Chapter 136 Chapter 136 is the only genuine version...
As musicians, they had to turn a deaf ear to whatever the guests said, and they were not allowed to interrupt them or make any noise other than singing and playing.
Gu Zhizhuo raised his eyebrows slightly.
Today, I broke a string and lost my voice.
Two consecutive gaffes are really unusual.
Lady Gui lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
"What's wrong?" Gu Zhizhuo took the white towel handed to him by Awu, "Do you know that girl?"
Sun Tianshou works as a waiter here, maybe you have seen him?
"I just remembered something and disturbed the girls' fun." Madam Gui bowed slightly, her beautiful eyes misty, making it hard to blame her.
Gu Zhizhuo wiped his hands and asked, "Can you tell me?"
Madam Gui raised her eyebrow slightly and said, "If you are willing to listen, it will be no problem."
She leaned the pipa against her shoulder and said, "Have you ever heard of borrowing luck, young lady?"
ah?
Gu Zhizhuo shook her head. She was a follower of the orthodox Taoist sect and knew little about this kind of evil ways.
Even if Ji Nan Ke borrowed the Gu family's luck and merits, it was only because of the favor of heaven, not human power.
"How do I borrow it?"
"Before I came to the capital, I sang in many places," Gui Niang recounted. "One year, while passing through a certain place, I heard a strange story."
"There was a local gentleman named Qiao who, in just ten years, went from being a beggar to becoming one of the richest merchants. Once, while entertaining a banquet, Mr. Qiao got drunk and casually said, 'I've just got some luck.'"
"He said that blood is the soul of a person, and the soul contains destiny. Using blood as a guide, one can borrow a person's destiny."
Xie Danling became nervous when she heard this and grabbed Gu Zhizhuo's sleeve.
"Later, his words were heard and reported to the authorities. They found a secret room in his house containing the bodies of more than ten children, all between the ages of eight and ten. These children had been drained of their blood to death."
Xie Danling's eyes widened, her heart pounding, and she couldn't help but ask, "Is this true?"
Madam Gui smiled and shook her head: "I only heard it, and I don't know whether it is true or not. Just now, the young lady mentioned that the little girl had been bled, and I suddenly remembered this incident."
"And then?"
"I don't know what happened afterwards."
All right. Xie Danling slumped her shoulders and leaned back in her chair. A thought struck her, and she said, "The last time Cousin Xing came here, someone asked to borrow his life span."
Gu Zhizhuo pondered: Is this true?
"When they came back to the capital last time, Cousin Xing picked up a beautifully embroidered purse on the road."
"Why would Cousin Xing pick up a purse?"
"I don't know. It's not important." Xie Danling waved her hand and continued, "There was a small silver ingot in the purse, and a piece of paper. It said, 'I'll borrow your life for ten years.' My aunt was terrified at the time, and she took Cousin Xing to several Taoist temples, giving alms and asking for amulets and other things."
Xie Danling said, covering her mouth with her hands and laughing, "Do you still remember that for more than half a month, Cousin Xing had talismans all over his body. You were so mean, you tricked him into wearing a green robe, and we laughed at him for being covered like the ancient cypress trees at the gate of Taiqing Temple."
Hmm. I don't remember. Gu Zhizhuo looked confused. Is she that bad?
But thinking about it, wearing a green robe and covered with talismans, it really looked like that ancient cypress tree. Gu Zhizhuo burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
Xie Danling tapped her forehead with her finger: "You have such a bad memory. Ben, what I said must be correct!"
Yes, yes, yes.
Gu Zhizhuo nodded repeatedly.
So, has anyone heard similar rumors about buying a little girl from a matchmaker and then bleeding her to get some luck?
She tapped her fingertips lightly on the Eight Immortals Table and said coldly, "Even if you borrowed luck and became rich and powerful for a while, it doesn't matter. In the end, there will be karma."
Xie Danling nudged Gu Zhizhuo with her elbow and whispered, "Go talk to Cousin Chen and ask him to urge the Jingzhao Yin. We'll definitely be able to find out which matchmaker bought the person and who she sold him to. Does the Jingzhao Yin just take a salary and don't work?"
