Zhao Ai often had Fengxian serve tea when he drank in the Clear Splendor Pavilion in the afternoons. On this day, Fengxian brought the tea set into the study. Zhao Ai glanced at it and asked, “No whisked tea today? Are we brewing tea instead?”
“Yes,” Fengxian replied with a slight smile as she arranged the tea stove and kettle. “Court Gentleman for Manifesting Righteousness brought some fine tea from Wuyi Mountain as a tribute to the Emperor. His Majesty found it excellent and distributed several portions to the princes. This was personally delivered by Zhenzhen before she left the capital. She even carefully taught me how to control the brewing temperature.”
Zhao Ai was greatly surprised. “Zhenzhen left the capital? Where did she go?”
“Did she not tell Your Highness?” Fengxian widened her eyes at Zhao Ai before explaining, “Court Gentleman for Manifesting Righteousness has resigned from his post and intends to return to his hometown. The Emperor ordered Zhenzhen to find him and persuade him to come back at all costs.”
Zhao Ai slapped the book in his hand onto the desk, frowning as he pressed further, “Why did the Emperor send her to find him? She is a female official. For her to leave the capital to seek out an outsider—what kind of propriety is that?”
Fengxian stopped stirring the tea and turned to face Zhao Ai, answering earnestly, “It was also a matter of coincidence. Court Gentleman for Manifesting Righteousness Lin Hong, also known as Mr. Wenqiao, was the teacher who instructed Zhenzhen in culinary arts before she entered the palace.”
Fengxian then recounted the connection between Zhenzhen and Lin Hong, adding, “Although they were only teacher and disciple for a few months at the Woodcutter Inquiry Post, their bond of mutual understanding may not be inferior to that of classmates who have spent over a decade together day and night. People say that Court Gentleman for Manifesting Righteousness is indifferent to worldly affairs, but even talented scholars can be unrestrained. His Majesty likely believes that since he dares to disregard imperial decrees, perhaps only Zhenzhen’s words can reach him.”
The phrase “spent a few months at the Woodcutter Inquiry Post” cut through Zhao Ai’s heart like a blade. Previously, when he saw Zhenzhen and Lin Hong walking together in the Brocade Rouge Corridor, he guessed that they had privately gone to the locust grove. At the time, he thought it was their first meeting, and although Zhenzhen was lively, she was not foolish in important matters and would not easily be swayed by a man. Thus, though displeased, he did not dwell on it. Now, learning that they had a teacher-disciple relationship and had spent days and nights together at the Woodcutter Inquiry Post, the trip to the locust grove likely was not merely a simple reunion.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He dared not imagine how they might interact outside the palace and finally could not restrain himself. Slapping the table, he stood up and headed for the main gate.
“Your Highness!” Fengxian quickly rose and followed him, calling out from behind, “Are you planning to find another excuse to go to Cifu Palace and ask the Empress Dowager to permit you to leave the capital?”
This was indeed Zhao Ai’s usual method. Members of the imperial clan were not allowed to leave the capital without the Emperor’s permission. Relying on the Empress Dowager’s doting affection, Zhao Ai often used excuses such as searching for items or people for her to request the Emperor to allow him to travel. The Emperor, having experienced many restrictions and the pain of lacking freedom during his own time as a prince, often turned a blind eye and was not overly strict with Zhao Ai’s movements, allowing him to get his way each time. This time, he intended to employ the same strategy, but Fengxian saw right through it, causing his steps to falter.
Fengxian walked in front of him, bowed respectfully, and said gently, “Your Highness, I dare to ask you to listen to my words: What His Majesty hopes to see in you is a wise, diligent, and talented individual—someone who can bring stability to the nation through scholarship and drive back the barbarians through martial prowess—not a frivolous young man obsessed with romance. Although you may have an excuse to leave the capital now, His Majesty has observed your usual concern for Zhenzhen. How could he not know your true purpose? If you insist on going to find Zhenzhen, it will greatly damage your image in the eyes of your sovereign father.”"What does it matter if he sees me as a wastrel?" Zhao Ai gave a light laugh. "I'm not the Crown Prince, I don't have to bear the responsibility of stabilizing the nation and securing the state. The duty of the imperial clan is to be wealthy idlers—that's what the dynasty's family laws stipulate. Why shouldn't I act according to my own wishes?"
