The Zhuge Mansion was called a mansion, but in reality, it was a vast estate spanning over ten miles. Everyone knew the Zhuge family was wealthy, but those who had never seen it with their own eyes could never imagine the extent of such opulence. Tales of using red candles as firewood and spreading brocade on the ground were merely rumors spread outside, as a prestigious family that had accumulated wealth over three hundred years would never display their fortune in such a nouveau riche manner.

Walking within the Zhuge Mansion, everything visible seemed ordinary. There were no warm pools of fine wine with white cranes or forests of meat, nor roads paved with gold bricks or walls of white jade. However, visitors could not afford to be careless, for the random stone one might step on could be a thousand-year crystal from the Fire Mountain crater. Even amid winter snow, such stones remained warm, and when snow fell upon them, there was no need to sweep it away as it naturally melted into clear water.

Yet such precious treasures in the Zhuge Mansion were nothing more than garden stones.

Little Hong was only thirteen years old this year. Due to her young age, she only did watering and cleaning in the flower house. Today, with people coming and going throughout the mansion, there weren’t enough servants, so she was called to the main house. Huan’er, as the head maid of Qingshan Courtyard, led a group of young maids bustling about. By almost noon, the guests had all arrived.

Looking at the Zhuge Mansion from afar, one could see the upturned eaves, red walls, and green tiles. The glazed ornaments shone like dazzling gold foil in the sunlight. The pavilions were arranged in perfect harmony, and covered in snow, they exuded a unique dignity.

Today was a gathering of young ladies from noble families in the city, hosted by the Third Miss of the Zhuge family’s main branch. The young lady from General Le Xing’s family, the miss from General Meng Tian’s family, the daughter of Minister Wei from the Ministry of Personnel, the cousin from the Mu family of Lingnan, the miss from the Wei clan, and the eldest miss from the Eastern Yue merchant family would all be attending. It was even said that the granddaughter of Duke Jing would come, truly making it a blossoming of a hundred flowers.

Early in the morning, the Zhuge Mansion was already decorated with lanterns and festive ornaments. They needed to appear both solemn and elegant without being excessively extravagant or vulgar. The Madam led several young misses to oversee the preparations. Because Little Hong was somewhat pretty, she was fortunate enough to be kept at the Xiang Pavilion where guests would be received. Before long, the young ladies from each family arrived one after another, truly a sight of beauties competing with flowers in splendor. The room full of young ladies chattering and exchanging greetings was dazzling to behold.

When these noble daughters gathered together, they typically engaged in a few activities: reciting poetry, painting, embroidery, and admiring flowers. The Zhuge family was thoughtful enough that even in such winter, they had cultivated many out-of-season potted plants. Spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums bloomed together, adding extra charm. Little Hong usually tended to these flowers and plants, so she now served as a guide.

A young lady of about sixteen pointed at a pot of slender chrysanthemums with white and yellow colors, asking with interest, “What flower is this?”

Little Hong lowered her head and said softly, “In response to Miss, this flower is called ‘Chu Waist.'”

“Chu Waist?” Le Wanyi, the young lady from General Le Xing’s family, put down her teacup and looked up to ask, “How did it get such a strange name?”

Little Hong was young but naturally lively. She cheerfully introduced to the young ladies, “This pot of slender Yue chrysanthemum was planted by our Young Master himself. He watered it with rootless water and cultivated it with red pine soil from White Flower Mountain. When it blooms, it has three colors, and if the season is right, it can bloom in five colors. Young Master said Yue land has many hills and valleys, also known as circles. Du Qi wrote: ‘The slender waist of the Chu palace, gracefully swaying.’ And Chang Cai wrote: ‘Yue has circles and circles have chrysanthemums, the Chu waist goes east without knowing west.’ So this flower is called ‘Chu Waist.'”

“Your Young Master is quite thoughtful. It’s just a potted flower, yet he gave it such an elegant name.” Le Wanyi smiled gently, displaying the gentle and graceful demeanor that made her famous throughout the capital.

Wei Qianqian, the young lady from the Wei clan, cracked a melon seed. With her vermillion lips, she coquettishly turned her head and said, “Your mansion has so many young masters, which one are you talking about?”

Little Hong replied, “Naturally, it’s the Fourth Young Master. Among the young masters in the mansion, only the Fourth Young Master enjoys planting flowers.”

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the various young ladies changed subtly. Le Wanyi’s eyes flickered slightly as her fingers brushed over the pot of “Chu Waist,” remaining silent. Wei Qianqian, however, snorted disdainfully and lowered her head to continue cracking melon seeds.

The young lady from the Meng family was only fifteen this year. Born into a military family and naturally active for her age, she walked up smiling and pointed at a pot of white magnolias, asking, “What about this pot? What’s it called?”

