Spring Message in the Snow – CH 019

Chapter 19

The county princess suddenly understood why her mother had chosen such a tutor for her. Learning incense burning and flower arranging was secondary; the important thing was to learn the girl’s aura. Even if she could not grasp the essence, just absorbing it would be beneficial.

After carefully observing her, the county princess realized that this Lady Zhang was indeed different from ordinary people. She possessed a reassuring quality—dignified, stable, and knowing exactly what she should do. She had said she would arrange flowers yesterday, and today she arrived as promised, carrying the flowers. Her leisurely and composed demeanor reminded her of the reclusive female Taoist priests on Jiyun Mountain, making her suddenly feel ashamed of herself. “Sister,” the county princess hurried over and affectionately took her arm. “I’ve been waiting for you for so long; you’ve finally arrived.”

In truth, whether someone was compatible or not could happen in an instant. If you wanted to make friends, social status could be irrelevant. Once together, they chatted like close siblings. The county princess took the calamus from her hand and fiddled with it. “Is this not the grass that’s hung on doors for the Dragon Boat Festival? Can it be used for flower arranging?”

Surou hummed in agreement. “The calamus is elegant, with beautiful lines. Holding it alone is not anything special, but once it’s placed in a vase, Your Highness will see its beauty.”

They then walked hand in hand to the backyard. The Princess had specially created a separate pavilion for the county princess to study in. The pavilion was built by the water, with golden bamboo curtains hanging on all four sides, and brocade mats laid on the ground—a very elegant arrangement. As for the utensils needed, everything was readily available, such as gall-shaped vases, folded-shoulder vases, and jade-spring vases, placed on a low, long table for easy access.

The county princess, though she found the flowers beautiful, knew nothing about flower arranging. Standing helplessly in the center of the table, she watched as Quelan placed the flowers on the low table, a belated smile on her face. Twisting her fingers, she said, “Sister, do you not think flowers look best growing in the soil, facing wind, frost, rain, and dew, blooming and withering as they please?”

“That’s quite a unique perspective,” Surou said. “The county princess is quite right. Uncultivated flowers are like children before they learn to read and write—carefree, growing towards the sun. But while freedom is important, without guidance, they grow haphazardly. Without guidance, they become chaotic, and chaos breeds treacherous branches. Growing haphazardly in clumps here and there, is that still beautiful?”

She then smiled. “I think flowers are like people. In the cold, the seeds lie dormant in the soil, and when spring arrives, they bloom vibrantly. Their flowering period is so short; it’s better to let people appreciate them while they are at their most beautiful than to let them bloom alone in a corner. So we use our hands to sculpt them, making them either beautifully aloof and elegant or beautifully domineering, placing them in the house to brighten the mood, making people happy just by seeing them.”

How strange! Some people had this magical ability to arouse interest in mundane things with just a few words. Hearing her description, the county princess suddenly felt that she should change her perspective; sometimes, being too unrestrained might not be a good thing. Surou had a principle in life: if she promised something, she would do her best to fulfill it. She took a ribbon, tied her sleeves high, and the sunlight from outside cast a string of dappled patterns on the low table. Her fair wrists moved busily in the light and shadow, appearing even more delicate and flawless against the backdrop of flowers and leaves.

The county princess watched from the side, her chin in her hands, realizing that appreciating flower arranging was not just about the arrangement itself, but also about the process and the people involved.

“Last time, the County Princess mentioned that Madam Fu had arranged the flowers beautifully. Today, I will arrange a magnificent flower basket for her as well,” Surou said slowly, placing a flower basket with a handle in front of her. She filled the basket with floral foam, picked out two five-needle pine branches from a pile of flowers, adjusted them slightly, and placed them at different heights.

“This magnificent flower basket is a common flower arrangement technique used by the Arrangement Bureau of the Four Departments and Six Bureaus. It’s known for its vibrant colors and lush foliage. Although the flowers are abundant, the main and secondary elements are clearly defined. For example, in our basket, the pine is used as the supporting branch, the pearl plum as a guest branch, and the peony as the main flower, thus creating a layered effect that fills the space with floral rhythm…”

She lowered her head, her slender neck stretching out in graceful lines. As she spoke softly, a full and abundant flower basket slowly appeared in her hands.

