Chapter 19 - ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 19
Li Xingzhi continued to stride forward with his head down until the laughter of the woman behind became faintly audible. Li Suwan’s tender voice called out from behind, “Brother, slow down, I can’t keep up.”
Li Xingzhi suddenly stopped and turned around. Li Suwan was hurrying over, lifting her skirt, and behind her, Li Zhizhi strolled leisurely. As if sensing his gaze, the young girl suddenly raised her eyes and smiled lightly. She didn’t say anything, but Li Xingzhi saw the distress and sadness in her clear eyes.
Li Xingzhi’s hand in his sleeve clenched into a fist, but Li Suwan didn’t notice and asked in confusion, “Brother, what’s wrong with you today?”
“It’s nothing,” Li Xingzhi looked at the oblivious Li Suwan and had an inexplicable thought: Why doesn’t she feel guilty?
…
Jinlin Garden was very large, with magnificent pavilions and carved beams everywhere. As the siblings walked around, someone called out to Li Xingzhi. It turned out to be some of his classmates from the Imperial College inviting him to join them for a tour.
Li Suwan, being very understanding, said, “Brother, go and have fun.”
Li Xingzhi hesitated for a moment and instructed, “Take Zhizhi with you. It’s her first time here; make sure she doesn’t get lost.”
Li Suwan nodded in agreement. Li Xingzhi left but couldn’t help looking back a few times. One young man teased, “If you can’t bear to leave, just bring your sister with us.”
“Yeah, your plan is so obvious,” another one laughed. “Li Xingzhi is known to be protective of his sister. How can we take a little girl with us when we’re going to listen to the zither?”
The group of friends bantered and pushed each other, suddenly, someone turned back and asked, “Xingzhi, who was that girl next to your sister earlier? The one in the light yellow short jacket, she looks unfamiliar.”
Another young man in an embroidered robe hurriedly said, “I saw her too, she’s really beautiful!”
The group immediately started teasing, “Lin Xuchou, if you find someone beautiful, just look at her. What are you planning?”
Lin Xuchou blushed and argued, “Everyone has the desire to look beautiful. She’s good-looking, so what’s wrong with me looking at her a bit more? I didn’t say I had any ulterior motives, not like you guys.”
As he continued to speak, he was about to lose his temper. Others quickly intervened and asked Li Xingzhi, “Xingzhi, who is that girl?”
Li Xingzhi replied irritably, “She’s my sister, and she hasn’t come of age yet. Don’t make baseless assumptions.”
…
After Li Xingzhi left, Li Suwan didn’t speak to Li Zhizhi again. They walked separately, not saying a word to each other. After passing a small pavilion, Li Suwan saw two familiar figures ahead, Zhao Shan’er and Xiao Man. They were engaged in a conversation, and Li Suwan hurriedly greeted them, “Sister Zhao, County Princess.”
Zhao Shan’er glanced at her and continued speaking to Xiao Man, “My brother gave me a rare Wei Purple plant. It was thriving last year, but now it’s almost April, and there’s not even a bud. I heard your family’s gardener is quite skilled; lend him to me for a bit.”
Xiao Man replied, “I’ll send him to your mansion tomorrow.”
Zhao Shan’er smiled, “Then I’ll wait.”
Finally, she looked at Li Suwan squarely, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and asked, “What kind of attire are you wearing today?”
Li Suwan was taken aback, “I…”
Zhao Shan’er’s expression revealed a hint of disdain, “Did you put on your mother’s headdress? All that gold, silver, jade, and agate, it looks old-fashioned and tacky. It’s blinding to the eyes. Are you going to a temple fair or getting married?”
Li Suwan’s face turned completely dark. She couldn’t deny that she had dressed more extravagantly today to outshine Li Zhizhi, but she didn’t expect Zhao Shan’er to be so impolite. She felt a mix of anger and embarrassment and struggled to maintain her composure.
Zhao Shan’er then evaluated Li Zhizhi beside her, “Although your outfit is a bit plain, it’s still acceptable.”
Li Zhizhi, on the other hand, started to smile. She sweetly complimented, “Miss Zhao, you look absolutely stunning today. The fabric of your dress is exquisite, and it suits you perfectly.”
Zhao Shan’er was wearing a crimson short jacket with an exquisite pattern of flowers and birds embroidered on it. It accentuated her beauty even more. She came from a noble family and was accustomed to being flattered. She said proudly, “This is Lingbo Satin, a gift from the palace. It’s made by the best weaver from Jiangnan, working day and night. Only twenty pieces are woven in a year. Eight were given to the Grand Princess, and five each to Noble Consort Chun and Noble Consort Rong. The remaining two pieces were given to my father by the Emperor.”
