The Third Part Serving Chapter 28 Not Seen

  For a moment, it was as long as nine centuries, and finally heard Li Qingzhao speak up, still with a soft, beautiful and clear voice, but made Gao Gang's whole body numb: "Sister, the person you mentioned, is he the inner servant of General Gao?"

  "How did she know?! Gao Jiang stood frozen on the spot, his heart racing as if it was going to jump out of his chest, yet he didn't dare move a muscle. In his mind, he urged Bai Chenxiang to hurry up, today's opportunity was heaven-sent and couldn't be missed!"

  Bai Chenxiang was also surprised and hastily asked: "Sister, how did you already know? Why didn't you ever ask?"

  Li Qingzhao let out a soft sigh, and smiled wistfully: "Sister, you were at the Fengle Tower the other day, in such a grand setting. As your elder sister, I may be bound by propriety and couldn't attend to cheer you on, but how could I miss such an occasion? I had someone record the lyrics of the songs you sang, and we've been playing them repeatedly in the manor, entrancing everyone who hears them. I myself have cried out several times! It's truly a pity that I didn't get to hear you sing those exquisite new songs with your heavenly voice, in person. I fear it will be a lifelong regret of mine."

  Bai Chenxiang smiled lightly and was about to speak, when Li Qingzhao continued: "Since sister had someone record the lyrics and melody, of course she wouldn't leave out the name of the lyricist. The great name of Gao Lian is naturally known with just one inquiry. To tell the truth, I recall that on that day, my husband and I were in a pleasure house listening to music next door to him, and he cleverly revised a four-character poem. At the time, we thought it was done by his guest, but today it turns out it was actually him! Who would have thought that this famous flower of the capital also had such literary talent? The lyrics he wrote are almost worthy of being considered divine."

  Bai Chenxiang smiled secretly upon hearing this, thinking that the High Commissioner behind the screen would have some thoughts after listening to these words. He walked forward, grasped Li Qingzhao's arm and said: "Sister, do you have a mind to meet with this young poet, let's share a cup and converse?"

  Gao's heart was lifted to his throat, and all he heard was Li Qingzhao saying slowly: "This person, it doesn't matter if we don't see him!"

  It's done! As soon as I heard this sentence, from head to toe, it was like being drenched in ice water, and a chill ran up from the soles of my feet: "How... how could it be like this? Not even Xin Qiji's lyrics can make Li Yi'an change his opinion of me? That hateful Huahua Taixi..." For a moment, I was at a loss for what to do.

  Bai Chenxiang was also taken aback, originally she had heard Li Qingzhao praise her poetry without end, thinking that bringing this up would make the other person at least somewhat pleased and willing to respond, but how could it be so bluntly rejected? She hastily asked: "Sister, why do you say this?"

  "If it's about making friends through words, then spiritual connection is enough. Words themselves have charm and true emotions. By observing the words and appreciating their meaning, one can know the person thoroughly. Why must we meet in person?" Li Qingzhao took a deep breath and continued: "Moreover, High Commissioner Gao has an unrighteous reputation and his political views are at odds with my husband's family. How could I possibly meet him? From both public and private perspectives, sister, what do you think I need to see High Commissioner Gao for? Meeting is just like not meeting!"

  The words cut like a knife, leaving Bai Xiang speechless and pale. Gao Fang standing behind the screen was even more stunned, his mind a complete blank: it turned out that the person standing in front of him wasn't the Easy An Scholar he had admired since childhood, but rather the wife of his political enemy, someone who was also struggling in the same muddy waters of fame and fortune. The heavenly beauty from his dreams, the woman with a heart full of embroidery and a mouth full of jade, existed only in his own mind; even if she had traveled through 900 years of time and space, she could still only chase after the fantasies in his heart, never able to grasp even a corner of her real clothes. Or perhaps, this was the truest reality?

  From the moment he opened his eyes in the house at the back of the Commander's mansion, everything around him had never seemed as real and cruel as it did now. The history that was originally in his mind disappeared in an instant: "So, this is my world..."

  When he came to himself, the cabin was empty and silent, only the sound of footsteps echoed, the woman's laughter and conversation gradually faded away. It was clear that the two had finished talking, and Bai Chenxiang had sent Li Qingzhao out. He didn't know where a surge of impulse came from, but he suddenly flashed out from behind the screen, rushed out of the cabin in two steps, and jumped onto the bow of the painting boat. Before he could steady himself, he saw Bai Chenxiang bidding farewell to a woman at the garden gate.

  The woman turned her back to this side, wearing a long, dark green gauze dress that trailed on the ground. Her black hair was tied up with a long white jade hairpin on top of her head, revealing two slender shoulders that sloped down. Her delicate body seemed as if even the summer breeze didn't dare blow strongly, only gently stirring the hem of her clothes and the tips of her hair with a slight breath. Looking at her, she truly resembled a figure in a painting.

  He took a deep breath, but didn't know what to say or shout. Should he yell like a street punk "Li Qingzhao turn around", or come up with some grand words and say something like "One day you'll have to face me", or simply exude an aura of dominance that would make the other person's "tiger body tremble", no, it should be "delicate body tremble".

