cunning and scheming
Bifu Pavilion is located in the southern suburbs of Jianzhang City. Although it is in the suburbs, it is not desolate, but rather bustling with people and carriages. This is because it is a renowned flower and tree garden, which gathers many famous gardens and beautiful waters, and the plants and landscaping are regarded by the nobles and dignitaries of the capital as a good place to visit and relax in their leisure time.
These were all things that A Qiu had heard Gongyi Xiu mention. But the reason she accompanied Shangguan Yuqi here was because she had arranged to meet Hulü Guang here.
Before arranging the meeting between Shangguan Yuqi and Huli Guang, A Qiu had done detailed research, just in case something went wrong.
Xie Tiao originally suggested that the matter take place within the palace, preferably the Eastern Palace, where the Flying Phoenix Guards and Imperial Guards would be present, preventing Hulü Guang from causing any trouble. However, A Qiu rejected this suggestion. Since Hulü Guang had not formally met with the Emperor, entering the palace at this time would be improper, and there was also the fear that Hulü Guang would discover the true state of the inner court. He could simply grab any soldier and ask them to reveal that Xie Lang frequently neglected court duties, and that the Consort Chen and the Crown Prince were acting in his place, thus exposing the dynasty's weaknesses.
In addition, A-Qiu had another consideration: the more relaxed and ordinary the atmosphere of the meeting place, the better, so as not to arouse Huli Guang's suspicion and cause him to refuse to duel with Shangguan Yuqi out of caution.
This meant it couldn't be on government-owned land. But if it wasn't on government-owned land, and safety had to be ensured, then this location became a major point of contention.
It's not just about ensuring Shangguan Yuqi's safety, but also Hulü Guang's. If he were assassinated within the Southern Dynasty's borders before his duel with Shangguan Yuqi, it would only cause trouble for everyone.
Xie Tiao frowned and said, "I live in the palace and rarely go out for leisure, so I really don't know of any other good places to go in the capital. Do any of you have any ideas?"
Pei Yu, Shangguan Yuqi, Fan Liancheng, and the others looked at each other, puzzled but unable to come up with an answer.
Although Pei Yu grew up in Jianzhang, his life revolved around the military camp and the Dongguang Marquis's residence. He was either training soldiers in the camp or practicing martial arts at home, rarely venturing out to other places. Shangguan Yuqi mostly practiced swordsmanship in the family's forbidden area on the outskirts of the capital. Fan Liancheng also grew up in the military camp and was not from Jianzhang, so he had no idea about restaurants, teahouses, theaters, or other places for drinking and feasting.
Gongyi Xiu was about to make a recommendation when he was immediately met with a sharp glare from A Qiu.
Without him saying a word, A Qiu knew he would recommend places like Luoyufang and Zhenxiage. Those places were indeed grand and extravagant, and it wouldn't be a problem for men to hold banquets or entertain guests. The problem was that Shangguan Yuqi was of such status and an unmarried woman. How could she possibly go to a brothel to meet a stranger like Huli Guang?
It was Gongye Fusu who solved this problem. He smiled and said, "I do have a place to recommend, which is Bifu Pavilion in the southern suburbs of Jianzhang City. If Miss Shangguan invites Hulü Guang there for tea, there will be no safety issues, because it is a property of my Gongye family, and all the staff inside and outside are from my family."
A-Qiu asked, "Bifu Pavilion? What kind of place is that?"
It was Gongyi Xiu who answered. Without looking at Gongye Fusu, he replied, “That is probably the most elegant garden in Jianzhang Garden today. Rocks are piled to form mountains, water is channeled to form pools, and various bonsai are arranged according to the four seasons. Both the artistry of the bonsai and the rarity of the flowers and trees in the garden are considered unique to Jianzhang. For example, in the very center of the garden is a nearly seven-hundred-year-old ginkgo tree. Every autumn, when its leaves fall, the ground is covered in golden yellow, a magnificent sight that cannot be seen anywhere else. However…”
He paused slightly before saying, "I have been there several times, but I didn't know before that it was the property of the Gongye family."
Gongye Fusu said nonchalantly, "It's normal that the Left Prime Minister doesn't know. That place was originally my villa. Later, I felt that it would be a waste to keep all the rare flowers and stones in the garden to myself, so I tried to open it for business. However, it is only open to a very small number of people with VIP cards, and reservations must be made in advance. Because of this, not just anyone can sneak in, so there is absolutely no problem with security. But it is indeed a business venue for entertaining guests, so it will not make Hulü Guang particularly wary."
As he said this, he remembered something and smiled at A Qiu, saying, "The rare peony and peony varieties that you received from the Meng family in the southwest last time were placed in Bifu Pavilion. When you brought them back, they all bloomed soon after and were highly praised by famous scholars and literati! If you go there, you can also see the peony poems they inscribed on the screen, probably no less than twenty."
A Qiu decisively said, "Since the Gongye family head is willing to give his assurance, then this is the place. However, I will accompany Miss Shangguan. We are both women, so we will wear casual clothes instead of official robes to make Hulü Guang lower his guard."
Then he said to Shangguan Yuqi, "Since Bifu Pavilion is a famous garden, it must be mostly open-air structures. I will not disturb your conversation with Huli Guang. I will just sit where I can see you, whether in a pavilion or a boat. You will not leave my sight, but I will not be able to hear what you are talking about."
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yuqi scoffed, "What do I have to talk to him about? It's just a formality. I'm not afraid of you hearing it."
