Chapter 303: Appreciating Flowers
The next day, Gu Yan’s nanny, Shen Momo, came in to pay her respects. Gu Yan poured Shen Momo a cup of tea and spoke a few words. As Shen Momo got up to leave, Gu Yan’s heart stirred slightly. He stood up and smiled, “I’m leaving too. I’ll escort you out and we can talk a bit more.”
Shen Momo and Zhao Momo were dowry maids of his mother, her two most trusted confidantes, her left and right hands. There was likely nothing about his mother’s affairs that Shen Momo and Zhao Momo didn’t know.
Shen Momo was a sharp one. Hearing Gu Yan’s words, she knew the focus of their leaving together was: “talk a bit more.”
The two of them walked out of the courtyard gate. Gu Yan carefully chose his words, “Mother and Father are polite to each other, but it seems they don’t talk much.”
Shen Momo glanced at Gu Yan, not daring to reply.
Was this politeness a good thing, or a sign of estrangement? What did it mean that they didn’t talk much? The Prince was so busy, he could barely see people, so what could they talk about?
“I’ve always heard that Mother is skilled at policy essays. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mother write one, nor have I heard her talk about anything outside our estate. Does Father not tell Mother about outside affairs?” Gu Yan narrowed the scope of his questions.
Shen Momo was beginning to understand, but wasn’t entirely sure. She tentatively smiled, “The Prince is so busy, and the Princess Consort is busy from morning till night.”
“What about when they were young? Were they like this then?” Gu Yan followed up.
Shen Momo grasped the general direction, but the specific meaning was still a bit vague. She simply followed his lead and spoke about the past.
“When they were young, the Old Prince and Old Princess Consort were still around. The Prince didn’t have as many tasks as he does now. The Prince and Princess Consort often talked. The Prince often told the Princess Consort about outside affairs, and the Princess Consort, fearing she would trouble the Prince, didn’t often tell him about household matters.”
“Then later, why did Father stop telling Mother about outside affairs?” Gu Yan immediately pressed.
Finally, the conversation had led to this point.
“This…” Shen Momo understood clearly now, but it was difficult for her to comment. “Later, the Prince became very busy, and the Princess Consort took over the household management of our estate, and she also became busy.”
Gu Yan stopped and smiled at Shen Momo.
“Young Lord, look at the way you’re asking.” Shen Momo gave a dry laugh.
“Momo, you’re still talking to me like this. I was raised by you.” Gu Yan smiled.
“Young Master, what are you saying! That’s just us rambling and gossiping. You know your mother’s temper, don’t you? When the Prince talks about things, your mother, with her temper, always has a few words to say. You also know, when your mother was young, she was better than the Prince… at writing policy essays.”
Shen Momo spoke vaguely, but Gu Yan understood perfectly. His mother’s knowledge and learning were superior to his father’s. When he heard about his father’s official duties, she would surely offer advice and criticism. And his mother had a sharp tongue. If it were him, he wouldn’t want to talk either.
They reached a fork in the road. Gu Yan let Shen Momo go first and walked towards the second gate, his thoughts returning to Shen Momo’s words.
In the past, he and Shi Shi seemed to be like this too. Even if she was right, he knew she was right, but he was extremely annoyed by what she said. He even felt annoyed and wanted to turn and leave just seeing her straighten her back to speak.
A Nan wouldn’t be like this.
A Nan would also tell him when he did something wrong. She would even mock him, even call him stupid. But he never found A Nan annoying. Was it because he had affection for A Nan?
It seemed not entirely.
Gu Yan thought all the way and entered the Ministry of War.
He was here today to check the spring and summer uniforms and shoes to be dispatched to the garrison in Shanzhou.
Vice Minister Wang, who was in charge of this matter at the Ministry of War, and Langzhong Qin, the official in charge, welcomed Gu Yan. Langzhong Qin placed a booklet before Gu Yan and introduced, “Young Lord, as you know, last year there was a locust plague in Shandong, and the cotton harvest was almost non-existent. We received instructions from the Privy Council, and after coordination by the Ministry of Revenue, this batch of military supplies, originally to be supplied by Shandong East Circuit, has been transferred to Hunan for delivery. This batch of military supplies is now ready, but if it needs to be delivered to the Shanzhou army before the third month, I fear it will be too late.”
After Langzhong Qin finished speaking, he looked at Gu Yan with a worried heart.
Gu Yan frowned. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly paused.
If he were to say something like this to A Nan, what would A Nan say?
A Nan would first complain on his behalf.
“When this batch of military supplies was transferred from Shandong to Hunan, it was already almost a month later than usual. For Hunan, this is an additional burden. For these to be ready now, Langzhong Qin and the Hunan local officials have worked very hard. Langzhong Qin, you’ve worked hard.” Gu Yan chose his words carefully.
