Though called a residence, the Zhuge estate was in fact a massive manor spanning over ten li in circumference. The world knew of the Zhuge family's wealth, yet those who had never seen it with their own eyes could never truly imagine the extent of such opulence. Rumors of using red candles as firewood and crimson brocade as flooring were nothing but baseless gossip, for a three-century-old aristocratic family would never resort to such nouveau riche displays to flaunt their riches.
Walking through the Zhuge estate, one saw nothing but ordinary scenery—no pools of fine wine, no forests of roasted swan meat, no gold-paved paths or white jade walls. Yet visitors could not afford to be careless, for the stone beneath their feet might well be a thousand-year-old crystal from the volcanic crater of Tianchi. Even amidst the winter snow, such stones remained warm to the touch, melting the falling snow into clear water without needing to be swept.
And such rare treasures within the Zhuge estate were merely stones in the garden.
Xiaohong was only thirteen this year, and due to her youth, she was assigned light duties like watering and cleaning in the flower rooms. Today, with the estate bustling with activity and servants in short supply, she was summoned to the main quarters. Huan'er, as the head maid of Green Mountain Courtyard, led the younger maids in bustling about. By noon, the guests had finally arrived one by one.
From a distance, the Zhuge estate appeared majestic with its upturned eaves, red walls, and green tiles. The glazed tiles shimmered like dazzling gold foil under the sunlight, and the pavilions stood in harmonious disorder, exuding an air of grandeur beneath the heavy snow.
Today was a gathering of young ladies from prominent families in the city, hosted by the third daughter of the Zhuge family's main branch. Attendees included the daughter of General Yue Xing, the daughter of General Meng Tian, the daughter of Minister Wei of the Ministry of Personnel, the cousin from the Mu family of Lingnan, the young lady of the Wei Clan, and the eldest daughter of the Shang family of Dongyue. It was even rumored that the granddaughter of the Prince of Laijing would attend, making it a true gathering of blooming flowers.
Early in the morning, the Zhuge estate was adorned with lanterns and decorations, aiming for an atmosphere of solemn elegance without crossing into extravagance or vulgarity. The matron, accompanied by several young ladies, oversaw the arrangements. Thanks to her somewhat pretty appearance, Xiaohong was honored to be stationed at the Tingxiang Pavilion, where the banquet was held. Before long, the young ladies from various households arrived one after another, each more radiant than the last, their lively greetings and chatter creating a dazzling spectacle.
When these young noblewomen gathered, their pastimes were predictable: composing poetry, painting, embroidery, and flower appreciation. The Zhuge family had thoughtfully cultivated out-of-season potted plants even in such wintry weather, with spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums blooming together, adding a touch of charm. Xiaohong, who usually tended to these flowers, now served as their guide.
A young lady of about sixteen pointed at a pot of slender chrysanthemums with white and yellow petals and asked with interest, "What flower is this?"
Xiaohong bowed her head and replied softly, "This flower is called 'Chu Waist,' miss."
"Chu Waist?" Yue Wanyi, the daughter of General Yue Xing, set down her teacup and looked up. "Why such a peculiar name?"Xiaohong, still young and naturally lively, cheerfully introduced to the young ladies, "This pot of Yue-style slender chrysanthemum was personally planted by our young master. It's watered with rootless rainwater and cultivated in red pine soil from Mount Baihua. When it blooms, it displays three colors, and if the season is right, it can even show five. The young master said that the Yue region is full of hills and ravines, with a winding quality, as Du Qi wrote: 'Slender as the waist in Chu’s palace, graceful and delicate.' And Chang Cai also said: 'Yue has its curves, and among them grows the chrysanthemum; the slender waist of Chu drifts east and west, unknown.' So he named this flower 'Slender Waist of Chu.'"
"Your young master is quite thoughtful. For a mere pot of flowers, he gave it such an elegant name." Le Wanyi smiled faintly, her demeanor gentle and refined, living up to her reputation in the capital for grace.
The young lady of the Wei Clan, Wei Qianqian, cracked a melon seed with her crimson lips, then turned her charming face to ask, "There are so many young masters in your household, which one are you referring to?"
Xiaohong replied, "Naturally, it's the Fourth Young Master. Aside from him, none of the other young masters in the mansion enjoy gardening."
Upon hearing this, the young ladies exchanged varied expressions. Le Wanyi's eyes flickered slightly as her fingers brushed over the pot of Slender Waist of Chu, remaining silent. Wei Qianqian, however, snorted disdainfully and lowered her head to continue cracking seeds.
The Meng family's young lady, just fifteen years old and born into a martial family with a lively disposition, stepped forward and pointed at a pot of white orchid, smiling as she asked, "What about this one? What's its name?"
