Song Ruqi felt a sense of despair about her marriage prospects, and her grandmother, Song Ci, felt the same way.
"Ah, ah, ah, why did this fall on my shoulders?" Song Ci rubbed her temples, looking at a list compiled by her personal maids, feeling her brain throb with pain.
The list recorded all the ladies who attended the eldest daughter-in-law’s birthday banquet, noting which family they were from, their ranks, and ages. If the maids could do quick sketches, Song Ci might have had them draw some portraits.
As Song Ci looked over the list, she recalled the appearances of the ladies she had seen and compared their family backgrounds, but no matter how she looked, she couldn’t find a suitable match for her youngest son.
Nanny Gong saw her distress and advised, "Madam, there’s no need to rush. Matters of marriage can’t be hurried. Take your time to find the right match."
Song Ci forced a bitter smile. She didn’t want to rush, but wasn’t it because an old lady had dangled a big cookie in front of her? What if she actually got to eat that cookie?
So, she had no choice but to hurry.
The worst part was that troublesome boy, who didn’t fancy the perfectly nice Wang Qiuman. Ugh.
"Shall I accompany you for a walk?" Nanny Gong suggested.
Just what she wanted.
"Let’s go, let’s go." Song Ci stood up with her help and said, "Let’s visit Lin Qing."
The two of them headed towards the Bamboo Grove Cottage, where Lin Qing, dressed in simple fabrics, was using a small hoe to tend to her herb garden.
In truth, the Prime Minister’s Mansion paid great attention to her wishes. When she wanted a small herb garden to plant and study herbs of her choice, a plot was quickly cleared for her behind the Bamboo Grove Cottage at Song Ci’s command.
These days, apart from giving acupuncture treatments to Song Ci, preparing medicinal meals, or chatting with her, she spent her time tending to her herb garden.
Hearing Song Ci approaching, she straightened up and bowed, "Madam."
Song Ci said, "No need for formalities. Continue with your work; I just came to take a look."
Lin Qing replied with a smile, "I don’t have much to do. Shall we talk inside? I’ve just brewed some herbal tea that can calm and soothe the mind. Would you like to try it?"
"In a while." Song Ci gazed at the herb garden and said, "Your garden is looking quite the part now, sprouting new leaves."
The herb garden wasn’t just planted with medicinal herbs; it also had some flowers that could be used in medicine. Planting herb seeds near the flowers made them grow better and also served to disguise them.
Lin Qing beamed with pride and said, "It’s all thanks to your support, but you seem a bit worried lately."
After spending so much time together, she could speak freely with Song Ci.
"Oh, it’s all thanks to my unfilial son, little Baoyu. Oh, that’s my fourth son. I’ve worn myself out trying to find a wife for him. I’ve seen so many matches that I’m cross-eyed, yet I still can’t find the right one. It’s really vexing for me."
You might be vexed, but why are you pulling at my herb leaves?
"Madam, children’s marriages are destined by heaven, you can’t rush these things. The more anxious you are, the more blind you’ll become, making it even harder to find the right match." Lin Qing, worried that Song Ci might pull at her herbs again, stepped forward, took her hand, and comforted her, "These matters of fate, they come when you’re not in a hurry."
Song Ci looked at her and said, "Lin Qing, are you feeding me toxic chicken soup?"
She didn’t believe in love falling from the sky. Wait? She could wait until she was old and gray, and it still wouldn’t come. You have to take action yourself.
Lin Qing looked bewildered, "Toxic chicken soup?"
Was Madam trying to scare people to death? Even with a hundred times the courage, she wouldn’t dare.
Song Ci let out an awkward laugh, "It means fake encouragement, ha, not really chicken soup."