Little Hong, seeing the unfriendly expression of the Wei family’s young lady, became slightly afraid and said softly, “This pot is called ‘Jade Qiong.'”

The Meng family’s young lady adorably pouted her lips and asked, “Is it the ‘Yu’ from ‘wanting to reach a thousand miles’?”

Little Hong shook her head: “Where jade flutes make waters seem like the sky, the qiong flowers turn white as ice overnight. White magnolias come from Tianshui, with leaves green in summer and white at dusk. This flower grows in the Great Xia and remains completely white for five or six months of the year. Isn’t it just like jade?”

“What a clever girl,” Minister Wei’s daughter smiled. “So young, yet quite talented.”

Little Hong respectfully said, “This servant doesn’t know the meaning, I’ve just spent much time in the flower house and heard the Young Master explain, so I remembered.”

The Meng young lady’s cheeks turned red as she searched the ground for unusual potted plants. Suddenly seeing one, she quickly asked, “What about this one?”

This was a first-class large bonsai. At the bottom was an asparagus fern, emerald green and glistening. A small vine was planted in the same pot, winding its way up along the roots and stems of the asparagus fern. However, as it climbed higher, it gradually left the main trunk of the asparagus fern and climbed onto a taller yellow Buddhist pine. Among the fragrance of the yellow Buddhist pine, it bloomed with tiny red flowers, sending forth a sweet fragrance, quite delicate and bright.

Little Hong was slightly taken aback, not expecting the servants to bring this pot of flowers here. She bit her lip lightly and said softly, “In response to Miss Meng, this pot of flowers is called ‘Young Master Xiao.'”

“Young Master Xiao?” The Meng young lady blinked her big eyes, puzzled. “It’s just a pot of flowers, why is it named after a person?”

The young lady from the Le family sighed softly and said, “Once entering the palace gates is as deep as the sea, from then on, Young Master Xiao becomes a stranger.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. Looking closely, they saw that although the asparagus fern was elegant, it inevitably appeared somewhat desolate. The vine flowers, though beautiful, ultimately bloomed among the branches and leaves of the yellow Buddhist pine.

The Third Miss of the Zhuge family frowned and hurriedly said, “This flower is a bonsai from more than ten years ago, not newly cultivated. I don’t know which confused person brought it here, making everyone laugh at us.”

Jing Yanyi, who had been silent all along, smiled slightly upon hearing this and said, “More than ten years ago, wasn’t that when your family’s cousin got married? Back then, the Fourth Young Master blocked the wedding sedan in the street, and afterward, at the barely adult age of twenty, he joined the military. It was quite the talk of the capital at the time.”

The Meng young lady turned to ask, “Sister Yanyi, what about blocking a wedding sedan? I don’t know about this.”

Jing Yanyi was nineteen this year, the biological sister of the Duke of Jing, Jing Han. She had come to the capital for an arranged marriage. She pinched the Meng young lady’s cheek and smiled, “You were still little then.”

Although most of the young ladies hadn’t witnessed it personally, many had heard about that romantic affair. That year, the Zhuge family’s Fourth Young Master, to prevent Su Wanwan from marrying into the Helian family, led people to block the wedding sedan and even publicly beat up the then-powerful Helian Ming. If not for Su Wanwan’s angry rebuke, it would have almost caused a great disaster. Even so, he was still punished, expelled from the Shang Wu Hall for half a year, and sent to join the military. If he hadn’t fallen seriously ill from the damp air in the northeastern marshes, he wouldn’t have returned to the mansion later.

Jing Yanyi’s gentle voice floated softly in the room, and past events seemed like smoky water, quietly drifting like clouds and mist, fluttering like white silk.

The Meng young lady said with some infatuation, “What a pity I didn’t see that scene back then. That Su Wanwan must have been an extraordinary beauty.”

“What beauty?” Wei Qianqian said disdainfully. “When the Helian clan fell, the monkeys scattered. She’s just a commoner now. If you want to see her, it’s not difficult, just don’t be disappointed.”

The Meng young lady seemed to dislike Wei Qianqian very much and glared at her, saying, “Are you jealous of her?”

“Me, jealous of her?” Wei Qianqian raised an eyebrow and said coldly, “A lowly commoner who luckily married up, then like a fickle flower lost everything. Speaking of such a person only degrades our status. Besides, those so-called high branches she climbed, they’re hardly worthy of my attention.”

“Not worthy of your attention?” The Meng young lady muttered quietly. “If they’re not worthy of your attention, why did you come today?”

