III Jiangshan

Gu Zhongwen had just handed over the position of the Ministry of Criminal Justice a few days ago. As Guo Yi's deputy, he was ordered to assist in presiding over the upcoming women's examination.

As a child of an aristocratic family, Gu Zhongwen didn't have a good impression of Luan Tingsi.Most of the children of the aristocratic family were born with a gold spoon in their mouths. They have no worries about food and clothing, and they were taught poetry and book etiquette by the family since childhood, so they have their own pride. "The yamen, they all have the cognition of "court hawks and dogs" to some extent.

Therefore, when he first received such an appointment, Gu Zhongwen didn't understand the emperor's thoughts, and even felt that, as the son of the prince of the country, being the deputy of Guo Yi, who was born in the army, was an insult to the family's demeanor.

Although he thought so in his heart, he didn't show it on the surface.His temper, with the obvious style of caring for his family.After a long talk with his father, Gu Shuyan, Gu Zhongwen became more determined in his intention to do things in peace and not make a show of himself.

As a result, after two days, Gu Zhongwen unexpectedly discovered that Guo Yi was not a reckless man who only knew how to obey the emperor's orders and had no opinions.On the contrary, he is a rough and fine person, and the honesty and kindness in his bones make Gu Zhongwen feel: this person is worth making friends with.

Therefore, he thought more about the emperor's arrangement.As his father said, "This is His Majesty's intention to promote you, you must seize this opportunity."

Gu Zhongwen was deeply convinced at the moment.

He worked well with Guo Yi, and the several officials and subordinates assigned by the emperor to them were also loyal and diligent people, which made Gu Zhongwen more motivated and confident in successfully holding this women's examination full.

But there is one thing that still puzzles Gu Zhongwen: Guo Yi is not the chief officer of the Luanting Division, and Tang Yi, the chief officer of the Luanting Division, presided over the previous women's examinations.

It is His Majesty's permission for Mr. Tang to recuperate in the mansion, and all officials know about it.But Gu Zhongwen still felt that there was something else hidden in it.

May I ask, what kind of disease, as for so long?Mr. Tang is a martial arts practitioner. With that skill, even a dozen ordinary men are no match for him, right?Will she easily get seriously ill?

Gu Zhongwen asked his father about this question.

Gu Shuyan only told him one thing: loyalty to the emperor.

Gu Zhongwen immediately understood that as a courtier, you will know some things that you should know; if you shouldn't know, don't ask more, don't think too much, otherwise you will only bring disaster on yourself.

He believed in his father's decades of experience as an official, so he expressed his willingness to be taught. From then on, he only devoted himself to serving the court.

The emperor paid more and more attention to women's examinations, and the pressure on the officials who took the exams was also increasing.

Gu Zhongwen couldn't figure out why the emperor attached so much importance to selecting women as officials. He didn't have any prejudice against women as officials. On the contrary, he felt that it would be a pity for many talented women to be confined in the palm-sized world in his boudoir.

For example, his wife is a very talented woman. Her intensive study of Confucian classics and many points of view have been praised by Gu Zhongwen.But even such a woman can only support her husband and teach her children in the mansion, and reading and writing books is just a kind of pastime.

Today, Wei's women's examination is still limited to unmarried women.Gu Zhongyan hoped that one day, married women would also be able to participate in it, and thus successfully become an official.With his wife's talent and knowledge, she is enough to enter the Hanlin Academy.That would not disgrace what she had learned all her life.

Because of this kind of thinking, Gu Zhongwen became more enthusiastic about the women's exam. In the past two days, he went to the emperor's place and Guo Yi's government office frequently.

His rank does not need to go to court.Therefore, early this morning, he rushed to Guo Yi's government office, wanting to discuss various matters with him in detail, but he did not see Guo Yi.

Have you entered the palace?Gu Zhongwen thought to himself.

At this moment, the head of Luan Tingsi, who had a close relationship on weekdays, quietly said to Gu Zhongwen: "I heard that Mr. Guo was scolded by His Majesty... and ordered to go back to the mansion to reflect."

Gu Zhongwen was slightly startled.

Since everything has been said like this, it must be true, not some "heard".

On the way home, he sat in the carriage and thought about it all the way, the more he thought about it, the more strange he felt——

Guo Yi has always been loyal and upright, and has worked hard for His Majesty for more than ten years. What exactly caused His Majesty to scold him and make him "return to the government to reflect"?

