Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 21 Liufang Pavilion

This is truly unexpected!

Such a classically elegant name as Jinlou is decorated in such a grand and glittering way!

Aren't you afraid of being robbed?

Stepping through the gate first, Gu Qingyue quickly unfolded her fan and fanned herself.

She needed to calm herself down, otherwise, she was afraid that the gaudy gold decorations would be so offensive that she would want to commit suicide.

The counters inside were all trimmed with gold, and the dazzling array of jewelry inside was even more glittering.

Seeing the handsome young man in the hall, holding a folding fan and wearing a blue robe, the shopkeeper quickly walked over, revealing two big gold teeth, his smile so bright it was almost blinding.

Gu Qingyue glanced at it.

Eye pain.

What kind of damn gaudy gold aesthetic is this!

"Young master, is there anything you need that I can introduce you to?" the shopkeeper asked with a smile.

Gu Qingyue glanced at the two gold teeth—oh no, the shopkeeper's face—and her eyes hurt.

She glanced around at the ladies and young women in the hall who were selecting jewelry; they were so kind-hearted, she thought with a touch of envy.

"Shopkeeper, could we speak in private for a moment?" Gu Qingyue rubbed her temples.

She moved to the side.

The shopkeeper was a shrewd person; how could he not see that the young master hadn't looked closely at the jewelry since he entered, and that there must be something else going on?

"Young master, this way please," the innkeeper said, leading the group to a private room on the second floor.

Gu Qingyue invited Rong Qingqing and the others to sit down. She looked around and saw that the furnishings were luxurious. Even the small table in front of them was made of precious rosewood, not to mention the calligraphy and paintings on the walls, which looked like antiques.

"Shopkeeper, your boss is really rich. Look at this decoration, it's really...tsk tsk," Gu Qingyue said, glancing around again.

Looking at the young master opposite him, the shopkeeper felt admiration and envy, but not greed. He unconsciously looked at the man in front of him with higher regard.

Their boss said that since they were going to run a restaurant called "Golden Pavilion," they had to live up to its reputation, especially by catering to the locals' tastes and making a lasting impression.

Of course, the main reason is that the owner of Liufang Pavilion, who has opened branches all over the Great Chu, is not short of money.

The shopkeeper bowed slightly, flashed his signature smile, and praised Liufang Pavilion's current status throughout the Great Chu, emphasizing his respect for their young owner.

As Gu Qingyue listened to the words of the person in front of her, a strange thought arose in her mind.

In her previous life, she was a well-known independent jewelry designer. Although it was just a hobby, could she make money if she could return to her old profession in this world?

Seeing such a golden environment, Gu Qingyue felt envious. Thinking of her empty wallet, she desperately wanted to make money.

Of course, the thought was fleeting, and now is not the time.

Waiting for the shopkeeper to finish praising the owner.

Gu Qingyue took out the jade pendant directly.

"Shopkeeper, take a look. Do you recognize this jade pendant?" Gu Qingyue asked.

The shopkeeper ordered several cups of tea before sitting down and picking up the jade pendant to examine it closely.

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

“This is top-grade Kunlun purple jade, and the pattern…” the shopkeeper said, standing up. “Young master, please wait a moment,” he said, and then turned and left the private room.

He came in again after a short while.

This time, I held a piece of paper in my hand, unfolded it, and a pattern was visible on it.

It was exactly the same as the one on the jade pendant.

"Young master, please take a look," the shopkeeper said excitedly.

Gu Qingyue knew what was going on and said calmly, "What does this mean?"

"May I ask, where did this jade pendant come from?" the shopkeeper asked tentatively.

“It was a gift from an elder,” Gu Qingyue asked deliberately, “Is there anything special about it? I don’t know much about jade, so I would like the shopkeeper to take a look.”

The shopkeeper nodded in understanding and said, "I see. This was left by a young nobleman. His accent sounded like he was from the capital. He said he was looking for a piece of purple jade with this pattern. However, that happened last year. He did come once about half a year ago, but he hasn't come since."

