Let Us Share Life's Springs and Autumns

In the afternoon, sunlight fell in dappled patches.

Qiao Shuyi held Zongzheng Heng's hand as they strolled through the garden.

It was the season when spring flowers bloomed in profusion.

The garden at the Prince of Jin'an's Manor had always been the height of luxury, and Qiao Shuyi, who adored flowers to the point of obsession, had made it even more like a paradise on earth.

As far as the eye could see, blossoms spread out in layer upon layer of brilliant color, dazzling the eyes.

"Zhigui, is this garden beautiful?"

Zongzheng Heng's gaze swept over a cluster of extraordinary flowers he had never seen before, and he nodded:

"It is."

He wasn't merely humoring her.

Even the imperial garden in the palace had only the usual prized varieties.

But some of the flowers before him were ones he couldn't even name. Their forms were unusual and their colors rich and gorgeous; one look was enough to tell they were no ordinary flowers.

Qiao Shuyi's smile grew even brighter.

"I designed this garden myself."

She raised a hand and pointed to a cluster of purplish-red flowers in the distance:

"Those were transplanted from Lingnan."

Then she pointed somewhere else:

"Those came from the Western Regions."

"And those, and those-" She pointed out several more places in succession. "Jinzhou didn't originally have any of these flowers. I spent so, so much silver having people bring them back from all over."

She spoke with shining eyes and animated gestures, as if those flowers were a kingdom she had conquered.

Zongzheng Heng watched her.

So this madwoman had moments like this too.

As he was thinking, she suddenly released his hand and went skipping deeper into the flowers.

Today she wore a flowing moon-white dress with a wide skirt that fluttered as she ran, like a white camellia just opening, translucent and pure, untouched by dust.

Sunlight filtered down through the flowering branches, setting off her jade-white face. Her cheeks bore a natural, delicate lotus pink, and her lips were a pale pink too, like peach blossoms just opening in spring.

As she ran, she suddenly looked back at him, her smile radiant.

In that instant, Zongzheng Heng was struck still.

He had seen her arrogant and mad, and even seen her bring a blade down without the slightest hesitation.

But now she smiled, ran, and bathed in the sunlight like this-

Innocent and untouched by dust.

She was like a fairy in a painting, or someone's sheltered young daughter who knew nothing of the world.

He watched her, suddenly a little dazed.

She had the face of a fairy, yet the temperament of a madwoman.

He prided himself on his skill at disguise and had seen all sorts of people, yet he had never met anyone so divided.

Her face was untouched by the slightest speck of dust, yet she acted more ruthlessly than anyone.

She was a girl of sixteen, yet when those eyes looked at someone, they seemed able to see through everything.

How could there be such a person in the world?

As he was thinking, Qiao Shuyi suddenly pointed to a tree ahead and cried out in delight:

"Zhigui, look! The fringe tree is in bloom!"

Zongzheng Heng looked in the direction she pointed.

It was an enormous fringe tree, its branches now covered in blossoms.

White flowers crowded its boughs, as though a thick layer of snow had fallen on them.

When the wind blew, petals drifted down in a flurry, so beautiful they seemed not of this world.

Qiao Shuyi ran beneath the tree with a smile and spun around.

Her skirt swirled, and the tender-green ribbon tied at her waist fluttered in the wind, making a lovely contrast with the white blossoms above her. She was as beautiful as a painting come to life.

Zongzheng Heng walked over to her.

Qiao Shuyi put her hands on her hips and said with a coquettish pout, "Zhigui, crouch down."

Zongzheng Heng paused, then crouched as she asked.

He didn't know why he was being so obedient.

It was just that, a moment ago, the sight of her standing beneath the flowering tree and looking back with a smile seemed to have been etched into his heart.

That smile, untouched by the slightest speck of dust, that infectious joy...

He found himself wanting more.

He wanted to watch her a little longer.

"Zhigui, I want to sit on your shoulders and pick a fringe flower. You mustn't let me fall."

Zongzheng Heng looked up at her and nodded:

"Mm, climb up."

His voice was low, but it held a reassuring certainty:

"I won't let Shushu fall."

Qiao Shuyi placed one leg over his shoulder, and he held it firmly.

She lifted her other leg and swung it over as well.

Sitting astride his neck, she wrapped both hands around his head and swayed like a child:

"Zhigui, I'm ready."

Zongzheng Heng held her calves firmly where they hung against his chest and slowly stood up.

Qiao Shuyi was suddenly much higher, and the view opened up before her.

All the garden's spring beauty lay before her eyes, and the fringe flowers covering the tree were within reach.

"Wow-so high!"

She reached out and touched a low-hanging fringe tree branch.

The branch trembled, and flowers came pattering down from all over the tree. White petals fluttered into her hair and onto his shoulders, scattering across the ground like fine snow.

She bent down and wrapped her arms around his neck:

"I borrow no ladder to the azure clouds, only the fringe tree to see our hair turn white together."

"Zhigui, has my poetry improved? Can it compare with yours?"

Zongzheng Heng was slightly taken aback.

She borrowed no ladder to the azure clouds-yet she had clearly relied on his strength to reach the flowers. But she had chosen not to say she relied on him, speaking only of borrowing the tree full of fringe flowers to see their hair turn white together.

She was saying that what she wanted was not to soar into the azure clouds, nor power and status, but only this moment, this tree full of flowers, and him.

Indeed, he, Zhigui, was now nothing more than a male favorite, with nothing to his name.

It was only him she liked.

Zongzheng Heng looked at her eyes, filled with his reflection, and at the petals covering her hair and shoulders.

Suddenly, he reached back, gripped her waist, and lifted her down from his shoulders.

Qiao Shuyi took the opportunity to wrap her legs around his waist, her arms still around his neck, her whole body hanging onto him.

Her smile deepened:

"What, did my poetry frighten you?"

Zongzheng Heng's gaze deepened:

"Since we have pledged to see our hair turn white with the fringe tree, let us pledge to share this life's springs and autumns."

Qiao Shuyi's heart trembled slightly.

She hadn't expected him to answer with such words.

His words carried more weight than hers.

She had used the flowers to speak of a moment, but he had answered with a lifetime.

To share springs and autumns-that meant the turning of the four seasons, the long passage of years, a lifetime together.

Zongzheng Heng, could it be that you no longer want to kill me?

But I still have a surprise I haven't given you.

Qiao Shuyi let nothing show on her face. She merely tightened her arms around his neck with delight, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and nuzzled him, her voice soft and sweet:

"Zhigui, does that count as our vow?"

Zongzheng Heng's gaze passed over her shoulder and settled on the tree full of fringe flowers, as deep as a still pool:

"Yes."

If she can always be this obedient, there's no harm in sparing her life.