"Your Majesty, look—it really is pear blossoms!"
Su Peisheng's eyes lit up.
Not far away, clusters of tall pear tree crowns peeked over the deep red palace walls. Though it was only early February, the snow-white, jade-like pear blossoms were in full bloom, spreading across the golden glazed tiles like clouds of brocade—cool, pure, and pristine.
A gentle breeze passed, causing the blossoms to drift down like rain, carrying a faint fragrance, as if in a dreamlike, ethereal fairyland.
Beautiful as it was, still…
Yongzheng sat in the imperial palanquin, gazing at the eight large pear trees arranged in a trapezoidal pattern, his brow deeply furrowed.
He couldn't understand it.
If trees of the same variety, planted at the same time, grew differently over time, gradually varying in height and fullness, no one would find it surprising—after all, since ancient times, all things under heaven have been this way.
As the saying goes, "The dragon begets nine sons, each different." For trees, a similar principle applies.
But why was this difference so… orderly?
The eight pear trees were symmetrically aligned along the central axis. The two in the middle grew the tallest, with the largest crowns and the most luxuriant blossoms. The two closer to the center were slightly less impressive; the next two on either side were even less so; and the outermost two were the shortest, with the smallest crowns and barely any blossoms at all.
Even if someone had deliberately controlled their fertilization to make them grow this way, the precision was too exact.
Even the officials in the court specifically in charge of agriculture probably couldn't achieve such results.
Yongzheng couldn't help but ask, "Which palace do these pear trees belong to?"
This palace before him was truly remote, and for a moment, he couldn't quite recall.
Su Peisheng's mind stirred, and he replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, this is Qianxi Sisuo."
"Qianxi Sisuo?" Yongzheng found it somewhat familiar.
"It is where Yi Taichangzai, who hails from the Gua'erjia Clan, currently resides."
Guaerjia. Her again.
Yongzheng couldn't help but recall the woman he had seen at the entrance of Cining Palace that morning.
At the time, he had just finished court and was on his way to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager as per custom.
As his palanquin turned a corner along the palace path, he suddenly saw a group of people gathered at the entrance of Cining Palace, with Chang among them.
Not wishing to disturb them, he gestured for the palanquin to stop.
And then he witnessed quite a scene.
The woman opposite Chang was dressed in plain, light-colored attire, her hair loosely tied up and secured with just a few hairpins. Her waist was slender and delicate, and she appeared frail and vulnerable, accompanied by only one palace maid. She looked like an easy target.
Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would have found it hard to believe that with just a few words, she could frighten the usually domineering Chang into changing color.
He hadn't heard clearly what she said.
So much so that he wondered whether this scene was something he had stumbled upon by chance or if someone had deliberately orchestrated it.
Thus, when he passed by, he paid extra attention to Guaerjia out of the corner of his eye.
Though she knelt on the ground with her head bowed and eyes lowered, when he got a clear look at her face, he couldn't help but pause for a moment.
She fit his aesthetic standards perfectly.
As for what exactly made her beautiful or what those aesthetic standards were, Yongzheng couldn't quite put it into words.
It was just that she was pleasing to the eye.
Like two identical antique paintings placed before him—he could tell at a glance which was the genuine article. No particular reason, just a matter of affinity.
It was only at this moment that Yongzheng suddenly realized his memory of Guaerjia was exceptionally clear. Whether it was her attire and appearance, or her every movement, every frown and smile, he remembered them all vividly.
This was not a good sign.
Given Guaerjia's current status and the previous incident with the Haidongqing, he should have been more wary.
Seeing Yongzheng remain silent for a long time, lost in thought, Su Peisheng tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, shall this servant go knock and summon someone to inquire?"
These pear trees also looked strange to him.
What pear tree would bloom in early February?
He wished he could call Guaerjia out to get to the bottom of it, but Yongzheng was the type whose suspicion grew deeper the more he concealed it on the surface.
Without a second thought, Yongzheng refused, "No need."
He beckoned Su Peisheng closer and whispered a few instructions into his ear.
The imperial carriage lingered at the entrance of Qianxi Sisuo for a moment before promptly departing.
…………
"Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!"
Yun Mo looked at Su Muyao and said, "Miss, someone is knocking again."
Their Qianxi Sisuo had truly been lively today. She had thought the people from the Jingshi Office were the last group and that things would quiet down after they left.
Who would have thought someone would come so late at night?
Su Muyao said, "Go and see."
Yun Mo agreed and went to open the door. When she saw only a smiling eunuch standing at the entrance, holding a horsetail whisk and wearing a mandarin hat with a peacock feather, a trace of surprise flickered in her eyes as she glanced behind Su Peisheng.
"Why are you alone?"
Out of habit, she assumed the eunuch before her was like the three previous groups from Shangshan Ju, Guangchusi, and the Jingshi Office—a supervisor from the Imperial Household Department.
But other supervisors always came with a crowd of subordinates, while he was alone, which was quite odd.
A hint of deeper meaning flashed in Su Peisheng's eyes as he slowly replied, "Who else did the young lady think… would be here?"
Yun Mo shook her head, not giving it much thought, and said, "Follow me."
She led Su Peisheng into the courtyard.
Su Muyao was standing under the corridor feeding birds. Su Peisheng bowed and saluted, saying, "Greetings, Taichangzai."
Su Muyao smiled and asked, "And you are, sir?"
Su Peisheng replied according to the prepared script, "This humble servant is from Zhongcui Palace. Our lady happened to pass by Yuhuayuan earlier and saw the pear blossoms in your palace blooming beautifully. She sent this servant to request a branch to take back and place in a vase for appreciation. Might you be willing to part with one?"
So that was the reason.
Yun Mo chuckled, "I thought you were from the Imperial Household Department just now."
She then turned and hesitantly asked, "Miss…" Should they give it?
She remembered that Zhongcui Palace was Consort Nian's residence. It was said that Consort Nian was the current emperor's most favored consort, and her brother, Nian Gengyao, was a renowned general in the court. Would refusing offend them?
Su Muyao was far from that stingy and smiled, "You are too polite, sir. What is there to part with? It's just a few pear blossoms."
Yun Mo then took Su Peisheng to Dongkuayuan. Standing on tiptoe, she selected a branch with many pear blossoms, cut it, and handed it to Su Peisheng, asking, "Will this branch do?"
"Let this humble servant see," Su Peisheng commented. "This branch is a bit too thick. Our lady's palace only has narrow-necked vases. Could you trouble the young lady to pick a higher branch?"
Yun Mo had no choice but to fetch a ladder and search for another one for him.
Su Peisheng remarked casually, "It's only the second month, yet the pear blossoms in your palace have already bloomed. That's truly a rare sight."
"Indeed," Yun Mo replied offhandedly. "The blooming itself isn't so strange—I've seen it before. But these pear trees suddenly shot up a foot overnight, as if they'd become spirits. That's what really frightened me."
"At first, I even considered hanging some red silk to ward off evil. But our mistress said, 'If you don't mind the strange, the strange will vanish on its own.' Later, I thought about it and realized she was right, so I left them be."
As she spoke, she climbed down from the ladder and asked, "What about this branch?"
The pear blossom branch in her hand was noticeably thinner than the previous one.
Su Peisheng glanced at it and smiled. "This branch is perfect. Our lady will surely like it. Thank you for your trouble."
Yun Mo smiled gently and escorted Su Peisheng out of the palace gate before returning to her room.