Chapter 127: The Little Beggar at the Garden Gate
Liu Liang caught Mu Yunyao around the waist and carried her straight up onto the branch.
The moment she landed lightly atop the osmanthus tree, Mu Yunyao could not help laughing out loud. After finding a branch to sit on, she snapped off a spray of blossoms and cradled it in her palm, then turned to ask Liu Liang, who was standing guard beside her,
“Is this spray even prettier than the one I picked before?”
Under the moonlight, her slender fingers gleamed white as jade, lovelier even than the cluster of osmanthus itself.
Liu Liang nodded. The beautiful sight before him had thrown his mind into confusion, and he no longer knew what answer he ought to give.
Only then did Mu Yunyao seem satisfied.
“Then I shall take this spray back and give it to Mother. As for the one I picked before, let it count as something wasted on a dog.”
As she spoke, she made to jump down, which startled Liu Liang so badly that he immediately stopped her.
“Master, be careful!”
Mu Yunyao only burst into laughter.
“You used to be wooden as a block. I do not know how many times people scolded you for it. Who would have thought that after following me, you would begin speaking so much? If that black-hearted ghost saw you now, who knows how furious he would be!”
Liu Liang did not understand what she meant.
“Master, you are drunk.”
“I am not drunk. I am perfectly clear-headed...”
She lifted her head and looked through the osmanthus branches into the night sky. Under the moonlight, everything was bright and pure, as though the whole world had become cleaner.
“The evening clouds have all withdrawn, overflowing with clear chill;
The Silver River turns in silence around the jade moon-disc.
This life, this night, will not forever be so fair—
When next year’s bright moon comes, from where shall I look upon it?”
By next Mid-Autumn, she ought already to have returned to the Su family. Even if she were to encounter such a beautiful moonlit night and such lovely scenery again, she feared she would no longer have the heart to admire it.
Liu Liang looked at Mu Yunyao and felt only that she was wrapped in some intense emotion he could see but could not understand.
“Master, if you like the scenery here, then next year you may still come again to enjoy it.”
Mu Yunyao gave a soft laugh, and all the emotion about her vanished in an instant.
“I have heard that there is a kind of cinnabar osmanthus whose blossoms bloom red, vivid as blood and strikingly beautiful. Tomorrow, have this golden osmanthus cut down and replaced with cinnabar osmanthus instead. If I have the chance next year, I want to see red osmanthus blossoms...”
Next year, once she returned to the Su family, her revenge would begin. On a Mid-Autumn night of reunion, to admire blood-colored osmanthus would be the most fitting thing of all.
“Yes, Master.”
When the night wind blew, the wine in her blood seemed to deepen. Mu Yunyao felt herself growing increasingly hazy. Somewhere in that blur, she vaguely remembered Liu Liang helping her down from the tree and escorting her back to her room.
When she awoke again, the sky was already bright with daylight. She had only just sat up when Jin Lan, hearing movement, knocked at the door.
“Miss, are you awake? May this servant come in?”
“Come in.”
Osmanthus brew was mild in strength, but this body of hers had never drunk wine before, so only a few cups had been enough to leave her thoroughly drunk. Now, after sleeping a full night, the effects had completely faded, and she felt no discomfort at all.
“Miss, you are finally awake. Steward Qin has already come twice asking after you. He says he wishes to borrow the piece of calligraphy bestowed by His Majesty so that it can be copied and made into a plaque to hang up. This servant told him you were still sleeping, so he did not dare let anyone disturb you.”
“Very well. Once I have washed and dressed, I will go have a look.”
Mu Yunyao put on her clothes and, after stepping around the screen, immediately saw the vase set upon the table. In the spring-form vase stood a single spray of osmanthus, its leaves green and its blossoms bright, perfectly suited to it.
Jin Lan noticed her gaze and quickly explained,
“It was Liu Liang who told me to find a vase. He said Miss liked osmanthus blossoms, so this servant made the decision on her own to place it here.”
