The Duke's Daughter is Reborn

At 3:30 pm on March 30th, morning dew still hung on the tips of peony petals, but the sound of footsteps could be heard on the bluestone path of the Imperial Garden.

The palace maids carried gold-painted bamboo flower baskets and pinned freshly picked weeping crabapples in their hair as they moved lightly through the winding corridors.

With flying fingertips, they inserted Yao Huang, Wei Zi and Xifu Begonia, which were covered with night dew, into celadon vases. The bottles with lotus patterns engraved on them were now being placed on Taihu stones beside the winding water or in the corners of hexagonal pavilions leaning against vermilion railings.

The mermaid list held by the deacon eunuch rustled in the morning breeze. The silver chain around his waist swayed slightly as he walked, casting tiny spots of light on the blue brick floor.

"Add two Xiangfei bamboo fans to the third seat on the east side," and "Add three sheep-horn palace lanterns under the west corner porch" - his hoarse voice startled the copper bells on the eaves, and startled a few blue-winged sparrows to flutter over the crabapple branches.

Rong Pei, the head nanny beside the queen, stood under the eaves of Guanlan Pavilion, her gilded armor shining coldly on the silver scissors handles.

She was bending over to prune a clump of crabapples. As the scissors opened and closed, the redundant branches fluttered down like black butterflies.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew past the copper bell on the eaves, startling her so much that the silver scissors in her hand paused slightly. She looked up at the rolling clouds in the sky and said, "Bring me that piece of crimson gauze and reinforce it with double layers." The voice was not loud, but it shocked the palace maids in the corridor and they immediately bowed their heads and agreed.

Yang Qi stood beside the coral rockery, his fingertips stroking the indigo satin account book, and his fingertips gently pressed on the words "Ten jars of jade flower dew and three hundred sticks of jade hairpin incense".

She handed the account book to the flower room manager beside her: "Before 3:45 pm, all seasonal flowers must be replaced with clean water twice."

Then he turned to the eunuch who was carrying the coral branch and said, "The three-foot-tall red coral should be inserted diagonally next to the gilded incense burner. Remember to use peacock blue satin as the backing."

Steady footsteps were heard not far away, and eight eunuchs slowly came over carrying a vermilion lacquered and gold-painted wine vat.

The apricot-yellow silk cloth draped over the sea of ​​wine slipped halfway, revealing the amber-luster Hundred Flowers Wine underneath - it was an imperial wine made from peony stamens picked before Grain Rain, osmanthus dew during White Dew, and clear spring water from Yuquan Mountain, and stored in cellars for three years.

The leading eunuch had sweat on his forehead, but he still held the edge of the wine jar with both hands, as if he was holding not a wine jar but the rising sun.

When the wind blew through the Imperial Garden, the crabapple trees rustled, startling the bronze crane sleeping in the shadows of the flowers.

It stretched its neck and let out a long cry, shaking the sky. It startled the palace maid in charge of the incense burner so much that her hands trembled. A wisp of green smoke rose obliquely into the sky and turned into misty clouds in the morning light.

At the beginning of the morning hour, before daybreak, lights were already lighting up inside and outside the imperial city like a galaxy of stars.

The morning mist floats on the glazed tiles like a veil, outlining the flying eaves and brackets into hazy silhouettes.

From the prince's residence to the six ministries' official residences, the creaking sounds of the vermilion lacquered doors opening one after another woke up the people in the alleys who were still sleeping. The sound of the night watchman's clappers and the shouts of the morning market intertwined into a strange rhythm in the mist.

On Xuanwu Street, sedan chairs of civil officials and carriages of military generals passed each other.

The gilded shaft of the chariot glowed with a warm luster in the morning mist, while the black iron armor reflected a cold edge.

A team of Jinwu Guards rode past on horseback, the swords on their waists and the copper bells on their saddles jingling, startling the crows perched on the eaves.

In Princess Cheng'an's mansion, lanterns in the three courtyards were lit at the same time, illuminating the corridors.

The maid's hands trembled slightly as she held the gilded bronze basin, and the princess's slightly anxious face was reflected on the water's surface.

With the help of her maid, Princess Cheng'an began to wash her face and change her clothes.

She looked at the bright face in the bronze mirror, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the mutton-fat jade pendant around her neck - it was given to her by the Queen Mother on her birthday last year, and Princess Cheng'an has been wearing it close to her body these days.

"Princess, which hairpin would you like to wear today?" The maid held up several exquisite hairpins, her voice as light as a feather.

Cheng An's eyes swept across the hairpins and finally stopped on the golden filigree butterfly flower hairpin.

This hairpin was specially made by a skilled craftsman in the palace at the request of her mother when she came of age. The oriental pearls inlaid on the butterfly wings glowed like pearls under the candlelight.

"Let's take this one." Cheng An tapped his fingertips lightly, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes, "The last time His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked at this hairpin, he lingered for a while, he must like it."

She recalled that when the palace held a banquet a few years ago, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince inadvertently glanced at her hair.

Ever since His Highness went to Jiangnan to quell the rebellion, I haven't seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for a long time.

When she heard the news of her return to Beijing a few days ago, she deliberately chose the best location in a tavern facing the street, but she didn't expect that His Highness never looked up, which made all her plans seem to be in vain.

The maid carefully inserted the hairpin into her bun. The golden butterfly trembled slightly in the candlelight, as if it would flap its wings and fly away at any time.

Cheng An turned around in front of the bronze mirror and was satisfied to see that the hairpin cast a perfect shadow on her temples: "Today, this princess wants to let the queen see what's so good about that useless Song Yangqi!"

At the flower-viewing banquet prepared by the Queen Mother, the jade hairpin on Song Yangqi's head, though exquisite, lacked its liveliness.

In the mansion of Duke Song, the old lady leaned against the gold-painted bed, letting Mother Rong insert the golden hairpins into her frosty temples.

In the bronze mirror, the old lady looked at the golden hairpin with a look of satisfaction.

"Look at this string of beads, old lady," Rong's mother held the Dongzhu bracelet in her hand, and said flatteringly, "Each bead has been polished through seven processes..."

The old lady nodded nonchalantly, but she was quite satisfied in her heart. All the famous mansions in the imperial city would attend this Hundred Flowers Banquet, and this time, the Duke of Song's Mansion could not fall behind.

However, the old lady and Mother Rong had forgotten that this necklace was given to them by the former wife of the Duke, Mrs. An.

With An's death, these things seemed to be buried together.

Song Hongwen sat upright on a rosewood armchair carved with dragon patterns, allowing his old servant to tighten his brocade belt for him.

The Hetian jade belt buckle embedded on the waistband tapped lightly on the jade belt hook as he moved, making a clear sound, but it could not hide the expectation in his eyes.

In the stable outside the second gate, the butler was personally putting on the gilded bridle inlaid with jade beads for the carriage, beads of sweat sliding down his forehead.

The residence of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War was a solemn scene.

Lord Yang, the Minister of the Court, stood in front of a map of mountains and rivers in the main hall, letting his attendant tighten the buckle of his rhinoceros horn belt for him.

The copper clock on the desk was ticking, reminding people of the urgency of time. "Sir, the carriage is ready." The staff on duty stood aside holding a gilded visiting card, with beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.

At three quarters past three in the morning, the long street was already a scene of splendour. The sound of gilded cart shafts rolling over the bluestone pavement was continuous and bustling.

The breakfast vendors no longer lingered today and closed their stalls early, leaving only a few wisps of smoke lingering among the green tiles.