Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 288 Peach Blossom Shadows Fall Like Flying Divine Swords, Azure Seas Rise Like Jade Flutes

Wei pulled Gu Qingyue to sit down again in front of the dressing table.

"The red jade was dug out by the Duke's mansion from a jade mine on the northern border with the Rong and Di tribes. It is said that my father dug it out himself. A total of six pieces were produced, and they were all given to family members in the mansion. There are no pieces outside of it."

Gu Qingyue: She didn't notice anything else, she only heard that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had a jade mine.

"Does the jade mine belong to the Duke's mansion?" Gu Qingyue asked curiously.

Wei nodded. “The Great Chu does not allow private ownership of gold, silver, iron, and copper mines, but jade mines are permitted. I heard from your elder brother that this jade mine was found by chance on the border between the Great Chu and the Rong and Di tribes after Father defeated the Rong and Di tribes.”

"Father is so amazing!" Gu Qingyue murmured to herself.

Recalling the undisguised pride Gu Yuanming had when talking about his father, Gu Qingyue was also eager to learn more about Gu Changling.

"What?" Madam Wei didn't hear her clearly and looked at Gu Qingyue with a probing gaze.

"It's nothing. Is pink jade very rare?" Gu Qingyue asked.

"Yes, I've only ever seen them at the Duke's mansion. Your earrings are also made of pink jade. Look, there's a very faint rouge color on the crescent moon. I have a bracelet that your elder brother gave me, but the rouge color inside isn't as vibrant as this one."

As she spoke, Madam Wei looked at Gu Qingyue in the mirror and said with a smile, "My little sister is truly a beauty, stunningly gorgeous. With those pink earrings, I am so lucky to have such a sight to behold."

"It's not that exaggerated, sister-in-law, you really know how to talk," Gu Qingyue laughed.

If Wei's mouth can't make her the matriarch of a prominent family, then her talents are wasted.

Fortunately, she married the eldest brother, and will become the matriarch of their second branch of the family, which is good.

"Little sister, don't be modest. What your sister-in-law said is true. Just imagine how many suitors will come knocking at the Duke's mansion when you grow up!" Madam Wei praised Gu Qingyue without reservation.

After saying that, he realized it was inappropriate to say it in front of a young girl who was not yet engaged, so he quickly shut his mouth, gently stroking his earring, his admiration evident in his expression.

Even Gu Qingyue, with her thick skin, couldn't withstand it.

“Sister-in-law is also a stunning beauty. It’s clear that my brother was very lucky to be able to marry you back then,” Gu Qingyue said, taking in Wei’s expression.

Her eyes held only admiration and praise, without a trace of jealousy. If these were genuine emotions, then this sister-in-law was truly magnanimous, and her brother had not married the wrong person.

Gu Qingyue knew that in this ancient society, women's eyes were mostly on the inner quarters of the household.

Children, other women, beautiful clothes, expensive jewelry—whoever possesses something that others don't will inevitably be envied by the other women.

There were even many cases of women fighting fiercely over a piece of jewelry, after all, in ancient times, a woman's world was confined to the inner quarters of her home.

But this sister-in-law is really different, Gu Qingyue thought to herself.

Seeing that Wei's ears had turned red, she quickly changed the subject, "What brings you here, sister-in-law?"

"Oh, right, the Spring Festival banquet is the day after tomorrow. There will be a lot of people, and things are bound to happen. Every year, something always inevitably happens at the Spring Festival banquet."

At this point, Wei coughed somewhat embarrassedly.

He paused, then continued, "In short, you can talk to strangers, but don't go with them, and don't eat or drink anything given to you by strangers."

In short, I believe my sister is intelligent, but there's no guarantee she won't be tripped up by jealous people. She's just returned, and there are quite a few people in the Duke's mansion watching her now. Stay close to me then…”

It was a quarter of an hour later when Madam Wei finished explaining the precautions for attending the Spring Appreciation Banquet.

