Chapter 49 - 49 Abandonment
49 Abandonment
Gu Yanfei looked back and continued walking out.
She really had something to do. After leaving the brothel, she instructed the coachman to take her to the Qiongfang Shop.
Qiongfang Shop was located in the busiest and most prosperous Zhenhua Street in the south of the city, where there were shops on both sides of the street. There were restaurants, cloth shops, rouge shops, food stores… Almost every shop was a famous old shop in the capital.
On the street, pedestrians and horses came and went. It was bustling and noisy.
Qiongfang Shop was at the end of the street, a two-story restaurant. There were not many customers in the restaurant now, and only two or three tables were occupied in the first-floor lobby.
When the shopkeeper saw Gu Yanfei’s token, he warmly led her to the second floor and walked all the way to the private room at the end of the corridor.
“Miss, please.” The shopkeeper knocked twice on the door of the private room before politely pushing the door open for Gu Yanfei.
In the private room, a faint fragrance of wine wafted over. Sitting by the window was a thin white-robed young master. He was as beautiful as a snow lotus on a heavenly mountain.
After Gu Yanfei entered, the shopkeeper closed the door with a creak.
Only Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi were left in the private room. The commotion outside made the place especially quiet.
“Please.” Chu Yi elegantly raised his arm to invite Gu Yanfei to sit down. His exquisite eyebrows seemed to be carefully outlined.
Gu Yanfei sat down opposite him and subconsciously glanced at his left sleeve, recalling how Qing Guang had sharpened its claws on his sleeve.
His new snow-white sleeves were embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns with silver threads and there were no flaws at all. Clearly, he was not wearing the same clothes as before.
She let out a snort of laughter, then glanced surreptitiously at the alder chessboard beside her. On it, the black and white pieces were evenly matched, dividing the world.
A casual glance at it suddenly stunned her.
The chess game in front of him was really familiar. It was clearly the unfinished game between her and him in Danyang City.
The last move had been a white piece.
Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows, picked up a black chess piece from the chess box, and placed it down.
Chu Yi smiled gently and personally poured her a glass of wine. “Try this Tusu wine.”
The scent of wine was stronger in the air, mixed with a hint of medicinal fragrance.
Gu Yanfei picked up the white porcelain wine glass and took a sip. She savored the sweet and medicinal fragrance in her mouth and narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. Chu Yi, who was opposite her, casually lifted the bamboo curtain hanging on the window and silently gestured for her to look out.
The street outside was bustling with activity. A luxurious black, flat-topped carriage was parked in front of another restaurant across the street. Two young men of different shapes and temperaments walked out side by side. One was in his late 20s, the other in his early 20s.
The young man in his early 20s was wearing a purple brocade robe embroidered with silk from the Eight Immortals. He was heroic, arrogant, and noble. It was Kang Wang Chu You.
Gu Yanfei scanned from Kang Wang to the black carriage at the entrance of the restaurant and realized that there was a golden orchid mark on the roof.
Gu Yanfei thought for a moment and recognized the orchid mark. She raised her eyebrows and asked, “The Yuan family?”
This orchid mark was the emblem of the Yuan family in Yangzhou. The Yuan family was the maternal family of the current Empress Dowager.
Gu Yanfei actually did not know much about those aristocratic families. She only knew that the Wang, Xie, Yuan, and Xiao families were the top families.
“Yes.” Chu Yi picked up the white porcelain wine glass and twirled it casually with his slender fingers. He sighed meaningfully and said, “There is no poor family in the top grade, and no rich family in the lower grade.”
He was talking about the Nine-Rank System.
Before the establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty, the Han, Jin, Wei, and the other dynasties had implemented a recommendation system mainly based on the “Nine-Rank System”. For the sake of profit, officials worked together and gradually formed some aristocratic families.
These aristocratic families occupied a large amount of land in the area and had high status. Their status had risen again and again in the past hundreds of years. They even privately raised troops, which was equivalent to ruling the county they were in. Even the royal court’s regime was almost controlled by these families.
After the establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty, Emperor Taizu also intended to weaken these noble families. He tried to implement the imperial examination system in the imperial court, indicating that the Imperial Court was determined to promote talent. Unfortunately, at that time, the country had just been established and its foundation was not stable. The State of Yue in the south was also restless, so Emperor Taizu could not free up his hands for the time being and could only put it aside for the time being.
Chu Yi looked down through the window and his gaze fell on the man beside Kang Wang. He was a medium-sized and elegant-looking man in a brocade robe.
“This is the next head of the Yuan family, Yuan Zhe, Kang Wang’s cousin,” Chu Yi introduced.
Empress Dowager Yuan was the biological sister of the current head of the Yuan family, who was also Yuan Zhe’s biological aunt.
Back then, when Emperor Taizu chose the empress for Emperor Xian, he did not choose a daughter from an aristocratic family. Instead, he chose Madam Liu, who came from a poor family, because he wanted to suppress the aristocratic families.
However, after the death of Madam Liu, Emperor Xian still continued to marry the daughter of an aristocratic family, Madam Yuan.
This was undoubtedly a sign that the late Emperor had expressed goodwill to the aristocratic families.
“Now, one-fourth of the courtiers in the court are elected by the aristocratic families, including the direct descendants of the Yuan family.” Chu Yi smiled faintly, his eyes clear and cold.
These noble families that had been involved in the affairs of the world had united in the royal court for their own interests. Even the Emperor had to be restrained by them.
After he returned to the capital this time, his father wanted him to attend court, but he was opposed by these officials…
Chu Yi stopped there and didn’t say anything else. The white stone in his hand landed lightly on the chessboard, the sound of it crisp and clean.
As quick-witted as Gu Yanfei was, she understood Chu Yi’s current situation from these few words. The words “deep trouble” were not enough to describe it.
Still…
Thinking of everything that had happened in Danyang City, Gu Yanfei smiled. Clearly, Chu Yi was not easy to deal with.
Gu Yanfei stared at Chu Yi’s face with interest.
The golden light from the window gently dyed the space between his eyebrows. His facial features were softer and more beautiful than usual. The dark red mole accentuated his skin color, making him look like a jade statue.
Chu Yi: “…”
Chu Yi looked back at her quietly. Her eyes were so clear that they were almost straight. They were like a clear spring, as if they could reflect everything in the world, but also as if she could see through his soul.
Under such a gaze, Chu Yi’s expression did not change. He did not even move his eyebrows.
The private room was silent.
Gu Yanfei stared at him for a long time before suddenly smiling with interest. She muttered silently, “As expected.”
Chu Yi raised his right eyebrow slightly and looked at her questioningly.
Gu Yanfei did not speak and only picked up a black chess piece before placing it down. She was as decisive as ever when she placed the chess piece.
As expected, he was not favored by Heaven’s Will.
Just like her!