply in relief, he was about to relax when Bi Zhen, still fuming, launched into him.
Seeing Mei Qing drenched in sweat, Bi Zhen suddenly burst into laughter: “Serves you right for trying to make up relations. Thought you were smarter than everyone else, didn’t you? Now you’ve been outsmarted by your own cleverness.”
Mei Qing shook his head bitterly: “Can’t you see the holes in this? I can’t figure out Old Master Liu’s intentions at all.”
Bi Zhen raised her eyebrows, about to ask, when a soft voice from outside interrupted: “Is Senior Mei feeling better? I’ve come to check on you.”
Mei Qing’s eyes went blank. He suddenly collapsed onto the bed, closed his eyes tightly, and said, “I’m so dizzy and exhausted, I’ve already fallen asleep. You’ll have to deal with this fairy.”
Bi Zhen angrily pinched Mei Qing’s arm a few times. Seeing him endure the pain without moving, pretending to be deeply asleep, she glared at him furiously before softening her tone and calling out, “My elder brother is much better now, just very tired. He’s already asleep, so Miss Mei, perhaps you should go back for now.”
But to her dismay, Mei’er pushed the door open and walked in. Approaching Mei Qing gently, she said, “Is that so? Has Senior Mei ever fainted like this before? I have some knowledge of medicine; may I examine you for a moment?”
Bi Zhen snorted: “Didn’t know Miss Mei was so accomplished in everything. But my brother’s health is fine, so there’s no need.”
“Of course I wouldn’t claim to be an expert,” Mei’er said, ignoring Bi Zhen’s murderous gaze. She reached out her delicate hand, gently took Mei Qing’s wrist, and examined his pulse for a moment. “Indeed, there’s no serious issue. That eases my mind.”
Bi Zhen, furious that Mei’er had completely ignored her, snapped, “What concern is it of yours whether my brother is fine or not? Why should you be the one to worry?”
Mei’er lowered her gaze calmly and replied, “Since childhood, I’ve known that I was promised in marriage to a Senior Mei. We just lost contact over the years. As a woman, I must remain faithful. Today, heaven has been kind, allowing me to meet my senior again. In the future, naturally, I shall serve him. From what I know, Senior Mei has only one brother and no cousins. May I ask how this gentleman relates to him?”
Bi Zhen was momentarily speechless. Wanting to argue, she heard Mei’er’s words, which suggested a deep knowledge of Mei Qing’s family. She hesitated to claim she was truly of the Mei family and finally said, “Though we aren’t blood brothers, our bond is stronger than family. His matters are for me to decide. Miss Mei, were you promised to my elder brother since childhood? No wonder your name is Mei’er. But my brother already has someone in his heart, so I’m afraid your affection may be unrequited.”
Mei’er remained calm, smiling slightly: “My name is written with the character for eyebrows, not plum blossoms. If Senior Mei prefers plum blossom Mei in the future, I have no objection. As for marriage, it’s decided by parents, not my insistence. Sir, you’ve misunderstood.”
“Well, aren’t you just basking in glory now? I saw her, your delicate little wife, truly as beautiful as a fairy, so pitifully lovely. Young Master Mei, you’re quite the lucky man!” Bi Zhen said through gritted teeth.
“Not at all, not at all… I’m not being modest, I’m saying there’s no such thing!” Mei Qing was sweating profusely.
Just moments ago, Mei Qing had been climbing the social ladder, affectionately calling him “Uncle,” but in the blink of an eye, Uncle had turned into a prospective father-in-law. Now, Mei Qing was drenched in sweat, and Bi Zhen was furious.
“Uncle, this matter needs careful consideration… Besides, many people share the same name, perhaps there’s been a mistake?… I’ve never heard of such a thing…” Mei Qing, seeing the blazing anger in Bi Zhen’s eyes, quickly tried to deflect.
