Chapter 949 - 954, 955: A Millennium of Love Planted with the Ginkgo Tree (Part 2)

During this time, seeing how lively the city was, Han Anniang asked the Governor of Chongzhou why it was so bustling.

The Governor of Chongzhou told Han Anniang that today was the third day of the third lunar month, and also the local Shangsi Festival.

Every year at this time, the people of Chongzhou City would go in groups to bathe by the water, and then hold rituals, drink at night, float wine cups along winding streams, and go on spring outings in the suburbs.

Young men and women also wore fragrant herbs and went out together, exchanging peony flowers to express their affection.

Chen Mo raised his brows—wasn’t this basically Valentine’s Day.

Han Anniang and Nalan Yiren’s eyes lit up; they couldn’t help looking at Chen Mo, both tempted to go out and have fun with him.

Even Chen Cultivator was somewhat tempted—of course, at his age, what he was thinking about definitely wasn’t romance.

As the Minister of Rites, he felt this Shangsi Festival could be promoted as a nationwide holiday; he planned to find time later to have a good chat about it with the Governor of Chongzhou.

"Then let’s go have a look around and play. But we need to change clothes—right now we’re all in palace attire, far too eye‑catching." Chen Mo said.

"Erlang, but all the clothes we brought are palace outfits..." Han Anniang said in a daze.

Chen Mo didn’t reply; instead, he looked at the Governor of Chongzhou.

The Governor of Chongzhou was first stunned, then could not hide the surge of excitement in his heart. "This official will see to it at once."

In less than half an Hour.

The Governor of Chongzhou had proper outfits sent over for the three of them.

The three changed, then started wandering around Chongzhou City.

Although Chen Mo had told Sun Meng and the others not to follow.

Sun Meng and the others wouldn’t dare really stay away. With the strength of Chen Mo and Nalan Yiren, there was no need to worry about safety, but what if even a minor disturbance arose.

So Sun Meng also led a team, changed into plain clothes, and followed discreetly behind.

Chen Mo noticed.

So after buying two skewers of candied haw for Han Anniang and Nalan Yiren, Chen Mo didn’t pay, and just walked straight on.

The vendor immediately got anxious. "Young master, you haven’t paid yet..."

"I’ve paid for that young master." Sun Meng slapped a few copper coins down on the vendor’s table.

"Wow, these candied haws are so sour." Han Anniang tried one, felt her teeth ache from the sourness, and at once handed her skewer to Chen Mo.

"Not only sour, but a bit astringent too. The hawthorn this boss used must be a shoddy batch." Nalan Yiren ate one, then gave the rest of hers to Chen Mo as well.

Chen Mo tasted one—sure enough.

But he had no intention of quibbling with the vendor over a few coins.

However, when Sun Meng at the back heard this, he said to a soldier in disguise, "You heard that? Go make that boss refund my money."

"Yes, sir."

The soldier went over and explained the situation politely, asking the candied‑haw boss to refund the money.

But the boss refused and started acting tough; it wasn’t long before he was taken down by plain‑clothes constables from the Government Office.

The Governor of Chongzhou had sent people to shadow them as well.

Chen Mo noticed what was happening over there.

So he slowed his steps. When Sun Meng and the others caught up, he stopped and quietly said, "Don’t take his life, and don’t rough him up. Just give him a minor lesson."

...

Following the stream of local young men and women, the three of them arrived at a Daoist Temple.

The Observatory Master of the Daoist Temple was quite good at making money.

Heard that last year’s Shangsi Festival, for the young men and women who came to the temple, they had sold Mandarin Duck Locks.

There was a trestle bridge on the back mountain of the temple; after buying the Mandarin Duck Locks, young couples could lock them onto the iron chains of the bridge, symbolizing never parting and lasting long.

The Mandarin Duck Locks prepared by the temple were all sold out.

This year’s Shangsi Festival, the temple had thought up something new.

Tree planting.

The temple would provide a batch of saplings, with different varieties at different prices.

Young couples who bought saplings could plant them on the back mountain of the temple, with the temple responsible for maintenance.

Not only that, the temple also promised that when they eventually married, they could have that tree dug up for free.

