Jade Autumn Garden
The next morning, just as Shen Jingchuan finished breakfast with Lin Shan and Lin Yue, a servant announced that the guests had arrived.
He went out to greet them and saw Zhou Tong accompanying his father, Master Zhou, walking in front, with Xu Mo and Su Yan following behind. The group had come together.
After exchanging greetings, Shen Jingchuan respectfully greeted Father Zhou with the courtesy due to a junior, and then led everyone to see the four-wheeled carriage parked in the courtyard.
Master Zhou slowly circled the car twice, reached out and touched the body, then lay down under the car to examine the shock absorbers and steering mechanism. Although he couldn't understand them, he could tell from the exquisite workmanship that this craftsmanship was definitely not something an ordinary craftsman could do, and he nodded repeatedly in amazement.
Shen Jingchuan invited everyone to get in the car for a ride, and personally accompanied Old Master Zhou, Zhou Tong, Xu Mo, and Su Yan to sit down. Liu Hu held the reins and drove the car, and they went out for a stroll around the streets before returning.
After getting off the bus, Master Zhou praised it highly:
"This carriage is much more stable than a regular horse-drawn carriage; there's almost no bumping. It's truly ingeniously designed."
He was especially surprised to see that the carriage was Whirlwind Horse, and he secretly thought that the Shen Household was no ordinary family.
Back in the hall, after sitting down to drink tea, Master Zhou put down his teacup and said to Shen Jingchuan:
"Young Master Shen, I saw this car with my own eyes today, and it's definitely a good product that can open up sales in Chang'an. From now on, I'll entrust Tong'er with all the business dealings, and let him practice under your tutelage. You're both young, you get along well, so please help each other out in the future."
This was a shrewd businessman. He didn't show his shock and pretended to let the child practice. He had already planned that once he got the car, he would definitely do everything himself.
Shen Jingchuan nodded in agreement. "I'm new to Chang'an, and I'll need the Zhou Household's help in the future."
Su Yan, who was standing nearby, then spoke up, smiling as she said:
"Young Master Shen, our family also has a shop in Chang'an. I'll leave you the shop's name and address. If you ever plan to sell your carriages in Chu, just send someone to the shop with a message. Our Su Household also wants to cooperate with you."
After saying that, he took out a piece of paper with an address written on it from his sleeve and handed it to him with both hands. Shen Jingchuan took it and put it away. "Okay, Brother Su, I will."
After chatting for a few more minutes, Master Zhou got up to take his leave.
Before leaving, Zhou Tong stopped Shen Jingchuan and made an appointment with him to go to the poetry gathering together that evening.
The group set off in the late afternoon, keeping a low profile.
The Lin Household traveled in an ordinary carriage, driven by a driver. Lin Qingyao and her maid Yue'er sat in the carriage, while Liu Hu stayed home to look after the house. Shen Jingchuan rode along on his Little Red horse, while Lin Shan and Lin Yue each rode a horse, following behind the carriage on either side.
Just as they stepped out of the alley, they bumped into Zhou Tong's carriage coming towards them, carrying Xu Mo and Su Yan. After exchanging greetings, they joined together and headed towards Jade Autumn Garden of the city.
What they didn't know was the enormous storm that this trip would stir up in Chang'an City, and even throughout the entire Great Qian Kingdom.
Lin Qingyao wore a short, plain gauze hat. The veil covered most of her eyebrows and eyes, revealing only her sharp jawline and the tip of her nose. Her posture was upright and graceful, without any of the delicate air of a young lady from a secluded family. Even through the thin veil, one could tell that her appearance was exceptionally beautiful.
Yue'er sat beside her, peering out the car window with a look of pure excitement.
Jade Autumn Garden is located on the Jade Autumn Lake. Today, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, Prince Jing specially ordered the curfew to be lifted so that people could enjoy the festivities together.
When the group was still half a mile away from the garden, they saw a continuous line of lights along the road, and the streets were lined with food stalls selling mooncakes, roasted chestnuts, osmanthus cakes, and hot wontons. The aromas mixed with the sounds of people wafted far and wide.
The road was packed with tourists, so crowded that vehicles couldn't move an inch.
The group found a shed specifically for guarding carriages and horses, parked the carriages and horses there, left the servants of the Zhou Residence and the porters of the Lin Household to guard them, and the rest of the people got out of the carriages and walked inside.
The group slowly walked in with the flow of people, buying snacks along the way to share, which was much more comfortable than taking a car.
The group squeezed to the main gate of Jade Autumn Garden. The steward and his servants stood guard on both sides of the gate, checking invitations one by one. Anyone without an invitation was not allowed to enter.
Lin Shan and Lin Yue stopped by the door. Lin Shan pointed to a restaurant across the street and said to Shen Jingchuan:
"Young Master Shen, my brother and I are going to that restaurant across the street for a couple of drinks and to watch the fun. Once you're done, just come find us there."
Shen Jingchuan nodded in agreement, and the two brothers waved their hands and turned to head towards the restaurant across the street.
The remaining Shen Jingchuan, Zhou Tong, and a few others handed over the invitations. The steward verified them and then stepped aside to let them into the garden.
There were slightly fewer people inside the park than outside, but it was still bustling with people.
The roadside was lined with osmanthus trees as thick as a person's embrace. It was the Mid-Autumn Festival blooming season, and the sweet fragrance carried on the evening breeze wafted over. Various plain gauze lanterns were hung from the branches, and the warm yellow light fell on the bluestone slabs underfoot, casting shadowy patterns.
Scholars and literati in long gowns and turbans walked and chatted in small groups.
The women of the household, especially the middle-aged noblewomen, mostly wore brocade dresses, adorned with pearls and jade in their hair, and long veiled hats that reached their chests. They were accompanied by a maid and strolled leisurely, enjoying the scenery and chatting.
The young women dressed up even more brightly, some wearing gauze scarves embroidered with delicate patterns, others wearing small short veiled hats. They huddled together in twos and threes, whispering and laughing, their voices soft and sweet, revealing their charming naivety.
Walking another hundred steps or so into the depths of the garden, you will reach the main venue of the poetry gathering—the lakeside pavilion overlooking Jade Autumn Lake, behind which stands a three-story Lake View Tower.
The entire pavilion is built over the lake, open and bright, with dozens of long tables neatly arranged in the center, each with plain paper and writing brushes and ink.
Several grand chairs were set up in the front row, where several venerable scholars with gray hair and beards sat; they were the gentlemen responsible for critiquing the poems today.
The pavilion was surrounded by a carved railing, and outside the railing stood a crowd of scholars, all craning their necks to look inside, waiting to see who would come out on top that day.
Several small round tables were set up on the open space beside the waterside pavilion for people to rest and enjoy tea, with servants carrying tea trays moving among them.
As Shen Jingchuan strolled through the garden, admiring the scenery, a young scholar strode towards him, bowing respectfully and saying, "Young Master Shen, we've finally waited for you."
Shen Jingchuan recognized him after a moment's thought – he was the young scholar who sat next to Juren Zhang and wrote the invitation during the entrance exam the day before.
The scholar quickly introduced himself:
"I am a student of Juren Zhang, surnamed Wang. My master specifically instructed me to stay here; a seat has already been reserved for you inside."
Shen Jingchuan nodded upon hearing this, quickly thanked him, turned around and called to Zhou Tong and the others, then followed the scholar to the side of the waterside pavilion.