Fengxian gazed directly at him, her expression unusually calm and resolute, quite different from the meek and submissive demeanor she usually adopted in front of Zhao Ai. "Forgive my bluntness: although the heir apparent has been established, there may still be changes in the future. The Eastern Palace has never been particularly stable. If anything unexpected happens someday, it will be Your Highness who succeeds as the heir. Your Highness should strive to improve yourself now—hone your literary and military strategies, cultivate your character and virtue—so that when the opportunity comes, you won't be caught unprepared."
"Fengxian, do you realize what you're saying?" Zhao Ai was deeply shocked, meeting her earnest gaze as his voice lowered. "If these words were to spread, the crime would be equivalent to treason."
Fengxian immediately knelt and softly begged for forgiveness, then raised her head again, earnestly advising Zhao Ai: "Fengxian knows her offense, but every word comes from the heart—it's a truth everyone understands but no one will speak to Your Highness. Fengxian risks death to say it, only hoping Your Highness will think it over carefully, weigh the pros and cons, consider the overall situation, and not leave the capital recklessly."
Zhao Ai remained silent. Fengxian observed his expression, slowly stood up, and reached for his wrist, intending to guide him back. Softly, she said, "Your Highness, I've heard that later today, The Emperor will go to the training grounds for archery and martial practice. Perhaps Your Highness should change into military attire now and go to the grounds before The Emperor arrives..."
Zhao Ai coldly brushed away her outstretched hand.
"You're overthinking things." Before striding out the door, he tossed these words to Fengxian. "A woman who schemes too much loses her charm."
Lin Hong's garden in Suzhou was named "Shi Yi" and was located south of the city, next to the Surging Waves Pavilion. When Zhenzhen and her party arrived, they happened to see A Che coming out the door. A Che was overjoyed to see Zhenzhen and greeted her warmly, asking about her recent life for quite some time before slapping his forehead: "Ah, how foolish of me—you must be here to see the master... Come in, come in!"
Entering the garden, they saw a pond like a mirror, its water pale and jade-green. There weren't many flowers along the banks, but instead, dense groves of bamboo stood serene. Sunlight filtered through the bamboo, its light and shadows sweeping over the layered, craggy lakeside rocks, converging between the pavilion windows. The garden was quite tranquil, with occasional breezes rustling through, and now and then, beautiful birds called to each other, their chirping forming a harmonious melody.
Lin Hong, dressed in white robes and wearing a bamboo hat, was sitting on a rock by the pond, fishing. Seeing Zhenzhen, he showed little surprise and invited her to sit and watch. Seizing the opportunity, Zhenzhen recounted the Empress Dowager and The Emperor's expectations of him and the wealth they promised. Lin Hong remained silent throughout. Only after catching a fish, examining it, and still releasing it back into the water did he finally say to Zhenzhen, "No need to persuade me. I won't return to the capital."He led her to the summit of the rockery formed by Taihu stones, gesturing toward the Pavilion of Surging Waves across the way. "Back then, Su Shunqin, unable to endure the political strife at court, was convicted and exiled. He built the Pavilion of Surging Waves in Suzhou, where he drank and sang heartily, sharing joy with fish and birds. He lamented, 'Looking back at the turbulent arena of glory and disgrace, where one grinds away day after day over trivial gains and losses—how vulgar it is to be cut off from such genuine pleasures!' A man as bold, open-minded, and ambitious as he could not find a place in that arena of honor and disgrace, let alone someone like me, who is inherently carefree. Though I have never held an official post these years, I have frequently designed gardens for the powerful and noble, witnessing and hearing much about the ways of officialdom. The official world drowns a man; it is better to dwell in tranquility and openness. I do not wish to spend years tossed about in the sea of bureaucracy, only to return here and write another 'Record of the Garden of Returning to One' in lament."
"What does 'Returning to One' mean?" Zhenzhen asked.
Lin Hong replied, "The Dao gives birth to the One, the One gives birth to the Two, the Two give birth to the Three, and the Three gives birth to all things. Returning to this place is like reclaiming that 'One,' simplifying complexity, cleansing distracting thoughts, upholding one's original intent, and not being bound by external things."
Zhenzhen did not fully understand these words. Hesitating, she wondered whether Consort Liu's awkward situation fell into the category of "external things" he wished to avoid being bound by. But he stopped her from speaking further, smiling gently. "You must be quite tired from your journey. Rest in the garden for a while. This evening, I will host a banquet to welcome you. If you are interested, I can take you on a night tour of Suzhou, doing my part as half a host."
