Chapter 3
A Qiao and Her Secret...
After returning to the Tan family manor, where she had stayed for over two days to recover from her physical weakness, Li Wan'er instructed her close maid Lin Luo to take care of her meals. She also gave a sum of money and released the mysterious young woman who had helped her.
Later, however, she received news that Li Wenguang—her current father—had summoned that woman for a private meeting. The reason was unknown.
Still, she trusted that he was a reasonable man and wouldn't do anything reckless.
With that thought, she relaxed and enjoyed a pleasant dinner, pampered by Lin Luo. She had eaten far too much over the past two days...
To the point where she could vaguely feel a slight belly forming.
After finishing her meal, she leaned against a pillow and picked up the book she had left unfinished.
The cover read "Plum Blossoms in the Snow". Even though she had read it several times, she couldn't help but read it again. It was a romantic novel about a young magistrate and a noble lady who had fallen from grace. It wasn't even that compelling of a story to warrant repeated readings.
What made her return to it was the fact that the elderly Taoist had personally given her the book the day before.
He had insisted she read and understand a supporting character in the story—a close friend of the female lead—because that character was based on none other than Li Wan'er herself.
When she first heard this from Daoist Su, she was completely stunned.
He also mentioned that the book had been very popular two years ago. Noble ladies in the capital adored it and kept copies in their collections. Now, however, it was very rare to find.
That was true.
Back then, she had sent maids out of the palace to find it but never succeeded...
She never thought she'd one day get to read it as she had once wished, back when she was the young miss Li, daughter of a nobleman—and even be one of the actual characters in the book. The author must have done intense research... and perhaps was a bit obsessive. Had they been spying on her behavior to write it so accurately? No wonder Daoist Su Bai Cheng insisted she read and understand it.
After rereading the book several times, she gained a rough understanding of the real Li Wan'er's personality.
Normally, Li Wan'er always wore a gentle smile. She was kind, simple, shy, soft-spoken, pure, and peaceful. She avoided leaving the manor unless necessary and had only five maids—an advantage that reduced interference in her life.
Toward close family, like her father, she was somewhat playful. She dared to do things that others wouldn't even attempt in front of Li Wenguang.
She liked sweets, disliked spicy food, and loved vegetables...
Which she herself didn't. She could force herself to eat them in front of the Li family, but it was still a struggle.
As for the four arts—Go, qin (zither), calligraphy, and painting—there was little to say. Due to her frailty and poor health, she couldn't concentrate for long periods. As a result, her skills were mediocre—not bad, but not great either.
In short, there was nothing particularly outstanding.
Overall, their personalities had some overlap, except for that gentle and sweet nature, and the supposed purity of heart.
How could someone raised in the inner palace be pure and innocent like a white sheet of cloth...?
"What's my little daughter reading there...?"
The gentle, low voice of the old man startled her. Li Wan'er flinched and dropped the book in her hands. She quickly bent down to retrieve it and shoved it under her pillow in a fluster.
"Hiding things from your father, are you?" Li Wenguang entered with a smile and sat on a long bench by the window.
Li Wan'er beamed, got up, and walked over to sit across from him, trying to collect herself.
"Don't tease me, Father," she said playfully.
Hearing this, Li Wenguang chuckled with satisfaction.
"My daughter has grown up..." he said teasingly as he peeled a red apple-like fruit (pingguo) and placed it skillfully on a ceramic plate, pushing it in front of her.
"How was your little outing today? Fun?"
Looking at the neatly peeled fruit, Li Wan'er's eyes shimmered. This gesture from her current father filled her with a strange emotion.
"It was fun. I'll buy you some delicious sweets next time," she replied.
Li Wenguang smiled and peeled an orange.
"As for Miss Qiao, the one who helped you, I had Steward Liu arrange lodging for her. You needn't worry."
She popped a slice of fruit into her mouth and grinned. "Of course! I trust you, Father."
"You little rascal," the old man scolded with mock sternness, handing her the peeled orange.
A hint of sorrow flickered in Li Wan'er's eyes before it faded. She smiled again and accepted the fruit happily.
"Father, about the past few days when I avoided you... if I caused you any distress, I apologize..." she murmured, looking down at her hands, nervously fidgeting with her thumbs.
The kinder he was, the guiltier she felt...
The broad, scholarly hand that had only ever held a brush rested gently atop her head, stroking it softly.
Li Wan'er hadn't even noticed when he moved beside her.
"Don't blame yourself. Just seeing you alive is enough," he said.
"Father..." He pulled her into a comforting embrace.
"There, there... good girl."
Tears she thought she'd never shed again betrayed her. The more she tried to hold back, the harder they flowed. She ended up sobbing in his arms like a lost child.
She didn't know if the real Li Wan'er would have done the same.
If he chose to exorcise her tomorrow, so be it. She didn't care anymore.
First, she just needed to write a letter telling Daoist Su to run away.
---
The next morning, Li Wan'er woke up with horribly swollen eyes from crying all night. Lin Luo, alarmed, brought her a cold cloth to reduce the swelling. Eventually, she looked somewhat human again.
