Chapter 6 Unraveling the Mystery of the Snow Lantern: Shaoqing, He Holds a Position Without Performing His Duties
The Hou Mansion’s back garden is quiet and beautiful. Even though it is the middle of winter, it is decorated with exotic flowers and plants, creating a spring-like scene.
The most eye-catching items were several pots of green plum blossoms, meticulously pruned by a florist, their shapes beautiful and their blossoms delicate. These green plum blossoms originated from Wu County, and one can only imagine the immense manpower and resources required to transport them to the capital.
Many young gentlemen had already arrived in the garden, gathering in twos and threes, their fine clothes reflecting the sunlight, like a banquet in a celestial palace in a painting.
"Lingyao." Xie Chengyu, dressed in a peach-red cloak, smiled and took her arm. "You are dressed so simply today. But still, your natural beauty is hard to hide, making those pots of green plum blossoms look vulgar."
Xie Chengyu came from a prestigious family, yet she was unconventional in her actions and had a cheerful and generous personality. Meng Lingyao shared similar interests with her; to put it more accurately, Meng Lingyao felt that Xie Chengyu seemed to really like her appearance, always showering her with compliments.
Meng Lingyao liked this very much.
She had studied painting under Xie Zheng, who was Xie Chengyu's aunt, since childhood, which added another layer of closeness to her.
Meng Lingyao glanced at Xie Chengyu and said, "Don't let Green Plum hear this, or it will wither in shame, which would spoil the old lady's birthday celebration."
Xie Chengyu chuckled a few times, then used a bit of force to press down on Meng Lingyao's arm. "You're dressed plainly, but someone else is dressed up meticulously. I think she looks even more radiant than at the Qionglin Banquet."
Meng Lingyao raised her hand to adjust the hairpin at her temple, and followed Xie Chengyu's gaze to Lu Heming in the crowd.
Today he wore a brocade robe with bamboo leaf patterns, and his hair was tied up with a jade crown, making him look like a gentle and refined gentleman.
Since that dream, Meng Lingyao had never seen Lu Heming again. Now, upon seeing him, he was exactly as she remembered him—still the handsome top scholar. But when she thought of the blood-stained dream and everything Shen Xiaoshan had said, this man seemed like a painted ghost in a fine disguise.
"They look pretty much the same to me." She touched the green plum blossom beside her, then quickly withdrew it and carefully wiped her fingertips with a handkerchief.
"The colors are bland, and the smell is pungent. That's all there is to it."
Xie Chengyu's eyes showed a hint of surprise. She knew a little about her friend's previous thoughts, but she didn't say anything. She casually changed the subject and talked about the new products of the rouge shops in the capital recently.
Not far away, across the crowd, Lu Heming also noticed Meng Lingyao. He stared at her almost obsessively, his eyes even becoming bloodshot.
It had been so long since they last met. The longing and resentment were hard to say which was stronger. And because there were always other people around her, it was inconvenient to get close. So the fire in her heart burned even more fiercely, raging through her body.
Lu Heming took a deep breath and barely managed to maintain his expression.
Meng Lingyao noticed the unusually strong gaze and subtly changed her position.
Before long, the heir of the Marquis of Weiyong entered the garden with a group of servants. A dozen or so strong servants carried lantern frames in single file, on which were placed many ice shells.
The Marquis's residence had a rather novel arrangement this time: the heir invited the young masters and ladies who came to the banquet to decorate snow lanterns to celebrate the old lady's birthday.
Sculpting snow lions and decorating snow lanterns were common winter games for children in the capital. The former goes without saying; the entrance to the Hou Mansion featured a snow lion meticulously sculpted by a craftsman specializing in this art.
The latter involves selecting a suitable container, filling it with water, freezing it into ice, and then slightly heating it to separate the container from the ice shell. Once removed, the ice shell can be carved, hollowed out, or decorated with paper-cut window decorations. A candle is placed inside the ice shell and lit; when illuminated, the ice lantern sparkles and becomes quite fascinating.
7
This suggestion resonated with many people and was approved by the host, so everyone readily agreed.
