The fifth day of the fifth month.
I was woken by the pungent scent of mugwort.
Opening my eyes, I discovered a bundle of mugwort had been inserted into the doorframe at some point. Qingxing was hanging colorful silk threads on the window lattice, standing on a small stool, stretching up on her tiptoes with great effort.
"What is this?" I asked.
"It's the Dragon Boat Festival!" She turned her head, her eyes bright. "Doesn't Lady Lu know?"
I paused.Dragon Boat Festival.
In my world, the Dragon Boat Festival meantzongzi, dragon boat races, and a three-day holiday. But in Florence, none of these existed. May was exam season; the restoration studio was piled high with final projects, coffee cup after coffee cup. Who had the mind to celebrate a festival?
Counting it up, I hadn't properly celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival in many years.
"Lady Lu?" Qingxing's voice pulled me back. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I said. "Let me help you."
I took the colorful silk threads from her hands and tied them neatly in a few moves. She watched from the side and suddenly said, "Lady Lu's hands are so skillful. These threads look much better tied by you than by this servant."
"It's just tying strings."
"That's different," she said seriously. "Everything Lady Lu ties looks good."
I glanced at her. This girl's way of praising people was just like her master's—not very good at beating around the bush.
Arriving at the workshop, I found the Eastern Palace unusually lively today. Eunuchs and maids were coming and going; some carried sweet flag, others brought realgar wine, and yet others carried large baskets ofjiaoshu (pyramid-shaped dumplings).
"Is there a banquet today?" I asked Qingxing.
"Yes," she said. "His Highness is holding a banquet in the Eastern Palace to celebrate the festival with a few close ministers."
I nodded and asked no more. Walking into the workshop and closing the door, the noise outside was immediately cut off.
The lacquer ear-cup was halfway repaired. The rotten wood had been carved clean, and the patch wood was cut. Today, it was time to apply the first layer of base lacquer.
I mixed the raw lacquer and picked up the brush.
Just as I applied the first stroke, the door opened.
"Your Highness, Lady Lu is work—"
"I know."
Liu Che's voice came from the doorway. I didn't look up, nor did I stop the brush in my hand.
Footsteps approached and stopped in front of the workbench.
"Today is the Dragon Boat Festival," he said.
"Mm."
"There is a banquet outside."
"I heard."
"Are you not going?"
"I am not a close minister," I said. "What would I do there?"
He said nothing.
I looked up.
Today he wore light-colored casual robes, no crown, his hair tied loosely. In his hand, he carried a small basket containing severaljiaoshu.
"What is this?" I asked.
Jiaoshu," he said. "I had someone wrap them."
"I know they arejiaoshu. I am asking, why did Your Highness bring them to the workshop?"
He sat in his usual spot—opposite the workbench, on the floor leaning against the pillar. He placed the basket beside him, took out ajiaoshu, and began to untie the string.
"To eat," he said.
"Is Your Highness not accompanying the guests in the main hall?"
"Let them eat on their own." He peeled back the bamboo leaves, revealing the glutinous rice and red dates inside. "I do not wish to listen to them talk."
I looked at thejiaoshu in his hand and said nothing.
"In that place of yours," he took a bite and asked vaguely, "do you celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival?"
I thought for a moment.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because we don't," I said. "May there has no Dragon Boat Festival. There are exams, assignments, and paper deadlines.Jiaoshu must be bought specially in the city; it's too far, too much trouble."
His chewing paused for a moment.
"Then how do you celebrate festivals there?"
"We don't."
"Not a single one?"
"Not a single one."
He looked at me, his expression somewhat strange.
"What about the Spring Festival?"
"Don't celebrate."
"Mid-Autumn Festival?"
"Don't celebrate."
"Then what do you celebrate?"
I thought about it.
"Nothing," I said. "There are no such festivals there. Even if there were, I wouldn't remember. When busy, I don't even remember what day of the week it is."
He was silent for a long time.
