Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 32

The next morning, Puyang dressed neatly and came to invite Wei Xiu to the plum blossom forest.

It had snowed heavily the previous night, but the sky had cleared at dawn, making it a rare, perfect day for admiring plum blossoms.

Along the way, the snow on the paths had all been swept clean. Puyang walked beside Wei Xiu, filled with boundless joy. “This bright sunshine alone makes the trip worthwhile.”

She spoke and smiled naturally, as if the events of last night were nothing but a jest, and only Wei Xiu had been overthinking it.

If that were truly the case, it would be for the best. Wei Xiu certainly wouldn’t bring it up herself. Cupping a small hand warmer, she too engaged Puyang in elegant conversation.

The plum blossom forest was not far off.

Red plum blossoms were dazzling on their own, but an entire forest of them was breathtaking. From a distance, they looked like clusters of red clouds; up close, they were enchanting and sinuous, each with a different posture, all full of grace.

The forest was quite large, with small, interconnected paths winding between the trees. The two strolled among them, surrounded by flickering flower shadows and a floating, subtle fragrance. The sight of the dense clusters of blossoms filled their hearts with joy. Puyang’s gaze never left the branches, and Wei Xiu, too, was captivated by the flowers—some were budding, others were in full, lush bloom, each beautiful beyond measure.

A branch jutted out, blocking their path. Puyang stopped, about to walk around it, when she noticed that this particular plum branch was exceptionally vibrant. Its bough was strong and gracefully extended, and its flowers bloomed in tight, fiery clusters, exuding a vigorous, thriving energy. A look of delight in her eyes, Puyang reached out and carefully broke it off, not letting a single petal fall.

After breaking off the flower, she looked beside her, only to find that Wei Xiu was already ahead.

She was standing under a plum tree, looking up to admire it. Her hair was bound in a high topknot, and she wore a wide-sleeved black robe, its collar and cuffs perfectly neat. The world admired uninhibited disorder and carefree ease, but Puyang felt that her teacher’s meticulousness, compared to the dashing elegance displayed by the sons of noble families, revealed a more profound grace and open-mindedness.

A petal suddenly drifted down. Wei Xiu reached out, and it landed in her palm. Her palm was as fair as jade, and the petal seemed even more beautiful and striking there than it had on the tree.

Puyang watched, as if mesmerized, and her feet carried her forward involuntarily.

Wei Xiu turned her head. Seeing her approach, she waited. When she saw the branch in Puyang’s hand, she looked up at her, shook her head, and sighed, “Your Highness has such a cruel hand.”

Puyang had not yet recovered from being stunned by such beauty. She was a little dazed and didn’t understand what this meant at first. Seeing that Wei Xiu had already started walking ahead, she followed.

Ahead was a pavilion, where a tea set and a brazier had already been placed.

Wei Xiu kept her promise and prepared tea for Puyang with her own hands.

It was not the first time she had prepared tea for Puyang, yet Puyang still watched the movements of her hands, finding her every action a delight to the eye.

The tea was ready. Wei Xiu poured a cup for herself and one for the princess.

Puyang accepted it and took a light sip. A fragrance immediately filled her mouth, and warmth spread through her stomach. She couldn’t help but praise it as good tea. Wei Xiu smiled. “I am glad Your Highness likes it.”

Here, there were no official duties to tire the body, no disputes to cause turmoil. Though it was clearly no more than a hundred li from the capital, it felt isolated from the world. Surrounded by red plum blossoms and white snow, huddled by the stove in their furs, holding fragrant tea, they were comfortable and carefree, like visitors from another realm.

If only it could always be like this, it would surely be one of the finest things in the world. Puyang sighed inwardly. Seeing Wei Xiu holding her teacup, her gaze still wandering among the plum trees outside the pavilion, she suddenly felt that while her teacher’s heart held vast ambitions, like rivers and mountains hidden within, she was still willing to pause for a beautiful view. It showed that a certain simplicity and innocence had not yet faded from her heart.

While the two were at ease, in the capital, the Prince of Jin’s residence was filled with tension and unease.