The ladies either waited reservedly for an invitation, or boldly extended invitations.
Xie Chengyu had already let go of Meng Lingyao's hand and went to find the young master she knew.
As Meng Lingyao was examining the ice shell, a pair of blue satin boots suddenly appeared before her. Lu Heming had somehow appeared beside her. "I apologize for my intrusion, Miss Meng, but if you don't mind, I would be happy to lend a hand?"
“Lu Hanlin has lived in Wu County for a long time, so he is probably not familiar with the things from our northern region.” Zhou Yizhi held a carving knife, his eyes falling on the back of Lu Heming’s hand, and the corners of his lips turned up. “I wonder if Lu Hanlin’s scratch has healed? The carving knife is sharp, so don’t force yourself.”
Lu Heming's face instantly darkened, his gentle demeanor crumbling, and his voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth, "It was just a scratch from a cat, it's already healed, thank you for your concern, Young Master Zhou."
"It's good that you've recovered. Lu Hanlin, you should be extra careful."
Zhou Yizhi, a seasoned businessman, knew best how to hold firm to one's weaknesses. Lu Heming, being a scholar, valued his reputation and quickly lost ground.
Meng Lingyao was engrossed in gesturing on the ice shell, designing the decorations she would make later, showing no intention of joining the men's argument.
Lu Heming gritted his teeth inwardly, and before turning to leave, he gave Meng Lingyao a deep look.
Meng Lingyao seemed oblivious.
Having ousted Lu Heming, Zhou Yizhi brandished his carving knife, the cat's eye stone on the handle glittering. "What does Miss Meng want to carve? If we're talking about poetry and songs, I might not be as good as you, but if it's about these pastimes, I'm confident I'm no less than anyone else."
The person who made the proposal was Zhou Yizhi. Meng Lingyao had been waiting for him, and upon hearing this, she smiled softly and said, "In that case, we will rely on Young Master Zhou."
Having said that he would rely on her, Meng Lingyao offered some minor suggestions, leaving the rest to Zhou Yizhi to elaborate on.
He wants to display his feathers, so why shouldn't we allow it?
"Miss Meng, do you think it would be better to carve a peach or a lingzhi mushroom here?"
"Lingzhi, perhaps. I noticed that the old lady had a lingzhi pattern embroidered on her collar during the birthday celebration just now, so I think she would like it even more."
"Miss Meng truly has a discerning eye."
"How can I compare to Young Master Zhou's skillful hands?" Meng Lingyao replied absentmindedly. Out of the corner of her eye, Lu Heming's snow lantern was almost finished; it was a lotus flower.
She let out a soft breath and gave Songlan a wink. A moment later, Shen Xiaoshan walked in through the side gate, carrying a cloak.
His attire was ordinary, almost indistinguishable from that of a maid, and he did not attract much attention from the others in the garden.
Meng Lingyao took the cloak, her voice clear and melodious, "Yu Niang is indeed very thoughtful; it is a bit cold right now."
Shen Xiaoshan kept the teachings in mind and did not speak, but simply turned to the side to bow. The deliberately prominent mole on his left cheek was particularly noticeable in the sunlight.
A crisp "snap" sounded.
The lotus-shaped snow lantern that Lu Heming was holding suddenly fell to the ground, the candle rolled into the snowdrift, and the flame hissed out. He stared intently at Shen Xiaoshan, his face ashen, even his lips trembling slightly.
"What's wrong, Young Master Lu?" Meng Lingyao quickly stepped forward, shielding the trembling Shen Xiaoshan behind her. "My maid is clumsy; did she offend you?"
The young men and women around them also gathered around, asking questions all at once. Lu Heming forced a smile: "N-nothing, it's just that my hand slipped." He bent down to pick up the broken ice, but his fingers were shaking so badly that he couldn't pick it up several times.
The shards were cold, their sharp edges touching my palm, the intense pain bringing a moment of calm to my mind.
Lu Heming squinted at the figure in front of him.
There is a shadow under my feet.
If it's not a ghost or god, then it must be a man-made disaster.