Noticing the Wei young lady's unfriendly expression, Xiaohong grew slightly nervous and whispered, "This one is called 'Jade Qiong.'"
The Meng young lady pouted adorably and asked, "Is it the 'yu qiong' from 'wishing to see a thousand miles farther'?"
Xiaohong shook her head. "It's from the line: 'Where the jade flute sounds, the sky is like water; the Qiong flower turns white overnight as ice.' White orchids originate from Tianshui, their leaves green in summer and pale by dusk. This flower grows in Daxia, remaining pure white for five or six months a year—isn't it just like jade?"
"What a clever girl," the daughter of Minister Wei laughed. "So young, yet with such talent."
Xiaohong replied politely, "This humble servant doesn’t truly understand the meaning. I’ve just spent a lot of time in the greenhouse and remembered what the young master said."
The Meng young lady, her cheeks flushed, eagerly scanned the area for unique potted plants. Suddenly spotting one, she quickly asked, "And this one?It was a large, exquisite bonsai. At its base stood an asparagus fern, emerald green and lush, while a delicate vine shared the same pot. The thin tendrils twisted upward, climbing along the fern's stem. Yet, as it ascended higher, it gradually strayed from the fern's main trunk and instead clung to a taller yellow chan tree. Amid the yellow chan's fragrance, it bloomed with tiny red flowers, exuding a rich, delicate scent.
Xiaohong was slightly taken aback, not expecting the servants to have brought this pot as well. She bit her lip lightly and said softly, "In reply to Miss Meng, this flower is called 'Xiao Lang.'"
"Xiao Lang?" The Meng young lady blinked her large eyes in confusion. "It's just a pot of flowers—why give it a person's name?"
But the Le young lady sighed faintly and murmured, "Once you enter the palace gates, deep as the sea, from then on, Xiao Lang becomes a stranger."
At these words, everyone was stunned. They looked closely and saw that while the asparagus fern was elegant, it carried a touch of desolation. The vine's small flowers, though beautiful, ultimately bloomed among the branches of the yellow chan.The third young lady of the Zhuge family frowned slightly and quickly said, "This potted plant is over a decade old, not newly cultivated. I don’t know which careless person moved it here, making everyone laugh."
Jing Yanyi had remained silent until then. Upon hearing this, she smiled faintly and remarked, "Over a decade ago—wasn’t that around the time your family’s cousin got married? Back then, the fourth young master stopped the wedding procession in the street, and after failing, he enlisted in the military at a young age. For a time, he became the talk of the capital."
Miss Meng turned and asked, "Sister Yanyi, what do you mean by stopping the wedding procession? I’ve never heard of this."
Jing Yanyi, now nineteen, was the biological younger sister of Prince Jing Han. She had come to the capital for an arranged marriage. Pinching Miss Meng’s cheek playfully, she chuckled, "You were still too young back then."
Most of the young ladies present had heard of this romantic scandal, even if they hadn’t witnessed it themselves. Back then, the fourth young master of the Zhuge family, in an attempt to prevent Su Wanwan from marrying into the Helian family, led his men to block the wedding procession. He even publicly beat the influential Helian Ming. Had Su Wanwan not angrily rebuked him, it could have led to disaster. Despite this, he still faced punishment—expelled from the Shangwu Hall for half a year and forced to enlist. If not for falling seriously ill from the dampness in the northeastern marshes, he might never have returned home.
Jing Yanyi’s gentle voice drifted softly through the room, evoking memories like misty water, quiet as clouds, drifting like a white silk ribbon.
Miss Meng said with a touch of infatuation, "What a pity I missed that scene back then. That Su Wanwan must have been a peerless beauty, right?"
"What beauty?" Wei Qianqian sneered disdainfully. "The Helian family has fallen, and she’s nothing but a commoner now. If you want to see her, it’s not difficult, but don’t be disappointed."
Miss Meng seemed displeased with Wei Qianqian and glared at her, saying, "You’re just jealous of her, aren’t you?"
"Me, jealous of her?" Wei Qianqian raised an eyebrow coldly. "A lowborn commoner who luckily climbed a high branch, only to end up with nothing after her fickle behavior. Talking about such a person only lowers our status. Besides, those high branches she clung to aren’t even worth my attention."
"Not worth your attention?" Miss Meng muttered under her breath, "If they’re not worth your attention, why did you even come today?"
No sooner had she spoken than hurried footsteps echoed from outside. The curtain swayed, and a tall, slender figure stepped in. The man stood elegantly, dressed in a loose, ink-splashed moon-white robe with flowing cloud patterns. With his finely arched eyebrows and bright eyes, he appeared handsome and upright. Standing at the doorway, he was momentarily taken aback by the room full of vibrant, chattering women.
