Scheming Through the Palace 035: Deep Sisterly Love

  "Shi Ningxiang, I thought you knew I was coming and didn't dare to come, but it turns out you were hiding here, showing off your talents again, aren't you?"

  As the voice approached, a hint of regret flashed in Gu Ling's eyes, and his gaze turned to Liao Qingyun, who was staring at the newcomer with a thoughtful expression. He looked up at the person, compared to Lin Yingying's elegant and intelligent appearance and Shi Ningxiang's icy smartness.

  The person who came with a slightly displeased expression was slightly inferior in both appearance and dress, not enough to be charming, but also enough to be called slender and elegant.

  Her age should be similar to Shi Ningxiang's, a young girl who has not yet reached adulthood.

  Seeing them on the scene, the little girl's displeasure turned into surprise, and when her eyes swept to Qingyun beside him, her surprised face was even more pale, and she seemed to be uncomfortable all over.

  "You... how did you end up here? Aren't you the one who hates attending parties the most?"

  Gu Ling raised an eyebrow and glanced at Liao Qingyun. This little girl and Qingyun are probably more than just acquaintances, aren't they?

  Liao Qingyun did not make a sound, but instead looked at her with a profound and contemplative gaze.

  People who came under his gaze had a flicker in their eyes and dared not meet his gaze.

  Shi Ningxiang's voice was somewhat sarcastic, with a hint of irony: "Tao Feiyu, don't you think it's very impolite to disturb others without permission? Or is this the kind of upbringing that the Tao family provides?"

  Gu Ling's mind moved...

  In response to Shi Ningxiang's sarcastic remarks, Tao Feiyu merely furrowed her brow but didn't pay attention to her.

  Liao Qingyun didn't make a sound, she just stared at her with an unfathomable expression.

  Tao Feiyu subconsciously looked away, as if recalling something, and then suddenly raised her head to glare at him, her voice rising in a fierce tone: "Liao Qingyun, have you become mute? Why aren't you speaking?"

  "With a flash of his eyes, he politely stood up and introduced himself: 'I am Gu Ling from Far West.'"

  Tao Feiyu only then shifted her gaze to him, sizing him up from head to toe before saying: "So it's Master Gu. I apologize for my earlier rudeness."

  "Miss Tao, don't be polite, please sit down." Gu Ling stretched out his hand and invited her.

  Tao Fei Yu glanced at Liao Qing Yun with a slanted gaze, her expression turning cold: "No need, there's someone who doesn't welcome me."

  "Seventh sister..." Lin Yingying hastily arrived, her face still bearing a hint of anxiety.

  Liao Qing's voice was faintly heard: "Gu brother, don't you still have something to attend to?" Today's harvest exceeded his expectations.

  Gu Ling glanced at the sky and nodded: "Indeed."

  Today's harvest is only this, although there is some regret, but overall it was not a wasted trip. He wanted to figure out the 'little girl's thoughts' between Da Gong Zhu and Shi Ning Xiang, but it's impossible here at Shi Ning Xiang's place. Since that's the case, staying here would just be a waste of time, which he doesn't have to squander right now.

  It was said that the two had a farewell intention, Lin Yingying was slightly surprised: "The two gentlemen just arrived for a moment and want to leave?"

  "Gu Ling is indeed rude, but Gu has something urgent on his mind and really..."

  Shi Ning Xiang smiled and said, "Yingying sister, don't make it difficult for them. Gu Gongzi has an imperial decree on his body, how can he have the leisure to appreciate plum blossoms? I'm afraid he's in a hurry to go back and dig out those old wheat and sesame seeds to dry."

  "Shi Ningxiang, what did Master Gu do to offend you, that you speak with such a tone?" Tao Fengyu said, unable to bear the sight.

  "Taofeng Yu, where did I offend you again? Why do you speak to me with such a sarcastic tone as soon as you see me? Could it be that you have your eyes on Gu Gongzi?"

  "You..." Tao Feiyu's eyes seemed to be spitting fire.

  "Xiang Xiang, Xiao Qi, stop quarreling, don't make Lord Gu and Lord Liao laugh." Lin Yingying softly persuaded.

  The two people who had been on high alert simultaneously let out a cold hum and fell silent.

  Gu Ling and Liao Qingyun stood up in perfect sync, slightly bowing their heads: "Goodbye."

  Lin Yingying's face showed some disappointment: "Just now, I had already asked my maid to inform my father, and he should be on his way here. However, since the two gentlemen still have something to attend to, I won't keep you, please feel free to go!"

  Gu Ling smiled slightly: "Please also convey to Mr. Lin that today Gu Mou came uninvited and left without a word, both of which are impolite. When Gu Mou's affairs are settled, he will certainly come to visit and apologize."

  "Lord Gu is so polite, how could the Lin family dare to accept? I'll see off the two young masters with respect." said Lin Yingying as she bowed.

  The two stood up, bowed their heads and bid farewell, turning to go down the stairs. Liao Qingyun suddenly said with profound meaning: "It wasn't until today that I realized that Miss Shi and Miss Tao are actually... deeply affectionate sisters."

  Gu Ling seemed to be startled, taking a step back and looking at the three people whose expressions changed due to Liao Qingyun's words. His gaze swept across their faces before smiling and nodding, then continued walking forward.

