Several months had passed since Wei Shao left East Commandery early that morning.
Winter gave way to spring, and the season entered the third month.
In late spring, “paulownia trees begin to bloom, duckweed starts to grow, turtledoves preen their feathers, and hoopoes descend upon mulberry trees.” Everything was bursting with life. On the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival arrived once again with spring tidings.
Shangsi was a day for purification and spring bathing. Since pre-Qin times, on this day, the southern states had observed the custom of purification. Men and women, young and old, would leave the city en masse to gather by streams in the countryside. Holding orchid grass, they would sprinkle water over their bodies, wash their feet, and cleanse their skin to purge the misfortunes of the old year, hoping to dispel disasters and illnesses and start the new year afresh.
Shangsi was also the Girls’ Festival. In the past, when Xiao Qiao was still at home and her mother was alive, every March, her mother, and Madam Ding would take their daughters to the Flower Goddess Temple in the south of the city. There, they would join the people in the spring worship of the Flower Goddess, praying for their daughters’ blessings and safety.
After Xiao Qiao’s mother passed away, spring worship ceased for many years due to the multitude of affairs in the Qiao family.
This year was different. Although the Qiao family had just experienced a major upheaval, they seemed to have been given a new lease on life. The Qiao sisters were both at home with their children. Just two days ago, Bi Zhi had returned from the south, stopping by East Commandery to visit his wife and children. He was still at home today. Madam Ding’s mood had lifted from the gloom, and she had made early preparations to take the Qiao sisters to celebrate this long-awaited Girls’ Festival.
Early in the morning, outside the main gate of the Qiao residence, horse-drawn carriages decorated with freshly picked orchid grass from the night before were already waiting. Jia Si led a neatly arranged group of guards standing by, patiently waiting for the Qiao family’s women to come out.
A moment later, the sound of women’s cheerful laughter could be heard from afar. Looking up, they saw Madam Ding leading Da Qiao and Lady Qiao, surrounded by a group of maids and servants. The young master Li’er was being carried by his wet nurse, while Bi Zhi was holding Fei’er. The group emerged from behind the screen wall.
Lady Qiao wore a light green spring robe the color of tender willows, with a thin cape of primrose silk draped over her shoulders. Her slender waist was accentuated by the large sleeves and skirt hem, which were embroidered with delicate orchid flowers. Her black hair was tied up at the back of her head and hung down, secured with a ribbon the same color as her dress to prevent it from being disheveled by the wind. This maiden-like attire was both seasonally appropriate and exquisitely beautiful. Her bright eyes sparkled like precious gems. Walking beside her, Da Qiao wore a goose-yellow spring robe with a cyan cape, equally radiant.
The two women walked side by side, laughing and talking, their skirts trailing behind them. Jia Si dared not look too closely and quickly ordered the guards to retreat to both sides of the main gate, holding their breath as they waited for the women to come out and board the carriages.
Fei’er was almost a year old now. Not only was she increasingly adorable, like jade and snow, but she could also stand on her own. If held by the hand, she could even take a few wobbly steps. She had started speaking last month, calling out to Xiao Qiao as “Mama” in a mumbled voice, but now she could say it quite clearly.
Fei’er’s hair had been thick since birth. After her birth hair was shaved at one-month-old, and it had now grown to her ears. Today was her first Girls’ Festival, and early in the morning, Xiao Qiao had carefully dressed her up: her hair was parted in the middle and tied into two little pigtails, each adorned with a small silk butterfly bow that Spring had made for her by hand, both lifelike and delicate. She wore a tender willow-colored little dress made of the same material and color as Xiao Qiao’s spring robe, with silk socks and small shoes on her feet. When Spring first brought her out, like her brother Li’er, she held an orchid grass tied with colorful silk ribbons in one hand and a plum blossom cake in the other.
Having been kept at home by her mother for several days, knowing that she could go out to play today, and with her beloved brother Li’er too, she felt very happy. As soon as she left the room, she was constantly laughing. When she met her uncle Bi Zhi, whom she had only known for two days, she showed no shyness at all and threw herself into his arms. Now, as Bi Zhi carried her to the main gate, she turned her head and suddenly saw the familiar Jia Si standing nearby.
Every time her mother took her out, this uncle would make an appearance.
So as soon as she saw him, Fei’er knew she could go out to play. She gave him a sweet smile, waved her hand, and gurgled something incomprehensible.
Bi Zhi stopped in his tracks. Madam Ding, seeing how adorable she looked, teased her, “Is Fei’er trying to talk to General Jia?”
