"Boyuan, why don't you just marry them both? Such delicate and beautiful girls, how can you bear to give them up to someone else?"
Gu Boyuan was quite pleased with the compliment, a smile playing on his lips as he let his friend tease him.
Yao Shiyu was surrounded by several noble ladies. The daughters of wealthy families usually studied music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and usually stayed at home. It was rare to find a woman like Yao Shiyu who was independent, self-reliant and became a female official through her own abilities.
Those women naturally envied Yao Shiyu, and Yao Shiyu was usually very generous.
She would send some of her homemade beauty creams to the wealthy ladies in the industry, and she would almost always treat them to meals at small gatherings with friends.
Therefore, the topic revolved around Yao Shiyu from beginning to end.
"Sigh, Shiyu, is it really true that your good-for-nothing cousin Jiang Luoluo isn't here?"
"Yes, yes, she usually dresses up like a peacock and follows General Gu around all day."
"That's right. She had to beg and plead for the position of General Gu's fiancée. I think General Gu is just a kind-hearted man. How could he marry a woman like that?"
"I said she has really disgraced all the noble ladies in the capital. How can someone be so shameless as to run to her husband's family every day before even getting married!"
"She only dares to act like a tyrant in the capital because she has a father who is a great general."
Yao Shiyu feigned grievance and said, "You shouldn't talk about my cousin like that. She's a really good person. She just likes General Gu too much and hasn't been careful about how she behaves."
Seeing Yao Shiyu defending Jiang Luoluo, the three or five women started gossiping again.
"Shiyu, you're just too kind-hearted. Does someone as clueless as her deserve your support?"
"Yes, Shiyu would say that you and General Gu are the perfect match."
"That's right, that's right. Jiang Luoluo can't even compare to Shiyu in a hair."
The courtyard was bustling with activity, with servants constantly moving about, bringing out fragrant dishes and the aroma of wine.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, "His Highness Prince Yi has arrived!" breaking the noisy scene. The courtyard fell silent instantly. Even His Highness Prince Yi had come. General Gu certainly had a lot of influence.
However, this is not surprising. Xie Yizhi is the Grand General of Tian Ce, and Gu Boyuan is the son-in-law of the Grand General of Weiyuan, Jiang Chengfeng. Naturally, the emperor would want to make a gesture.
The moment Xie Yizhi stepped into the courtyard, the entire scene seemed to freeze under his silent aura. Today, he was still dressed in a black robe, his face was cold and stern, and his deep eyes revealed a sense of unapproachable detachment.
Everyone rose and bowed. His gaze was cold as he swept it over the women's section.
Yao Shiyu trembled with fright. She hurriedly lowered her head, her hands trembling slightly inside her sleeves.
Not seeing Jiang Luoluo, Xie Yizhi nodded slightly, and everyone slowly returned to their seats.
Gu Boyuan led Xie Yizhi to an empty seat and said, "Your Highness Prince Yi, it is truly an honor to have you grace my humble abode with your presence."
Gu Boyuan was excited. It must be that Xie Yizhi had seen his strength on the way back to the capital from Yunchuan and wanted to win him over so that Xie Yizhi could better manage the Flying Feather Army. After all, he was a veteran of the Flying Feather Army.
Xie Yizhi spoke in a distant tone, saying indifferently, "General Gu's family's five-courtyard residence is indeed quite large!"
Gu Boyuan was speechless. This five-courtyard house was bought by Jiang Luoluo, and the deed was also in Jiang Luoluo's name. Xie Yizhi had so casually exposed this, and he suddenly felt ashamed.
"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness!" Gu Boyuan replied dryly.
Fireworks exploded outside the Gu residence, their dazzling sparks reflecting on the smiling faces of the guests.
At this moment, a bright and beautiful figure slowly walked over. Today, Jiang Luoluo was wearing a red dress with gold peony patterns. The red dress was like a blazing flame, and a snow-white shawl was wrapped around her shoulders, which made her cold and beautiful features stand out even more.
Jiang Luoluo stopped in the courtyard, and everyone looked at her.
Even Gu Boyuan's two joking friends were stunned. The faces of the noble ladies who had been mocking Jiang Luoluo were a mix of envy, jealousy, and disdain.
Yao Shiyu was taken aback. She could sense a powerful aura emanating from Jiang Luoluo that she had never experienced before.
This time, Jiang Luoluo is no longer a peacock; her red lips are like flames, her eyebrows and eyes like paintings, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Madam Gu waved her handkerchief and greeted them with a beaming smile, "Oh my, Luo Luo is here!"
Jiang Luoluo smiled slightly, a mocking smirk playing on her red lips, "Today is General Gu's joyous occasion, how could I not come!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Boyuan and his wife scoffed inwardly. See? No matter how much Jiang Luoluo caused trouble a few days ago, she's now just trying to win Gu Boyuan's favor.
Madam Gu led Jiang Luoluo to her seat. Jiang Luoluo walked in slowly, her steps as steady as a mountain. As her skirt swayed gently, the peony embroidered with gold thread seemed to bloom in the wind.
The tassels and jewels in her hair rustled softly, as if every step she took touched the hearts of everyone present. Everyone held their breath, watching Jiang Luoluo, who looked so different today!
Upon hearing Jiang Luoluo's words, Xie Yizhi exuded a chilling aura, like an unapproachable iceberg.
He glanced at Gu Boyuan, who was smugly pleased with himself. Sure enough, women are all big pigs.
She even said that she and Gu Boyuan were allies who had gone through life and death together, and that all her previous flirting and affection for him was just Jiang Luoluo using him to make Gu Boyuan jealous!
Once all the guests had arrived, the banquet began. Everyone toasted and mingled, and Gu Boyuan smugly enjoyed everyone's blessings.
Everyone took out their gifts, which were accepted by the servants one by one, and the master of ceremonies began to read out the gift list.
"Your Highness Prince Yi, a piece of calligraphy!" the master of ceremonies announced loudly.
All eyes turned to Xie Yizhi. His painting skills were so lifelike that many officials and families in the Great Qi Kingdom wanted to collect his works, but he only gave his paintings to those who were destined to have them.
This time, he personally presented Gu Boyuan with his painting at the victory celebration banquet, which shows how much His Majesty the Emperor values Gu Boyuan.
"His Highness Prince Yi's paintings are truly masterpieces. Would General Gu do us the honor of showing them to our guests?" a middle-aged man with a full beard asked, bowing respectfully.
"Yes, yes, I'm also very curious about what His Highness Prince Yi drew."
"It is truly an honor to be able to see His Highness Prince Yi's paintings!"
Gu Boyuan's earlier humiliation at Xie Yi's place vanished completely with the appearance of this painting, and he was quite pleased with everyone's flattery.
The fact that Xie Yizhi personally delivered the painting today proves His Majesty's expectations of him. Although Xie Yizhi only dislikes him a little, so what? He is just a prince. No matter how high he is, can he surpass the emperor?
Gu Boyuan raised his hand, a smug look on his face, "Of course!"
As the scroll slowly unfurled, the scene instantly came into view: a bright moon hung high in the sky, the night was as still as water, and a horse stood on a path between valleys.
The man in the painting is dressed in military uniform, looking dashing and heroic. He is Gu Boyuan. He holds the reins and has a woman in his arms. The woman is graceful and delicate, with shy and timid eyes. He has one hand on the woman's slender waist.
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