Chapter Fourteen: A Stroll Together in the Plum Garden

Update time: 2013-05-15

As soon as Qiao Zhi caught up with Lian Yue and heard she was heading to the Plum Gallery Garden, he clung to her like a stubborn plaster, refusing to leave no matter how much she tried to shoo him away. He turned to Yu Wen Lingxi, who was following behind, and said, "What luck today! We finally have the chance to see the legendary Yue Family's Plum Garden, the very one my royal father has praised so highly." Hearing this, Yu Wen Lingxi's expression lit up with interest, and, almost unconsciously, her steps quickened.

The Yue Family’s Plum Garden was famed throughout the Empire of Silken Attire. It was said that before Madame Qian, the former lady of the house, had married into the family, she had adored plum blossoms. To win her favor, the previous family head had, before the wedding, opened up a garden in the northwest corner of the estate. He had scoured the country to assemble three main varieties, five broad categories, nineteen types, and over a hundred kinds of plum blossoms, planting them in intricate formations, naming the collection “The Three Movements of Plum Blossoms,” and assigning dedicated gardeners to tend them—all for a single smile from Lady Qian. The garden did not disappoint; in the very first year of Lady Qian’s marriage, the blooms were spectacular. On a whim, she then ordered several elegant lodges to be built within the garden and would reside there each winter. If outsiders wished to view the blossoms, they required the head of the Yue Family’s permission. Such a rare opportunity today was not one the two would let slip by.

The party of six, master and servants, had not yet reached the Plum Gallery Garden when an elusive fragrance began to waft through the air. From a distance, reddish-brown garden walls were crowned with branches laden with tightly clustered buds and exuberant blooms—a truly enchanting sight. Lian Yue, who had worn a pout all the way, was instantly transformed, her face radiant, leaving Qiao Zhi beside her utterly entranced.

Snapping out of his daze, Qiao Zhi exclaimed in genuine admiration, "Sister Yue, you look far lovelier like this than when you're angry!"

At his words, Lian Yue’s porcelain-pale face creased in a slight frown. "Are you saying I look ugly when I'm angry?"

"Of course not! You're quite adorable then, too. But I simply prefer women who smile. Angry women… well…" As he spoke, Qiao Zhi seemed to recall something and, right in front of everyone, gave an involuntary shudder.

Lian Yue, seeing his reaction, thought he must be remembering the incident with the snowball a few days ago. Her freshly brightened face darkened once more as she turned and ordered, “Zi Ling, go knock on the door!” Then, glaring at Qiao Zhi, she said fiercely, “I happen to enjoy being angry. If you want to admire the plum blossoms, you’d better say something I like to hear.”

Baffled, Qiao Zhi replayed his recent words in his mind but still could not fathom what he had said wrong. Glancing at Yu Wen Lingxi, whose eyes now held a silent warning, he wisely remained where he was and watched as Zi Ling knocked.

With a gentle rap, the vermillion garden gate creaked open a foot wide, and a round-faced, bright-eyed little boy peered out. His gaze immediately found Lian Yue standing behind Zi Ling, and he broke into a sweet smile. Turning his head back inside, he called out excitedly, "Grandpa, Grandpa, Sister Yue is here!"

Lian Yue stepped forward and playfully tousled the adorable boy’s head, laughing. "Little Tiger, you’ve grown taller! Why haven’t you come to Lanxiang Garden to play with me lately?"

The boy, whom Lian Yue called Little Tiger, grabbed her hand with the ease of familiarity and began leading her inside as he replied, "Little Tiger wanted to go, but Grandpa and Father wouldn’t let me lately. I haven’t had any hibiscus cakes in so long..."

Qiao Zhi and Yu Wen Lingxi followed close behind, and even Qiao Zhi, who had grown up in the palace, was stunned by the sight that greeted them. It felt as if they had stepped into a celestial realm. Apart from a few lodges near the entrance, the entire view was a sea of plum blossoms in full clusters, their colors varied but harmonious. Amid the waves of blooms, the dark eaves of the lodges peeked through, the contrast only deepening the sense of enchantment.

"Young Miss, you’re here! Pay no mind to this rascal..." An elderly man, well past sixty, greeted them with a beaming smile and a slight bow. This was Tian Fu, the steward of the Plum Gallery Garden and one of the original gardeners since its creation. In the blink of an eye, decades had passed, and now even his grandson, Tian Hu, was already seven years old.

The siblings of the Yue Family had always held this elder in high respect. "Uncle Tian, my eldest sister sent me to cut a few branches for decoration," Lian Yue explained, then turned to indicate the four people who had followed her in. "These two are His Highness the Sixth Prince and the young master of the Yu Wen family. Please have someone show them around. I’ll be fine with Little Tiger as my guide."

At her words, Tian Fu’s clouded eyes brightened as he bowed to the two gentlemen, his gaze lingering thoughtfully as he wondered which of them would someday become the young miss’s husband.

"If you gentlemen don’t mind, this old man would be honored to show you around."

"We’d be most grateful, Uncle Tian," Yu Wen Lingxi replied, as Qiao Zhi, whose attention had wandered, snapped back and realized Lian Yue had disappeared from sight. "Where’s Sister Yue gone? How is it that she vanished in the blink of an eye?"

Note:
Three main varieties: 1. True Plum; 2. Apricot Plum; 3. Cherry Plum.
Five broad categories: 1. Upright Branch Plum; 2. Weeping Branch Plum; 3. Dragon Wandering Plum; 4. Apricot Plum; 5. Cherry Plum.
Nineteen types: Upright Branch Plum includes Pin Plum, Slender Plum, River Plum, Palace Pink, Green Calyx, Jade Butterfly, Vermilion, Yellow Fragrance, Spotted Gold types; Weeping Branch Plum includes Pink Weeping, Five Treasures Weeping, Remnant Snow Weeping, White Jade Weeping, Bone Crimson Weeping; Dragon Wandering Plum includes Jade Butterfly Dragon Wandering; Apricot Plum includes Single Petal Apricot and Spring After; Cherry Plum includes Beauty Plum.