The Scheming of Sui and Tang Dynasties 033 Plum Blossom Banquet

  "Master, Liao Shaoye has arrived." Gu Qiu walked into the study and said to Gu Ling, who was deeply engrossed in his books.

  Gu Ling raised his head, his face suddenly filled with joy: "Quickly invite him in!"

  Liao Qingyun walked into the study and looked at Gu Ling, who was buried in his books. His unique monotonous voice made it impossible to sense any enthusiasm for this invitation: "I don't know if Brother Gu is interested in the plum blossom banquet?"

  Gu Ling was surprised: "Mei Yuan banquet?" It wasn't until then that he noticed Liao Qingyun wearing a cyan brocade silver silk robe embroidered with precious stones, her hair adorned with a jade pin, looking elegant and refined, like a jade tree in the wind.

  Liao Qingyun turned around and took the invitation from Liao Zhong's hand, slightly raising it: "Every year at the end of winter, there will be big or small plum forest banquets."

  Gu Ling smiled faintly. A person who spent his whole day with the dead, he wouldn't think that he would be interested in such superficial matters: "I wonder who is hosting this banquet?"

  Liao Qingyun's slender fingers gently held the exquisite and elegant invitation card, and directly said: "The Lin family of wealthy merchants in the capital."

  Gu Ling's eyes flickered: "But what about the Lin family, which has marital ties with both the Tao and Shi families?" Such behavior was truly rare.

  "It seems that Brother Gu will soon be familiar with everything in the capital." It was obviously a compliment, but coming from Liao Qingyun's mouth, it somehow didn't sound like one.

  Gu Ling smiled but didn't speak, merely turning his head to look at Gu Qiu: "Change your clothes."

  He bent down to enter the carriage, Liao Qingyun paused slightly, and his mouth curled up imperceptibly. He silently took in the interior decorations of the carriage, sat down on the comfortable soft couch, and leaned back against the headrest with a hint of languor. A faint smile appeared: "Brother Gu is a refined person."

  Gu Ling smiled and said, "Brother Qing Yun is being too kind."

  Liao Qingyun lifted the car window curtain with a folding fan in her hand and watched the scenery outside: "In these two days, although Brother Gu has made progress, he is still in the investigation stage. To obtain evidence, it's probably not easy."

  Gu Ling nodded: "Indeed it's not easy, investigation is easy, collecting evidence is difficult, and presenting evidence is even more difficult."

  "Today at the plum blossom banquet, Qingyun introduced someone to let Gu brother get acquainted."

  "Oh?" Gu Ling raised an eyebrow, but wasn't surprised.

  Liao Qingyun put down the light curtain, facing Gu Lingwei's slightly raised eyebrows, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, nodding: "This talented and beautiful person is indeed well-matched with Brother Gu, this elegant and refined gentleman."

  "Four words 'able to master the green cloud' with both talent and appearance being exceptional, Gu Ling was indeed somewhat curious."

  Liao Qingyun smiled lightly: "Qingyun is deeply honored, able to meet with Brother Gu's trust."

  Gu Ling smiled: "Then I'll take a guess?"

  Liao Qing's eyebrows rose slightly as she raised one hand in a gentle gesture: "Please"

  "This is none other than Miss Shi Congxiang!" The tone was inquiring, but the words were affirmative.

  Liao Qingyun lightly clapped his palms: "It's a pity we didn't meet sooner." He really had never met such a kindred spirit and compatible friend before.

  Gu Ling burst out laughing: "Qing Yun, you're one step ahead! All I can say is, ditto." He hadn't expected that this trip to the capital would lead him to make such a kindred friend.

  "As for Shi Ningxiang, she doesn't disappoint her reputation." Liao Qingyun's words were full of praise, but his tone remained calm and steady.

  "Nevertheless, it is just so." Gu Ling smiled calmly.

  Liao Qingyun smiled faintly at Gu Ling's seemingly casual teasing: "I have had a few encounters with her, Shi Congxiang is quite talented and beautiful, and has a good reputation in the Shi family. She's still young and gets along well with the eldest princess, so she might know something about this case." To him, Pi Xiang was just a dried-up skeleton, and he wasn't interested in Shi Congxiang's talent either. If it weren't for the case, he wouldn't have forced himself to attend these dull and time-wasting banquets again today.

  "Thank you, Qingyun brother!" He was worried that he couldn't get close to the Shi family! Unexpectedly, Qingyun brother gave him such a good opportunity.

  Suburbs, plum garden, carriage stopped, two people got off the carriage, only to see in front of the plum garden, horses and carriages were like dragons, very lively.

  The two got off the horse carriage, and Liao Zhong handed over the invitation card. After reading the invitation card, a middle-aged man who looked like a manager immediately stepped forward respectfully: "Young Master Liao, please!"

  Liao Qingyun nodded slightly: "This is Far West Houfu's Gu Ling, Young Master Gu."