That damned Shen Xiaoshan actually ran off to the capital!
They even managed to sneak into the Meng residence, and who knows what they said to others?
In the blink of an eye, several thoughts flashed through Lu Heming's mind, eventually converging into one.
Shen Xiaoshan is doomed.
Meng Lingyao coldly observed every subtle change in him.
At first, there was shock, panic, and a bit of fear.
That's all understandable; it's only natural to be shocked to see a dead person appear before you.
However, when Meng Lingyao saw Lu Heming's clenched fist, with even his knuckles turning white, she immediately realized that it was more than that.
He was not only afraid, but also had murderous intent.
He had realized that the person in front of him was not the deceased Shen Yuniang, but Shen Xiaoshan.
Why would someone kill the brother of a deceased concubine?
At this moment, Meng Lingyao completely believed her dream and Shen Xiaoshan's words.
This top scholar, who came from the Lu family of Wu County, was not at all gentle and refined, but a complete tyrant.
A chill slowly crept up her spine, and Meng Lingyao shivered. The excitement of uncovering the truth faded, replaced by a belated sense of relief at having escaped a disaster.
"I didn't get enough rest yesterday, and I was a little distracted." Realizing something was wrong, Lu Heming tried his best to compose himself, stood up, put his fingers to his forehead, and said with a wry smile, "Please excuse me."
He looked at the people who were installing the snow lanterns with him, his face full of apology, "I'm really sorry, I've dragged Miss Xu down."
Whether they believed it or not, everyone present was a respectable person, and they all accepted Lu Heming's explanation. Miss Xu naturally understood and called her servants to clean up the ice lantern fragments.
The turmoil seemed to have subsided.
As Meng Lingyao turned around, she noticed that Shen Xiaoshan was still tense, his fingers digging into his palms. She patted his arm discreetly, her lips barely moving as she whispered, "It's done."
Lu Heming's reaction speaks volumes.
Given the current situation, there's not much she can do as a young woman confined to her quarters. To seek justice for the Shen family, she needs to plan carefully.
Slightly lost in thought, Zhou Yizhi's voice rang out, "Was Miss Meng frightened?"
“No.” Meng Lingyao blinked. “It’s just a pity about that lotus lantern.”
"The lotus is too late now." Zhou Yizhi's voice rose at the end, tinged with amusement. "I wonder if it can somewhat ease Miss's heart for cherishing flowers?"
He flipped his palm over, and a small ice lantern, carved into the shape of an adorable rabbit, sat in his hand.
"I hope Miss Meng won't find it offensive."
Meng Lingyao paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "I like it very much."
To show her genuine affection, Meng Lingyao held the snow rabbit for quite a while before asking Songlan to find a box to put it away.
As she turned to place the snow rabbit, Meng Lingyao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
As expected of Zhou Yu, who was known for his romantic escapades.
After everyone finished decorating their snow lanterns, the young master helped the old lady into the garden to admire them one by one. The old lady was beaming with joy, both for the filial piety of her juniors and for the respect she received from the various families in the capital.
After praising each and every one of them, it was just time for the banquet to begin, and the young masters and ladies were to take their seats.
As Meng Lingyao was walking into the courtyard with a group of women, she heard a commotion coming from the other side.
Immediately following was the joyful voice of the Marquis's heir, "Yanxing, you've come?"
Yanxing was Pei Xu's courtesy name.
"I was busy with many things and I'm late. I hope you won't mind, Madam."
The sound was clear and cold, easily reminding one of the sound of icicles cracking under the eaves in winter.
Meng Lingyao subconsciously followed the action of the person next to her and turned around to look, only to see a tall and straight figure like a bamboo shoot.
After realizing what had happened, she quickly turned her head back.
Are the tasks too complicated?
The dignified Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review failed to notice Lu Heming, who bullied men and women and disregarded human life right under his nose. I wonder what he's been busy with all day long.
Holding a position without doing any work!
A note from the author:
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Green Plum Blossoms was originally excellent, but "The Legend of Da Ru" ruined it for me, making me feel uneasy whenever I wrote it. [helpless]
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