Chapter 17

Chapter 17

True to its name, the Water Curtain Pavilion was constructed over a lotus pond. With intricate mechanisms, water was diverted to flow down the pavilion's roof, leaving only one side accessible for entry and exit. The other three sides were cascading with water, creating a curtain of water that descended like a waterfall.

Built on water with waterfalls surrounding it, the pavilion was exceptionally cool, much beloved by all the ladies of the household. However, they couldn't stay long due to the excessive dampness.

Upon entering the pavilion, Lady Ning took the lead to sit down, followed by the other wives in their respective order. Servant girls promptly served them chilled plum soup.

Fourth Madam, Wu, was the first to inquire, "Is there something urgent, Eldest Sister?"

Madam Ning: "It's unusually hot this year, and I'm afraid the ice stored in the ice cellar won't suffice. A few days ago, I sent someone to purchase more, but they returned, telling me that there were far fewer ice sellers than usual. Any that did appear were snatched up instantly by others. I suppose the other families in the capital are also struggling with an ice shortage."

The ladies exchanged glances. Madam Zhou, the Third Lady, asked, "What about saltpeter?"

Madam Ning sighed. "Saltpeter is a key ingredient in gunpowder and is strictly controlled by the imperial court. When I inquired with the young master last night, he said we could at most obtain a thousand catties, which wouldn't make much of a difference."

This left the other ladies speechless. The pavilion fell into a deep silence.

In the end, it was Madam Ning who broke the quiet. "I think we should reduce the allocation of ice for each household, except for the Old Lady's, and use it sparingly."

Madame Wu immediately lost her pleasure. "Perhaps it won't be this hot in a few days."

Madame Fang spoke calmly, "But what if the heat continues?"

Madame Wu was at a loss for words. Whether the heat persisted or not was not up to them, but rather, the heavens.

Madame Zhou let out a long sigh. "It's already scorching hot. Wouldn't reducing the allocation of ice make it even hotter?" This was an implicit acceptance of the reduction; there was no choice, as the ice supply was limited.

Madame Ning proposed, "I plan to have my eldest maid Jin'er share a room with Fourth Miss Rui'er, and Second Miss Lang'er with Third Miss Yue'er. This way, we'll instantly need two fewer rooms with ice. In addition to their pairs, we can further reduce the usage in each quarter."

"That's indeed a solution." Lady Zhou instantly assessed her own children and swiftly strategized the rearrangement of their living quarters.

The matter was thus settled.

Meng Die maintained a composed demeanor, pretending not to notice the meaningful gaze from Lady Wu.

On their way back, Meng Die took the initiative to say, "Mother, Eldest Sister-in-law is already prone to heat due to her pregnancy. There's no need to reduce the ice in her quarters. As for me, I live alone, and I rarely venture out anyway. It would be fine to cut down on the ice supply in my room."

In Meng Die's eyes, whether in this world or the other, pregnant women were like giant pandas, deserving of utmost care and attention. How could she possibly compete with a pregnant woman for resources? Lady Wu could forget about seeing her fight over ice.

Madam Ning: "There's no need for that. She's pregnant and can't consume too much ice."

Meng Die: "Mother, I've calculated it. Eldest Sister-in-law will give birth during the hottest time of the year. They say that new mothers should avoid drafts to prevent catching a cold, but heat is also a concern. In such scorching weather, without any breeze, it could lead to heat-related illnesses. I've heard that by placing more ice in an adjacent room, the birthing room can remain cool without being too cold. We'll surely need a lot of ice then."

Madam Ning's face lit up with joy: "It's rare that you've thought of everything so thoroughly. Yun-er is fortunate to have a sister-in-law like you."

Meng Die smiled: "Eldest Sister-in-law has always taken good care of me, and besides, I'm not simply giving away the ice for nothing. Mother, you'll have to compensate me for it."

Madam Ning: "Alright, alright, whatever compensation you want is fine."

Meng Die: "I've thought about it. I'll take more cold baths, but using more water will require the labor of those servant girls and old servants. When it comes to rewarding them, that will be Mother's responsibility, not mine."

Madam Ning's eyes crinkled with delight. "I'll make sure to remember that."

Free from the daily obligations of paying respects in the morning and evening, Meng Die was content to stay at home as a carefree idle soul, perusing the exhilarating account books and occasionally listening to Xue Qing's gossip. "Second Madam, I finally understand why the Marquis' residence was in such a hurry to send a message to our estate back then."

