To Su Muyao, the incident from last night was merely a minor interlude.
Little did she know that it had sparked a trend of seeking pear blossoms for floral arrangements throughout the imperial harem.
After Su Peisheng brought the cut pear branches back to Yangxin Hall, Yongzheng, seeing the buds on the branches beginning to bloom, pure as jade and delicately fragrant, found them particularly pleasing. He casually pointed to a blue-and-white Wan Shou Zun vase on the curio shelf and instructed Su Peisheng to arrange the branches in it, placing it on the dressing table in his bedchamber.
Aside from the eunuchs and palace maids who served him closely, no one else was allowed to enter the Emperor’s bedchamber, but there were exceptions.
According to the rules left by the ancestors, every night at the third quarter of the Chen hour, officials from the Jingshi Office would present the green-headed name plaques of the empress and consorts for the Emperor to choose from. The consort whose plaque was chosen would ride the Fengluan Chun’en Che to the Emperor’s bedchamber, staying to receive his favor before departing.
With state affairs relatively light these past few days, Yongzheng gradually began to think of the older consorts from his Qian Di days. One after another, he chose the plaques of Consort Qi, née Li, and Consort Qian, née Liu.
The newly added vase of pear blossoms on the Emperor’s dressing table was quickly noticed by Consort Qi and Consort Qian.
Where the superior has a preference, the subordinates are sure to emulate it.
After returning, the two consorts ordered their attendants to search the entire palace for pear blossoms. However, the weather had not yet warmed, and the pear trees in Yuhuayuan had only sprouted a few scattered green buds, far from the flowering season.
If even the Emperor’s Yuhuayuan had none, there was no need to mention the outside.
At this time, the eight pear trees by the wall of Qianxi Sisuo, miraculously covered in buds, immediately caught their attention.
One branch for you, one for me, one for her…
At first, only the attendants of Consort Qi and Consort Qian came to request branches for floral arrangements. Later, as the news that “the Emperor particularly favors pear blossoms” spread more widely, other consorts in the palace could no longer sit still.
Qianxi Sisuo suddenly became as bustling as a marketplace, with numerous palace maids and eunuchs coming daily to request pear blossoms.
Of course, the consorts valued propriety, and none of the attendants sent to request pear blossoms came empty-handed.
While Su Muyao was overwhelmed with gifts, she couldn’t help but start scheming.
This newly emerging “pear blossom economy” was at its peak. Although profitable now, once the pear blossoms in Yuhuayuan began to bloom in about ten days, there would likely be nothing left for her.
At present, with no pear blossoms elsewhere in the palace and only her in possession, why not seize the opportunity to maximize profits and make a fortune? That way, she wouldn’t regret missing this chance once it was gone.
Having made up her mind, she immediately ordered Yun Mo to summon Zhou De’an, the supervisor of Yingzaosi.
When Zhou De’an arrived, he was somewhat apprehensive, unsure what new “trouble” this Taichangzai of Qianxi Sisuo was about to stir up.
Su Muyao, however, smiled warmly and directed him to look at an Apple Green Glazed Vase placed on the large altar table.
Inside the vase was a slanting branch of spring pear blossoms, the snow-white flowers already in full bloom. Set against the greenish glaze, the scene was not only beautiful but also imbued with a poetic charm.
Yun Mo smiled and said, “Eunuch Zhou, what do you think of our mistress’s carefully cultivated Snow Peak Spring Pear?”
The name “Snow Peak Spring Pear” was coined by Su Muyao.
Since she intended to establish her pear blossoms as unparalleled in the empire, she couldn’t allow them to be casually lumped together with other varieties.
Holding a cup of the palace’s specially brewed milk tea, Su Muyao couldn’t help but recall a popular internet-famous beverage from her previous life—“snow cap milk tea.”
The name “Snow Peak” was excellent—snow cap milk tea, snow cap coffee, snow cap ice cream… so memorable.
Who would have thought that such a simple name would elicit endless praise from Yun Mo: "In the Tang Dynasty, Qiu Wei wrote a poem titled 'Left Palace Pear Blossoms': 'Their cold beauty outshines snow, their lingering fragrance suddenly clings to robes. Spring winds, do not settle yet, blow them toward the jade steps to fly.' Pear blossoms and snow are both white, and pear blossoms are also flowers that welcome spring. Miss, using the phrase 'Snow Peak Spring Pear' to describe pear blossoms is truly most fitting!"
Su Muyao: "…"
She remembered that Guaerjia had once taught Yun Mo to read and write.
But if she said she had merely thought of the name of a milk tea, would Yun Mo hit her?
Regardless of how it was interpreted, the name was settled.
Although Zhou De'an did not understand the deeper meaning behind the phrase "Snow Peak Spring Pear," just hearing the name made it sound exceptionally grand and elegant.
