Li Mo'er was full of melancholy, her tone lacking confidence: "He is a great hero in apprehending criminals, very capable, and has solved many cases, big and small. As for me! My needlework is poor, and I don't have the same outstanding temperament as my elder sister. I know a little about playing the zither, calligraphy, and painting, but only the basics. How could he possibly fancy a little girl like me who is inferior in every way?"
Ye Qingcheng lightly tapped her nose: "Silly girl, no matter how outstanding he is, he's not as high-ranking as your father! If it truly came to marriage, he would be the one marrying up."
Li Mo'er was dejected and listless, her usual liveliness gone. She kept fiddling with her belt with her fingers: "But... this is probably the only use I have!"
Ye Qingcheng was silent for a long time, unsure how to answer. But she was right, if she lost her father's backing, she would be tossed around by others, unwanted.
But no one should be like this; she shouldn't be like this. Ye Qingcheng understood the era; it was an era of parental matchmaking and arranged marriages, with no concept of free love.
"I'll have him be my sparring partner again tomorrow. Can you come find me again tomorrow?"
Li Mo'er looked lost and bewildered: "Ah?"
Ye Qingcheng put her arm around her shoulder: "This way, you can see him!"
"But... but..." Li Mo'er was still hesitant. If people said she was often with a man, it would likely lead to gossip.
Ye Qingcheng didn't think that far ahead: "You don't need to overthink it. After all, you won't be alone with him; I'll be there! Think about it! If Pei Changqiu doesn't like you and treats you indifferently, then you can just give up on him. But if he cherishes you at all times, regardless of your status, then you can try to get along."
Li Mo'er was a little confused.
"Why shouldn't he see my status."
"Silly girl," Ye Qingcheng said helplessly.
"If he were to be with you only because of your status, then do you think such a person can be trusted? If your family were to fall into decline one day, would he still share your hardships? Wouldn't he just run off with the money? What use is such a person?"
Li Mo'er nodded in understanding, she got it.
"Silly girl, you need to understand, to judge a person's character, you must look at their lowest point."
Li Mo'er blinked at Ye Qingcheng: "Lowest point?"
Ye Qingcheng saw a strange look in her eyes: "What's wrong?"
Li Mo'er shook her head: "Nothing. It's just that my elder sister also told me that sentence."
Ye Qingcheng's mind conjured the image of Li Xuan'er. This indeed sounded like something she would say.
"My elder sister said that when judging a person, you must look at their character, and that is determined by their lowest point. If their lowest point is infinitely low, then this man is not worth it."
Ye Qingcheng patted her head: "Your elder sister speaks very wisely."
Li Mo'er nodded in agreement.
Ye Qingcheng lifted the curtain and looked out, the direction seemed familiar, but the more she thought about it, the less she could recall.
After talking for a long time, her throat was dry, so she boiled some water to make tea. Fortunately, when Xiao Wangye was having the carriage modified, he made many requests, the first being that it could accommodate his wheelchair, and the second was that it could have a place for charcoal to boil water.
The entire carriage was now filled with the sound of boiling water, and then the sound of the water coming to a boil.
Li Mo'er finally made up her mind.
"I agree with Princess Consort. Tomorrow, when Princess Consort goes to find Young Master Pei for sparring, I will come too."
Ye Qingcheng lightly scraped her nose: "That's good!" With that, she started to pour tea.
But Li Mo'er looked at the tea set beside her and volunteered: "Princess Consort, let me make you a pot of tea!"
Ye Qingcheng's eyes lit up: "Wonderful!" She loved the tea brewed by Jingxiu; it was delicious, but no matter how she tried, she couldn't learn it, and was even ridiculed by Xiao Wangye, who said she had no talent.
Li Mo'er took the tea set and began to brew the tea.
Soon, the tea was ready.
Ye Qingcheng took a sip: "Mmm..." Then she smacked her lips, giving her evaluation: "It's too concentrated. In the Prince's manor, there's a young maid who brews tea with top-notch skill. Even the picky Xiao Wangye speaks highly of her."
Li Mo'er was surprised: "Someone who can make the Prince say it's good must brew it very deliciously."
Ye Qingcheng smiled and took another sip: "Yours is also delicious. Don't underestimate yourself. By the way, where are we going?"
Hearing this, and just as the Princess Consort praised her, she picked up a cup of tea and drank it: "We're going to the Liu Residence."
"The Liu Residence?" For some reason, Ye Qingcheng felt it was very familiar!
Li Mo'er nodded: "Yes! We are going to play with the eldest daughter of the Liu family. Princess Consort might not know Liu Ruyan, but you must have heard of the legitimate young master of the Liu Residence, right?"
Ye Qingcheng shook her head: "I don't know him." Truly, she didn't know him here. After returning to the Prince's manor, she was either arranged to practice martial arts by Elder Jun or attended banquets during her free time. She had indeed not met many people in the capital outside of banquets.
Li Mo'er was somewhat surprised by this: "A few days ago, the young master of the Liu family caused such a huge incident, Princess Consort hasn't heard of it?"
"Hm? What incident?"
Li Mo'er said nervously: "A while ago, many merchant caravans came to the capital. There was a girl among them whom the young master of the Liu family was very fond of; he longed to see her every day."
For some reason, Ye Qingcheng felt this story was very familiar, as if it had happened right beside her.
"And then what?"
Li Mo'er took a sip of tea: "I heard that the girl ignored him. When it was her last day to leave, she didn't even tell him; she only informed his mother."
Ye Qingcheng's hand paused. She looked up abruptly, realizing why it sounded so familiar.
Li Mo'er continued: "I heard that the young master of the Liu family waited at the city gate early that morning, just to wait for that girl. However, he was too late. The capital gate opened very early, and many merchant caravans had already left. But the young master of the Liu family refused to believe it! He waited day after day, if not today, then tomorrow; if not tomorrow, then the day after. He went to the capital gate every day to wait, looking at every merchant caravan, both those leaving and those entering. He persisted for more than half a month, until his parents couldn't bear it and adamantly told him not to go."
"Alas~! What kind of magic did that girl have? Everyone who heard of her said she was incredibly beautiful."
When Ye Qingcheng heard praise, she immediately perked up.
"Are you telling the truth?"
Li Mo'er: "Of course, it's true. How could there be a lie?"
Ye Qingcheng: "Oh, what I mean is that the girl was very beautiful."
Li Mo'er pondered for a moment: "I haven't seen her myself, it's all hearsay, but everyone who has seen her says she is very beautiful."
Ye Qingcheng smiled broadly, taking it as a compliment.
Li Mo'er continued: "Otherwise, how could the young master of the Liu family, who frequently visited brothels and drank with courtesans, reform himself directly?"
"It's not scary to get married and establish a family; what's truly impressive is the ability to make a prodigal son turn over a new leaf."
Ye Qingcheng nodded in agreement. She could make a future prodigal son reform; she was quite charming!
Hehe! Thinking about it made her happy.
However... she still shouldn't go to the Liu Residence. What if she was seen? Wouldn't that be very awkward?
"Perhaps I shouldn't go to the Liu Residence."
But Li Mo'er refused.
She tightly grasped Ye Qingcheng's hand: "No, you promised me you would accompany me."
Ye Qingcheng was quite pleased; this little girl still cared about her. But in the next second, her expression changed.
She heard Li Mo'er say: "If you leave, then Brother Pei will also leave. You said you would be a matchmaker for Pei and me, so you can't go back on your word."
Ye Qingcheng's face instantly darkened.
This little girl was clearly prioritizing romance over friendship.