Li Zhizhi couldn’t help but exclaim, “That’s incredibly valuable! Does that mean apart from the palace ladies and the Grand Princess, no one else can afford such fabric?”
Zhao Shan’er lightly shook her silk fan, raised her chin slightly, and seemed quite pleased with herself, saying, “Naturally.”
Xiao Man had been silent all along but suddenly changed the topic, “Shan’er, I saw a strange flower earlier, with deep blue petals, very beautiful. Do you recognize it?”
Zhao Shan’er had always loved flowers and plants, so she exclaimed with curiosity, “This color of flower is rare. Where is it? Take me to see.”
“It’s over by the Little Buddha Hall.”
As they chatted, the three of them walked ahead, but Li Zhizhi remained standing in place, watching them until they disappeared at the end of the path.
Li Zhizhi squinted her eyes slightly, recalling Xiao Man’s tone and demeanor from earlier. She found it quite interesting, as she had previously thought of this woman as bold and haughty, even sharp and cunning. Now, her understanding of her had deepened.
In a previous life, there had also been a “flower appreciation” incident, similarly initiated by Xiao Man. But that time, Li Zhizhi had followed along. When they reached the Little Buddha Hall, they saw a flower in the flowerbed below the artificial mountain. That flower was indeed unique; it had only one leaf, bright green, with a slender stem. It had only one blossom, with petals resembling clustered butterfly wings. Its color was deep blue, yet under the sunlight, it had a faint purple sheen. It was exceptionally beautiful and could captivate anyone’s gaze with just one look, including Li Zhizhi.
Zhao Shan’er loved it instantly, and Xiao Man encouraged her, saying, “This flower is so beautiful; it matches the outfit you’re wearing today perfectly.”
Zhao Shan’er, who loved beauty, was immediately tempted. She plucked the flower and pinned it in her hair. Everyone praised her, and they enjoyed themselves for a while. Suddenly, Zhao Shan’er’s maid hurriedly approached her, looking anxious, and whispered a few words to her.
At that time, Li Zhizhi was standing at a distance, feeling self-conscious due to earlier ridicule and not paying much attention to these details. Before long, Li Suwan came over, holding the same flower, and said gently, “Your hairpin and pearl flowers don’t seem quite suitable today. We’ll be attending the Spring Banquet shortly, and many people will be there. Why not replace them with this flower? Others won’t make fun of you anymore.”
Li Zhizhi was tempted, and she looked at the other woman’s “friendly and kind” smile. Hesitatingly, she accepted the flower, unknowingly stepping into a treacherous trap.
At that time, she didn’t know that the flower called “Love’s Tranquility” was personally planted by the Emperor’s most beloved Pure Consort. It was the only one of its kind in the entire capital.
When the incident was exposed, Li Zhizhi was still in a daze and didn’t understand. Palace maids dragged her out in a rush, and it was only when she was pinned to the ground that she suddenly woke up. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she looked up at Li Suwan. Li Suwan had a regretful expression on her face as she explained, “I did advise her, but she didn’t listen. I’m also at fault. If only I had stopped her at that time…”
Others tried to comfort her, saying, “Don’t blame yourself. She looks selfish and inexperienced. She’s in big trouble now, and she offended Pure Consort. Let her bear the consequences.”
No matter how Li Zhizhi explained the reasons, it was all in vain because there was no one to testify for her. She didn’t even have a maid by her side, and everyone believed Xiao Man and Zhao Shan’er’s words. They thought Li Zhizhi was making excuses, and they stared at her with a look of enjoying the spectacle.
Pure Consort was indeed very angry, and Li Zhizhi knelt on the ground for a whole day. She finally passed out, narrowly escaping disaster.
However, after that incident, her reputation was completely ruined. She became like dirt on the ground, and anyone could come and trample on her.
When Li Zhizhi came to her senses, she realized that she was clutching a few leaves, which were already crumpled, and her fingertips were stained with a light green liquid, emitting the unique bitter scent of plants. She took out a handkerchief and wiped her fingers clean.
Just then, she heard a cat’s meow. Li Zhizhi instinctively looked down and saw a small, dark figure emerging from behind the flowers and trees. It had a familiar pair of golden round eyes.
In the moment of confusion, the black cat had already started rubbing against Li Zhizhi’s legs. She bent down and curiously asked, “Ah Miao? What are you doing here?”
“Meow.”
Li Zhizhi stroked its soft fur and asked, “Where is your little owner?”
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard the clear voice of a young girl, “Ah Miao, where are you, Ah Miao?”
“Meow meow meow?”
Li Zhizhi quickly called out, “I’m here!”
Footsteps approached rapidly, and the young girl quickly circled around the flowers. At first glance, she saw Li Zhizhi and exclaimed with joy, “Sister, it’s you!”