Jiang Changyi sat down to change clothes without showing any emotion, but then he sneezed. He asked Xiao Ba to reward Cai’er with some money and to fetch a bowl of ginger soup from the kitchen.
The reward he gave was generous, and his words were kind. Cai’er hesitated and glanced at the painting, thinking that a person from the distinguished Zhu Guogong Mansion would not have any designs on the painting. She pocketed the money and headed to the front.
As soon as Cai’er left, Jiang Changyi quickly moved to the table. Xiao Ba helped him grind the ink, and he began to paint rapidly. He created a similar ink plum blossom painting, wrote a poem, and stamped it with his seal. Then, he rolled up Xiao Xuexi’s painting and handed it to Xiao Ba. Xiao Ba discreetly left and soon met a young servant in coarse white clothing, who whispered a few words to him.
Xiao Ba nodded repeatedly, handed the painting to the young servant, and returned to report to Jiang Changyi. The young servant wrapped the painting in an old cloth and left. Sun Hou’er emerged from behind a nearby holly bush and followed openly.
When Cai’er returned, Jiang Changyi had already changed his clothes and was waiting for his ginger soup. Xiao Ba glanced at the painting on the table, saw that it was still there, and didn’t worry about it. After sending Jiang Changyi off, Xiao Ba used this as an excuse to stay by the fire in the pavilion to keep warm, avoiding other duties.
Meanwhile, Lü Fang and others, stepping on shattered jade-like snow, moved toward the back. The sky was a clear blue, contrasting with the white snow in the garden, plum blossoms, and strange rocks. A pool of green water flowed slowly from east to west, creating a picturesque scene. Lü Fang glanced behind Mu Dan several times and couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Qilang, where’s your servant?”
Mu Dan, a bit embarrassed, replied, “He said he has a stomach ache.”
Lü Fang blushed as well and whispered, “He’s been gone for a while. Could he be lost? I’ll have someone find him. We need to be careful not to offend the dignitaries.”
Mu Dan thanked him, “It’s fine. My servant is very reliable. Let’s wait a bit longer. If he doesn’t return, I’ll ask for your help.”
Xiao Xuexi glanced back at Mu Dan and Lü Fang. Her brother had said that someone like He Mu Dan was a perfect match for Lü Fang, someone of equal status. She recalled the news she received last night that Jiang Changyang had returned, probably in a hurry for her sake. Thinking of this made her heartache, and the more she looked at Mu Dan, the more she disliked her. Yet, she pretended to be friendly and said, “What are you two whispering about back there? So happy! Tell me too.”
Lü Fang said, “We’re just admiring the snowy scenery in the garden.”
“Not sharing your secret with me, huh?” Xiao Xuexi laughed, stepped back a few paces, walked beside Mu Dan, and warmly held her hand. She sympathetically said, “I didn’t get to tell you earlier, but what you went through was scary. It’s hard for someone so young to be out there facing the world.” Lowering her voice with great concern, she added, “Frankly, even with the help of a noble, there are always loose ends that can cause trouble in the future.” Then she raised her voice cheerfully, “But you don’t need to worry. My brother will help you resolve everything smoothly.” She subtly mentioned Liu Chang, feeling indignant, “How can there be such shameless people, taking advantage of others…”
Mu Dan did not believe that Xiao Xuexi was unaware of the matter. This pretense was no different from Xiao Yuexi’s. In terms of acting, she was indeed far inferior to them.
The banquet was set in a lakeside pavilion, with all the windows on three sides opened, leaving only one side facing the snowy lake view. Large bronze fire pots filled with silver-thread charcoal were burning, and silver-gilded beast-shaped incense burners filled the air with a warm fragrance. The guests enjoyed the snow and warmth simultaneously. Four young men, dressed in wide-sleeved robes similar in age to Xiao Yuexi, sat inside, conversing with scholarly references, composing poems, and showing off their talents. It was a stark contrast to the more indulgent banquets that Liu Chang used to host.
However, it was different from Mu Dan’s initial expectations. Servants were not allowed inside and had to wait outside. Mu Dan thought for a moment and then entered.
Xiao Yuexi smiled slightly upon seeing Mu Dan, “I was afraid you wouldn’t come. I’m glad you did me this honor.” He then introduced her to the group, “This is He Qilang.” Pointing to Lü Fang, he said, “You all know him.”
A man in a stone-blue robe, seated in the main position, immediately stood up to warmly welcome Mu Dan and Lü Fang, smiling, “We’ve heard about Qilang’s situation. Xiao’s friends are our friends. No need to worry.”
Lü Fang introduced him to Mu Dan, “This is Xie Gong, our host. He’s the eldest son of the Jingzhao Yin family.”
Seeing Lü Fang and Mu Dan whispering, Xiao Yuexi said, “Shilang, please take care of Qilang, as she’s not familiar with this place.”