Just as her words fell, there was suddenly a sound of footsteps outside the door. The curtain swayed, and a tall, slender figure walked in. The man stood tall and straight, wearing a loose, ink-splashed flowing water cloud pattern moon-white robe. With fine eyebrows and star-like eyes, handsome and upright, he stood brightly at the doorway, suddenly seeing the room full of flowers and beauty, he was momentarily stunned.

“Fourth Brother, you’re here!”

The Third Miss ranked third among the misses but was a few years younger than Zhuge Yue. Seeing him, she quickly walked up with a smile and said, “Father said you’re about to leave soon. Have you packed your luggage yet?”

Zhuge Yue’s cold eyes swirled over Zhuge Qing, and he asked lightly, “You were looking for me?”

Zhuge Qing was a bit nervous. Zhuge Yue had never been close to his brothers and sisters in the family, and she was no exception. Now she had to pretend to be close, took his arm, and smiled, “Let me introduce you to some beauties who are rarely seen together in a year. They are all Qing’er’s friends.”

“Sister Qing, I’m not a beauty.” The Meng young lady smilingly stepped forward, bowed, and smiled, “Sister Qing calls you Fourth Brother, can Xiaoxiao also call you Fourth Brother?”

The young girl’s face was flushed, lovely and adorable. However, Zhuge Yue did not reciprocate, his expression unchanged as he slightly stepped back and said lightly, “Greetings, Miss Meng.”

The Meng young lady was immediately stunned, feeling somewhat aggrieved as she pouted in bewilderment.

Just as Zhuge Qing was about to speak, Zhuge Yue said, “Respectful greetings to all the young ladies. Zhuge Yue did not know you were here and has rudely disturbed you. I am truly embarrassed. Please continue to sit, I shall take my leave.”

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving a room full of noble young ladies staring at each other, unable to recover for a long time.

In the evening, Little Hong carefully arranged the flowerpots in the flower house, sweating profusely. As she stood up and turned around, she saw Zhuge Yue standing behind her. The little maid was startled and hurriedly said, “Greetings to Young Master.”

However, Zhuge Yue didn’t even look at her. He walked straight to the pot called “Young Master Xiao,” reached out, and pulled up the vine by its roots, throwing it into the yellow Buddhist pine’s pot, leaving only the lonely asparagus fern. The wind blew, making it sway and flutter.

The next day, it was said that the Seventh Prince Zhao Che had already left the capital for Yanming Pass. The Zhuge family, together with the Ministry of Grain and the Ministry of War, was coordinating provisions and weapons. Zhuge Yue shuttled between the two ministries every day, returning late at night, and even then, he often had to work until dawn before getting a brief rest. In a few days, he noticeably became much more haggard.

Within two days, Minister Wei’s household was the first to send a pot of lotus seed and precious beard soup, said to be personally cooked by Miss Wei with great care. When it was delivered to Qingshan Courtyard, Zhuge Yue had just gotten up. Huan’er reluctantly delivered the young lady’s personally cooked dish to the bedroom. After hearing the Wei household’s maid mumble a series of words, Zhuge Yue gave no response at all. He changed his clothes, washed his face, ate some food, and left without even glancing at the precious beard soup.

Unexpectedly, this was just the beginning. Subsequently, several young ladies who had been present that day sent items to the mansion in succession – handkerchiefs, sachets, fan pendants, all personal items. Even the always disdainful Miss Wei from the Wei family sent something. Miss Meng from the Meng family, who had been coldly rebuffed by Zhuge Yue in person, became even more persistent, sending food and embroidery continuously for several days. Finally, she even sent a rare treasure sword, reportedly stolen from her grandfather, General Meng Tian, nearly earning her a beating.

In short, gradually, even a slow-witted little maid like Little Hong perceived that the banquet that day was a matchmaking event for the Fourth Young Master. No wonder the Young Master’s face had looked so unpleasant.

Huan’er and the other maids who had been in the courtyard for a long time smirked coldly every day, looking at the items sent by those noble young ladies, occasionally making sour remarks about futile hopes. Little Hong, however, thought: those young ladies were quite nice, especially Miss Le from the Le family, Princess Jing, and Miss Meng from the Meng family who was also very cute. She just didn’t know what kind of person the Young Master liked.

The Ministry of Grain’s official document was finally approved. In one more day, the Young Master would head north. Qingshan Courtyard was busy for half a day. Huan’er led the maids to streamline the Young Master’s travel necessities again and again, but still packed two large carts. However, Yue Qi took one look and waved his hand: “The Young Master said to keep everything simple, none of it needs to be taken.”

