Early summer arrived in May as the Dragon Boat Festival approached. Ming Shu’s confinement was finally lifted after her persistent persuasion and Lu Chang’s tacit approval. Life at the Top Scholar’s residence settled into a routine, with Ming Shu’s attention turning to her shop matters. The new establishment had secured an auspicious opening date for the following month, requiring urgent preparation of all related affairs.

During this period, she visited the Wei Manor to deliver the rewritten People’s Petition to Du Wen Hui. After Ming Shu’s detailed explanation and various circumstances, Du Wen Hui accepted the petition and agreed to help Lu Chun Lian. Du Wen Hui then sought assistance from Madam Xu and the Princess Consort.

The petition spread rapidly through Bian Jing city, igniting intense public response and widespread indignation that reached even the nobility. Within Three Days, the petition collected a Hundred Pages of signatures before reaching the Kaifeng Prefecture office. The case finally concluded – influenced by multiple parties, Lu Chun Lian retained her life but received a sentence of Three Thousand Li exile.

Madam Xu and the Princess Consort earned widespread praise from citizens both within and beyond Bian Jing city for their involvement with this petition, becoming renowned as virtuous ladies with unmatched reputations – but that’s a tale for another time.

On this fine day, Ming Shu rose early to personally help Mother Zeng with her makeup and dress. Today they would attend the feast at the Duke’s mansion.

Mother Zeng looked troubled at her reflection, saying, “Ming Shu, isn’t this too extravagant?”

The mirror reflected a woman with elegantly arranged cloud-like hair adorned with several newly purchased pearl hairpins. Though not particularly expensive, the pins were exquisitely crafted and perfectly suited Mother Zeng, enhancing her fair complexion and beauty while adding a dignified grace. She possessed a unique charm that distinguished her from other noble ladies.

The clothing and accessories were all Ming Shu’s selections – the colors notably brighter than Mother Zeng’s usual choices. Since she wasn’t a widow, there was no need to always appear in subdued colors before others. Women naturally loved looking beautiful, and Ming Shu wanted to make her mother look especially lovely.

“It’s not excessive at all. I think these hair ornaments aren’t grand enough,” Ming Shu sighed again, lamenting that their money still wasn’t sufficient to buy everything she desired.

Mother Zeng felt uncomfortable, touching her coiffure and finding it awkward from every angle. Coming from a humble background without experience in grand occasions, her heart naturally resisted such display.

“Ming Shu, I’ve never associated with these noble ladies before, I’m afraid…”

“If Mother feels uncomfortable and doesn’t wish to socialize with them, we can simply not go. It’s not a mandatory invitation,” Ming Shu remained unconcerned about attending the Duke’s feast. In her heart, Mother Zeng had suffered enough and deserved to enjoy life now – why force herself to attend social obligations? “Besides, since I’ve made you look so beautiful, we could take a walk by the river instead and watch the dragon boats – that would be nice too.”

Mother Zeng felt warmth in her heart at these words and quickly replied, “Since we’re already dressed, I shouldn’t show timidity – for both of you.”

She truly loved her free and easy days, but life in society required certain social obligations that couldn’t always be avoided. For Lu Chang and Ming Shu’s sake, she couldn’t always remain secluded in the back courtyard. She needed to venture out occasionally.

As Lu Chang and Ming Shu were approaching marriageable age, she naturally needed to observe more as their mother. Especially for Ming Shu, who had lost both parents and had no elders to care for such matters. While she couldn’t help with the Simple family affairs, she could at least put her heart into finding a suitable match for Ming Shu. As for Lu Chang, though she privately favored Ming Shu most, the current situation couldn’t be changed overnight. She could only look around for now, and how things would ultimately turn out depended on each person’s fate – she just hoped their youth wouldn’t be wasted.

With these thoughts, Mother Zeng became even more determined to attend the feast at the Duke’s mansion.

Though they were attending the Duke’s feast, they still needed to observe the festival at home. The Zongzi had been wrapped yesterday, and Cook Qu had steamed them early this morning, releasing their sweet fragrance. Peach branches, calamus leaves, and other festival items were prepared, awaiting the family’s worship. After Mother Zeng finished dressing, she first led Ming Shu to insert bundles of artemisia into their home’s doorway, waiting for Lu Chang to emerge before conducting the worship ceremony.

