Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 610 Second Update (2)

To renovate the Warm Pavilion, Feng Xuxu spent a great deal of effort. The pavilion was not made of green brick, nor was it piled up with adobe. Instead, it was constructed with colored glaze imported from a small country, comprising two layers, inside and out. This design not only insulated well but also allowed one to appreciate the flowers inside while still being able to see the outside. Feng Xuxu really enjoyed nestling here in winter, lying on the soft couch, drinking tea, basking in the sun, and admiring the scenery. When free, she would read dispatches and sample fresh fruit. If she felt sleepy, she could lie down for a nap without feeling cold. It was truly a delightful way to live.

Dugu Chen had once envied her a great deal, wishing he could huddle here every winter day as well. Unfortunately, wishes often went against reality, with endless memorials to review.

Through the colored glaze, Yingsu spotted Zhu Lengqing followed by Xiao Jiazhen and thus leaned down to whisper into Feng Xuxu’s ear, "Empress, they have arrived."

"Mm," she replied softly, then picked up the floral tea from the table and took a sip, dispelling a bit of the chill on her body.

The moment Xiao Jiazhen entered the Warm Pavilion, a wave of heat enveloped her, along with a faint fragrance. Passing through the arched bead curtain and weaving through a small cluster of flowers, she finally saw the Empress leisurely reclining on the couch, savoring her tea: "Xiao Jiazhen pays respects to the Empress, may Your Majesty be in peace."

Hearing her, Feng Xuxu gently placed her cup down, smiled slightly, and said, "Rise." When she saw Jiazhen stand up, Feng Xuxu beckoned to her.

"Don’t stand there; come and sit." Seeing her shy smile, Feng Xuxu was reminded of the time before her marriage when she hosted guests, and Jiazhen, along with Fo Conghui, approached her asking for floral tea. It had been nearly four years since then. Now, she saw that Jiazhen had grown into a stunningly beautiful young woman.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Jiazhen said as she bowed and then walked over with a graceful lotus step, settling down lightly.

Feng Xuxu waved her hand, and Zhu Lengqing led the other palace maids out of the Warm Pavilion to the flower room. After serving the tea, Yingsu also quietly exited, leaving only the two of them in the Warm Pavilion.

"From now on, you can just call me cousin-in-law; referring to me as Empress always seems so distant."

Jiazhen looked at Feng Xuxu in surprise and then, seeing a gentle smile in her eyes, shyly called out, "Cousin-in-law."

"Mm, that’s better. Try this floral tea; it’s even better than the one from back then."

Jiazhen, remembering that moment, blushed with embarrassment: "Cousin-in-law still remembers." She bit her lip, looking bashful.

"Hehe, how could I forget? Back then, you two were so lively and endearing."

Jiazhen felt uneasy from Feng Xuxu’s comments, so she bowed her head, picked up the tea cup from the table, and took a sip to mask her discomfort.

Feng Xuxu saw her shyness and shook her head. Indeed, Jiazhen was a reserved girl. Fo Conghui was indeed much livelier than Jiazhen, but she also had the talent for getting into trouble far more than Jiazhen did. Two cousins, one lively, the other composed.

After putting down her tea cup, Jiazhen looked up to admire the marvelously cultivated Warm Pavilion. Feng Xuxu, noting her awed expression, suggested, "Come, let me show you the flowers in the Warm Pavilion. They are all extremely rare; you can’t find them outside, not even in the Summer Garden."

"Really, cousin-in-law?" Jiazhen looked up in amazement, thrilled that she could view the flowers in the Warm Pavilion—something many people envied. On the other hand, she adored flowers deeply. To procure the precious flowers from Summer Garden, she had pleaded with her father for a long time before buying a few pots, even spending nearly a thousand silvers. She almost got scolded to death by her father, but seeing how much she liked them, he eventually let her be.

She personally watered and tended to those flowers every day, never delegating the task to anyone else. It was unexpected to find that the Warm Pavilion contained flowers not even present in Summer Garden. She intended to take this opportunity to admire them thoroughly. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Standing up, she followed Feng Xuxu through the Warm Pavilion, with Feng Xuxu introducing the precious plant species within: "Jiazhen, look, that cluster of pink flowers is the Starburst Flower. Hanging next to it is the Pitcher Grass, a recently cultivated plant that can consume insects. See that large patch of red flowers, the ones with very large blossoms? Those are King Flowers."

"Cousin-in-law, how amazing! This plant can actually eat insects; it’s unimaginable!" Jiazhen fixated on the Pitcher Grass above her head and inspected it closely. It appeared like a large belly, and when touched, it felt no different from a leaf, except for a lid on top. How did it eat insects? Puzzled, she looked up and inquired, "Cousin-in-law, it has no teeth or tongue; how does it consume insects?"

Feng Xuxu chuckled briefly before explaining, and picked the Pitcher Grass, then took a stick used for turning soil and gently opened the lid: "Look, its rim curls inwards. If you lean in a bit closer, can you smell something sweet and fragrant?"

"Yes, a little." Jiazhen fanned with her hand; the sweet scent was not too potent, just a faint and pleasant one.

"Right, that’s how it’s meant to be. Some small insects, drawn by this sweet scent, will crawl over. Initially, they might eat the nectar secreted by the walls at the mouth. As they eat and crawl in deeper, they’ll fall inside, get stuck in the sticky liquid, and be unable to escape, ultimately becoming the Pitcher Grass’s meal."

"So that’s how it works, fascinating!"

Feng Xuxu smiled, "This plant isn’t too difficult to grow. When you leave, take one with you. Next spring, you can observe it yourself at home."

"Really? That’s wonderful, thank you, cousin-in-law." Overjoyed, she placed the Pitcher Grass down, her face beaming with radiance.

Feng Xuxu chuckled, "What’s there to thank me for? We have plenty here; whatever you like, I can have someone send it to you later."

After the tour, Jiazhen truly had her eyes opened; her gaze lingered on those flowers for a long time.

As the two sat down again, Feng Xuxu saw that Jiazhen’s eyes were still revolving around the flowers, so she shook her head and asked, "Jiazhen, why didn’t your mother come?"