Journey to the East: Legend of Peony

Fairy from Yaochi descends to the mortal world,

The peerless beauty is incomparable.

Tang, the spring of the 27th year of Kaiyuan.

Suzhou, on the outskirts of Jinfan River.

On the high bank of the river, the tent hangs low, and under the dense shade of trees not far away, a young girl is burning incense and playing the piano, and a group of maids are standing around solemnly.

The woolen shearling carpet from Dashi was laid casually on the grass, and young girls in their late teens sat around the exquisite guqin and chatted chirpingly.

The girl sitting in the center has the most outstanding appearance, as if the spirit of the mountains and rivers is only favored by one person, with affectionate eyes far away from the mountain brows, bright and elegant yet feminine, a modified version of the pink narrow-sleeved Uighur dress fits her gently The graceful figure, because it is going out for fun, only large peonies are adorned on the temples of the Japanese pendant, bowed its head and is playing the strings, gently picking and slowly playing a song "Pingsha Luoyan", the tune is light and ethereal , Just like wild geese flying straight into the sky, the hearts of those who hear it are opened.

The girl on the left has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and is full of heroism. She is dressed in a fiery red dress, with a horsewhip around her waist, and a pair of leather boots on her feet. She rests her chin on her side and looks at the woman in pink playing the piano, with a hint of impatience on her face. .

The girl in yellow on the right is petite and exquisite, her round almond eyes are full of excitement looking at the girl in pink, "Peony, your piano skills are getting better and better, how about writing the first lyric for this occasion?"

The girl in red jumped up when she heard the words, "Yuning, it's rare to have a chance to go out to breathe. I've been listening to Peony playing the piano for a long time. If you still want to write poems and paintings, I won't accompany you."

On the far bank of the river, some people watched curiously and whispered, "Which family is this lady, acting like this?"

Who knows, proudly said, these are the three most famous beauties in our Suzhou, the middle one should be the eldest daughter of the Bai family, the one on the left is the beloved daughter of Lord Inspector Qin, and the one on the right is The daughters of Shen Daguan's family, I heard that they are not only beautiful, but also know everything about piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. If I can marry them, I would rather lose ten years of my life, no, twenty years will be fine. "The people next to him laughed endlessly.

Under the shade of the tree, the girl in pink, naturally the girl from the Bai family who is called Peony, stopped playing, and a trace of teasing flashed in her eyes, "Lin'er, you can't sit still anymore, no wonder Aunt Qin is always worried." You are not stable enough."

The girl in red, Qin Lin, the daughter of the governor, pouted with embarrassment, "Peony, I really admire you. Ever since I met you, you have always looked so calm, as if the sky was falling and you were holding it up." .My mother, you always want me to learn from you, saying that this is the way of the family, I can't bear to always carry it like this."

Bai Mudan remained calm, and gave her a coquettish look, "I won't accompany you to ride a horse if you are prudent, why I specially ordered the groom today to take the famous Dawan horse that my brother just found for me."

"Dawan!" Qin Lin's eyes lit up, she grabbed Mudan's sleeve and swayed it from side to side, "Good sister, go, I've never seen a real Dawan horse, look, brother Rui really loves you , unlike my elder brother, he knows how to read and read, but he doesn't understand style at all."

Shen Yuning on the side couldn't help but shame her, "Lin'er, you really should be reincarnated as a man. You like riding horses, playing cuju, and throwing pots all day long. No wonder Aunt Qin complains to my mother every day."

Qin Lin didn't take it seriously, and laughed, "It's only here in Suzhou that I pay attention to it. When I return to Chang'an in the future, I heard that my cousins ​​are more fanatical than me. Peony, Yuning, hurry up, come out if you don't leave." It's been a long time, and the ladies are urging us to go back again!"

Peony pushed the piano and got up, holding them from left to right, "Okay, stop bickering, you guys are not tired after playing for a long time, but I am still tired from playing, let's go, loose and loose, ride a horse, I will post an invitation When you guys said you wanted to ride a horse, don’t tell me you didn’t bring a horse.”