After the shopkeeper finished speaking, he seemed a little regretful. It seemed that the young master didn't need this purple jade pendant anymore. He wondered what was so special about this purple jade pendant.

Thinking about it, the shopkeeper stroked the purple jade pendant and examined it closely.

"May I ask what purpose the young master has in finding this purple jade pendant?" Gu Qingyue asked.

The shopkeeper glanced at Gu Qingyue with regret. "That young master didn't say, so he probably intended to buy it as a gift. If that young master comes again, I wonder if you would be willing to part with it?"

Gu Qingyue lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. "If the other party really wants it, it's not impossible, but there's a condition." Gu Qingyue paused. "When he comes again, let me see him. Perhaps he is related to the elder who gave me the jade pendant."

Gu Qingyue had no choice but to carefully bring up a non-existent elder to confuse the issue.

She was certain that this was given to her by her parents, and it wasn't a lie.

"No problem," the shopkeeper replied, and he basically understood what was going on. He then remembered what the young master had said about the generous reward if such a jade pendant was found, and he became extremely excited. His eyes crinkled with laughter, and his two gold teeth gleamed brightly.

Having settled one matter, Gu Qingyue was not at ease. It seemed she would have to wait.

Today, I learned three things.

First, the person looking for the jade pendant might be from the capital. Could it be that the original owner's family was originally from the capital? Hmm, that's very likely.

Secondly, he was a young man who had visited this border region twice before. Why was he so certain that he was looking for him in Lizhou? What does this signify?

Thirdly, she learned that the owner of Liufang Pavilion was surnamed Qin, the thirteenth son of the wealthy Qin family in Jiangnan, whose businesses spanned the Great Chu and several surrounding countries. Perhaps she could find a way to cooperate with them in the future.

Gu Qingyue pondered for a moment, then led her group away from the Golden Pavilion.

Along the way, Xiao Nian swung her short legs, looking around in Rong Qingqing's arms. Her beautiful fox eyes sparkled as she constantly observed the pedestrians on the road.

As they turned a corner, the little guy suddenly spoke up: "Uncle Zhou, he's Xiaoshun's uncle."

"Xiao Shun's uncle?" Gu Qingyue turned around and looked in the direction Xiao Nian was pointing.

Two men were carrying a stretcher with a burly man lying on it. He was wearing a blue long robe, which was stained with blood. He looked like he had been beaten and was unconscious.

Gu Qingyue and Rong Qingqing exchanged a glance, parted the crowd, and Gu Qingyue squeezed to the front, only to find that it was a clinic.

A noisy crowd gathered around, chattering amongst themselves, all coming to watch the spectacle.

"What a tragedy! The Pan family has beaten someone again! Poor thing!"

"How many times is this this month? It's really pathetic; they probably don't know how formidable Master Pan is!"

"Stop talking! Are you out of your minds? Be careful not to get caught by the Pan family and forced to work in the mines. Then there will be no hope for you."

"Going to mine is alright, but being captured and made a concubine is worse than death!"

"What do you mean? Does Master Pan have many concubines?"

The man with the mustache quickly lowered his voice: "I've heard, I've only heard, that Master Pan is indiscriminate in his affections for men and women, and that he has both male and female concubines. I've heard he's very good at tormenting people, and that his concubines are all quite young..." After saying that, he revealed a meaningful smile.

"Shh—stop talking, you guys are incredibly bold!"

Even though the three people next to her spoke very softly, Gu Qingyue and the others could still hear them clearly.

The group looked at each other in silence, but all of them were filled with anger.

Gu Qingyue looked solemnly at Wen Qinghong beside her. She saw his hands trembling and his face turning deathly pale in an instant. The young man's anger burst forth from his scarlet eyes, which made Gu Qingyue and Wen Qinghong both somewhat horrified.