Chapter 72 Green-calyx Plum
How long has he been standing here?
There was a thick layer of fine snow on his head and shoulders. His lips were slightly purple from the cold and the tip of his nose was red.
His attitude of keeping strangers away attracted the attention of the young men and women passing by him.
"Huh? Isn't that Young Master Sun?"
"What is he doing here? He's like a door god."
"Who are you waiting for? It's freezing cold, aren't you afraid of the cold?"
"Shh...keep your voice down, he has a terrible temper."
The whispers, filled with undisguised curiosity, doubt and a hint of mockery, were like fine needles, piercing him continuously.
Sun Honglei was completely unaware of this.
A fair-faced young man in brocade robes, who was somewhat acquainted with him, came over with two companions and reached out to pull him, smiling: "Sun Dalang! What are you daydreaming about? Standing here like an idiot, staring at the northwest wind? Come on! There are so many flowers and trees inside! The girls from the Zhou family and the young ladies from the Zhenguo Mansion are reciting poems and painting! It's so lively!"
He put his arm around Sun Honglei's shoulders, trying to pull him into the fun.
Sun Honglei's body shook violently, and he turned his head suddenly, his eyes as big as copper bells widened.
"Get out of here!" He shook off his companion's arm, his voice as deep as thunder, filled with suppressed anger, "Stop getting in my way! If you want to go, go by yourselves!"
After saying that, he no longer paid attention to the awkward expressions of those people who froze for a moment, and continued to stare at the entrance of the forest, but his gaze was more anxious, and even carried a hint of uneasiness.
It’s been so long... Miss Luo... you’re not coming, are you?
At this moment, the sparse shadows in the forest swayed slightly.
A scarlet figure came walking along the snowy path.
As soon as Luo Zhaohan's figure emerged from the light and shadow of the forest, he was exposed under the halo of the outermost palace lanterns.
Her figure was slightly thin but still upright, and her vermilion palace dress exuded a warm yet dark luster under the lamplight. Her cold brows carried a hint of weariness and tranquility, as if blown by the wind and snow.
She paused slightly at the intersection of light and darkness, seemingly unprepared for so many people to gather at the entrance, and glanced briefly at the crowd.
Almost at the same moment when Luo Zhaohan appeared——
The anxiety, boredom and a little uneasiness that had accumulated in Sun Honglei's eyes for a long time disappeared in an instant, and were replaced by a light that was almost ecstatic.
Like a lost traveler in the dark night who suddenly saw a light, the fierce and tense lines on his face melted away instantly, and he grinned, revealing a row of dazzlingly white teeth under the light.
His smile was bright and even had a bit of boyish silliness, and he did not hide his excitement at all.
He took a quick step forward, took two quick steps towards Luo Zhaohan, and his voice rose with excitement: "Miss Luo! You...you're here!"
The sound was not small, and it instantly attracted the attention of everyone nearby, with all kinds of speculative and playful eyes!
Luo Zhaohan's heart skipped a beat.
This reckless man!
Her expression remained unchanged, and she only took a half step to the side almost imperceptibly when Sun Honglei was about to approach her.
Her gaze swept calmly over Sun Honglei and then over the onlookers, and a trace of imperceptible vigilance flashed across the depths of her eyes.
There are many people and many eyes.
At this moment, Sun Honglei suddenly realized that he was too excited and disturbed the crowd.
The joy on his face froze slightly, and then his rough eyebrows were tightly furrowed, showing a bit of anxiety. He subconsciously looked into the depths of the wintersweet forest, as if he wanted to get rid of these people, or as if he was confirming something.
"Uh... cough!" He cleared his throat forcefully. "Um... Miss Luo... the plum blossoms inside are in better bloom than outside... How about... let's go inside?"
He glanced at Luo Zhaohan with cautious probing eyes.
Luo Zhaohan understood his intention and nodded slightly, "Mr. Sun, it would be disrespectful to refuse such a kind offer."
No nonsense, no pleasantries.
Luo Zhaohan took a step forward, turned around first, and walked back into the slightly sparse but much quieter wintersweet avenue than the entrance.
Sun Honglei's eyes lit up, as if he had received an imperial decree.
He immediately strode forward and followed.
The further you go in, the thinner and more scattered the light from the palace lanterns becomes as it is filtered by the dense plum branches.
The snow under my feet seemed whiter and softer, and made a clearer crunching sound when I stepped on it.
The sounds of laughter and chatter from the group of young men and women who had come to enjoy the show had long been forgotten, and the surroundings had returned to an almost oppressive silence.
Away from the crowd and the main path, Sun Honglei's pace became noticeably faster, no longer as stiff as it was outside the forest.
He had a clear goal and without any hesitation, he made many detours, bypassing several areas with particularly dense branches and heading straight to the deeper part of the wintersweet forest and further north.
The light grew dimmer.
