Showing off one's skills before an expert
A Qiu then smiled and declined, saying, "Although my family may not be as wealthy and powerful as Young Master Meng, we still have a certain standing in the capital. Our family rules dictate that we cannot accept gifts from others while traveling, let alone extort or exploit innocent people. Please take these with you, Painter Bai."
Her words were subtle yet sharp, leaving no room for error. Bai Shi and Meng Jue were unaware that the young master Gu Yi was beside her, but she couldn't let him get away so easily.
Bai Shi glanced around and, seeing that no one was around, smiled and stepped forward, saying in a low voice, "In Bai Shi's opinion, it would be better for you to symbolically accept one or two of these items, since the situation is still unclear and it is not advisable to make enemies of the Meng family."
He then stepped back and smiled casually, saying, "These are just local specialties; it's nothing to you even if you accept them casually."
A Qiu, reminded by her, realized that her opinion was reasonable. Meng Jue had sent these things early in the morning as a gesture of goodwill. If they were all returned, it would be a complete disrespect and an act of enmity. Gu Yi certainly didn't need to give face to anyone, but the Meng family was quite powerful locally and had close ties with the Hidden World Sect, so it was not advisable to cause trouble at this moment.
A Qiu then softened her tone and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Meng. However, since you are not here, I dare not make the decision on your behalf. We appreciate your kindness, Young Master Meng, and will accept one pot of flowers. Please let the painter Bai take the rest back."
Seeing this, Bai Shi stopped being polite, smiled and nodded, saying, "Please choose a pot, young lady."
She introduced them, saying, “This is Gejinzi, with flowers as big as a bushel, extremely beautiful; that pot is Yuyihuang, bright and fresh, with a magnificent air, often favored by officials and their families. This one with two colors is the most special, also a rare variety cultivated by Tianxiang Garden, the white one is called ‘Yulouqing’, and the pink one is called ‘Neirenjiao’,” she paused, then smiled and said, “It suits you very well, Miss.”
Before A Qiu could react to what she meant, a gentle and refined male voice rang out from behind her, praising, "Beautiful flower, beautiful flower! The peonies of Sichuan are renowned throughout the world, and they truly have their unique qualities, comparable to those of my Gongye family."
A Qiu knew that it was probably Gongye Fusu and Lie Changkong who went to see Gu Yi. Gu Yi knew that she was still injured and didn't know who was coming or whether she could handle it calmly. Lie Changkong was a formidable fighter, but he was not as smooth and adaptable as Gongye Fusu in social situations, so he sent Gongye Fusu to check on her first.
Upon hearing "Gongye family," Bai Shi's expression changed slightly. He bowed subtly and said, "My apologies, my apologies. So you came with the Gongye family. I have truly been showing off my limited skills before an expert." He then forced a smile and said, "If Young Master Meng knew that you were traveling with the Gongye family, he would surely regret his offense. I am truly sorry."
The Gongye family was the wealthiest family in Dayan, renowned throughout the world. They controlled eight or nine out of ten of the world's spice industry, and their connections with people in various regions were all either rich or noble. It could be said that they were the foremost businessmen.
Although Bai Shi did not yet know that the handsome and gentle young man in front of her was Gongye Fusu, the current head of the Gongye family and the ruler of Wanxiang Kingdom, she knew from the name "Gongye" that he was someone the Meng family could not afford to offend. Even with her skill in dealing with people, she couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
But in A Qiu's eyes, it had a different meaning. Gu Yi had said last night that Bai Shi was very likely a disciple of the hidden sect of the Divine Witch Clan, the Zhu You Sect, so it was natural that she would be surprised and astonished to encounter the Gongye family from the outer sect.
Gongye Fusu had already heard about what had happened from Gu Yi, and praised, "What a beautiful flower." He then looked closely at the two-colored pink and white peony and said, "This must have been done by grafting. They selected a good mother plant and grafted another branch onto it to cultivate such a wonderful variety. It is truly ingenious."
Speaking of peonies, Bai Shi, having just gained some confidence, immediately replied, "Young master has a good eye. Ordinary two-colored peonies are simply different shades of red on a single flower, with some deep red and some light red blooming on a single plant, which is a natural variation. However, the two-colored peony in our Tianxiang Garden has two completely different flower shapes and colors. The white one is like snow, and the pink one is like the sunset. This is because it is difficult to cultivate successfully. Even in the capital, we have never offered it to anyone in previous years."
Ah Qiu thought to herself, "So Meng Jue really went all out. But this floral art is probably just ordinary in the eyes of Gongye Fusu, the contemporary master of perfumery. When we first met, Gongye's little maid in yellow, Ah Qin, said that the hibiscus flowers they used to extract fragrances were all cultivated by Gongye Fusu himself and were grafted with the Arabian rose."
Gongye Fusu, always modest, smiled and said, "In that case, this peony must be grafted from 'Neirenjiao' onto 'Yulouqing'. The white is the mother plant and the pink is the grafted branch. It's wonderful, wonderful." He then glanced at Aqiu and pursed his lips, saying, "It is indeed very suitable for you."
A Qiu thought to herself that this was probably an insult to her, as she was originally a disciple of Lanling Hall, but had been forcibly married into Gu Yi's sect. However, she was not angry. She simply said to Gongye Fusu, "Since I have accepted this pot of flowers, it is not easy to carry such a large pot of flowers on such a long journey. Could you please help me, young master?"
Gongye Fusu readily agreed, saying, "Please give your instructions. As long as it is within my power, I will not shirk my responsibility."
Aqiu said, "I want to give this pot of flowers to someone in the capital. The other day, you said that the southwest to the capital is a long-standing trade route for the Gongye family. I would like to ask your family to send this pot of flowers to the capital via a carriage from a local trading company."
