Peach Blossoms

"Peach Blossoms Part" by Silent White Paper

Volume One, Peach Blossoms, Chapter One: Whose Young Master Is He?

Falling into the Red Dust

Drunk in this life

Songs all over the world

A touch of autumn wind, a touch of sorrow

willow tips

Moonlight

Sorrow is not something that lasts long.

When the flowers have faded, who will still pursue their former beauty?

Gu Xiaoan felt like she had slept for a long time. When she woke up, she was still in a daze, only vaguely hearing a woman's soft yet cold voice: "Remember, he is your young master..."

Everyone knew that the most famous entertainment venue in the entire capital was Quan Yi Fang. Unlike typical brothels, the women there sold their art, not their bodies. They attracted scholars and gentlemen with their talents in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song. The women of Quan Yi Fang were all exceptionally beautiful and talented, with the most outstanding being Su Qingwan, the head courtesan. Su Qingwan was not only incomparably beautiful, but her literary talent also captivated countless young men. However, it was later rumored that Su Qingwan grew tired of this life of constant pleasure and married Lin Cheng, the Minister of Rites, as his concubine.

Because she came from an art workshop, Su Qingwan was beautiful but not favored. Less than two years after marrying into the family, she was forced by the powerful first and second wives to move to a small, independent courtyard outside the mansion. Her former glory had faded into the past.

When I gave birth, I only had one loyal wet nurse by my side.

That night, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and rain poured down. Su Qingwan clutched the sheets beneath her, screaming in agony. Her body was soaked with sweat, just like the relentless rain outside. Suddenly, a blinding flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Then, the cry of a baby was heard.

When the wet nurse shakily placed the baby before Su Qingwan, Su Qingwan's already pale face turned even paler. She pressed her lips tightly together, staring intently at the gradually quieting infant. Then she closed her eyes tightly. When she opened them again, her eyes held a mixture of command and pleading as she looked at the wet nurse: "Remember. He is your young master..." Perhaps because of the loud thunder outside, the wet nurse couldn't even feel her own heartbeat.

Su Qingwan named her child Lin Suyang. Su Lianting was a hidden figure, unknown to anyone. Yang Siyu's silken makeup was like raindrops.

The household learned that a young master had been born, so they took the mother and child back home. However, they still lived in the secluded west courtyard, with only two maids assigned to serve them. After they moved in, Su Qingwan had the only gate leading to the mansion sealed off and opened a small door on the other side, facing a shimmering lake filled with lotus flowers. In summer, the entire courtyard was filled with the fragrance of lotus blossoms.

Every year on New Year's Eve or Minister Lin's birthday, the people in this courtyard would have the opportunity to gather with the rest of the household. However, at these times, Su Qingwan would always prevent Lin Suyang from seeing anyone, citing his frail health. Therefore, Lin Suyang hadn't seen his father until he was seven years old.

At the age of seven, Lin Suyang finally saw his father for the first time at Su Qingwan's funeral. The lean but rather handsome man, along with his two wives, came and went in a hurry. Lin Suyang just sat obediently to the side, blankly thinking that if he were a doctor in modern times, perhaps Su Qingwan would immediately sit up in her coffin. The cruel reality was that he was no longer Gu Xiaoan; he was Lin Suyang.

Lin Suyang's life remained largely unchanged, except that he now had a tutor who only knew how to shake his head and sway his body. This tutor was extremely serious and rigid, but his virtuous image as an ancient gentleman was utterly destroyed when Lin Suyang witnessed him wolfing down his food when he was starving.

When Lin Suyang finished reading all the books Su Qingwan had left in the room, he realized that four years had passed quickly. In those four years, he had never seen Lin Cheng again, only hearing from the two maids below that he had taken two more concubines—for the sake of continuing the family line.

The Minister's mansion has two young masters: Lin Suyang and his younger brother Lin Ziyan, who is a year younger than him and whom he has never met. Lin Suyang is born to the Second Madam Lin. As the eldest son, Lin Cheng is often overlooked, which is why he has married repeatedly. Perhaps it was Heaven's compensation to Su Qingwan that Lin Cheng was left childless. This led him to remember that there was a son in the rarely visited West Courtyard. So, with great fanfare, he brought Lin Suyang to live with Lin Ziyan.

The young masters of the Lin family were allowed to live in their own courtyards after the age of ten. Lin Suyang, due to Su Qingwan's departure, gained his freedom at the age of seven. Judging from the environment Lin Ziyan lived in, this second young master of the Lin family was quite pampered. The place was more than twice the size of Lin Suyang's west courtyard, and it had pavilions, terraces, flying eaves, and waterfalls—the servants said it was the best location in the entire Lin mansion. Lin Suyang's lips curled into a slight sneer; this Minister's mansion was truly wealthy beyond measure.

The moment ten-year-old Lin Ziyan saw Lin Suyang, she rushed over and hugged him, saying, "Brother, you're so beautiful." Indeed, even before he grew up, Lin Suyang had the potential to be extraordinary. How could someone who could make even his own father look a little dazed be ordinary-looking? The answer is no.