Luo Zhaohan kept a distance of three or five steps and followed him quietly.
Her eyes silently swept over Sun Honglei's broad back, holding her breath and concentrating, sensing any trace of something unusual except the sound of the wind and falling snow.
I don’t know how long I walked.
The huge figure leading the way ahead suddenly stopped at a fork in the road.
Sun Honglei stopped suddenly and turned around.
An exceptionally tall and sturdy old wintersweet tree, its gnarled branches baring their teeth like giant claws reaching out into the cold night, became a makeshift boundary marker between the two. Behind the tree, a few jagged rocks were cloaked in darkness, and ahead, only a narrower path was vaguely visible.
Luo Zhaohan also stopped immediately.
Through the dense, drooping branches and sparse tree shadows, she could see Sun Honglei's face, which could not hide his excitement and anticipation even in the dim light.
The two were only about ten feet apart.
"Miss Luo." Sun Honglei's voice was lowered, less gruff than usual, and in the silence, it seemed solemn. He cupped his fists and bowed slightly in Luo Zhaohan's direction, performing a formal, though not quite standard, salute.
Luo Zhaohan also lowered his eyes and nodded, and returned the greeting through the shadows of the flowers.
Her posture was impeccable and she was about to speak, getting straight to the point.
However, Sun Honglei suddenly straightened up at this moment, and before she could speak, as if he had mustered up great courage, his voice was filled with obvious eagerness and the excitement of presenting a treasure:
"Miss Luo! This Merlin is just like that. Too many people and too many eyes. It's boring! I know a perfect place! It's secluded, warm, and has even rarer flowers!"
His eyes gleamed in the dim light, like two tiny flames burning within them. "It's right up ahead, at the Green-Eye Pavilion! The plum blossoms planted there are all aged green plums, carefully cultivated by generations. They're in bloom right now! The fragrance and the view are a hundred times, a thousand times, better than here!"
He looked at Luo Zhaohan eagerly, with a barely perceptible nervousness in his voice, "If the girl can trust me..."
Green-Eye Pavilion?
Luo Zhaohan's heart suddenly jumped!
Sun Honglei actually knew about this place? And he wanted to take her there?
An idea flashed through my mind like lightning - too secluded, too abnormal.
In this deep palace, deep in the winter plum blossom garden, how could he, the son of an external official, be so familiar with the path leading to such a hidden place?
She listened intently for a few breaths. It was confirmed. Aside from the wind, there was only dead silence. This far north, indeed, was a sparsely populated area.
Looking at Sun Honglei's sincere and eager eyes, Luo Zhaohan's tightly pursed lips loosened slightly.
"Mr. Sun, you are thoughtful." Luo Zhaohan's voice was as clear as ice in the cold night, but it was no longer cold and hard, keeping people at a distance. "Such a beautiful place, Zhaohan is willing to go and see it."
"Really?!" Sun Honglei's eyes suddenly lit up like stars in the dark night.
"Okay! Okay!" He nodded vigorously, then suddenly realized his own gaffe. He quickly suppressed his smile, put on a stern face, and made a gesture to lead the way. However, his voice couldn't suppress the excitement: "Miss Luo, please follow me! It's just up ahead. I'll lead the way for you!"
After saying this, he turned around abruptly. Luo Zhaohan no longer hesitated and followed him with steady steps.
As Sun Honglei pushed aside the branches blocking the road, a narrow path was revealed ahead, only wide enough for one person to pass.
The drooping branches of the wintersweets on both sides almost brushed Luo Zhaohan's shoulders and temples, and the dense yellow flowers fell with the vibration.
The snow stopped.
A few rays of sunlight leaked through the gaps between the clouds, falling on the newly piled snow on the branches, reflecting a cold light.
Sun Honglei insisted on leading the way, walking on the path covered with fine snow.
Behind him, Luo Zhaohan's footsteps were cautious and light, almost drowned out by the sound of the snow breaking under his feet.
He had never felt that the road from the warm room to the desolate plum forest in the back garden was so short and so worth reminiscing about.
The garden was completely silent, with only the crunching sound of boots breaking through the snow, repeatedly tapping the empty space between the two of them.
The air after the snow is so cold that it biting the bone. Take a deep breath and your internal organs will be filled with the unique cool fragrance of wintersweet.
Sun Honglei's pace slowed down unconsciously, and there was even a slight sluggishness.
He glanced sideways, his eyes passing over the tip of Luo Zhaohan's nose, which was slightly red from the cold, pausing for a moment on her brows which were slightly furrowed in thought, and finally landing on the thin edge of silver fox fur around the brim of her cloak hood.
The soft fur trembled slightly with her steps, as if scratching his heart, bringing about a strange numbness and warmth.
If I could keep going like this...
A trace of extravagant hope suddenly crossed Sun Honglei's mind, which he did not dare to delve into. Perhaps in the future he would have the chance to take her to enjoy the real springtime of this place?