Surely this vase of pear blossoms must be even more rare and precious.
He replied cautiously and respectfully, "Elegant and refined, truly unparalleled!"
These words of flattery came from the bottom of his heart.
Yun Mo covered her lips with a smile and got to the main point, saying, "You flatter me, Eunuch Zhou. Recently, a trend of seeking pear blossoms for flower arrangements has arisen in the palace. Have you heard of it?"
Having spent decades navigating the depths of the palace, Zhou De'an had finally climbed to the position of supervisor in the Yingzaosi by relying on his ability to listen in all directions and observe everything around him. He knew about any movement in the palace faster than anyone else.
Of course, he was aware of the recent urgency among the various palaces to seek pear blossoms.
He also knew that, as it was not yet the season for pear blossoms to bloom, Ding Zaobao, the head of the Imperial Household Department, had been worried for many days. To avoid offending the imperial consorts and to avoid appearing incompetent, he was preparing to have the workshop use plain silk, velvet, silver foil, and other materials to create fake pear blossoms to present as a solution.
He had also heard that pear blossoms had bloomed in Qianxi Sisuo.
Su Muyao rested her chin on her hand, putting on a troubled expression, and sighed, "Recently, consorts from various palaces have often sent people to request pear blossoms. I am truly exhausted from dealing with it…"
Zhou De'an's mind stirred, and he said, "Your meaning is…"
Yun Mo said bluntly, "Supplying flowers to the palace according to the season should be the responsibility of your Imperial Household Department. It is only because your department cannot supply them that our mistress is now troubled. How is it fair that you take money without doing the work, while our mistress suffers the losses and exhaustion?"
She complained, "When others come asking, if we give them, our mistress cultivated these few trees of 'Snow Peak Spring Pear' with great difficulty. If we don't give them, we offend people. Eunuch Zhou, although you are the supervisor of the Yingzaosi, the maintenance of flowers and plants in the palace also falls under your responsibility. You must speak up for us!"
She had already stated both the direct and indirect points—what else was there for him to say?
Zhou De'an choked for a moment and said, "Resolving this trouble is actually quite simple. The imperial consorts in the palace are urgently seeking pear blossoms for arrangements, and the Imperial Household Department is worried about the lack of supply. Since Taichangzai has them here, they can simply be handed over to the Imperial Household Department."
"Of course, we cannot let you suffer losses for nothing. The supply of flowers and plants for each palace has its allocated quota. By the end of the year, this amount can be included and submitted to the Hubu for reimbursement."
Upon hearing this, Su Muyao gave Yun Mo a meaningful glance.
Yun Mo understood immediately and asked, "Is that feasible? I remember that those who supply potted plants and flowers to the Imperial Household Department are all Imperial Merchants registered with the Hubu. For example, pine and bamboo come from the Lin family of Jiangdu, chrysanthemums and osmanthus from the Xia family of Jinling… As for supplementary flowers like pear blossoms, there are specialized flower bureaus contracted for them. There is no precedent for outsiders to provide them."
He added, "If this matter truly comes to fruition, we certainly won’t let you go to all this trouble for nothing. We’ll only take the fifty percent we deserve, and nothing more. The rest is for you to distribute as you see fit."
When potted plants and flowers from various regions arrived in the capital, factoring in transportation costs and losses along the way, their price was at least ten times the original capital.
If reported to the Hubu for reimbursement, it would be twenty times.
If Qianxi Sisuo only took fifty percent, the profit margin would be unimaginably large.
Moreover, this venture was newly emerging this year. It wouldn’t infringe on the interests of other Imperial Merchants and would also solve a headache for the Imperial Household Department.
By any calculation, it was a venture with a hundred benefits and not a single harm.
Zhou De’an paused, clearly tempted. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I think putting it under a registered name shouldn’t be difficult. We can simply register it under the Flower and Plant Bureau. However, our family holds little influence, and I alone cannot decide this matter. We’ll need to gather Ding Zaobao, the head of the Imperial Household Department, and Li Huizhang, the chief supervisor of the Flower and Plant Bureau, to discuss and finalize the details together."
He then reminded her, "If this succeeds, you must ensure an ample supply of Snow Peak Spring Pears."
He estimated that the trend of seeking pear blossoms for floral arrangements, which had swept through the palace, was only the first wave. Soon, noble households, aristocratic families, and court officials in the capital would follow suit.
By then, the number of people coming to the Flower and Plant Bureau of the Imperial Household Department in search of early pears would be far from insignificant.
Su Muyao had clearly considered this as well. She smiled faintly and said, "You need not worry."
With the Spirit Spring Water in her possession, she could produce as many pear blossoms as needed.