Langzhong Qin stared at Gu Yan in utter surprise. Vice Minister Wang was also extremely surprised. He reacted faster than Langzhong Qin and quickly said with a smile, “Langzhong Qin’s competence is well-known in the Ministry of War.”
“The transportation of supplies is extremely difficult. But no matter how difficult it is, if the military necessities cannot be delivered to the army on time, even one day late can be a disaster for the army. Our dispatch of supplies, one day early is a great merit, one day late is a great crime of failing to meet the deadline. Great merit and great crime are only separated by one day.” Gu Yan flipped through the booklet.
“Shall we review it again? And make some arrangements?” Vice Minister Wang looked at Langzhong Qin.
“If you need me to smooth things over or coordinate anywhere, come find me. This is your task, and it’s my task too. We’ll work together, and can we not deliver these uniforms and shoes? What do you say?” Gu Yan stood up.
“Yes, yes, yes.” Vice Minister Wang quickly nodded with a smile.
“If they are delivered on time, this matter will be recorded for Langzhong Qin.” Gu Yan instructed Vice Minister Wang.
“Of course, this will be considered a merit.” Vice Minister Wang quickly bowed and smiled.
After the two of them saw Gu Yan off, Langzhong Qin hadn’t quite recovered. Vice Minister Wang clicked his tongue, “The Young Lord is becoming more and more pleasant to be around.”
Langzhong Qin didn’t reply. He felt a complex emotion. He didn’t feel much about being pleasant, but the Young Lord understood that it wasn’t easy to prepare this batch of military supplies, and he understood the difficulties involved.
For minor officials like them who handled practical matters, the greatest hope was for their superiors to be discerning. As for whether they were pleasant or not, he at least didn’t care much.
…
Princess Consort Wei, with Li Xiaonan, arrived at Prime Minister Wang’s mansion at the appointed time.
Prime Minister Wang’s wife, Liu Shi, only had one son and one daughter. Perhaps due to excessive worry, she had no more children. Prime Minister Wang and his wife were deeply devoted to each other, and although Madam Liu had advised him several times, Prime Minister Wang never took a concubine.
The year after Prime Minister Wang’s eldest daughter got married, she died in childbirth.
His son was intelligent from a young age. In his early twenties, he passed the Jinshi examination and was appointed as the County Magistrate of a medium-sized county in Fujian. Less than half a year after taking office, he died of an epidemic, leaving behind his newlywed wife and a son over one year old.
Currently, the mansion only housed Prime Minister Wang and his wife, their daughter-in-law, Lu Shi, and their sixteen-year-old grandson.
There were not many masters in Prime Minister Wang’s mansion, and even fewer servants. The house was also quite compact, just a slightly larger four-courtyard compound. Compared to Prince Rui’s Mansion, it was only slightly larger than Princess Consort Wei’s main courtyard.
Such a residence could not possibly host many people. Those who came to appreciate flowers that day were only a few families who frequently visited Prime Minister Wang’s household, and Madam Luo, the Foreman of the Wei family and sister-in-law of Princess Consort Wei, with her daughter, Fifth Mistress Wei. Madam Pan, the Second Madam of the Shi family, with Ninth Lady Pan, were clearly invited to accompany Princess Consort Wei and her daughter-in-law.
Madam Lu, the daughter-in-law of Prime Minister Wang, greeted them at the entrance, politely gesturing for Princess Consort Wei to enter first. A step behind, she looked at Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan was sizing up Madam Lu. When she met Madam Lu’s gaze, she quickly curtsied.
“My Yun Ge’er has read the lecture notes of the Young Lord’s Consort from the Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall and greatly admires her,” Madam Lu said, her tone gentle, like clear, slow-flowing water.
Princess Consort Wei turned to look at the two of them.
Li Xiaonan smiled shyly and curtsied again.
“Madam Lu is a daughter of the Lu family from Huating,” Princess Consort Wei said to Li Xiaonan, then smiled at Madam Lu, “If it’s admiration, A Nan admires the Lu family immensely. In her eyes, no matter if it’s your Wei family or Fu family, none compare to the Lu family of Huating in Pingjiang Prefecture.”
“You flatter me, Princess Consort,” Madam Lu smiled.
Li Xiaonan greatly admired Princess Consort Wei’s art of conversation.
However, this statement was not really flattery to the Lu family of Huating. People in their region knew that in the eyes of the Lu family of Huating, indeed, no matter if it was the Wei family or the Fu family, none compared to the Lu family of Huating. The Lu family of Huating was a scholarly and noble family with a lineage dating back to the ancient Zhou Dynasty, with nearly a thousand years of history. Families like the Wei and Fu families, with lineages of only one or two hundred, or two to three hundred years, could not be compared to the Lu family.
Li Xiaonan followed Princess Consort Wei into a small garden.