Luo Zhaohan was completely unaware of the turbulent thoughts of the person beside him.
Her mind was tense, as if facing a formidable enemy. Her entire being was preoccupied with trying to determine Sun Honglei's true purpose in bringing her here. Was it a test? A plot? Or perhaps the beginning of a full-scale revelation? Every step felt like treading on thin ice.
She only believed two points about the "green-calyx plum" he mentioned, and the remaining eight points were full of vigilance.
For a nobleman who is caught up in the palace struggles at the center of the storm, every gesture of goodwill from him may be a sharp blade coated with honey.
She lowered her eyes, thinking about how to respond without revealing any flaws, and didn't even glance at the almost clumsy gentleness on his face.
Deep in the wintersweet forest, another suppressed and urgent sound of footsteps was contrary to the apparent tranquility, shuttling through the snow-covered forest.
Pei Ji almost stumbled into the heart of the plum forest.
The strange heat in his body burned his meridians all the way to the top of his head, forcing the veins on his forehead to bulge and his breathing to be hot and heavy.
Every breath he exhaled emitted a visible white mist, mixed with a strong smell of blood and a breath that even he himself found unfamiliar.
It's too hot!
All the internal organs felt like they were being roasted on charcoal fire!
He urgently needed a cold place to extinguish the evil fire, that dry well!
His staggering steps brought down the drooping plum branches, and the accumulated snow fell all over his head and shoulders. The cold snowflakes briefly hit his burning skin, bringing a faint sense of clarity, but it also stimulated him so much that his whole body trembled, and an extremely suppressed groan escaped from his throat.
He bit the tip of his tongue hard, and the strong smell of blood filled his mouth. The severe pain made his confused mind barely focus.
No! We must make it to that dry well!
Not far behind him, the clear sound of footsteps on the snow was following the traces of his hurried steps, approaching step by step.
Closer!
Pei Ji's eyes were bloodshot, his teeth were clenched, and he forced himself to increase his speed a bit, rushing towards the small raised hill in the deepest part of Merlin for his life.
When Luo Zhaohan followed Sun Honglei out of the edge of the plum forest and stepped onto the small slope covered with thick new snow, the scene that came into her eyes made her cold eyes suddenly widen.
On the top of the hill, a flat and open area is cleverly surrounded by rugged rocks in an orderly manner, isolating it from the cold wind and forming a small world that seems isolated from the outside world.
In the center stood a small, quaint octagonal pavilion, its pillars somewhat faded, its roof covered with thick snow, its eaves like white feathers.
There was no snow inside the pavilion, and the bluestone floor bore traces of sweeping. In the center sat a round jade table with ancient veins, surrounded by several stone drum stools. Not far away, a stone table with a rough-hewn chessboard and a few scattered pieces lay half-buried in the snow.
Beyond the stone table, a deep, old well lay silent, its walls covered in thick snow and withered moss, revealing only the dark opening. Not far from the well, an ancient wooden swing hung forlornly from the branches of a large tree, its rope also encrusted with ice and snow.
What is most impressive is that around the pavilion and among the scattered rocks, there are more than a dozen wintersweet trees that are obviously taller and more vigorous than those found elsewhere, standing proudly.
Their twisted branches resemble sleeping dragons, and their myriad buds burst forth in the chill wind, their color not the common bright yellow or ginger, but a rare, icy white.
Only the edges of the innermost petals reveal a faint, tender green, almost imperceptible, like a mist shrouding the flower, pure and otherworldly. A gust of wind blows, and the countless white petals, each with a hint of green, sway gently, their rich, cool fragrance becoming even more profound and refreshing, refreshing the heart.
"This is..." Luo Zhaohan couldn't help but speak, his eyes lingering on those unique petals, "Green-calyx plum?"
Her voice was cold and clear, and it was especially clear in this suddenly open and silent place.
Just then.
Beneath the dry well, in the absolute cold and darkness.
He was clinging to the rough wall of the well, breathing rapidly, trying to use the chill that penetrated deep into his bones to suppress the rage in his body that was threatening to burn his sanity to ashes, when a clear female voice, as clear as the sound of an icy spring, suddenly came from above the wellhead.
"Green-calyx plum?"
These three words, like a bolt of lightning carrying shards of ice, struck Pei Ji's mind without warning.
Buzz!
In an instant, his bloodshot eyes suddenly widened and his whole body shook violently.
That voice, how could it be her voice?
The breathing sounds at the bottom of the well suddenly became several times heavier and more turbid.
Next to the pavilion on the slope.
When Sun Honglei heard Luo Zhaohan's question, the secret joy in his heart quietly spread out again.
He turned sideways, his eyes falling on the strange plant with green and white interwoven. For the first time, his face, which usually had no unnecessary expressions and even had a bit of hostility, showed pure reminiscence and sigh.
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