Chapter Eighteen: Cunning Schemes

  Facing Luo Fu's questioning, Hui Ze smiled and said: "You'll know once you've tried it, sir."

  Then Shamitto brought up several gold-plated trays. On the trays were a few bowls of fruit juice, with bright colors and a fragrant aroma.

  Hui Ze said: "This is a fruit wine specially brewed by Old Master Bai, it has the flavor of wine but isn't actually wine, so it doesn't count as breaking any taboos."

  Luò, as the current prime minister, had tasted all kinds of delicacies from mountains and seas, but after taking a sip of that fruit wine, he found it to be mellow and fragrant, refreshing his heart and spleen. He thought that Bái Yù Shū was also worth appreciating, so he responded with a toast: "Good wine!"

  Bai Yushu and Hui Ze immediately relaxed their tense nerves, then they took turns to toast Master Xiang with a few cups of fruit wine, and served him several dishes.

  In the cold winter and last month of the lunar year, eating hot pot is the most fitting activity.

  Although all the dishes were vegetarian, they all had a meaty flavor. Luofu was in a good mood throughout the banquet.

  With a full belly and wine, Luofu began to chat with Bai Yushu, asking about the situation of the White family. Under Hui Ze's help, Bai Yushu revealed some worrying information about the current state of the White family.

  Luofu thought for a moment and said, "Lingyun Temple was built by the ancestors of the Bai family, and Lingyun Temple also has the kindness of promoting and rebuilding Benxiang. The relationship between Benxiang and the Bai family is quite deep. A private book collection house that has been preserved for hundreds of years is indeed not easy to achieve. If it collapses in our dynasty, it would be a regrettable thing. Benxiang will definitely report to the emperor when he returns to the court and ask for a repair fund for the Bai family. However, whether the emperor will approve or not depends on whether the Bai family has that good fortune."

  Bai Yun warmed up and quietly listened, knowing that Luo Fu's words on the surface were grand, but also left a way out for himself. To let him go all out to help the Bai family, it still needs Guqin to make an effort.

  Bai Yun was secretly planning in her heart when she saw Luo Fu glance over at her, and hastily got up to pay respects to him.

  Luò Fǔ gazed at the young woman, feeling a sense of affinity with her. He asked Bái Yù Shū about Bái Yún Nuǎn's age and whether she was betrothed to anyone. Bái Yù Shū replied accordingly. Luò Fǔ nodded slightly and then asked: "Is she your only child?"

  "There is also a puppy."

  "Why didn't you see Young Master Bai following him?" Luo Fu asked.

  "Brother is currently indisposed due to the cold weather and has caught a chill. He's recovering at home and it's not convenient for him to go out."

  Bai Yushu and Bai Jiangshi were perplexed by their daughter's strange words, but they also didn't dare to expose her.

  Luò Fáng nodded symbolically and then asked Huì Zé: "Earlier in the front hall, I heard Fang Zhang mention that the young master of the White family has a superb piano art. I was thinking that it would be great to have a young man who can rival him. The young man who just played the elegant melody in the pavilion is not the young master of the White family, who is he?"

  "He is the piano teacher of his brother. Because his brother was ill, Officer Qian couldn't bear to disappoint Master Xiang's intention of coming to Luozhou to visit friends, and also heard about Master Xiang's great reputation, so he admired him very much. That's why he dared to come to Yage to play the piano for Master Xiang. If he could hear Master Xiang's piano sound, it would be his lifelong wish..."

  Everyone at the table except Luofu secretly wiped a sweat for Baiyun.

  It has come to this, and neither Bai Yuxu nor Hui Ze can help round things out for Bai Yunnuo, so they can only let Bai Yunnuo take the stage.

  Bai Yushu couldn't help but wish to grab his daughter and question her in a secluded place, but he also silently prayed that Luofu would show some mercy towards the Bai family.

  "This Ben Xiang is connected to the White family, and Guan Gong is the piano teacher of Young Master White. Ben Xiang also has a connection with him, which is a wonderful thing for their piano skills." Luo Fu replied straightforwardly.

  At this moment, he also yearned to see Xiang Qin again. The young man's piano skills were exceptional, and he was born with a fragrant and picturesque appearance. His two eyes captured the soul and shook his heart, making him feel itchy in his heart.