  A middle-aged man heard that it was Gu Ling, his eyes flickered slightly, but quickly returned to normal. He bowed respectfully and said: "Lord Gu's presence is a great honor, I welcome Lord Gu on behalf of the host." Gu Ling humbly replied: "I came uninvited, forgive me for my rudeness."

  "Mr. Gu is being polite." The middle-aged man gave a signal to the maid behind him, and the maid hurried forward and bowed: "Mr. Gu, Mr. Liao, please follow me into the garden."

  Two people followed the maid into the garden, and before long, they saw a large plum blossom garden, with fragrance wafting in, blending with the crisp and cold air, making one not only stop to admire the beauty in front of them.

  "Two young masters, please!" The maid, seeing that they had stopped in their tracks, seemed unsurprised and led the way with a bow.

  Walking through the winding corridor, stepping up to the platform, I arrived at one of the many pavilions built in the midst of the plum forest. These pavilions stand tall in the center of the plum forest, and from a distance, they make you want to exclaim in admiration.

  Gu Ling gazed at the various viewing platforms, some distant, some facing each other, and others extending sideways. He smiled slightly. For over two hundred years since the founding of Dayuan, apart from palace struggles for imperial power, there had been no major wars in nearly two centuries. The people lived in peace and prosperity, and as time passed, it was not just the literati who valued elegance, but also ordinary people who knew to seek refinement, naturally leading to an open and tolerant folk culture.

  At this moment, I see a pavilion for viewing, where scholars and beauties gather in groups, seemingly having a beauty that rivals the plum blossoms before my eyes.

  "Please sit down, young masters. What kind of tea would you like?"

  Gu Ling looked at Liao Qingyun: "What does Brother Qingyun think?"

  Huainan Xiangshan. Liao Qingyun said.

  Gu Ling was taken aback for a moment, then smiled slowly, what a Liao Qingyun.

  "Please wait for a moment, young masters."

  After the maid retreated, Gu Ling stood up and walked to the railing, gazing out at the plum blossoms in front of him: "What do you think, Qingyun?"

  Liao Qingyun's expression was indifferent, and his tone was also nonchalant: "Qingyun is a rough person." Except for studying the bones of the dead, he didn't care about anything else. Even with this case in front of him, he himself wasn't very curious, so when his father forbade him from interfering, he was happy to stay out of it. But now, he was willing to put in a bit more thought, for the sake of Gu Ling, the first person he was willing to befriend, and also for the old favor his father owed the Gu family.

  Gu Ling's mouth curled up, looking at the self-proclaimed "rough man" in front of him who was holding a delicate fan and standing elegantly like a jade tree swaying in the wind. He smiled and said: "Plum blossoms are known as 'high scholars in the snow', along with orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboos, they are praised as the 'Four Gentlemen'. With their curved, leaning, and sparse beauty, Gu Ling dare not claim to be a refined person, but he indeed has a few refined interests in plum blossoms."

  "Hmm, it's obvious." Liao Qingyun was actually not interested in these flowers and grasses.

  "I'm a bit curious, Brother Qingyun, apart from his beloved hobby, what else would he be interested in?" As for being indifferent and detached, I'm afraid he's not as good at it as him.

  Liao Qingyun's somewhat apathetic gaze inadvertently stopped, slightly narrowing her eyes, and the folding fan in her hand, which was used as a prop, lazily pointed: "Currently has some interest in this object."

  Gu Ling Shun glanced away and left. In the pavilion closest to their viewing pavilion, a beautiful woman with a subtle yet elegant demeanor appeared, her beauty was hard to conceal.

  "What is this?"

  "Shi Ningxiang." If no valuable information can be obtained from Shi Ningxiang, things will really get tricky. With only ten days left, unless he doesn't intervene, once he sets his mind to it, he must solve the mystery before he can rest easy.

  "Master, the tea is here."

  A maid who had just gone down came up with a teapot, followed by four maids. The first two held a blue-and-white porcelain plum vase in their hands, and the last two carried white handkerchiefs.

  Gu Ling withdrew his gaze and sat down opposite Liao Qingyun. The two of them had their hands cleaned by the maid, then took a clean handkerchief from the tray to wipe their hands. Only then did they notice that the handkerchief was not plain, but had a blooming plum blossom embroidered on one corner, with petals evenly arranged and fragrance hidden within, looking lifelike.

  He took the tea handed over by the maid, Gu Ling lowered his eyes to appreciate the object in the cup. At the bottom of the white jade porcelain cup, there was also a plum blossom blooming, its posture, scenery and manner were absolutely stunning.

  A hint of surprise flashed across Gu Ling's eyes, he raised his cup and took a light sip, his movements naturally revealing the elegant and refined demeanor of a scholar. He actually wanted to meet the host of this banquet, the master of the Lin Manor, for despite being a merchant family, they had an air of refinement and literary elegance about them.

  But Liao Qingyun, who was facing him, remained indifferent to this carefully arranged elegant matter, and casually put down the teacup in his hand: "Liao Zhong."

  Liao Zhong, who was waiting outside the pavilion, stepped forward: "Young Master."

  "Send someone from the yamen to invite Miss Shi."