She picked up a small jeweled mirror and examined herself, nodding in approval. The swelling had gone down. Recalling last night's events, she felt mortified. A grown woman, crying like a child—she swore she'd never acted like that before.
The more she was comforted, the more she wanted to cry. It was bizarre.
"Young miss, the master asked me to bring someone to see you," Lin Luo reported from outside her bedroom.
Who could it be?
Li Wan'er put away her mirror and walked to the guest hall.
"Good morning, Miss... Li!"
Before she even stepped fully inside, a woman's voice rang out loudly. Lin Luo immediately scolded her.
"Watch your manners, Miss A Qiao."
"'Miss'? Come on, Luoluo, just call me A Qiao," she replied cheerfully.
Lin Luo rolled her eyes. "Since when were we close?"
Li Wan'er smiled as she watched them bicker, then sat on a wooden chair. Lin Luo poured tea, which she sipped.
"Your name is A Qiao?" she asked, eyeing the girl in servant's clothes, still wearing round spectacles and grinning widely.
"Everyone calls me that. I have no surname, only a name, Miss Li," she said, emphasizing "Li" until Li Wan'er furrowed her brows.
A hand slapped A Qiao's arm with a loud smack. "Just call her 'Miss', no need to mention the surname."
"I got it, I got it! You're so rough for someone so tiny," A Qiao winced.
Ignoring her, Lin Luo explained, "The master saw she had nowhere to go and took her in as a special maid to serve you."
"Please take care of me, Miss," A Qiao bowed awkwardly, drawing a mocking glance from Lin Luo.
"So graceful," Lin Luo muttered.
"Of course! Beauty makes everything graceful," A Qiao grinned back and pulled a book from her sleeve.
"Miss, I brought you a gift. This book is highly sought after by noble ladies and hard to find. I nearly bled trying to get it. Please accept it."
She handed over the book—Plum Blossoms in the Snow.
Li Wan'er saw it and understood the hidden message A Qiao was trying to send. She had suspected something odd from the start—everything had seemed too deliberate.
"A Qiao, you really understand me. Looks like we'll get along just fine," she said with a warm smile as she opened the book.
"Luoluo, bring us some snacks. Tell the maids outside that I'll be resting and not to disturb me."
"Yes, Miss."
Once Lin Luo had left, A Qiao peeked around to make sure no one else was present before sitting across from Li Wan'er and sipping her tea.
"You're one of Taoist Su's people?"
"Exactly," A Qiao said, pouring tea for both of them.
"That old man loves stirring up trouble, don't you think?" she sighed.
"Maybe," Li Wan'er smiled. After a pause, she asked, "You and Lin Luo... know each other?"
She had been suspicious ever since they left the manor—Lin Luo's behavior had been strange.
"Not really... We didn't know each other. She knows the old man and that I'm one of his people who wanted to become a maid here."
So it wasn't coincidence but a setup.
A Qiao must've been tailing them or identified them by the obvious guard entourage.
"But how did Lin Luo know you were from Daoist Su?" Li Wan'er asked, puzzled. Lin Luo was always by her side.
"The old man arranged a code. If I said a specific phrase, she'd know it was me... Something like, 'I don't even have money for rice right now...'" A Qiao chuckled awkwardly. "It was so hard to bring that up naturally without sounding insane."
"Oh..."
"Let's not talk about that old man anymore. He sent me to assist you... Don't look so suspicious."
Seeing her companion's raised brows, A Qiao hesitated, then leaned in and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret."
"..."
"I... am actually the author of Plum Blossoms in the Snow, the number one bestseller in many provinces."
"It's you?" Li Wan'er was surprised, but upon reflection, not that shocked.
She recalled all the things she'd once wanted to say to the author.
"For your own good, never tell anyone this again. If people find out, you might get killed."
She had warned her because she had read many books written by A-Qiao, covering everything from commoners to royalty. She wasn't sure whether A-Qiao would dedicate herself to this project as much as she had with "The Plum Blossom Amidst the Snow."
A-Qiao nodded firmly, her voice even more serious than before.
"I'll tell you another secret. The reason I came here — first, to help you; second, to gather material for my writing. I'm starting to feel a little inspired already."
Li Wan'er was left speechless. Either A-Qiao was simply insane, or it was Li Wan'er herself who didn't truly understand the hardships of writers.
"Why don't you try writing about your own life?" Li Wan'er gently suggested.
"Interesting! If I were to write about myself... then I'd title it 'A-Qiao and Her Secrets!' Hahaha!" A-Qiao laughed heartily.
"May I ask one more thing? What exactly is your relationship with Daoist Priest Su Bai Cheng?" Li Wan'er asked, unable to suppress her curiosity. The elderly priest seemed to trust A-Qiao deeply, enough to reveal dangerous secrets that could lead to his own downfall.
"He took me in. So I became his disciple," A-Qiao answered wearily, ending her words with a long sigh.
"...I see."
Li Wan'er nodded in understanding.
Now it made sen
se — a disciple as peculiar as this could only come from an extraordinary master like Daoist Su Bai Cheng.