Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 252 The Demise of the Bamboo Ritual Hall

She didn't know if it was her own emotion or the lingering emotion of the original owner.

In short, hearing that her relatives in the capital were longing for her so much filled her with both sorrow and joy.

Overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, Gu Qingyue couldn't help but tear up.

She tried to hold back her tears, but they finally broke down.

"Don't be sad, little sister. We'll go back to see Grandpa and Mom as soon as possible. They'll be so happy."

Gu Yuanen couldn't bear to see his sister shed tears; his heart ached terribly.

After a moment, Gu Qingyue composed herself.

After thinking about it, she still wanted to go back and visit.

Not for myself, but for that woman who has been longing for her daughter for more than ten years and is bedridden with illness, I must go back!

I hope I can also treat her body while I'm at it, since she's the mother of this body, it wouldn't be right not to.

Gu Qingyue asked Gu Yuanen to take them to wash up and rest, and then returned to her room.

She wrote several letters in a row, called Yue Ling over, and sent them out.

"Where is Yue Ran?" Gu Qingyue recalled the news Yue Ran brought when she returned last time.

The family in Xinghua Village is still living well, but his adoptive parents have not returned to the village, and their fate is unknown.

Their house was also occupied, and almost no one mentioned Gu Qingyue's family anymore.

He tried to inquire, and the villagers all said that her adoptive parents found her on the road near Mingzhi County, but no one knew exactly where they found her.

He also went to Gu Qingyue's house to ask her uncle, and the conclusion was that only her adoptive parents knew the truth, and no one else knew.

"He just returned from training in the mountains. I'm calling him over now," Yue Ling said respectfully, tightening her grip on the letters in her hand.

Fifteen minutes later, Yue Ran's tall figure appeared at the door.

"Give this letter to Liu Feng and tell him to handle it as soon as possible. Leave all the big and small matters in Lizhou to him for now. Also, have him keep an eye on Wenxianglou and Yulouchun. I'm leaving for the capital the day after tomorrow," Gu Qingyue said, waving her hand to signal him to hurry up and go.

Yue Ran was taken aback upon hearing this. Go to the capital?

As soon as Yue Ran left, Liu Yong hurriedly entered Gu Qingyue's courtyard.

"Master, Mr. Qian Jingxuan has come to visit and said he has something important to discuss with you."

Gu Qingyue was taken aback; she had been so busy lately that she had almost forgotten about this person.

Unexpectedly, they visited on the night of the Lantern Festival.

"Please come to the front hall quickly, I'll be there right away," Gu Qingyue said, tidying herself up a bit before heading to the front yard.

Before even entering the central hall, one could see Qian Jingxuan's tall figure standing in front of a high table, looking at the paintings on the wall.

It was a simple sketch she drew during the Chinese New Year.

The painting depicts a lively scene of everyone enjoying their New Year's Eve dinner together.

Although it's just a few strokes, the painting is incredibly lifelike.

Gu Yuanen originally wanted to collect it, but Rong Qingqing snatched it away, saying that the painting was perfect for hanging in the Gu residence, so she had it framed and hung up.

Gu Qingyue was actually quite bewildered. It was just a simple sketch, with the figures merely resembling lines. She was just drawing it for fun.

It feels a bit strange to hang it here, but everyone says it's nice, so we've left it hanging.

Seeing Qian Jingxuan carefully examining the painting, Gu Qingyue felt a little embarrassed.

"Ahem------" Gu Qingyue coughed lightly to remind her.

Qian Jingxuan turned around upon hearing the sound.

He was met with Gu Qingyue's mesmerizing eyes, which seemed to be smiling but were not. She was wearing a light purple dress and stood gracefully alone. He was stunned for a moment.

But after only a few breaths, he, being a man of the world, immediately returned to normal.

He had naturally heard about Gu Qingyue being entangled by Miss Qin and revealing her true identity as a woman. He was quite surprised at the time, wondering how such an extraordinary woman could exist in the world!

