When Liang Xuanji reached the branch of the Bamboo Silk House, she initially approached the front gates with confidence and proudly explained her reason for visiting to one of the mortal workers at the front of the sect. When she explained which disciple had caught her brother's eye, however, things started to turn strange.
The mortal worker's eyes widened with shock and she immediately fetched an actual disciple of the sect who again listened to Liang Xuanji's reason for visiting and once again nearly panicked when she heard Wu Ling's name. After confirming several times that she really did mean Wu Ling, daughter of Wu Ningli, the flustered disciple showed her to one of the tea houses at the front of the sect and asked her to wait.
The wait lasted long enough for the tea house to serve tea and a small tray of sweets and for the young researcher to finish the entire pot of tea and tray of sweets before an older woman entered the small room with her.
"Welcome, Initiate Liang, to the Bamboo Silk House," the woman said as she slid the door closed behind her. "I'm Warden Mu Shien. I understand that your brother is interested in one of our disciples?"
"Yes," Liang Xuanji said, pulling her brother's portrait out of her cosmos bag and setting it on the table. "This is my little brother, he's an Inner Disciple of the Purple Thunder War Hall and…"
"How did your brother come to be interested in Young Lady Wu?" Mu Shien asked without taking as much as a glance at the portrait. "She's only spent a few years outside the sect, and she's only barely awakened."
"Well, you see," the young scholar began, wilting under Warden Mu's piercing gaze. "Junior Sister Wu Ling and I are both graduates of the Pure Virtue Musician's Hall, only I graduated years before she enrolled. She once painted the night sky for me and she protected us on the Amber Lily Academy's expedition to observe the eclipse," she said in a rush, her words nearly running into each other in her rush to explain.
The Liang family carried the bloodline of the Great Plains Thunder Mouse, and while it might be called 'The Mouse that Roars', in her family, she felt like she'd inherited a double portion of 'mouse' while leaving all of the 'roar' to her younger brother.
The way Warden Mu looked at her carried such a strong, predatory aura that her inner mouse quaked in fear, feeling as though a fierce hawk was about to descend on her with a sharp beak and grasping talons. The longer the Warden's unblinking eyes were fixed on her, the faster her heart raced and the more her palms grew slick with sweat.
"I, I became convinced on that trip that she would be a good match for my little brother, and, and we met by happenstance the other day," Liang Xuanji said, forcing herself to press on despite the pressure of the older woman's gaze. "M-my brother was very taken with her appearance and talent and he strongly feels that they would be a good match and…"
"The Pure Virtue Musician's Hall again," Warden Mu mused. "Then, are you also acquainted with disciples Yao Meifeng and Su Yao?"
"Um, I only met Junior Sister Su that one time when my brother met Junior Sister Wu. I'm afraid I haven't had the privilege to meet Sister Yao," she said, puzzled why this imposing woman was so interested in the Pure Virtue Musician's Hall. It was just a school for young mortal ladies to study the arts and etiquette, it wasn't anything that special by the standards of cultivators.
"Why is it you think that your brother and our young lady would be a good match?" Mu Shien asked directly, her gaze never leaving the young scholar's eyes.
"They're both very thoughtful people," Liang Xuanji said. "In fact, on the trip back after the eclipse, I often saw Sister Wu playing chess with Instructor Huang. My brother is an Initiate Scholar in addition to being a Soldier and he has dedicated considerable time to studying chess. I thought, perhaps they could build real love on something as simple as a shared love of a game and…"
"You know, I'm the one who taught Little Ling how to play chess," Warden Mu said, finally smiling and beginning to relax. "Ever since she arrived in the sect when she was barely seven summers old. She's been one of my very best students. Since your brother shares an interest in the game, I'm willing to meet with him to discuss matters further," she said with a slight smile.
"Really?" Liang Xuanji said with a grin that lit up the whole of her face. "Then, is Junior Sister Wu your disciple? I was told that she was the disciple of an Elder but maybe I misunderstood?"
"Oh no, Young Lady Wu isn't my disciple," Warden Mu said with a smile. "I'm far from qualified to claim such a talent as my disciple. I'm just someone who has looked out for her from time to time while she was growing up in the sect. I'm willing to meet with your brother to form an opinion of him."
"Perhaps, if he plays a good game and shows me a heart that's worthy of Little Ling, I'll speak positively of him when I bring this matter to Hall Master Bian's attention," the Warden offered. "You must understand that our Hall Master has very high hopes for Little Ling's future. Your brother and your Liang family can't be lacking in sincerity if you wish to court her."
"I-I understand," Liang Xuanji said, swallowing nervously. "I'll speak with my brother about visiting to meet with Warden Mu. Thank you. I'm sure that they'll be an excellent match and that my brother will make her very happy."
"Perhaps," Mu Shien said, finally withdrawing the predatory gaze that she'd fixed the young woman with completely. "We'll first have to see if your brother measures up. I'll hang onto this portrait," she said, retrieving the portrait and placing it in her spacial ring without giving it more than a brief glance. "Have your brother visit in five day's time at midday."
"Of course," the young woman said, bowing deeply to show her thanks. "I'll make sure he's prepared to play an excellent game with Warden Mu."