The Flower Mountain Festival was one of the most significant celebrations in the Miao Territory. It was a grand gathering where the Miao People prayed for favorable weather and bountiful harvests. It was also a matchmaking event for young men and women of the Miao Family.
Early in the morning, the people of White Miao Village donned their most festive attire, carried wine and musical instruments, and set off for Flower Sea Mountain to celebrate this grand festival.
The Miao people placed great importance on tradition, especially the Flower Mountain Festival.
At Cerys’s home, everyone was preparing meticulously for the festival. Cerys dressed in a brand-new Miao outfit, her clear brows and beautiful eyes making her look enchanting.
She had just bathed, and her long, wet hair was tied up with a gleaming silver ornament. Silver accessories adorned her head, neck, chest, and wrists, casting a faint silver glow that made her skin look radiant and her face as beautiful as jade.
Around her waist was a white jade belt, without any silver decorations but embroidered with two lively red butterflies.
Cerys’s stunning beauty amazed everyone, especially Eileen, who looked on enviously.
Though Eileen was also beautiful, her demeanor was more composed and heroic. She had often fantasized about dressing up like an ordinary girl and walking hand in hand with her beloved down the street.
But she was Eileen, the fearsome warrior of Adrakmore!
“Cerys looks like a celestial being. I bet many young men will propose to you at this Flower Mountain Festival,” Eileen teased.
“Eileen, don’t tease Cerys. She’s not as beautiful as you.”
Cerys blushed and stole a glance at Quentin, but he didn’t seem particularly impressed, which left her feeling a bit disappointed.
“Cerys, do Miao women always wear silver accessories with their Miao clothing?” Quentin asked curiously.
Henry laughed and said, “Quentin, you don’t understand the customs of Miao Village! The Miao People love silver because it’s as pure as the moon.”
Aimee added with a smile, “Since Cerys was born, we’ve been saving up silver for her.”
“For major festivals and her wedding day, we dress her in all the silver we’ve saved over the years. The more she wears, the more honored she is. That’s the rule!”
“But it’s been tough for our family. Over the years, we’ve only managed to get her one new silver bracelet. The rest are heirlooms from her ancestors.”
Indeed, upon closer inspection, most of Cerys’s silver accessories showed signs of wear, indicating they had been passed down through generations.
Seeing her parents’ teary eyes, Cerys quickly said, “Father, Mother, I don’t need silver rings or bracelets. I just want you both to be healthy and for our family to stay together forever.”
Her heartfelt words moved everyone to tears.
Eileen and Quentin also felt a pang of homesickness.
“Cerys, why don’t you and Quentin wear our Miao clothing to Flower Sea Mountain this time?” Cerys suggested.
“We’d rather not. We’re not used to wearing Miao clothing,” Quentin politely declined.
“Quentin, you must wear Miao clothing this time to avoid being recognized as outsiders by other tribes. You know how Miao Village is wary of outsiders,” Cerys explained apologetically.
“No problem, I understand.”
“If that’s the case, do you have extra Miao clothing for us?” Quentin asked, not wanting to embarrass Cerys’s family during the festival.
“We don’t have new Miao clothing, but you can wear my parents’ old outfits from when they were young. Is that okay?” Cerys asked.
“As long as your parents don’t mind, we’re fine with it,” Quentin replied with a smile.
“They don’t mind. Those were the clothes we wore on Flower Mountain Festival when we were young,” Henry said nostalgically, looking lovingly at Aimee and gently holding her hand. Aimee smiled shyly, reminiscent of her younger self.
Cerys led Quentin and Eileen to separate rooms to change into the old Miao clothing. When they came downstairs dressed in Henry and Aimee’s youthful attire, they looked stunning, drawing admiration from everyone.
Quentin’s handsome appearance in Miao’s clothing made him look even more dashing and dignified. Eileen wore a narrow-sleeved blouse with silver trim on the sleeves and a pleated skirt with colorful embroidery that highlighted her fair skin and elegant figure. Silver accessories adorned her head, neck, chest, wrists, and ankles, jingling softly like a melodious mountain stream.
Her delicate features and graceful movements made her look like a warm spring breeze. The traditional Miao outfit accentuated her mature beauty.
Seeing Quentin’s gaze on her, she blushed. She couldn’t remember the last time she had dressed up like this.
The two of them looked so natural in Miao clothing that they could easily be mistaken for a pair of childhood sweethearts from the Miao Family.
“Quentin looks just as handsome as I did when I was young! And Eileen is as beautiful as Aimee was back then!” Henry joked, making everyone laugh.
The people of White Miao Village set off for Flower Sea Mountain, led by Patriarch Rodney, Wizard Eric, and Elder Ahmed. Quentin and his friends followed closely behind.
The path was steep and difficult to climb, but the villagers moved quickly, familiar with the terrain.
Halfway through their journey, they encountered a narrow stone path leading to Black Miao Village. Passing through Black Miao Village was necessary to reach Flower Sea Mountain.
High on the cliffs beside Black Miao Village hung hundreds of coffins suspended by ropes. Despite being centuries old, they showed no signs of decay.
Quentin and Eileen were puzzled and asked curiously, “Cerys, what are those?”