Ger, So Proud

Chapter 29

Is he really here?

The crowd instinctively parted, creating a path. He Ze and Luo Zhanming followed the sound and saw the servant leading an elderly master, around sixty or seventy years old, who was striding in.

The elderly master had white hair and beard, and was slightly hunched over, but his eyes sparkled with vigor. However, he seemed a bit too eager.

“Where is the Soft Fragrance Red? Where is it?”

As soon as he entered, the old master didn’t say anything else but “Soft Fragrance Red”. His eyes scanned the surroundings before finally stopping in front of He Ze.

“Is this it, the Soft Fragrance Red?”

Muttering to himself, the old master squatted down and examined the flowerpot from all angles. His eyes widened as he looked closer, and eventually, his knees gave way as he knelt directly in front of the flower, lifting the pot as if his eyes were glued to it.

Seeing his reaction, the onlookers’ gazes towards the flower became even more fervent.

“The flower color is purplish-red, fan-shaped petals, long sepals, cup-shaped calyx…”

The old master muttered to himself as he examined the flower. After looking at the flower, his gaze shifted to the stem and leaves. He couldn’t resist touching it, but quickly withdrew his hand as he was pricked by a thorn, causing his fingertip to bleed. Yet, his face showed even more fervor. “Few branches, thin stems, curved thorns, long oval leaves, clear veins…”

“That’s right! This is the Soft Fragrance Red! The flowers are splendid like brocade, the stems and leaves are as green as jade, and it’s a single flower on a single stem! A superb flower, truly a superb flower!”

The elder, addressed as Old Cai, sighed repeatedly, confirming it firmly. He looked at the flower with the same excitement and joy as if seeing a long-lost lover, his emotions evident.

Given Old Cai’s reputation on this street, no one doubted his words, and the crowd buzzed again. Luo Zhanming snapped his fan open with a smile on his face.

“I have been accompanying flowers for decades and have always been proud of having once grown the Soft Fragrance Red. But seeing this today, I realize I was merely boasting…” The elder shook his head, wanting to touch the petals but stopped his hand, only gently caressing the flowerpot and talking to the flower as if the crowd around him didn’t exist.

“Old Cai, don’t sigh. Since you have the fortune to see this flower today, isn’t that enough?”

“Enough, enough! I can die without regrets!” The elder nodded heavily, finally taking his eyes off the flower. “So, it’s Young Master Luo. I pay my respects to you. May I ask, who grew this flower?”

Though he said he paid his respects, the elder still held the flower, only bowing slightly towards Luo Zhanming.

“He’s right in front of you, Old Cai. Isn’t the young man right before your eyes?” Luo Zhanming said, waving his folding fan with an air of elegance.

“You… you mean him? Him?”

The elder followed Luo Zhanming’s gaze and looked at He Ze, his face full of disbelief.

How could this be? A Soft Fragrance Red of such quality requires years of meticulous care. It’s delicate and fragile, with demanding requirements for its growing environment, sunlight, and soil. How could someone without extensive experience grow such a superb flower?

“Young man, did you really grow this flower?” The elder couldn’t help but ask again.

“Old Cai… don’t believe it?”

“To tell the truth, this flower has an exceptional appearance and is considered rare even among Soft Fragrance Reds. Young man, considering your age…”

The old man hesitated, his unspoken doubt clear.

He Ze raised an eyebrow, glanced at the Soft Fragrance Red, and then spoke. “Why should age prevent one from growing good flowers? True quality, like good writing, comes naturally and can be achieved by a skilled hand. The saying ‘Flowers won’t bloom if you tend them intentionally, but will thrive when you least expect it’ embodies this idea. Experience is important, but isn’t luck equally crucial?”

“This…”

“I can see that you, sir, are a flower lover. But to truly love flowers, one must cherish them not only when they bloom but also when they sprout and grow leaves. Even when they are attacked by pests or wilt, one must still care for them. Witnessing and nurturing their growth over time teaches one the joys and sorrows involved. Why then become overly obsessed with their appearance and rarity? It only brings unnecessary worry.”

Noticing the old farmer’s earlier excitement, He Ze continued, hoping to enlighten him. Whether the old man would understand depended on him.

“Well said, well said!” Luo Zhanming clapped his hands, having closed his fan. “Young man, your words are truly wise. With such clear understanding, no wonder you could grow such a fine flower!”

“Indeed… I have become too fixated.”

The old man, after a moment of stunned silence, finally came to his senses. He set down the flower, bowed to He Ze with clasped fists, and said, “I have spent my entire life with flowers, seeking to cultivate rare ones. The older I get, the more anxious I become, fearing I might never grow another good flower. Your words today have been a revelation. I feel deeply ashamed.”

“Everyone has their own pursuits. It’s already commendable that you have remained dedicated to yours. Why feel ashamed? Perhaps if you ease your mind a bit, you might find new success.”

“You’re right, you’re right!” The old man seemed to ponder something, then stroked his white beard and laughed heartily. “I heard you intend to part with this Soft Fragrance Red. May I have the fortune of acquiring it?”