Jia Si was also very fond of Fei’er. He secretly glanced at Lady Qiao and, seeing that she had stopped and was smiling at him, he boldly moved a bit closer to Fei’er.
Fei’er stretched out her chubby little hand, the back of which had a few shallow dimples, and first offered him the plum blossom cake.
Jia Si was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, Fei’er had already withdrawn the hand holding the plum blossom cake and instead offered him the hand holding the orchid grass.
She extended it halfway, then pulled it back again.
She looked down at the plum blossom cake for a while, then at the orchid grass, as if unable to decide.
Madam Ding and the accompanying wet nurses and servants also stopped in their tracks, all turning back to watch Fei’er’s dilemma with interest.
Madam Ding said with a smile, “Is Fei’er reluctant to part with them?”
Before she could finish speaking, they saw Fei’er seemingly make up her mind. With an “Ah-wu,” she took a big bite of the plum blossom cake. Then, she offered both the cake, now missing a corner, and the orchid grass to Jia Si.
Madam Ding and the wet nurses and servants were stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
Even the usually composed Bi Zhi had a trace of amusement in his eyes.
Jia Si was overjoyed but quickly waved his hands, saying to Fei’er with a serious face, “This humble officer dares not accept the young Lady Qiao’s reward. I am grateful in my heart.”
This time, even Xiao Qiao couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “She seems to be trying to be friendly with General Jia. She’s already taken a bite of the plum blossom cake, so let’s forget about that. General Jia, please accept the orchid grass. If you don’t, she’ll surely make a fuss, and none of us will be able to leave today.”
Jia Si didn’t mind eating the plum blossom cake that the young Lady Qiao had bitten, but he knew he didn’t have such good fortune. So he accepted the orchid grass from her other little hand with both of his hands, saying respectfully, “This humble officer thanks young Lady Qiao and Lady Qiao.”
Seeing that he had accepted the orchid grass, Fei’er smiled brilliantly, making a few “yi-ya” sounds in response to Jia Si.
Nearby, Li’er saw that his sister no longer had an orchid grass and quickly offered his own, saying, “Sister, for you.”
Li’er was very intelligent, but he had started speaking very late. Da Qiao had been a bit worried before, but unexpectedly, after meeting and playing with Fei’er at the end of last year, perhaps influenced by Fei’er who liked to gurgle and babble all the time, he also began to speak. Once he started, in just a few short months, he suddenly learned many words.
It was as if he had known how to speak all along, but just kept it bottled up inside, refusing to speak out.
This “Sister, for you,” was spoken clearly and distinctly, making Da Qiao smile as she stroked her son’s head.
Fei’er was delighted, accepting the orchid grass with its beautiful purple silk ribbon from her little brother’s hand, giving him a sweet smile.
…
That day was mild and sunny. Several carriages from the Qiao residence filed out of the South City Gate, heading towards the Flower Goddess Temple.
The people of East Commandery hadn’t seen the two beauties appear together at the Flower Goddess Temple for many years. Today, seeing them again, their beauty was unparalleled, their charm captivating the country. One was the green-eyed general’s wife, revered by all in East Commandery. The other was even more extraordinary – rumors had been circulating that Yan Marquis Wei Shao would soon unify the realm and reach the highest position of power, making Xiao Qiao the future mother of the nation. As news spread that the Qiao sisters would attend the Shangsi spring worship at the Flower Goddess Temple today, the whole city turned out. People flocked to the area, nearly blocking the roads even before leaving the city.
Bi Zhi rode ahead to clear the way, with Jia Si following behind. They finally escorted the carriages to the Flower Goddess Temple surrounded by spring streams. The temple priests and attendants who had been waiting eagerly came forward to welcome them.
Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao helped Madam Ding off the carriage. The group, with smiles on their faces, headed inside as cheers erupted from both sides of the path.
After worshipping the Flower Goddess, the sisters took Li’er and Fei’er to the banks of the spring stream behind the temple.
There were too many people today.
The stream meandered for several li, with both banks densely planted with peach trees. Besides this stretch of the stream, many other banks could be used for washing during the festival. For caution, Jia Si had sealed off this area in advance, allowing only a few verified women and girls to enter. Thus, compared to the sea of people outside earlier, it was much quieter here.
Xiao Qiao came to the stream bank, dipped the orchid grass in the water, and lightly sprinkled a few drops on Fei’er’s hair for good fortune.
Da Qiao did the same, sprinkling stream water on Li’er. As the siblings were taken by their wet nurses to play in a nearby pavilion, Xiao Qiao saw Bi Zhi walking towards them from afar, stopping at the edge of the pavilion. She turned her head to look, secretly laughed, and gently pushed Da Qiao, nodding her head and saying, “Go on!”