Lü Fang willingly agreed while Mu Dan noticed Xiao Xuexi looking at her with an annoying smile, so she turned her face away and joined Lü Fang to admire the winter peonies. The two single-petaled winter peonies from Jiangnan appeared to have dry old branches with flowers blooming without leaves. One had purple petals with dark spots at the base, and the other had pink petals with slight purple spots at the base.
Lü Fang marveled at the sight, repeatedly expressing his amazement. Mu Dan, however, was greatly disappointed. She had expected the winter peonies described in ancient books to be different from the modern ones, but they were the same.
Xiao Xuexi loudly said, “I’ve heard that you both are experts. We don’t know the names of these peonies. Could you enlighten us?” Then, she looked at Mu Dan, seemingly giving her a chance to shine, “Qilang, you first.”
Mu Dan softly said, “Because the old branches appear dry yet can sprout and bloom, with flowers appearing without leaves, they are called ‘Dry Branch Peonies.’”
“You’ve seen them before?” Lü Fang was greatly surprised and then deeply impressed. But noticing Mu Dan’s disappointment, he thought that she must have knowledge and treasures he wasn’t aware of. His curiosity was piqued, and he longed to have a long conversation with her to uncover all her knowledge. He clung to her, discussing the peonies in detail.
Xiao Yuexi and Xiao Xuexi exchanged a knowing glance.
Soon, a thin, kind-looking young man entered. Xie Gong filled a large cup of wine and jovially said, “Jiang Lang, you’re late! You must drink as punishment!”
The young man didn’t refuse and downed the cup in one gulp. The crowd cheered, and he drank several more cups without hesitation. Xiao Yuexi laughed, “Truly worthy of being from the Zhu Guogong Mansion, so bold and generous!”
Mu Dan carefully observed the young man, guessing he was likely Jiang Changyi, the youngest son of the Jiang family. Sure enough, Xiao Xuexi soon came over and whispered, “This is Jiang Changyi, the youngest son of the Zhu Guogong. Do you know him?” She assumed Mu Dan didn’t.
Mu Dan shook her head but saw Jiang Changyi approach slowly. He shyly greeted Xiao Xuexi, who responded with the same charm she showed when many young masters courted her during their hunts. She entertained him, making him feel important.
Someone suggested a drinking game. Mu Dan noticed that the cups on the table were all large and knew that heavy drinking was common here. She stated directly, “I’m not good at drinking. I’ll take my leave first.”
Xiao Yuexi said, “No need to force yourself. Someone can drink for you.”
Lü Fang, worried that Mu Dan might leave, quickly said, “Qilang, don’t worry, I’ll drink for you!” Hearing that he would drink on her behalf, someone chuckled, but Xiao Yuexi’s cold gaze silenced them.
Mu Dan refused, but soon Sun Hou’er slipped in, pretending to hand her a handkerchief, and whispered, “Just agree.” He then left, joining other servants who were being persuaded to drink.
The game continued, often pointing at Mu Dan and Lü Fang. Lü Fang drank six large cups and started to wobble, looking visibly drunk. Xiao Xuexi laughed, “Qilang, Shilang can’t handle it. You should drink one.”
“Of course, next time I’ll drink myself.” Mu Dan agreed, waiting for the game to point at her. Surprisingly, it frequently pointed at others, especially Jiang Changyi and Xiao Xuexi. Xiao Xuexi drank a cup, her face flushed, and she said, “I can’t take it anymore. I’m going out to get some air.” She then left the table.
Jiang Changyi drank two more cups and, feeling the effects, quickly excused himself and ran outside. Xiao Yuexi didn’t mind, instructing the game to continue. Soon, someone came in, whispered in his ear, and said, “The person has left the palace. They’ll be here shortly.
.”
Xiao Yuexi nodded, signaling to proceed as planned. He gave the game leader a look, and it pointed at Mu Dan and Lü Fang several times.
Mu Dan drank two cups, and Lü Fang drank four more, becoming increasingly incoherent. His face turned rosy, and he smiled broadly. He grabbed Mu Dan’s sleeve, childishly asking, “Brother, teach me how to grow and identify flowers. Please? I have some skills to share with you too. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
Mu Dan found it both amusing and exasperating. She pulled her sleeve back, saying, “You’re drunk!” But Lü Fang, still grinning, clung to the table, persistently reaching for her and loudly pleading, “Good brother, please teach me…”
“This guy is getting out of hand,” Xie Gong’s group laughed, pretending to pull him away but failing. He kept reaching for Mu Dan. Xiao Yuexi, seeing things not going as planned, hesitated to intervene. Mu Dan was supposed to be drunk by the second cup, but she wasn’t.
Mu Dan stomped on Lü Fang’s hand and splashed a cup of cold wine on Xie Gong’s face, then stood up and shouted, “Gui! Shun!” But it wasn’t Gui who entered; it was Jiang Changyang.
Jiang Changyang stormed over, grabbed Lü Fang’s hand, twisted it, and threw him to the ground. He then coldly said to Xiao Yuexi, “It seems your brother is causing trouble.”