Finally, he subtly reminded Gu Qingyue that if she had any talents, she could prepare them in advance, but it was okay if she didn't.

Gu Qingyue smiled and saw Wei Shi out. She returned to the table and sat down, remembering Wei Shi's words about talent.

Does murder count? Or how about performing a feat of breaking a boulder on your chest?

Gu Qingyue shook her head and dismissed these strange thoughts.

She suddenly remembered that she still had the jade flute that her grandfather had given her in her online space. She had studied it seriously in her previous life and even performed it on stage during her university years.

All of this seemed to have happened just yesterday, yet it also seemed so distant and blurred that Gu Qingyue had forgotten many things.

Remembering the jade flute her grandfather had given her, she slipped into her spatial dimension and searched through the room, finally finding it in a cabinet in the study.

She gently took the jade flute out of the box and touched it, remembering what her grandfather had said when he gave it to her, that he respected her own choice.

Because I used to always slack off when learning piano, my grandfather caught me countless times.

When she tried to argue, she said that since both are learning instruments, the piano is too big and inconvenient, so wouldn't it be easier to learn the harmonica? She could practice wherever she went. Her grandfather was so angry that he almost fell over.

Looking back now, I realize I was quite the mischievous kid when I was younger, always finding loopholes in logic... *cough*

To get back to the point, in the end, her grandfather compromised, and she compromised too, giving up the piano and choosing the xiao (a type of vertical bamboo flute).

Of course, in order to change her grandfather's impression that she was useless at everything she learned, she righteously chose an instrument that she thought was easy to learn: the xiao (vertical bamboo flute).

For this reason, my grandfather specially commissioned his friend to make it and purchased this tube of jade at a high price.

It is said to be named after the jade used to make this jade flute, because the pale green color on the white jade resembles a wisp of blue sunset.

To make it seem more solemn, my grandfather even had the poem "Peach blossoms fall like flying swords, the blue sea rises with the sound of jade flutes" engraved on it.

It is said to be in response to Gu Qingyue's childhood dream of becoming a great hero.

Looking back now, I find my foolishness somewhat amusing, but the thought of my grandfather's feelings for me brings tears to my eyes.

My maternal grandfather spoiled me in every way, almost without any limits.

Aside from wanting the moon to sleep with her when she was little, which her grandfather couldn't actually reach, he always found ways to fulfill almost all of her requests. Gu Qingyue couldn't help but tear up when she thought about it.

Looking down and touching the short jade flute in his hand, he suddenly remembered the old Duke and his maternal grandfather's almost identical faces, both of which were kind and heartwarming.

In the short time since she returned, the old Duke has already sent over countless treasures of all kinds.

The clothes they wear, the accessories they adorn, the things they play with, and all sorts of precious ornaments and ancient paintings—each one of them is priceless!

Fine, if she has to perform a talent to avoid embarrassing the old Duke, then she can play a tune.

Not to please anyone, but according to her mood, Gu Qingyue thought rather willfully.

The day before the Spring Festival banquet, Wei sent over a sandalwood box.

Gu Qingyue curiously opened it and took a look; it was an exquisite jade-bone fan.

The fan handle was carved in the shape of bamboo joints, while the round fan was embroidered with a spring scene of begonias and butterflies dancing. Gu Qingyue marveled at it.

Turning it over, one sees a picture of peach trees in full bloom, so lifelike that Gu Qingyue was amazed.

This is a round fan with double-sided embroidery.

The maidservant said that this was a gift that everyone who attended the Spring Appreciation Banquet had to bring. Everyone would put them together, and when they left, they could randomly pick one to take home as a souvenir.

Come to think of it, the organizer is quite shrewd.

Judging from the exquisite craftsmanship of this embroidery, it must be the work of a master embroiderer, and it must be very expensive.

It's rare for the Wei family to be so generous on their first occasion. They must have thought that this was their first time attending such a banquet and wanted to make themselves look good.

Gu Qingyue silently kept this sentiment in her heart.