Lin Cheng finally began to place all his hopes on his two sons, not only hiring the best tutor in Yundu at great expense but also frequently instilling in them political theories. However, Lin Suyang continued to casually stroll to his study and then leisurely wander to the garden. His indifference infuriated Lin Cheng, who was striving to be a "good" father, to the point that he would drag Lin Suyang out for berating him every few days. Lin Suyang, determined to be a good son, stayed up until noon every day, refusing to even set foot in his study. This tug-of-war lasted for a month until Lin Cheng finally realized that "this child is beyond redemption, a piece of rotten wood that cannot be carved," and thus shifted his focus to his younger son, simply letting Lin Suyang be, after all, he was his own flesh and blood.

Lin Suyang's freedom issue was resolved, but another problem remained unresolved: Lin Ziyan had become a constant shadow, always sticking to him, even snuggling into Lin Suyang's bed at night with his pillow. Finally, one day, Lin Suyang couldn't take it anymore: "Yan'er, you've grown up." Lin Ziyan nodded: "Yes, Yan'er has grown up, so I want to sleep with my brother." Lin Suyang gave up completely.

Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye, and those who were meant to grow up have all grown up.

Lin Suyang lay quietly on the couch by the window, reading. Warm air streamed in through the open window, and he could see dust motes dancing in the sunlight. When he reached a particularly engaging part, a slight smile played on his lips. The golden light illuminated his face, making him appear incredibly alluring. His long, thick eyelashes trembled gently, casting shadows that obscured his bright, almond-shaped eyes, highlighting his exquisitely handsome features with captivating charm. A thin blue gauze robe slid lightly across the soft quilt as he turned the pages, and a few strands of his dark hair cascaded gracefully across his chest. This was the scene that greeted the nanny as she entered with tea.

"Young master, it's still chilly, you should take good care of yourself." The nanny said as she placed the tray on the desk next to her.

Lin Suyang looked up at his wet nurse and smiled, while the wet nurse was momentarily stunned. To hide her embarrassment, the wet nurse immediately blushed, lowered her head, and said, "This servant will have someone fetch water for the young master's bath right away." Since the wet nurse came to live with Lin Suyang, her status had risen rapidly, and Lin Cheng's indulgence of Lin Suyang had made the servants look at this wet nurse, who had watched the young master grow up, with new respect. Lin Suyang also regarded the wet nurse as the closest person to him in the world. The wet nurse felt fortunate to have such a good master, but at the same time, the secret that had haunted her for many years often filled her with dread.

Bucket after bucket of hot water was poured into the waist-high bathtub, and rising steam swirled in the cool air. Lin Suyang closed the door and walked to the wooden tub. She reached out and gently untied the ribbon around her waist. The smooth blue robe slipped down her porcelain-white skin, revealing a white bodice. She loosened the bodice again and again until she was completely naked before slowly stepping into the tub.

Lin Suyang breathed a sigh of relief; only at this moment did he truly feel like himself.

She raised her hand and gently stroked the face that was both familiar and unfamiliar to her; she had almost forgotten that it had a name: Gu Xiaoan.

For seventeen years, she lived in another body with a soul that didn't belong to this world, constantly hiding her gender and wearing an ever-tightening corset. Should she blame Su Qingwan for her presumptuous arrangements, or should she reflect on how fortunate her fate was?

Lin Suyang sighed, resting her alabaster arms on the edge of the bathtub. What should she do now?

Volume One, Peach Blossoms, Chapter Two: Hearing the Sound First

The capital city of the Great Yang Kingdom, Yundu, has three famous places: the imperial city, which is also the central hub of the Great Yang Kingdom; the Bai Xun Pagoda on Xiangkong Mountain; and the Liu Ci Alley in the eastern part of Yundu.

The reason why Liuci Alley is as famous as the Imperial City is not only because of its excellent geographical location, but more importantly, because it plays a pivotal role in the entire Yundu and even the whole country.

Willow Lane is bordered by Ping'an Street, lined with art galleries, to the left, and the most bustling East Market of Yundu to the right. The lane is not deep but is more than ten meters wide, with bookshelves lining both sides. If you stand at the entrance of the lane, you can hear the sounds of playing the zither and reciting poetry. This is a gathering place for literary talents.

Among these people were many with lofty ambitions, and of course, many others came simply because of its reputation. Once inside Willow Lane, anyone could speak freely without fear of being imprisoned for inappropriate remarks. Therefore, if someone had opinions about national affairs or was dissatisfied with a certain official, they could speak freely. However, those who could utter such "treasonous" words must have unique insights; otherwise, no one could guarantee that they could survive peacefully after leaving this place.

At the Tianxia Teahouse, a storyteller, fan in hand, was speaking eloquently, spittle flying from his lips: "Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin, could you please answer a question? Which young master in Yundu is the most handsome?" The audience murmured amongst themselves, "It must be the second young master of the Prime Minister Wang's family. I hear that even before he's sixteen, suitors have been lining up at his door, many of them daughters of princes and nobles." "It should be the current Ninth Prince. He's as handsome as Pan An, and a foreign princess once declared she would marry no one but him." "If you ask me, the most handsome one is Feng Hanyu of Guangyue Pavilion. Not only is he exceptionally handsome, like a celestial being descended to earth, but his talent is unmatched. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the number one young master of the Great Central Plains." "I guess it's the son of Vice Minister Li..." "It's the young master of the Qian family..."