The Prince of Jin’s face was like the frost and snow on the mountains, yet he forced a smile, one that was magnanimous and gentle. “The Prince of Jing isn’t coming? Did he say why?”

The servant kneeling before him replied, trembling, “His Highness the Prince of Jing said he has matters to attend to and it is inconvenient for him to come.”

The Prince of Jin’s eyes seemed to be filled with ice. A few days ago, when the Prince of Jing had visited Puyang without permission, he had known it was a bad sign, but he never thought it would come to this—that his brother wouldn’t even maintain a facade of courtesy.

This was betrayal! The Prince of Jin felt a deep sense of humiliation. He took a deep breath and said gently to the servant, “You may withdraw.”

Suppressing a bellyful of rage, the Prince of Jin turned and sat down on the couch, pondering the events of the past few days.

Things had come to this; anger was useless. No matter what, the priority was to think of a remedy. The Prince of Jin had long since noticed his power weakening bit by bit, and the source of it was His Majesty. He considered himself no weaker than the Prince of Zhao, yet the Prince of Zhao was parading his power in court just fine. There was no reason he should be the one to suffer setbacks. There must be something he had overlooked.

Master Ye was seated below in the hall. He had long wished to find another enlightened lord to serve, but he couldn’t decide who that might be. So he had delayed and delayed until today. Now, he thought that since he was still in the Prince of Jin’s service, eating his lord’s food and sharing his lord’s worries, he ought to offer His Highness some advice.

The Prince of Jin’s residence was already beset by external troubles. Now that the Prince of Jing had abandoned him, an internal threat was added, which was a terrible development. Thus, it was necessary to strike first to gain the upper hand.

“The Prince of Jing’s intentions are plain to see. Your Highness can hesitate no longer,” Master Ye said slowly. He sat upright on his couch, his sharp eyes slightly closed, his tone somewhat ethereal, making him seem like a profound and inscrutable master.

This kind of demeanor did make him seem reliable.

The Prince of Jin looked over and sincerely sought his counsel. “I wish to rally my forces. May I ask, Master, what is your strategy?”

As a man who had attended court, he naturally had some insight. He knew his power was in decline, but he also knew his foundation remained intact. As long as the strategy was sound, he was confident he could “reclaim his former glory.”

Master Ye agreed. He first praised the Prince of Jin’s magnanimity. “The Prince of Jing refuses your summons, humiliating Your Highness so, yet Your Highness is still able to tolerate it. This shows your great breadth of mind.”

The Prince of Jin gave a self-satisfied smile, though the gloom on his brow had not dissipated. “No matter what, the Prince of Jing is my brother. I should be tolerant of him.”

He still harbored the thought of winning the Prince of Jing back. Their deep bond of over twenty years couldn’t have been false.

But Master Ye shook his head. “Your Highness is mistaken. The Prince of Jing is no longer your brother, but your thief, who wishes to steal your authority.”

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, but the Prince of Jin refused to give up so easily. He said grimly, “Master, be careful with your words. That is too severe. Sixth Brother has always followed my lead. I don’t know why he’s been so muddle-headed lately, but it cannot be as you say.”

Master Ye didn’t even raise his eyelids. “Your Highness’s suspicion of the Prince of Jing—did it only begin today?”

The Prince of Jin was choked speechless by his retort.

“I have served Your Highness for many years. While I dare not claim to be flawless, I have always been respectful and sincere. When the Prince of Jing returned from the disaster area and received praise and rewards from His Majesty, Your Highness was visibly displeased. Later, when Your Highness was confined to your residence, the Prince of Jing ran errands for you and shone brightly at court, which made Your Highness even more suspicious. Then, when Your Highness returned to court and saw that the Prince of Jing could stand on his own, your suspicions grew ever stronger. May I ask Your Highness, is what this servant has said correct?”

It was perfectly accurate. Master Ye had been able to stay in the Prince of Jin’s residence for many years and be valued by him because his ability to read people was truly remarkable. The Prince of Jin, having been exposed, was deeply embarrassed. But he was well-versed in the art of honoring worthy men, and he swallowed his humiliation and bowed. “Please enlighten me, Master.”

