Ger, So Proud

Chapter 86

This was indeed great news. He Youcai and Dad Li had already set the date for the proposal: the 28th of the second month. In the meantime, they could take care of the new courtyard while preparing for the flower shop’s opening.

The shop was set to open in three days, and the atmosphere at the He house was tense. He Ze, unexpectedly influenced by their mood, became even more diligent. He revised the flyers several times, re-copied them, and discussed many plans with his father.

These days, he had been dealing with flower farmers on Flower Bird Street, ordering three hundred pots of common flowers at five wen each, intending to sell them at ten wen on the opening day. Only customers who bought a pot would be eligible for the subsequent raffle.

This was an idea he came up with while making revisions, not to make money, but to set a threshold.

The first prize in the lottery is a pot of Yao Huang peony. Peonies are the king of flowers, and Yao Huang is the most precious variety among peonies. In Qiong County, its market price is at least seventy or eighty taels of silver. If someone is lucky enough to win it, it would be like getting rich overnight.

There are countless people in this world who dream of getting something for nothing. If everyone could enter the lottery for free, even if they wrote lottery tickets until their hands were sore, it wouldn’t be enough, and it could easily cause trouble.

So, it’s better to eliminate some people from the start.

…

With everything ready, three days passed in a flash.

On this day, the He family got up before dawn. Father He, He Ze, He An, and even Dad Li put on their newly prepared clothes and all sat in the family’s ox cart.

At the village entrance, the ox cart stopped, and He Ze went to pick up Lin Yu. When they returned, the ox cart from his second uncle’s house had also arrived, carrying He Dalang, Liu San, and Zhao Fugui’s son, Zhao Cheng.

He Dalang and Liu San were childhood friends of He Ze, and Zhao Cheng, though older, was also a long-time acquaintance. Since today would be busy and potentially chaotic, He Ze had invited the three of them to help out.

Lin Yu got into the He family’s ox cart, while He Ze joined He Dalang and the others. The two ox carts, one in front of the other, sped along the mountain path in the early morning light.

The flower shop had been decorated the day before. Dad Li went to the kitchen in the backyard to make a simple breakfast for them. After breakfast, Master Cai arrived. As soon as He Ze showed him the pot of Yao Huang peony, he volunteered to become an employee of the flower shop, signing a three-year contract.

At the hour of Si, the flower shop opened right on time.

The weather was excellent, with the golden sunlight casting a dreamy glow. Under the sunlight, the area around the flower shop was packed with people, chattering and making noise, filling nearly half the street.

After being reminded by Xu Qingsheng that few people in town could read, He Ze didn’t prepare many flyers. Instead, he hired a dozen people to distribute a few flyers each while banging gongs and shouting all over the county town, posting them in prominent places. The results seemed good.

As the doors opened, all noise ceased abruptly, and you could hear a pin drop.

Father He led the way, dressed in a black robe with a high-top hat, looking every bit the wealthy landowner.

He was pushed forward by He Ze. After a battle of wits and words yesterday that lasted an hour, Father He had lost, so here he stood.

He was a bit nervous as it was his first time facing such a crowd. Seeing the sea of heads below, all eyes on him, he straightened his back, forced himself to calm down, and recalled the opening speech he had memorized over the past few days.

This was written by He Ze, based on his memories of a past life.

“Respected guests, dear friends, good morning! Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend the opening ceremony of the He Family Flower Shop. I…”

To ensure his voice was loud and clear, Father He had drunk a large bowl of water before coming out, and his effort had paid off.

Dad Li stood at the back, wearing a newly made dark blue outfit, his hair neatly styled, looking much younger. He said to He An beside him, “I’ve never seen your father like this before!”

“Dad, does it remind you of the first time you met Father?” He Ze, standing a bit further away with Lin Yu, turned back and smiled.

“You cheeky boy!”

Dad Li glared at him, but the smile on his face didn’t fade.

Up front, He Youcai continued, “The plum blossom fragrance comes from the bitter cold, and hard work pays off. After long and meticulous preparation, after my son’s relentless efforts, and with the generous guidance of Master Cai in the art of flower cultivation, today, at this moment, I officially announce, as the proprietor of the He Family Flower Shop, the grand opening of ‘World’s First Fragrance’!”

As he finished speaking, He Youcai unveiled the red cloth covering the signboard, revealing the bold characters of ‘World’s First Fragrance’. Before any skeptical murmurs could arise, a few people He Ze had placed in the crowd started clapping, and soon, applause erupted, thunderous and overwhelming.

He Youcai let out a long breath, feeling a weight lift off his chest.

Next came the much-anticipated lottery draw. He Ze and his companions brought out the flower racks with the small potted plants, each labeled with a number corresponding to the lottery sequence.

