It snowed heavily a few days ago and the air was cold. Even though there was sunshine every day, the snow on the mountains outside the city still hadn't melted. There was only one official road, which was heavily traveled by cars, horses and pedestrians, and not much was left trampled on. It's snowy, so it's fairly easy to walk on, not too slippery.
Meishan Villa is fifty miles away from the capital, which is not close. It takes more than an hour to travel by carriage.
Su Rong and Ye Guixue played chess, and they were inextricably killed each time, completely forgetting themselves. By the time the carriage arrived at the foot of Meishan Villa, the two of them had played countless rounds, and every round was a draw.
Su Rong laughed angrily, "In vain, I studied the chess records borrowed from the Great Buddha Temple."
Ye Guixue smiled, "I also studied the chess records.
Su Rong suddenly remembered, yes, she was too lazy to copy, so she caught him as a young man. He had a good memory, and he had memorized the chess records in the process of writing.
She said unconvinced: "Sooner or later, I will be able to win you."
Ye Guixue laughed and said, "We'll see."
Su Rong jumped off the carriage first and looked at the mountain in front of him. He could vaguely see a village halfway up the mountain. It should be the other village that Zhou Gu mentioned.
Ye Guixue then got off the carriage.
Su Rong said to him: "Yesterday, Zhou Gu knew that you and I were going out of the city to enjoy plum blossoms today, so he gave me a jade plaque, which is a pass for this mountain. According to him, this Meishan Villa is the dowry of the eldest princess of Sheng'an. It was given to him when he was born. A special variety of wintersweet is planted on half the slope of the mountain. It is in bud elsewhere, but it has already bloomed here."
Ye Guixue nodded, "I would also like to thank Master Zhou."
Su Rong smiled and greeted him, "Let's go!"
Ye Guixue nodded.
The two of them went up the mountain together, and soon came to the mountain gate. Sure enough, someone was guarding it. Before Su Rong could take out the token, the gatekeeper had already handed it over in greeting, "May I ask, who are Miss Su Qi and Young Master Ye? My young master gave up yesterday. People have spread the word that you two are here to enjoy the plum blossoms today, and everyone in the Meishan Villa is at the mercy of Miss Seven."
Su Rong nodded, "Yes, it's us."
"Miss Seventh, Mr. Ye, please." The gatekeeper quickly opened the door and invited the two of them in.
After entering the mountain gate, a man who looked like a steward came out to welcome Su Rong, "Miss Su Qi, Second Young Master Ye, are you two here to appreciate the plum blossoms? Do you want me to send someone to lead the way?"
Su Rong waved her hand, "No need, just show us the way."
The steward nodded, quickly pointed the way, and then asked Su Rong, "Would you like to have lunch in the village at noon? Are there any taboos between Miss Seven and Young Master Ye?"
Su Rong shook his head, "Just do whatever you want."
The steward responded, hesitated, and asked tentatively: "Do you two want to stay overnight?"
Su Rong smiled and shook her head, "No need."
The steward nodded.
Su Rong and Ye Guixue went up the mountain in the direction directed by the steward.
This mountain is very big, with two or three hillsides connected. The mountain road has been built into stone steps, and you can climb up one step at a time. Because it is winter, there are no trees on the roadside, only the white snow that has not yet melted. The stone steps had been cleaned, and the traces were very new. It must have been when Zhou Gu sent someone to notify them, and the people in the garden made preparations overnight.
Su Rong chatted with Ye Guixue while walking, "It rarely snows in Jiangning County in winter, and it's hard to see red plum blossoms competing with snow."
Ye Guixue said: "Southern Chu has four distinct seasons. In winter, it is even colder than the capital city of Daliang. The cold wind blows the snow, and sometimes you can't open your eyes when you are facing each other. Even plants like red plums are colder in the severe cold. In winter, when the temperature is extremely low, it is difficult to survive without being wrapped in quilts to keep warm. Therefore, it is rare to see large plum blossoms all over the mountains and fields. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable and the temperature is suitable. Summer is hot and rainy. Sometimes it takes a month, so Nanchu has to build embankments every year, which costs a lot of money."
Su Rong nodded. She had already learned about this from the Tuzhi Travel Notes of Nanchu. The reason why Nanchu, a small country, could exist between the Wei Dynasty and Daliang and stand tall for hundreds of years, has its own advantages. The advantage is The Snow Mountain Mountains are a natural barrier, and the military industry is developed and capable people are born in large numbers. The ancestors of Southern Chu developed agriculture and commerce, and trade allowed the money from the two great countries of Wei and Daliang to flow into Nan Chu. Then, with the money earned, Manufacturing and transforming the military.
Therefore, the status of merchants in Southern Chu was not low, unlike Wei and Daliang, which ranked merchants at the bottom.
Similarly, the status of women is also higher than that of Dawei and Daliang. The period when women were kings in the history of Southern Chu also laid the foundation for women's status.
The two of them walked halfway up the mountain and saw that on a hillside not far away, some plum blossoms were in bud and some were already in full bloom, forming a mountain like a sea of red plum clouds.
Su Rong praised, "It's really beautiful."
Ye Guixue also showed her appreciation, "It is indeed a rare beauty."
The two of them walked along the mountain road towards the red plums, and soon came to the place where they were approaching. They looked different from a distance and up close. From a distance, they looked like flaming clouds connected into one, red and white, like the red clouds falling from the sky. Looking closely at the red plum blossoms, they are so delicate and beautiful that they are in various shapes and forms. After being baptized by the white snow, they are spotless and pure, making people unable to bear to reach out and touch them to desecrate them.
Ye Guixue praised, "The red plum blossoms are scorching with the snow and the beauty is gone. I am not arrogant or impatient and strive for spring early."
Su Rong smiled.
The two of them walked deep into the plum forest, stepping on the ground, and there was a thick layer of falling snow. The snow here has naturally not melted, and it was very solid and heavy. When they stepped on it, there was a creaking sound, leaving only a shallow streak on the ground. Shallow footprints.
After walking for a while, Su Rong looked back at Ye Guixue. He was still as if he had first met him. He was wearing a sky-blue brocade with a jade belt around his waist. His eyebrows were thick and bright, and he was very eye-catching. Especially in the depths of the red plum, he is even more eye-catching than the red plum.
She stopped and looked at him quietly.
Ye Guixue brushed aside the plum branches and saw Su Rong looking at him quietly, and asked with a smile: "What's wrong?"
Su Rong sighed softly, "Guixue, you are so kind."
Ye Guixue was stunned for a moment, then chuckled.
Su Rong lowered his head, looked at the footprints on the ground, raised his head again, looked at him, and said helplessly: "If I return the tiger talisman of one hundred thousand troops to you, will you be very disappointed?"
Ye Guixue's complexion changed slightly and she paused.
Su Rong was a little hard to face Ye Guixue, but she still looked at him honestly, "I think I can't be too selfish. I took your tiger talisman of one hundred thousand troops and used you to return to Nanchu. If one day in the future, I If I ungratefully propose to break off the engagement with you, then I will be so unhuman. So, before I go to Nanchu, and before I use your ladder to climb to that position, I think I should leave some for myself. There is no room for me, so if I fail you too much in the future, I will never be able to die to apologize in the future."
Ye Guixue moved her lips and asked softly: "Can I ask why?"
