“What Moon-Plucking Terrace? Young Master changed his mind ages ago. All the stones they gathered were used to build the flower garden walls instead. The weather’s nice today—he’s in there now, holding a banquet to admire the blossoms. And strangely enough, those camellias have been blooming for nearly a year and still haven’t withered.”
Camellias? A flicker stirred in Hong Ning’s heart. She turned immediately toward that direction. Sure enough, the tall mound of stones was gone, replaced by several high walls. She realized she hadn’t visited in quite some time—perhaps that absence was what had allowed the flowers to escape being destroyed. She smiled at the thought.
Xiaoyun whispered, “Miss, don’t you think the Young Master’s been acting a little strange lately?”
Hong Ning chuckled. “Strange how?”
Xiaoyun said, “He hasn’t seen any other women for half a year now. He hasn’t even come to see you. He spends every night in the Pavilion of Listening Bamboo and doesn’t let any of us in to attend to him. We’ve all been wondering.”
“Mm,” Hong Ning replied noncommittally.
Xiaoyun added, “Steward Han said the Young Master has declined a lot of business these past two months. He doesn’t go out. He just plays the zither all day—as if he’s waiting for someone.”
Hong Ning looked at her. “Who do you think he’s waiting for?”
Blushing, Xiaoyun grinned. “The Pavilion of Listening Bamboo has never allowed outsiders in. We’ve all been guessing—if he’s not hiding a beauty in there, then maybe… he’s waiting for you? And yet you don’t go to see him.”
Hong Ning laughed. “Then you’re all wrong. He’s not waiting for me.”
By now close and comfortable with her, Xiaoyun wasn’t afraid of overstepping. She shook her head. “That’s what they all say, but I don’t think so. With Young Master’s personality, if he were waiting for someone and she didn’t show up, he’d go looking himself.”
Something occurred to Hong Ning, and her expression grew thoughtful. “Could it be… he can’t find her?”
Xiaoyun blinked, confused by the remark.
“Maybe he really is hiding a beauty in the Pavilion of Listening Bamboo,” Hong Ning said half-playfully, half-seriously, changing the subject. “Looks like rain’s coming. Let’s head back.”
Just as the words left her lips, a chill breeze swept past.
Xiao Yun glanced at the sky. “The clouds are so thick—it looks like there’s going to be a heavy downpour.”
The two of them had only hurried a few steps when the wind suddenly picked up, flinging sand and gravel into their faces.
Xiao Yun exclaimed, “It’s only March! How can the wind be this strong?”
Hong Ning also found it unusual, but she laughed casually and said, “Unpredictable weather is just what the saying warns about.”
Xiao Yun then remembered something. “You mentioned the other day that you were planning to leave. Do you know where you’ll go?”
Hong Ning replied, “I was originally headed toward Lizhou, but somehow ended up in Ganzhou instead. I don’t know what lies beyond here.”
“Lizhou?” Xiao Yun looked puzzled and pointed. “If you go from here, south leads to Zhangzhou, north to Jiezhou, and beyond that is Liangzhou. Have you heard of the rebellion of the Three Lords in Liangzhou two years ago? Where exactly are you from?”
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