The wind and snow outside were getting stronger, with strong winds and vast expanses of snow. Snowflakes were falling all over the place, as dense as thick fog, making everything hazy wherever I looked.
The sky gradually darkened, as if night had arrived early.
Mrs. Gu fell ill again.
Gu Yanfei didn't know how serious her illness was. Anyway, several doctors came and he even asked for leave to go to the palace to pay his respects on New Year's Day.
Because Madam Gu was seriously ill, the New Year in the Marquis' Mansion was rather lonely. There were no fireworks or firecrackers, no laughter or joy, and no festive joy at all.
Gu Yuan had to go on duty, so he went into the palace on New Year's Eve and had not been seen for several days.
So, Gu Yanfei would stay in Yuheng Garden leisurely every day.
It was not until the eighth day of the Lunar New Year that Wei Jiaoniang suddenly visited.
Her arrival brought a vibrant vitality to this quiet courtyard.
"Yan Fei, I brought you some jujube paste shortbread from Jinshiji. They're fresh out of the oven and still hot!"
Wei Jiaoniang's smile arrived before she even showed up, and she was still as energetic as ever.
She signaled the maid to bring the box of date paste biscuits. She did not rush to sit down, but looked around with interest.
This small study is not very big. Against the west wall is a row of treasure cabinets and bookshelves. The tall bookshelves almost extend to the roof and are filled with various books.
To the north is a six-panel rosewood carved screen inlaid with porcelain panels. Behind the screen is a beauty couch and a rattan cat bed. There is also a bow and a sword hanging on the wall.
There are two bright windows on the east side, next to which are placed a large desk, a chessboard and several armchairs. In addition to the four treasures of the study, there is also a large blue and white porcelain vat the size of a washbasin, in which are raised three or four goldfish, dotted with a few strands of water plants and five or six pebbles.
Wei Jiaoniang chose an armchair next to the fish tank and sat down. The goldfish with red and white stripes in the tank immediately swam towards her, swaying their tails, creating layers of ripples in the water.
"Yan Fei, it's so nice here!" Wei Jiaoniang said with a smile.
Obviously, the layout of this small study is very different from that of an ordinary lady's. There are no zithers, zhengs, or pipa, no incense, pearl curtains, coral and jade bonsai, and no jade statues of Guanyin or pictures of the Three Pure Ones. The books and paperweights on the desk are placed casually, which shows that the owner is not particular about details and makes people feel very comfortable.
Juanbi opened the box of snacks that Wei Jiaoniang had just sent, put it on a new plate, and presented it. At the same time, Gu Yanfei took out a box of fish food from the drawer of the desk.
Wei Jiaoniang took a handful of fish food from the box and started feeding the fish with great interest. The fish swarmed over to follow the food.
Wei Jiaoniang was delighted and laughed happily: "Yan Fei, your fish are really discerning. They all like me. Unlike my fish and dogs, they run away when they see me!"
"That's right!" Gu Yanfei responded shamelessly, and the two looked at each other and smiled.
The girl's laughter, as clear as a silver bell, echoed in the room.
Juanbi, who was standing by, naturally also heard this conversation and her eyes twitched.
Juanbi knew it best. Qingguang liked to drink "fish soup" and always came to the fish tank to drink water. It didn't eat live fish, but goldfish were afraid of it, so they liked to hide towards people.
Rather than saying that goldfish like people, it would be better to say that they hate cats.
Wei Jiaoniang couldn't sit still. After feeding the fish for a while, she ran to the bookshelf to see what books Gu Yanfei had.
When she saw this, she was stunned.
"Yan Fei, why do you have so many books on military strategy here? "Six Strategies", "Taibai Yinjing", "Huqianjing", "Zhanguo Zongheng"..." Wei Jiaoniang recited a series of names of military books, her eyes becoming brighter and brighter.
Even in their Weiguo Mansion, there are not so many military books, and some of them have been lost.
"My eldest brother gave it to me." Gu Yanfei said with a smile.
When she first returned to the Marquis' Mansion in the capital, Gu Yuan wanted to move all his things to her, including these books.
The books here are very diverse, including military books, the Four Books and Five Classics, mathematical books, horsemanship books, books on astronomy and astrology, etc.
Gu Yuan said that most of these books were left by his father.
Gu Yanfei had also flipped through some books, and had seen in them the comments left by his father Gu Ce. Some of the handwriting was frivolous and spirited, some was strong and powerful, and some was steady and broad... It was obvious that some years had passed.
In his previous life, Gu Yuan had wanted to give her these books, but she didn't dare to accept them...
Gu Yanfei's thoughts accidentally returned to her previous life until Wei Jiaoniang's cheerful voice woke her up: "Yanfei, this...wasn't it also given by your eldest brother?"
Wei Jiaoniang took a play script with the words "Shili Pavilion" written on it and shook it gently.
Indeed, Gu Yanfei nodded honestly.
This copy of "Shili Pavilion" was given to her by her eldest brother one day after she told him that she had gone to Tianyin Pavilion to listen to an opera. The next day, her eldest brother specially bought her several opera scripts.
