Второстепенная женская героиня невинна

Глава 22

"Sister Bai, is that brat Xiao Lü bothering you again?" Yun Yiyang picked up a glass of water from the table, drank it down, and wiped the water stains from his mouth.

I watched his childish behavior with amusement and said helplessly, "How many times have I told you not to call her a brat?"

Yun Yiyang waved his hand dismissively, glanced at me, and suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Bai, why is your face so pale today?"

I touched my cheek, stunned, and said, "Really?..." After a long pause, I said, "Yiyang, how many days has Young Master Shang been gone?"

Yun Yiyang tilted his head and thought for a moment, "It's probably been more than half a month... Huh? Why is Sister Bai asking about that 'bastard'?" Yun Yiyang winked at me and asked mischievously.

I casually remarked, "Oh... He's been gone for so long, I wonder how your kung fu is doing? Did he just teach you a set of palm techniques and lightness skills?"

“Yes!” Yun Yiyang said with a shrug, “What Brother Shang said is enough for me to learn for a long time.”

My gaze tightened, and I slowly said, "He...he didn't teach you swordsmanship?"

“No!” Yun Yiyang replied quickly, casually saying, “Brother Shang said that the Autumn Water Saber Technique… is a sword technique for killing people.”

I nodded. If I didn't believe this statement before, I do now.

Believe me, the Autumn Water Blade in my dream, carrying a murderous aura, flew straight towards my chest.

Was the blade that cleaved my straw hat originally a weapon brimming with murderous intent and ferocity?

This seemingly gentle, autumn-water-like glint of the blade concealed a bottomless, terrifying depth.

Heyue Mountain Villa

Even in winter, Heyue Villa remains serene and tranquil, with a few red plum trees standing quietly in the snow outside the courtyard. The white snow and red buds complement each other, creating a unique and charming scene.

I sat in the warm pavilion of Heyue Manor. Although it was freezing cold outside, the room was warm and cozy. Two ornate copper braziers had already been placed on the floor, each filled with a thin flame of charcoal, and covered with a finely crafted lid to prevent sparks from burning anyone. Several young maids entered one after another, one of them placing a small hand warmer in my hand, while the others placed a silver basin on the table. I looked up and almost gasped in surprise—the silver basin contained a bunch of fresh, juicy grapes!

In modern times, it would be common to eat fresh grapes in winter, but this was in the Song Dynasty. How were these grapes transported here? They were so fresh, as if they had just been cut from the vine, still covered in the morning dew.

A maidservant in blue beside me said with a charming smile, "Please, Your Excellency! These are grapes that my master specially instructed us to pick from Hanzhi Garden, so that Your Excellency could enjoy their freshness." Hearing this, my eyes widened in astonishment!

These grapes, a rare sight in winter, were actually planted by Ye Zhi Qiu himself?!

The maid in blue continued, "Does the Prime Minister not know about the newly opened Pinfang Garden here? It not only supplies the best seasonal fruits, but also sells grapes, peaches, watermelons, and sweet apricots that are only available in summer and autumn during the winter. Nobles and nobles flock there. This Pinfang Garden is the new property of my young master..." Before the maid could continue, Ye Zhi Qiu's gentle voice came from inside the curtain: "Qing Dian, step back."

Qingdian responded softly, "Yes..." and then took small steps, lifting the bamboo curtain behind me and stepping away. Ye Zhiqiu said slowly, "I'm sorry to have made the white-robed minister laugh at me. The little girl doesn't know the rules. The minister is very knowledgeable. If he were to show off such a little bit in front of you, it would be a laughing stock."

I smiled slightly and said, "Pavilion Master Ye is too modest. If you don't mind, just call me Baiyi. How can a woman like me be considered knowledgeable? I have never seen grapes picked in winter before. Pavilion Master Ye is the one who truly deserves the title of 'knowledgeable'!"

Hearing this, Ye Zhi Qiu remained silent, leaning back in his chair for a long while. Then, he gently clapped his hands inside the curtain, and a maid in yellow robes emerged. Ye Zhi Qiu said, "Go, let Bai Yi taste this year's newly brewed peach wine." I quickly replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Pavilion Master Ye, but I don't drink." The maid in yellow smiled slightly at me, without answering, and turned to leave the warm pavilion. A short while later, she returned carrying a small wine jar, followed by three or four maids, some carrying small stoves, some holding charcoal, and some carrying wooden frames. They hurriedly erected a frame on the floor, poured the wine from the jar into a small white porcelain wine pot, and warmed it. The wine was clear as jade, its color a vibrant green. With each pour, the room was filled with the aroma of fresh peaches. Once the wine was warm, the maid in yellow pulled a silk handkerchief from her sleeve, first blindfolding herself, then placing a wine pot and a jade cup on an ebony lacquer tray. I lifted a corner of the white curtain from the side, then poured wine into it. From outside the curtain, I could vaguely see Ye Zhi Qiu raise his wine cup, but not drink it, softly reciting:

"Green ants newly brewed wine, a small red clay stove..."