The County Princess had, of course, seen magnificent flower baskets before. Previously, when there were banquets at home, she had asked the Arrangement Bureau to decorate them, and cartloads of them were transported home. Too many flowers, of course, lacked aesthetic appeal, unlike the freshness of a newly arranged one.

The county princess watched for a while, rubbing her hands together, eager to show off her skills. So Surou stepped aside and had a maid bring a flower basket for her to practice. What seemed like an easy arrangement turned into a grotesque mess in her hands.

The county princess was frustrated. “I am clumsy,” she said. “I cannot even learn properly by following along.”

Surou looked at the chaotic basket of flowers and said against her will, “Beginners are always like this. Your Highness has already arranged it very well… at least the color combination is very elegant.”

Elegant? The county princess looked at the straight white peonies and purple hydrangeas in the basket and felt it was barely acceptable, not worthy of a compliment.

Of course, Surou still needed to teach her step by step, pointing out the need for varying heights and density, and after some adjustments, a rough outline could be seen.

The county princess was delighted, turning the handle to examine it closely, then waved her hand, “Take it to my room and put it there.”

However, since Lady Zhang deserved half the credit, it was not entirely hers, so she decided to make a new one herself, asking Lady Zhang to occasionally offer guidance.

Having become more skilled, she chatted casually as she tidied the flowers, asking, “Sister, are you attending the Golden Duck Banquet in a few days?”

Surou had originally intended to ask her the same question, but since Sujie had brought it up first, she replied, “My grandmother told me yesterday that I must attend the banquet… What about the County Princess?”

The County Princess, still earnestly fiddling with the flowers, replied, “I am not going. Being scrutinized there would make me very uncomfortable.” Turning to Surou, she winked, “Only girls eager to choose a good family attend that Golden Duck Banquet. Do not worry, Sister, I’ve got my eye on things. You are destined for great wealth and honor.”

Surou could not help but laugh. Such words from the young county princess carried a maturity beyond her years.

“How do you know I will be rich and powerful?” she teased.

The county princess smiled slyly. “Of course I know. If you do not believe me, just wait and see.” She then muttered, “I call you ‘elder sister,’ but you keep calling me ‘county princess.’ Do you not want to get to know me better?”

Surou quickly said no, “I was just afraid of being too forward with the county princess…” This only made her more unhappy, so she had no choice but to compromise, “Then from now on, I will call you Sujie.”

Sujie said, “That’s more like it,” and began pruning the flower branches with great enthusiasm. This time, she had indeed improved a lot. The side branches were twisted into graceful shapes, and she understood how to use the main flower to highlight the theme. Finally, she finished, gesturing with her hands and saying, “Elder sister, look! How’s this arrangement?”

Surou praised her sincerely, “You are the fastest learner and the most insightful person I’ve ever seen. With a little more polishing, this flower basket could rival the work of the head of the Arrangement Bureau.”

In other words, it was just a little short, but for a beginner, it was already very good.

Sujie, still somewhat childlike, excitedly instructed her maid, “Quickly, take this to Mother for her approval.” Then, addressing Surou, she said, “Mother was originally coming to see me learn flower arranging, but today we have distinguished guests, so she could not come.”

When she mentioned the distinguished guests, her eyes crinkled with a meaningful smile. Surou, oblivious, simply responded casually, instructing Quelan to bring a plum vase and place it on a low table. “We arranged the Longsheng basket earlier; now let’s try something simpler. Here’s a branch of crabapple; how do you think it should be arranged?”

How should it be arranged? Simply put it in the vase… Sujie, like in a tossing game, casually tossed it in, only to realize the vase was too tall and the crabapple too short—it looked like a feather duster stuck in a boot, utterly lacking in aesthetic appeal.

Seeing her frown, Surou reached out to demonstrate, “If the flower branches are not long enough, or the mouth of the vase is too wide, you will need to use a horizontal skewer.” She took the flower shears, cut open the branches of the crabapple tree, bent a bamboo skewer, and inserted it horizontally, then placed it in the vase. With the ends of the bamboo skewer against the vase wall, the flower branches were roughly fixed in place. After making slight adjustments, she murmured, “The key to arranging flowers in a plum vase is ‘purity’ and ‘sparseness,’ with the flower branches having a graceful and slender feel.”