Thejiaoshu in his hand, half-eaten, was not eaten further.
"Then you..." He started, then stopped.
"What?"
"Nothing," he said, placing thejiaoshu aside. "Continue repairing your things."
I lowered my head and continued brushing the lacquer.
The workshop fell quiet. Only the sound of the brush touching the wooden core remained.
"Lu Xingye." He suddenly spoke.
"Mm."
"Have you ever laughed?"
My hand paused.
"What?"
"You have been here so long," he said. "I have never seen you laugh."
"I have laughed," I said.
"When?"
"Last time, when the tips of your ears turned red."
He froze.
Then he turned his head away.
I saw it. The tips of his ears were red again.
I lowered my head and continued brushing. The corner of my mouth twitched; I couldn't suppress it.
"You smiled," he said.
"No."
"You smiled."
"You saw wrong."
"I did not see wrong."
I picked up the realgar wine and took a sip to cover it up. The wine was strong, choking me into a couple of coughs.
He laughed aloud opposite me.
Not the restrained laugh from before, but a genuine, youthful laugh. His shoulders shook, and the corners of his eyes curved upward.
"What is so funny?" I asked.
"Nothing," he said, still laughing. "I just think you are quite nice like this."
"Like what?"
"Like a human being."
After saying this, he himself paused.
As if he hadn't thought through why he said it.
He fell silent for a beat, then pushed the mung bean cakes over.
"Taste this too."
I didn't respond, lowering my head to continue brushing.
He didn't urge me, sitting quietly opposite. After a while, he suddenly stood up.
"Wait a moment," he said, then pushed the door and went out.
I looked at the doorway in confusion and continued brushing.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, he returned. In his hands were now a bowl of realgar wine, a plate ofjiaoshu, and a plate of mung bean cakes.
He placed the items one by one on the workbench, next to my tools.
"These are for the Dragon Boat Festival," he said.
"Your Highness, I am working—"
"Eat first, then repair," he looked at me, his tone leaving no room for argument. "One must listen to the client."
I froze.He learns fast.
I put down the brush and picked up ajiaoshu. The bamboo leaves were still warm, the string tied tightly; it took a while to untie. Inside was glutinous rice and red dates, sweet and fragrant.
I took a bite.
The softness of the glutinous rice and the sweetness of the red dates melted in my mouth.
I thought of thezongzi my grandmother used to wrap. Just like this: glutinous rice, red dates, the fresh scent of bamboo leaves.
It had been a long time since I remembered that.
"Is it good?" he asked.
I didn't answer immediately, pausing for a few seconds.
"Mm," I said.
"Then eat a few more."
He sat down opposite me again, watching me eat.
I ate twojiaoshu. He pushed the mung bean cakes over again.
"Taste this too."
"I can't eat anymore."
"Then take them back to eat tonight."
I said nothing.
"Lu Xingye," he called me.
"Mm."
"In the future—"
He stopped.
Silence for a moment.
"Today, spend it here," he said. "Don't stay alone in the workshop."
I looked at him.
"Okay," I said.
He glanced at me.
Then he smiled.
A faint smile, carrying a hint of satisfaction.
When he left, he left the remainingjiaoshu and mung bean cakes behind.
"Remember to eat," he said.
"Mm."
"I will come again tomorrow."
"Tomorrow is not the Dragon Boat Festival."
"I know," he said. "Tomorrow I will come to check if you have finished eating them."
Then he left.
The workshop became quiet again.
I looked at thejiaoshu and mung bean cakes on the workbench, then at the colorful silk threads on the window lattice.Dragon Boat Festival.
In my world, this festival had been forgotten by me for many years. Not in Florence, not there either.
But here, in the Han Palace two thousand years ago, someone remembered.
The sounds of the banquet and music from the distant main hall drifted over, intermittent and indistinct.
I picked up ajiaoshu, untied the bamboo leaves, and took a bite.
The glutinous rice had cooled, but it was still very sweet.
[End of Chapter 6]