Moreover, His Majesty obviously didn't intend to cover up anything for him, otherwise, with His Majesty's style, he would never allow a little chief under Luan Tingsi to know anything.

I'm afraid that all officials will know about this matter soon.

Could it be something wrong with the women's exam?

The carriage stopped beside the gate of Gu's mansion, and Gu Zhongwen got out of the car in a daze, a thought flashed in his mind, and he felt uneasy at once.

After all, he was still young, and his experience was still inexperienced, so he became uneasy with such a heart, and his feet froze after taking two steps towards the gate of the mansion.

He decided to go to the palace, and at the same time ask the emperor for instructions, it would be better to find out the truth.

So, he turned around again, and was about to tell the coachman to "go to the palace", when he suddenly felt something, and his eyes looked sideways anxiously——

Over there, there is a row of high green brick walls of the Gu residence, covered with glazed tiles, shining brightly in the sunlight.

In the distance, a blue shadow is more eye-catching and dazzling than the glazed tiles under the sun, which makes people's eyes shine.

Where is this woman from?What are you doing standing outside the walls of my house?

Gu Zhongwen couldn't help asking himself.

Because they were quite far away, the woman's appearance and age could not be seen clearly.

Gu Zhongwen just felt that looking at his figure, he was quite young; but the atmosphere and demeanor exuding from his body were not something a young and inexperienced woman could possess.

Not only that, that dark blue stood tall and straight, even if she remained silent, her body still stood upright, as if any wind, rain, thunder, lightning, difficulties and obstacles in the world could not destroy her.

Gu Zhongwen was quite shocked. With such demeanor, he couldn't help but think of a person——

His eldest sister, Gu Heng, who had passed away in her youth.

In memory, the eldest sister is like this.

She seldom speaks, seldom plays with herself, she is often alone, and no one knows what she thinks.

At that time, the young Gu Zhongwen was a little afraid of his elder sister, but he also thought that the elder sister was very beautiful.Until now, he has grown into an adult, and he still believes that there is no woman in this world who is more beautiful than his elder sister, and has a better bearing than his elder sister.

She's like...a fairy in the moon palace.

Gu Zhongwen, who was young at that time, always felt this way.

Every day when he was ignored by his elder sister, Gu Zhongwen often hid in a corner and secretly looked at his elder sister, watching her silently contemplating, watching her standing against the wind... just the way she is now.

Such a person who looked like a banished fairy was finally trapped in the deep palace and never came out again.

Every time Gu Zhongwen thinks about this matter, he feels terribly sad.He regretted and mourned for his elder sister and all the beauty in this world.

At this moment, that feeling came again.

Gu Zhongwen stared fixedly at the dark blue in the distance, suppressing the aching pain in his chest.

He closed his eyes suddenly, then slowly opened them again.

Facts have proved that the woman is not his imagination.She was literally standing there.

Gu Zhongwen's heart beat twice, and he wanted to get closer, but suddenly stopped.

He turned back and told his servants to wait here and not to follow.

So Gu Zhongwen walked towards the dark blue color alone.

His footsteps were very light, and he was afraid of making a little movement, which would startle the people in the distance.

One step, two steps...one foot, two feet...

As they got closer, Gu Zhongwen's sense of tension became deeper and deeper.

When he was about five or six feet away, his heart was about to pop out of his mouth.

However, being close has its benefits: he finally saw the woman's face.

Disappointment is inevitable——

Not the elder sister.

Of course it can't be the eldest sister, rationally told Gu Zhongwen.The eldest sister has already passed away, and not even the bones were left to the Gu family.

After he saw the woman's appearance clearly, what followed was a strong doubt: Mochi?What is she?

Gu Zhongwen once lingered in Liyin Pavilion for a while, in order to help his father find out the inside story of Liyin Pavilion.Of course he recognized Mochi.

In this Liyin Pavilion, it is said that Yin Ji, who is said to be the most beautiful and has the best piano skills, will appear outside her mansion?

Still staring at the laurel tree in the wall of your own house in a daze?

Being so close, those who are a little sensitive will quickly notice the abnormalities around them, and they will automatically discover their own existence.But, in this ink pond, she actually just stared at the laurel tree like this, as if she had fallen into a trance.

Gu Zhongwen glanced at the laurel tree in the high wall with a strange expression, it was still the same, and there was nothing weird about it.

