0143 The Golden Winged Envoy (Part 8)

As spring fades in Chang'an, the last vestiges of spring still linger in Xuanyangfang.

Gui Niang gets up early every day, and now that the days are getting longer, she has more energy. She can easily take care of the flowers in the yard. However, spring has turned to summer, and the flowers have changed. She takes a broom and carefully sweeps the fallen flowers on the ground into a dustpan.

After doing all this, she asked her neighbors for help to move the large earthenware vat into the yard, where she was about to prepare to plant the lotus flowers.

Just as she was busy, there was a knock at the door. Gui Niang smiled and gave the neighbor who was helping her a cup of honey water before washing her hands and opening the door.

"Good morning, guest," Gui Niang said softly, her bright crescent-shaped eyes still curved. "It's Sister Shi Xiang from the side of Chief Xi of Kuai Zai Pavilion. What brings you here today?"

Shi Xiang smiled upon hearing this and handed over a string of coins: "Don't call Du Zhi anymore. Miss redeemed herself a few days ago and will no longer be in Kuai Zai Pavilion."

"Ah?" Gui Niang was taken aback at first, then a hint of joy appeared on her face. She was genuinely happy for Xi Yunzhu. "So, what brings you here today..."

"Miss Yunzhu is hosting a farewell banquet today to bid farewell to several familiar ladies in the pavilion. I've come to buy some flowers to add fragrance to the occasion."

"But spring is almost over, what good flowers are left to bid farewell to Miss Yunzhu?"

"There's no need to be picky. After today, Miss Yunzhu, you should first head south to Yuhang to see the rain curtains under the eaves, and then head west to the Tea Horse Road to listen to the camel bells ringing. Now that the world is at peace, where isn't a good place? Since every place is good, picking out any flowers for the farewell party will be auspicious and auspicious!"

Having received Shi Xiang's personal recommendation, Gui Niang was no longer constrained in picking flowers. These flowers would eventually wither with spring, so rather than fade on the branches, she decided to give them all to Miss Yun Zhu as a farewell gift.

Gui Niang saw her neighbor out the door, picked up a woven basket and browsed around in the courtyard for a while until the basket was overflowing with spring colors, then she left the house satisfied.

In a bookstore in Wubenfang, Chen Yu was engrossed in his books.

A few days ago, a great poet traveled to Luoyang and wrote several masterpieces with a flourish of his pen. He was admired by many, and in Luoyang, there was a great scene where "in the markets and alleys, people recited and recited his poems one after another, and even sold them to each other, which were sold far and wide."

It was only after much effort that the poems and essays reached Chang'an. Before other bookstores even received the news, Chen Yu's employer had already obtained them and ordered Chen Yu to carefully copy and organize them so that they could be printed into a book and gain a competitive advantage.

After a busy morning, Chen Yu finally finished sorting through the books and personally delivered them to the rubbing room in the backyard of the bookstore. When he returned, he found a piece of hemp paper pressed on the counter.

He leaned closer to take a look and saw that it read, "Purchase one copy of 'Zhaoming Wenxuan', one copy of 'Sifang Zhishuo', and one copy of 'Nanke Taishou Zhuan', and give them all to Xi Duzhi of Kuaizai Pavilion."

Chen Yu thought to himself: It's not unusual for this person to choose books to give to a beautiful woman, but what's interesting is what he chose. He selected a more serious anthology, a travelogue full of wild charm, and even included a legendary book.

In this way, as long as this Xi Duzhi has even a slight fondness for reading, no matter how picky he is, he should still have some goodwill towards the person who gave him the book.

Chen Yu smiled and shook his head. He was about to ask someone to send the book to Kuai Zai Pavilion when he stretched his neck and looked around. Apart from a cashier and a servant boy sweeping dust with a whisk, none of the other waiters in the bookstore were there.

After a moment's thought, he figured he had nothing else to do, so he might as well lend a hand and deliver it for him.

Chen Yu carefully wrapped the books, tucked them into his bosom, said something to the accountant, and then stepped out the door.

Wubenfang and Pingkangfang stand opposite each other, and you can reach them by crossing a wide road. However, Chen Yu had never been here before, and he was a little disoriented when he got to the neighborhood, wandering around for most of the way before finally finding his way.

Today, the imperial court, the Imperial Academy, and all the other academies are on holiday, and even though it's only noon, there's still a lively atmosphere.

Inside the pavilion, some people were playing drinking games, while others were playing music and reciting poetry. As soon as the sounds of the pipa and konghou began, even the clumsy man with a round belly started to dance the huxuan dance. Some even drank a cup of Shaochun liquor like a cow and then ran wildly to the window, crying out to the canal outside with tearful eyes.

Chen Yu listened for a moment before realizing that the other person was singing, "Miss Yunzhu is leaving today, just like a fairy maiden going to the Heavenly Palace. Why not take me with you?"

Chen Yu chuckled to himself, thinking the other person's poem was so doggerel that it wasn't worth listening to, so he put the book in his pocket and continued walking inside.

As they approached the spiral staircase, they were stopped by a man who looked like a pimp.

"You're so rude! The upstairs are all young ladies' private rooms. In broad daylight, how can you just barge up there like that?"

Chen Yu had never been to such a place before and had no idea about its rules and arrangements. Now that he had been pointed out, he quickly bowed and said apologetically, "My apologies, it was my fault. I came here on someone's behalf to deliver a book to Miss Xi Yunzhu."

The servant looked him up and down, not believing him: "Sending books? You certainly know how to make excuses. But Miss Xi Yunzhu is no longer a member of Kuai Zai Pavilion from today onwards. She says she doesn't want to see anyone, and no one can force her. Don't you see all those nobles from Chang'an being turned away downstairs, crying and wailing?"

Chen Yu knew that the other party had misunderstood him: "I'm not lying to you. I really came to deliver the book, not to take the opportunity to spy on Miss Yunzhu." He handed the book over. "If you don't believe me, I won't go up. I'll just trouble you to give the book to Miss Yunzhu yourself."

After saying this, he cupped his hands in greeting and turned to leave the building.

As Chen Yu walked through the crowd downstairs, a sigh suddenly reached his ears: "It's a pity, back then, Liang Dalang answered Xi Duzhi's question, and everyone thought he was going to win the beauty's heart. Who knew he was a useless person? In the end, Miss Yunzhu still had to leave!"

Everyone agreed, and then someone else said, "I just don't know what it was about that poem that caught Miss Yunzhu's eye, since the parallelism isn't even perfect..."

Mentioning poetry and literature piqued Chen Yu's interest, and he turned to ask, "What kind of poem? Even with its flawed parallelism, it still managed to win this young lady's favor?"

The man smiled, pointed with the tip of his fan, and directed Chen Yu to look in one direction: "The two lines of poetry from that day were copied down and are still hanging up there."

Chen Yu curiously looked in the direction the man was pointing, and in that one glance, his face turned deathly pale.

"At dawn I gazed at the moon over Luzhou, but it hid behind the western mountains; the morning dew chilled the green ant wine."

"May we grow into a wish-fulfilling vine, each bead carrying my longing."

This is clearly his poem!