Before she finished speaking, Mudan saw that Yu Ning was quite distressed in the blink of an eye, holding the hem of her clothes with her slender hands, and Yu Ning's nurse also rushed over, and said with a smile, "Miss Bai, Miss Qin, my lady is not good at riding, Madam ordered you not to ride a horse today. , please forgive me."

Qin Lin was okay when she heard that, "You must be an old bastard, Aunt Shen would not be so unenlightened! Look at how many women ride horses in Suzhou City, why can't Yu Ning do it?"

Mudan quickly grabbed her, with a smile on the corner of her mouth, "Yuning, I know that Aunt Shen cherishes you and is afraid that you will be hurt, so she let this mother accompany you. How about this, I will take you to ride, I think Aunt Shen I'm sure you won't mind." Looking at Nanny Yu Ning with deep meaning in her eyes, the nanny could only bow her knees and salute, "Miss Bai, my wife knows your riding skills, but..."

Mudan interrupted, "No need, since Aunt Shen is relieved, I will take Yu Ning to ride for a while and come back." Instructing the groom to prepare the horse, the three happily got on the horse and walked out side by side.

Riding on the bank of a river, Qin Lin got off her horse and asked curiously, "Yuning, Aunt Shen didn't care about you like that before, what's the matter now? It's hard for me to ask you out even after posting, let alone Suddenly, horseback riding is not allowed today."

Shen Yuning sighed quietly, with a haze covering her small face, "Mother said that I was going to discuss marriage, and I was not allowed to go out. Recently, there were rumors that I would be selected. My mother was afraid that I would be sent to the palace, so she hurriedly found me a husband's family." In this Jiangnan region, every lady must learn the three obediences and the four virtues, I was almost annoyed to death, and finally begged my mother for a few days before allowing me to come to Peony's appointment."

Mudan pondered for a while, "It's true that I, Aye, said recently that His Majesty has the intention of appreciating beauty to the people. No wonder Aunt Shen is anxious. It's not easy to go to the palace." apply.

A few days later, Suzhou, Baizhai.

Spring is short, and Peony leans leisurely on the fence by the lake, tearing cakes and feeding the koi, surrounded by maids.Not far away, a heroic girl in a red dress came striding forward. Seeing her from afar, she started to shout, "Peony, Peony, I'm coming to see your new house."

The girl in pink raised her head in surprise, and the girl in red suddenly felt her eyes light up, "Peony, you are really getting more and more beautiful every day. If I were a man, I would definitely marry you back."

Peony smiled lightly and blinked playfully, "Lin'er, if you don't change your tone like a disciple, I'm afraid the Qin family's aunt will punish you to be a female celebrity at home again."

Qin Lin didn't care, "My aunt is like this, it's rare to come to your house, let me relax." She smiled and took Peony's hand, "I heard that your yard is on the waterside pavilion by the lake. The scenery is very beautiful, and spring is full of flowers In full bloom, you can watch the lotus in summer and listen to the frogs, in autumn you can enjoy the red leaves flying, and you can have snowball fights in winter, take me to see it.”

Peony had nothing to do with her, and said jokingly, "Since I was a child, how many times have you come to my house? My mother sees you as my sister. As long as I don't have a copy for you, What are you in such a hurry for? By the way, where is Yu Ning? Didn't you ask her out today?"

Qin Lin winked at Mudan, "Yuning can't make an appointment today, I can't wait for her, so I ran here first, and wrote a letter to her when I got back, to make her envious."

Peony smiled and slapped her on the shoulder, "It's just you who are impatient, I wanted to invite you to come after I settled down."

While talking, the two stepped onto the water pavilion arm in arm.Before entering the gate, she could smell the strong fragrance of flowers, so Qin Lin took the lead and ran in quickly.

Panting, Peony chased Qin Lin to the gate of the courtyard, and saw Qin Lin standing there in amazement, "Peony, Bai Shibo really loves you, there used to be a whole yard full of peony flowers in this courtyard, and now I give you even more. Well, rare and famous products abound, everyone says that Luoyang peonies are the best in the world, I think your yard is far superior to Luoyang."

Looking up again, I saw the plaque hanging on the gate of the courtyard. The three characters "Yaoguangyuan" were shining. Qin Lin pointed to the plaque, covered her mouth and smiled, "Peony, did you get the name of this courtyard yourself or the uncle?"

