The number one sycophant of the Ming Dynasty

Cui'er poured her a cup of tea. The tea was clear and bright, with a delicate aroma; it was top-quality Longjing tea.

"Miss, this tea is really good," Cui'er said softly.

Sun Yue didn't say anything, but simply held her teacup and slowly sipped her tea.

The snow outside the window fell on the plum branches with a soft rustling sound.

She suddenly remembered the large red scarlet felt cloak she had seen in front of the mountain gate, and her heart tightened slightly, but she quickly relaxed.

She doesn't need to go there today.

This year's poetry gathering didn't seem as bothersome as it used to be.

Soon after, footsteps and laughter could be heard outside.

Miss Wang's voice was the loudest: "Sister Li's meditation room is so warm this year! The people in her family who were preparing for the event lit charcoal in advance. I went to see it, and it's wonderful!"

Miss Zhao echoed, "Then let's hurry up, we're freezing!"

The footsteps headed towards Li Wanqing's meditation room.

Cui'er glanced at Sun Yue and asked softly, "Miss, aren't we going to Miss Li's place?"

"I'm not going." Sun Yue put down her teacup, her tone indifferent. "This place is fine."

Cui'er didn't ask any more questions.

After a while, the door was pushed open.

The second young lady of the Zhou family peeked in, intending to pass by Li Wanqing's place, but upon seeing the scene inside, she was stunned: "Sister Sun, why is it so warm in here?"

She walked in, looking around: "These daffodils are so beautiful, these plum blossoms are lovely too, and these tea sets... Ding ware white porcelain? So exquisite!"

Sun Yue poured her a cup of tea. The second young lady of the Zhou family took a sip, her eyes lighting up: "Excellent tea! Even better than Sister Li's!"

She decided not to leave and plopped down on the prayer mat: "I'm not going over there, I'll stay here with you."

Sun Yue didn't speak, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

A little while later, Miss Zhao San also arrived.

She was dragged here by the second young lady of the Zhou family. As soon as she entered, she exclaimed, "Wow! Sister Sun, your meditation room is so comfortable! This cushion is so soft, and this hand warmer is so warm... Why isn't your hand warmer too hot?"

"It's made of copper and wrapped in a cotton cover," Sun Yue said.

Miss Zhao touched her iron hand warmer and pouted, "This is so hot, I don't even dare to cover it."

She didn't leave either.

Miss Wang was the last to arrive.

She sat with Li Wanqing for a while, and then, hearing that Sun Yue's place was even better, she came over with some skepticism.

As soon as she entered, she saw the set of Ding ware white porcelain on the table and her eyes widened: "Ding ware? Sister Sun, where did your family find this? I'll ask my dad to buy a set too."

Sun Yue smiled faintly: "I don't know, I'll ask later."

Miss Wang sat down to drink tea, and then noticed the Xuan paper and ink beside her. She picked them up and looked at them: "Chengxintang paper? Old Hu Kaiwen ink? Sister Sun, are you going to write large characters today? This setup is too exquisite."

Several noble ladies sat around Sun Yue's meditation room, drinking tea, admiring plum blossoms, chatting and laughing, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Sun Yue sat in the middle, slowly pouring tea for everyone, occasionally saying a few words in a low voice, but everyone listened.

The meditation room next door, belonging to Li Wanqing, was cold and deserted.

Li Wanqing sat on a futon, holding a cup of tea in her hand, her expression not very good.

Her meditation room wasn't bad either, with charcoal burning and tea brewing, but compared to Sun Yue's, it seemed rather bland.

The tea set was ordinary blue and white porcelain, the tea was common Biluochun tea, and the cushion was an old item from last year, which was hard to sit on.

In previous years, her meditation room was always the liveliest, with everyone revolving around her.

This year, everyone has gone to Sun Yue's side.

She put down her teacup, got up, and walked outside.

Her maidservant followed, but she waved her hand, saying, "I can walk by myself."

She stopped at the door of Sun Yue's meditation room.

Through the crack in the door, she saw Miss Wang, Miss Zhao, and Miss Zhou sitting around Sun Yue, chatting and laughing.

