xymnovel Chapter 472 - 458: Liangzhou Continued—Tang Ziqian Side Story (7)_2
Chapter 472 - 458: Liangzhou Continued—Tang Ziqian Side Story (7)_2
Always being the one to destroy things, Tang Ziqian was particularly attentive. He moved over and carefully tended to the plant with a small spade for a while, but still felt it wasn’t enough, so he fetched a watering can, intending to water it a bit more."You can’t water it today," Lu Yuan quickly stopped him, "The Wine Heart Bud dislikes water; watering it once every seven days is enough!"
Tang Ziqian put down the watering can and lingered around the Wine Heart Bud for a bit longer, then suddenly laughed and said, "I, the grand Governor of Liangzhou, have now become like a farmer tending to trees and flowers."
Lu Yuan was slightly stunned, turning to look at the Xinyi Forest not far away: "I know which Xinyi tree you planted."
It should be the one where Ah Jin hung the colorful silk.
Tang Ziqian also glanced over, smiling slightly: "I planted them all."
If on that year, that night, everything could have continued, he wouldn’t have had to endure the subsequent long years of denial and struggle; he surely would have cherished that period of eternal stability.
But now, the years have turned into another visage.
Even though the Xinyi Flower has grown into a forest, he and she are ultimately each heading their own way...
...
Without any battles, the days in Liangzhou were quite leisurely.
Every day after returning home, Tang Ziqian would go to take a look at the flower fields.
He was especially concerned about the Wine Heart Bud he had once damaged.
But no matter how hard he tried, as day after day passed, there was no progress to be seen. It remained a dark purple bud, tightly closed like a shell.
Fortunately, the other Wine Heart Buds were also guarding their buds with no progress, as if time had come to a standstill.
Tang Ziqian lived especially content in this nearly stagnant time.
The Wine Heart Bud bloomed on an extremely unassuming autumn afternoon.
As soon as he got home, he caught a faint whiff of wine.
Just as he was about to ask the servants, he suddenly remembered Lu Yuan mentioning that "when the flowers bloom, they turn into wine."
When Tang Ziqian arrived at the West Garden, the Wine Heart Buds were more than halfway in bloom.
Various shades of purple, with layers upon layers of petals.
The once unremarkable buds opened into a beauty surpassing peonies, with nascent stamens veiled in a faint mist.
Lu Yuan was there in that faint mist, her white dress tinged purple by the flower mist.
She carefully picked a fully bloomed Wine Heart Bud with both hands, then gently placed it into a clay jar beside her, focusing so intently that she didn’t even glance at Tang Ziqian.
"So quickly picked?" Tang Ziqian asked.
She raised her head, her face appearing through the clouds and fog.
"Once the Wine Heart Bud fully blooms, it can be harvested," her voice drifted from the mist, somewhat indistinct, but very earnest in tone, "Once picked, it should be stored in a clay jar, shielded from light, and watered daily with half a liang of cool wine. This way, the flower can last three months in bloom. It should be ready to send to the Capital City by the year-end, right?"
Tang Ziqian smiled, "No need to wait until the end of the year. Once you’re done picking, I’ll have someone send them to the Capital City tomorrow."
Lu Yuan responded with an "Mm," and continued picking the flowers with her head lowered.
The grand blooming of the flowers made the people in the flower fields appear smaller than usual, looking very quiet and obedient.
Suddenly feeling a soft spot in his heart, Tang Ziqian smiled and said, "If you present the medicine to my mother, the Empress would certainly be pleased. She might even bring out the Palace’s stored swords for you to pick one."
Lu Yuan paused, seemingly in a daze.
Tang Ziqian raised an eyebrow, "What? You don’t want it?" he teased.
Lu Yuan nodded, then shook her head.
The smile on Tang Ziqian’s face slowly faded.
"Tang Ziqian..." she softly called before sighing deeply, "With the Wine Heart Bud in bloom, I have to leave..."
"I’ve thought it through. Although Xin Yi is no longer here, I still often see her shadow in you;"
"I don’t want this. I don’t want it at all..."
...
Clay jars imbued with the fragrance of wine filled the courtyard.
Before Lu Yuan left, she meticulously stored all the harvested Wine Heart Buds in clay jars, watered them with cool wine, and left them all to him.
She had once said she wanted to find a place she liked to plant the Wine Heart Bud, and when it bloomed, give it to someone she liked.
She gave it all to him without reservation, but she herself left.
"Truly a heartless girl..." Tang Ziqian murmured to himself.
Having said that, he laughed at himself.
"Ensure they are sent to the Capital City carefully and presented to the Empress!" Tang Ziqian instructed, then paused for a moment before adding, "If the Empress asks, just say they were planted by the Chu Girl, Lu Yuan."
With Empress Tang’s temperament, there would surely be a handsome reward.
The servants carried the clay jars out one after another.
Soon, the bustling scene of yesterday at the corner of the West Garden was left with only emptiness and desolation.
Tang Ziqian took one glance, but amid the barrenness, he noticed something unusual.
He stared at it for a long while before finally stepping closer.
He had never walked with such caution, fearing that even the slightest heavy step would shatter something fragile.