  Bai Yun Nuan saw Luo Fu say this, and hastily drummed up a way: "Playing the zither is an extremely elegant thing, not something that we outsiders can appreciate its subtleties. If you add such a place to eat and drink, it's even more blasphemous to the music of the zither. My younger sister has an opinion, why don't Master Xiang and Officer Qin arrange another quiet place, avoid idle people, and mutually discuss and learn from each other, how about that?"

  Luofu was overjoyed when he heard this, and Baiyun's proposal was exactly what he had in mind. Lingyun Temple was located in a remote area of Lu County, and even if it were to be found out that they had indulged in some improper behavior there, the news would not reach the ears of the Emperor or his colleagues in the capital city, which was thousands of miles away. So he smiled and said: "Bai Gongzi and I are both grown men, living together in the same room, without any suspicion of impropriety between us, what's wrong with that? In my opinion, Miss Bai's proposal is excellent!"

  Xiang Ye Ya Xing Da Fa, Hui Ze and Bai Yu Shu hurriedly got up to arrange a elegant room in the south wing, where Qin Guan and Xiang Ye could play the qin and discuss Taoism.

  Jin Yu returned to Luo County, the large south wing of the house was now occupied by only one person, Qin Guan. In the snowy night, all that could be heard was the sound of the guqin, like a babbling brook that never ceased.

  Baiyun knelt on the floor of the Dahongbao Hall, her palms together in a prayer-like gesture, her eyes tightly closed, and her small face filled with remorse.

  The Bodhisattva's tall golden body made her slender figure appear even more delicate and petite.

  A sacred place of Buddhism, a clean land. An Wen promotes this shameful and secretive matter, as long as my brother can be safe and sound, I am willing to take on all the guilt and consequences.

  Bai Yun warmed up in her heart, opened her eyes and gazed at the benevolent Bodhisattva.

  Not afraid of Vajra's angry eyes, but afraid of Bodhisattva's lowered eyebrows. This seemingly calm and gentle Buddha, what kind of karma and retribution is hidden in his heart?

  Bai Yun's eyes suddenly turned cold, thinking that in her past life she had been timid and obedient, following rules and tolerating humiliation and hardship, but what kind of ending had it brought her?

  Her mother died young, her elder brother died a miserable death, her husband fell out of favor, her son died, she herself was bedridden with illness and died young.

  But the father who killed his mother can hold a pipa, with both sons and daughters intact; that Zhang Siying is sinister and ruthless, with several lives on her hands, yet she can please her parents and gain the trust of her brother, dominating the Zhang family alone. Who exactly fabricated the so-called karma and retribution?

  Bai Yun angrily stood up and left the grand hall with a flick of her sleeve.

  As she walked up to the entrance of the hall, Xiner hurriedly came forward and said with a worried expression: "Miss, Master and Mistress are waiting for you in the wing room."

  Bai Yun gave her a comforting smile.

  This lawsuit is to give an account to our parents.

  Bai Yushu found Songta sleeping soundly in the ear room, his breath uneven. He had Qin Ai bring over a basin of cold water and pour it over his head.

  Song Tower was sleeping soundly with drool all over the floor when suddenly a splash of cold water came, and he immediately jumped up in shock.

  Seeing the old master standing in front of him with an angry gaze, he reflexively knelt down on the ground. Although he didn't know what mistake he had made and was unsure whether it was due to cold or fear, his whole body began to tremble, and he stammered: "Ol...old master..."

  "Where did Young Master go?" asked Bai Yuxu.

  "Shǎo... shǎo yé..." Song Ta was completely muddled, unable to clear his thoughts. Where could Young Master be? Wasn't he playing the piano in the wing room?

  "You good-for-nothing, you don't even know where the young master went, it's not worth the White family raising you, they might as well raise a dog!" Bai Yushu said, kicking Songta in the body, Songta's body fell to the ground, landing on all fours.

  Songta didn't dare to cry out in pain, immediately got up and knelt down again.

  Bai Yushu was about to kick him again when Qin Xiao reported: "Master, Miss is back."

  Bai Yuzhu withdrew her foot and turned around to look at Bai Yunnuan.

  White clouds warm clouds light wind, very calm, she bowed to him and said: "Father, brother has returned to the White family."