At the Dragon Boat Festival, one needed to bathe in water boiled with artemisia leaves and other medicinal herbs to ward off epidemics. The family of three had taken turns bathing since early morning, with Lu Chang being the last to emerge. When he saw his mother and Ming Shu, he approached them. The light fragrance of medicinal herbs lingered in the air, making everyone feel refreshed. Ming Shu was especially delightful today, wearing a hairpin charm on her head and a red sachet containing realgar powder at her waist, appearing spirited and pleasant to see.

When Lu Chang arrived, she was talking with Mother Zeng about something trivial, making Mother Zeng cover her mouth in laughter while she herself giggled, showing a small row of pearl-like teeth. Just as Lu Chang was about to join the conversation, Ming Shu noticed him and suddenly stopped laughing, quickly hiding behind Mother Zeng, lowering her head without saying a word.

Lu Chang frowned slightly.

It seemed to have started from that day in the study – Ming Shu either avoided him at home or remained silent when they met, losing her former clingy nature.

Ming Shu hadn’t dared to look directly at Lu Chang these past few days, all because of that moment when she, moved by emotion, had forgotten propriety.

She couldn’t distinguish what exactly that forgotten propriety meant. Thinking back, she only felt guilty. To her, Lu Chang was like a star in the sky, a flower on a high peak – something to be admired from afar but not to be touched carelessly. As his sister, she had acted inappropriately and now felt too ashamed to face him. She feared her Elder Brother didn’t want to see her either…

It was truly too shameful.

Thus, each harboring their thoughts, Lu Chang and Ming Shu followed Mother Zeng to complete the worship ceremony and each drank a small cup of Sweet Flag wine to conclude the ritual.

“Later, I’ll take Ming Shu to attend the feast at the Duke’s mansion, and when we return in the evening, the three of us will have our family feast,” Mother Zeng said while giving instructions to Cook Qu about kitchen matters.

“Ming Shu.” Lu Chang called out to the person following behind Mother Zeng like a quail.

Ming Shu stopped, head lowered, and softly responded, “Elder Brother.”

“Am I a tiger? Will I eat you?” Lu Chang said angrily. “Do you plan to never look at me again? Raise your head when speaking.”

Ming Shu raised her head pitifully, showing a smile worse than crying, which only increased Lu Chang’s irritation.

“Elder Brother, don’t be angry with me, I won’t dare again…”

“Won’t dare what?”

Won’t dare to hug you carelessly.

Ming Shu didn’t dare say this, only saying, “Nothing. I need to accompany Mother to the Song family feast. If Elder Brother has nothing else, I’ll take my leave…”

“Hold out your hand,” Lu Chang interrupted her.

Ming Shu extended her left hand, wearing her usual gold bracelet.

“The other one.”

Ming Shu switched to her right hand.

A five-colored thread woven into a longevity cord was placed on her wrist. As Lu Chang carefully tied the longevity cord for her, he said, “‘At dawn we’ll wear fragrance, with crimson thread extending life.’ Ming Shu, may you live a long life.”

Ming Shu stared for a moment, her heartwarming. Facing such a kind Elder Brother, what was she worrying about?

“Thank you, Elder Brother,” she smiled.

However, Lu Chang also extended his left hand, palm up, revealing another identical longevity cord.

“Help me tie it,” he said.

Ming Shu thought: Since when did Elder Brother like such girlish trinkets?

Despite her thoughts, she obediently tied the longevity cord for him, saying, “Elder Brother, may you live a long life.”

Lu Chang satisfactorily withdrew his hand, his sleeve falling to cover the longevity cord.

“Wear it and don’t take it off,” he instructed.

“Mm,” Ming Shu nodded.

“Going to the Song family? To see Song Qing Zhao?” He still wouldn’t let her go.

“What’s wrong?” She and Mother were going at Aunt Xu’s invitation; whether they would see Song Qing Zhao was uncertain.

“Remember clearly, the man in your dreams is not Song Qing Zhao.” Lu Chang’s large hand pressed on her head, forcing her to look at him.