"Ahem, ahem," the storyteller tapped the table with his paper fan, interrupting the chattering crowd below. "Wrong, wrong, wrong, I don't think anyone can guess who that person is..." The storyteller, feigning ignorance, slowly picked up a cup of tea and began to sip. The crowd below, impatient, shouted, "Tell us quickly, don't spoil the fun!" "Yes, tell us who he is." The storyteller put down his teacup and cleared his throat: "He is the eldest son of Minister Lin Cheng, the Minister of Rites. This man is handsome with bright eyes and white teeth, his brows and eyes sparkling, even more beautiful than those femme fatales..." Before he could finish speaking, the crowd below started clamoring again: "Nonsense! I've seen Minister Lin's son; he's handsome and talented, but not as beautiful as you say, the most beautiful man in Yundu." "Yes, I heard Minister Lin only has one son, where did this eldest son come from?" "Right, right, I've heard that too."

"Quiet, quiet," the storyteller waved his hand, displeased, to stop them from continuing. "What do you know? This young master Lin's mother is Su Qingwan, the top courtesan of the Quan Yi Fang eighteen years ago!" These words awakened everyone. Back then, Su Qingwan, the talented courtesan of the Quan Yi Fang, was famous throughout Yundu. Many young talents were captivated by her, and everyone considered it an honor to be Su's confidante. But later, for some reason, Su Qingwan gave up her luxurious life and married into the Lin family, and then there was no news of her. "Su Qingwan was truly blessed after marrying into the Lin family. I heard that Lord Lin was worried that his beloved concubine would still be coveted by others, so he doted on her, not even letting her step out of her room. Later, it is said that Su Qingwan died of illness not long after giving birth to the eldest son of the Lin family. Lord Lin was heartbroken and fell ill with longing for her. In the end, he cherished the child left by his beloved concubine like a precious treasure, not wanting anyone but himself to see him, until the eldest son of the Lin family came of age. That's why you don't know." The storyteller spoke with great confidence. At this moment, someone asked, "This is a family matter of the Lin family. How do you know about it?" "Hehe, who am I? Many of my relatives work in those prestigious families. Finding out information is a piece of cake for me." The storyteller laughed smugly, his paper fan whirring loudly.

At that moment, everyone in the building was engrossed in their discussion, and no one noticed the two people sitting at a table in the corner.

One of the young men in brocade robes shook his head as he listened: "These people..." Another man, also dressed in a brocade robe with piping, simply smiled and lowered his head to drink his tea.

It was still early, and lanterns were already hanging high in Guangyue Pavilion in Liuci Lane. Inside the large hall, many literati were either reciting poems or drinking wine and lost in thought.

Guo Qing hurriedly ran from the back to the bookshelf, shook his hands, and began searching through the shelves row by row with his head down. This morning, the young master had asked him to find those two musical scores and deliver them, but he had been playing and missed the deadline. If he had been any later, he would probably have been scolded again.

Just as he was searching, sweating profusely, the once bustling hall suddenly fell silent. He stopped and looked around, noticing everyone's gaze was fixed in one direction. Guo Qing turned his head and saw a person standing in the doorway, backlit. Upon recognizing the person, Guo Qing heard himself gasp. Three words immediately flashed through his mind: Not human.

Lin Suyang was dressed in a plain, monochrome outfit. A wide belt concealed his slender waist, and he wore a white shirt with piping over it. Though not tall, his dashing and debonair air was enough to captivate anyone. The moment he stepped inside, he immediately attracted countless admiring glances. He ignored them, looked around, and then turned to walk towards Guo Qing, who was closest to him.

"Do you know where Young Master Feng Hanyu is?"

Guo Qing saw the person at the door walking towards him. His heart pounded faster. He stared blankly at the increasingly large, exquisitely beautiful face, unable to utter a word.

Seeing Guo Qing's expression, Lin Suyang frowned. He raised his voice again and asked, "Please inform Young Master Feng Hanyu that the person who wrote the visiting card three days ago has arrived."

Guo Qing finally came to his senses. A visiting card? If he remembered correctly, three days ago, someone claiming to be an underling from Minister Lin's residence delivered a visiting card. It said that the eldest son of the Lin family would personally visit Young Master Feng Hanyu in three days. A letter was also attached. The contents of the letter were unknown to outsiders. It was only surprising that someone as aloof and indifferent as his young master would agree. It seemed this eldest son of the Lin family was no ordinary person.

Guo Qing suddenly looked up: "You...you're Young Master Lin...? My...my young master is...here behind." This kid, he couldn't even speak clearly. He seemed to realize his blunder, blushing and stammering, "Please come with me." Before Lin Suyang could react, he turned and walked away. Lin Suyang was stunned for

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