"Your elder brother has good taste. This play, 'Shili Pavilion', is very popular." Wei Jiaoniang's eyes sparkled and she said excitedly, "The new play at Tianyin Pavilion has been sold out recently."
"Yan Fei, let's go watch a play. I haven't watched a play in a long time."
She was a very decisive person. She stood up before she even had time to sit down, and hurriedly pulled Gu Yanfei out of the room.
Because it was cold, the two of them went out in Wei Jiaoniang's carriage.
Along the way, the carriage was filled with laughter and joy: "Yan Fei, a new Jiangnan dim sum shop opened opposite Tianyin Pavilion a few days ago. Let's go buy some and eat while watching the show."
"After watching the show, let's go to the next street to watch the circus. That circus troupe only performs during the Chinese New Year. After the Lantern Festival, they will leave, and the next performance will have to wait until next year!"
"Oh, right, Tianle Restaurant has released new wine and new dishes. Let's go there for lunch."
“…”
Wei Jiaoniang was a lively person. She talked non-stop and excitedly, describing everything from food, clothing, housing and transportation. She even told Gu Yanfei which weapons and horse equipment shops were the best, like a "Beijing know-it-all".
As they were chatting and laughing, the carriage arrived at Tianyin Pavilion in the south of the city.
"Miss Wei Jiu, you haven't been here for a while." The waiter from Tianyin Pavilion came up to greet her warmly, "Your private room has been reserved for you."
Duke Weiguo liked watching plays, so he simply reserved a box in Tianyin Pavilion.
"It's better to arrive in time than to arrive early. The show will start in half a cup of tea." The waiter smiled and stretched out his hand as if to invite someone.
"Hurry! The show is about to start." Wei Jiaoniang took Gu Yanfei's hand and walked happily towards the private room on the second floor.
They ordered a table full of tea and snacks, and then asked the maid to go to the dim sum shop across the street to buy a few boxes of dim sum, filling the table with them.
Gu Yanfei picked up the teapot beside him and poured tea for Wei Jiaoniang. The tea was only half poured when a loud and excited noise came from downstairs.
The last time Gu Yanfei heard such a lively noise here was because of a certain "flower girl". For a moment, she thought it was Xia Houqing who came and glanced at the stage.
The high stage was completely empty, with no one in sight. The curtain was drawn and the play had not yet begun.
In the lobby on the first floor, tea drinkers and audiences gathered in twos and threes, excitedly discussing something. As they talked, they also gestured with their hands and feet, as if they were performing a magic dance.
Even outside the Tianyin Pavilion, there were quite a few people gathered, talking and shouting, and dancing.
Wei Jiaoniang always liked to be lively, so she ordered her personal maid, "Xi Que, go and see what's going on."
The magpie went downstairs with a clatter.
Juanbi was also very curious. She glanced at Gu Yanfei's expression and followed him happily.
After a while, the two maids came back panting, their eyes shining and their spirits radiant.
"Miss, there is a strange phenomenon in the sky!" Xi Que said to Wei Jiaoniang excitedly, "A few guests just came to the first floor and said they saw a strange phenomenon in the sky. Later, many people on the street also said they saw it."
"Now the people downstairs and outside are talking about this!"
Is there something strange in the sky? Wei Jiaoniang blinked and subconsciously looked towards the window on the other side of the private room, looking at the blue sky outside, which was cloudless and calm.
Xi Que took a deep breath, and Juan Bi beside him immediately said, "A real dragon appeared in the sky above Prince Kang's mansion. It's a real dragon!"
Like the others below, she gestured with her hands and feet, trying to show the size of the dragon.
Real dragon? Gu Yanfei took a sip of scented tea and turned the teacup in her hand casually. The chrysanthemums floating in the tea also swayed, reflecting the sparkling light in her eyes.
Oh, this small world only has so much spiritual energy, the dragons won’t come!
"Meow!" A faint cat's meow came from outside the window, as if responding to Gu Yanfei's thoughts.
Gu Yanfei turned her head and looked out the window, but there was nothing outside, as if the cat's meow just now was just her illusion.
Wei Jiaoniang was very excited. Her face flushed like she was stained with rouge. She asked curiously, "When did it happen? Is Long still here?"
She looked so interested that she seemed to want to run to Prince Kang's mansion to watch the fun.
The magpie probably saw what his daughter was thinking, so he answered the main point first: "The real dragon has left."
Upon hearing this, Wei Jiaoniang sat back with a bit of disappointment and continued to eat her snacks and dried fruits, taking a bite of crispy pastry and then a handful of creamy pine nuts.
She signaled with her eyes for Xi Que to continue.
Xi Que and Juan Bi spoke to each other, vividly recounting what they had just heard: "Just now, at most half a cup of tea ago, it appeared right above Prince Kang's mansion. Everyone on the street saw it at the time."
"Suddenly, the whole street was covered by dark clouds, while other places were still sunny. Then there were three consecutive thunderclaps, and a real dragon appeared among the dark clouds. The dragon's roar resounded through the sky, and the real dragon nodded three times in a row towards the Kangwang Mansion, as if it was kowtowing."
(End of this chapter)
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