Chapter 45 Flower Banquet: Flowers have no noble or lowly status, but people have high and low status.
When Wei Yihua entered the hall, she happened to see Yue Yining enjoying tea, with an open rosewood brocade box on the table in front of her.
The eldest princess, unfamiliar with tea, noticed nothing amiss. Instead, she noticed Yue Yining's attire and asked in surprise, "Are you wearing this too today?"
Yue Yining paused in her tea-drinking motion: "Is this outfit not suitable?"
Wei Yihua sized up Yue Yining. Her black hair was simply tied in a bun with a jade hairpin on top of her full head. She was plain-faced and dressed in the same blue and white robe as usual, except for a brighter belt. However, at first glance, she was still too plain.
Wei Yihua: "Of course not. We're going to the Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet today. This outfit is too plain for you."
Wei Yihua knew Yue Yining's ways best, but she had one question: "Didn't your maid choose clothes for you last night?"
Yue Yining: "...Actually, I made a choice."
Yue Yining recalled the two incredibly beautiful outfits that had been placed on her bedside table that morning; those were most likely chosen for her by Fu Yao.
Hearing that she was going to attend the Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet, Fu Yao was even more excited than she was. She kept saying that she couldn't wear the old clothes anymore and carefully put together two outfits for her. She wouldn't have to worry about choosing one when she got up tomorrow morning; she could just wear it directly.
Unfortunately, Yue Yining woke up early and looked at the clothes again and again, but still felt that she couldn't accept such a bold and unrestrained color scheme. So she timidly went to the wardrobe and took out the outfit she wore most often. After changing, she did her own hair, too lazy to even draw her eyebrows, and just sat there waiting for the Princess to arrive.
Wei Yihua remembered something.
She narrowed her eyes dangerously: "Speaking of which, why have I never seen you wear any other clothes? After you entered the manor, I specially had the maids tailor more than a dozen sets of the most fashionable winter clothes in Yanjing according to your size, but I have never seen you wear any of them?"
"Also, the few bolts of coral brocade and colored silk that the Weaving Bureau just sent a few days ago have all been used to make new spring robes. They should have been sent over a while ago. Didn't you receive them?"
A barrage of questions came crashing down on Yue Yining, freezing her smile on her face.
Her eyes started darting around: "...Received it."
Yue Yining simply preferred wearing her own old clothes rather than new ones given to her by others, but this action was somewhat hurtful in the eyes of Wei Yihua, who was unaware of the reason.
Yue Yining noticed that Wei Yihua pursed her lips and puffed out her cheeks slightly.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, "It's my fault. I haven't paid much attention to my clothes before. But since Your Highness has said so, I'll wear it today."
Fu Yao was not there. Two maids entered the hall to help Yue Yining change her clothes. Only then did Yue Yining realize that Wei Yihua was still in the hall and did not seem to intend to leave.
Never mind, they're all women.
Yue Yining thought indifferently, letting the two maids do as they pleased like a rag doll, without even looking at what they picked out for her.
As soon as the two maids stopped, Wei Yihua immediately spoke up: "This outfit won't do, the colors are too bright."
"Change her to another outfit, one in a cooler color."
The two maids responded quickly, without even looking up: "Yes."
Yue Yining: "?"
Yue Yining was pushed behind the screen again and stripped of the clothes she had just put on.
Wei Yihua reviewed it a second time: "This pattern is too tacky. Change it to one with a darker pattern."
Wei Yihua weighed the options for the third time: "This outfit doesn't accentuate the waist and makes the wearer look bulky. Let's change to one that reaches the waist."
Wei Yihua pondered for the fourth time: "This set..."
Seeing that she was about to be tossed around for the fifth time, Yue Yining finally spoke up: "Wait!"
Yue Yining leaned against the screen helplessly, looking at Wei Yihua: "Your Highness, is that really alright? It doesn't matter what I wear..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw two beams of light suddenly appear in Wei Yihua's eyes.
Yue Yining was stunned for a moment. The princess in front of her, dressed in gorgeous clothes, showed a rare smile and looked at her with bright eyes: "This is it!"
Yue Yining was led by a maid to sit in front of a bronze mirror, where she finally saw the dress she was wearing.
A pool of shimmering, verdant green, like spring water, blends seamlessly with the vast blue of the sky. Elegant lotus blossoms cast their reflections on the lake's surface, their delicate images imprinted on the fabric, as if enveloped in the gentle mist of a light rain, both tender and serene.
"This is the most exquisite piece of dark-patterned Shu brocade that I received at the beginning of the month. The first thing I thought of when I saw this blue lotus was you."
“I asked Suyue to instruct the weaving department to make you a spring robe,” Wei Yihua said, putting her arm around her shoulder from behind the bronze mirror, her eyes crinkling with laughter. “I knew my judgment was right! It really suits you perfectly.”