“How could there be a mistake?” Old Master Liu was displeased: “Not only do the name and official position match, but your appearance is exactly like your father’s. You were young then, so it’s possible you didn’t know, but since fate has brought you back to me, how can we let this marriage slip away? My daughter is gentle and well-mannered, and her appearance is not bad either. You’ll see for yourself, dear nephew…”
As they were arguing, a young woman, accompanied by a maid, gracefully approached.
“Greetings, Father,” the girl said softly.
“Mei’er, you’re here,” Old Master Liu smiled: “This is the descendant of Uncle Mei I often mentioned to you, your cousin. Please greet him.”
“Mei’er greets Cousin Mei,” the girl said indifferently, bowing slightly to Mei Qing.
“Please, no need for such formalities, Cousin Mei’er,” Mei Qing made a gesture, then suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!”
“What’s wrong, dear nephew?” Old Master Liu was startled.
“Ah… I suddenly have a terrible headache. Uncle, could I rest for a moment? My apologies…” Mei Qing, feeling the pain from Bi Zhen secretly pinching his side, said awkwardly.
“What should we do?” Old Master Liu was concerned: “Quick, go rest in the back. Mei’er, help your cousin…”
“Ah… I dare not trouble Cousin Mei’er… Uncle, just let my brother stay with me for a while, I wouldn’t dare to trouble Cousin Mei’er…” Mei Qing’s frown deepened.
He rushed into the guest room in the side garden like he was escaping for his life. Mei Qing let out a long breath, but Bi Zhen was still not letting it go, leading to the earlier conversation.
Seeing Mei Qing drenched in sweat, Bi Zhen suddenly chuckled: “You always think you’re smarter than others, don’t you? This time, your cleverness backfired, didn’t it?”
Mei Qing shook his head with a bitter smile: “Can’t you see the loopholes? What is Old Master Liu’s real intention? It’s really puzzling.”
Bi Zhen raised an eyebrow, about to ask, when a soft voice came from outside the door: “Is Cousin Mei feeling better? I came to check on you.”
Mei Qing’s eyes went blank, and he suddenly lay down on the bed, closing his eyes: “I’m too dizzy and exhausted, I’ve fallen asleep. You deal with this fairy.”
Bi Zhen pinched Mei Qing’s arm a few times in frustration, but he remained still, as if deeply asleep. She glared at him, then softened her voice and said to the door: “My brother is feeling much better, just very tired. He’s asleep now. Miss Mei’er, you should go back.”
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Miss Mei’er pushed the door open and walked in. She gently approached Mei Qing and said softly, “Really? Has Cousin Mei ever fainted like this before? I know a bit about medicine. May I examine him?”
Bi Zhen snorted: “I didn’t know Miss Mei’er was so versatile, but my brother is fine. No need to trouble yourself.”
“I wouldn’t call it versatile, just a basic understanding of pulse diagnosis,” Mei’er said, ignoring Bi Zhen’s murderous gaze. She reached out her delicate hand, took Mei Qing’s wrist, and pressed on his pulse point. After a moment of concentration, she said, “Indeed, there’s nothing serious. I’m relieved.”
Bi Zhen, seeing that the other girl completely ignored her, was furious and said sharply, “Whether my brother is fine or not, what does it have to do with you? Why should you care?”
Mei’er lowered her eyebrows and said calmly, “Since I was a child, I knew I was betrothed to a Cousin Mei, but we lost contact. As a woman, I should remain faithful. Today, heaven has allowed us to meet again, and naturally, I should serve him in the future. But as far as I know, Cousin Mei has no brothers or cousins. May I ask how you are related?”
Bi Zhen was stumped by Mei’er’s light remark. She wanted to argue, but hearing that Mei’er seemed to know a lot about Mei Qing’s family, she didn’t dare to claim she was a Mei family member. She could only say forcefully, “We may not be blood brothers, but we are closer than real brothers. His life decisions are mine to make. So, Miss Mei’er, you were betrothed to my brother since childhood? No wonder your name is Mei’er. But my brother already has someone he loves. I’m afraid your feelings are one-sided.”
