Chapter 806 Purple Leaf Tea
Gu Qianhan said calmly, "That's hard to say. Maybe as time goes by, Meng Deguang will become complacent, or maybe Ren Jingqiu has been planning to escape all along and finally found an opportunity to escape after five years, which is why he was able to see the light of day again."
Just as Gu Qianhan didn't believe his words, Gu Rongchang also didn't believe Gu Qianhan's words: "Then why did Meng Deguang's matter become so widely known in just half a day yesterday? Do you dare to say that you didn't contribute to it?"
"No, I don't know Ren Jingqiu at all. Why would I be involved in stirring things up?"
This was something Gu Rongchang had never been able to understand. Although he intuitively believed that Gu Qianhan was the mastermind behind this, he really couldn't understand what Gu Qianhan was after in all this.
He could only think of one possibility: "Did Meng Deguang... offend you?"
"No."
"Then why did you want to kill him?"
"I've already told you, this has nothing to do with me, why won't you believe me? Isn't it Ren Jingqiu who wants him dead?"
Gu Rongchang looked at him suspiciously: "You don't actually have your eye on Ren Jingqiu, do you? Is that why you're helping her?"
Gu Qianhan, who had remained completely calm until now, was furious. It was one thing to say something else, but to say that he had taken a fancy to another woman was tantamount to cutting off his path to survival.
He had gone to great lengths to get Shen Wantang to give him a friendly look!
If Gu Rongchang's words reach Shen Wantang's ears, he might have to sleep in the study again tonight!
"Gu Rongchang, no wonder you're useless no matter how many times you live!"
"You bastard! I'm your father! How dare you call me by my name?!"
"At your age, you're still being manipulated by the Crown Prince. You really have no brains at all!"
"When did I ever let the Crown Prince manipulate me? You're talking utter nonsense!"
"Do you think I'm like Meng Deguang, who pounces on every woman he sees? I think you're the one who's taken a liking to Ren Jingqiu and is deliberately trying to pin the blame on me!"
"What did you say?! Gu Qianhan, are you crazy?! How dare you say such a thing?"
"You wait, I'm going to tell Mother right now that you're disrespectful to your elders, taking a fancy to a girl younger than your son! I want Mother to be the judge!"
Gu Rongchang nearly fainted from anger: "You come back here! If you dare to go and spout nonsense to your mother, I'll break your legs!"
He was indeed impetuous in his youth, and he argued with Madam Gu many times over the matter of taking a concubine.
But in recent years, as he got older, he realized how good his wife was and that a harmonious family was the greatest blessing. He had long since settled down.
It would be such a shame to argue with my wife over this fabricated charge!
——
In the main courtyard, in the main hall.
Shen Wantang has already come to pay her respects to Madam Gu.
Besides her, Gu Qianning also got up early today, which was unusual for her, to pay her respects to Madam Gu and, incidentally, to see her cousin Pei Yingzhu.
Meng Yunlan, who always likes to arrive early, did not come today, claiming illness.
Pei Yingzhu was the first to arrive, and she even brought Hengzhou's specialty, purple leaf tea, which she had brewed for everyone to taste.
Shen Wantang had never even heard of this kind of tea before, let alone seen it, so she drank it with great curiosity: "This purple leaf tea has a unique taste, quite different from any other tea, with a faint, refreshing fragrance."
Gu Qianning had heard of this tea before, but she had never tasted it, so she curiously took a sip and said, "This tea is indeed unique. The tea tree can only grow in a small area of Hengzhou."
"Moreover, it is quite different from other teas. It is difficult to preserve. From picking to processing to brewing, it can not be kept for more than seven days."
"Because the purple color on these leaves fades easily, and once it fades, it loses all its skin-nourishing and vision-improving effects, and the scent also disappears."
Gu Qianning asked with a face full of curiosity, "My cousin brought it from Hengzhou, but it's been more than seven days. How did she preserve it so well? Did she discover some kind of secret technique?"
Pei Yingzhu smiled and said, "There's no secret technique. I just had someone bring the tea trees here, and we picked and processed them on the spot."
Gu Qianning was taken aback: "Cousin actually brought the purple leaf tea tree with her? Isn't it supposed to be unable to survive outside of Hengzhou?"
“It really can’t survive. I had people keep it alive with soil and water from Hengzhou, and it’s barely survived until today. I estimate it will wither in three more days at most.”
Gu Qianning was even more shocked: "Then why did you bring it? My uncle actually agreed to it?"
Pei Yingzhu smiled gently: "My father loves me and indulges my mischief. I'm sorry my cousin had to laugh at me."
Gu Qianning was speechless, and even looked at Pei Yingzhu with a hint of hostility.
Needless to say, Madam Gu didn't even touch the purple leaf tea placed beside her.
She glanced at Pei Yingzhu and said indifferently, "You and your mother are quite favored by my brother. These purple-leaf tea trees take a hundred years to grow, and there are only a handful in the entire Hengzhou."
“Back when I got married, I asked my brother for a plant as part of my dowry, but he refused. He protected it like the apple of his eye, but he gave you one instead, letting you do whatever you want with it.”
“Pei Yingzhu, you are quite filial, taking your stepfather’s most treasured things and then not caring about them, and then you just mess them up.”
Pei Yingzhu's smile vanished, and she quickly said, "Madam, you flatter me. The reason I was able to obtain this purple-leaf tea tree is because my father has been thinking of you and the nephews and nieces in the Duke's mansion!"
“My father said that such good tea should be enjoyed by everyone, especially you, my lady. You haven’t been back to Hengzhou for many years and must be missing this tea. That’s why he reluctantly gave me the tea tree and asked me to bring it to the capital.”
Madam Gu's expression did not improve after hearing this.
Her brother often sent people to the capital to deliver things, and he did indeed miss her, but he never really missed her to this extent.
Besides, she didn't necessarily care much for this lousy tea. It tasted strange, and its skin-nourishing effects were so-so. She didn't drink much of it when she was in Hengzhou.
The reason for wanting this tea tree as part of the dowry was primarily because it was unique and would bring prestige to the Duke's mansion.
Therefore, Madam Gu did not believe a single word of Pei Yingzhu's explanation.
She disliked Pei Yingzhu even more, always feeling that she was too cunning and always subtly showing off how much the Prince loved her.
Shen Wantang was good at reading people's expressions. She could tell from Madam Gu's face that Pei Yingzhu was lying. The purple tea tree was for her, not for Madam Gu, and certainly not for any nephews or nieces.
"Things are not peaceful outside these days, so you should all be careful with your words and actions, and avoid standing out, lest you bring trouble upon your family."
Madam Gu disliked Pei Yingzhu. After giving her a few subtle hints, she directly ordered her to leave: "Alright, all of you, go!"
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