Gu Yanfei took another step forward, moved his nose, and vaguely smelled a faint stench.
The air was filled with a strong smell of incense and charcoal, which suppressed the stench and mixed into another nauseating smell.
Gu Yanfei frowned, and the second wife of the Murong family stepped forward quickly and stood in front of the couch. She shook the handkerchief in her hand, and a strong osmanthus fragrance wafted into her nose.
Mrs. Murong suggested with a warm smile: "Miss Gu, Miss Gu, why don't you two go out for a walk. The smell here is not very good, it's too hot and stuffy."
"Sister Hui, take the two Miss Gu to play in the garden. We are family from now on, so you should get closer to each other."
Second Mrs. Murong quickly waved her hand and called Murong Yong's sister Murong Hui over.
Murong Hui looked to be about fifteen years old, with an oval face and cherry lips. She was wearing a simple lilac-colored dress and had her hair tied into two buns. She only wore a lilac-colored silk flower on her body, and her appearance was plain.
She bowed gracefully to the two sisters and gave them a faint smile.
Gu Yunzhen subconsciously looked at Gu Yanfei, and seeing her gently stroking her sleeves, he immediately understood and responded with a proper smile.
So the two sisters followed Murong Hui out of the inner room.
Murong Yong was waiting outside. When he saw them coming out, he stood up from his chair and said with a smile, "I'll go with you."
A housekeeper of Madam Murong followed with several maids and servants, and served by her side.
Several people walked out of the lifeless yard. It was very cold outside the yard, and the wind blowing in their faces was bitingly cold, but the air was fresh, making people feel that the depressing and dull feeling was dissipated a lot.
We walked along another winding path. It was quiet all the way and no one spoke for a long time.
"After passing through the bamboo forest in front, there is a small garden." The first person to break the silence was Murong Yong.
He raised his hand and pointed at the bamboo forest in front of him. The emerald green bamboo leaves and the yellow and green bamboo poles swayed in the cold wind, making a rustling sound, which was quiet and elegant.
Murong Yong paused for a moment and looked at Murong Hui with a deep gaze.
Murong Hui bit her lower lip slightly, rubbing her handkerchief with both hands, and then she spoke reluctantly: "This piece of golden jade bamboo was specially transplanted from Jiangnan ten years ago by my father. My second brother and I also helped plant a few of them at that time."
"My mother loves flowers and plants. The peonies, hibiscus, peonies, chrysanthemums in the garden... were all found by my father for her. It's a pity that all the flowers are withering at this time of year."
"There is a three-colored plum forest on the west side of the garden. I'll take you there to have a look."
“…”
Murong Hui walked and talked all the way, her manners were generous and appropriate, her words were gentle and tactful, but there was a hint of alienation in her voice.
After entering the garden, they walked for another half a cup of tea, and the three-colored plum forest that Murong Hui mentioned appeared in front of them.
A small plum forest is planted along the lake. Red plums, white plums and winter plums are perfectly intertwined in the forest. The plums are reflected on the surface of the lake. Both on and under the water are a riot of colour, like a brocade cloud.
The plum forest, rockery, water pavilion and small lake combine to form a picturesque scene.
A stone bridge was built across the lake, just wide enough for two people to walk side by side, leading directly to Merlin on the other side of the lake.
Gu Yanfei and Murong Hui walked in front, while Murong Yong and Gu Yunzhen walked behind.
Before going up the bridge, Murong Yong cautiously reminded: "Be careful, the ground is slippery."
He lightly supported Gu Yunzhen's arm without touching her, being polite.
Gu Yunzhen smiled gratefully.
Seeing that he observed etiquette and spoke appropriately, Gu Yunzhen's slightly uneasy heart calmed down a little and his eyes became calm.
From yesterday till now, she has been thinking about this marriage, Murong Yong, and her future life. When it was late at night and everyone was asleep, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She told herself again and again that women have to get married eventually, and as long as the man has decent character, she will fulfill her duties as a wife, and as long as he gives her the respect that a legitimate wife deserves.
She will definitely be able to live a good life! Murong Hui, who was walking in front, also heard the voice behind her. She turned back to look at the two of them and twisted the handkerchief in her hand.
There were gusts of cold wind on the lake.
By the lake, plum branches swayed, making rustling sounds. Ripples appeared on the lake surface in the wind. The faint fragrance of plum blossoms drifted into their mouths and noses, making them feel relaxed and happy.
After crossing the bridge, the four of them sat down in a warm pavilion in the woods. There was a heater buried underground in the pavilion, and screens were placed around to block the wind, so the pavilion was as warm as spring.
The maids of the Murong family immediately served tea and snacks to their master and guests.
Murong Yong smiled and reminded Gu Yunzhen to take off his cloak, otherwise he would catch a cold when he left the warm pavilion later.
Gu Yunzhen simply thanked him and took off his cloak readily.
Looking at this harmonious scene, Murong Hui pursed her lips into a straight line, and it was almost as if "unhappiness" was written directly on her face.
Murong Hui took a sip of tea and said sourly, "Miss Gu, my second brother is really considerate to you. He is not like that to me and my younger sisters..."