Mei’er wasn’t angered and just smiled faintly: “My name is Mei as in eyebrows, not Mei as in plum blossoms. If Cousin Mei prefers, I can change it to the plum blossom Mei. As for marriage, it’s a matter of parental decree, not my persistence. You’re overthinking it.”
Bi Zhen then realized the girl’s name was Liu Mei, not Liu Mei’er. But she was still furious and had no outlet for her anger. Seeing how gentle and lovely Mei’er was, wiping Mei Qing’s sweat, tidying his hair, and making the bed, she glared at Mei Qing, who was lying with his eyes closed, before gracefully leaving.
Bi Zhen was fuming on the side. She was skilled in spells and charms, but when it came to tender care and meticulous service, she was at a loss. Especially now that she was pretending to be a man, she could only stand by with her hands tied.
“Comfortable, aren’t you?” Bi Zhen gritted her teeth: “With your eyes closed, enjoying it, a good life awaits you.”
Mei Qing slowly opened his eyes and said with a half-smile, “Jealous?”
“Jealous of what!” Bi Zhen pointed at Mei Qing: “It’s just that you’re fickle, seeing that the girl is pretty, gentle, and knows how to serve, and now you’re dissatisfied with me. Fine, I’ll leave, make room for you two…”
Just as Bi Zhen was venting her anger, Mei Qing reached out and gently held her hand, his smile calm. She stopped mid-sentence and said with a pout, “Fine, I’m jealous. You’re not allowed to like her.”
“Actually, Zhen’er, didn’t you notice that Old Master Liu’s words were full of inconsistencies?” Mei Qing asked thoughtfully.
“Hmm… there are many strange things. How did he know your father’s name—I mean, your nominal father’s name? And—it seems like the marriage agreement he mentioned isn’t real…”
At this point, Bi Zhen said with some embarrassment, “I’m not jealous this time, I just think something’s off.”
“There’s something fishy,” Mei Qing nodded: “I suspect—he knows my identity, but doesn’t realize that I also know the secret.”
“What do you mean?” Bi Zhen was puzzled: “You mean, he knows you’re posing as the Mei family descendant, but thinks you’re unaware of it?”
Mei Qing smiled: “You see, he said he was an old friend of my so-called father, and that I look like him—but actually, I look more like my mother, as my in-laws have said. What does that mean?”
“He hasn’t seen General Mei,” Bi Zhen thought: “The so-called marriage agreement is just a trick. Maybe he knows you’re the prestigious General Wu De and a Thousand Household of the Imperial Guards, and wants to climb the social ladder. It might not necessarily be for any other reason.”
Mei Qing shook his head: “It’s unclear if he’s seen my so-called father, but he definitely knows I haven’t, which is why he dared to say I look like him. He called out my so-called father’s name and knows I have no brothers, so he’s not completely ignorant of me. But this doesn’t seem like a premeditated plan targeting me, which is really puzzling…”
“Who knows, maybe their daughter has some issues and can’t get married, so they’re trying to trick you into marrying her. As for knowing General Mei’s name, could it just be a coincidence?” Bi Zhen said, then laughed.
“No, no, this definitely wasn’t premeditated, it seems more like a spur-of-the-moment idea,” Mei Qing thought for a while, then shook his head: “Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many loopholes. But why he arranged this and how he got my information is really baffling.”
“How do you know it wasn’t premeditated?” Bi Zhen doubted: “If it wasn’t premeditated, how could he have gotten your information and made his precious daughter talk about a childhood betrothal?”
“We decided to come to Anlu just a few days ago, and very few people know about it, all of whom we trust. And our decision to come here was spontaneous, even we didn’t expect it. That alone makes it impossible for someone to arrange this so quickly. So I think Old Master Liu must have recognized my identity after seeing me, then came up with this plan on the spot, claiming a marriage agreement with my ancestor to marry his daughter to me,” Mei Qing pondered.
“But he still had to know you, right?” Bi Zhen was confused: “If he didn’t have any prior intention to deal with you, how could he know your identity and General Mei’s name?”