Ah Qiu thought so too. Even if Hulü Guang and Shangguan Yuqi really had some private conversations, would Hulü Guang be so stupid as to think that Shangguan Yuqi wouldn't tell her about it or discuss it with her afterward? It was just a pretense of avoiding the topic.
Xie Tiao frowned and asked, "If Hulü Guang really intends to harm Miss Shangguan, what method is he most likely to use?"
Pei Yu looked on with disbelief and said, "This is a public place, not Hulü Guang's private residence. What can he do in broad daylight?"
Gongye Fusu and Gongyi Xiu exchanged a rare, tacit glance. Gongyi Xiu spoke first: “There are many ways. For example, as long as the young lady is drugged, he can find an excuse to take her away. Whether it’s a teahouse or a restaurant, there’s no reason to stop a customer from taking their friend out for medical treatment. Although the Grand Master of Music has said he will be watching nearby, if his servants stop you, the Grand Master of Music wouldn’t resort to violence in the garden, would he? Besides, he will do it without leaving a trace, so that the Grand Master of Music has no leverage over him, knowing that he is the one who is obstructing you.”
A-Qiu said in disbelief, "I'm sitting there watching, how can he stop me? I'm not an ordinary lady's attendant. If someone really tries to stop me, I will definitely draw my sword."
Gongyi Xiu smiled wryly and said, “You are so wary because you know he has bad intentions. But under normal circumstances, he doesn’t need to fight you with swords. If a servant accidentally spills tea on you, shouldn’t you go to the inner room to change your clothes? And what if there are other people of high rank or with whom you have a close relationship, whether friend or foe, who deliberately talk to you and distract you for a moment? What I’m talking about are just common tactics in the martial arts world.”
Both A Qiu and Pei Yu felt ashamed. This was because neither of them had ever been exposed to the ways of the martial arts world before, and therefore they could not have imagined that there were so many ways to harm people.
Gongye Fusu coughed lightly and said casually, "I didn't expect that the Left Prime Minister, as an official of the court, would be so clear about the dirty dealings in the martial arts world."
Gongyi Xiu said without changing his expression, "When I first started as a military officer in the local area, I handled many similar cases, so I may know more about them."
Gongye Fusu changed the subject, saying, "Since the Left Prime Minister knows so much, I wonder if he can also guess how Hulü Guang used the drug?"
Gongyi Xiu was speechless for a long time before finally saying sullenly, "I am not a womanizer, how would I know how to use drugs?"
A Qiu knew that Gongyi Xiu's words were not false. He was the eldest disciple of Lanling Hall, a handsome and refined man. If he wanted to win a woman's heart, he would never need to resort to such methods as drugging her. Furthermore, Gongyi Xiu always respected and cherished women and deeply abhorred those who insulted women. Therefore, he would certainly scoff at such practices and disdain to get involved.
Gongye Fusu said calmly, "I happen to know that."
Everyone present was astonished, because this could be considered a private matter between Hulü Guang and his family. Gongye Fusu was in the Southern Dynasty and had never been acquainted with Hulü Guang in his life, so how could he know such a secret?
Gongye Fusu said, "That's because the Northern Qiang royal court is a newly emerging barbarian group, not so aristocratic. They don't buy much spice from our Gongye family, but Hulü Guang is one of the frequent buyers. We can determine how he uses it based on his multiple purchase records."
He said seriously, "One of the spices he buys most often is Brahma. There's nothing wrong with this spice in itself, but when it's combined with another spice, it has an aphrodisiac effect. That spice is called Red Gold Coral."
Pei Yu was the first to shout, "You knew he used these two spices to harm women, so why did you still sell them to him?"
Gongye Fusu smiled wryly and said, "The 'Possa' fragrance is a commonly used incense among the nobles of our Southern Dynasty, so we have no reason not to sell it to him. However, he purchased the red coral from other channels, which we cannot stop. It just so happens that the supplier of the red coral also has dealings with us, so we know about this matter."
Shangguan Yuqi generously offered her advice: "Even a knife used for chopping vegetables can be used to kill someone, but the fault does not lie with the knife itself. The head of the Gongye family only sells spices to various countries, but he cannot control how each person uses them. As long as there are evil people, even the most beautiful things can turn into poison. Why don't we think about how to deal with Hulü Guang?"
Gongye Fusu said, "When the 'Bolo Powder' and 'Red Gold Coral' are used together, according to my understanding of their medicinal properties, the fastest way to take effect is to dissolve them in water. The drinker will feel weak in the limbs in no time, and even the most skilled martial artist will find it difficult to escape. Therefore, if Miss Shangguan meets this person, she must not drink any water handed to her by him."
A Qiu asked, "Besides dissolving in water, are there any other uses? Young Master Fusu, could you please tell us all so that we have a better understanding?"
Gongye Fusu said, "There is another method, which is to bring out the original properties of these two spices and use them to infuse the fragrance from a distance. However, it takes a long time, so I don't think Hulü Guang will have that much time and patience."
Ah Qiu silently noted it down, and then said to Shangguan Yuqi, "To prevent him from doing anything underhanded, we will choose an open-air location in the garden, where we can help each other. During the entire meeting, you must not touch anything, whether it is water or food. Do not touch anything, even if it is brought up by the servants of Bifu Pavilion, just in case."
Shangguan Yuqi nodded in agreement.
Therefore, from the moment he stepped into Bifu Pavilion, A Qiu was already on high alert, ready to confront Huli Guang's cunning schemes.
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