But among all the noble children in the capital, she knew at least seven or eight out of ten, if not all of them. Why did she feel like she had never seen this person before?
Qin Qi frowned, a strange feeling creeping into her heart.
—I'm afraid this man isn't from the capital.
"Thank you very much, young master," Shu Hua said with a smile. "If it weren't for your honesty in returning the lost money, I'm afraid I wouldn't have known about this even after I got home."
The man cupped his hands in a respectful bow again: "You're too kind, young lady. It was nothing, just a small favor."
Shu Hua smiled and politely greeted him, "Young master, are you also here to admire the plum blossoms?"
The man nodded: "Only in the cold of winter do we truly appreciate the pine and cypress; the plum blossoms and snowflakes complement each other, and those who wish to come will come. The plum blossoms at Jinglin Temple are so beautiful, and they perfectly complement this snow scene, which is described as 'not as beautiful as willow catkins rising in the wind.' Wouldn't it be a waste of this fine weather if we didn't come and admire them?"
"Would you like to come along, young master?" Shu Hua re-tied the money pouch to her waist and looked up to ask him.
"I appreciate your kindness, young lady. However, I have just come out from inside and am now looking for other places to visit, so I'm afraid I cannot accompany you."
Upon hearing this, Shu Hua said with a hint of regret, "In that case, the mountain road is slippery after the snow, young master, please proceed with caution."
The man nodded and politely cupped his hands in greeting.
Qin Qi and Shu Hua bowed to him and then turned to go to the plum garden.
The man in the black robe behind her smirked, his eyes holding an unreadable expression. He moved his lips and softly uttered a few words: "Qin Xi, Shu Hua."
He raised an eyebrow and closed the folding fan in his hand: "'Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting'? That's quite interesting."
The attendant following behind lowered his head: "What you say is true, young master."
The man addressed as "Young Master" lowered his gaze, concealing the expression in his eyes: "Let's go back to the post station."
-
Plum blossoms may be less white than snow, but snow lacks the fragrance of plum blossoms.
Qin Xi, who rarely gets to go out and have fun, didn't think much about this little incident and enjoyed admiring the plum blossoms in the snow with Shu Hua.
“It’s not as good as willow catkins rising in the wind,” Shu Hua circled the plum tree, then jumped happily in front of Qin Xi and repeated, “It’s not as good as willow catkins rising in the wind.”
Qin Xi looked at her sudden joy helplessly, feeling somewhat bewildered.
"Zihui, what are you so excited about?"
Shu Hua leaned closer to the red plum blossoms on the branch, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath of their fragrance: "I have found spring."
Qin Xi: "...?"
She looked up at the snow-covered sky, then at Shu Hua, who was smiling, and hesitated before asking, "Spring?"
Shu Hua opened her eyes, her gaze bright and clear, and said without a doubt, "Spring."
Qin Xi shrugged helplessly: "If you say so, then so be it."
Jinglin Temple is divided into a front temple and a rear temple. The front temple is for worship and incense offering, while the rear temple is for quiet meditation and appreciating plum blossoms.
To avoid the crowds, the two wandered into a secluded part of the garden. Although the purpose of coming to the plum garden was to admire the plum blossoms, simply admiring the plum blossoms would be too monotonous.
Shu Hua has always loved lively places, and she couldn't stay still for long in this quiet plum garden.
"Yizhi," she said, taking Qin Xi's arm, "Since we're already here, let's go take a look at the front temple."
Qin Xi tapped her forehead: "Let's go."
-
Despite being located in the mountains, Jinglin Temple still attracts many visitors during the Spring Festival.
Qin Xi and Shu Hua walked through the bustling crowd and arrived at the front temple.
"Young master, please wait a moment. I see that you have extraordinary talent, truly a gift from heaven. Would you like a copy of my 'Infinite Secret Manual: The Success Chapter,' which I have studied for many years?"
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