“Not necessarily,” Mei Qing shook his head: “When we met, I told him my name and that I was from the capital. If he had enough capability and some unknown force behind him, it’s not impossible for him to find out my general situation.”
Bi Zhen, watching from the side, was furious enough to breathe fire. If it had been a matter of spells or talismans, lightning or thunder, Miss Bi could have handled it effortlessly. But when it came to gentle, attentive care and tender service, she simply wasn’t capable. Worse still, disguised as a man, she couldn’t even get close to help.
“Feeling good, aren’t you?” Bi Zhen gritted her teeth. “Judging by how you’re pretending to enjoy this, you’ve got a bright future of marital bliss ahead.”
Mei Qing slowly opened his eyes, half-smiling: “Jealous?”
“Jealous? Of what?” Bi Zhen pointed at him angrily. “You’re the one who’s fickle, aren’t you? You like how pretty she is, how gentle her nature is, and how well she takes care of people, and you’re starting to look down on me. Fine, I’ll leave and give you two some space…”
As she raged, Mei Qing suddenly reached out and gently held her hand, his expression calm and smiling. Her words instantly caught in her throat, and with a pouting look, she said, “Fine, I am jealous. You’re not allowed to like her.”
“Actually, Zhen, didn’t you notice many inconsistencies in what Old Master Liu said?” Mei Qing asked thoughtfully.
“Hmm… There were indeed many strange points. How did he know your father’s name—your so-called father’s name? And… the marriage agreement he mentioned doesn’t seem genuine…”
She added, slightly embarrassed, “I’m not jealous this time—I just feel something’s off.”
“This is definitely suspicious,” Mei Qing nodded. “I suspect—he seems to know who I am, but he doesn’t realize that I know the truth myself.”
“What do you mean?” Bi Zhen asked, puzzled. “You think he knows you’re an impostor Mei descendant, but he thinks you don’t know?”
Mei Qing smiled: “Look, he claimed to be an old friend of my fake father and said I look like him. But in reality, I look exactly like my mother—my father-in-law himself has said so. What does that suggest?”
“He’s never seen General Mei,” Bi Zhen mused. “The marriage agreement is probably just a lie. Maybe he knows you’re the great General Wude and a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and he’s trying to climb the social ladder. Maybe he doesn’t have any other ulterior motives.”
Mei Qing shook his head: “Whether he’s met my fake father is unclear, but he must know that I haven’t. That’s why he dared to say I resemble him. He called out my fake father’s name and knew I have only one brother, so he clearly knows something about me. But this doesn’t seem like a prearranged scheme targeting me specifically. That’s what puzzles me.”
“Who knows? Maybe their daughter has some problem and can’t find a husband, so they’re taking advantage of your being an outsider and trying to trick you into marrying her. As for knowing General Mei’s name, maybe it’s just a coincidence?” Bi Zhen said, starting to smile again.
“No, no, this definitely wasn’t a prearranged plan. It feels more like an impromptu idea,” Mei Qing thought again and shook his head. “Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many inconsistencies. But why would he do this? And how did he get information about me? That’s what’s really confusing.”
“How do you know it wasn’t planned in advance?” Bi Zhen questioned. “If it wasn’t, how could he get information about you and make his daughter say she was promised to you since childhood?”
“Think about it,” Mei Qing said, reflecting. “We only decided to come to Anlu a few days ago. Very few people know about it, and they’re all people we trust. Even we ourselves didn’t expect to come here. That alone makes it impossible for someone to have set up such a scheme so quickly. So I think Old Master Liu must have recognized me after seeing me and then hastily made up the story about a prior agreement with my ancestors, trying to marry his daughter to me.”
“But then he must have known you beforehand,” Bi Zhen said, puzzled. “If he didn’t have any prior intention to target you, how could he know who you are and know General Mei’s name?”
“Not necessarily,” Mei Qing shook his head. “That day when we met, I told him my name and said I was from the capital. If he has enough capability and some hidden backing we don’t know about, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to find out my general situation.”
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