Ming Shu swatted his hand away, made a face at him, and ran off.

The dream was hers, and the man in her dreams… was for her to decide.

The Elder Duke’s wife loved flowers, and in her youth, the Elder Duke had spent heavily to build her a large garden in their mansion, specifically for collecting various rare flowers. Every year during the peak blooming season in the Fourth and Fifth months, the garden would be filled with hundreds of blooming flowers, most beautiful to behold, with peonies being the finest.

Though the Duke’s wife had passed away many years ago, the garden remained. The Elder Duke added new flora every year, and now this garden had become the famous Hundred Flower Garden of Bian Jing.

The Duke mansion’s Dragon Boat Festival feast was arranged in the Hundred Flower Garden, with a theater stage set up. Guests could enjoy flowers while dining and watching performances – truly delightful.

The hour was growing late. Madam Xu, as the main hostess managing the Duke mansion’s household, sat in a temporary curtained pavilion in the garden, listening to her eldest daughter-in-law report on the feast preparations.

“Mother, look at these delicate items prepared for the young ladies and young masters visiting our mansion. Would Mother like to choose one to wear?” The eldest daughter-in-law smiled as she had servants bring up several trays of items.

Madam Xu leaned forward to look – at all Dragon Boat Festival items: intricately woven five-colored longevity cords, Five Poison charm hairpins for wearing on the head, healthy baby charms, as well as artemisia tigers and hundred-knot charms for children, and sachets containing artemisia and realgar powder. Each item was exquisitely crafted with bright colors. Madam Xu smiled and waved her hand: “These are children’s things, I won’t wear them.”

The eldest daughter-in-law smiled and was about to respond when someone called out, “Mother, Elder Sister-in-law.”

Song Qing Zhao had arrived.

“Young Master has come, please help Mother choose a charm hairpin,” the eldest daughter-in-law invited Song Qing Zhao to select Madam Xu.

Song Qing Zhao glanced over the items, chose a charm hairpin for Madam Xu to wear, then picked up a five-colored longevity cord from the tray and examined it in his palm repeatedly.

“Does Young Master like this?” the eldest daughter-in-law asked curiously.

“It’s not that he likes it, he’s probably choosing it for someone,” Madam Xu saw through Song Qing Zhao’s intentions at a glance.

Song Qing Zhao only asked, “Elder Sister-in-law, may I have this?”

“Of course you may, just take it. Young Master Qing Zhao, this is… for which young lady?” The eldest daughter-in-law was very curious.

Song Qing Zhao wouldn’t say directly, but didn’t deny it either: “If fate allows, Elder Sister-in-law will know eventually.”

With these words, he said his thanks and hurriedly left the garden.

“Mother, I’ve never seen him so attentive to anyone before,” the eldest daughter-in-law sighed.

Madam Xu understood in her heart but only shook her head: “Indeed, we used to think him cold as stone, who knew he’d also be one to forget his mother once he has a wife, ah…”

The eldest daughter-in-law covered her mouth and laughed.

By mid-morning, carriages arrived continuously outside the Duke’s mansion as guests from various households arrived for the feast.

Mother Zeng and Ming Shu, accompanied by their new maid Qing Yao, alighted from their carriage, presented their invitation to the doorkeeper, and were quickly welcomed inside.

Meanwhile, the royal carriage also approached the Duke’s mansion. Seated inside were not only Third Prince Zhao Jing Ran but also Lu Chang.

The Duke mansion’s Dragon Boat Festival flower feast had also invited Zhao Jing Ran, who brought along Lu Chang who had come to report matters to him.

“The People’s Petition for Lu Chun Lian was written by Zi You, wasn’t it?” Zhao Jing Ran asked, his fingertip tapping the window frame.

Zi You was Lu Chang’s courtesy name.

“It couldn’t escape Your Highness’s eye,” Lu Chang did not attempt to hide it.

Zhao Jing Ran looked out the window, silent for a moment before saying, “Zi You, if I were to take the position of Kaifeng Prefecture Magistrate, would you be willing to transfer to Kaifeng Prefecture to assist me?”