Once the Lantern Festival concluded, the year drew to a close, and the various banquets finally came to an end.
In the morning, Wei Luo, Xiao Heng, and Xiao Xun bid their farewell as they left the house. After attending to some matters, Yin Hui sought out Xiao Ning in the garden.
It was the first lunar month, and the winter jasmine in the garden had already bloomed, showcasing its bright yellow petals, while clusters of red buds adorned the plum trees.
The skilled nurse folded two long winter jasmine branches, expertly weaving them into a crown for Xiao Ning.
“Mother!” Xiao Ning joyfully ran over, her bright yellow skirt fluttering in the wind, resembling a naive little goose emerging from the grass.
Yin Hui, delighted by her beautiful and charming daughter, was in a good mood just by gazing at her.
“This flower crown is so beautiful. How about giving it to me?” Yin Hui teased her daughter.
Xiao Ning blinked her big black eyes and pointed to the winter jasmine bushes, indicating for her mother to pick the flowers and adorn them on her.
Yin Hui kissed her daughter’s little face, took the scissors from Jinzhan, and went to cut some winter jasmine flowers, intending to place them in a vase.
By dusk, when Wei Luo returned from the Ministry of Punishment, he noticed a pair of vases in the hall, each displaying a cluster of bright yellow winter jasmines.
Although the winter jasmine was relatively small, its vibrant color was eye-catching, making it one of the earliest flowers to bloom in early spring.
While scholars often praised plum blossoms for their cold and proud nature in the snow, with poems and paintings dedicated to them, few focused on spring themes. This could be attributed to the initial praise showered upon plum blossoms by well known scholars, subsequently leading to their widespread association with elegance. Nonetheless, the world was rich with diverse flowers and trees beyond the realm of plum blossoms.
Observing his fascination with the flower arrangement, Yin Hui scrutinized it herself and asked uncertainty, “What does the lord think of the flowers I arranged? Maybe he finds it unappealing, hence the prolonged gaze.”
Wei Luo cast a quick glance at her, picturing her leisurely arranging flowers, and remarked, “You seem at ease.”
Yin Hui detected a hint of jealousy and smiled, “You are diligent. The busier you become, the more formidable you appear.”
Wei Luo pondered the seemingly never-ending pile of case files in the Ministry of Punishment. He still couldn’t comprehend why his father directed him to the Ministry of Punishment when he was evidently skilled in martial arts.
During that time, the children arrived, with Xiao Heng and Xiao Xun bringing their daily homework to be reviewed by their father. Xiao Ning, adorned with her winter jasmine crown, sought her father’s approval.
“Father!”
Upon entering, Xiao Ning rushed to her father’s side.
Wei Luo’s expression visibly softened as he embraced his daughter, boasting under her expectant gaze, “This flower crown is truly beautiful.”
Hearing his words, Xiao Ning smiled contentedly.
Wei Luo embraced his daughter and reviewed the homework of his two sons. Yin Hui observed that Wei Luo appeared to prefer tending to tasks rather than socializing, so on the first day after the holiday, he seemed to be in good spirits.
After the meal, the children retired to rest, and Wei Luo went for a bath.
The bath concluded swiftly, and Wei Luo emerged donning a middle coat, with the maids waiting outside. The hall remained quiet, with only two vases of winter jasmine gracing the table. The flowers, picked in the morning, retained their freshness due to the water in the bottles.
Wei Luo’s heart stirred, and he took a seat on a chair. Under the eaves outside, Jinzhan seemed to have heard the Prince’s footsteps. He should have exited the bathroom, yet he did not proceed to the inner room.
Yinzhan couldn’t fathom what the Prince was up to. After waiting for another cup of tea, the sound of his footsteps resumed as he indeed entered the inner room.
Jinzhan breathed a sigh of relief, gently lifted the curtain, and quickly scanned the area with her large eyes. However, there was no one in the hall. Just as she was about to guide the waiting servant girl to tidy up the bathroom, Yinzhan suddenly seized her and pointed to the table to the north.
Jinzhan took a closer look – a significant number of the winter jasmine flowers, which had been well arranged in two pots, were missing. Additionally, some petals and leaves had fallen on the table and the ground.
The Prince was quite old, but did he still have this habit?
In the inner room on the east side, Yin Hui wore a new lotus green robe after washing her face and sat in front of the dressing table. She slowly smoothed her hair, relishing the moist touch of the comb and the gentle pulling sensation of the comb teeth through her long hair. Regardless of any troubles she faced, quietly brushing her hair for a while always made her feel much better.
Footsteps approached from outside, and Yin Hui turned to see Wei Luo walking in. They exchanged smiles, and Yin Hui continued to comb her hair, unaware of the item he held in his hand.
After a while, Wei Luo stood behind her chair, silently gazing at her in the mirror. Yin Hui, still engrossed in combing her hair, was taken aback when Wei Luo suddenly presented a Winter Jasmine crown, even larger than the one worn by his daughter.
Yin Hui was stunned, “You, you made it?”
Wei Luo didn’t respond, merely taking the comb from her hand and placing the flower crown on her head.
Yin Hui’s face inexplicably warmed, saying, “I’m not a child.”
Wei Luo remained silent, guiding her away from the chair. He wrapped one arm around her waist, lifted her chin with the other, and began to examine her closely.
Feeling uneasy, Yin Hui shifted her gaze left and right before meeting his eyes again. She asked softly, “Is it good-looking?”
Wei Luo didn’t reply; instead, he kissed her. Small Winter Jasmine petals fluttered intermittently, creating a path from the dressing table to the Babu bed.
When tidying up afterward, Wei Luo plucked a few small yellow flowers from her disheveled long hair. Yin Hui, in a state of comfort, lazily lay in his arms.
Observing her charming and contented face, Wei Luo thought of the talent show being prepared outside. She felt fortunate that he had no intentions of taking side concubines, allowing her the leisure to enjoy flower arranging and other pursuits.
At the end of the first lunar month, all the girls entered the palace.
Ji Xianxian approached Yin Hui, inviting her to visit the palace. She suggested that Yin Hui pay her respects to her mother-in-law first, assuring her that her mother-in-law would then accompany her. Yin Hui declined, mentioning it was her time of menstruation.