Regarding this tree, Gu Zhongwen once heard his father say: At that time, Tai Zu established his capital here, and the direct branch of the Gu family moved from Jiangnan to build the mansion.The ancestors of the Gu family planted a laurel tree sapling purchased from a Persian businessman, said to be produced in Daqin, in the back garden of Gu’s mansion, and said, “If you move away from your homeland, the roots will grow deep and the leaves will flourish. People and trees are the same.”

My father said that this is the ancestor's expectation for the future of the Gu family.

More than a hundred years have passed, and this tree, as the ancestors expected, has deep roots and luxuriant leaves. According to the merchants from the west, it is much thicker and taller than the laurel trees in the hometown of laurel.

The expectations of Gu's ancestors have finally come true.

However, what does such a rare tree have to do with Yin Ji from Liyin Pavilion?

Gu Zhongwen frowned slightly.

His father was always used to standing in the octagonal pavilion in the back garden at sunset, and his figure was suddenly remembered by him.

My father once recalled the scenes of the eldest sister cooking and tasting tea in the octagonal pavilion. My father said that it was the favorite place for the eldest sister in the mansion.

Every time Gu Zhongwen heard his father talk about this matter, he could always find some sparkling things in those eyes that saw through the world.Gu Zhongwen knew that his father missed his elder sister who had gone to heaven.

Why doesn't he miss it?

It took only a moment for these thoughts to cross Gu Zhongwen's mind.

He was still staring at Mochi, and Mochi was still staring at the tree unconsciously.

Gu Zhongwen felt weird and inexplicable——

This ink pool is full of strangeness.

She can touch His Majesty's soul, causing His Majesty to linger in Liyin Pavilion in subdued clothes frequently; when she is standing quietly like this, she is so similar to the elder sister's demeanor; but when facing her, I can't help it It reminds me of the elder sister.

Obviously that face is completely different from that of elder sister!

Gu Zhongwen backed away slowly, straight back to the front of the mansion, until he saw the woman turned into a blue shadow again.

He pondered, and finally decided not to disturb her.Because he had too many doubts about this woman.

Before boarding the car and entering the palace, Gu Zhongwen still worriedly called the steward of the mansion and gave him some instructions in a low voice.

The steward listened respectfully, was slightly surprised at first, then nodded, expressing that he had written everything down.

Gu Zhongwen took another deep look at the turquoise blue, then lifted the car curtain and left.

In the whole process, Mochi was ignorant.

No one knew what she was going through as she stood there as if in a trance.

So many past events, so many faces, so many entanglements, suddenly revealed by this tree, this wall, and the phantom of Yuan Youqi that appeared because of them, like in healthy skin On the ground, a bloody wound was suddenly torn open, and the blood burst out, which was terrible.

Mochi is made of flesh and blood, how can she bear the burden under such a strong tear?

"Aheng—"

A mournful scream belonging to Yuan Youqi slashed into his head like a knife, and Mo Chi's eyes widened suddenly.

There was blood-like red in her eyes, and in that blood-red was mixed with a patch of silvery white, which was Yuan Youqi's hair on the sideburns.

At this moment, Mochi saw that the black hairs on Yuan Youqi's temples turned into silver wires in an instant.

Whitehead overnight...

Whitehead overnight!

"Pfft—" A mouthful of blood gushed out of Mochi's lips.

Because of this accident, Mo Chi's body shook violently.

Her eyes were darkened, and she was very dizzy.

However, she didn't care about these things, she just kept asking herself in her heart——

"For whom... overnight? And who am I?"

Staggering, she moved her lead-filled legs in a daze.She didn't know where she was going, she only knew that her chest hurt badly and her heart ached.

In the distance, the steward of Gu's mansion who had been ordered by Gu Zhongwen was always watching Mochi's actions.Seeing her suddenly appearing in extreme pain, she staggered and turned around, walking away anxiously.

Because of his son's previous instructions, he didn't dare to get too close, thinking about whether to persuade the girl to go to the medical clinic to have a look at the abnormality of her body.

He just hesitantly followed Mochi ten feet away, and followed for nearly a quarter of an hour. Seeing that Mochi seemed to turn into a narrow alley in a daze, the steward felt uneasy and hurriedly followed.

However, as soon as he turned the corner, he discovered to his horror: the ink pool was gone!

The author has something to say: Guess where Xiao Gu went~