Chapter 751: Yi Water Garden
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The Xie Residence was also used to seeing exquisite things. Things that she had personally made were more considerate and personal. The family, which was originally a little unfamiliar with her, immediately became closer to her.
Everyone from the Xie Residence remembered that Yu Youyao was tired after coming all the way here. They didn’t push for any etiquette. After acknowledging her family, they asked Yu Youyao to go back and rest.
As soon as they returned to the main house, Old Madam Xie did not stop and brought Yu Youyao to the courtyard. “You will stay in the Yi Water Courtyard where your mother used to live. It’s by the mountains and rivers. It’s not inferior to the Jade Courtyard in the capital.”
When the Yi Water Garden was built, it imitated the layout of a garden in Suzhou. The mountains, water, residences, and gardens were integrated and lived as one. The scenery was unique.
As soon as Xie Roujia was born, the Xie family hired a famous gardener from Suzhou and spent a huge sum of money to build a garden. It took seven years. As there was a stream that passed through the garden, Old Master named it “Yi Water Garden”.
It was the best courtyard in the Xie Residence.
Xie Roujia had also built the Jade Courtyard after the Yi Water Garden.
Madam Wang also said, “The Yi Water Garden was maintained in the same state when Youngest Aunt got married. We specially sent a maidservant to clean and manage it. Old Madam was worried that you wouldn’t be used to it.
After returning from the capital, she specially hired someone to renovate it.”
The Xie Residence had lived in Quanzhou for generations, and their residence occupied a larger area than the Yu Residence.
They followed the undulating, winding, and wave-like corridor to a new scenery. They also saw small bridges and flowing water. The curved paths were quiet with many turns.
The stone path circled the garden mountain. The ancient trees were lush, the bamboo cypresses were green, and the vines were hanging. Wild flowers were everywhere. When the wind blew, thousands of branches shook in the air, and the greenery was even and refreshing.
As Old Madam Xie walked, she introduced the scenery in the garden. She even mentioned some interesting things about Xie Roujia before she married.
Yu Youyao had liked to hear her grandmother talk about her biological mother when she was young. There were many things that she never grew tired of hearing. She pieced them together bit by bit from these words. She was a beautiful and generous woman.
The biological mother that her grandmother was talking about was more alive than her imagination.
After walking for a while, Yu Youyao saw that not far away, there were buildings of different heights. They were surrounded by mountains and rivers, and there were red and green vines. They were faintly discernible and elegant.
Old Madam Xie pointed ahead. “That’s the main courtyard.”
After passing through a cave door, everything suddenly opened up in front of them. The limestone and tiles were natural. Everything was natural.
Madam Wang explained, “The houses in the main courtyard are all made of limestone from Lantian Mountain. The limestone produced there is jade. It’s cold in summer and warm in winter. It’s used to build houses that are comfortable and nourishing.”
Yu Youyao was shocked.
Mount Lantian was located at the north foot of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi. It was beautiful because it was rich in beautiful jade. One of the four beautiful jade pieces of the Great Zhou Dynasty was produced there.
Bai Juyi had a poem called “Bluestone”. “The bluestone came from Lantian
Mountain and was transported to Changan.”
The limestone was good, and the limestone that came from Lantian Mountain was not rare. What was rare was that it was good luck at the same time. It was difficult and costly.
After entering the courtyard, Yu Youyao immediately saw a tall purple elm tree. The crown was majestic and intertwined, resembling a dragon lying on the ground. On the old and strong branch, there was a green cover that was like a cloud, covering the surroundings with a thick shade.
Yu Youyao suddenly thought of the cut tree in the Jade Courtyard.
Back then, when her mother built the Jade Courtyard, she probably wanted to plant an elm tree in the courtyard.
However, the elm tree symbolized an abundance of money. Yu Zongzheng looked down on his first wife who was from a merchant family. In his eyes, an elm tree was indeed not as elegant as the Parasol Tree.
Yu Youyao felt that it was ironic.
The elm tree in the north was auspicious. Be it in front of the kings pavilion or in the backyard of the commoners, they liked to grow elm trees. The elm trees were elegant and common. They were tenacious and heavy. Since ancient times, they had been widely used.
Seeing her stop under the elm tree, Old Madam Xie sighed softly. “This purple elm was transported from the north and has grovvn for more than a thousand years. I originally planned to plant it in the courtyard. When your mother grew up, I wanted to cut down the tree and use the wood to make an old elm bed for her as a dowry. Who knew that your mother would be reluctant to part with it?”
Elm trees are divided into yellow and purple elms.
Yellow elms were rare. Purple elms were naturally dark purple, and their color was similar to old redwood. They were very rare, and their price was comparable to boxwood.
Elm wood was also known as the longevity tree. It could grow for thousands of years without rotting or deforming. The longer it was used for, the more beneficial it was. It was said that using old wooden elm as a bed could extend one’s lifespan.
Madam Wang also sighed with emotion. “1 watched this old elm tree grow up. In the past, I used to like to play under the tree. Every year, when strings of samaras were tied to the tree, I would always pick them and make them into cakes to eat. Little Yao’er, have you eaten elm cakes before?”
Yu Youyao shook her head. “I’ve never eaten it.”
However, she knew that the elm tree was called a “life-saving tree.” Its roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits were all edible. The elm tree was resistent to dry weather, low nutrients and floods. It would not die after three years of drought.
Usually, elm could be fed to cows and sheep.
Tree bark could be used to wash clothes and hair.
In the wilderness, the bark could be crushed into powder and eaten as food. It would not harm anyone.
The entire body of the elm tree could be used as medicine to calm the mind and nourish the spleen.
An elm tree was filled with useful materials in 30 years. An elm tree was sold for ten taels of silver.
Old Madam Xie hurriedly said, “When you eat the elm fruits raw, they taste a little sweet. Not only can it satisfy your hunger, but it’s also delicious. When the fruits grows on the tree next spring, I’ll let you try them.”
Yu Youyao was looking forward to it, but she knew that she probably wouldn’t be able to eat the elm fruits on this tree.
Seeing that she was a little sad, Madam Wang thought that she was thinking of her biological mother. She quickly said, “Let’s go in and take a look.”
Yu Youyao realized that the layout of the room was similar to the Jade Courtyard, but more elegant. All the furnishings and decorations were based on the Jade Courtyard.
When she suddenly entered the house, she thought that she had returned to the capital.
Old Madam Xie said, “I was worried that you wouldn’t be used to living in Quanzhou when you first came. All the arrangements in the house were made according to the Jade Courtyard. You’ll be more comfortable living in a familiar environment.’
Yu Youyao was touched. “I like it very much. Thank you, Grandmother.”
Everything was so similar to the Jade Courtyard.
However, it was more meticulous than the Jade Courtyard.
It wasn’t that her grandmother wasn’t as meticulous as her grandmother, but that she was much more particular in the capital and had greater scruples. She had to follow rules and etiquette everywhere. It was different from the casual environment far away authorities in Quanzhou.
Madam Wang looked for Auntie Xu to see if there was anything missing from the Yi Water Garden.
The grandfather and granddaughter were talking in the room.
Old Madam Xie said, “Ever since your mother married into the capital, I haven’t had a single day of peace. In the past, 1 was thinking about your mother, but later on, she passed away.” At this point, her eyes turned red and she couldn’t help but cry. Even her voice was hoarse. “1 was thinking about how my poor little granddaughter had lost her mother not long after she was born. A good girl was born earlier than others. She was a little thin and it was as if she wouldn’t be able to recover for a long time. Her biological father was heartless, and her stepmother was unpresentable.. What should she do in the future…
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