Looking at Wei Yihua's smile in the bronze mirror, Yue Yining felt a warmth in her heart, and the thought of being annoyed by the trouble had long since vanished.
But as she watched the maid pick up the cosmetic box, her upturned lips froze.
Wei Yihua scrutinized the bitter face in the mirror: "Yining is so beautiful, yet she always goes out without makeup, never showing her inner radiance. Today, just listen to me and apply a little makeup, then draw your eyebrows and touch up your lips."
As the lip rouge gradually approached, Yue Yining resignedly took a bite.
........
The Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet is the grandest banquet in Yanjing during the spring and summer seasons. It has been held in the royal garden in the west of the city for many years, starting from the opening of the palace gates on Grain Rain in March and lasting for seven days.
Those who could participate in the Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet were all from prominent families and newly appointed scholars. Everyone gathered here to watch dances and music, engage in poetry and chess competitions, and return to admire the flowers and drink wine. It was a refined and elegant gathering, a truly carefree and enjoyable experience.
After the carriages and horses were unloaded, Yue Yining followed the princess into the garden. The maids led them into the depths of the garden.
The path from the outer flower hall to the spacious waterside pavilion is paved with brocade stones, so shiny they reflect light like a mirror. Pine and cypress trees stand on either side, creating a serene and secluded atmosphere. On the east, west, and south sides, a profusion of flowers bloom around the pond, with white peonies in the courtyard and red peonies by the railing, all vibrant and delicate, their fragrance carried on the breeze and their dewy beauty painting the picture of spring.
Autumn grasses take root everywhere, and the flowers of the imperial examination bloom in clusters. The silver pond is like dye, and the golden embankment is like embroidery. In the heart of the lake, pavilions are connected one after another. The female entertainers, singing and dancing lightly, spin and whistle tirelessly. Under the lush flowers and leaves, several golden wine jugs are piled up.
Looking out, the apricot trees are ablaze with color, the peach trees are drooping, and the trees are full of delicate and beautiful red blossoms, with thousands of branches displaying the vibrant colors of spring.
The imperial gardens, with the lake at their center, were divided into the East Garden and the West Garden. The West Garden, nestled amidst layers of flowers, was where the ladies gathered for quiet conversation. Whether newly appointed female officials or noble ladies residing in the inner palace, they mostly congregated here, while male guests tended to gather more in the East Garden. This division was not a fixed rule, but rather a long-standing custom.
The tradition of the Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet has a long history. Decades ago, it was simply an annual gathering among high-ranking nobles, held in the early spring. Until ten years ago, with the implementation of the female official system, the old custom of strict separation between men and women was weakened. The Qionglin Banquet for newly successful candidates and the Spring Banquet for noble ladies gradually merged into the Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet of today: literati can compete in poetry and prose, politicians and nobles can discuss national affairs, young children can play, and unmarried noble ladies can take this opportunity to meet their future husbands. Its playful nature has gradually been replaced by its social nature.
At the junction of the East and West Gardens, there is a rockery, flower grove, pavilions, and towers, which represents the ambiguous area. Because this lush forest attracts countless couples every year, it has another name: "Magpie Bridge Wonderland".
Xie Yunying had heard about this before. She was a very gossipy person and was about to head straight to the flower grove to see what was going on when the system stopped her.
System: "Don't you plan to meet the female lead first, host? This is a great opportunity to get to know her. Didn't you say last time that it was a pity you missed the female lead because you went to the outhouse?"
Two weeks ago, Yue Yining came to the Xie residence to tell Xie Zhi's fortune. Xie Yunying was eavesdropping on her live stream when she suddenly had to use the restroom and rushed there. However, while she was still using the toilet, Yue Yining finished early, and she failed to create her planned chance encounter with the female lead. Afterwards, Xie Yunying cursed the damned poop for ruining her plans.
Sure enough, the system's comment did remind Xie Yunying, but she had a question: "Isn't this banquet going to last for seven days? I don't think Yue Yining will come on the first day."
In the original book, Yue Yining only attended the Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet for two days, arriving on the third and fourth days when the event was most crowded. Her purpose was very clear: to build connections and further influence the Third Prince's court politics.
System: "The female lead is here! The map shows she's almost there."
Xie Yunying exclaimed in surprise: "They actually came? Doesn't that mean this part of the plot is different from the original book?"
The system said wearily, "...I thought the host had gotten used to it."
Knowing that Yue Yining would arrive soon, Xie Yunying gave up the idea of moving and obediently sat on the mahogany chair, watching the beautiful women in front of her perform.
In a corner of the waterside pavilion, a young woman was playing the zither. Amidst the sounds of flowing water and towering mountains, a woman dressed in a lilac-colored brocade dress spoke first, her voice melodious and gentle: "Mr. Yuan once said that flowers have their servants, just as the empress has her concubines, and the boudoir has its maidens. Now, seeing this garden, I understand that these flowers do indeed have different ranks. Although the winter plum is noble and pure, it is not worthy of the grandeur of a noble family's banquet; while the peony, though vulgar, is indeed a generous and bright color."