"Fourth Brother, you’re here!"
The third young lady, though ranked third among her sisters, was actually a few years younger than Zhuge Yue. She quickly stepped forward with a cheerful smile and said, "Father mentioned you’ll be leaving soon. Have you packed your belongings?"
Zhuge Yue’s cool gaze swept over Zhuge Qing, and he replied indifferently, "You were looking for me?"
Zhuge Qing felt slightly nervous. Zhuge Yue had never been close to his siblings, and she was no exception. Nevertheless, she forced a friendly demeanor, linking her arm with his and smiling as she said, "Let me introduce you to some rare beauties you seldom see. They’re all my friends.""Qing Sister, I'm no beauty." Miss Meng stepped forward with a beaming smile, curtsied slightly, and said cheerfully, "Qing Sister calls you Fourth Brother, may Xiaoxiao call you Fourth Brother too?"
The young girl's cheeks were flushed, appearing charmingly naive and adorable. Yet unexpectedly, Zhuge Yue remained unmoved, his expression unchanged as he subtly retreated a step, replying indifferently, "Greetings, Miss Meng."
Miss Meng was immediately taken aback, feeling somewhat wronged as she pouted, unsure how to respond.
Just as Zhuge Qing was about to speak, Zhuge Yue interjected, "My apologies to all the young ladies. Zhuge Yue was unaware of your presence here and has disturbed you improperly. I am truly regretful. Please continue your leisure, I shall take my leave."
With that, he turned and withdrew, leaving the room full of noble young ladies staring at each other in bewilderment, unable to recover from the shock for a long while.
As evening fell, Little Hong carefully arranged the flower pots in the greenhouse, sweating profusely from the effort. When she stood up and turned around, she was startled to find Zhuge Yue standing behind her. The young maid quickly said, "Greetings, Young Master."
But Zhuge Yue didn't even glance at her, walking directly to the pot of "Xiao Lang." He reached out, uprooted the entire vine, and tossed it into Huang Chan's flower pot, leaving only a lone asparagus fern swaying lonesomely in the wind.
The next day, news came that the Seventh Prince Zhao Che had left the capital for Wild Goose Cry Pass. The Zhuge family was coordinating with the Ministry of Provisions and Ministry of War to manage supplies of grain and weapons. Zhuge Yue shuttled between the two ministries daily, returning late at night and often working until dawn before catching some sleep. Within days, he had visibly grown much haggard.
Within two days, Minister Wei's residence was the first to send over a jar of lotus seed and precious beard soup, reportedly personally prepared by Miss Wei with great care. When it was delivered to Green Mountain Courtyard, Zhuge Yue had just risen. Huan'er reluctantly brought the young lady's handmade offering into the bedroom. After listening to the maidservant from the Wei residence chatter on, Zhuge Yue offered no reaction whatsoever. He changed clothes, washed his face, ate a quick meal, and went out without even glancing at the precious soup.
Unexpectedly, this was only the beginning. Subsequently, the young ladies who had attended that day's gathering sent various items to the residence - handkerchiefs, pouches, fan pendants, all personal belongings. Even the previously disdainful Miss Wei sent something. And Miss Meng, who had been coldly snubbed by Zhuge Yue in person, proved even more persistent, sending a continuous stream of food and embroidery over several days, eventually even presenting a rare precious sword. It was said she had stolen the sword from her grandfather General Meng Tian, nearly earning herself a beating for it.
Gradually, even slow-witted maids like Little Hong began to realize that the previous banquet had essentially been a matchmaking event for the Fourth Young Master, which explained why the young master had looked so displeased.
Huan'er and the other maids who had served in the courtyard for a long time often smirked coldly, looking at the items sent by these noble young ladies and occasionally muttering sarcastic remarks about wishful thinking. But Little Hong thought to herself: Those young ladies are actually quite nice, especially Miss Le and Princess Jing, and Miss Meng is quite adorable too. She just wondered what kind of person the young master actually preferred.The directive from the Grain Department was finally approved. In just one more day, the young master would be heading north. Green Mountain Courtyard had been bustling all morning. Huan'er, along with the maids, had repeatedly pared down the items for the young master's journey, yet they still managed to fill two large carts. However, when Yue Qi took a look, he waved his hand dismissively and said, "The young master said to keep everything simple. None of this is needed."
Huan'er was so frustrated that tears welled up in her eyes. She said tearfully, "The north is so cold. How can he go without anything? If Xing'er were here..."
She stopped mid-sentence. Xiao Hong found it a bit strange but noticed Yue Qi's expression had darkened, so she didn't ask further. After the maids dispersed, she pulled aside a senior maid who had entered the household earlier and asked, "Sister Xi'er, who is Xing'er?"