He Dalang and Zhao Cheng, being tall and sturdy, were tasked with maintaining order. Liu San, Dad Li, Father He, and Lin Yu sold the potted plants at the entrance. He An greeted guests, while He Ze and Master Cai introduced the flowers to interested customers.

These were the true future clientele of the flower shop.

…

Outside, it was packed, but inside the flower shop felt spacious. Apart from a large counter in the center, the shop held only about a dozen flower racks.

Father He hadn’t touched his beloved blueprints for nearly half a month and had even enlisted an old master. The two worked tirelessly to produce these flower racks. They ensured both functionality and aesthetic appeal, even considering which flowers would best suit each rack.

Sparse vines climbed the walls and ceiling, their tender leaves overlapping and glistening with fresh green hues. This was He Ze’s brainchild during the shop’s renovation. He had craftsmen dig shallow grooves along the walls, without affecting the building’s structure, filled them with soil, and planted shade-loving vines.

Now, they flourished.

Rare, blooming flowers adorned their designated racks, vibrant and colorful. The elegant vines wound around or stretched away, encircling the flowers like stars around the moon.

As the sun climbed higher, casting its light, droplets of water on the petals and leaves sparkled. Luo Zhanming, squeezing in with his companions, was greeted by this breathtaking scene.

“It’s so beautiful!” Even someone with little interest in flowers couldn’t help but praise.

“Even without the ‘Yao Huang’ peony, such scenery makes the trip worthwhile,” agreed the person beside him.

The two took large strides into the flower shop, with Ah Mu and another middle-aged scholar with a long beard hastily following behind.

As Luo Zhanming’s fan tapped on He Ze’s shoulder, he was introducing a double-petaled narcissus to a portly man in a purple outfit. The petals were as white as snow, the stems like emeralds, fresh and elegant with a faint fragrance. This particular variety was known as “Jade Exquisite.”

A detailed introduction written by Master Cai was attached to the pot. In fact, every one of the forty-nine pots had a description he personally wrote for the convenience of the customers.

When He Ze turned around, the portly man also turned. Seeing the person beside Luo Zhanming, he was visibly shocked, but before he could speak, Luo Zhanming interjected, “Uncle Hong, keep it quiet. My brother-in-law is just here to admire the flowers.”

The portly man was taken aback but quickly bowed deeply, “Hong Shun, the manager of Hong’s Pawnshop, greets Mr. Zhou. How are you, sir?”

“No need for such formalities. I’m here to enjoy the flowers, so treat me as an ordinary citizen,” Zhou Wen raised him up and then looked at He Ze, who clasped his hands in greeting, “Mr. Zhou, it’s an honor.”

“You know me?”

“I don’t, but I can tell,” He Ze lifted his head, showing a youthful excitement and reverence at just the right level, “It’s an honor for our flower shop to be graced by someone like Mr. Zhou. I, He Ze, am at your service.”

He Ze led them further into the shop. To the side of the counter were two identical flower stands placed in opposite directions, at eye level with an average adult. On one stand was ‘Yao Huang’ and on the other ‘Wei Zi,’ two regal blooms vying for attention, dazzling among the crowd.

“It’s really ‘Yao Huang’! And in such splendid bloom…” Zhou Wenda almost lost his composure.

He was a flower enthusiast, particularly fond of peonies. During his imperial examination days, he had the chance to see the renowned ‘Yao Huang’ peony at a flower viewing banquet in the capital. He thought he’d never see such a rare bloom again, but now, in this small town, in this modest flower shop, it was almost unbelievable!

Struggling to move his gaze to the adjacent ‘Wei Zi,’ he asked, “Is this the ‘Wei Zi’ that rivals ‘Yao Huang’?”

“Indeed. According to legend, a kind-hearted young woodcutter named Zhao Yi married the peony fairy, Wei Hua. After three years, Wei Hua was taken back to heaven for breaking celestial laws, leaving Zhao Yi with only a peony. Zhao Yi, in his grief, cried over the flower until he fell ill and died. On the day of his death, the peony bloomed into a large, layered, purple flower with a scent that spread for miles. The villagers, moved by their love, named the flower ‘Wei Zi.’ This is the story behind the ‘Wei Zi’ peony,” He Ze recounted smoothly.

He added, “Of course, this is just a folktale for added interest. However, a poet from the previous dynasty lamented, ‘Yao Huang and Wei Zi bloom in succession, their fleeting beauty brings regret as they fade away,’ highlighting the esteemed status of these two peonies in the flower world.”

“‘Yao Huang and Wei Zi bloom in succession, their fleeting beauty brings regret as they fade away.’ A fine verse!” Zhou Wenda clapped his hands and laughed, gazing at the two peonies in fascination.

He Ze’s eyes glinted as he beckoned He An, whispered a few words, and the latter quickly ran to the shop entrance, returning with a small potted plant.