Sujie looked at the crooked crabapple tree, feeling somewhat bewildered. Just as she was about to ask how to prune it, the woman reached for her pruning shears and snipped a few times. The previously sprawling branches instantly became graceful and flowing.

Sujie could not help but admire her, thinking that with such skillful hands, even foxtail grass could probably acquire a unique charm! But Surou sighed, “The hardest part of flower arranging is not technique but making choices. Life is like flower arranging; you take the essence and discard the dross to achieve true beauty. But how difficult that choice is! Some people hesitate, some act without thinking. So the same flower will present different forms in different people’s hands.” She put down the pruning shears and smiled calmly. “The greatest truths are simple: the less you want, the more open your mind becomes. Just remember this, and whether you arrange plum blossoms or pine trees, they will stand out elegantly and avoid being commonplace.”

These words seemed to provoke deeper thought in Sujie. She stared at her blankly for a long time. “Is it really true that the less you want, the more open your mind becomes?”

Seeing her bewildered expression, Surou’s face suddenly turned sorrowful, almost doubting whether she had said something wrong. Although it was a major taboo to speak too intimately with someone you did not know well, one could not ignore it either. So, she tentatively asked, “Did my words remind you of something? If you’d like, you can tell me.”

Sujie looked up, hesitated for a moment, and was about to speak when her mother’s voice suddenly came from outside, her tone light and cheerful: “Sujie’s Longsheng basket arrangement is indeed beautiful. I had someone send it to your father for his inspection, and he praised it highly.”

So, she swallowed back the words she was about to say, stood up, put on a smiling face again, and said it was all thanks to her elder sister’s excellent teaching. After speaking, she looked outside again. “Has the distinguished guest left?”

The Princess said, “Oh, yes, they’ve left. They said they were very busy and would come again in a few days.” She then gestured to Surou, “Lady Zhang, please do not stand; please sit down.”

Surou responded, and a maid helped her wash her hands before she sat down at the low table. The flowers in front of her had been removed and replaced with boiled water and snacks.

The Princess smiled and said, “You’ve been busy all morning. Thank you for your hard work, Lady Zhang. I was worried that Sujie would be disobedient and make a mess of the flowers again, but after seeing the flower basket she arranged, I knew I’d made the right choice. From now on, this troublesome child will need your continued care, Lady Zhang. If she does anything wrong, just tell me.”

Sujie, standing nearby, chided, “Mother always tries to smooth things over for me, making people think I am incredibly foolish.”

Surou, naturally, also offered some polite words, smiling, “Your Highness is too kind. The County Princess is exceptionally intelligent. I only demonstrated it once, and she grasped the essence. In the future, we can learn from each other and have a companion.”

The Princess, hearing her words, noticed her humility and consideration for others—such excellent character; it was no wonder she was so unforgettable.

Since the guest was already at her residence, she figured they could easily build rapport through conversation. The Princess personally poured her some hot water, pushed the abalone and snail pastry in front of her forward, and said warmly, “This is made in our household; it tastes even better than Pan Tower’s. Please, young lady, try some.”

Sujie, being the perfect host, quickly handed over a silver spoon, saying confidently, “Really! I’ve tried Pan Tower’s pastries; everyone says they are delicious, but I found them too cloyingly sweet with too much lactose. Sister, try this. Our cook, whom my father hired from Lin’an, is far more skilled than Pan Tower’s.”

Surou, unable to refuse such hospitality, took a small bite, nodded earnestly under Sujie’s expectant gaze, and said sincerely, “Indeed.”

Seeing their harmonious interaction, the Eldest Princess, fanning herself with a round fan, remarked, “Our Sujie seems to truly like Lady Zhang. I’ve never seen her so gentle with anyone before.” She paused, then asked, “It’s been almost half a month since you left the palace, young lady. Are you settling in well? Yesterday, I visited the Emperor in the Forbidden City and met Consort Zheng on my way back. She seemed distracted. It’s said that since you left the palace, the Emperor has not visited Yanjia Palace again. Consort Zheng, upon learning that you are tutoring at my residence, was full of regret, saying you are her lucky star and she regrets letting you leave the palace.”