195 No

After crossing the bridge, the four of them sat down in a warm pavilion in the forest. A heater was buried under the pavilion, and screens blocked the wind all around, making the pavilion as warm as spring.

The maidservants of the Murong family immediately served tea and snacks to their master and guests.

Murong Yong reminded Gu Yunzhen with a smile to take off her cloak. Otherwise, she would catch a cold if she went out of the warm pavilion later.

Gu Yunzhen thanked him briefly and took off her cloak.

Murong Hui pursed her lips into a straight line as she watched this harmonious scene. She was just short of saying “unpleasant” on her face.

Murong Hui took a sip of tea and said sourly, “Eldest Lady Gu, my Second Brother is really considerate to you. He’s not like this with me and my other sisters…”

Ever since they were young, Big Brother had been cold to them and ignored them. However, he was so good to this woman today!

“Miss Murong.” Gu Yanfei looked at Murong Hui and suddenly said, “I think your grandmother is quite sick. I’m afraid she won’t be able to survive the next winter’s snow. I wonder how long she’s been sick?”

Murong Hui’s expression darkened as she thought to herself, ‘Who talks like that?! Such inauspicious words!”

Murong Hui snorted angrily and mocked sarcastically, “From Second Miss Gu’s straightforward tone, it seems like you know medicine.”

“Yes.” Gu Yanfei nodded seriously and smiled at Murong Yong, who was sitting beside Murong Hui. “Second Young Master Murong should know.”

She smiled calmly, her clear pupils like clear springs. She did not shy away from talking about how she saved Imperial Duke Wei at the Tianyin Pavilion the other day.

She would not treat others as fools and think that Murong Yong would not recognize her even if he was so close.

What did she mean? Murong Hui looked at Murong Yong in shock.

Meeting Gu Yanfei’s clear pupils, the teacup in Murong Yong’s hand paused for a moment before he replied in a low voice, “Grandma has been sick for almost three months.”

“When autumn entered winter, Grandma caught a cold and collapsed. Our family searched for famous doctors, but her condition only worsened…”

Beside him, Murong Hui lowered her eyes and gripped the teacup tightly with her fingers. She pursed her lips and did not say anything.

Outside the pavilion, the wind was biting. It blew against the screen and the plum trees with a crackling sound. Occasionally, a few remnants of flowers and leaves were blown into the pavilion by the wind through the gap in the screen.

The atmosphere was a little heavy.

“That’s not right,” Gu Yanfei interrupted Murong Yong. She held her chin with her right hand and smiled lazily. “She’s been sick for at least three years.”

When Gu Yanfei approached Old Madam Murong just now, she could smell the rancid smell from her body.

It was the smell of the dead.

Even if the room was lit with incense, charcoal was burned, and medicine pots and bowls were filled with medicinal dregs, it could not hide the strong rancid smell.

The pavilion instantly fell into a strange silence, as if even the wind outside had stopped.

Murong Hui frowned and felt that Second Miss Gu was really aggressive. She interrupted coldly, “Second Miss Gu, what do you mean? How can we not know how long Grandma has been sick?”

“Not only did we hire an imperial physician, but even Shangqing Spiritual Master came to see Grandma. If Second Lady Gu doesn’t believe me, you can…”

Seeing that Murong Hui’s emotions were getting higher and higher, Murong Yong reprimanded her softly, “Hui’er.” His tone was sharp.

Murong Hui shut her mouth in embarrassment.

Murong Yong smiled apologetically and sighed. “All these years, Grandma has been old and weak. Her health is indeed not good, and she drinks medicine every day like she’s drinking tea. I’ve been working outside for the past two years. When my family sends letters, they always report good news but not bad news…”

“I didn’t expect Grandma’s condition to deteriorate so quickly…”

Gu Yanfei folded her hands under her chin and asked with a smile, “Did the talismans on the window come from Shangqing Spiritual Master?”

“Of course.” Murong Hui raised her chin proudly, her eyes shining brightly. “His Taoist skills are profound. Fortunately, he took action…”

As Murong Hui spoke, she saw a willow-yellow slender figure walk out from behind a rockery outside the forest and walk leisurely towards the warm pavilion.

Murong Hui’s eyes lit up, and the corners of her lips curled up. She glanced sideways at Gu Yunzhen, who was sitting opposite her.

The warm pavilion, where the four of them were, was specially designed. It had a good view and was most suitable for admiring the scenery. It could take in the surrounding scenery completely.

Therefore, Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen also noticed the person.

It was a young woman of 16 or 17 years old. She was beautiful, with thick black hair tied into a slanted crescent bun. Her skin was fair, and there was a faint blush on her cheeks and lips.

“Yong Lang.”

The girl quickly walked to a white plum tree fifty to sixty feet away. Her cherry lips moved slightly as she called Murong Yong in a slightly choked voice.

Her voice was as pleasant as the cry of a lark.

Her limpid eyes were filled with hazy tears. She wanted to say something but did not. She was so gentle that one could not help but pity her.

Under the cold wind, a strand of hair by the girl’s cheek hung down her neck and trembled slightly, like a delicate flower mercilessly ravaged by the cold wind.

In the pavilion, Murong Yong frowned slightly. There was no fluctuation in his dark brown pupils.

The atmosphere froze, and the pavilion fell silent. Three to five plum blossoms as white as snow were blown into the pavilion by the wind.

“Your voice is really good!” Gu Yanfei smiled brightly and broke the silence. “Does your residence have an opera troupe?”

Gu Yanfei’s crisp voice was especially loud in the pavilion.

When the girl beside the white plum tree heard this, she looked as if she had been slapped on the spot. Her face turned slightly pale, and tears threatened to fall.

Murong Hui frowned tightly and scolded angrily, “What nonsense are you talking about?!”

“That’s my cousin!”

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