Jiang Lingyuan selected a jade hairpin carved with a bamboo-joint pattern and handed it to Furong.
“I heard you all were playing cuju in the front courtyard yesterday. I imagine that was much more tiring than us simply sitting around chatting in the back courtyard.”
Lu Yun smiled.
“That’s true.”
He had joined in two matches. It had been great fun while they were playing, but afterward he had genuinely felt worn out.
Seeing that Lu Yun had awakened, Shuanghua and Lu’e immediately got to work. One opened the three-section yellow rosewood wardrobe and took out his clothes, while the other went into the bathing room to prepare hot water for him to wash up.
As Shuanghua carried the clothes toward Lu Yun, her heart pounded wildly, and her legs nearly gave way beneath her.
When Xiangxue had still been around, she had never dared entertain such thoughts. But now she couldn’t help thinking that one of the concubines of Yilan Courtyard would surely be her someday.
With those thoughts filling her mind, she felt even weaker as she approached him, her face burning hot.
“Fourth Young Master, allow this servant to help you dress,” Shuanghua said softly, her face flushed with shyness.
Lu Yun, however, paid her no special attention. He simply took the clothes from her.
“I can manage myself.”
Jiang Lingyuan was busy discussing with Furong whether she should wear bamboo-pattern jade studs or bamboo-leaf earrings today and didn’t notice Shuanghua’s little display.
Tanqiu, however, saw everything.
Her gaze lingered on Shuanghua thoughtfully.
Since she planned to inspect the flower house and the rear garden later that day, Jiang Lingyuan decided a simpler style would be more convenient and ultimately chose the earrings.
After breakfast, Lu Yun said, “I’m going to Tongzhou with Third Uncle today. Don’t wait for me for dinner.”
Jiang Lingyuan nodded.
“All right. I’ll have someone prepare some snacks for you to take along.”
Ever since Lu Yun had resolved to take charge of the family’s estate affairs, he had thrown himself wholeheartedly into learning. Every day, he carefully recorded what he saw and experienced, writing down his reflections afterward.
Seeing his dedication, Jiang Lingyuan felt that with such an attitude, it would be difficult for him not to succeed.
After breakfast, however, she hadn’t expected Lu Xiaoyue and Lu Xiaoyu to arrive hand in hand.
The moment they entered, each girl linked arms with one of Jiang Lingyuan’s.
“Fourth Sister-in-law, we came without sending notice first. You won’t dislike us for it, will you?”
Originally, they had planned to send a visiting card beforehand. But that morning, after Lu Xiaoyue heard from Lu Xiaoyu that Jiang Lingyuan was willing to share the embroidery patterns, she had become too eager to wait.
Jiang Lingyuan smiled.
“You two. Since you’re already here, why bother making such formal excuses? You’re here for the embroidery patterns, aren’t you? I’ll have Tanqiu fetch them from the embroiderers. There are only two embroiderers here in Yilan Courtyard, the rest are at my dowry estate.”
As she spoke, she led them into the flower reception hall.
Along one wall stood rows of cabinets and a display shelf filled with curios. Between the shelves sat several elegant vases holding fresh jasmine and clusters of blooming wisteria, filling the room with a refined floral fragrance.
Tanqiu instructed several young maids to serve an assortment of pastries and hot water.
Sitting at the tea table, Jiang Lingyuan asked, “What would you like to drink?”
The Fourth and Fifth Misses glanced at the rows of jars and bottles before them, realizing there was probably quite a bit of thought behind the selection.
“We’ll have whatever Fourth Sister-in-law is having.”
“In the morning, I prefer flower-and-fruit tea. Today we’ll use Tieguanyin as the base, with dried cantaloupe, dried pineapple, and dried cucumber.”
As she spoke, the maid promptly brought out the ingredients.
Without haste, Jiang Lingyuan warmed the cups, measured the tea, awakened its fragrance, rinsed the leaves, brewed the tea, and poured the infusion.
There was nothing flashy about her movements.
Yet every gesture was graceful and soothing to watch. The natural ease and unhurried rhythm of her tea-making gradually quieted even the normally lively sisters.
Only after Jiang Lingyuan placed two cups before them did she say,”Have a taste.”
The two sisters came back to themselves.
Lu Xiaoyue exclaimed, “It’s so beautiful I almost don’t want to drink it.”
Lu Xiaoyu grinned.
