The carriage was spacious, but Xu Yunci did not accompany them. To protect their reputations, Xu Yunci wore a cloak and rode his horse, holding the reins and walking slowly beside the carriage.
The carriage suddenly stopped, the curtain was lifted, and Chunling walked up, carrying something in her arms.
"Girl, look."
It was a snow-white rabbit, so small it could fit in the palm of your hand. Li Shiyue's eyes lit up, and she took it from Chunling's hands: "Where did you find this?"
Chunling smiled and said, "It was the young master who bought it from an old man by the roadside. He saw that the old man was old, so he gave him some silver and told him to go home quickly."
Li Shiyue didn't speak, but the corners of her mouth turned up slightly as she stroked the rabbit's fur with her palm.
But the carriage did not move forward. Li Shiyue was puzzled and looked at Chunling. The latter shook her head and hesitated: "We ran into the second branch of the family outside. The young master asked me to come up and accompany you, Miss."
Is it a second wife?
Having not heard any news from the second wife for a long time, Li Shiyue was somewhat dazed. She gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and cautiously peeked out with one eye. She saw Xu Yunci sitting on his horse, with a group of people standing opposite him, including Xu Yunyang.
Since the second branch of the family was separated, Xu Yunyang has made no attempt to hide his ambition. He directly joined the Prince of Yan's forces and has also been trying to undermine Xu Yunci and Chonghua Palace in the imperial court.
He was now wearing a long, wide-sleeved robe in a greyish-gray color, over which he wore a silver-white bamboo-patterned half-sleeved robe with greyish-gray fur trim at the collar. Standing beside him were two or three young men, and many of his cronies. His cheeks were slightly flushed, and he raised his hand to bow in Xu Yunci's direction, but it was just a gesture.
Her hands were long and slender, naturally hidden under her wide sleeves.
"Since we've met my brother here, why don't we go to a restaurant together and have some fun?"
Since their relationship soured, Xu Yunci was mostly disappointed in his cousin and simply didn't dismount. He coldly refused, "No need, I have other things to do."
Xu Yunyang hadn't expected him to agree. He looked at the carriage behind him and happened to see a slender hand lowering the curtain, but he couldn't see the owner of those hands.
He grinned, a far cry from the gentle demeanor he had previously displayed; instead, he exuded a repulsive, roguish air.
"So you're accompanied by your beautiful sister, brother. I won't disturb you any longer. Farewell."
As they passed by the carriage, Li Shiyue closed her eyes and tried her best to calm herself down, but she couldn't stop the arrogant words spoken by the young men.
The carriage curtains were thick, so Li Shiyue didn't need to worry about them being blown up; there was no such thing as a coincidence in the world.
The carriage stopped in front of the Guanqing Garden. Chunling stepped out of the carriage first and was about to reach out to help Li Shiyue when Xu Yunci walked over without offering any assistance.
Chunling hesitated for a moment, but finally reached out her hand. The young lady was right. Only after going through the proper formalities of marriage could they do some intimate things. Even if the young master liked the young lady, he couldn't touch her in front of others.
Looking up, the plaque seemed somewhat familiar. Li Shiyue followed Xu Yunci inside.
Unexpectedly, this scene was particularly painful to see in the eyes of Xu Yunyang, who had followed. His eyes reddened, and his fingers gripped the stone wall beside him, causing the veins to bulge.
But he released his grip the next moment. After all, he didn't want the pain of a bleeding hand for a woman; the pain of having his fingers cut through his skin would surely be unbearable. He stared fiercely at the four characters "Guanqing Xiaoyuan," seemingly lost in thought, before turning and leaving.
The two people who entered the villa were naturally unaware of all this, because Xu Yunci was introducing the villa to Li Shiyue, who was listening attentively.
“Walk east through the long corridor, and you’ll find a courtyard called Liufang Pavilion. It’s not actually a pavilion; the courtyard is spacious with front and back yards, each with a flower hall and side rooms. I think it’s a good location, and the separate seating for men and women is a nice touch.”
"Besides, it's not close to the main building, so you don't have to worry about outsiders barging in. You can go directly through the corridor here and enjoy the view of my Bixin Lake. Let me show you around so you can arrange a place when you get back."
Li Shiyue did not refuse. After all, Yang had entrusted her with the entire banquet arrangement, and even told her which families were on bad terms with whom and how to arrange the seating. This was very important.
The three large characters "Liufang Pavilion" are elegant and imposing, with an ink-black plaque, large characters in red gold, and an official seal at the end. No wonder they insisted on holding her birthday banquet at Liufang Pavilion; it's a way to enhance her prestige.
Although it is called a pavilion, the corridors on all four sides and the octagonal roof that resembles a pavilion are not the same in the front and back, and even the way to get there is different.
From the front yard, just walk straight through the gate. To reach the back yard, you need to go around the corridors on either side of the gate, pass through the small doors on both sides, and walk a short distance further to find the back yard gate.
Both have a flower hall facing the entrance, with beaded curtains hanging on both sides, where items can be placed. Behind the flower hall, there is a small garden in the back wing. The wing has no gate, but it is like a separate courtyard, a place for people to rest.
“I see there are separate rooms at the front and back. If we stay here, we won’t have to worry about the gentlemen bumping into the ladies.”
Li Shiyue walked out and looked around carefully. She was very satisfied. It was indeed a villa bestowed by the emperor. No wonder everyone wanted to own a villa for their own enjoyment.
Xu Yunci raised her finger and pointed to the southwest: "That's Qingji Hall. You can go there with Grandmother. It's more spacious than here and won't disturb Grandmother's peace and quiet."
“This is also the place I’ve always kept for my grandmother. It’s big enough that you can stay there with her without having to stay in the Bisha Pavilion. There’s a small pavilion behind Qingji Hall, similar to your Chengyu Pavilion. I’ve already had people decorate it to resemble Chengyu Pavilion.”
"If you can't come early on your birthday, you'll have to come a few days in advance to make the arrangements. It's good that you live with your grandmother, since you don't want to be too far away from her. The pavilion in Qingji Hall isn't as spacious as your Chengyu Pavilion, so please don't mind, Yan Yan."
"If you feel bored, you can have Wu Niang keep you company. I have had Qingji Hall renovated in advance so that you can stay more comfortably."
The villa, bestowed by the emperor, was so luxurious that any one of its furnishings, whether facade or interior, would cost the equivalent of several generations' worth of expenses for an ordinary family. Yet, in Xu Yunci's words, it was something that needed renovation.
“How could that be? This is my cousin’s way of showing filial piety to his grandmother. How could I dare to object? My cousin has even thought of everything so thoroughly, and he even allowed me to come with my cousin. That’s so considerate.”
Li Shiyue smiled and then sighed softly, "I've already prepared the invitations, and sent them out to those who needed to, but as for my second uncle..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com