Sun Yue held her teacup with composure and a faint smile on her face—a composure she had never seen before.

Li Wanqing's face darkened, and she turned and left.

……

When we were enjoying the snow, it started snowing even harder.

The plum grove behind Fayuan Temple is a scenic spot in Beijing. Dozens of old plum trees are in full bloom in the snow, with red and white blossoms and a subtle fragrance.

Several noble ladies strolled through the plum grove with great interest, reciting poems and exchanging verses, their laughter filling the air.

"Snow falls, plum blossoms turn white..." Miss Wang began.

"A cool fragrance wafts on the breeze," Miss Zhao added, looking smugly at everyone.

The second young lady of the Zhou family thought for a moment, then continued, "Her graceful figure is seen alone in the cold..."

After three sentences, everyone's attention turned to Sun Yue.

In previous years, at this time of year, Sun Yue would always keep her head down, pretending to be looking at the plum blossoms, waiting for someone else to take over the conversation.

This year, she stood beneath a red plum tree, unhurried and patient, waiting a few moments before softly speaking:

"Unlike this flower, which understands my heart, it uses its coolness to create the warmth of spring."

Miss Wang was taken aback, then clapped her hands: "Sister Sun, your line is great! It's better than ours just now!"

Miss Zhao nodded in agreement: "'Therefore, the chill is used as the warmth of spring'... This 'warmth of spring' is well-chosen; it's both comforting and elegant."

The second young lady of the Zhou family leaned closer, her eyes filled with surprise: "Sister Sun, when did you become such a good poet?"

Sun Yue herself didn't expect it.

She simply stood under the plum tree, looking at the red and white plum blossoms on the branches, and suddenly felt a sense of calm she had never experienced before.

Without having to think about how to please anyone, or what to say next to avoid being embarrassed, these two sentences just naturally popped into my head.

She smiled faintly, offered no explanation, and simply said, "Just something I thought of, it's nothing."

But the roots of her ears turned a little red.

For some reason, she thought of Chen Han. If it weren't for Chen Han's thoughtful preparations, she wouldn't have been able to be so calm.

He immediately turned around to look for him and saw Chen Han standing in the pavilion outside the woods.

Your posture is impeccable!

Be neither humble nor arrogant!

But just standing there gave her a strong sense of security.

The snow was so heavy that some people started to look disheveled after only walking for a short while.

Miss Wang's embroidered shoes were wet again. She stamped her feet and complained, "Why is the snow so heavy! I just changed my shoes, and they're wet again!"

Miss Zhao's skirt was soaked through with snow water, and she was shivering from the cold: "I can't go on, I have to go back."

The second young lady of the Zhou family's hand warmer had stopped working, so she hugged it and shook it vigorously: "Why isn't it warm anymore? I clearly added charcoal when I left."

Only Sun Yue walked leisurely through the plum grove.

She wore oiled paper shoe covers, had a silk scarf tied around the hem of her skirt, held a warm copper hand warmer in her hand, and had a thin blanket draped over her shoulders.

Chen Han had left it in the carriage, and Cui'er took it with her when she got off.

She walked up to a red plum tree, stopped, and looked up at the flower.

Snowflakes fell on her hair and shoulders, but she remained calm and composed, as if she were in a painting.

Miss Wang leaned closer, her voice tinged with envy: "Sister Sun, how come you're completely unharmed? Aren't your shoes wet?"

"The people in my family who handle things are so thoughtful; they made shoe covers." Sun Yue glanced down at her feet and smiled faintly.

"This hand warmer is much better; it's warmer than ours."

"It's made of copper and wrapped in a cotton cover, so it's not hot to the touch."

Miss Zhao San also came over, touched her hand warmer, then touched her own, and pouted: "I'll ask my father to buy me a copper one when I get back."

The second young lady of the Zhou family was even more direct: "Sister Sun, who is the person in your family who handles things? Can I borrow them sometime? My family members are all incredibly stupid."

Sun Yue smiled but didn't reply...