As Mudan returned to Qujiang Pool, the sky was darkening. Mama Lin had already come back and was overseeing tea preparations in the kitchen. Seeing Mudan hurrying over, she smiled and recounted the gift-giving situation: “Everyone had return gifts. Cousin Li from the Li family said she would deliver the items personally. Madam Huang expressed a desire to visit you, and Fanli also wanted to come play with this old servant, but was scolded by Fifth Master Zhang.”
Mudan smiled. “Once I’ve settled in, I’ll invite them over as guests. Has the evening’s menu been drafted?”
Mama Lin quickly pulled out the menu from her sleeve for Mudan’s review. “Everything’s arranged, just waiting for your approval.”
There were ten dishes in total. Though not extravagant delicacies, they met Jiang Changyang’s two requirements: plenty of meat and good wine. Mudan added two more dishes, adjusted the balance of meat and vegetable dishes, and handed the menu back to Mama Lin. “Proceed with this. How many people have arrived?”
Mama Lin lowered her voice, “About a dozen or so. They’re all talking with the young master in the study now.” She disliked those people. Though they seemed ordinary, with smiles on their faces and an appearance of amiability, there was an indescribable quality about them that made one instinctively want to avoid close contact.
Mudan instructed, “This is my first time hosting guests. Make sure everything is done well, with no mistakes.” In the past, when Jiang Changyang was a bachelor, imperfect hospitality might have been overlooked. But now that he was married, things were different. Even slight oversights could lead to gossip, which she wouldn’t allow. Mama Lin understood the importance of the new bride’s first formal appearance and put in extra effort, attending to every detail inside and out with utmost precision. Fortunately, all the household staff were capable, whether they came with Mudan’s dowry or were originally with Jiang Changyang. Each person worked diligently and sincerely.
When mealtime arrived, those responsible for lighting lamps, setting tables, serving dishes, and pouring wine moved forward in an orderly fashion. There was no clamor, and everything proceeded smoothly. The food was delicious and plentiful, the wine was well-aged, and the servants were attentive. Everyone praised the hostess’s competence. Jiang Changyang smiled modestly, though inwardly he was overjoyed. From now on, no matter what he did, he was no longer alone—Mudan stood behind him.
The group chatted and laughed, interspersed with discussions of official matters. By the time the dining tables were cleared, it was already the hour of the Boar (9-11 PM). Servants came forward again, replacing tea and offering fruit. By the end of the second watch (11 PM-1 AM), business was concluded and the guests dispersed. For those who stayed, waiting servants came forward with lanterns to guide them to prepared guest rooms.
Everything had gone smoothly. Jiang Changyang walked contentedly toward the main bedroom. The light was still on inside; Mudan was waiting for him. He smiled, cleaned up, and then entered.
Sure enough, Mudan was reclining on the bed, reading a stack of manuscripts. Beside her, under the lamp, was a silver lacquer box decorated with flower branch patterns. The box was half-open, with gold, silver, and jewels inside reflecting a soft, precious light. Jiang Changyang recognized this box. Since he was very young, he had often seen the old madam open it and take out beautiful, exquisite ornaments. He had coveted them, always wanting to touch them. The old madam had told him they were for his future wife. He hadn’t expected that they would indeed be given to Mudan.
Jiang Changyang sat down beside Mudan and took the manuscripts from her hands. “You should light more lamps; be careful not to strain your eyes.” He flipped through the pages, seeing records of how many peonies had bloomed in the spring, their size, color, and other such details. He couldn’t help but laugh. “You put your heart into growing these flowers.” He carefully put the papers away and pointed at the lacquer box. “What’s this about?”
“Are you tired?” Mudan hugged his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. “I was going to ask you the same thing. She said it was a meeting gift, suddenly given to me. I couldn’t refuse. I’ve looked through it—they’re all valuable items.” She still felt uneasy. It was normal for the old madam to treat her poorly; this sudden kindness felt abnormal.
Jiang Changyang blew out the lamp. “If she insists on giving it to you, just accept it. Lock it away for now. If she says anything later, you can return it to her. Did she have any particular business with you?”
Mudan recounted what she had seen and heard that day, sighed about Jiang Yunqing, and said, “It seems it was mainly about your beautiful cousin. Also, it appears rumors are circulating outside about Maya?”
Jiang Changyang frowned. “When I went for an audience yesterday, I was asked about it twice. I find it strange too. Maya was brought out by Pan Rong, and that day she went to the estate in Axin’s carriage. Not many people knew about this, so how did it spread so widely? Don’t worry about it. In a few days, my adoptive father and mother will likely return to Kucha. When she goes, naturally, the rumors will die down. As for that cousin, if you find it boring, just accompany her for a while. If you don’t like it, find an excuse not to go.”
“Taking her around isn’t a problem. We can’t completely cut off ties with those people, can we?” Mudan smiled. “I’ve already thought it through. I need to buy rootstock anyway, so when the weather is good, I’ll take her out. It’ll serve two purposes.”
Jiang Changyang stroked her hand. “It’s up to you. I might not be home often in the coming days. I’ll leave Shun’er at home. When you go out, have him accompany you.”