Mu Yunyao stepped forward and examined it carefully for quite some time before smiling softly.
“I do indeed like it very much. Later, carry it to Mother’s room for her.”
“Yes, Miss.”
After washing and eating a little, Mu Yunyao finally made her way to Jinxiu Garden.
Now that Bu Xian Lou had been bestowed imperial calligraphy by the Emperor himself, business had grown even more prosperous. The moment it opened today, the garden was already full of guests.
Things had stabilized enough now that invitation cards were no longer sent out. Anyone wishing to come into the garden for tea had to reserve in advance. And once a time had been reserved, if the guest failed to arrive within half an hour, that place would be given to someone else.
These days, several children aged eight or nine can be found waiting outside Jinxiu Garden each day. The moment they discovered that someone had failed to appear, they would run off to find a nearby well-dressed passerby and ask whether the person wished to enter Jinxiu Garden. If the person took the spot, they would usually reward the child with a few copper coins. When they happened upon someone particularly generous, one such opportunity might feed them for a whole month.
Just as Mu Yunyao arrived, a child approached her. Seeing that she was heading toward Jinxiu Garden, he ran over and gave her a quiet warning.
“Miss, no one has failed to appear today. The garden is full for the moment, so even if you go in, there will be no seat available.”
Mu Yunyao could not help but stop to look him over carefully. He looked no more than seven or eight years old. His clothes were patched, yet unusually clean and well-washed. When she stopped to face him, he instinctively retreated two steps, his face filled with timidity.
“Thank you. I am going in to find someone, so I do not think it will be a problem.”
“So you are looking for someone. Then I have delayed Miss’s time...”
As he said this, the child’s face reddened abruptly. He pressed his lips together, and a small dimple appeared on one side of his cheek, making him look especially adorable.
Mu Yunyao found herself somewhat interested.
“Do you wait here at the gate every day?”
The child clearly had not expected her to continue speaking to him. A trace of unease came over his face.
“I... I only wait here by the gate. I do not beg from the guests who enter the garden. I would not dare disturb them...”
“Beg?”
Jin Lan stepped forward and explained,
“Miss, these days a number of beggar children have been gathering at the gate. They run errands here, keeping watch to see whether any guests with reserved seats fail to arrive. If they discover such a thing, they carry the news out, and whoever takes the place will give them a few copper coins in reward.”
The child nodded, looking at Mu Yunyao somewhat nervously. The young lady before him did not seem especially old, and yet she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Just standing before her and speaking made him feel ashamed of his own poverty.
“That sounds like a rather good business. May I ask who told you to come here?”
“It was our elder sister.”
The child did not dare hide anything and answered honestly.
Even as he spoke, a young girl came running over and hurriedly bowed to Mu Yunyao.
“Greetings, Miss. My younger brother is still young and ignorant. If he has offended you in any way, I beg your forgiveness. Nan’er, quickly apologize to this young lady.”
“Sister, I...”
The little boy, Nan’er, immediately lowered his head and twisted his fingers in his clothing.
“I... I am sorry...”
Mu Yunyao smiled and shook her head.
“You misunderstand. Your younger brother has been very well-behaved. He merely offered me a reminder; there was no offense at all. If you have the time, I have reserved a place inside the garden. I could treat you and your brother to something to eat and a cup of tea.”
At once, caution flared up on the young girl’s face.
“There is no need. So long as he did not offend Miss, that is enough. We...”
“Elder Sister... I’m hungry...”
At the mention of food, longing filled the little boy’s eyes. Tugging at the girl’s sleeve, he spoke in a tiny voice.
“Be quiet! We are leaving...”
Then, after bowing once more to Mu Yunyao, the girl took the little boy by the hand and turned to go.
Mu Yunyao smiled and did not mind it. She simply brought Jin Lan with her and entered the garden.
* The Mid-Autumn Festival Tune by Su Shi
so this is the rise of greeters in restaurants... lovely chapter!
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