Marriage to the Royal Prince's Uncle

C25. Yunzhu's Temperament: A Delicate Tightrope.

Chapter 25

At a mere sixteen years old, Cao Xun departed from Beijing, leaving the layout of the gardens of the Duke's Mansion to be overseen by his father and stepmother. By the time he returned to the capital, he had already reached the age of thirty, needing to acclimate to the city's official circles and prepare for his forthcoming marriage, leaving no room for attention towards the gardens.

His early departures and late returns meant that he rarely had the luxury of spending time in the garden, effectively freeing him from concern. On the contrary, Yunzhu, the mistress of the estate, was distinctly inclined towards the natural world, enjoying flowers and plants as well as walks during pleasant weather – fostering a desire for a role in gardening duties, to her precise specifications.

As their plans to break ground approached, it was deemed prudent to implement all required changes in one comprehensive endeavor.

During the long summer, following dinner, Cao Xun embarked on a majestic stroll through the garden.

While initially eager to invite Yunzhu to join him, her fatigue led to a resolute refusal, instead directing someone to retrieve the map of Dingguo Duke's Mansion. She remained in the comfort of her abode, thoughtfully considering the details of the transformations.

Demonstrating a determined purpose and swift movement, Cao Xun expeditiously roamed the grounds. Before long, upon the nightfall, he returned to Yunzhu, implementing a series of changes inspired by her ideas, among them, the renaming of two pavilions.

Yunzhu gestured to the "Little Ya Pavilion" on the map, sharing her perception with Cao Xun, "I believe your stepmother delights in this pavilion the most, frequently entertaining other noblewomen here. Should you decide to alter the name now or later during the renovation, if they discover the alteration, they will attribute it to my initiative and single me out. Nonetheless, they will allow you to escape reproach."

Cao Xun chuckled and remarked, "I haven't given it much thought before. If it bothers you, just disregard what I just said."

Since his return to Beijing, he hadn't set foot in the Little Ya Pavilion.

Yunzhu responded, "I don't mind, but since you have changes to make anyway, why not take credit for it this time?"

Agreeing initially, Cao Xun then inquired, "Are you still worried about her?"

Yunzhu explained, "I'm not scared, but rather than facing criticism from my mother-in-law right after getting married, I'd rather avoid any accusations altogether."

Cao Xun pondered and then said, "Even if I take the lead, others will assume it was your idea."

Yunzhu smiled and replied, "That's your call. If the head of the family doesn't approve, how could I dare to make a wrong move?"

Recalling the previous night, Cao Xun considered, "If she dared to call me shameless to my face, then why not?"

*

As evening approached the next day, Cao Xun promptly returned home upon finishing his duty. He promptly contacted Zhang Tai, the manager, to discuss the renovation of the garden.

He meticulously outlined the specific changes on the map, detailing the allocation of white and pink lotus plants to different ponds.

Zhang Tai graciously accepted the task, affirming, "I will commence the arrangements today."

While it was relatively simple to replace the pavilion plaque, finding suitable rare flowers and trees was a more time-consuming endeavor. It also required finding an expert in nurturing the specific flora.