Chapter 67 Flattery

"Brother Shen! Brother Shen!" As soon as Pan Haiyun heard that Imperial Censor Shen's carriage had already arrived outside the mansion gate, he immediately went to the front gate to greet him. Seeing Shen Xinchang getting off the carriage, a polite smile instantly appeared on his face. He stepped forward and first exchanged bows with Shen Xinchang as a greeting. Then he grabbed Shen Xinchang's hand and said, "I've prepared some simple wine. Please join me in warming wine with green plums!"

"Brother Pan, you're so considerate. Is warming wine with green plums about discussing heroes?" Shen Xinchang laughed heartily. But it seemed that he remembered something and turned around. Looking at Shen Pingji, who was riding a horse towards them, he said sternly, with a straight face, "Hurry up! Do you want Uncle Pan to wait for you?!"

"This must be the Second Young Master. He really looks very handsome and talented!" Pan Haiyun looked at Shen Pingji, who rushed into the gate and kept bowing as a junior. He quickly reached out to support him in a gesture. "There's no need for so many formalities." Then, seeing Shen Xinchang's expression as if he was about to get angry, he pulled Shen Xinchang with a smile and, without further ado, headed towards Wei Yi Xuan, where the banquet was set.

"Wei Yi Xuan?" Shen Xinchang looked at the vigorous and powerful plaque in front of him and raised his eyes to look at Pan Haiyun, puzzled.

Pan Haiyun stroked his small beard lightly and waved his hand at Shen Xinchang with a smile. "My little daughter came up with it. It's from Zhuangzi's 'Heaven and Earth coexist with me, and all things and I are one'. She's just a young girl, and she came up with it for fun in this backyard. It's nothing special."

"Is she the number one talented girl in the capital?" Shen Xinchang slowly praised. But Pan Haiyun slightly shook his head. "She's my second daughter."

Pan Haiyun slowly raised his head and looked at the plaque. His thoughts drifted back to when this courtyard was just completed. He brought Pan Yueqing, Pan Miaoqian, and others here to name these pavilions and terraces. At that time, Pan Yueqing was timidly hiding behind him. He wasn't satisfied with several names that Pan Miaoqian suggested. Later, Pan Yueqing softly proposed "Wei Yi Xuan". Suddenly, he remembered that when Pan Yueqing was young, she wasn't lacking in talent compared to Pan Miaoqian. She was just always too cautious to show herself.

It seemed that he had paid too little attention to Pan Yueqing when she was young.

"What a young lady with an ingenious mind!" Shen Xinchang couldn't help but exclaim. "I wonder if I can meet her today?"

Pan Haiyun nodded with a smile. He immediately turned sideways and ordered Qingshan to send someone to invite the young lady, while still being modest. "My little daughter is shy. I'm afraid she'll make a fool of herself in front of Brother Shen when she comes."

In the Dongfeng Pavilion, Pan Yueqing was picking up the pen to continue the task left by Pan Haiyun. Gu Pan, who had recovered almost completely, brought a bowl of freshly steamed rose curd. Pan Yueqing gave Gu Pan a helpless smile. "You can't stay idle."

"How is Wan'er's leg injury?" Gu Pan smiled with a warm look in her eyes. She bowed and handed Pan Yueqing a white porcelain petal-shaped spoon, and said softly. Three days ago, Pan Yueqing sent Wan'er to the Marquis Dingyuan's residence and told the people there to take good care of her.

"Everything is fine. The bone - setting doctor said fortunately it wasn't delayed. Now it's just a matter of recuperating for a hundred days as the saying goes for injuries involving muscles and bones," When Pan Yueqing talked about Wan'er, she couldn't stop smiling. She clearly remembered that silly girl didn't even care about her own injury and said to her with a sly look, "Don't worry, Miss. We've moved the things in the cabinet, and no one noticed!"

Gu Pan just smiled when she heard that. "That's good."