One side of the courtyard was a spacious Xuan Hall, and on the other side, the middle of the covered walkway receded to form a small hall. Both places were very suitable for appreciating the small garden.
Although the garden was small, it was ingeniously designed. A stream, one foot wide, meandered and twisted, flowing out from under the moon gate at the entrance of the garden. The water flowed rapidly, entering a small pond in the corner of the garden. A gnarled and ancient plum tree extended its branches, its bright red plum blossoms contrasting with the pink and white walls, like a famous painting of winter plum blossoms.
This red plum tree was the flower to be appreciated today.
Princess Consort Wei led Li Xiaonan into the Xuan Hall. She watched as Li Xiaonan paid her respects to Madam Liu, and then to Madam Luo, Second Madam Pan, and others. She then smiled and said, “Go and talk with Fifth Sister and the others.”
Li Xiaonan smiled in agreement, took two steps back, and moved towards the middle of the covered walkway.
Princess Consort Wei said to Madam Liu with a smile, “She’s young, and the youngest at that. She’s still a child. She usually stays by my side and watches me talk to people, always looking like she’s about to yawn.”
“Indeed, Ninth Sister is also like this,” Second Madam Pan added, then changed the subject, “Look at this plum tree. I’ve never seen a more beautiful one.”
Everyone quickly began to praise the plum tree.
Behind Li Xiaonan was Wan Jing. They entered the hall in the middle of the covered walkway.
Ever since Li Xiaonan entered with Princess Consort Wei, Fifth Mistress Wei, Ninth Lady Pan, and the other young ladies in the hall had been paying attention to the Xuan Hall, or more precisely, to Li Xiaonan’s movements.
As Li Xiaonan moved towards them, they saw her as soon as she stepped back.
Now that Li Xiaonan had entered the hall, Ninth Lady Pan picked up a dish of mung bean cakes. Li Xiaonan entered from one side, and she exited from the other, sitting on a goose-neck chair on the walkway, holding mung bean cakes and looking for fish in the water.
Fifth Mistress Wei, having met Li Xiaonan with Fourth Mistress Wei, stood up and paid her respects to Li Xiaonan. The other two young ladies were meeting Li Xiaonan for the first time. They followed Fifth Mistress Wei in paying their respects.
“Fifth Sister, come quickly and look at the fish!” Ninth Lady Pan beckoned to Fifth Mistress Wei. Fifth Mistress Wei smiled and bowed to Li Xiaonan, then went to look at the fish with Ninth Lady Pan.
The remaining two young ladies looked at each other, then curtsied to Li Xiaonan and smiled, “Does the Young Lord’s Consort want to look at the fish?”
Li Xiaonan smiled and shook her head.
The two young ladies held hands and went to look at the fish. Li Xiaonan sat down, drank tea, and admired the plum blossoms.
Wan Jing bent down to speak to Li Xiaonan, but Li Xiaonan stopped her.
This garden was too small. They could talk about anything when they got back.
Fortunately, the flower viewing party at Prime Minister Wang’s mansion didn’t last long. Li Xiaonan followed Princess Consort Wei out and got into the carriage. Wan Jing, peeking through the crack in the carriage door, watched as they left the alley outside Prime Minister Wang’s mansion. She then shrank back, closed the carriage door tightly, and said angrily, “Why is Fifth Mistress like this too!”
“Like what? Is Fifth Mistress closer to Ninth Mistress, or closer to us? Of course, she has to look after Ninth Mistress first,” Li Xiaonan said comfortably, looking at Wan Jing.
“You are the Young Lord’s Consort now. Do they still dare to treat you with such disrespect?” Wan Jing said indignantly.
“Why wouldn’t they dare? What can I do to them? Before, you never paid attention to Shiliu. Even if Shiliu was by the Princess Consort’s side, she couldn’t do anything to you, right? Now you are first rank, and Shiliu is still third rank, but Shiliu still doesn’t pay attention to you, just like you used to be. You can only complain to Yu Ting, right?”
“You’re not like me.”
“How are we different? We’re the same.” Li Xiaonan patted Wan Jing. “I’ve thought about this for a long time. Don’t pay attention to it. I can’t do anything to them, and they can’t do anything to me either.”
“I just feel quite upset.” Wan Jing’s voice was low.
“Didn’t you say I ascended to heaven in one step? There’s a price to pay for ascending to heaven. It’s already very good. Next time there’s a flower viewing or grass appreciating event, remember to bring some charcoal pencils and Bamboo Shadow Paper,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“What do you want to do?” Wan Jing became vigilant.
“Paint plum blossoms.”
“Are there people who paint plum blossoms with charcoal pencils?”
“Yes, me!” Li Xiaonan pointed to herself.
Wan Jing rolled her eyes towards the carriage roof.
