The next morning.
The consorts came one by one to pay their respects to Empress Xu.
Empress Xu sat on her phoenix chair, exchanging pleasantries with the consorts, a smile on her face.
Lady Wang said with a smile, “In just two more days, it will be the flower-viewing banquet. This year, I’ve prepared two superb pots of peonies, ready to compete for the title of Queen of Flowers. If I win, Your Majesty mustn’t be stingy — you’ll have to reward me handsomely.”
The remark was made with a touch of wit and humor.
Empress Xu laughed at hearing this. “Oh? You sound so confident — it seems you’ve cultivated some rare new peony variety this year.”
The other consorts joined in the fun as well. “Sister Wang, what kind of new variety have you cultivated, really? Let’s go take a look at it over at your place in a bit.”
Lady Wang, having become the center of attention, looked rather pleased with herself. She lifted her lips into a smile. “Allow me to keep you all in suspense, sisters — everyone can take a proper look at the flower-viewing banquet in two days.”
Consort Wei said with a smile, “After hearing Sister Wang say that, even I find myself curious. It seems we’re all in for a feast for the eyes at the banquet in two days.”
There were also consorts who could not stand Lady Wang’s smug, flamboyant manner, and they remarked pointedly, “Every year, the Queen of Flowers has always come from Her Majesty’s own Jiaofang Hall. For Sister Wang to put out such words so early — isn’t that a bit improper?”
“Indeed. Her Majesty has no shortage of talented people around her. I’ve heard that Official Ling, who entered the palace not long ago, is skilled at growing peonies. This year, she’s sure to show us something worth seeing.”
Empress Xu’s lips curved slightly as she said, with feigned indifference, “Everyone, there’s no need to rush. There are only two days left anyway — go back and make your preparations. When the time comes, I will invite His Majesty to act as judge and select this year’s Queen of Flowers!”
At these words, everyone’s spirits lifted at once.
His Majesty had been bedridden, recovering from illness, and had not visited the harem in months. Such a rare and good opportunity to curry favor was certainly not to be let slip easily.
After exchanging a round of laughter and conversation, the consorts took their leave one by one.
Empress Xu, too, had a proud and competitive temperament, one that cared a great deal about face. She had shown nothing on hearing Lady Wang’s words at the time, but the moment Lady Wang left, she ordered at once, “Rui Lian, go take a look over at the Peony House. Have Ling Jingshu present the new peonies for me to see.”
Rui Lian quickly answered with a smile.
The moment she stepped out of Jiaofang Hall, she ran straight into Ling Jingshu’s group.
Ling Jingshu held a pot of peonies in her arms, and behind her, several maids each carefully carried their own flowerpots.
Rui Lian broke into a smile. “A’Shu, you’ve come at just the right time. Her Majesty is anxiously summoning you inside — she wants to see this year’s new peonies!”
Ling Jingshu pressed her lips together and smiled. “Good, I’ll go in right away.”
Ling Jingshu led the maids in, filing through one after another.
“This servant greets Her Majesty the Empress!” Ling Jingshu, holding a flowerpot and unable to perform a full bow, gave a slight bend instead.
Empress Xu gave a casual hum of acknowledgment, her gaze falling onto what Ling Jingshu held, and then suddenly brightened. “Jingshu, is the one in your hands this year’s new peony variety?”
Ling Jingshu answered with a smile that it was.
“Quick, bring it over for me to see.” A flicker of eagerness crossed Empress Xu’s eyes.
Ling Jingshu acknowledged this and quickly set the pot in her hands down on the table. Turning, she instructed the others, “All of you, set your pots down on the table too — be careful with your movements.”
Six pots of new peony varieties were arranged neatly on the table.
Empress Xu did not remain seated either, but rose with great interest and went over to look at them one by one, praising as she went. “This year’s new peonies have truly grown well. What’s this pink-white one called?”
Ling Jingshu said with a smile, “This one is Xiangyu — its color is elegant and understated, and its fragrance is intense.” She went on to introduce the rest of the peonies one by one.
When she reached the last pot, she introduced it with particular ceremony. “Your Majesty, this pot is a multicolored peony, commonly called Erqiao, also known as Luoyang Brocade. Its branches, leaves, and blossoms each differ from one another; the flowers are exceptionally large, the foliage lush, and the fragrance especially enticing.”
Luoyang Brocade!
Empress Xu silently repeated the name to herself several times, her eyes full of appreciation, and praised it with a blazing gaze. “Excellent — the flower blooms beautifully, and the name suits it well too.”
Ling Jingshu seized the moment to smile and say, “To win Your Majesty’s favor makes all the care this servant put into tending this peony worthwhile. I only hope that at this year’s flower-viewing banquet, this Luoyang Brocade can claim the title of Queen of Flowers and bring honor to Your Majesty’s name.”
Empress Xu’s face filled with delight as she nodded repeatedly. “Lady Wang was just boasting in front of me earlier, saying that her maids had grown a new variety this year and meant to compete for this year’s Queen of Flowers. I myself have no interest in chasing such glory, but now, with this Luoyang Brocade, she can give up any wishful thinking about that title.”
“This servant has not seen the peonies in Lady Wang’s chambers, so I dare not say carelessly which is superior,” Ling Jingshu said with a smile. “But within this palace, who else but Your Majesty could ever outshine all others!”
Everyone knows how to flatter, but flattery delivered this smoothly, this pleasantly, so perfectly pleasing to the ear, was truly rare.
In high spirits, Empress Xu said with a beaming smile, “I’d always thought you were quiet and reserved, not one for much talk — I never expected that when you do offer flattery, it would sound this pleasant to the ear.”
Ling Jingshu protested with feigned indignation, “Every word this servant said came straight from the heart — for Your Majesty to say such a thing is truly unjust to me.”
Empress Xu was amused into laughter. Looking again at the multicolored peony, she found herself liking it more and more the longer she looked. Leaning in close, that distinctive, subtle fragrance permeated her senses all the more.
Empress Xu smiled and gave an order. “Rui Lian, I truly love this Luoyang Brocade. Take this pot and move it to my bedchamber right now.”
Rui Lian smiled and joined in the fun. “Yes, this servant obeys.”
She then teased Ling Jingshu as well. “Every year, Her Majesty keeps the peony that wins Queen of Flowers in her bedchamber for a while. This year, the flower-viewing banquet hasn’t even started, and this Luoyang Brocade has already caught Her Majesty’s eye. That’s no small achievement.”
Hearing this, Empress Xu laughed. “Now that you put it that way, I can’t very well just take this peony for nothing.”
She casually slipped off the jade bracelet from her wrist. “Jingshu, I’ll grant you this pair of bracelets. As long as you serve diligently, I will never treat you unfairly.”
Ling Jingshu’s face was full of gratitude and emotion. “Thank you, Your Majesty. This servant will always serve with utmost care from now on, and will never be negligent.”
In excellent spirits, Empress Xu exchanged a few more words of laughter before having Rui Lian carry the peony into her bedchamber.
The anxiety that had hung over Ling Jingshu’s heart for more than half a month quietly settled at last.
She had now done everything that Wei Yan had asked of her.
Every last drop of the liquid from the porcelain vial had been used on this pot of Luoyang Brocade, without a single drop spared. She had also quietly thrown the empty vial into the lake in the Imperial Garden.
After using the liquid, the flowers had bloomed with exceptional beauty and the fragrance had grown especially strong. Apart from that, in her daily care of the peony, nothing else had seemed unusual.
What exactly was the purpose of that liquid?
What exactly was Wei Yan trying to accomplish?