Gu Chengyu had a good appearance, having achieved the rank of scholar at a young age. It was widely known in the mansion, the eight-year-old prodigy. When she first saw him, she thought Gu Chengyu resembled an old acquaintance. Who would have thought, it was Mu Jin.
If she didn’t see Mu Jin today, she might have forgotten about this person. This eting, however, opened long-buried mories.
"Mother!" Gu Chengli and Mrs. Fang also got down from the carriage behind and greeted Mrs. Lv as they walked up to her.
"Oh! These are my eldest son’s couple! Call her Aunt Cui! She’s an old acquaintance of your mother’s." Mrs. Lv pointed to Cui Ming and said to the couple.
"Aunt Cui!" The two quickly responded and greeted.
Upon seeing the couple, Cui Ming thought they didn’t look much different in age from Mrs. Lv.
The eldest’s appearance bore no resemblance to Mu Jin, suggesting he might be a stepson. Had Mu Jin indeed married that widower?
"Mother! I have so matters to attend to, so I’ll leave first. After you and elder brother and sister-in-law have bought your things, wait for at the teahouse in front." Gu Chengyu, seeing it was getting late, had to visit his teacher, so he proposed to take his leave.
Before leaving, Gu Chengyu gave Ming Yan a look, to which Ming Yan imdiately understood and nodded.
Ming Mo drove the carriage directly to the Liang Mansion. It was still early, and Liang Zhirui should be at the mansion.
"Miss! I heard in the front that Mr. Gu has arrived!" Qing Dai happily walked into the room to report to Yao ngxian, who was sitting on a stool.
Yao ngxian had already risen, and Lianxin was doing her hair.
"You are on duty yet not attending to the miss here, where have you been?" Lianxin frowned slightly upon seeing Qing Dai enter the room.
Today was Qing Dai’s turn on duty, yet upon entering the room, she found the miss in a daze sitting on the stool wearing just a robe.
Mrs. Gao was ill from eating sothing yesterday, feeling unwell these days. The elderly lady of the mansion had Mrs. Gao rest to prevent her illness from spreading to the miss.
"I went to the main kitchen to fetch water and ca late." Qing Dai had thought about inquiring news from the main kitchen, seeing her miss had not yet risen, restless from being cooped up these days.
"Just yesterday, the elderly lady assigned four third-class maids and several general servants and maids, yet fetching water is still left to you?"
In front of the miss, Lianxin did not wish to say much, but since she and Qing Dai ca from the sa mansion, she naturally showed so leniency, not wanting the miss to take a dislike to Qing Dai over this.
"I just haven’t gotten accustod to it yet. Next ti I’ll let those maids do it." Qing Dai, knowing she was in the wrong, quickly and obediently went forward to set the copper basin, waiting for the miss to freshen up.
Recently, Yao ngxian was also dissatisfied with Qing Dai, noticing her manner wasn’t as good as before. Although the recent cold treatnt had so effect, it was only marginally better than before.
Seems Qing Dai cannot be kept for long, in the Jiang Mansion, she wouldn’t cause a stir, but if she returns to that den of wolves and tigers, soone like Qing Dai could easily fall victim.
She no longer believed everything would happen as it did in her dreams. Qing Dai’s nature was sowhat different from the dream, maybe it was just unnoticed in the dream! Who knows if these things are real, like the story of Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly.
Moreover, how could the world remain unchanged? Take the top scorer Gu Chengyu, for example, isn’t he a variable?
After tidying up, Yao ngxian sent a little maid to inquire at the elderly lady’s place to avoid running into Gu Chengyu who had co to pay respects. Although their relation was barely that of a teacher’s nephew, they were of similar age, it was better to avoid suspicion.
The little maid from the courtyard didn’t wait long before returning, "There’s no man at the elderly lady’s place, Young Master Gu is in the elder master’s outer study."
Gu Chengyu was discussing matters of going to the capital in Liang Zhirui’s outer study.
"When you go to the Imperial College, focus on your studies, and do not get involved in factional disputes prematurely," Liang Zhirui advised his young disciple with worry as he prepared for study in the capital.
Gu Chengyu was young and without foundation, yet he was the top scorer in the Provincial Examination, currently in the spotlight. Furthermore, he was his closed-door disciple.
"When a student goes to the Imperial College, it’s naturally for serious study. However, so matters can’t be avoided by rely trying to avoid them. From what you told about the general situation in court before, I have so preliminary understanding. Other things can only be known once I’m in the capital, teacher, don’t worry too much."
Gu Chengyu was grateful for his teacher’s care, as he had been attentive to him as his disciple.
"You have only studied with for three years, how much of the six arts of the gentleman have you learned? Once you are in the capital, the distance makes it impossible for to teach you even if I want to. Live at your senior brother’s mansion in the capital, and if you don’t understand anything, ask him."
"I have already asked my senior brother to purchase a house in the capital for , it’s better not to stay in my senior brother’s mansion to avoid inconvenience."
Gu Chengyu certainly did not want to live under soone else’s roof! Although his senior brother treated him well, living in soone else’s mansion always required caution and restraint, which would beco a burden.
"I know you little brat have the money! You’ve even bought a house in the capital, yet I’ve never seen you much honor !" Liang Zhui Rui pointed at Gu Chengyu, jokingly scolding him.
Gu Chengyu hurriedly cried injustice, "Haven’t I brought many gifts each ti I co? Both food and goods, I’ve honored you and your wife aplenty!"
"The things you’ve brought are indeed good, but my mansion lacks none of those! They’re not what I hold dear to my heart, what about that tea set of yours? Have you really given it away?"
Liang Zhirui also enjoyed tea, and the tea leaves Gu Chengyu brought were excellent. He usually reserved them for rare occasions with distinguished guests. The ntioned tea set was the one given to Mr. Wen, which Gu Chengyu had previously told Liang Zhirui about.
"I’ve even held that purple clay teapot! Ah! Although that tea tray was precious, it couldn’t compare to that teapot!"
What Liang Zhirui couldn’t forget was that teapot, as Gu Chengyu had once taken it out for him to examine, hence Liang Zhirui had rembered it fondly.
Gu Chengyu grinned for a while; his teacher didn’t yet know he had a surprise for him!
"I already gave that to Mr. Wen, to thank him for his earlier guidance. He’s as worthy of respect as you are!"
In fact, when he took it out, he had already said it was for Mr. Wen, not knowing his teacher would fancy that teapot. Later, he searched for a long ti in his private space and found a similar one to give to Liang Zhirui.
"Good! Back then, I took you as my closed-door disciple because of your character, not your ager skills. Or did you think your little tricks could deceive ?"
"Heh heh!" Gu Chengyu chuckled dryly. He hadn’t thought his plan would work; would it be so easy to deceive soone who could beco a Grand Secretary? He only wanted to catch his attention!
"By the way! When you head to the capital, be wary of Grand Secretary Xia Qing! He and I have never seen eye to eye; if he discovers you’re my closed-door disciple, he might send his n to trouble you."
When Liang Zhirui retired, Xia Qing took over his position. Reflecting now, it was a decision made in a mont of anger, and now it was too late for regrets.
It wasn’t the power he missed, but that after his retirent, the court lost one who could counter Xia Qing’s influence.
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