Chapter 173: Blood Pear Blossom
Years ago, Wen Mingqian last went up the mountain to deliver incense to the Grand Princess.
Because the Grand Princess enjoyed playing chess with her, Wen Mingqian always came in person.
This was also the coldest time of the year, so Sang Er had prepared a hand warmer early and brought several plum blossom charcoal cakes with her.
Halfway there, it began to snow, and the cold air intensified.
“Madam Wen has arrived, please sit and have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself,” Aunt Cui Zhen’s slender body was wrapped in a loose cotton robe, making her appear even more frail.
She was about the same age as the Grand Princess, but looked much older, with white hair at her temples.
“Thank you, Aunt,” Wen Mingqian quickly took the tea with both hands, “Is Your Highness well lately?”
“Your Highness was thinking of you yesterday,” Cui Zhen rarely smiled, but her disposition was very gentle, “She said that with your incense this year, the days have passed faster than usual.”
Life on the mountain was long and monotonous; everyone had to find something to occupy themselves.
After Wen Mingqian finished her tea, Jade Pot came out from inside and said, “Madam Wen, Your Highness requests your presence.”
Wen Mingqian stood up, but Cui Zhen gently stopped her, “Your Highness has had some wine, so speak carefully.”
Wen Mingqian nodded gratefully. As she walked in, she smelled a faint aroma of wine. She was not good at tasting wine and did not know its name, but she felt it had a delicate sweet fragrance.
“Do you drink wine?” The Grand Princess’s cheeks were slightly flushed, but her eyes were brighter than usual, making her look younger.
“Your humble subject is not a strong drinker and dares not be presumptuous before Your Highness,” Wen Mingqian said as she knelt to pay her respects to the Grand Princess.
“Not being able to drink is also good. They say wine can drown sorrows, but in all these years, has anyone truly been able to drown their sorrows with wine?” The Grand Princess smiled, “It’s just deceiving oneself, like covering one’s ears while stealing a bell, or catching a bird with one’s eyes closed.”
“Since I can remember, the most I’ve heard is that life is short and the past is long. It seems that life between heaven and earth is always filled with too many unsatisfactory things, so it’s no wonder people seek a moment of peace in their drunkenness,” Wen Mingqian said.
“Then have you ever drowned your sorrows with wine?” the Grand Princess asked, looking at her.
“I have,” Wen Mingqian answered truthfully, “and more than once.”
“Here, take this cup of wine,” the Grand Princess did not ask her why she was sad, but only said, “Taste the flavor of this wine.”
Wen Mingqian thanked her and took a sip from the wine cup.
“The wine’s aroma is rich and sharp, but it is so spicy and bitter as it goes down,” Wen Mingqian said with difficulty, “Your humble subject truly cannot drink a second sip.”
“This is Blood Plum Blossom wine, brewed with the first snow of the Great Desert and the blood of warhorses,” the Grand Princess said with a smile, “It is the wine that soldiers on the battlefield use to commemorate the dead. It is not easily brewed, nor easily drunk…”
“No wonder, this wine is the most loyal, sincere, and passionate wine in the world. But this wine is too heavy,” Wen Mingqian’s eyes welled up with tears unconsciously, “Your humble subject’s humble self can hardly bear it…”
“Do you truly think so?” the Grand Princess asked.
“This is merely your humble subject’s humble opinion,” Wen Mingqian said, “I have made Your Highness laugh.”
“Most loyal, most sincere, most passionate…” the Grand Princess murmured the eight characters, lost in thought.
Wen Mingqian noticed that the Grand Princess was particularly dejected today. She naturally could not ask more questions and simply offered her usual greetings, “The year-end is approaching, so your humble subject has specially prepared more incense for Your Highness. It is a small token, not worthy of much.”
“Is it Snow Cliff Pine Incense again?” the Grand Princess asked with hazy, drunken eyes.
“There is that, and some others,” Wen Mingqian said, “If Your Highness likes it, please use it yourself. If not, you may bestow it upon others.”
“This incense is too cold,” the Grand Princess suddenly shivered, “so cold that one can never get close, ethereal and elusive, leaving one with a sense of melancholy.”
This was originally her favorite incense, but after drinking, she rejected it.
Wen Mingqian lowered her head and remained silent. She knew that the Grand Princess was not in a good mood, and at such a time, if she could not speak to the other person’s heart, it was better to remain silent.
“Do you play the Qin?” the Grand Princess suddenly asked.
“I learned some when I was young, but I haven’t played for many years and have become rusty,” Wen Mingqian replied.
“It doesn’t matter, play a piece for me,” the Grand Princess sighed, “The weather is too cold, so cold that I can’t even move my hands.”
The Grand Princess loved playing the Qin, but now she only wanted to listen to others play.
Wen Mingqian did not refuse further. She washed her hands, lit a furnace of incense, which was the warm incense she carried with her, possessing the effect of calming the mind.
In the past, the Grand Princess never used warm incense, but seeing the situation now, Wen Mingqian felt that warm incense was most appropriate.
The Qin music flowed slowly, like the snowflakes drifting outside the window, soft and murmuring, like weeping and complaining.
The Grand Princess slowly closed her eyes, and in the misty fragrance, amidst the gentle Qin music, she fell into a deep sleep.
She had a beautiful dream, so beautiful that she forgot all her worries and troubles.
In her dream, she was as light as a kite, with the only tether held in that person’s hand.
“Brother Qing Shen, when will you take me outside the Great Wall?”
“You are a daughter, and a Princess at that, how can you go to such a desolate and remote place?”
“Why can’t I? If you can go, so can I.”
“No, no, it’s too harsh there, and too dangerous.”
“As long as you accompany me, I’m not afraid.”
“Then wait until I drive the barbarians to the Northern Desert, so there are no more border troubles, and then I will accompany you to gallop horses in the Yin Mountains, alright?”
“You promised me, you can’t go back on your word!”
“I promised you, and I will never go back on my word!”
“I’ll wait for you, I’ll wait for you forever.”
“I will definitely come back, just as I promised you.”
……
Wen Mingqian played three pieces in a row until Aunt Cui Zhen gently came in and signaled her to stop.
Wen Mingqian quietly got up, trying not to make any noise.
Aunt Cui Zhen carefully covered the Grand Princess with a quilt, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a silk handkerchief, and then signaled Wen Mingqian to go out with her.
In the outer room, Wen Mingqian let out a long sigh, “Aunt, it’s getting late, I should go down the mountain. If Your Highness needs anything, just send someone down the mountain to tell me.”
“It’s snowing so heavily, you shouldn’t go down the mountain. Besides, what if Your Highness wakes up and looks for you?” Cui Zhen thought for a moment and said, “There are plenty of houses here, you can stay the night!”
Wen Mingqian thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll follow Aunt’s arrangement.”
That night, Wen Mingqian and Sang Er stayed on the mountain. The room was spacious, and fortunately, the charcoal fire was sufficient.
“Mother, why does the Grand Princess live in this place? Listen to the wind, it sounds like wild beasts howling,” Sang Er was very confused, “It’s fine in spring and summer, but how difficult must it be in winter!”
“I’m not sure either, I suppose Your Highness has her reasons,” Wen Mingqian said, “Bring the quilt over, let’s warm it by the charcoal fire, and go to sleep early!”