"good."
It is easy to check official teeth.
Most private brokers buy and sell innocent people from beggars, so they may not be able to be traced.
Even when Lady Gui raised her eyes unintentionally, her peach blossom eyes seemed to ripple with water and be filled with affection.
She spoke slowly, "The strings have been changed. I will sing another song for you, young lady." Her voice was melodious and gentle like the wind, with a slightly rising ending tone.
After they responded, she started playing the pipa and changed a song to the series of talented men and beautiful women that Xie Danling liked.
Xie Danling became even more fascinated as she listened.
By the time Qingmei, Qiongfang and the others came back, Gui Niang had finished singing the third song, and the cousins had almost finished eating.
Qingmei reported, "Miss, the waiter has been settled. He's very hardworking and has been looking for work everywhere since he arrived. Mr. Zheng Si is very satisfied with the manager he has arranged for the girls' school. It's agreed that he will continue to work here during the day and help out at the girls' school at night. The girls' school will provide them with two meals a day and accommodation, and give them a hundred yuan a month."
"Qiong Fang also sent the medicine and told them how to make it."
"Xizi said that after her father sold her, the person who bought her gave her a glass of water, and after drinking it, she lost consciousness."
Gu Zhizhuo nodded.
After finishing the business, Qingmei covered her mouth with a smile and continued, "When I came back, I met the guy from Zhengmu Pavilion. The Taihu stone you bought has been delivered to Prince Chen's Mansion."
Gu Zhizhuo said happily, "I'll go over and take a look to see if it's broken or anything."
That’s true.
Xie Danling urged her to go quickly, but she smiled slyly and said, "I won't go. You can come back by yourself later."
Gu Zhizhuo pinched her cheek. Before leaving, she asked with a smile, "Madam Gui, are you still going to Tianxi Tower?"
"Go." Lady Gui's breath was as fragrant as orchid, her crimson veil fluttering. "On odd days, I stay here, and on even days, I go to Tianxi Tower."
"Then we'll go to Tianxi Tower to find you next time."
Xie Danling thought the same thing: "Tianxi Tower is more elegant. Madam Gui, where are you from? I heard you speak Mandarin very well."
"I was born in Yongzhou. I left home at a young age and wandered around the world. It was only in the past two years that I arrived in the capital..."
Gui Niangzi's voice gradually became softer. Gu Zhizhuo left Qiongfang behind and only took Qingmei with him.
The people on the street had already dispersed, each going about their business. Just as Gu Zhizhuo was about to mount her horse, an old woman suddenly came running over and stuffed a pear into her hand.
"Here. Girl, you are a kind person."
Gu Zhizhuo's eyebrows curved, and he took a bite, and the sweet pear juice flowed into his mouth.
Seeing that she didn't dislike it at all, the old woman smiled happily.
"Girl, try this."
Another auntie smiled and stuffed a bun into the bag. Gu Zhizhuo took a bite and found it was a pork fat and vegetable bun. She praised it, "It's delicious."
"Girl, this necklace is for you..."
"And this."
After a while, Gu Zhizhuo's hands were stuffed full of food or small items like combs, and he could hardly hold them.
Finally, they reached the end of the street, and no one else came. Gu Zhizhuo breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the things in his hand, and curled the corners of his mouth in pleasure.
Gu Zhizhuo finished his pear and ate another bun, as he couldn't eat anything else.
Qingmei opened the cloth bag on the horse's back for her and put all the things in it, and also wrapped the food and other things with oil paper.
Qingmei said jokingly, "I heard that Sun Tianshou has been working since he was young to earn money to support his sister. He used to carry his sister on his back. The neighbors nearby have watched them grow up since they were young."
"When I was helping to look for someone, many neighbors also went along."
Gu Zhizhuo packed all his things and hung them on the horse's back. After getting on the horse, he said, "Tell me how you found him."
Qingmei also got on the horse and talked to her as they walked.
"I followed Sun Tianshou back to his home. It's just in the alley not far ahead. His gambling father was the only one in the house. He was drunk and unconscious..."