Was this an unexpected competitor?

Hearing this, Luo Zhanming immediately protested. “Old Cai, that’s not fair. I had already discussed with this young man that if it were truly a Soft Fragrance Red, I would buy it. There’s an order to these things, isn’t there?”

“That’s right, that’s right. My young master has already claimed it. You can’t just take it from him!” the servant exclaimed indignantly.

“Ah! Young Master Luo, don’t be hasty. I was merely asking. Since it’s already agreed upon, I won’t take it from you. But…”

The old man glanced at He Ze, then at the sign next to him, and said regretfully, “But twenty taels is really too cheap. The Soft Fragrance Red I raised back then was far inferior to this one, but I still had to reluctantly part with it for thirty taels. Young man, won’t you reconsider…”

“Right! Young man, I’ll offer twenty-one taels. How about selling the flower to me?”

“Twenty-one taels? I’ll offer twenty-three! No one outbid me!”

“Twenty-three taels isn’t much. I’ll give twenty-five taels. Young man, think it over!”

The old man’s words had barely left his mouth when the crowd erupted. Those who had previously criticized He Ze for asking too much were now silent, realizing it truly was a rare treasure.

The price quickly jumped by five taels, and the bidding continued. Those who had earlier dismissed the price of twenty taels now blushed with embarrassment.

If they had recognized the flower’s worth and bought it for twenty taels, they could have easily made a ten-tael profit!

Ten taels! What a fortune! The man regretted it so much he could have cried, but now he didn’t even have the chance to bid.

Many in the crowd shared this regret, and those bidding were all hoping to make a good profit. As the noise grew louder, Luo Zhanming, standing aside, looked somewhat displeased. He tapped his fan lightly against his palm, unable to resist turning to He Ze, “Young man, I’ll offer forty taels. Is that acceptable?”

Forty taels! The crowd was stunned by Luo Zhanming’s bold offer, and the bidding stopped. According to Old Cai, thirty taels was a sure profit, but forty was uncertain!

The servant swallowed hard upon hearing his master’s offer, nervously tugging at Luo Zhanming’s sleeve, signaling with his eyes.

If the master found out, he might be furious!

“Why are you twitching?” Luo Zhanming brushed the servant’s hand away with his fan, looking suspicious. “You don’t usually act like this. Keep your distance and don’t interfere with my business!”

The servant: …

“Well, young man, do you accept the offer?” Luo Zhanming asked again.

He Ze finally stood up. “Sell, of course. Give the money, and the flower is yours.”

Seeing He Ze’s straightforwardness, Luo Zhanming smiled, glancing repeatedly at the oblivious servant.

“What are you waiting for? Hand over the money!”

“Oh, oh!”

Luo Zhanming’s fan tapped the servant’s shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. He retrieved two large ingots from his pouch, reluctantly handing them to He Ze. This was half a year’s allowance!

He Ze took the ingots, weighed them, and then casually tossed one back. “Twenty taels, no more, no less. We agreed on this earlier.”

The servant, catching the silver, was stunned, and Luo Zhanming was surprised. “Young man, this is twenty taels, are you sure you don’t want it?”

He Ze smiled, pocketing the silver. “A person without integrity cannot stand. Since we agreed earlier, how can I raise the price now? I have matters to attend to at home, so I’ll take my leave.”

Without waiting for Luo Zhanming’s response, He Ze quickly weaved his way out of the crowd.

“Turning down twenty taels? Is he an idiot?” The crowd shook their heads and sighed as they watched He Ze’s departing figure. Only Old Cai stroked his long beard, exchanged a glance with Luo Zhanming, and saw mutual admiration in each other’s eyes.

“This guy… he’s quite interesting,” Luo Zhanming remarked, shaking his folding fan. He turned his head just in time to see Old Cai holding the flower, and immediately panicked, “Old Cai, you…”

“Without me, how long do you think you could keep this flower alive, Master Luo?” The old man leisurely lifted the flowerpot, continuing, “You’re buying this flower for the magistrate’s birthday, right?”

“How did Old Cai know?”

His sister was the magistrate’s wife, both of whom were flower enthusiasts. With his brother-in-law’s birthday approaching, he had specifically made this trip to buy the flower.

“The magistrate’s wife sent someone to invite me the other day, mentioned it twice,” Old Cai, holding the flower, didn’t even blink. “Let’s go. I’ll return to your mansion with you to take care of this flower. No need for a monthly wage, just feed me a few buns.”

With that, he started walking towards Luo’s residence, leaving Luo Zhanming and his servant staring at each other in bewilderment before hurriedly chasing after him.

Meanwhile, He Ze, having left the flower and bird market, wandered around the town until he had both hands full of items, then took his ox cart back home. Since it was getting late, he moved more slowly, not reaching home until the moon was high in the sky.

At that moment, He An was sitting on the stone steps waiting for him and rushed over as soon as he saw him.