Meng Die: "I could have guessed without you saying. It must be because my horoscope and Second Master's were very compatible." That was probably how a wedding for good luck worked – their horoscopes had to align.

Xue Qing spoke with smug satisfaction: "Then you must not know who matched your horoscopes."

Meng Die inquired, curious, "Which esteemed master was responsible for the match?"

Xue Qing replied, "It was Master Qingxuan from the Three Pure Ones Temple who did it."

Meng Die's eyes widened, surprised by the answer. "I recall that Master Qingxuan is over a hundred years old and secluded himself in the rear mountain of the Three Pure Ones Temple, not meeting anyone. Many have tried to seek an audience with him but failed. How did the marquis household manage to invite him?"

Xue Qing explained, "After Second Master left, Lady Elder and Lady went to the Three Pure Ones Temple in the middle of the night to pray for his safety and also sought the help of the temple's head to examine their birthdates. It so happened that the master was leading his disciples down the mountain to provide free medical treatment to the common folk. They saw an elder Taoist priest with an aura of an immortal in the main hall and asked for his assistance in looking into the birthdates. It was then they discovered that he was none other than the renowned Master Qingxuan."

Xing Huang's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So, Second Master and Second Lady's birthdates were matched by the old divine master? Do you know the details of what he said?"

"That must be known." Xue Qing became more and more proud: "The old lady first gave the old immortal the horoscope of the second master. The old immortal said that the horoscope of the second master is the sun and the stem is wood. It is a good thing for wood to grow in spring. The horoscope is Geng, Xin and Jin.If he kills too much, he will have many obstacles and hardships in his life. If he wants to live a smooth and prosperous life, he must find a girl with the same zodiac sign as Mu Zaichun, and she must have a lot of fire to help him overcome the Gengxin metal."

Speaking up to this point, Xue Qing glanced out the window before lowering her voice further. "Before any incident occurred in our household, you were aware of Second Lady's marriage. The matron and madam of the house had her birth chart examined."

Before the Meng family met with their misfortune, the two households had indeed entertained the idea of uniting their families through marriage, with Meng Die as the intended bride for Eldest Young Master Li Mao. Several private discussions had taken place, and their eight characters (a traditional Chinese compatibility test) were matched, confirming that there would be no hindrance to each other's fortunes and that both were pleased with the match. It was then that Lady Ning presented a white jade twisted bangle as a token of betrothal, awaiting only Meng Die's completion of her hairpin ceremony before the Marquisate would send a matchmaker to formalize the proposal. But alas, that was as far as it went; the Meng family became entangled in a treason case, leaving the Marquisate with no choice but to seek another suitable partner.

Due to the fact that both Lady Hou and Lady Ning had memorized Meng Die's eight characters of her birth, upon hearing Qingxuan's remarks, Lady Hou instinctively inquired about the implications of Meng Die's birth chart.

Daoist Qingxuan, upon hearing the eight characters, exclaimed "Excellent!" three times in succession, "Truly marvelous! This woman's birth chart also features wood flourishing in spring, with an abundance of fire columns indicative of brilliant expression—it's a classic manifestation of the harmonious combination of wood and fire. It complements your grandson's birth chart perfectly, a union undoubtedly orchestrated by heaven."

With Daoist Qingxuan's words, Lady Hou's heart sank. There was no other reason but the fact that Meng's family was still implicated in the rebellion case. As the trial had yet to conclude, the entire family was confined within the Meng residence. They couldn't enter the Meng household to propose marriage, nor dared they make hasty advances, for a rebellion conviction would result in the extermination of nine generations.

Lady Hou sought Daoist Qingxuan for alternative solutions or suitable astrological matches. He replied that everything was predestined and patience was required.

Unable to press further, Lady Hou and Lady Ning could only return from Three Purities Temple. Not long after entering their home, news arrived that the emperor, on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, had resumed his official duties. He personally ruled on the Meng family's case at dawn, timing that was impeccable.

Xue Qing concluded, "It seems this match made in heaven is truly fated."

Meng Die finally understood the backstory. No wonder the Duke's household was so eager to communicate with the Mengs. The matchmaking had been done by Daoist Qingxuan himself. In the thirty years since he stepped down as abbot, he had given his approval to very few couples. The last pair to receive such an honor were the current crown prince and princess.