The eldest brother has always been cold and indifferent to his younger brothers and sisters since they were young, but today he is so nice to this woman!
"Miss Murong," Gu Yanfei looked at Murong Hui and suddenly said, "I think your grandmother is very ill. I'm afraid she won't survive the next winter snow. I wonder how long she has been ill?"
Murong Hui snorted in annoyance and sneered, "From the tone of Second Miss Gu's assertion, it seems like she knows medical skills."
"Yes." Gu Yanfei nodded seriously and looked at Murong Yong who was sitting next to Murong Hui with a smile, "Second Master Murong should know."
She smiled calmly, her black and white pupils were like a clear mountain spring, crystal clear, and she did not shy away from mentioning that she had saved Duke Weiguo at Tianyin Pavilion that day.
She would not treat others as fools and think that Murong Yong could not recognize her even when he was so close.
What does that mean? Murong Hui looked at Murong Yong in astonishment.
Facing Gu Yanfei's clear eyes, Murong Yong paused for a moment, then replied in a deep voice, "Grandmother has been ill for almost three months."
"At the beginning of autumn, my grandmother caught a cold and fell ill. Our family sought out famous doctors, but her condition continued to deteriorate..."
Murong Hui next to her lowered her eyes, held the teacup tightly between her fingers, pursed her lips and said nothing.
Outside the pavilion, the cold wind was blowing hard on the screen and the plum forest, making crackling sounds. Occasionally, a few dead flowers and leaves were blown into the pavilion through the gaps in the screen.
The atmosphere was a little solemn.
"That's not right." Gu Yanfei interrupted Murong Yong's next words, holding his chin with his right hand, with a lazy smile on his lips, and said in a mocking way, "She has been ill for at least three years."
Just when Gu Yanfei approached Old Madam Murong, he smelled the foul odor emanating from her.
That was the smell of death.
Even if incense was lit, charcoal was burned, and medicine pots and bowls full of drug residue were placed in the room, the strong stench could not be covered up.
The pavilion suddenly fell into an eerie silence, as if even the sound of the wind outside had stopped, and one could hear a pin drop.
Murong Hui's eyebrows were twisted into a knot, and she felt that the Second Miss Gu was really aggressive. She interrupted coldly, "What do you mean by that, Second Miss Gu? How long has grandma been ill? Don't we know?"
"We not only invited the imperial physician, but even the Shangqing Taoist came to see grandma. If Miss Gu doesn't believe it, just..."
Seeing that Murong Hui's emotions were getting more and more agitated, Murong Yong lightly rebuked her, "Sister Hui." His tone was sharp.
Murong Hui shut up awkwardly.
Murong Yong smiled apologetically and sighed, "Grandma has grown old and weak over the years. She is really not in good health. She drinks medicine every day just like drinking tea. I have been working outside for the past two years. When I receive letters from home, they always report good news but not bad news..."
"My family didn't expect that grandma's health would deteriorate so quickly..."
Gu Yanfei folded his hands and rested them on his chin, then asked with a smile, "Are those talismans on the window given by Shangqing Zhenren?"
"Of course." Murong Hui raised her chin proudly, her eyes flashing an overly bright light, "The Immortal's Taoism is profound, fortunately he helped..."
As Murong Hui was speaking, she caught a glimpse of a slender willow-yellow figure walking out from behind a rockery outside the woods and slowly walking towards the warm pavilion.
Murong Hui's eyes lit up and the corners of her lips curled up. She glanced at Gu Yunzhen who was sitting opposite her.
The warm pavilion where the four people were located was specially designed with a good view, which was perfect for enjoying the scenery and taking in the surrounding scenery.
Therefore, Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen also noticed the person coming.
She was a beautiful girl of about sixteen or seventeen, with a pretty face, thick black hair loosely tied into a side crescent bun, fair skin, a lotus-like rosy color on her cheeks, and light-colored lips.
"Yong Lang."
The girl quickly walked to a white plum tree about five or six feet away, her cherry lips moved slightly, and she shouted to Murong Yong with a slight sob.
Her voice is as sweet as the song of a lark.
A pair of eyes filled with misty tears, she seemed to be hesitant to speak, her tenderness and affection made people feel pity for her.
As the cold wind blew, a strand of hair on the girl's cheek fell down around her neck, trembling slightly, like a delicate flower being ruthlessly ravaged by the cold wind.
Murong Yong in the pavilion frowned slightly, and there was no fluctuation in his dark brown pupils.
The atmosphere was slightly tense and the pavilion was silent for a moment. Three or five snow-white plum blossoms were quietly blown into the pavilion by the wind.
"This voice is really beautiful!" Gu Yanfei smiled brightly, breaking the silence with a smile, "Does your family have a troupe of actors?"
Gu Yanfei's clear and crisp voice was particularly loud in the pavilion.
When the girl beside the white plum tree heard this, she felt as if she was slapped in the face. Her face turned pale and tears were about to burst out.
Murong Hui frowned tightly and angrily shouted: "What nonsense are you talking about?!"
"That's my cousin!"
(End of this chapter)
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