Of course, the saplings provided by the temple were certainly not cheap—dozens of times the market price, clearly including the maintenance costs.

Even so, there were still plenty of buyers, and they had to line up.

Han Anniang bought a ginkgo sapling.

About a meter tall, costing thirty taels of silver.

The Daoist who sold it even claimed the Observatory Master had blessed it.

Even knowing they were being taken advantage of, seeing Han Anniang so happy, Chen Mo was happy to be the sucker.

Chen Mo asked Nalan Yiren if she wanted to buy one.

Nalan Yiren shook her head; she said if they were really going to plant a tree together, it would have to be back in Baiyue.

Nalan Yiren still had a bit of attachment to her homeland.

Chen Mo didn’t press.

After Han Anniang finished planting the ginkgo, Chen Mo found a big rock and set it nearby, then used Innate Spiritual Qi to carve words into the stone.

"The Third Year of Zhenghe, third day of the third month in spring, planted here by Chen Mo and Han Anniang..."

When Han Anniang finished fussing with the tree and saw the words Chen Mo had carved, she asked in puzzlement, "Erlang, why are you carving this?"

Chen Mo stood up, smiling. "A love story that lasts a thousand years—An Niang, just think how romantic that is."

"Hm?"

Han Anniang still didn’t get it. "Erlang, what do you mean, what thousand‑year love story?"

"Do you know the Governor of Chongzhou has had people following us all along?" Chen Mo said.

"Of course, you just said so earlier—it’s to protect us, isn’t it?"

"Exactly. So if the Governor of Chongzhou finds out this tree was planted by us, and that we left our names by it, what do you think he’ll do?"

"He’ll assign people to protect it, maybe even have it carefully tended. And if the common folk learn that this tree was planted here on Shangsi Festival by their Emperor, they’ll definitely come to visit. A hundred, a thousand years from now, this place might well become a scenic spot. Then people will see the words carved on the stone and ask, who is Chen Mo, who is Han Anniang? Why did they plant this tree? What was their relationship..."

Nalan Yiren picked up the thread. But as she spoke, her heart grew a little sour; she regretted not buying a sapling herself.

Though if she had, once people later saw "Chen Mo and Han Anniang," "Chen Mo and Nalan Yiren," it probably wouldn’t be a romantic love story anymore—they’d likely say Chen Mo was a philanderer.

After hearing Nalan Yiren’s words, Han Anniang’s cheeks flushed redder and redder. Overcome with shyness, she said, "Th‑that’s... so embarrassing."

In her mind she even imagined a pair of young lovers arriving here a thousand years later—the girl sees the beautiful ginkgo tree and asks in curiosity, wow, who planted such a pretty ginkgo?

The boy leads her to the big stone, putting on an air of erudition. "This was planted by the founding Emperor of Great Wei, when he passed through Chongzhou City with his Imperial Concubine." Then he starts telling the story of Chen Mo and Han Anniang.

Thinking of this, Han Anniang’s face was already radiant with happiness.

But soon her E Mei knit into a frown; worried, she said to Chen Mo, "Erlang, better not. After all, I used to be your sister‑in‑law. If the people hundreds or thousands of years from now learn about that between us, they’ll mock us."

"It’s fine. A thousand years later, who will care? And the people who come will definitely be here for the romance. No man is going to bring the girl he loves here and then deliberately talk about that—wouldn’t that ruin the mood?" As Chen Mo spoke, he added, "If you’re really worried, I can go find the Governor of Chongzhou later and make up a romantic love story for us, have him spread it around, best if it gets turned into a children’s rhyme."

Han Anniang was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Will... that work?"

"Then we’ll just change your name to Mi’Er." Chen Mo joked.

"Then... let’s do that." Han Anniang said shyly.

Seeing Han Anniang so soft and lovely, Chen Mo couldn’t help leaning in and planting a loud kiss on her cheek.

Han Anniang, flustered, pushed him away with both hands. "There are so many people."

Not only was Nalan Yiren right here, there were lots of common folk not far off as well.

Chen Mo chuckled, then, looking at the silent Nalan Yiren beside him, reached out to take her slender hand. "We’ll plant one in Poison King Valley too, and make up a romantic love story for it."