Pan Rong glared at Jiang Changyang, saying, “If it weren’t for you, why would I do such a shameless thing? I swallowed my pride to beg someone, only to be spat in the face!”
So it was all to please this Jiang Changyang? Mudan, hearing this, carefully examined him. He wore a plain blue robe without any embellishments and the most ordinary six-seamed boots. Unlike other male guests at the banquet, his waist wasn’t adorned with fragrant pouches or jade pendants. Instead, he only carried a two-foot-long saber, its hilt unadorned and its scabbard plain black – so ordinary that one wouldn’t want to look at it twice. As for his appearance, though masculine, his expression was too stiff and wooden. His eyes and eyebrows seemed immovable, completely devoid of animation.
Jiang Changyang, noticing Mudan’s scrutiny, felt slightly embarrassed. He gave her a faint smile, revealing a row of snow-white teeth, then turned to Pan Rong and said, “I don’t want it anymore! Let’s forget about our previous bet.”
Pan Rong glared, “You think you can just call it off? Jiang Dalang, why has it always been your way since childhood? Today, I insist on fulfilling this promise! Well, sister-in-law, will you sell or not? I’ve already explained everything to you, think it over!”
Li Xing mocked, “You just said you wouldn’t use your power to bully others, yet now you’re bullying a weak woman?”
Pan Rong became aggressive, glaring at Li Xing, “So what if I bully her? It’s just two flowers. I’m not forcing her, why is she making things difficult for me? Isn’t she just asking for trouble?”
What kind of world is this? What kind of people are these? Anyone can step on her? Mudan, angered, couldn’t help but sneer, “So my unwillingness to sell my dowry is making things difficult for the Young Master! Well, today I won’t sell at all! If keeping them in such trouble, I’ll chop them down publicly right now! With the trees gone, the crow won’t call anymore!” She pushed aside Lin Mama and bent down to draw Li Xing’s saber from his waist. If that’s how they want to play, so be it – the barefoot aren’t afraid of those wearing shoes!
What? This weakling dares to oppose her? Did she look too easy to bully? Pan Rong grabbed the saber, angrily saying, “You dare! And you dare call me a crow!”
Mudan glared at him coldly, sneering, “Why wouldn’t I dare! In my own home, chopping my flowers, what business is it of yours, Young Master! Even if this matter reached the emperor’s feet, I would be in the right! As for the crow, I didn’t name anyone specifically. Whoever wants to claim that title can!”
Jiang Changyang looked at Pan Rong seriously and said, “If you truly consider me a friend, stop unreasonably troubling others. If I were to receive these two pots of flowers this way, I’d be too ashamed to face anyone!”
Pan Rong said hatefully, “Jiang Dalang! You ungrateful fool!”
Jiang Changyang glanced at him, then bowed to Mudan, saying earnestly, “My mother loves flowers. I once made a bet with the Young Master, agreeing that the loser would do one thing for the winner. The Young Master lost, so he was to find two good peony plants for me, or he’d be breaking his word. Therefore, this is all my fault. Please don’t blame the Young Master, madam. You needn’t chop down the flowers. If the Young Master wants to buy them, sell them to him. After you receive the money, I’ll immediately return it to you. You can earn a full million cash.”
Before Mudan could speak, Pan Rong pointed at Jiang Changyang, gritting his teeth, “Jiang Dalang! How vicious of you!”
Li Xing chuckled, reclaiming his saber from their hands, “Let me meditate. Since the Young Master has spoken, Dangniang, you shouldn’t be so inconsiderate. How about this: This autumn, you choose a few good varieties and graft some peonies to give to the Young Master and Master Jiang. What do you think?”
Mudan, who had been acting on impulse earlier, now gladly took this way out. She smiled, “I’ll do as my cousin says.”
Jiang Changyang politely said, “We’ve troubled you, madam. When the time comes, I’ll pay the market price. We can’t let you work for nothing.”
