Chapter 2 The Winter Plum Blossoms Are in Full Bloom, Perfect for a Chance Encounter
"Let's go back to our seats."
The person disappeared around the corner, and Meng Lingyao emerged from behind the plum tree.
"Yes," Song Lan replied crisply. Before entering, she handed the hand warmer to the servant and told him to go and get some more charcoal.
Whether it was because the charcoal fire in the warm pavilion was burning too brightly, or because the venison's blood-nourishing effects were so immediate, when the young ladies returned to the room, their faces were flushed. Among them, Princess Suxin's complexion was the best, even her earlobes were tinged with red.
There are two county princesses at the banquet today, both daughters of the Emperor's brothers. Princess Yongning is already married, while Princess Suxin is only sixteen and still unmarried. Perhaps because the former is older, both the Emperor and the Princess favor her more.
A new bowl of bird's nest and snow pear soup was placed on the table. Meng Lingyao lowered her eyes and stirred it slowly, while whispers rose and fell in her ears.
"Did you know? Lord Pei is here today too."
"really?!"
“Of course it’s true.” The young lady from the Wenxin Marquis’s mansion lowered her voice. “I just heard my brother’s servant mention that he saw Lord Pei in the front yard. He is truly a man of exceptional talent and elegance, surpassing even the best scenery of Langgan Water Pavilion.”
The last syllable of that "Jing'er" lingered for seven turns, the words earnest yet filled with deep regret, wishing only to be there in person to witness the demeanor of the eldest son of the Pei family of Hedong.
Meng Lingyao paused for a moment while scooping the sweet soup with her silver spoon, then took the first spoonful.
Pei Xu, courtesy name Yanxing, is the eldest son of the Pei family, a name known to everyone in the capital.
Born into a prestigious family, possessing exceptional elegance and a wealth of skills, he was proficient in all six arts of a gentleman and thrived in the officialdom. At a young age, he quickly gained the emperor's favor and was appointed Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, in charge of laws and punishments. Last year, he cracked a major case involving the prefect of Jincheng colluding with local powerful and wealthy merchants to illegally mine iron ore, a fact known to everyone in the court and among the people.
He was the dream man of countless young girls in the capital.
Meng Lingyao, however, did not like it.
They had a long-standing feud.
She remembers three of them most vividly.
The first time was on the Shangsi Festival two years ago, when she spent the whole day painting "Spring Mountains in Mist and Rain" at Qiyun Mountain on the outskirts of Beijing. Admittedly, she wasn't someone who truly loved painting; she just enjoyed hearing all sorts of praise. But she couldn't resist the beautiful spring scenery in the mountains, with the bluish-gray peaks faintly visible behind the thin mist, and fallen petals scattered at the foot of the mountains.
Even Xie, who taught her to paint, said that the painting was worthy of being framed.
Unfortunately, Pei Xu was also there.
"The wine cup has stopped in front of Lord Pei!" Someone shouted, and all the young men and women on the mountain rushed to the stream. She stood under the tree, holding the painting, and watched the man sit upright by the winding stream, holding a wine cup in one hand, his wide white sleeves sliding down his wrist, slowly reciting a poem, "Cherishing the Remaining Spring".
It wasn't done very well either.
In the end, the painting was never framed.
The second time was last year's Dragon Boat Festival. In the sweltering summer heat, makeup always smudged within half a day. Meng Lingyao couldn't allow her makeup to be ruined at the midday banquet, so she spent several days searching through ancient recipes and trying dozens of flower juices. Finally, she mixed jasmine powder with morning dew, making her look as fresh as a lotus leaf.
When the young lady from the Jingzhao Yin family pressed him for the rouge recipe, a gasp of astonishment suddenly erupted outside the covered walkway—Pei Xu was wearing a crimson robe woven with gold, and in an instant, all the fragrant lotus flowers in the garden seemed to dim in comparison.
Miss Xu's exclamation still echoes in my ears, "So this is how men can wear red..." The second half of her sentence was lost behind the handkerchief, but everyone understood without saying a word.
Meng Lingyao was speechless: "..."
He didn't seem to mind the heat.
After swallowing two spoonfuls of sweet soup, Meng Lingyao's mood had calmed down considerably. As she swallowed the last mouthful, she thought of a recent holiday.
Two months ago, on a clear autumn day, she won twenty rounds with her hammer and ball, basking in the cheers of the crowd. Meanwhile, in the martial arts arena, Pei Xu casually shot down a copper coin a hundred paces away, and everyone flocked to it like bees smelling nectar.
He's a man who's practiced horseback riding and archery since childhood; shouldn't he be able to hit a target from a hundred paces away? What's so shocking about that?
“These noble ladies, upon seeing Lord Pei,” Songlan whispered in her ear, trying to amuse her, “are like wolves that have been starving for three days seeing meat.”
Isn't that right?
The silver spoon clinked against the edge of the porcelain bowl, making a soft "clink" sound that was not noticeable amidst the subtle commotion throughout the room.
Meng Lingyao understood perfectly well that in other people's eyes, she was nothing more than a wolf.
It still has bright fur and sharp fangs.