  As the two of them came out of Mei Garden, they saw that the entrance was still crowded with horse-drawn carriages coming and going, and the young masters and misses from various families were all excited and delighted about this plum blossom banquet.

  Liao Qingyun leaned lazily against the carriage wall: "What does Brother Gu think?"

  Gu Ling's smile on his face faded, and his eyes were slightly contemplative: "Rumors in the streets are not credible, but they are not entirely false either. Today's discovery is indeed beyond my expectation." Emotionally and rationally, the Tao and Shi families should not be able to get along peacefully, but then there appeared a Lin family in between. What role does this Lin family want to play?

  Just thinking about Tao Fengyu helping Shi Ningxiang out of trouble earlier made Liao Qingyun's eyebrows knot into a rope.

  Gu Ling looked at him and said: "Miss Tao's family and Brother Qingyun are?"

  "Taofei Yu is the seventh in line, and I am the legitimate daughter of the fourth house of the Tao family. My mother and Mrs. Tao of the second house were once close friends, and when I was with the fifth young lady, they jokingly mentioned that we should be engaged, but when we went to the temple to draw lots, we drew a very unlucky sign. The interpreter said that our eight characters were incompatible and not suitable for marriage, so both families felt it was inauspicious and naturally dropped the idea of engagement."

  Gu Ling smiled lightly: "I didn't know that Qing Yun and the Tao family had such a deep connection."

  Liao Qingyun furrowed her brow: "The marriage between the two families was already doomed, but my mother and Madam Tao were still close. When I was young, she would often take me to the Tao residence, where Tao Feiyu, who is four years younger than me, would play with me. She was the youngest daughter of the Tao family and was doted on by everyone. She was also very mischievous, just like a boy, and we were familiar with each other... until seven years ago, when Fifth Miss Tao passed away. Madam Tao was so grief-stricken that she blamed her death on me, which left my mother feeling resentful. From then on, the two families severed ties."

  Gu Lingwei was surprised, but then understood. He had heard Mr. Liao say that Qingyun had been fascinated by the art of divination since childhood and was most often in contact with the dead. People generally have a taboo against death and are reluctant to talk about it. It just so happened that they encountered the matter of the fifth young lady, and Mrs. Tao's excessive grief and ignorance made her believe in the words of the fortune teller, which was not hard to understand.

  Although the relationship between Liao and Tao families is hard to continue, in these seven years, occasionally I still meet Tao Fengyu at some banquets. As long as I am there, Tao Fengyu will definitely avoid me, but today Tao Fengyu seems to be unaware of it and bumps into me... Liao Qingyun's face becomes slightly worried.

  Gu Ling could understand Qing Yun's feelings: "The pavilion for viewing is surrounded by emptiness on all sides, and it's very close, even the people in the opposite building can see clearly."

  Liao Qingyun nodded: "Tao Feiyu indeed came to help Shi Ningxiang out of trouble." Every move of Gu Ling in the capital was under the eyes of countless people, yesterday he went to the Crown Prince's mansion and entered the palace, today he appeared in Mei Garden, what is his purpose? Everyone knew it in their hearts!

  As the daughter of the Tao family, Tao Feiyu naturally couldn't have been unaware that he had brought Gu Ling to see Shi Ningxiang. Yet she seemed to appear coincidentally, and at first glance, it seemed reasonable, but upon closer thought, it was actually too far-fetched; Tao Feiyu wasn't someone who lacked discernment.

  "Today, Mei Garden set up a flower banquet, inviting all the princes and nobles, officials and wealthy merchants' sons and daughters. According to my status, although I am not a native of the capital, my family in the distant west is also a respected family, let alone having a cousin named Huai Wang in the capital. However, no one invited me to the banquet, so I went uninvited. At the scene, none of the talented men and women came forward to greet me, which shows that my current status and situation have become something that everyone in the capital avoids." Tao Fengyu really had no reason to rush in just to fight with Shi Canghai, disregarding external factors.

  Liao Qingyun smiled faintly: "Today I see that the water in the capital is too deep, Brother Gu can be careful, it's not a good idea to force it."

  Gu Ling smiled faintly: "Thanks to Qingyun brother's reminder, I have a number in my heart. Ah, the eldest princess once lived in the Shi family for a year, why is that?" Moreover, this matter was not even listed in the volume, nor did anyone mention it to him, was there any hidden truth in this?

  When he asked about this matter, Liao Qing was silent for a moment before saying: "This matter involves Yuanyou Princess, and also involves the Holy Empress Yuan and the Liu family. It's naturally a taboo topic, so no one will discuss it." Even though five years have passed, in the imperial court and the harem, everyone still changes color when they hear about it. Not long ago, the Emperor punished Consort Liang and the Fourth Princess, just because the Fourth Prince mentioned a word about the Worry-Free Palace.

  Gu Ling's face tightened at the mention of the Liu family, his lips pursed into a straight line.

  Liao Qingyun looked at Ling Shen and knew what he was thinking, helplessly sighing: "If the root of the problem really lies in the year when the Grand Princess was five years old and lived in the Shi family, then... some deliberately buried and ignored history will have to be dug up again."

  Digression

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