As the two young men saw Mudan approach to inquire about the price, they stopped. The one who appeared to be the older brother, looking slightly shy, said, “Yes, we’re selling it. Would you like to take a look, madam?”
“Indeed, I would,” Mudan replied, gesturing for them to place the purple-spotted peony in the shade of a nearby willow tree. The brothers exchanged a glance, delighted to follow Mudan’s instructions. They stood aside to rest, leaving space for Mudan and her companions to examine the flower.
The onlookers laughed at Mudan and the two young men. “It’s just a wild peony! They’re all over the mountains, with few petals and a dull color. Many people have these in their gardens. What’s there to see? There are even more in herb gardens. The sellers are bold to sell, and the buyers are foolish to buy!”
“They’re all crazy,” someone remarked.
Some even called out to Mudan, trying to sell their flowers: “Young lady, why not buy mine instead? Mine is much better than theirs. Look at these flowers, these leaves – they’ve been carefully nurtured.”
Hearing this, the two brothers’ dark faces reddened even more, too embarrassed to lift their heads. They had heard that people in the capital loved peonies and that a cluster of dark-colored peonies could sell for the amount of tax paid by ten middle-class families. They knew wild peonies were common and unremarkable. But this one was different – most wild peonies they had seen were white, but this one was pink. That’s why they dared to dig it up and bring it to sell, not hoping for much, just enough to buy some oil and salt.
Mudan wasn’t bothered by the mockery. She smiled faintly at the crowd and stepped forward to examine the plant closely. As she approached, the distinctive fragrance of peonies enveloped her.
The purple-spotted peony, true to its name, was characterized by purple or reddish-brown spots at the base of each petal, known as belly spots. The flowers stood upright with a strong fragrance. The main stem was sturdy, over four inches in diameter, and the plant stood about ten feet tall, making it one of the larger varieties of peonies. It was said to “bloom inside the wall but show its red outside,” meaning that when planted in a garden, it had its unique charm. What Mudan appreciated most were its drought and cold resistance, low susceptibility to pests and diseases, and late blooming period. As a resource for crossbreeding and selection, it was invaluable.
The crowd, unaware of Mudan’s expertise, assumed she was just a wealthy girl following the trend of cultivating peonies without really knowing their value. Liu Chang, however, knew that Mudan loved and understood flowers. If this unremarkable peony attracted her so much, there must be a reason. Realizing this, Liu Chang halted his steps, abandoning his intention to cause trouble for Mudan, and stood quietly observing from the side.
A large part of a flower’s value lies in its ability to survive transplanting. After carefully examining the roots of the plant and confirming it could be successfully replanted, Mudan began discussing the price with the two brothers. “How much do you want for it?”
The brothers exchanged glances, and the older one mustered his courage to say, “We heard peonies are very expensive and valuable.”
A nearby flower seller laughed, “That’s right! Very expensive. Yours should be worth at least fifty or sixty thousand coins!” The crowd snickered, covering their mouths, while only Zou Laoqi and the bearded man looked thoughtfully at Mudan, not joining in the teasing.
Realizing they were being mocked, the brothers felt both embarrassed and angry. After a moment’s hesitation, the younger one, red-faced, loudly declared, “We don’t know the price. Whatever the lady is willing to pay is fine! After all, we just dug it up from the mountains. Although we’ve come a long way, the effort was our own!”
Hearing this, the older brother’s face fell. He tugged at his younger sibling, mumbling something about his foolishness – how could they let someone else decide the price? The younger one, defiant, retorted loudly, “Brother, you’ve seen that besides this lady, no one else wants it. Should we carry it back home? Getting some money for oil and salt is better than nothing.”
Mudan, impressed by their honesty, stopped the brothers’ argument and lowered her voice, “I’ll give you ten thousand coins. Do you think that’s fair?”
The brothers had expected at best a few hundred or perhaps a thousand coins for their wild peony. Mudan’s offer was beyond their wildest dreams, especially compared to the crowd’s earlier disdain. It seemed more than fair! But the brothers, though rough, were not without discernment. They exchanged glances, and the older one hesitantly asked, “Why are you willing to pay so much?” He wondered if there was some hidden agenda – city folk were known for their cunning.
Mudan smiled, “I have a condition. In the future, if you find any other plants that look different from the rest, dig them up and sell them to me. I promise you won’t lose out.” Currently unable to venture deep into the mountains herself, Mudan saw an opportunity to partner with these brothers. If they could find these wild, mutated varieties for her breeding program during their off-season, it would be perfect.
This arrangement couldn’t have been better! As the younger brother was about to exclaim loudly, Mudan quickly added in a low voice, “Don’t let others know. Otherwise, they’ll all go digging, and what will you have left to sell?” Mudan had her reasons for this secrecy. If people learned that wild peonies could fetch such high prices, they might all rush to dig them up. Those wild peonies would be useless in others’ hands and would only destroy the wild population.
