AD (QT) Chapter 127

Life went on in a calm, steady rhythm. With the help of the growth nutrient solution, the flowers in the vegetable garden grew lush and flourishing.

Aside from teaching the children, Han Ze spent all his remaining time cultivating the plants. He had even used the nutrient solution on the vegetables in the patch—the chili peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins, and eggplants had fruited early and were now hanging in heavy, abundant clusters. This left Ge Hongbu and Wang Lanhua utterly bewildered. They were using the same planting methods as previous years, so why were the vegetables growing so well this year? Why was the harvest so bountiful?

Han Ze let them wonder without offering an explanation. When he truly couldn’t avoid their questions, he simply talked nonsense, saying perhaps it was because flowers were planted in the garden, which improved the Feng Shui, causing the vegetables to grow better.

Ge Hongbu and Wang Lanhua simply assumed he was talking rubbish—and Han Ze indeed was.

By April, several dozen pots of peonies had fully bloomed. Each pot boasted ten to twenty blossoms. These peonies, each as large as the mouth of a bowl, clustered together in a riot of color. They appeared elegant, luxurious, and stately—a magnificent sight.

Ever since his son started growing flowers, Han Maode had taken to strolling through the backyard vegetable garden several times a day. After all, his son had spent a great deal of silver on all those flowerpots and seedlings; if the flowers were ruined, it would break the old man’s heart.

It wasn’t until the peonies bloomed that he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Deep down, he had felt that his son’s plan to grow flowers was somewhat unreliable. Although Han Ze told him he’d read a book on it, the boy had never grown a flower in his life. Naturally, there was much to worry about for a first-timer.

However, Han Maode only appreciated the scenery. He knew the flowers were beautiful—red, yellow, white, and many other colors—and there was even a pot with black blossoms. But he knew nothing of the specific varieties or their value.

While Han Maode didn’t understand peony varieties, Han Ze had specifically consulted books. Despite having the nutrient solution, he was still surprised to have cultivated a “Black Peony.” The dark purple-black petals gave off a faint, eerie glow, lending the flower an air of mystery. Rare peonies like this often served as a “trump card” to fetch a high price.

Han Maode said with a smile, “The red ones are still the prettiest; they look so festive.”

Han Ze smiled and explained to him, “This red peony is also known as ‘Wei Zi’¹Wei’s Purple, that one is ‘Yao Huang’²Yao’s Yellow, and this black one… they are all treasures among peonies. The Black Peony, in particular, is the rarest.”

Han Maode truly didn’t understand any of this. He stared blankly at his son. “Then… how much silver is this worth?”

Han Ze shook his head. Since they hadn’t been brought to market, he didn’t know the exact price. After a moment, he said, “If someone in town can afford the price, I’ll sell them here. If not, I plan to take these flowers to the county seat to sell.”

Han Maode laughed. “You handle these matters. I’ve never raised a flower in my life; I don’t understand it.”

Han Ze had only told him to keep him from worrying.

The next day, Han Ze took several pots of flowers to town. He didn’t go to the flower market, but instead headed to the home of a former classmate.

This classmate was named Yu Anzhi. Ten years ago, the Yu family had been a merchant household. Since the current dynasty allowed merchants to take the Imperial Exams, Yu Anzhi’s elder brother had passed and become a jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial exam). He was now an official in the capital, which had elevated the family’s social status.

Yu Anzhi wasn’t gifted at studying, so he stayed home to manage the family business. The Original Owner’s relationship with him had been mediocre, and they hadn’t been in contact since leaving school. Han Ze went to the door with the intention of just trying his luck. At the Yu residence, the gatekeeper asked for his business. Hearing he was a classmate of the Second Young Master, the gatekeeper went in to report.

Yu Anzhi was at home. He was surprised to hear a classmate was visiting, but as a businessman at heart, he never offended people easily. He came out personally to greet him. Seeing it was Han Ze, he smiled naturally and said, “Brother Han, what a rare guest! How have you been?”

Han Ze returned the greeting with a smile. He didn’t waste time on pleasantries; given their shallow bond, there wasn’t much to say. He stated his purpose directly: “Lately I’ve been idle, so I cultivated some flowers. I recall hearing back in school that Brother Yu had a passion for this, so I brought a few pots in my ox cart for you to appreciate.”

Yu Anzhi was somewhat dismissive. Though he didn’t interact much with Han Ze, he felt he knew him—a farm boy. Even if his family had some property, he was still just a farm boy. Could he really cultivate rare flowers? Despite these thoughts, the smile on his face didn’t waver. “Oh? What kind of flowers?”

Han Ze knew that showing up unannounced was somewhat rude, but the Original Owner didn’t have many social connections, and this classmate’s family had influence. As long as his flowers were extraordinary, there was nothing to worry about. He smiled and pulled back the cloth curtain covering the pots. “Brother Yu, see for yourself.”

Yu Anzhi leaned over to look. He took a sharp breath, his finger trembling as he pointed at the blossoms. “This is ‘Wei Zi’? And that’s ‘Yao Huang’? And… that pot is actually a Black Peony?”

Han Ze waited for him to regain his composure before asking with a smile, “Well? Do these flowers find favor in Brother Yu’s eyes?”

Yu Anzhi took a deep breath and looked at Han Ze with a bitter laugh. “Brother Han, are you teasing me?”

“Find favor” was an understatement; he was absolutely captivated.

Han Ze gave a calm smile and said, “Not at all, not at all.”

Yu Anzhi steadied his emotions. “Brother Han, I suspect your visit today isn’t as simple as just letting me appreciate these flowers.”