"Where did I get it? My father tested my homework that day and asked me to name it. I only feel grateful for peony flowers. Although the beauty of the country is beautiful, but no one cares about it, it is just a piece of mud. I want to name it Huahuayuan. To warn myself, the result is Daddy was very displeased and said that the name was inauspicious, so he changed the name to Yaoguangyuan." Mudan frowned, "My brother laughed when he heard it, and wrote this plaque and sent it over the next day. I refused even It doesn't work, it pissed me off."

Qin Lin laughed tremblingly, "Shibo must have obtained the meaning that the fairy from Yaochi fell into the world, and she shines beyond the ordinary. Brother Bai Rui's character has become famous since he won the little three yuan. You can count on Peony like this." I made it, haha, I laughed so hard, I almost couldn’t straighten my back."

Mudan's face was flushed, and she became angry from embarrassment, "Lin'er, it's okay for brother to make fun of me, but why do you say that, what kind of Yaochi fairy."

Qin Lin snickered, "I heard that you have been called the Peony Fairy by the people outside since you were ten years old." She deliberately walked around the peony twice, "If the peony really has a god, the most beautiful thing is your appearance."

Peony Qi was neither smiling nor wrong, so she stepped forward and took Qin Lin's hand, "Okay, let's go in and have a look, I also carefully selected the decoration inside, can you give me some advice?"

On the other hand, Bai Rui, the only son of the Bai family, has been familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics since he was a child. He knows everything about classics, history and anthology.This year, he successfully passed the township examination, county examination, and government examination, and lived up to the Lin family's dream of Wenqu Xingxia, all of which were top names.

A few years in advance, Mrs. Lin asked the Lin family's parents to buy a house in a good location in Chang'an City, preparing for their son to try to live in it, but also worried that his son would only have servants with no one to take care of him, so he wanted to take care of it with him.

On this day, Mrs. Lin discussed with Bai Jian and said: "Mr. Lang, Rui'er is still young, and I'm going to Chang'an alone. I'm afraid the capital is too prosperous and the flowers are alluring. I'd better go and take care of her. Peony is already gone. Jiji, recently there have been rumors that there is a matter of selection, and I am extremely worried. This time, I will bring Peony with me to Beijing. There are many good people in Beijing. Please ask my younger siblings to hold my eyes together. It is best to make a marriage of Peony. See, Ruier Mudan should also go to see her grandparents, Aye has been in the Imperial Academy for many years, so she can guide Ruier."

Bai Jian smiled and said, "My lady, don't worry too much. Rui'er is already [-] years old. I think I was at Rui'er's age and had already traveled in Sichuan. However, Peony really needs to be seen. If it's not good, let my father-in-law be off the list." How about catching a son-in-law?"

Lin was slightly embarrassed, "Master, do you ever talk like that? You're not serious, and all the servants are here."

Bai Jian waved his hand, and the tide receded as soon as his servants receded, Bai Jian said solemnly, "This year is the year that Master Puji said that the peony is doomed to disaster. In the past five years, you and I have visited Master Puji several times. The master just refused to talk about what happened back then. We must bring a bracelet and amulet to Mudan, I am really worried about her, and Ruier is second."

Lin's voice was low when she heard the words, "Master Puji doesn't say anything when he goes to Jinshan Temple every year. I think the incident should be related to Mr. Lu who healed the disease." Bai Jian cut off, "Didn't the master say that Mr. Lu is Mr. Lu Immortals? Immortals are so respectable, don’t talk about them.” Lin smiled wryly, “I also know, but the situation at that time made me not think too much about it.”

The two were relatively silent, and after a moment of contemplation, Bai Jian made a final decision, "If you are really worried, take Ruier Mudan for a walk together, I will write books for my second younger brother, and the Chang'an mansion at home will also be cleaned first. You haven't seen your parents-in-law for a long time, so it's okay to go and stay for a while." Lin was pleasantly surprised, "Your Majesty, do you agree with me?" Bai Jian smiled and stroked her beard, "Go, I am at home."