In truth, Master Ye had already lost patience with him. A lord chooses his ministers, but do ministers not also choose their lord? The Prince of Jin had held such a favorable position, yet he had let it deteriorate step by step to this point. Not only was he anxious, but Master Ye, as his strategist, was heartbroken and felt even more estranged from him.

But he was, after all, the master he had served for many years. Seeing the Prince of Jin’s sincerity, he sighed and said earnestly, “Your Highness, you need not concern yourself with the likes of the Prince of Zhao or the Prince of Dai for now. Your greatest threat at present is the Prince of Jing. I can see what has happened over this period, and so can the Prince of Jing. He has not recently become muddle-headed; rather, his resentment has been building for a long time. It was a mistake for Your Highness’s suspicion to drive him away. To pin your hopes on him changing his mind would be to compound that mistake.”

He had already left, so how could he return? When the Prince of Jing was respectful, the Prince of Jin was still suspicious. Now that he had revealed his intentions, wouldn’t returning be sending himself to his death? No matter how deep the brotherly bond, it was not more important than one’s own life.

Besides, the Prince of Jing had already tasted the power of giving orders. How could he be willing to return to the Prince of Jin’s side as a mere dependent?

Master Ye did not say this aloud, but he believed the Prince of Jin would understand.

Unfortunately, the Prince of Jin did not understand. He was still hesitating. “The Prince of Jing and I are like a vanguard and a general. To break with him would be like losing an arm. He has always relied on me; how could he succeed on his own? If I were to humble myself, he might well be moved.”

Hearing this, Master Ye could only give a cold laugh. “If Your Highness cannot bear the pain of losing an arm, I fear you will one day suffer the humiliation of being beheaded!”

“Ye Gui!” the Prince of Jin roared.

Master Ye left his couch, strode before the Prince of Jin, knelt, and kowtowed. “This servant has a piece of sound advice, and I hope Your Highness will consider it. The Prince of Jing has known Your Highness for a long time and knows a great deal. If he turns against you, he will become your greatest scourge. I have three strategies. The best is to consider eliminating him. The middle is to attempt to befriend him. The worst of all is what Your Highness is currently thinking.” Unable to hold it in any longer, he blurted out what was in his heart. “The reason Your Highness is in this position today is because you refused to heed my counsel last time and insisted on assassinating Her Highness Puyang. That act placed you and the princess in a life-or-death struggle. As things stand now, the princess is unharmed. The one who is ailing is, naturally, Your Highness.”

After speaking, he cried out loudly three times, “To this day, Your Highness makes this servant’s heart ache!”

The Prince of Jin was stunned by this series of actions. But Master Ye stood up, wiped his tears, turned, and strode away.

Before the Prince of Jin could react, the figure before him was gone.

After leaving the princely residence, Master Ye vanished without a trace. He was a man alone, without even a single family member, so there was no way to find him. A month later, Master Ye suddenly appeared at the Prince of Jing’s residence, having abandoned the Prince of Jin to serve and strategize for his brother.

While things had ended unpleasantly at the Prince of Jin’s, Puyang and Wei Xiu were returning to the capital.

They had been away from the capital for only two days, but seeing the prosperity of Luoyang again felt as if much more time had passed.

Puyang joked with Wei Xiu, “Could this be the origin of ‘a single day in the mountains is a thousand years in the world’?”

Wei Xiu only smiled and said nothing.

By the time they returned to the residence, it was already dark. Puyang walked back to her bedchamber, holding the plum branch she had broken off at the Western Hills.

The blossoms were still in full bloom, showing no sign of wilting. Puyang was about to have someone find a vase for it when she suddenly recalled her teacher’s words, “such a cruel hand.” She realized then that Wei Xiu had been teasing her for being a ruthless flower-plucker.

Puyang came to a sudden realization. She looked down at the flower, then thought of how her teacher had looked, shaking her head and sighing under the blossoms. She found it exceptionally endearing and couldn’t help but lower her gaze and smile.

With that smile, she was more beautiful than any flower.