Therefore, no matter what, she could never outshine Pei Xu. This was a one-sided feud between her and Pei Xu, and Pei Xu was completely unaware of it.
Even if they knew, they probably wouldn't care.
Thinking of this, Meng Lingyao became even angrier.
Songlan racked her brains to make her young mistress happy, talking until her lips were dry and chapped.
At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the Langgan Water Pavilion, which was separated by several corridors, and no one paid attention to this corner. Otherwise, someone would have laughed at Miss Meng's maid, saying she looked like a sparrow that had come to life.
Meng Lingyao poured a cup of tea and handed it to her casually, saying, "Try it, it's cold."
Songlan stood behind her, raised her sleeve, drank it all in one gulp, and replied, "It's a bit cold, but it's warm in the room right now, so it's just right to drink."
Meng Lingyao gave a perfunctory reply.
The tea gave Songlan new inspiration, and she praised, "Miss, you read so many books! Not just history books and poetry, but you even know the ins and outs of which meat goes with which tea. It's all thanks to your extensive reading, Miss, otherwise..."
When she spoke the second half of the sentence, her voice became almost inaudible.
Meng Lingyao: "I made that up."
"Miss must be the most learned and talented person in the capital... Hmm?"
Songlan was stunned.
A faint smile finally appeared on Meng Lingyao's face. Her pupils were bright, and the corners of her eyes turned up, forming a crescent moon shape, like a child who had successfully played a prank.
"There aren't many people here who truly love reading."
Even if you love reading, you can't find a cookbook that explains how to cook and prepare everyday dishes.
It is neither elegant nor noble.
She herself only stumbled upon it by chance and unexpectedly discovered that it could temporarily satisfy her appetite, much like the effect of quenching thirst by looking at plums, so she read it carefully several times.
"What if...we get discovered?" Songlan asked with a hint of worry.
"What are you afraid of?" Meng Lingyao said with a relaxed expression. "I might misremember, but the tea at the Princess's residence will not be wrong."
Even if it's wrong, it's still right.
The banquet ended at three-quarters past noon.
The young ladies boarded their respective carriages one by one. As soon as Meng Lingyao sat down, Songlan slapped her forehead, "Hand warmer!"
The warmth of the heated room lasted for most of the afternoon, so much so that she forgot she had a hand warmer with charcoal added.
The retrieval took a little longer than expected, so Meng Lingyao called Cang Dian to go and check.
"Miss!" Songlan came running over with small, quick steps, slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed an unusual red.
Meng Lingyao glanced at her and lowered the car window curtain.
Only after the carriage left Zhuque Lane did Songlan take out a wooden box from her sleeve. "Someone just gave it to me, saying... saying that the poetry collection I sent last time was not good and offended Miss, so I am offering it as an apology."
Many people sent poetry collections to the young lady, but if we're talking about being abrupt, only Scholar Lu was so presumptuous.
He's still the top scholar Lu right now, but it might not be long before he's called son-in-law Lu.
Indigo's eyes shone brightly.
Meng Lingyao remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ebony box. The gold-lacquered intertwined branches formed a dense net, gleaming faintly in the twilight.
She closed her eyes, and the words Lu Heming had said in her dream were now echoing in her mind, making her feel like she was about to collapse.
"My lady, remember, in the top scholar's mansion, even a sparrow has to live according to my rules."
Her fingertips trembled inexplicably, and the copper clasp popped open with a "click," startling Songlan into exclaiming "Ah!"
A silver hairpin lay quietly on the velvet cloth, its delicate silver threads climbing upwards and forming a plum blossom, with a gemstone in the very center as red as a drop of blood.
It was the murder weapon from my dream.
-
As soon as the carriage came to a stop in front of the Meng residence, Meng Lingyao, without waiting for Cang Dian's help, jumped off the carriage on her own.
Lifting her skirt, she hurried through the flower hall, when intermittent zither music drifted from the backyard. Hearing the music, Meng Lingyao's expression softened, and her pace slowed.
Stepping over the freshly fallen snow on the bluestone slabs, she saw her father sitting in the pavilion, casually plucking the strings of his zither. When he finished playing, he stroked his beard, looking satisfied.
The scene she had witnessed countless times greatly comforted Meng Lingyao, giving her a sense of security that she was still in reality and had her feet firmly on the ground.
Hearing the noise, he looked up and saw his daughter staring at him intently. Meng Yan smiled and said, "It seems that I played the zither quite well today."
"It's clearly a grating, unpleasant sound." A soft sneer came from behind the moon gate.
Mrs. Zhong came out and said, "It's been the same story over and over all day. I'm so tired of hearing it."
"I am restoring a lost ancient melody, and it will inevitably involve many attempts," Meng Yan said earnestly.
"If all ancient melodies were like this, even if they were lost, they would still benefit the local people."
Meng Yan: "..."
Meng Shaoqing turned his head away, muttering something like "hurtful words" and "skilled in martial arts but not in diplomacy."
Madam Zhong ignored him and turned to her daughter, saying, "If I had known he was going to practice a new piece today, I would have shamelessly gone with you to the Princess's residence. I had to suffer for nothing."