As they were talking, the curtain was slowly lifted. Luo Shui came forward and said hesitantly, "Master has sent someone to invite the young lady to Wei Yi Xuan."

"Tell them I'll go after changing my clothes and freshening up," Pan Yueqing put down the pen and slowly stirred the bowl of rose curd in front of her a few times. When Luo Shui came back after delivering the message, she raised her eyes and asked, "What's the Third Miss up to?"

Luo Shui shook her head. "There's no movement in the Zirui Courtyard where the Third Miss lives."

Logically speaking, since it had been hinted so clearly, hadn't Pan Lianshan done anything yet? Even if she didn't take action, earlier, Pan Yueqing had asked Luo Shui to spread the news as if chatting casually. According to Pan Miaoqian's character, she should have been unable to hold back by now.

"Forget it," Pan Yueqing lazily let go. She casually chose a three - chi - long dark purple dress, put on a silver necklace inlaid with gold threads, motioned for Gu Pan to style her hair into the currently popular double - bun hairstyle, then put on a turquoise silk shawl. She took a sip from a lip - powder paper and pointed at Luo Shui. "Let's go." She turned her head and shook it at Gu Pan, who was about to follow. "Take good care of yourself. The imperial doctor who takes care of the concubines' appearances in the palace said that the pearl beauty - nourishing ointment shouldn't be exposed to the wind."

"Miss," Luo Shui supported Pan Yueqing's left hand. She bowed and said in a strange tone, "The Third Miss went to the Han Dan Courtyard. I think maybe Concubine Liu stopped her?"

"Second Sister!" Just as Luo Shui finished speaking, they heard Pan Lianshan's voice from afar. Pan Yueqing turned her head and saw Pan Miaoqian, who was dressed extremely beautifully, standing by the garden. Behind her, Pan Lianshan was smiling sincerely at her.

"Second Sister, what a coincidence. I was just about to pay my respects to Grandmother when I saw Third Sister coming out from Grandmother's place," Pan Lianshan was simply and elegantly dressed. She stepped forward and took Pan Yueqing's hand, leaned slightly closer and sniffed the fragrance on Pan Yueqing. She exclaimed, "Is that the perfume paste from Meixiang Fang on you, Second Sister? It smells so good..." She whispered in Pan Yueqing's ear, as softly as a mosquito's buzz, "She asked Grandmother for a favor."

Pan Yueqing reached out and touched Pan Lianshan's earring. The pink agate was the only ornament on Pan Lianshan's dress. Her eyes were gentle. "If Fourth Sister likes it, I'll have someone send a jar to your room when I get back." Then she gently pulled Pan Lianshan's hand and pinched it subtly, while deliberately raising her voice, "Father asked me to go there quickly. I'll invite you to my room to chat later, Sister."

After walking some distance, Luo Shui lowered her voice and said to Pan Yueqing, "Why are you so friendly to the Fourth Miss? I don't think the Fourth Miss is necessarily..." well - intentioned.

Pan Yueqing patted Luo Shui. "People in this family are just like actors without their stage costumes. Now that Liu Yingwei is back, she'll definitely try to harm me. It's a good thing that Li Rou is standing in front of me."

"Besides, my Fourth Sister is trying so hard to please me now and is willing to be on my side. And I haven't given her any把柄. Isn't that a good thing?" Pan Yueqing smiled. Looking at Wei Yi Xuan not far ahead, she saw Pan Haiyun, who was drinking at the table, and the person opposite him, someone neither too familiar nor too strange to her — Imperial Censor Shen Xinchang, who was forced to death by a cup of poisoned wine from her.

Speaking of familiarity, she could probably list all of Shen Xinchang's deeds. But to be fair, they were also strangers. Shen Xinchang had never met her face - to - face before his death.

Pan Yueqing lowered her eyebrows, trying her best to hide the guilt in her eyes. She had no personal grudges with Shen Xinchang. They were just on different sides.