For many years thereafter, Bian Tao always followed Gu Yinwei loyally, watching her grow from an inconspicuous concubine to a favorite concubine, and then from a favorite concubine to a queen, until she became the powerful empress dowager.
Bian Tao was glad that he followed the right person, and was even more glad that he was the only one who extended a helping hand to Chu Chu when she was driven out of the Gu Mansion.
Bian Tao left. When she left, Gu Yinwei gave her a bag of money, but Bian Tao did not take it.
Gu Yinwei looked at her back, thoughtfully.
After noon, the heat became more severe and the cicadas in the trees kept buzzing.
Gu Yingxia had just woken up from her nap. When she learned that Gu Qingrong had actually used the Black Widow to harm others, she was so angry that her face turned green.
"I'll go and argue with her right away."
"Then what?"
"And then... and then..."
Her voice gradually became lower and lower until it turned into a trace of melancholy.
"I can't think of a way to deal with a poisonous creature like Black Widow. What are you going to do?"
“When you reach the mountain, there will always be a way.”
Gu Yinwei's expression was relaxed, her hair was loose, and she was holding a book of unofficial history of the previous dynasty and reading it carefully.
"Huh? Isn't this my book? Why is it here with you?"
"Your books, your books were burned a long time ago."
Gu Yingxia blushed, stuck out her tongue, and grabbed a fan to fan herself to hide her embarrassment.
"Ah Qing, remember to help you hide my book."
"The book in Second Miss's hand was the one you read before taking a nap, and you didn't let me take it."
"Hmph, I don't care anyway. She read my book and I'm at a disadvantage. If you and Chuchu don't fry two pounds of caramel-flavored sunflower seeds for me, this matter will not be over.
Chuchu smiled and said, "I just fried half a pound of melon seeds yesterday. Miss San finished them so quickly?"
"I finished them a long time ago. I can eat ten kilograms of sunflower seeds a day. My burps smell like burnt sunflower seeds."
"Third sister, come with me. I'll take you to eat melon seeds and watch a good show."
"Okay, wait, I'll bring some more melon seeds."
"What are you eating? Let's go to the banquet."
As soon as the two sisters walked out of the hospital, Gu Qingrong shouted to them across the tall and short bushes.
"My two sisters, why don't you wait for me? It's so hot, and you're walking so fast. Be careful not to get heatstroke. Thankfully, Miss Ning's birthday banquet is being held at the Waterside Pavilion tonight. It's surrounded by green trees and is perfect for a cool break."
"Here, this is the birthday gift I prepared for Miss Ning on behalf of the three of us. Second sister, you can hold it."
The gift box was square, with a silk flower tied in the center and some flowers dotted around it, one of which was purple.
Gu Yinwei stared at Gu Qingrong. Gu Qingrong was afraid that the two of them would notice something, so she urged them to leave quickly.
"The birthday party is about to start, let's go quickly."
Gu Yingxia pointed at the dried flower and said, "This flower is so red it's turning purple. Big sister, why don't you change it? We're going to a birthday party, not a Hongmen Banquet. Giving a purple-red flower wouldn't be beautiful, wouldn't you say, big sister?"
"Ms. Ning doesn't like red flowers, she prefers purple ones. I've already found out her preference. Let's go in quickly."
Gu Qingrong took the lead, and her two younger sisters followed her at a leisurely pace. As they approached the Waterside Pavilion, they saw more and more lanterns around them. Beautiful ladies dressed in red and green came to the banquet with gifts.
The beautiful ladies who were invited by Ning Heyu were either familiar with her or had noble status, so her birthday banquet was held very grandly.
As soon as Gu Qingrong arrived, the people around her immediately asked her to sit over. She was a sociable socialite and knew many people at the banquet.
Bian Tao knelt beside the small table and poured wine for Gu Yingxia, and then poured another glass for Gu Yinwei. There were many people at the banquet, and the voices were very noisy.
Bian Tao whispered in Gu Yinwei's ear: "Kill two birds with one stone."
Gu Yinwei took the wine cup and curled her lips slightly. She had a very clever plan. As the saying goes, killing two birds with one stone. The gift box was the stone, and she and Ning Heyu were the two birds. No matter who the Black Widow bit after waking up, Gu Qingrong's plan would succeed.
After all, the person who presented the gift was Gu Yinwei. There was something wrong with the gift and it hurt someone. No matter what she said, others would mistakenly think that she was the murderer.
Gu Yinwei took out a puppet talisman from her sleeve and gently slapped it on Black Widow. The purple-red flower on the gift box became much dimmer.
Ning Heyu sat in the main seat, she raised her glass and talked freely.
"I've prepared a small feast tonight and invite all of you sisters to gather together. Thank you all for coming to my feast. We won't leave until we're drunk tonight."
The beautiful ladies raised their glasses and said some words of blessing.
The ladies in twos and threes began to present gifts to Ning Heyu. Gu Qingrong called out, "Second sister, you go too."
Gu Qingrong slowly stood up and presented the gift box to Ning Heyu.
"Happy birthday, Miss Ning. I wish Miss Ning a long and beautiful life."
Ning Heyu ordered the maid to take the gift box away. Gu Qingrong's cheeks were flushed and she looked a little drunk.
"Miss Ning, open it quickly and take a look. This gift from our second sister is Madam Pang's double-sided embroidery."
When Ning Heyu heard this, she untied the red silk on the gift box and began to open the present. Gu Qingrong pretended to trip and poured a glass of water on the gift box accurately.
Ning Heyu opened the gift box and found that the embroidery inside was indeed made by Madam Pang. Her face was full of smiles, but before she had time to appreciate it carefully, a glass of fruit wine was spilled on her, and a large pale yellow stain flowed on the white silk cloth.
It looked like an irreparable scar. Ning Heyu's eyes were sharper than a murderous blade.
"Gu Qingrong, what are you thinking? Your second sister just gave me a gift, and you ruined it right after."
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