Qingmei later secretly used the East Factory's secret agents in the area to find the person so quickly.
"Fortunately. If we were half an hour later, even gods would have been unable to save us." Gu Zhizhuo smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Qingmei arched her eyebrows and said, "Miss, weren't there three little girls missing in the alley? Later, the neighbors told them that Xizi had been found and asked them to look for the children as well. Only then did they tell the truth. They weren't kidnapped, but sold. They were afraid that others would think they were selling their daughters, so they said they were lost."
"You're still talking about being sold to a wealthy family and becoming their personal maid, or even a deputy lady. That's better than living with them and enjoying life." Qingmei sneered, "In their mouths, being sold means you're going to enjoy wealth and glory."
Those who can sell their products to wealthy families are the luckiest.
But wealthy families all have their own children, so they wouldn't just buy someone from outside.
Most of them don't end well.
"Have you found those three?"
Qingmei shook her head: "Just like Xizi, they were all sold to a private agent. I heard that the private agent would give more silver."
She grew angrier as she spoke. "These people are so confused. When I told them Xizi almost bled to death, they said it was bad luck. Their daughter must be enjoying herself right now."
"I'm not confused at all, I'm just pretending." Gu Zhizhuo stroked the jade lion's mane, "Go on."
"Xizi's gambling father heard that Xizi had returned, so he locked the door and wouldn't let them go back, lest the matchmaker come to ask him for money... I almost wanted to drag him out and beat him up."
"besides……"
As they were talking, they soon arrived at Prince Chen's Mansion.
It was just past noon, and Xie Yingchen had not yet returned from the yamen.
But that doesn't matter.
Gu Zhizhuo entered the palace from the corner gate as if he was familiar with the route. He threw away the reins and let the jade lion go to the stable to eat grass by itself.
She didn't need anyone to call her, and she casually called the eunuch Zhang Ping over and asked him where the newly delivered Taihu stones were.
"For now, we've moved them to the edge of the pond. Just tell me where you want them to go."
The eunuchs in the palace were all old servants employed by the deposed crown prince, and they were quite old.
"Let me take a look first. You have difficulty walking, so walk slowly."
Zhang Ping's face was full of smiles, and he said in a shrill voice, "The plaster you gave me last time worked very well. My leg doesn't hurt anymore. Now I can walk very well."
His legs were injured while kneeling in the snow and ice while mourning for his master. Over the years, every time the weather changed, the pain became severe, especially at night, making it impossible to sleep. Miss Gu's plaster was truly miraculous. After two days of applying it, not only did the pain go away, but he could even bend his knees.
Gu Zhizhuo smiled and said, "Let me see how agilely you walk."
Zhang Ping led the way, deliberately walking fast and steadily.
Walking along the bluestone path, Gu Zhizhuo saw from afar two lonely stones standing by the Taihu Lake, making the surrounding scenery look even more desolate.
Why.
Gu Zhizhuo couldn't help but grumble. It was still summer, so how could such a large garden be empty of wildflowers? At least there were a few fish in the pond, which she had recently bought.
Gu Zhizhuo was easily satisfied and curled his eyes in pleasure.
She walked around the Taihu stone twice and found it was all fine, without any bumps or scratches.
When she bought it, she had already thought about where she would put it, so she said, "The day before yesterday, I had someone send me some bamboo..."
"They have all been planted as you instructed. Would you like to go and have a look?"
"Move this one to the bamboo forest," Gu Zhizhuo ordered. "Leave the other one here for now. I'll have someone move a pavilion here in a few days."
This piece of Taihu stone was particularly beautiful. From the side, it looked like a crane standing on the stone with wings spread. Gu Zhizhuo planned to build a viewing pavilion and move the Taihu stone there. She would plant wisteria in the pavilion, display stone lanterns, and raise some birds.
Gu Zhizhuo didn't consider himself a guest at all, and he had the habit of ordering people around naturally. Zhang Ping kept agreeing and was busy.
He invited Gu Zhizhuo to sit down, and then called the eunuch to come and move the Taihu stones.
These Taihu stones were quite heavy, so Qin Chen, who had been staying at home on vacation, came over to help upon hearing the news.