Da Qiao had seen her husband coming earlier but didn’t want to leave Xiao Qiao, so she pretended not to notice. Seeing Xiao Qiao urging her, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she said, “I’d rather stay here with you…”
Xiao Qiao laughed softly and said, “Brother-in-law will be leaving again in a few days. It’s rare to have such good weather today, and I’m not without company. Who needs you to keep me company?”
Saying this, she pushed her towards Bi Zhi.
Bi Zhi said to Da Qiao, “There’s a peach blossom grove ahead. The peach blossoms are in full bloom. Shall we go for a walk?”
Da Qiao looked at Xiao Qiao, who was smiling at her as if urging her on, and finally nodded.
Bi Zhi smiled slightly, picked up Li’er, nodded respectfully to Xiao Qiao, and led his beloved wife away. The three of them slowly walked towards the peach blossom grove.
Xiao Qiao watched with a smile as the family of three gradually disappeared from view. She sat down with Spring, who was holding Fei’er, on a stone bench by the stream, covered with a handkerchief.
It had rained just yesterday, and the spring stream was swollen, flowing unhurriedly from west to east. The water was clear and green, revealing every pebble on the shore and the clusters of water plants swaying slowly with the undercurrent at the bottom of the stream bed. The peach blossoms on both banks were in full bloom. As a breeze passed, the peach blossoms fell rustling into the stream, the petals drifting slowly with the current, attracting a group of small wild fish that gathered to nibble at them, constantly jumping out of the water, which was quite amusing.
Xiao Qiao watched with a smile as Spring and the wet nurse took Fei’er to point out the playful fish to her. As they gradually walked along the stream bank, leaving her alone, she fell into a trance.
She wondered where he was now and how he was doing.
Another gust of wind passed, bringing a rain of peach blossoms from above.
Half fell into the stream, half drifted onto Xiao Qiao’s skirt.
She picked up a peach blossom that had fallen on Fei’er’s pigtail, held it in her palm, and brought it to her nose, lowering her head to take a gentle sniff.
When she raised her head, her gaze froze.
Just across the stream, about a hundred paces away on the opposite bank, amidst the spring breeze and falling blossoms, stood a man.
She was at one end of the peach blossom stream, he at the other, gazing at each other across the water.
He wore traveler’s clothes, from head to toe covered in dust, but his eyes were bright and piercing.
It seemed he had just arrived.
Yet it also seemed as if he had been standing there on the opposite bank, watching her and Fei’er for a long time.
When she finally raised her eyes and looked at him, his feet suddenly stepped into the stream, wading towards her through the water.
The stream gurgled, wetting the hem of his robe. He walked faster and faster, his strides growing larger. Where he passed, white foam and waves appeared on the water’s surface.
Not far away, a few girls holding peach branches who had been frolicking under the peach trees stopped their chasing and teasing, looking in amazement at this handsome man who seemed to have fallen from the sky and was now wading through the water towards them. Their young hearts couldn’t help but flutter.
Xiao Qiao slowly stood up from the stone bench.
The peach blossoms in her skirt fell and scattered with the wind.
She stood there under the peach tree on the bank, eyes unblinking as she watched the man wade through the water towards her, step by step, finally reaching the shore and pausing.
“I’m back,” he said, gazing at her.
Xiao Qiao suddenly ran towards him.
He opened his arms without hesitation, catching her and holding her tight.
Xiao Qiao’s arms also tightly embraced his waist. Her face pressed against his broad chest, eyes closed, feeling the rapid and powerful beating of his heart.
Neither of them spoke, just holding each other like this.
The peach blossom rain fell more and more urgently, drifting and sprinkling with the wind. Petals fell on his shoulders and her beautiful hair.
After a long while.
“Husband—”
Xiao Qiao finally raised her face from his embrace, calling him softly in a slightly tearful tone yet also seemed coquettish.
Wei Shao lowered his head, his finger gently wiping her eyelids, which had taken on the color of peach blossoms.
“Manman, the war is over. I’ve come to take you and Fei’er to Luoyang. From now on, I never want to be apart from you again!”
He said, gazing at her, emphasizing each word.
Xiao Qiao’s eyes welled up with a thin layer of tears as she slowly grasped one of his hands.
Wei Shao gripped back. Their fingers intertwined tightly.
“Let me take you to find Fei’er. She can already call me ‘Mama’ now. Do you want to hear her call you ‘Papa’?”
She turned back, smiling at him, her radiant smile outshining the blooming peach blossoms above.