Mudan hugged his waist tightly. “Please be careful.” They spoke no more that night.
Early the next morning, when Mudan opened her eyes, Jiang Changyang was indeed already gone. The pillow and blanket beside her were cold. She felt quite unaccustomed to this, staring blankly at the canopy for a while before lazily calling for someone to help her dress and wash up.
The mud on the streets had not yet dried completely. This outing would inevitably result in mud-stained clothes, but she paid no mind. She changed into a dark purple Hu-style outfit that wouldn’t show dirt easily, had a horse prepared, and took Shun’er with her to seek out familiar flower farmers for rootstock that was over two feet tall, well-nourished, and growing vigorously. Only flower farmers would have such things; the various temples and monasteries did not.
Mudan spent the entire morning visiting nearly half of her acquaintances but failed to purchase a single flower. The news of Jin Buyan’s high-priced peony order had spread throughout the capital, causing the prices of rootstock and scions to skyrocket. If she bought at these prices, she would surely incur a loss. While she had anticipated a price increase, this level was beyond her expectations. When she casually inquired about scion prices, they were even more ridiculously expensive. As soon as she tried to negotiate, people put on troubled expressions. When she pressed further, they became even more evasive, changing the subject. Some even directly suggested she send people to dig in the mountains.
Mudan had considered this option, but wild peonies lacked nutrients and suffered severely from biennial bearing. While scions were important, the nutritional status and growth of the rootstock were equally crucial. Jin Buyan required that two-thirds of the grafted scions should bloom, and bloom well. How could malnourished rootstock achieve this? It would be tantamount to ruining their reputation. This situation was eerily similar to when she tried to order scions last year! It was as if suddenly no one wanted to do business.
Seeing that further delay would be pointless, Mudan decided, “Let’s head back. We’ll figure out what’s going on and then think of a solution. There’s always a way.” She was the type to become more determined in the face of setbacks. Even if she didn’t profit from these few dozen flowers, she was determined to close this deal.
Shuer was so angry her lips puckered high, gritting her teeth as she said, “I bet it’s Cao Wanrong’s doing again.”
Speak of the devil—as Mudan and her servants rounded the corner near Lanling Ward, they saw Cao Wanrong standing under a locust tree not far away, chatting and laughing with two unfamiliar men. All their eyes were fixed on her. When they noticed her looking their way, Cao Wanrong’s face broke into a friendly smile with a hint of ingratiating, and he strode over to greet her, “How have you been, Madam He?”
Mudan nodded with a slight smile, “It’s been a while, Garden Master Cao. Where have you been making your fortune these days?” They hadn’t seen each other since the peony flower show. She had heard he had gotten so drunk he slept for days, then caught a cold and was ill for quite some time.
“What fortune? I’ve been nursing an illness for a long while and have only recently recovered. It’s all thanks to you.” Cao Wanrong shook his head, adding enviously, “Jin Buyan didn’t order many flowers from me. The rootstock in my garden is just enough. On the contrary, I ordered too many scions last year, almost more than I can use. It’s hard to recover the capital.”
Mudan smiled faintly, “I heard you were expanding your peony garden. Isn’t this perfect timing to use them? I also heard you sold quite a few peonies this spring.” He deserved it. Last year, to prevent her peony garden from getting good scions, he had run around offering high prices to secure all the good peony scions before her, thinking he had hurt her, but in the end, he only hurt himself.
Cao Wanrong sighed, forcing a bitter smile, “Please don’t mock me. Who doesn’t know that after the peony flower show, everyone in the capital only knows about Fang Garden?” His expression was a mix of worry and a hint of humility. “To be honest, I heard you were out looking for rootstock, so I waited here specifically for you.”
His information was quite fast. Mudan raised an eyebrow, “Is there something you need?”
Cao Wanrong spoke in a conciliatory tone, “It’s about the scions… If you’re interested, I’m willing to let you have some at below-market prices. I also have extra rootstock.” Seeing Mudan’s silence, he quickly added, “The price is negotiable. I just want to make amends for my past behavior and get along peacefully.”
He wanted to apologize to her. After all this time, he finally thought to apologize. Mudan didn’t outright reject him, “You jest. When have we ever been on bad terms? As for the scions and rootstock, let me calculate how many I’m short first before we discuss further.”
“Of course, we’ve never been on bad terms. It’s all up to you,” Cao Wanrong smiled as if he were the epitome of filial piety. “Do you know that Master Lu the Tenth has also arrived? Jin Buyan intends to invite him with a hefty sum to help manage the peony garden for a year. He seems inclined to accept.”
Mudan’s heart stirred. She hadn’t seen Lu Fang since the peony flower show. Now that he was here, she should properly invite him for a meal.
The two parted ways cordially. As he watched Mudan and her servants’ figures disappear in the distance, Cao Wanrong’s face darkened. One of his companions approached, tilting his chin towards Mudan’s direction, “Is that her? She looks so delicate. How could she throw a big man like you into the water?”
Cao Wanrong replied coldly, “Of course, she doesn’t have that ability herself, but her husband does.” Thanks to Jiang Changyang, he had nearly died in that stinking pond.