Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 314 Watch out, I'll beat you up!

"Qingyue," Gu Yuanming, Gu Yuanchen, and Gu Yuanen walked over with several young masters. Since they had run into each other, they naturally came over to say hello.

Gu Qingyue smiled as she looked at her three brothers and the other young masters who had gathered around. "You're all here too?"

"Miss Gu, greetings to all the ladies," the three young men behind Gu Yuanchen greeted Gu Qingyue and her companions with raised hands.

Gu Qingyue greeted everyone with a smile, but when she turned around, she found that the three girls behind her had blushed.

Gu Qingyue: ......

Are all young ladies this shy?

Or is it that I'm just too thick-skinned?

"This is Liu Zichan, the eldest son of the Marquis of Yong'an; this is Dong Zhiyuan, the son of the Commander of the Nine Gates; and this is Qiu Lin from General Qiu's mansion. They are all my brothers in the Imperial Guard." Gu Yuanchen introduced the three to his sister with a smile.

Gu Qingyue nodded, having met them one by one. Then she blinked and thought, "My second brother truly lives up to his reputation as a martial arts champion; he's befriended children from military families!"

The second brother, Gu Yuanchen, passed the martial arts examination with top honors and should have been appointed as a royal bodyguard.

But it's unclear what the emperor was thinking. Perhaps he was wary of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, because he sent his second brother to the Imperial Guard as the Imperial Guard Instructor and Commander, which was a fifth-rank official.

If these are my second brother's friends from the Imperial Guard, then they are probably also martial arts graduates. Gu Qingyue is itching to have a match and wonders if there's any chance to spar.

However, compared to the gentle and refined young masters from noble families, these men looked much more energetic, with a vibrant and determined look in their eyes. They were sunny and handsome, which made Gu Qingyue feel particularly comfortable.

"Jiaojiao, these are my three older brothers, Gu Yuanchen, Gu Yuanming, and Gu Yuanen," Gu Qingyue introduced her brothers to the three girls.

"Greetings, gentlemen," Cui Jiaojiao said, leading Zhang Yuying and Zhao Yunnan forward and bowing in greeting.

The men opposite returned the greeting.

Gu Qingyue: ......

To be honest, Gu Qingyue found the constant back-and-forth greetings a bit irritating.

These ancient rituals are far too complicated, perfectly embodying the ancient people's emphasis on etiquette, but there's no way around it, we still have to follow them.

"Would you like to sit in that pavilion over there?" Gu Yuanchen suggested.

Gu Qingyue turned her head to look at Cui Jiaojiao and the other two, asking them with her eyes.

Seeing Gu Qingyue's gaze, the three nodded. The girls were indeed very brave; although shy, they did not back down.

“Okay,” Gu Qingyue said with a bright smile.

After saying that, Gu Qingyue led the three girls towards the pavilion.

In the instant she turned around, she didn't see the look of amazement that flashed in the eyes of the three men behind her.

Of course, Gu Qingyue has seen this kind of expression quite often on the street recently, so she wouldn't care even if she knew.

"Hey, Yuan Chen, is this the little sister your family found?"

Liu Zichan nudged Gu Yuanchen's shoulder quietly, his eyes shining like the moon in the sky.

Actually, he had seen Gu Qingyue when he was very young, but he was too young more than ten years ago to remember what the little girl looked like.

Looking at her now, she's simply a fairy from heaven!

He's not married yet, and his mother came today to find him a girl to marry.

When he saw Gu Qingyue, his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of his chest. He tried and tried to hold it in, and it was only with great difficulty that he managed to suppress it.

Gu Yuanchen nodded, then turned to see the fire in his eyes and gritted his teeth in annoyance: "You better take back your idea right now, or I'll beat you up."

Liu Zichan was not angry at being doused with cold water. What if?

Although his family background couldn't compare to that of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, his father was still a marquis, and he was the heir apparent, the future Marquis of Yong'an. What if Qingyue took a liking to him?

Gu Yuanchen saw that although Liu Zichan reluctantly restrained his expression, he was still staring at his sister's back. So he slapped him with his elbow, making Liu Zichan wince in pain.

What kind of brother is this? What happened to being as close as family? Gu Yuanchen, doesn't your conscience hurt?

Seeing Gu Yuanchen flick his sleeves and walk ahead, Liu Zichan was about to lash out, but then he suddenly realized that this was his future brother-in-law! He couldn't afford to offend him! So he followed him with a grin.

The group entered the pavilion and looked across the lake. Sure enough, it was a better angle to appreciate the peach blossoms. Not bad.

"It looks even more beautiful from this side!" Zhao Yunnan exclaimed in amazement as soon as he saw the scenery on the other side.

"It's a pity that my father turned my garden into a martial arts training ground, so there are no more beautiful flowers."

This sudden change of topic made Gu Qingyue pause for a moment.

Suddenly it dawned on me that the Zhao family was a family of military generals, so it would be normal for them to have a martial arts training ground.

But turning a garden into a martial arts arena sounds familiar, doesn't it?

It seems that when she bought a house in Lizhou, she also turned the garden into a martial arts training ground.

"What's wrong with the training ground? A family of military generals, can it still be a family of military generals without a training ground?" Second Brother Gu Yuanchen's voice came from behind.

Zhao Yunnan and Gu Qingyue turned their heads and saw Gu Yuanchen speaking seriously.

Zhao Yunnan curled his lip in disdain, "Young Master Gu is right, it's natural to have a martial arts training ground, but shouldn't there be a garden too? It would be so beautiful when the flowers are in bloom! What a pity."

Gu Yuanchen sat up straight, unconcerned, and dusted off his sleeves. "What's so interesting about flowers? In a military family, swords, spears, halberds, bows, arrows, and spirited horses are the norm."

Zhao Yunnan choked, "Then may I ask, Second Young Master Gu, does your residence have a garden?"

“Of course there are,” Gu Yuanchen said, pausing for a moment, “and there’s also a large training ground.”

Zhao Yunnan: This Second Young Master Gu is so annoying! So what if he has a garden?

The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion naturally has a martial arts training ground. It is only natural that the family has a martial arts training ground, given that it was founded on martial arts and has produced generations of military generals.

Of course, Gu Qingyue also understood Zhao Yunnan's words.

"Have you turned your garden into a martial arts training ground?"

The general's mansion was naturally not small, so Zhao Yunnan's meaning could only be that the garden had been completely destroyed.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunnan lowered his head and nodded, "There are only a few clumps of bamboo left."

Gu Qingyue: ...I feel a little sorry for you, girl!

Everyone:······

Gu Yuanchen, belatedly realizing the situation: ...Ignorance is no excuse! He thought it was a martial arts training ground. What's wrong with General Zhao? Why did he turn his entire garden into a martial arts training ground?

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore, little sister. I'd like to ask you about that painting you did today..." Of course, Gu Qingyue's painting today had been circulated and seen by everyone, otherwise how could she convince them? Especially the winner's work.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Gu Qingyue. Feeling a little uncomfortable under everyone's gaze, Gu Qingyue coughed twice and said, "It's just a simple charcoal sketch."

"A sketch?" Liu Zichan's eyes gleamed.

"Was it drawn with charcoal? Who was your teacher? It's so realistic, could you teach us?"

Gu Yuanchen: You, a martial artist who spends all day wielding swords and spears, actually know how to appreciate paintings?

Gu Qingyue: ......

"I just drew it myself," Gu Qingyue said sheepishly.