Qing Xi shook her head and replied, "I don't know. I've only heard Sister Huan'er mention her a few times. She seems to have been a maid here before, but she left for some reason."
"Oh," Xiao Hong nodded. There were many maids in the Zhuge residence, so this Xing'er must have been a highly favored senior maid.
That evening, Zhuge Yue returned very late but was still summoned by the master to the main quarters. By the time he returned, it was already the third watch of the night. The servants had been waiting anxiously at the gatehouse and collectively breathed a sigh of relief when they saw him return.
Huan'er hurried over and draped a cloak over Zhuge Yue, immediately catching a pungent whiff of alcohol. She was momentarily taken aback—Zhuge Yue rarely drank, and if he did, it meant he was in a foul mood. Carefully, she said, "Young master, you should rest in your room."
Without a word, Zhuge Yue strode directly into the flower room. The servants hesitated, unsure whether to follow, and stood outside foolishly waiting. After a long while with no sign of him coming out, Huan'er finally said, "Everyone, go back to your duties. Not just anyone can enter the flower room. Xiao Hong, you will take care of the young master tonight."
Xiao Hong suddenly felt the weight of her responsibility and nodded solemnly with great determination.
Zhuge Yue was indeed drunk, lying on the cool bamboo couch in the flower room. Afraid he might catch a chill, Xiao Hong hurried over to cover him with a blanket. The heavy scent of alcohol in his breath confirmed that the young master had been drinking.
The young maid knelt halfway on the floor and, for a moment, found herself entranced. She had never been this close to the young master before. Even on ordinary occasions, she would keep her head bowed, occasionally stealing a glance at his retreating figure.
The young master is so handsome! The little maid blinked her large eyes, inwardly marveling. No wonder those noble young ladies, even after being coldly treated by him, still eagerly sought his attention. Unlike other young masters from prestigious families, he lacked the decadent air of the aristocracy. He was neither like those powdered scholars who spent their days reciting poetry nor like the crude and ignorant martial types. In him, one could find the refined discourse of a scholar and the sharp, aloof demeanor of a military commander. He stood aloof and unapproachable, yet not in the same way as the eldest or second young master, who exuded the aura of nobility. Though Xiao Hong was young, she could still discern what true presence meant. Some people commanded respect and admiration only when you knew their status and position, while others were born to be looked up to.
As the little maid gazed at him, drowsiness overcame her, and she ended up falling asleep right there, leaning against the couch.Early in the morning, a sudden noise reached her ears. She hadn't been sleeping deeply and immediately sat up. She saw Zhuge Yue sitting there, eyes still closed as he yawned, looking thoroughly exhausted from lack of sleep.
Xing'er was momentarily stunned, her cheeks flushing red. She never expected the young master to show such a human side, so different from his usual demeanor.
Then she heard Zhuge Yue mumble drowsily between yawns: "Xing'er, fetch me a cup of tea."
"Yes."
Xing'er hurriedly complied and brought over a cup of tea. After drinking it, Zhuge Yue seemed considerably more alert. He stood up, stretched his limbs, opened the door and walked out where Huan'er and several other maids were already waiting.
Xing'er stood foolishly by the doorway, suddenly confused. What had the young master just called her? She hadn't quite caught it, and probably even the young master himself hadn't noticed.
Outside, the sunlight was brilliant, promising a fine sunny day.
The chief steward of the mansion, Zhu Yu, stood smiling in the courtyard, his face creased with wrinkles. Zhu Cheng, Zhu Yu's grandson, stood hunched beside him. Combined with his perpetually aged demeanor, he looked like a miniature old man.
"Young Master Fourth, the master sent me to ask if you've made your decision?"
Zhuge Yue, having washed his face, was eating breakfast in the main hall without looking up. Between sips of soup, he asked: "Where are the items?"
Zhu Yu beamed and quickly presented a golden tray containing portraits and birth details of several young ladies from noble families.
Without even looking, Zhuge Yue randomly selected one and tossed it into Zhu Cheng's arms. Zhu Cheng hastily caught it, opened it and laughed: "It's the youngest daughter of General Le Xing, Le Wanyi. This servant offers early congratulations to the young master."
Zhuge Yue picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, then stood up abruptly and said to Yue Qi: "To the Ministry of War."
That afternoon, the Zhuge Clan's Fourth Young Master Zhuge Yue set out for Wild Goose Cry Pass under military escort. Following behind him were three hundred thousand dan of provisions for Zhao Che's army stationed at the pass. With this, Daxia's war preparations against Yanbei were largely complete.
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