The young ladies from prominent families around them echoed a few words, when suddenly, a woman dressed in a long, lotus-colored robe broke the harmonious atmosphere by speaking up: "Miss Li, are you implying that flowers also have different ranks, with distinctions between noble and lowly?"
The laughter and chatter in the Shifang Pavilion fell silent. The woman in the lilac-colored silk skirt calmly replied, "Of course. As the master said, among all the flowers, twelve are the most honored, and the other twelve are the servants. In the third month of late spring, the peony should be the most honored, and the forsythia, daphne, and camellia should be the servants."
The girl in the light blue lotus-colored robe spoke in a clear voice: "I don't think so. Flowers have no inherent value; the so-called hierarchy is just something imposed on us. All flowers are originally just flowers, without any distinction of high or low."
"Even if there is a distinction between high and low, the snow plum, which grows in humble places yet blooms alone in the cold, has a higher character and is more worthy of respect."
As the most prominent noble ladies of aristocratic families, she and Xie Yueshuang were always surrounded by a group of daughters of minor officials of lower and middle ranks whenever they attended banquets. Even Xie Yunying, with her notorious reputation, would gradually be surrounded by passing girls as soon as she sat down.
Unfortunately, Xie Yunying tried to slip away but failed, as Xie Yueshuang caught her red-handed. For some reason, Xie Yueshuang smiled and pulled her along, implying that she needed Xie Yunying to stay with her.
Logically speaking, only the two of them should be speaking in this waterside pavilion, but these two seemed about to start arguing right in front of each other.
The system explained: "The one in the lilac dress is the second young lady of the eldest branch of the Li family in the Earl's mansion, and the one in the lotus-green dress is the younger sister of Inspector Cheng, a seventh-rank official."
Miss Li smiled enigmatically and said, "Is that so? It's a pity that everyone loves peonies. Even if they pretend to be aloof, they will eventually be captivated by the peony's beauty and splendor. Who would want to be like the plum blossom, blooming in the snow and ice, suffering needlessly?"
Miss Cheng's brows furrowed, her expression resolute: "The plum blossom is pure and cold, and all gentlemen can naturally appreciate its virtues and admire its proud spirit. Although the peony is precious, it cannot withstand the scorching heat, so how can we know that its preciousness will last? Although the plum blossom is cold, it braves the snow and frost, and can be steadfast and enduring."
Xie Yunying was completely baffled: "Wait, what's there to argue about? It feels like we're arguing for no reason!"
The system shook its head: "Host, they are not talking about flowers, but using them as metaphors for people. They are arguing about class and position."
Xie Yunying: "......."
Xie Yunying: "You're making me feel like a fool."
The system was surprised: "The host is only just realizing this?"
Xie Yunying: "..." Damn it!
While one person was casually discussing unifying the country, the Ten Directions Pavilion was already in deep turmoil.
Miss Li gave a cold laugh: "Why does everyone in the world value peonies so highly? The finest peonies at this Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring Banquet are selling for exorbitant prices. Are people blind? Why argue with me here? You might as well just admit that the plum blossoms you speak of are inferior."
Miss Cheng was furious: "You!"
As the two confronted each other, a dark blue figure walked in from outside the waterside pavilion.
"That's so well said. Flowers truly have a hundred forms, and people have a thousand faces."
This one sentence immediately drew everyone's attention. Everyone looked at the unfamiliar woman who had suddenly appeared before them. She was dressed in a dark blue round-necked robe, with a spine as strong as a pine tree and eyes as sharp as ice and snow.
She stepped forward slowly, and her voice was clear and melodious, like the sound of a stone striking water: "I only know that flowers have no class, but people have high and low. The high are proud, and the low are not humble, so the high are not high, and the low are not insignificant."
"Flowers bloom and fade in their own time, and people come and go according to their own fate. At the banquet of a hundred flowers welcoming spring, all kinds of flowers compete for beauty, yet they are harmonious and beautiful together. But I don't know what kind of noble people appreciate flowers, who insist on being superior to others to show off. In my opinion, these people with spirits and words are not as good as flowers without gods or wisdom."
These words were delivered with resounding force, truly like a resounding slap across the face of the woman in the lilac-colored dress. Her face immediately flushed with embarrassment, and she glared at the woman in the dark blue round-necked robe who had barged into the waterside pavilion: "And who are you? Don't you know you shouldn't interrupt others?"
All eyes were on the woman in the round-necked robe who had just entered the waterside pavilion.
She gave a slight bow, her eyes filled with nonchalance: "My name is Zhou Congyi, the third-ranked scholar in this year's civil service examination. I greet you young ladies from distinguished families."
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