“I do.”
The first sip carried the honeyed sweetness of cantaloupe, the rich aroma of pineapple, and the refreshing crispness of cucumber, softening the slight bitterness of the tea itself.
Then came the mellow body and lingering sweetness unique to Tieguanyin.
Lu Xiaoyu’s eyes lit up.
“This is absolutely incredible!”
Lu Xiaoyue nodded vigorously.
“Exactly! Fourth Sister-in-law, how did you ever think of this?”
“Tea brewed on its own has its own unique fragrance that’s worth savoring,” Jiang Lingyuan replied. “But I don’t enjoy drinking the same flavor every day, so I started experimenting by combining tea with dried fruits or dried flowers. It makes things a little more interesting.”
During the days she spent quietly at her estate outside the capital, she had loved trying all sorts of new things.
After chatting in the flower hall for a while, Jiang Lingyuan said, “The greenhouse and rear garden were only just finished a couple of days ago. I was planning to go have a look today. Would you like to come with me?”
The sisters naturally agreed.
Lu Xiaoyue remembered her mother’s insistence that her Fourth Sister-in-law’s grand renovation plans were merely for show. Yet now, seeing Yilan Courtyard with her own eyes, she realized Jiang Lingyuan had truly transformed it into an elegant and comfortable home.
If she herself could one day live like this after marrying, she would be perfectly content.
The garden of the fourth courtyard had been redesigned with Taihu rocks, and the newly transplanted trees made the entire landscape feel refreshed.
The last magnolia blossoms still trembled gently upon their branches.
Beneath them, peonies and herbaceous peonies competed in dazzling bloom, while wisteria blanketed an entire wall in cascading clusters of deep and pale purple, creating a dreamlike scene.
Beneath the wisteria stood a large swing, wide enough to lie down on.
The Fourth and Fifth Misses immediately ran over to try it.
This was Jiang Lingyuan’s first time seeing the renovated garden of the fourth courtyard.
She nodded with satisfaction.
“The gardener has done an excellent job.”
Tanqiu laughed.
“If the gardeners serving you couldn’t manage it well, then no other gardeners would be worth mentioning.”
After all, most of the flowers grown on Jiang Lingyuan’s suburban estate were cultivated specifically for extracting essential oils supplied to Huaxiangrong.
Jiang Lingyuan followed the covered corridor to the pavilion.
Below the corridor flowed running water. The newly planted lotus pond already displayed round green leaves above the surface, while schools of colorful koi swam back and forth beneath them.
Taking a handful of fish food from Tanqiu, she scattered it lightly over the water.
The koi immediately rushed forward, jostling one another to snatch the food.
Although it was already late spring, the breeze still carried a trace of coolness.
Comfortable leather-backed seats had been prepared inside the pavilion.
Jiang Lingyuan found a place to sit and quietly watched the two young ladies laughing together on the swing.
Before long, however, they ran back to her.
“Fourth Sister-in-law, you’re far more impressive than Fourth Brother! Ever since Yilan Courtyard came into your hands, it’s become absolutely astonishing. Everyone says Fourth Brother has refined taste, but now I think those people have no idea what he’s really like at home.”
Thinking of Lu Yun, Jiang Lingyuan knew he had never been particularly demanding when it came to clothing, food, or daily comforts. Since taking over the family’s affairs, he had become even more practical.
Rather than commenting on Lu Yun, she simply smiled.
“Let’s go see the greenhouse. All the truly precious flowers are kept there.”
The sisters eagerly agreed.
Inside the greenhouse, some flowers were displayed in pots, while at its center stood a hexagonal flower bed filled with flowering shrubs.
A magnificent Eighteen Scholars camellia had been carefully pruned into the shape of a paper parasol. Red, pink, and white blossoms bloomed together upon its branches, the densely layered petals firm and vibrant, a clear sign of meticulous care.
It was also peony season.
Unlike the famous but more commonly seen varieties outside, such as Yaohuang, Weizi, Oubi, and Zhaofen, the greenhouse displayed even rarer cultivars: Mochi Jinhui, White King Lion, Red Thousand Birds, Jade Hibiscus, and many others.
The dazzling display left the two sisters almost overwhelmed.
What first caught Jiang Lingyuan’s attention, however, was the small tea room just inside the entrance.
It had been built exactly according to her specifications.
Now, shelves of neatly arranged tea canisters had already been put in place.