The Old Madam Gu usually had the peonies brought to her to admire, and only when the weather was too cold would she pay a visit to the flower room herself.
The flower room was somewhat distant from Songhe Court, but the elderly lady was carried in a sedan chair, well-protected against wind and rain, and found it quite comfortable.
In no time, the sedan chair arrived outside the flower room.
The trusted chambermaid lifted the curtain and helped Old Madam Gu out of the sedan chair.
Old Madam Gu noticed the entrance door was wide open and her gray eyebrows knitted together: "Who's in charge of the flower room today? Aren't they afraid of freezing the flowers to death by leaving the door so wide open?"
The trusted chambermaid quickly sent a servant to check it out.
The servant went inside for a look and came back to report: "The gardener is nowhere to be seen."