Huan’er was very upset, tears welling in her eyes as she said tearfully, “It’s so cold up north, how can he take nothing? If only Xing’er were here…”

She stopped there. Little Hong found it strange, but seeing Yue Qi’s unpleasant expression, she didn’t ask. After the maids dispersed, she pulled aside a senior maid who had entered service slightly earlier and asked, “Sister Xiyi, who is Xing’er?”

Qing Xi shook her head and said, “I don’t know. I just heard Sister Huan’er mention her a few times. She seems to have been a maid before who left for some reason.”

“Oh.” Little Hong nodded. The Zhuge Mansion had many maids. This Xing’er must have been a favored head maid.

That night, Zhuge Yue returned very late but was still summoned to the main house by the master. When he returned, it was already the third watch. The servants were all waiting at the gatehouse, and when they saw him return, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Huan’er hurriedly ran forward to drape a cloak around Zhuge Yue and immediately smelled a pungent odor of alcohol. She was slightly stunned; Zhuge Yue rarely drank, and when he did, it meant his mood was very bad. Huan’er carefully said, “Young Master, let’s return to the room to rest.”

Zhuge Yue didn’t say a word and went straight into the flower house. The servants didn’t know whether they should follow, so they stood outside foolishly waiting. After waiting for a long time without seeing him come out, Huan’er finally said, “Everyone can go back. Not everyone can enter the flower house. Little Hong, you will take care of the Young Master tonight.”

Little Hong suddenly felt the weight of responsibility and nodded vigorously.

Zhuge Yue was indeed drunk, lying on the cool bamboo couch in the flower house. Little Hong was afraid he would be cold and quickly ran forward to cover him with a blanket. The smell of alcohol was very strong, showing that the Young Master had been drinking.

The little maid knelt halfway on the ground and was momentarily entranced. She had never looked at the Young Master so closely before. Even when she usually saw him, she would keep her head down, occasionally stealing a glance at his back.

The Young Master is so handsome! The little maid blinked her big eyes, inwardly exclaiming. No wonder those noble young ladies continued to pursue him even after being coldly rejected. The Young Master was different from other noble young masters; there was no extravagant clan air about him. He was neither like those powder-faced gentlemen who spent their days composing poetry nor like uncouth, ignorant warriors. This person had both the scholarly discourse of a literary man and the sharp coldness of a military general. He was high and unreachable, but not with the same noble air as the First Young Master or Second Young Master. Although Little Hong was young, she could distinguish what constituted temperament. Some people required knowledge of their status and position before being revered and looked up to, while others were born to be looked up to.

As the little maid kept looking, drowsiness overcame her, and she fell asleep right there.

In the morning, she suddenly heard a sound and immediately got up, as she had been sleeping lightly. She saw Zhuge Yue sitting there with his eyes still closed, yawning, with a tired look from not having slept well.

Little Hong was somewhat stunned, her cheeks flushed red. She hadn’t expected the Young Master to have such a humanizing side, quite different from what she usually saw.

Then she heard Zhuge Yue yawning and mumbling drowsily, “Xing’er, go pour a cup of tea.”

“Yes.”

Little Hong immediately answered and ran to pour a cup of tea. After Zhuge Yue drank it, he seemed considerably more awake. He stood up, stretched his body, and walked out the door. Outside, Huan’er and several other maids were already waiting.

Little Hong stood foolishly at the doorway, suddenly somewhat dazed. What had the Young Master just called her? She hadn’t heard clearly. Probably even the Young Master himself hadn’t noticed.

Outside, the sun was shining brilliantly, truly a beautiful day.

The main steward of the mansion, Zhu Yu, stood smiling in the courtyard, his face full of wrinkles. Zhu Cheng was Zhu Yu’s grandson, and now he stood beside him with a hunched back, looking like a little old man with his always elderly demeanor.

“Fourth Young Master, the master asked me to come and ask if you’ve decided yet?”

Zhuge Yue had washed his face and was sitting in the hall eating breakfast. Without looking up, he continued drinking his soup and said, “Where are the things?”

Zhu Yu chuckled and quickly presented a golden tray forward. On the tray were portraits and birth charts of several young ladies.

Zhuge Yue didn’t look but casually picked one and threw it into Zhu Cheng’s arms. Zhu Cheng quickly caught it, opened it to look, and smiled, “It’s General Le Xing’s youngest daughter, Le Wanyi. This servant would like to congratulate the Young Master in advance.”

Zhuge Yue picked up a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, then stood up abruptly and said to Yue Qi, “Go to the Ministry of War.”

That afternoon, the Fourth Young Master of the Zhuge clan, Zhuge Yue, headed to Yanming Pass with a military escort. Behind him were three hundred thousand dan of provisions for Prince Zhao Che’s army at Yanming Pass. With this, the Great Xia’s preparations for war against Yan Bei were largely complete.