  He stood foolishly at the bow of the boat, but happened to fall into Bai Suzhen's eyes. This flower girl was a clever person, seeing Li Qingzhao's situation and sighing in her heart, pretending to glance over Li Qingzhao's shoulder and responding with a few casual words.

  Li Qingzhao immediately sensed something was amiss with the handkerchief and turned around to look. As she turned her neck, her heartbeat suddenly accelerated. She saw that slightly pointed, jade-like chin emerge from behind her shoulder-length hair, and before Gao could take a closer look at her forehead and cheeks, a pair of sparkling eyes had already taken in his entire being. In just one glance, Gao felt as if a bright light had flashed before his eyes, and those two autumnal waters had drawn in his entire spirit, even more captivating than the moment their gazes met on the upper floor of the Yihong Tower.

  In his heart, he thought it was a scene from a thousand years ago, but in fact, it was just a fleeting moment of glory. Li Qingzhao's eyes swept past him and immediately turned away, walking hand in hand with Bai Chenxiang. Only Gao Qiang was left standing alone at the bow of the boat, and it wasn't until half a moment later that he came to his senses. He carefully savored the moment when their eyes met earlier, and couldn't help but punch his right fist into his left palm: "How could I not have any impression of her other facial features except for those eyes? This is the second time!"

  Waiting until Baichen Xiang sent people back and forth, he saw Gao Qiang already sitting in the cabin, with a look of loss, and went forward to apologize with a smile: "Sir, just now Li sister's words you also understood, Xiangxiang is good for you. said all the good things, did enough work, but..."

  Facing the white fragrance, his strong brain immediately became agile, and he raised his hand to stop her from continuing. He opened his mouth and said: "Xiang Xiang, actually, I think that Li Yi An's reaction is reasonable at this moment. It's really difficult to meet him under such circumstances. Why did you guarantee the success of this matter earlier?"

  “Ah...” Bai Chenxiang blushed, then smiled and said: “You don't know, sir. My sister Li often complains about her troubles in the inner chamber, sometimes sighing and showing discontent in front of me. Moreover, she really admires your literary talent, so I thought that if I put in a good word for you, it would surely move his heart. Who knew my sister's heart is as hard as stone? It seems I was wrong about this.”

  "What's troubling you? What's troubling you?" His strong attention immediately shifted to this information, and he had thought that Li Qingzhao's early married life was a harmonious scene of husband and wife, but unexpectedly there were other mysteries, and he hurriedly asked repeatedly.

  Bai Chenxiang slowly spoke, it turned out that Li Qingzhao's father, former official of the Ministry of Rites Li Gefei, was a member of the old party. During the case of determining party affiliation two years ago, he was also implicated and Zhao Tingzhi, who was then a follower of Cai Jing, showed no mercy to his own relatives. No matter how much Li Qingzhao pleaded with her husband and father-in-law, she couldn't change her father's fate of being demoted. On the contrary, she herself suffered some verbal abuse at home because of this matter, which led to her resentment.

  With a sudden surge of energy, he hastily asked: "Since you have grievances in your heart, why did I just hear her speaking in the cabin, defending her husband's family with all her might, without any hint of resentment?"

  "Ah, you're wrong, sir," Bai Chenxiang shook her head. "As the saying goes, 'a married woman follows her husband.' Since Sister Li has already married into the Zhao family, she should consider herself a member of the Zhao family. If we're being strict, Sister Li's actions in asking her father to plead with her husband's family on her behalf are somewhat improper. According to what Sister Li said herself, if it weren't for the fact that her husband's family had been overly ruthless in supporting Cai Shangong's party purge, she wouldn't have spoken up even if it concerned her own father. So, being dissatisfied with her husband's family is one thing, but when it comes to today's situation, she should still stand on the side of protecting her husband's family. Moreover..." She glanced at Gao Qiang's face and suddenly fell silent, covering her mouth.

  He didn't understand at first, but then it dawned on him. He said with a scowl: "What's more, the other party is this kind of infamous and lecherous person who likes to humiliate others' wives, right?" Originally, he had been living a carefree life these days, and Xiaohuan, the one who started all this, was also very obedient to him. He had almost forgotten about it, but today it was brought up again, making him feel quite stifled.

  Bai Chenxiang stifled a laugh and quickly suppressed it, smiling at Gao Qiang: "Sir, you're being too serious. Perhaps Li sister isn't worried about this, but rather is constrained by the Fu family's stance, which is why she doesn't want to meet with you. However..."

  "What's that?"

  "It's just that the official is so calm and composed, but when he heard Li sister firmly refuse to meet him, he didn't move at all behind the screen, it was quite unexpected for Xiang Xiang too!" Bai Xiang said with a smile, covering her lower face with a fan, her big eyes twinkling as she stared straight at Gao Gang, unable to hide a hint of amusement.

  She started with a strong opening, and then caught the smile in the eyes of this woman, only to suddenly realize: "It turns out that women like gossip, they always like to dig up some inside information about other people's emotional lives, this has nothing to do with you."

  However, he suddenly thought of another problem. He himself was also about to get married. The other party was said to be an outstanding talent in her field, and one day he might even compete with Cai Jing on the political stage or openly tear his face off. At that time, how would this Miss Cai Ying behave?