The maids and servants following behind her looked at Songlan Cangdian with envy in their eyes, clearly also suffering greatly from the demonic sound.
"Why are your hands so cold?" Madam Zhong stepped forward and touched her daughter's hands, frowning involuntarily. After observing her expression more closely, she asked in a low voice, "Has something happened at the Princess's residence?"
Meng Lingyao shook her head, then nodded.
Under her mother's puzzled gaze, she opened the wooden box.
"A gift from the Lu family boy?" Madam Zhong glanced at it and said critically, "The materials are ordinary, but the craftsmanship is not bad. It's barely a match for Yaoyao."
“This…” Meng Yan pressed his fingers on the zither, making a series of disapproving sounds, “You two are not yet engaged, it is probably not appropriate for you to exchange gifts in private.”
Madam Zhong didn't even glance at him.
Signaling the maids and servants to leave, Madam Zhong pulled her daughter to sit by the charcoal brazier in the pavilion, gently patted her back, and said softly, "What happened? It's just a hairpin; it shouldn't have thrown my graceful daughter into such a state of panic."
Meng Lingyao leaned against her mother's chest, inhaling her fragrance. Her eyes unconsciously welled up with tears, and she whispered, "I had a nightmare..."
Upon hearing that Songlan had died in such a tragic way, Madam Zhong's breath caught in her throat for a moment.
Upon hearing Lu Heming's threat, Madam Zhong couldn't hold back any longer. She raised her hand and overturned the wooden box.
"absurd!"
The sharp sound of the silver hairpin hitting the blue bricks startled Meng Yan, causing his hands to falter and the strings of the zither to cut bloody marks into his palm.
"An omen of bloodshed!"
He stared at the silver hairpin and said in a trembling voice, "Quickly, get some mugwort to fumigate..."
"What are you trying to fumigate?!" Madam Zhong glared at him, wrapped the hairpin in a handkerchief, and forcefully nailed it to the zither table. "All men in the world are no good."
Meng Yan immediately rushed over, "Madam! You mustn't generalize." He was a good young man who resolutely resisted all concubines and maids, and only listened to his wife.
"In ancient times, there was the Duke of Zhou who interpreted dreams. Although dreams have symbolic meanings, they cannot be confused with reality. Perhaps Yaoyao is just dreaming about what she thinks about during the day."
"It's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't." Madam Zhong spoke each word with conviction.
She only has this one precious daughter, so she can't be too careful. The old man's temperament, to put it nicely, is gentle and kind; to put it bluntly, he's naive and inexperienced. Luckily, her daughter took after him; otherwise, how could she feel at ease letting her marry into another family?
“That’s what I think too.” Meng Lingyao nuzzled her mother and pondered, “He hasn’t been in the capital for long, so he might not have found out anything. But if he really has such a violent and cruel nature, he would have left some clues over the years.”
Madam Zhong nodded, called out to the steward, and gave him detailed instructions, "Send a team to Wu County, they need to be quick-witted... Oh, and find two unfamiliar faces to keep an eye on the Lu residence in the capital. If there is any unusual activity, report back immediately."
She turned her head and saw her husband about to touch the tortoise shell again. She casually pulled out a silver hairpin and threw it into the charcoal brazier, mocking, "Why don't you tell me first, sir, whether you will divine the good or bad fortune, or I will burn this unlucky thing first?"
Meng Shaoqing, who had devoted many years to studying the Book of Changes, silently stuffed the tortoise shell back into his sleeve.
The flames flickered around the silvery plum blossoms, quickly dimming their luster. Meng Lingyao gazed at the twisted hairpin in the basin, her mind gradually calming down.
At this moment, her mind was crystal clear—her relationship with Lu Heming had come to an end.
With this suspicion already present, it becomes impossible to spend the rest of one's life together without any reservations.
A wise person does not stand under a dangerous wall.
Even gentlemen would avoid it like the plague, so she, a mere woman, would certainly not allow herself to put herself in any potential danger.
His wife and daughter had already made arrangements in a swift and efficient manner. Meng Yan looked at this person and that person, sighed softly, raised his hand, and played a rousing and uplifting tune, "Three Variations on Plum Blossom".
Amidst the melodious strains of the zither, Meng Lingyao lowered her eyes slightly.
Indeed, it is the season when plum blossoms are in full bloom.
The wintersweet at Ci'an Temple is in full bloom, perfect for a chance encounter.
-
The Princess's Residence.
After seeing off the last guest, the princess let out a long sigh of relief. Her aunt quickly stepped forward to massage her shoulders. Another maidservant served her tea.
The eldest princess took a sip, raising her eyebrows slightly.
"Today's tea was very well received. The young ladies said that ancient books record that venison and snowmelt from pine trees are the perfect match." Auntie's voice was teasing. "They all praised the Princess as a truly refined person."
Refined?
How could she have any connection with this word?
The princess's expression shifted rapidly. After a moment, she said, "This morning I was practicing archery in the courtyard when I accidentally shot off a pine branch above the well..."
"The entire pine branch fell into the mansion's well."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Actually, wintersweet isn't a plum blossom, but this isn't a science book, so let's leave it at that, hehe.
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