Three days ago, Qin Chen was officially transferred to the Qianji Camp as a captain, and took up the post after a break.
"Where are you moving?" Qin Chen rolled up his sleeves, eager to try.
"Move over to the bamboo."
The black bamboo that Gu Zhizhuo bought was a new bamboo that was directly transplanted and planted in the northeast side of the mansion.
After moving a piece of Taihu stone over, she excitedly told them to move it left and right, and then ran back and forth to look, and told them to move it back three inches.
Qin Chen wiped his sweat: "What's the difference?"
"It's just different." Gu Zhizhuo said confidently, "Look, from here, does this stone look like a cat catching a butterfly?"
Qin Chen's eyes were dull: "How is it similar?"
"Look here."
Qin Chen turned around and looked at her, even more stunned: "How are they similar?"
Why.
"Think of the protrusion in the upper left corner as the cat's paw, and the hole as the cat's eye..."
As soon as Xie Yingchen came back, he heard that she was here. Seeing that she was very angry with Qin Chen, he smiled and reminded her.
Qin Chen: “…” His expression became even more stunned.
How is it similar?!
"Young Master." Seeing him come back, Gu Zhizhuo's phoenix eyes suddenly lit up, as if lighting up the stars in the sky.
She ran over and jumped down three stone steps. Xie Yingchen's breathing stopped for a moment, and he quickly took a step forward and opened his arms.
Gu Zhizhuo jumped steadily into his arms, looked up and smiled at him. The smile spread from her face to his heart, and then gradually faded away.
A faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose.
"Playing the lute to a cow, let's ignore him."
"I'll take you there."
Gu Zhizhuo pulled his sleeve, took the three stone steps as one, and jumped up.
"Why did you come back so early today?" Gu Zhizhuo looked up at the sky. He didn't need him to answer even though he was asking. He pulled him to look at it and asked, "Does the Taihu stone look good here?"
"nice."
"You weren't paying attention."
So Xie Yingchen walked around carefully and said, "Let's build a canopy in the bamboo forest so we can enjoy the cool air and the view. Do you want a swing?"
"want."
"I'll build it for you. I'll use bamboo to make it more in tune with the surrounding scenery."
The tenderness in Xie Yingchen's eyes was almost overflowing, and only her was reflected in his pupils.
These days, Yaoyao had a lot of things moved in, and before she had time to mess with them, they were piled up into a whole garden. The house was getting busier and busier day by day, as if she had returned to the old days when her parents were still alive.
Since the disbandment of the Eastern Palace, he moved from the capital to Liang State, and then from Liang State to the capital. He finally has a home again.
"Let's build a three-story pavilion here." Gu Zhizhuo said.
"good."
Gu Zhizhuo made a wish and said, "I also want an observatory. Master will teach me how to observe the stars. It's so much fun."
Xie Yingchen took her hand and walked into the bamboo forest.
He stroked her cheek with his slightly calloused fingers, picked up a bamboo leaf from above her head, and coaxed her in a low voice, "How about putting it in the northwest corner?" His eyes were filled with a dazzling smile.
The two gradually walked away.
Qin Chen squatted beside the Taihu stone, looking up from below. After squatting for a long while, he turned his head and pointed at the Taihu stone and asked Huai Jingzhi who had just walked over, "Old Huai, what do you think it looks like?"
Huai Jingzhi narrowed his eyes: "Cat playing with butterflies."
Qin Chen:!
How on earth does it resemble a cat?
Why can't he see it?
Huai Jingzhi looked down at him, a rare hint of sympathy showing on his ordinary face.
Although he didn't say a word, Qin Chen clearly saw two words in his eyes: You are blind.
Huai Jingzhi turned around silently and walked into the bamboo forest.
"Wait a moment."
Qin Chen tugged at his sleeve, raised his chin, and said, "Look over there. Tell me, is it appropriate for you to go over there now?"
Didn’t you see that Qingmei and I deliberately hid here?
He said earnestly, "Lao Huai, it's not easy for a young master to find a wife."
Huai Jingzhi shook the letter in his hand: "It's important."
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