Though extremely reluctant, Pan Rong couldn’t make more waves. He snorted heavily, “You must give them to me to quell my anger!”
Mudan replied, “Consider it a thank-you gift for the Young Master’s earlier intervention on my behalf before the Princess.”
She firmly refused to admit any wrongdoing or apologize for it.
Li Xing smiled, “If that’s settled, shall we return?”
As they turned to leave, a blue-clad maid from Princess Qinghua’s entourage hurriedly approached. She greeted everyone and smiled, “My Princess invites Madam He for a chat, just ahead in the Crystal Pavilion.”
Lin Mama nervously grabbed Mudan’s sleeve. Could this be some kind of plot?
Even knowing Princess Qinghua’s ill intentions, Mudan couldn’t refuse the invitation. But since the Princess dared to invite her so openly in front of everyone, she probably wouldn’t do anything too drastic. Perhaps she just wanted to threaten Mudan? Or maybe there could be an unexpected gain. Thinking this, and seeing Li Xing wink at her, Mudan smiled and said, “I humbly obey.”
After Mudan left, Li Xing put his arm around Pan Rong’s shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Pan Rong just shook his head. Li Xing held up one finger, but Pan Rong hesitated and still shook his head. Li Xing sneered and turned to leave, but Pan Rong immediately grabbed his sleeve and raised his hand to clap with Li Xing’s. “Deal!”
The so-called Crystal Pavilion of the Liu family was merely a small wooden pavilion built in the middle of the lake. Liu Chengcai, fond of enjoying the cool air and reading there, had built a water wheel to pump water from the lake and let it flow down from the pavilion’s eaves, creating a curtain of water. It was exceptionally cool and pleasant to stay inside during summer. At sunrise, whether viewed from inside or outside, the water curtain gleamed like crystal, hence the name Crystal Pavilion.
Reaching the entrance of the winding bridge, the maid stopped Lin Mama and Yuhe, smiling, “The Princess has some private words for the madam. Please wait here with me.”
Lin Mama and Yuhe looked at Mudan anxiously, “Young Madam…”
Mudan looked up. It wasn’t yet midsummer, so the water wheel wasn’t operating. The Crystal Pavilion looked ordinary, and she could see clearly from the curved corridor to the railing around it. It didn’t seem like a good place for causing physical harm. Moreover, there was no sign of Princess Qinghua’s other attendants outside the pavilion. She said, “Wait for me here. I’ll be back soon.”
Lin Mama’s eyes reddened, but she dared not speak out of turn in front of the maid. She just looked at Mudan and said softly, “Young Madam, be careful.”
The blue-clad maid smiled, “Don’t worry, our Princess means no harm. Madam, when you reach the outer room, if no one responds, just enter on your own.”
Mudan nodded, taking her umbrella and walking steadily towards the Crystal Pavilion. The sunlight reflecting off the water was strong and dazzling, making Mudan squint. Looking at the winding stone bridge ahead, she felt a sense of dizziness.
As she got closer, the sound of a pipa from the Crystal Pavilion grew louder. When she was about ten paces away, it was audible, accompanied by the faint scent of expensive incense made from Arabian rose water and Hainan agarwood. Mudan stopped and called out loudly, “He Weifang, responding to the Princess’s invitation, has come to meet.”
She called three times, but the pipa music continued uninterrupted, with no one answering. Remembering the blue-clad maid’s earlier hint, Mudan decided to walk forward.
As she approached, the pipa music suddenly stopped, replaced by a coquettish laugh mixed with a few ambiguous moans, clearly floating out from the half-open window.
Mudan looked up and saw inside the Crystal Pavilion a soft couch, with a twelve-panel silver-inlaid screen decorated with flowers and birds half-open, half-closed. The blue gauze curtains on the bed frame fluttered in the wind, revealing a half-naked couple passionately entangled inside, inseparable. Outside the curtain, near a floor-standing screen, a blue-clad maid holding a pipa sat with lowered eyes, motionless like a meditating monk.