The younger brother, hearing this, immediately covered his mouth, looking around anxiously at the curious onlookers. Some were loudly asking how much they had sold the flower for. He realized the wisdom in Mudan’s words. Composing himself, he accepted the deposit from Yuhe and happily followed his brother to carry the plant, ready to accompany Mudan and her group to collect the full payment.
Although Madam Sun and Madam Zhang didn’t understand why Mudan had ignored all the other flowers but was interested in this wild one, they were far less knowledgeable about peonies than Mudan. So, without further comment and after confirming Mudan’s intentions, they prepared to return home.
Mudan had barely taken two steps when Liu Chang blocked her path. “How much did you pay them? What’s so special about this flower?”
Mudan, of course, wouldn’t tell him. She just smiled faintly and turned to walk in another direction.
For some reason, Liu Chang felt Mudan was mocking him. A surge of anger rose within him, and he stepped forward to block the two brothers. “When it comes to selling things, the highest bidder should win. Whatever price she offered, I’ll pay more.” Regardless of whether this wild peony had any peculiarities, Liu Chang was determined not to let Mudan have her way if only to spite her.
Zou Laoqi and the bearded man also approached the brothers, asking, “How much did you sell it for? You look so happy.” They began to examine the flower closely, each with their thoughts. Seeing this, others also gathered around, all clamoring to know the price.
“If I hadn’t asked about this flower, these people probably wouldn’t have given it a second glance,” Mudan thought. “Now that they’ve seen me buy it, they all think there must be something special about it.” This was just human nature, the pursuit of profit – nothing surprising. What annoyed her most was Liu Chang, who was here just to cause trouble and oppose her. Irritated, Mudan turned to the brothers and pointed at Liu Chang, saying, “This gentleman is very wealthy… He might offer a higher price than mine. You’ve come a long way, and I won’t make things difficult for you. Who do you want to sell to?”
Before Liu Chang could speak, the brothers were already shaking their heads. “Everything has its order. We’ve already accepted a deposit. How could we go back on our word? If this gentleman wants one, we can dig up another suitable plant another day.” They firmly refused to answer the questions from others. They weren’t fools; they knew to think long-term and protect their newfound source of income.
“In that case, come with us to collect the payment,” Mudan said with a slight smile. This response was within her expectations. Not everyone was as greedy as Zou Laoqi or as unreasonable as the bearded man and Liu Chang. The vast majority of people still value trust and honor.
Seeing that the brothers wouldn’t answer his questions, the bearded man guessed the price must be considerable. He approached Mudan, trying to ingratiate himself: “Young lady, the way you examined the roots shows you’re no amateur. What do you plan to do with this peony?”
Given his earlier attempt to outbid Madam Zhang, Mudan had a poor impression of this man. She certainly wouldn’t tell him the truth. She smiled faintly and said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I like its fragrance and its height.”
Liu Chang, displeased to see Mudan conversing with the bearded man, stepped in front of her and snarled, “How long are you going to keep this up? Come home with me! If you come back, I’ll forget about everything that’s happened before and let you off this time.”
Hearing this, the crowd found it strange. If they were family, why were they competing over the price?
“Bah! Scum!” Mudan thought. “If I go back with him now, I’d be no better!” She pretended not to hear him and turned to Madam Zhang, asking, “Fifth Sister-in-law, doesn’t our family have a spice shop nearby? Isn’t it managed by Fourth Brother?”
If He Dalang was known for his temper, He Silang was even more volatile. His workers were all tough, burly men, not to be trifled with. Although merchants generally believed that politeness was good for business, the He family’s jewelry and spice trade often required sea voyages, facing the constant threat of pirates. This had fostered a fearless nature in the He family. Mudan wasn’t sure of Liu Chang’s fighting prowess, but she knew that if he dared to get physical, He Silang wouldn’t back down. After all, He Dalang had already beaten Liu Chang once, so what was one more fight?
Madam Zhang replied, “I’ve already sent someone to call for Silang. He should be here soon.”
Madam Sun added with a smile, “Lord Liu, things have come to this point, why do you persist? In our opinion, even a day’s marriage creates a hundred days of affection. It’s better to part on good terms – that’s best for everyone. We’ve met the Princess too, and she seems truly suited to you! A talented scholar and a beautiful lady! Your backgrounds match, making you an ideal couple. Why not let our Danniang go?”
“Mind your own business!” Liu Chang glared fiercely at Madam Sun. How could he not understand the threats and mockery hidden in the He family’s words? Remembering He Dalang’s fists, he grew even angrier. He believed he could have beaten He Dalang; he just hadn’t wanted to fight back at the time. Today, if he didn’t show the He family his strength, he might as well write his name backward! He laughed coldly and reached for Mudan’s hand. “You’re just relying on your unreasonable brothers and your family’s money! Go ahead, call him! It’s perfect timing to let your family know that I, Liu Chang, am not someone who bends at the slightest wind! I’m not some weakling who can be pushed around!”