Gongye Fusu's smile deepened, and he said, "No problem at all. May I ask who you wish to give this to?" He then recited, "A beautiful woman presents me with a fine flower; this is a rare blessing in this world."
In fact, the first person that came to A Qiu's mind when she saw that pot of peonies was her eldest brother, Gongyi Xiu. He was the most flower-loving person in Lanling Hall. Even the surface of his folding fan was painted not with beauties but with famous flowers, and he changed it frequently: peonies in spring, lotus flowers in summer, osmanthus in autumn, and plum blossoms in winter. His fan was called the Hundred Flowers Fan because it always featured several branches of the same flower in different styles.
Ah Qiu now recalled that most of the flowers she remembered from her childhood were cultivated by this senior brother. She used to be mischievous and often trampled on the seedlings he planted. Now, seeing this exquisite peony, she couldn't help but think of him, thinking that he would definitely like it.
But the youthful days in Lanling Hall, now that he has broken with his sect, seem like a distant memory.
She then said softly, "Young master, have someone send it to the gate of the Ministry of Personnel and write the words 'not good' on it. Someone will then come and take it away."
This was actually a secret code she used when playing games with the young Gongyi Xiu. However, the current situation between her and Lanling Hall can only be described as "bad."
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Yi's heavy coughing sounded behind her. Gongye Fusu and Bai Shi turned around at the same time, only to see Gu Yi coming out with Lie Changkong's help, still covering his face and hair with a bamboo hat and veil.
Gongye Fusu, puzzled, said to Aqiu, “Miss, your method of sending flowers is quite novel. It must be a game you play with your close friends. How interesting!” He added, “No problem. I will have someone come and move them right away. There is a freight train heading to the capital today, and it can depart at noon.”
Gu Yi interrupted, saying, "No. Send this flower to Jinling Terrace and have Gongyi Xiu pick it up personally."
He immediately revealed that the person who received the flowers was none other than the Left Chancellor, Gongyi Xiu. Bai Shi and Lie Changkong, who were unaware of this, did not show any particular change, but A Qiu and Gongye Fusu both had strange expressions.
A Qiu realized that Gu Yi had probably guessed back then that the person she was supposed to deliver the letter to was Gongyi Xiu. She was both surprised and embarrassed, as if she had been caught red-handed.
Gongye Fusu, however, was at a loss for words. A moment later, he remembered that Gongyi Xiu must have had a past connection with A Qiu. He had received a letter from his sworn brother, Duan Shaoan, asking him to enter the palace and deliver three messages to a dancer named A Qiu. Afterwards, he investigated and learned that the letter had originally come from the Left Prime Minister's residence. He wanted to find out the relationship between Duan Shaoan and Gongyi Xiu, so he had later tried to probe, but still hadn't obtained any concrete details. However, it was a fact that A Qiu and Gongyi Xiu had a connection, because he had once gone to Jinling Terrace to test A Qiu to see if she knew of Duan Shaoan. A Qiu hadn't answered him, only telling him to ask Gongyi Xiu himself.
If A Qiu were merely a dancer and not a friend of Gongyi Xiu, she would never have spoken of the Left Chancellor of the court in such a tone.
Only a close friend would have such an unspeakable secret, which they are unwilling to reveal, and suggest that the person in question ask them directly.
Gongyi Xiu looked at the two men and tentatively asked, "How about we send them to the Left Prime Minister's residence?"
Gu Yi and A Qiu both said at the same time, "No."
In A Qiu's household, most of the people in Gongyi Xiu's Left Prime Minister's residence were from Lanling Hall. Of the three people who held the power of Gongyi Xiu's word, at least three were in the Left Prime Minister's residence. Once the flowers were delivered and a few more questions were asked, it wouldn't be difficult to find out A Qiu's current location. A Qiu wasn't worried about her senior brother Gongyi Xiu betraying her, but she was worried about the other people in Lanling Hall, after all, she was now a disgraced disciple of Lanling.
Gu Yi felt that sending it to the Left Prime Minister's residence was even more inappropriate than sending it to the gate of the Ministry of Personnel; it was more like a private exchange.
Although Bai Shi was an outsider, he had a clearer perspective and roughly saw through the situation. He smiled and smoothed things over, saying, "In Bai Shi's opinion, this is where the young lady is in the wrong. How can you give flowers to a man outside your own home? Even if that Left Prime Minister is your relative, it is still inappropriate. The young master did not stop you and only made other arrangements, which is already very generous of him."
When Gu Yi took A Qiu to the Tian Gong Workshop, he never revealed his identity, only saying that A Qiu was his concubine. Therefore, Bai Shi always assumed that A Qiu was Gu Yi's concubine, which is why she said that. However, since A Qiu was a concubine, she had no reason to give away her belongings to outsiders. Moreover, in front of so many people, Gu Yi did not object, only saying that the method was inappropriate. Therefore, Bai Shi deduced that the person she was going to give away must be her relative or cousin. This deduction, though not entirely correct, was not far off.
Gongye Fusu asked, bewildered, "What do you mean, 'in someone else's room'?" He glanced at Gu Yi and A Qiu, immediately realizing that the two must have lied. No wonder the painter Bai had teased A Qiu, saying that the combination of "Nei Ren Jiao" and "Yu Lou Qing" was perfect for her. He reacted quickly, nodding and saying, "Painter Bai is right. A married woman follows her husband. Since our young master has said so, we will do as he says. Send her to Jinling Terrace and have the Left Prime Minister kneel to receive her."
A Qiu nearly fainted. It was just a pot of two-colored peonies; why should her senior brother kneel to receive it? She wasn't the empress; where would she get the guts?
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