Han Ze laughed again. “I am a worldly, vulgar person. I was lucky enough to raise a few pots, but I don’t know how to truly appreciate them. I was thinking of exchanging them for some silver for household expenses. These flowers should be left to the noble folk who know how to cherish them. My visit today was to ask if Brother Yu knows anyone who loves flowers.”

Yu Anzhi’s eyes widened. “You’re really willing to sell these?”

Han Ze nodded solemnly.

Yu Anzhi circled the pots several times before looking at Han Ze. “Brother Han, to tell you the truth, my elder brother wrote to me a few days ago, asking me to find a few pots of rare flowers for him. I’ve been searching for days and bought a few, but I wasn’t satisfied with any of them. Seeing these today, I don’t think I need to look further. If Brother Han is willing, could you sell them to me?”

Han Ze smiled. “As long as it helps you, Brother Yu.”

Yu Anzhi slapped his hands together. “It helps me immensely!”

What he didn’t say was that his brother’s superior’s mother loved peonies, and her birthday was in a few days. These peonies arrived at the perfect time—especially that “Wei Zi.”

Yu Anzhi looked at Han Ze and said hesitantly, “If these were sold in the capital, the price would be much higher…”

Han Ze replied indifferently, “Brother Yu, pay what you think is fair. I trust you won’t cheat me.”

Yu Anzhi shook his head with a laugh. This kid was slippery—one sentence about “trusting him” made it hard to offer a low price.

After some thought, he said, “The Black Peony is the most extraordinary. I’ve only heard of its name but never seen one.”

He lowered his voice. “I’ve heard that the current Emperor loves peonies, especially the black ones. A few years ago, Minister Wang found a Black Peony for a thousand taels of silver and presented it to the palace. The palace was delighted and rewarded him handsomely. Because of that, the price of Black Peonies soared, though it has dropped a bit in recent years. How about this: I’ll buy this pot for a thousand taels. What do you think?”

Han Ze had no objections. “That works.”

The price wasn’t low; this classmate Yu was an honest man. He was someone worth maintaining a relationship with.

…

Carrying banknotes worth over a thousand taels, Han Ze drove the ox cart toward the school. Thinking he hadn’t seen his son in a few days, he decided to check on him.

Han Shubuo had grown quite a bit taller. His clothes were noticeably too small, and his sleeves were short.

Han Ze frowned. He’d been busy with the flowers and hadn’t noticed the boy’s clothes. Ge Hongbu hadn’t mentioned it to him either.

Seeing his father frown, Han Shubuo asked, “Dad, what’s wrong?”

Han Ze’s brow relaxed. “Your clothes are small. Why didn’t you tell us? I could have had your mother prepare new ones.”

Han Shubuo said indifferently, “They’re just a bit short; they’re still wearable.”

These clothes were relatively new and had no patches. Just because they were a bit small didn’t mean they were unwearable. Even the clothes Han Jixue and Han Jiwen wore were covered in patches. Compared to them, he was already very lucky.

Han Ze patted his head. “As long as you study well, I can afford the silver for your food, clothes, and expenses. You don’t need to save for me, Shubuo.”

This child was not only smart but also very sensible. The hardships of his early years hadn’t made him extreme; instead, seeing the coldness of the world had made him more steady and mature than other children his age.

Han Shubuo frowned. “One should save where they can. I have five sisters, which means preparing five dowries. That will take a lot of silver. As long as I have clothes to wear, it’s fine; I don’t care about that stuff.”

Han Ze was amused. “A child shouldn’t worry about such things. That’s for your father to handle. Your sisters’ dowries won’t be lacking, and I’ve even prepared dowries for your two aunts.”

Han Shubuo still wasn’t convinced. “Dad, it must be so hard to earn all those dowries. It’s better to be frugal. How about this—from now on, I’ll just eat the third-grade meals?”

Han Ze pressed a hand to his forehead. How was this kid so stubborn? He took the boy’s hand and led him aside. “Do you know I’m raising flowers?”

Han Shubuo nodded. “I know.”

Han Ze continued, “Then do you know how much I sold a single pot for?”

Han Shubuo shook his head.

“A thousand taels of silver.”

Han Shubuo’s eyes went wide. He knew how much a thousand taels was. His small mouth hung open. “Re-really?”

Han Ze nodded with a smile and patted his small head. “Silly boy. You can’t just study from books; you have to know how to adapt. In my eyes, silver isn’t saved up—it’s earned. Even if the family runs out of silver, I can find a way to earn more so you can eat and dress well. You don’t need to be a miser.”

Han Shubuo looked up at him. “But… what if I don’t have the skill to earn silver in the future, yet I’ve developed the habit of spending it?”

Han Ze looked at him. “Do you have no confidence in yourself? You don’t believe you can become a xiucai, a juren, a jinshi, and a high-ranking official?”

Han Shubuo lowered his head and thought. “I believe in myself. But an official shouldn’t be a corrupt one.”

Han Ze said, “You mean that if you aren’t corrupt, your salary won’t be much, so you still won’t earn much silver?”

Han Shubuo nodded his small head. That was exactly what he meant.

Han Ze laughed. “Since you’re thinking so far ahead, it seems you definitely won’t be a corrupt official. Besides, I know you; you won’t develop a habit of wasting silver.”

Han Shubuo smiled.

Han Ze pinched his cheek and said with a grin, “Don’t worry. Even if the government salary isn’t massive, it won’t be tiny either; it will certainly be enough to support a family. Besides, you’re so smart—I’m sure you’ll find a way to earn silver honestly.”

Han Shubuo looked at him with a troubled expression. He had some confidence in studying, but earning silver? He really had no confidence in that.