I chuckled and replied, "It looks like it'll snow tonight; shall we have a drink?"

“What a wonderful ‘Would you like a drink?’” Ye Zhi Qiu inside the curtain seemed to be smiling as well: “It’s freezing cold now, the frost chills our clothes, the green ants are freshly roasted, and the red clay is still warm. How can you, dressed in white, not have a drink?”

Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but smile: "Alcohol can cloud judgment, so it's best for me not to drink."

"Very well." Ye Zhi Qiu didn't insist, and clapped her hands lightly. Suddenly, a melodious string and wind instrument sounded outside the warm pavilion. After a while, a soft and clear female voice rang out:

Where the water's sleeves part, the new pavilion stands tall; the spring breeze whispers in my ear, and the deer cry out.

I break off a willow branch for you, its purity lingers in my heart; the world flows on, leaving no trace like ink on water.

They came serenely, and departed with a sigh; petals drifted and melted away, time has passed...

The singing was soft, melodious, and incredibly sweet, but to me it felt like a heavy hammer slamming into my heart. This warm, spring-like room now felt like an eternal ice cave! My whole body felt as if it were immersed in icy water… These four lines were clearly what I had heard and seen in my dream, so how could Ye Zhi Qiu have set them to music and sung them? Then I heard Ye Zhi Qiu's faint voice: "These lines of poetry were something I happened to hear in a dream, so I wrote them down and had the singers sing them, but I only remember these few lines. I wonder if the white-robed woman can continue them for me?"

Good heavens! Could it be that Ye Zhi Qiu had the same dream as me?!

"White robes? White robes?..." Hearing Ye Zhi Qiu raise his voice, I took a breath and tried my best to come back to my senses. I said, "Pavilion Master Ye, the person in white robes came today to discuss the cooperation between Guiyun Manor and Qiuye Pavilion in selling silk, not to recite poems. It is getting late now, why don't we sit down and talk about this matter?"

Ye Zhi Qiu slowly said, "If you can complete the poem, this Qing Si Xue Silk and the newly spun crepe water yarn will be sold to Gui Yun Manor at a 60% discount!" After pausing, Ye Zhi Qiu continued, "In terms of bright colors, Gui Yun Manor's Liaoling and Yunjin Caiduan are the best. However, in terms of softness and smoothness, my Qing Si Xue Silk and crepe water yarn are the best! I wonder if Bai Yi agrees with my statement?"

I nodded: "That's right, both silk textile companies have their own strengths. But if you ask me to reduce the price of Liaoling to 60%, I'm afraid I can't make that decision."

Ye Zhi Qiu said with a half-smile, "It is said that the White-Robed Prime Minister can manipulate events in Jiangzhou, but he cannot make this decision for Guiyun Manor?"

I sighed softly, brushed my hair behind my ear, and said gently, "Sect Master Ye... I am just a passerby in Guiyun Manor. I was taken in by Guiyun Manor, so I work for Guiyun Manor. A guest cannot be a master... Everything in Guiyun Manor does not belong to me, so I cannot be the master."

Ye Zhi Qiu sighed softly and said, "White Robe, why don't you want to come here?"

I looked up and smiled slightly: "Because Qiuye Pavilion and Guiyun Manor are no different to me...neither of them belongs to me."

I tucked the signed contract into my sleeve and left Ye Zhi Qiu's warm chamber.

A clear and melodious singing voice came from behind:

Where the water's sleeves part, the new pavilion stands tall; the spring breeze whispers past, and the deer cry out.

I break off a willow branch for you, its purity lingers in my heart; the world flows on, leaving no trace like ink on water.

They came leisurely, and they left thoughtfully; petals fluttered and melted away, time has passed!

Today we part, a long and winding road ahead; when will we meet again? Amidst the lush, fragrant grasses.

Green willow catkins, fluttering against my clothes; where the cuckoo cries, I will never forget the past and present...

"Sister Bai—Little Green is gone! Little Green is gone!" I returned to the room, placed the contract on the table, and just as I picked up my teacup, I heard Yun Yiyang burst into the room shouting, waving a piece of paper covered in writing in his hand.

"Ah?! Little Green's gone? Where did she go?" I couldn't help but feel a little panicked. This little girl had come so mysteriously, and then disappeared just as mysteriously. I took the letter from Yun Yiyang's hand. It was filled with neat handwriting:

"Sister Bai, Xiaoyunzi: "