He simply hadn't expected that Gu Qingyue, dressed as a woman, would possess such a unique temperament and stunning beauty, and for a moment he found it hard to believe.

"Dr. Gu...you...should I start calling you Miss Gu now?" Qian Jingxuan's brows were no longer gloomy as before; instead, they relaxed, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"Either is fine, please have a seat, Mr. Qian," Gu Qingyue said with a smile and a wave of her hand.

"I'm so sorry, I've been very busy and haven't had time to see you, sir. I hope you don't mind."

As soon as Gu Qingyue sat down, she apologized.

It's quite impolite that they've visited several times and never seen the person.

"It's alright. It's impolite of me to visit on the Lantern Festival. I just thought that Doctor Gu would be at the Gu residence tonight, and I wanted to take this opportunity to formally thank Doctor Gu." With that, Qian Jingxuan stood up, straightened his collar, and bowed respectfully to Gu Qingyue with utmost solemnity.

Gu Qingyue smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to sit down.

The two men naturally understood that this ceremony was to signify Qian Zhengdao's execution, Li Zhifu's imprisonment with no hope of redemption, and Qian Jingxuan's eventual rebirth.

Although she didn't know what role Prefect Li played in Qian Jingxuan's case, all Gu Qingyue needed to know was that he had finally regained his freedom and a new life. She was happy for him; he was no longer the tragic protagonist.

"Mr. Qian, what are your plans for the future? I heard you disbanded the Bamboo Ritual Hall," Gu Qingyue asked tentatively as Qian Jingxuan sat down again.

This was mentioned by Yue Ling a few days ago. Ever since Prefect Li and his entourage were brought to justice, Qian Jingxuan closed the Zhuli Hall the very next day.

I heard that Qian Jingxuan returned the indentures to the boys who were willing to leave, and arranged accommodation for those who were unwilling to leave.

Thus, the Zhuli Hall, which had existed for several years and was once a prominent institution in Lizhou City, ceased to exist.

Gu Qingyue was also filled with emotion.

“Yes, the Bamboo Ritual Hall should have been destroyed long ago,” Qian Jingxuan straightened his sleeves. “Besides thanking Doctor Gu for helping me avenge my great grudge, I also have a matter I would like to ask Doctor Gu.”

Gu Qingyue raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, "Please speak freely, sir."

“I’ve heard that Doctor Gu is kind-hearted and has saved many homeless teenagers, giving them a way to make a living. I wonder—” Qian Jingxuan paused here.

According to Qi Han's investigation, the boys that Gu Qingyue saved all worked at Wenxianglou. It was also said that Gu Qingyue had worked as an accountant at Wenxianglou and had a good relationship with Manager Wang of Wenxianglou.

He paused, then continued, "I wonder if Wenxianglou still needs any staff. I want to find a way for the children who are left behind to make a living; they are pitiful people too."

This surprised Gu Qingyue.

With Qian Jingxuan's current wealth, opening a restaurant and settling those young men in would be a piece of cake. Why would he need to ask her for help?

"Why don't you start a new business yourself and settle them down?" Gu Qingyue asked curiously.

"To be honest, Doctor Gu, it's not suitable for those children to make a living in Lizhou City. I only asked because I heard that Wenxianglou is preparing to open a branch in the Jiangnan area," Qian Jingxuan said without hiding anything.

It turned out to be the case.

Gu Qingyue only thought about it for a moment before agreeing.

"Tell them to go find Manager Wang. I'll put in a good word for him. There are three shops that have just opened in Jiangnan, and they need manpower right now."

After Gu Qingyue finished speaking, she asked, "What are your plans for the future, sir?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Jingxuan was stunned for a long time before saying, "I'm tired of living in Lizhou all these years. I want to find a place to live in seclusion. What can someone like me, whose future is ruined, whose reputation is ruined, and who doesn't even have the face to burn incense at my mother's grave, do?"

As he spoke, Qian Jingxuan clenched his fist slightly, then relaxed it, his eyes slightly red.

None of this escaped Gu Qingyue's eyes.