During the evening meal, Lin Hong instructed A Che to bring out fine wine for the guests. The two palace eunuchs escorting Zhenzhen were Shi Huaien, a senior attendant in his forties, and Mo Sijin, a junior attendant in his early twenties. Shi Huaien was steady and mature, carefully looking after Zhenzhen along the way while also monitoring and restraining her behavior. Mo Sijin, being young, was much livelier, full of curiosity about the outside world. He seized every opportunity to explore along the journey, showing even more enthusiasm than Zhenzhen. Shi Huaien had no particular hobbies except a love for fine wine. Seeing Lin Hong's excellent vintage and encouraged by Zhenzhen and Mo Sijin to drink, he could not help indulging. After a round of hearty drinking, he became utterly drunk and unconscious, and A Che helped him to a guest room to rest. Mo Sijin, delighted by this turn of events, found an excuse to go shopping and happily went out to wander. Left behind, Zhenzhen and Lin Hong exchanged amused glances. They had originally thought that going out would require bringing the two along, but now it seemed the two had left them behind instead.
Compared to Lin'an, Suzhou also had painted pleasure boats, music, and gilded towers, but the city was filled with many small bridges and flowing streams. The winding paths along the water's edge were deep and secluded, with beautiful scenery. At night, the lights were abundant, with taverns lining the riverbanks, bustling with carriages and horses at their doors, and crowds of visitors. One tavern stood out with a broad front, three stories high, quite luxurious in appearance. Zhenzhen stopped to look up at it, and Lin Hong, thinking she was interested, invited her inside. Seeing the fluttering curtains, flowers and bamboo outside the latticed windows, and hearing the sounds of music and female singers, Zhenzhen worried there might be courtesans serving wine inside. She quickly pulled Lin Hong away and chose a smaller tavern instead.
This small tavern was a single-story building with three sections, open toward the riverbank. The main hall held over a dozen tables, with a few private rooms partitioned by screens on either side. Upon entering, the proprietor said the private rooms were full, so Zhenzhen chose a seat in the hall with a view of the river. She then ordered some tea, fruits, and pastries.
At this time, river crabs were at their plumpest. A large plate on the neighboring table held several crabs, each steamed to a bright red, with their bellies showing an orange-red hue—utterly tempting. Zhenzhen could not help but glance at them a few times. Noticing this, Lin Hong called a server and ordered two for her.Lin Hong did not touch the chopsticks for any of the dishes, fruits, or crabs, merely smiling as he encouraged Zhenzhen to taste them. Only then did Zhenzhen recall that Lin Hong was fastidious by nature and would certainly never dine in a tavern. He had come in solely to accompany her, and she felt a sudden warmth at the thought. Yet she was too embarrassed to eat alone. Under Lin Hong’s gentle urging, she sat upright, picked up her chopsticks, and selected a few small pastries. She made an effort to eat them with the grace of a lady, chewing carefully and fearing he might catch any unseemly mannerism. For this reason, she dared not touch the crab, which was notoriously troublesome to eat.
The small tavern was not without its share of common folk. Nearby, a man in his thirties was holding forth loudly: "From the dishes couples order and the way they eat, I can tell exactly what their relationship is. Look at that pair..." He pointed to a middle-aged man and woman seated by the door. "That woman cracks the crab open with her bare hands, crunching the claws with her teeth. The man across from her doesn’t even glance her way, just buries his head in his noodles. Definitely an old married couple."
Then he gestured toward another couple in their twenties and commented, "Look at the food on their table—all pretty to look at, expensive, and not filling. That means they’ve just met, likely on a blind date."
His companion nodded repeatedly in agreement. Growing more pleased with himself, the man scanned the room, his gaze eventually settling on Zhenzhen and Lin Hong. After a brief inspection, he chuckled and said, "As for this pair, the man ordered crab, thinking they could share it. But the young lady is too concerned with appearances to gnaw on it in front of him. They’ve probably been exchanging glances for a while but haven’t quite gotten together yet."
Zhenzhen’s face flushed hot with a mix of embarrassment and anger. She was about to rebuke him when Lin Hong shook his head gently and whispered, "Why bother stooping to his level?"
Lin Hong then picked up a river crab and took a pair of clean, pointed silver chopsticks. With practiced ease, he lifted the crab’s shell and used the chopsticks to poke, pry, separate, and pick, soon extracting all the meat from the crab except for the claws and legs, which he arranged neatly on a plate. His movements flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water, his expression remaining serene and composed throughout. Finally, he calmly pushed the plate of crab meat toward Zhenzhen.
"You may eat now," he said to her with a smile.
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